November meeting NOTES

Held on November 9, 2021 at 6:00pm

Welcome

Principal’s Update
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● Picture day was a success
● Picture retakes will take place on December 12th. More information will be sent in Sunday’s smore.
● Mena and teaches are looking into a “bring-in field trip” from mass audubon, museum of science, etc. to our science room
● PTO has money set aside for enrichment and field trips for students and will be able to financially support these opportunities for students.
● All enrichment opportunities will be hands-on science activities for students.
● Mena asked the PTO to give a ballpark range that each grade level has for field
trips/enrichment. The PTO will be able to provide this information soon.
● Mena would like to hold a read-a-thon and book fair in January/February to help promote the school-wide reading initiative that will begin on November 29th. She would also like a spirit day that helps promote the reading initiative.
○ PTO will meet with Mena to discuss further details.
● Mena is looking to bring back the walking to school program.
○ A company will teach street safety to 2nd and 3rd graders.
○ Program will take place in the spring.

Old Business

● Our first “Trunk or Treat” was a huge success!
• The PTO will send “thank yous” to all who decorated trunks.
• We had a total of 15 cars decorated.
• The event was very well attended. We had approximately 100 kids attend. All prizes were used.
• There is potential to do “Trunk or Treat” next year and going forward. Lot of parents have expressed interest in contributing in the future with decorating cars and purchasing prizes.

New Business

● Creation of new PTO bylaws
• We have Lowell/Hosmer’s PTO bylaws to use as a template.
• Bethany Grazio has offered to review the bylaws.
● Setting up our PTO room in new building
• Natasha and Jen will be setting up our new room on Friday.
• We are looking into off-site storage. We will need to inventory and document everything well at off-site storage for easy accessibility.
● Potential Spirit Days
• We are working with Mena and her team to determine potential Spirit Days and related purchases.
• “Wild about reading” - wear something wild
• Hats off to reading - hat day
• Reading knocks my socks off - mix & match socks
• Comfy to read - cozy day, PJ day
• Read with pet/stuffie - bring stuffie to school, picture reading with their pet
• One Friday a month to go with reading initiative
• Prizes, picture books, grade-level specific
• Planning of first spirit day to be Dec. 3rd
● Belmont books is interested in partnering for book fair
• It has been a good partnership in the past with lots of opportunities for the students to meet the authors.
• There will be an incentives for kids to buy books, discounts
• Mena will set meeting up over zoom
• Mena thinks February would be a good month for the book fair.
• We include Lowell in our book fair this year due to their space limitations.
● Photography session fundraiser idea (from Mrs. Lacy)
• Sessions are $75 ($45 for photographer and $30 for PTO)
• 15-minute photo sessions
• 20-25 digital images are delivered via link to album to families in approximately 2 weeks.
• Possible timing of photo sessions; next fall (for holiday cards), valentine’s day shoot, springtime for 5th grade graduations, end of year photos.
• If the photos need to be taken inside, Shannon Dixon is the building rental coordinator.

Treasurer’s Report

● It was a very quiet month just trunk or treat expenses

5th Grade Update

● No update
● The PTO is looking into running the pie fundraiser if the 5th graders no longer want to run it.

Next Meeting

● Tuesday, December 7 at 6:00pm
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We will have a joint meeting with the School Site Council, Diversity and Belonging Council and
PTO via zoom on November 30th.