September 2008
Volume 2, I ssue 1
Hill Elementary School PTO Newsletter
We hope you all had a wonderful summer and are as excited as we are to begin the 2008-2009 school year. In this newsletter, we would like to introduce some of our new ideas, explain some of our existing programs and invite you all to give us your ideas and to get involved. Statistics show that kids are more successful in school when their parents take an active interest. We hope you find something that looks interesting to you!
Our first big initiative for the year is to kick off the First Annual Hill School Jogathon! Our Jogathon committee has been working tirelessly throughout the summer to make this event a healthy, exciting and rewarding experience for all students. Even better is that for the parents, a successful Jogathon will mean NO MORE FUNDRAISERS!
We also have some other events planned to create more opportunities for families to get to know their child’s classmates, other parents and the Hill staff better. Look for information coming home soon on games night, movie night, special speakers and even a unique way to tap into the talents of our dedicated fathers!
Lastly, please note dates for our PTO meetings. Regular meetings will occur on the 2nd Monday of every month at 7PM in the LGI room. Tomorrow (9/3) we will be setting up a proposed budget for the year. Hopefully, we will pass the budget at our first regular meeting on Monday, September 8th. We welcome and encourage everyone to attend any or all of these important meetings.
Please contact us whenever you have questions or ideas for us! We look
forward to hearing from you and to a great year!
Stacey Bettelon
Chr ist ine Garrett
PTO Co-Presidents
September Events
PTO Budget Meeting 9/3 7PM LGI
First PTO Meeting 9/8 7PM LGI
Market Day pickup Wed 9/17
Jogathon KickOff Assembly Fri 9/19
From your PTO co-presidents, Stacey Bettelon [email protected] 248-619-9117
Christine Garrett [email protected] 248-619-0670
The VOTES are in!
We’re runnin’ with
a new fundraiser
this year!
See page 3 for all
the details!
Hill PTO Mission Statement The objective of the P.T.O. shall
be to develop a good relationship between home and school, to assist the school in providing the best educational opportunities for the children,
and to provide opportunities for Hill families to interact and
socialize.
PTO Policies and Procedures About our meetings: All Hill parents and Teachers are members of the PTO. At our meetings, we plan fundraisers and decide the best ways to spend our income. We also get inside information from our teachers and principal on school and district happenings and occasionally have outside speakers present district or community information. Our meetings are casual, fun, informative, welcome to everyone and a great way to meet new people.
We meet the 2nd Tues of each month at Hill in the LGI room. We try to keep the meetings to about one hour but occasionally we have more business to complete that forces us to go over. It is not a problem if you need to leave early. Meetings are not mandatory but encouraged for Chairpersons. They are however, the only way for Members and Chairpersons to VOTE. If you would like to be on the agenda or are unable to attend but have information to share at a meeting, please send Stacey and Christine an email with pertinent information a couple of days before the meeting.
Childcare at meetings: We do not currently offer childcare for our PTO meetings but please don’t let that prohibit you from attending. If necessary, kids are welcome to accompany. We would be happy to set up a corner of the LGI room for them to read or color quietly while we complete our business. And as an added bonus, the kids will benefit from seeing their parent take an active interest in their school.
Deposits and reimbursements: ALL deposits and reimbursement requests must be accompanied by a completed deposit or reimbursement form. Forms can be found in the PTO file cabinet in the copy room across from the office or on the PTO website.
Information sharing -- IMPORTANT: Any correspondence sent to the school or individual classrooms on behalf of the PTO (class parties, events, etc.) should include the PTO logo and must include a date AND be approved by the Hill school office. You may either email a copy to Mrs. Childress or provide her with a paper copy for approval BEFORE printing copies. After it has been approved, please provide her with a paper copy of the distributed material. She keeps a copy of all correspondence in order to answer questions from parents or teachers in relation to PTO events. Also, place a copy in your PTO Board folder located in the file cabinet in the copy room across from the office.
Parking Space: Please be aware of the 6 special designated parking spaces in front of the school. In addition to the blue handicapped parking, we also have two spaces reserved for travelling teachers and a PTO reserved space. The PTO reserved space was “purchased” last spring in 2-month increments by parents during our Luau/Annual Auction.
PTO Closet: The PTO maintains a storage closet at school for things like paper plates, napkins, plastic ware, cups, decorations, fun fair supplies, etc. Before your committee purchases items for one of your events, please make arrangements with Christine or Stacey to see if the PTO might already have what you’re looking for.
PTO Sponsored Events: Please keep in mind that after school events held at Hill are intended as an opportunity for families to spend time with each other and others in our community. Please do not send your child to these events unaccompanied.
School copier: The Hill copiers may be used to copy PTO related material. Please see Mrs. Childress for the copy code.
School sign: To have your event displayed on the school sign, please fill out an Outdoor Sign Request available in the PTO file cabinet or on the website.
More questions? The PTO website has meeting minutes, treasure’s reposts, forms and tons of information. But you can always talk to Stacey or Christine if you still have questions or to provide comments or suggestions.
Page 2 of 8 PTO Newsletter
What is the JOG-A-THON? The JOG-A-THON is a new fundraiser for Hill Elementary School to celebrate fitness and our community! The JOG-A-THON will take place at Hill on Friday October 3 and will be the ONLY fundraiser* for this year. A successful event will help Hill teachers
provide our children with the best possible education and enrichment programs by funding the PTO general fund.
How will the JOG-A-THON work?
The students will attend an assembly on September 19 that will explain the whole process and get them excited about the JOG-A-THON! At that time, they will receive
pledge sheets, details on prizes and incentives and t-shirts to wear while seeking pledges from relatives and neighbors.
Students will collect pledges before the event, then complete laps around a track at school. Students can run, walk, hop or skip around the track! Each grade will have a specific time slot, and volunteers will help coordinate. Although there will be prizes
and incentives awarded to both individuals and classrooms, EVERY STUDENT will be a winner at the JOG-A-THON!
How can you help at the JOG-A-THON?
As this is slated to be our only fundraiser, we will be looking for many volunteers to help on the day of the event with counting laps, providing water to the participants,
directing traffic in the parking lot and of course CHEERING. To volunteer to be part of this exciting event, call or email Coleen Giniel at 248-743-1218 or
Key Dates: Friday, September 19: Kick Off Assembly Friday, October 3: JOG-A-THON at Hill School (makeup for absent
students on Mon Oct 8) Friday, October 10: Rain Date (make up date for absent students
on Mon Oct 13) Friday, October 17: Last Day to turn in money Friday, October 24: Awards Ceremony Assembly *Reaching our goal will mean NO OTHER FUNDRAISERS!!! No more asking family and friends to buy chocolate, wrapping paper or pizza kits. If we don’t reach our goal, we may find it necessary to either cut programs or revert to our ‘old ways’ so we can maintain our current financial goals.
Page 3 of 8 PTO Newsletter
Of course we need funds to support all of the
great programs we help sponsor. But equally
important is your time. So regardless of your level
of financial participation, we’d love to have you
help in other ways. No level of participation is too
big or too small. Helping at classroom parties,
leading a Jr. Great Books group, chairing a board
Where does the money go?
Page 4 of 8 PTO Newsletter
position, assisting in the clinic, sharing ideas at PTO
meetings, clipping box tops or driving your child to
the talent show, all show our kids they are
important and help our Hill community thrive.
Please take a look at the volunteer signup sheet in
this folder and see what interests you!
Good question! Please join us at our PTO Budget meeting on
Wednesday Sept 3 at 7pm in the LGI Room (yes – that’s tomorrow!) to help decide how best to allocate this year’s PTO funds. Typical annual expenses include:
Student monthly magazine subscriptions i.e. Time For Kids
School assemblies
Classroom enrichment to help subsidize personal contributions our teachers make to their classes. Did you know some teachers spend hundreds of dollars of their own money every year on our kids?
5th grade camp subsidy
Junior Great Books
Family Fun activities
Computers and Technology
Field Day
many more…….
Opportunities Abound………
Last year’s major purchases included:
Soundzabound Music Library
Dance Dance Revolution
Reading Software
Learn to Write Packs
Physical Ed Equipment
More…..
View last year’s Treasurer’s Report on the website or PTO bulletin board for exact figures
Help your child succeed at school by becoming a parent who participates in his education. Getting involved is one of the most significant ways you can help your
child stay in school and get better grades. Research shows that when parents are
active, the schools also improve. So show your child, and his teachers, that his school life is important by making it part of your
life as well.
-Source: Scholastic Inc 2008 Parents: School Involvement
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collection.jsp?id=70 > Accessed August 14, 2008.
Page 3 of 6 PTO Newsletter
Vice President: Assists Presidents, presides
at PTO meetings when the President is
unable to attend. Organizes one school
event (Family Fun Night, Fair, etc) with the
help of a committee.
****Clinic: Responsible for recruiting and
training volunteers to supervise the clinic
during lunch hours. Makes monthly calls or
a calendar to remind all volunteers the
schedule for the following month. Recruits
additional volunteers throughout the year as
needed. Advises office staff of needed clinic
supplies.**** This position needs to be
filled ASAP.
Fifth Grade Celebration: End of the year
celebration for outgoing 5th
graders. Sets up
meetings with 5th
grade parents, accepts
volunteers for sub-committee chair positions
and coordinates planned activities with
parents/teachers/staff.
Hill Spirit Store: Oversees traveling cart of
items for sale during lunch periods.
Coordinates scheduling of parent helpers to run
sales during designated lunch hours. Maintains
inventory of store items. Works with Treasurer
for deposits and payments.
Open PTO Board Positions
Historian: Keeps permanent record
book containing items of PTO
history and publicity.
Husky Dads: Coordinates fun
school service projects such as
spring clean up and others as determined by the Principal
and Custodian.
Junior Great Books: Coordinates JGB discussion
groups for grades 2-5. Recruits and prepares parent
volunteers to lead groups of about 6 students that meet
weekly during lunch in Jan and Feb. Schedules
meetings, acquires and prepares student materials and
handles program communications to students, parents
and teachers.
Talent Show: Organizes the annual Hill School Talent
show. Recruits and schedules performers and an MC,
reserves venue (usually either Athens or Larson) and
equipment, prints the program and advertises the event
to the school.
Talk to Stacey Bettelon for more
information or to volunteer for one
of these positions. Don’t forget!
All positions can be co-chaired
with a friend!
Page 5 of 8 PTO Newsletter
Did you know?
By saving Box Tops for Education labels
we get cash? The PTO receives ten cents
for every Box Top submitted. That was
$1940 last year alone! WOW! Those little
Box Tops can sure add up. Keep on clippin’!
By saving Campbell's Soup labels (UPCs)
we earn free educational merchandise for
our school from the Campbell family of
brands. Please remember – we now need
the UPC codes, not the front label.
You can turn in your Tyson labels for cash.
Our school then redeems them for 24¢
each. Easy money!
We’re on the Web!
http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us Then click on PTO.
Take a look at the website for information like meeting minutes, treasurer’s reports,
calendar of events and PTO forms.
Do you want information about your event or position included on the website? Do you want your email address added to your name
on the board members list?
Just email me the info and I will make sure it gets added!
Christine Garrett
Website Chair
Page 6 of 8 PTO Newsletter
Scrip = substitute money Soon you will see Scrip order forms come
home with your child and you may wonder
how it works and how it helps our school. It’s
all pretty simple, really. When you purchase
scrip, you purchase negotiable gift cards that
are used just like cash. The scrip is issued by
national and local retailers where you already
shop. These merchants want to support non-
profit organizations like us, and in return ask
you to support them by shopping at their
stores with scrip (gift cards).
How does scrip generate revenue?
Because the scrip is purchased with cash up
front, the participating retailers offer a
substantial discount. Hill PTO buys the scrip
from Great Lakes Scrip Center at a discount,
and re-sells the certificates to you for full face
value. Hill PTO retains the bulk of the
discount - from two to fifteen percent or more
- as revenue.
What can you buy with scrip?
You can use scrip to purchase for everyday
expenses like food, clothing, gasoline and
other essentials. And because scrip is
provided in the form of gift cards, it is nice to
always have some on hand for birthdays,
graduations, teacher gifts or holidays. Take a
look at the form the next time it comes home
and see what stores are available where you
already shop. It’s easy – and it doesn’t cost
you a penny more than you’d spend anyway.
Want more details or to see all participating retailers?
See www.glscrip.com.
SINCE THIS IS MY LAST YEAR at Hill, I am looking for a
parent who will be at Hill for a few more years to help
with the yearbook. I also would love someone to help
with the fifth grade collage! Anyone who wants to help or
has questions – Email me at [email protected].
It is around 30 hours of work (and less if you can find
friends to help!) per year - the hardest part is getting
people to give you pictures.
Can you take pictures? Some might be great for the
yearbook! We would love to have pictures that have
clear images of several Hill students on them, doing
something at school or on a school field trip - anything
taken from the start of the school year through mid-
January 2009. Get them to me on CD or give me prints
(you might not get these back), or drop them off in the
office. Description of what (field trip, party), who
(names, class, grade) and when would be very
helpful.
Thanks, Padma Kuppa
Michigan’s New Booster Seat Law effective
July 1, 2008
Children must be in a booster seat until they are 8 years old or
4’9” tall. Children must be in a seat until they reach the age
requirement or the height requirement, whichever
comes first.
For example:
If your child is 8 years or older, but under 4'9" tall, the
law does not apply.
If your child is under 8 years old, but over 4'9" tall,
the law does not apply.
Remember: In both of these cases, your child may be
safer in a booster seat but it is not required by law.
-Source: Safe Kids Michigan 2008 New Law
http://www.michigansafekids.org/newlaw.php> Accessed August 14, 2008.
Attention Photographers!
Busy schedule? Not enough time or energy to think about dinner?
Not a problem if you ordered Market Day this month. They
offer quality products that make your dinner planning quick and
easy!
Please take a look at the Market Day flyer from the first day folder and place your order online today.
Online orders placed by noon on Sept 11th will be ready to pick up
on Wednesday September 17 from 2:30-3:30 in the Hill
Cafeteria.
See Dave Aud – your Market Day chairperson - for more
information
Page 7 of 8 PTO Newsletter
Show your Hill School Spirit by wearing Husky sweatshirts, t-shirts or shorts. Order forms can be found in the First Day folders and are due September 12th. Make checks payable to Hill PTO. For more information, please contact Renee Zaits at (248) 689-7329 or
Page 8 of 8 PTO Newsletter
gg
OFFICERS: PRESIDENT(S): Stacey Bettelon/Christine
Garrett VICE-PRESIDENT: OPEN RECORDING SECRETARY: Anna Colletti CORRESPONDING SECRETARY: Cheri McQueen TREASURER: Diana Petrinko WAYS & MEANS COORDINATOR: Debbie
Ballios
CHAIRPERSONS: ART SMARTS: Dawn Zandi BLOOD DRIVE/CPR: Karen Purrenhage/Coleen Giniel *CLINIC: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Danielle Buser/Zhu Mei Guo FAMILY PICNIC: Danielle Clippard/Lori Mouranie *FIFTH GRADE CELEBRATION: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ *HILL SPIRIT STORE: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ *HISTORIAN: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ HOLIDAY SHOPPE: Debbie Ballios HOSPITALITY: Jennifer Mancini HUSKY DADS: Zhu Mei Guo *JR. GREAT BOOKS: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ MEMBERSHIP/NOMINATION: Stacey Bettelon MOVIE NIGHT: P.J. Laurain ROOM PARENT: Jodi Bezenah/Karen Purrenhage/Pat
Grandy SAFE HOMES: Kathy Liskey SCHOOL BOARD LIAISON: Jagdish Karira SCHOOL PICTURES: Kim Leonard SCHOOL SIGN: Renee Zaits STUDENT DIRECTORY: Carole Birney/Kathy Voyt *TALENT SHOW: ~~~ OPEN ~~~ TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK: Anna Colletti/Jennifer
Mancini WEBSITE: Christine Garrett YEARBOOK: Padma Kuppa
WAYS AND MEANS: BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION: Brenda Klein CAMPBELLS SOUP LABELS: Jackie Schellmat MARKET DAY: Dave Aud SCRIP: Jodi Bezenah T-SHIRT/SWEATSHIRT SALE: Renee Zaits TYSON: Lori Weiner
2008 – 2009 PTO Board Members
Dates to remember!
PTO meetings are the 2nd Monday of each month at 7pm in the LGI Room
September 8 PTO October 13 PTO November 10 PTO December 8 PTO January 12 PTO February 9 PTO March 9 PTO April 13 PTO May 11 PTO June 8 PTO
April 9 – Blood Drive
Events by Month (tentative) Sept/October – Jogathon November – Game Night December – Holiday Shoppe January – Skate World February – Talent Show March – Movie Night April – Fun Night May – Teacher Appreciation Week
June – Family Picnic