2017-2018 Pratt School Calendar of Events and Fund-Raising Opportunities

volunteer, or contact , or talk to the volunteer event leader, or Ruth Hampton will help with coordinating.

Open House, Wed, Oct 25, am and pm shifts available for parents to greet new prospective families. Leader: ,

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School Dance, Friday, October 27, 6:30-8pm, volunteer leader: Georgy Kearney,

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Details: Pratt School Basement/Gymnasium, Enter through Door #3, All families are welcome!

Students, you must come with an adult. (This is not a drop-off event.)Feel free to dress up!

Volunteers are needed for:Publicity, DJ, Glow sticks/bracelets/necklaces, Snacks/Drinks, Set up and Clean up, Donations to pay for the engineer overtime

Election Day Bake Sale, Tuesday, November 7, volunteer leader: Rachel Hampton, lso can sign up for a shift here:

The Pratt Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is hosting an Election Day Bake Sale at Pratt on Tuesday, November 7, 2017. We need volunteers to help package donated bake goods the night before (11/6) and to staff the sale on the day of (11/7). (Note: No sign up is required to donate baked goods. Just drop them off at the Pratt Community Education Office on Monday 11/6 or Tuesday 11/7) Thanks for your help.

Talent Show, 2018 late Jan-Mid March/TBD, volunteer leader: Brinsley Davis,

Culture Night & Scholastic Book Sale, Friday, March 9, Parent Liaison: LissaSteenerson, 612-668-1122 helps coordinate this, Book Sale volunteer leader: Anna Mahan-Miller,

Culture night is a school sponsored event, and enhanced by the PTO.

5:30-6:30 Cultural Display tables and passport activities. Volunteer to educate students and families about a country of your own heritage by hosting a table of fun facts, objects, music, food, instruments—you name it, from that country.

5:30-6:30 Community meal. In the past (and hopefully present) Shakir has “wowed” us with his food creations that bring us together. Many volunteers are needed to help prep, cook, serve, and clean up from this meal.

7:00-8:00 Performances in the Gymnasium. Do you dance, sing, play an instrument that showcases your heritage? Would you like to perform?

4:30-6:30 Scholastic Book Sale. Details to follow. I put 4:30-6:30, because this was the time slot last year. But there might be a sale during the day as well, and Ginnie Sanchez may have other used books to sell to combine with this event or another event.

Ice Cream Social, Friday, June 1, 5:30-8:30pm, Need Volunteers! One parent has stepped up to consult and help new folks organize and run the Silent Auction.

Traditionally, this has been the biggest fund raiser for the PTO, with most funds raised through the Silent Auction of donated goods and gift certificates. Anyone can solicit businesses to ask to donate. There is an online form and printable version for businesses to use for tax purposes. In an attempt to avoid volunteer burn-out for this event, it would be nice if a team of parents decided to commit to this early on (like by December.) It is also hopeful that parents that were involved in this “sub-committee” last year would be willing to mentor the new parent volunteers.

It is the only day of the year that the tower is open, and draws a large crowd. This event is partnered with the Prospect Park Neighborhood Association, who mainly is involved with the entertainment and food, but the PTO has to take on some of that as well. It is a huge community building event, however, unfortunately, it also falls on Ramadan again this year. Or fortunately, if people have ideas on how to still engage the Muslim community—such as watching other people’s children, or extending the event past sun down (if possible.) For those families who participate in Ramadan, please let the PTO know if there are ideas to make this event more inclusive for your families as well.

Other fund-raising opportunities:

Give to the Max Day, Thursday, November 16

Pratt T-shirt sales, volunteer leader: Bill O’Connor

Create/Give something to donate to the Ice Cream Social silent auction

Hold a rummage sale at your home; Donate funds specifically to something you may feel passionate about such as helping to pay for a school field trip or a specific artist in residence; Amazon Smile; Box Tops for Education; other ideas???

Other Community Building opportunities:

Family “greeter”/keeper of the name tags and sign in sheets: would you like to do this each week? Sometimes?

Family engagement work--- contact 612-668-1122 for opportunities that you could create or help out with at the school or in coordination with Breakfast and Books

Food buyer—ideas: in the past we have gotten deals on pizza, and have widened our palette by offering amazing samboosas from Capital Café. Also, Shakir is on hand for ideas, such as Somali Tea.

Artist in Residence/Arts Committee—PTO conversations in the past have stressed a need for Artists who are persons of color. Does anyone have connections for something they would like to propose to the PTO? Anna Mahan-Miller will be lead volunteer.

Movie Night, Teacher Appreciation, 5th grade graduation, other ideas???