Fireside PTO
Welcome Letter for Parents
April 30, 2010
Dear Incoming Kindergarten Parents:
Welcome to Fireside - We're so excited you're here!
The Fireside PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) is made up of parents, teachers and our principal, Pat Heinz-Pribyl. We meet the second Tuesday of every school month at 6:30 pm in Fireside's library. In addition to participating in meetings, there are lots of other ways to be involved.
The primary goal of our PTO is to promote our incredible Fireside community-spirit. We do this by organizing fun events throughout the year, supporting teachers and staff, fundraising, helping conserve resources and promoting other important events. Here's a list of some of our activities.
Fun Events:
- Back-to-School Ice Cream Social (August)
- Marching in the Louisville Labor Day Parade (September 6th)
- Parents Only Social (Fall)
- Family Skate Night (February 24)
- Fireside Festival year-end Celebration (May)
Supporting our Teachers and Staff:
- Welcome Back Brunch (August)
- Food during parent/teacher conferences (Fall and Spring)
- Compiling a list of staff favorites (November)
- Staff Appreciation week (May)
- Grant writing (all year)
Fundraising: While it is our goal to keep fundraising to a minimum, we do provide every teacher and staff member with a PTO allowance to help support their classroom activities, and this is made possible through fundraising.
- Payback Coupon book sales (September)
- Fall fundraiser-silent auction and great food! (October)
- Spring fundraiser-usually a read-a-thon or math-a-thon (February)
- On-going grocery and Kohl's cards (they donate a % of your purchase)
- Box Tops and Labels for Education
- The money raised also goes toward grade- or school-wide activities such as field trips, guest speakers, science fair, First Lego League, chess club, the Fireside Gazette (student newspaper), the yearbook, and our library.
The Green Team: This team is composed of Fireside parents and staff members who are passionate about promoting environmental education and sustainability programs in our school, coordinating these activities.
- "Zero-waste" events, such as using compostable supplies during class parties
- Recycling of ink cartridges and cell phones
- Reducing the use of paper in school-wide communications
- Becoming a Green Star School in partnership with Eco-Cycle
- Additionally, Fireside is the first Louisville school to become part of the "Garden-to-Table" program, through which students have planted a garden on the school grounds. Students tend, harvest and will ultimately eat from this garden! So come check out what’s growing in our backyard.
Other Important Events: The PTO also tries to encourage important issues like good health, child safety and science as well as holding events to help out parents and staff.
- Coordinate School Pictures (September)
- International Walk to School Day (October)
- Gear Swap (November)
- Giving Tree to help Fireside families in need (December)
- Child Assault Prevention seminars (February)
- Turn off the TV/Screen Week (April 18-24)
- Science Fair (April)
- Parent Engagement Network - Parent Information talk (spring)
- Year Book (all year)
- Fireside Gear sales (all year)
Over the summer, incoming Kindergartners and their parents will have the opportunity to meet each other at three different Summer Play-Dates: June 8th, July 14th and August 6th.
In the fall, the PTO publishes a school directory which includes class lists, family contact information, and other useful information. Many parents find this to be an invaluable resource for contacting classmates, friends and others parents. Please keep your eyes open in the fall, and be sure to return the directory form as soon as possible in order to have your information included.
There are big and small ways to get involved - so come find out what’s going on and have a say in your school!
Once again, we welcome you to the Fireside Community! We hope we can help make your transition as smooth as possible, and we invite you to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Margretta Risi Leslie Ewing
PTO Chair Welcome Team Coordinator
(303) 604-0170 or jmmj.risi(at)comcast.net 720-890-8544 or lewing(at)inovonics.com
