2012 Carnival Kick-Off!

The PTO was back in action on Tuesday evening with a very important agenda before them-Carnival planning. Below you will find the minutes from the meeting. If there are any questions, if you would like to volunteer for any of the open carnival chair positions, or if you would like to donate food for parent/teacher conferences please contact any of the PTO board members and we would be happy to help!

A special thank you to Kim Walford for stepping in and helping with the child care for the evening!

Thanks to those who could make it last night! Please mark your calendars now for the March 13th meeting! See you then!

PTO Meeting

Jan. 10, 2012

Attendance-Barb Sims, Mark Hauffle, Joe Erickson, Missy Stickland, Melanie Sifford, Linda Guerra, Kim Walford, Jen Bruce, SueAnn Crouse

1. Carnival

· Date- Friday, May 11^th

· Chairpersons:

· Baskets – Kelly Maynes / Need 1 preferable an IPS teacher

· PR – Need 1

· Donations – Dawn LeRette & Jackie DeVries

· Food – Linda Guerra & Missy Stickland

· Games – Angie Britten & Sara Johnson

· Activities – Melanie Sifford & Abby Couse

· Likes/Dislikes from past

o Plan inside and if it is too beautiful to pass up, then we can move it out.

o More room-use more hallway space, other areas in the building that we could use?

o Food chairs would like for the food to stay in the cafeteria

o AnimalLand-didn’t make much last year, large extra expense for parents

§ Decision was made to not have Animal Land this year-Melanie and Abby will look into possibilities of activities in place of Animal Land

o Bounce house was awesome!

o Designating space more specifically so we don’t have kids walking through games—orange cones, etc.

o Having specific set up and clean up time slots separate from working the games

§ Maybe the first shift and last shift could be teachers to ensure there are enough hands for set-up and clean-up

o Having a committee that can just find volunteers for all things

§ In the past parents have been called multiple times by different chairs, don’t want parents to feel pressured and don’t want to overbook parents/volunteers

2. Conferences

· Date~ Mon. Feb. 13^th

· Sign up sheet

o Those in attendance volunteered to bring food and supplies for conferences, if interested please contact Christy Bennett

3. BOX TOPS update

· IPS- fall collection $1741 (saving for rock wall)

· WIS- fall collection $836 (saving for swing set)

· Collection boxes also at HyVee (Inman) & Fareway (Washington)

· Next collection-March 1st

4. Winter Activity?

· During conferences a survey will be made available to parents, and all members of the community, to gather data about beliefs and opinions of the ROCSD. Could PTO volunteers be at the schools to encourage parents to take a few minutes and complete the survey?

o Computers could be set up ready to go

o Possibly offer a cookie, or a coupon for a free ice cream cone from a local business?

· Capri Sun and Lunchable trays-both of these can be collected and the companies will pay schools, much like box tops.

o Is this something we might want to begin?

· Start looking for next Oct/Nov for an activity-start planning 6mo ahead (i.e. doing a game night/reading night/etc. next Oct./Nov. but start planning now?)

· Fun run-much like jump rope for heart, but would be running instead of jump roping

o Fall vs Spring

o Ask Karen Subbert and Roxanne Lamb what their thoughts are

o YMCA-use track and expose children to the YMCA rules and expectations

o This February??? send packets home at conferences and that could be the kick off

5. Other

· Box top store-kids can purchase supplies or etc for so many box tops

NEXT MEETING- Tuesday, March 13^th 5:30 @ IPS Media Center

**NO FEBRUARY Meeting due to Valentines & Conferences*

News from the 2011/12 PTO

Hello all!

Wow, can you believe that it is already November? It is hard to believe that it has already been three months since you sent your children off for the first day of school, and that we welcomed them with open arms! I am so glad to make my first official update to the PTO blog as the new secretary of this wonderful organization. I first want to apologize to those of you who may have been looking here for some information, I will do my best to be better with the updates! :)

So much has already been happening in our PTO world and I hope you will enjoy what I have to share! First thing is first, Fall fundraisers!

This past September our DK-5th graders were out in the community selling trash bags like crazy! Every year this is a major fundraiser for our organization, and we would like to say thank you to those of you who make it a huge success! If you did not get any, or did not get enough and would like more you can contact the schools or Christy Bennett to purchase more. Thank you to all who sold and purchased!

Our next activity was the T-shirt and Sweatshirt sales. We enjoy this activity because it gives families a great way to purchase Tiger gear, and help out our organization! Thanks to those who purchased and be on the lookout for what great items we will have on sale next fall!

Well SueAnn, that is great and all but what do you do with all that money? Well, I am glad you asked! The money that is raised throughout the year from various PTO fundraisers is pooled together and then distributed to Inman Primary and Washington Intermediate Schools. It is then dispersed among the teachers to purchase items for the classroom. Recently some of these items were shared, so here is a list of just a few of the many items purchased: lamps, books, bulletin board supplies, bean bags, book tubs, magnifying glasses, dissection materials for various science experiments, as well has helping to offset entrance fees for various field trips. The money is definitely put to great use, and the teachers could not be more appreciative of all the help that we receive!

Next on the agenda, box tops. As many of you know we here at Inman and Washington collect box tops for education. In the past we have operated under a structure where each classroom was in competition with another to collect the most box tops. After some discussion it was decided that why not change our competition feel into a feeling of all of us working as a team to accomplish a set goal. The new framework was set and implemented this year. Each building has created a goal (Washington is a swing set and Inman is a rock wall for the gym) and a visual thermometer has been placed in the building. After students reach certain milestones, they earn a small prize while keeping motivation high for the large prize. The kids have LOVED it! They work hard to find as many box tops as they can and help to sort the piles into bundles of 50 to send off. So far each building is well on their way to accomplishing their goal in hopes to have the funds and prizes by the end of the school year!

If you are collecting box tops and want to know where to take them you may drop them off at either school office, Hy-Vee or Fareway.

We are currently in the planning phases of adding a family fun night of some sort to our winter activities...stay tuned for more information! :)

Also new to PTO this year, FREE CHILD CARE during every meeting. That is right, you get to have some time to connect with other parents and your children get an hour with his/her friends and some of our Red Oak High School students! Ms. Rhodes, the High School FACS teacher and FCCLA advisor has a great group of kids who come to the school and play games and have activities for the children to do while we meet. Thank you to them, and to all of you who have taken advantage of this great service!

I am sure you are eager to hear about the carnival, as we are eager to plan! Our first planning meeting will be the first meeting of the new year, January 10th. All meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm in the Inman Primary Media Center. Please mark it on your calendars and come to help us plan for the best carnival yet! The carnival itself will take place on Friday, May 11th.

Thank you to all who have attended and helped us along this year! It has been a wonderful year thus far and I want to welcome and encourage any parent who wishes to join us to do so! The more, the merrier!

Have a wonderful day!
SueAnn

2011 PTO SPRING CARNIVAL

The 2011 4th Annual PTO Spring Carnival is fast approaching! The carnival will be on May 20th from 5-8 at Inman Primary School. The chairwomen for each division is as follows: Games: Sara Johnson & Angie Britten Activities: Abby Couse & Melanie Sifford Food: Linda Guerra Baskets: Teresa Euken Donations: Kelly Maynes & Naomi McCunn Coordinators: Christy Bennett & Leah Mensen To contact someone from the above list, please email redoakpto@live.com and they will get back with you! We are looking forward to a GREAT carnival and volunteers are ALWAYS needed!

PTO Meeting September 14th Minutes

In attendance: Christy Bennett, Leah Mensen, Kelly Maynes, Melanie Sifford, Teresa Wenstrand, Kim Bond, Amy Schmadeke, Jenny Johnson, Deb Graber, Sue Chelsvig, Jen Bruce, Abby Couse, Buck Laughlin, Ann Stewart and Angela Ceder.

It was discussed about changing meeting time to 5:30 but was voted to leave it at 5:00.

As of right now - we have sold $50,000 worth of trashbags. We will sell trashbags and shirts at Spring Conferences. Pick up dates for trashbags will be October 8th and 9th at the GOLD FAIR BUILDING! There will be an assembly in October 8th to announce the trashbag Top 10. Inman will be at 8:45 and Washington at 9:15. Every student that sold trashbags will get a prize.

We will be having a Box Top competition running from September 27th - October 15th.

Altrusa wants to do something with Sunny D! The gallon size labels - if we collect 20 labels = 10 books. Please drink and save Sunny D labels and turn them into teachers or to the schools.

Food for conferences will be September 27th. We will be doing Soups and Bars. If you would like to help with this - please contact Christy Bennett. The schools will be doing the clean up after conferences so please take your things in either disposable containers or label your container with your name very clearly.

PTO will continue to bur books for each student at the book fair.

Election of officers went as follows:
Christy Bennett - President
Leah Mensen - Vice President
Shona Bruno - Treasurer
Kelly Maynes - Secretary
Jen Bruce - Box Tops

Next meeting will be JANUARY 11TH @ 5:00 AT INMAN PRIMARY IN MEDIA CENTER.

NEXT PTO CARNIVAL MEETING: APRIL 27TH AT 5:30 AT INMAN PRIMARY

CARNIVAL COMMITTEES AND CONTACTS

CARNIVAL WILL BE MAY 7TH FROM 5-8 AT INMAN PRIMARY

ACTIVITIES - SHAUNA BOZWELL & TERESA WENSTRAND
FOOD - LINDA GUERRA & KELLY MAYNES
BASKET RAFFLE - TERESA EUKEN
DONATIONS - MELANIE SIFFORD & ABBY COUSE
GAMES - SARA JOHNSON & JENNY JOHNSON
CAKE WALK - KELLY JONES

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP WITH ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS - PLEASE EMAIL redoakpto@live.com and LET US KNOW. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP! THANK YOU!

CARNIVAL MEETING

REMINDER: CARNIVAL MEETING: TUESDAY MARCH 9TH @ 5:30 @ INMAN PRIMARY IN MEDIA CENTER! EVERYONE IS WELCOME! HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!