Dear Memorial and Fieldstone Families,
We are Brenda Esposito and Terry Powell, your PTO Co-Presidents, and Christine Romano-Arrabito, your MEF President, for the 2011-12 school year. Welcome to any new families this year, and welcome back and thank you to our returning PTO and MEF members for your continued support of these important organizations.
Both the MEF and the PTO offer many opportunities for you to get involved in your children’s education. Decades of research show that parents are an important influence in helping their children achieve high academic standards, and that when parents are involved in education, children do better in school and schools improve.[1],[2]
Your Montvale PTO serves as a conduit for communication between home and school; provides social and educational school programs, services, and activities; and provides many opportunities for parents to interact with students and teachers during the school day. The PTO runs fundraisers throughout the year to support PTO-sponsored programs, and to purchase school equipment and “wish list” items for both schools that directly benefit our children.
Your MEF’s mission is to enhance the quality of education in the Montvale Public Schools. The MEF raises money for innovative educational enhancements through the support of families, local businesses and the community. The MEF has helped fund interactive classroom technology, musical instruments, recreational equipment, cultural and science programs and assemblies, and much more all through the generosity of community fundraising.
During the last school year, with your support, the PTO and MEF together provided over $100,000 in funding for programs and equipment at Memorial and Fieldstone schools. Working together, we were able to fund this summer’s installation of wireless internet access for both schools, which will allow our students and educators to seamlessly integrate available and emerging technology into our children’s daily education.
It takes many volunteers, an incredible staff, and a supportive community to make our schools great. Please get involved with the MEF and PTO this year and be a part of “Team Montvale!” See the attached sheets for more information on both organizations, including information on meeting dates and committees.
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something! We look forward to working with you all this year.
Brenda Esposito & Terry Powell Christine Romano-Arrabito
Montvale PTO Co-Presidents MEF President
www.montvalepto.com www.mef4kids.org
WWW.MONTVALEPTO.COM
***PUT THE PTO WEBSITE AMONG YOUR FAVORITES***
***REMEMBER TO CHECK IT OFTEN FOR UPCOMING EVENTS***
Wednesday, September 7thWELCOME TEA in the MS Multi-purpose Room
@ 8:45 (right before 1st PTO Meeting)
Reconnect with familiar faces, make some new friends and join us in enriching our children’s education.
Come join us!!
Please visit our website for information on all things PTO. At www.montvalePTO.com you can join the PTO, order Monday/Friday Hot Food and other items for sale by the PTO online, sign up to be a class parent, read about and sign up for all PTO committees, see our meeting schedule, sign up for email alerts, and more.
Once you complete the on-line PTO registration and pay your annual dues ($12 per family), your PTO phone directory will be sent home with your child. The directory is included in your dues and you will find yourself reaching for it over and over to access names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails of parents, teachers and staff in our school community.
IMPORTANT PTO DATES:
August 1st / Ordering opens online for Monday (Pizza) and Friday (subs/bagels) Hot Food for Session 1 (service from Sept 19 – Dec 19).PTO sign-ups begin.
August 15th / Ordering for Tues—Thurs Hot Food from The Cornerstone Restaurant, Hillsdale, NJ. Go to www.thecornerstonenj.com
September 9th / Deadline to sign up online to be class parent
Ordering online closes for Monday/Friday Hot Food for Session 1. A late fee of $25/family will be assessed, so don’t delay!
September 13th / Hot Food for Tues—Thurs begins
September 19th / PTO Hot Food Monday (pizza) begins
September 23rd / PTO Hot Food Friday (bagel/sandwich) begins
WEDNESDAY PTO MEETINGS:
Sept 7th / 9:00 am / MS/MPR / Feb 1st / 7:30 pm / FMS/IMCOct 5th / 7:30 pm / FMS/IMC / April 11th / 9:00 am / MS/MPR
Dec 7th / 9:00 am / MS/MPR / June 6th * / 7:30 pm / FMS/IMC
* The June meeting will include New Officer Installation and Volunteer Appreciation
Memorial School (MS) – Multipurpose Room (MPR)
Fieldstone Middle School (FMS) – Instructional Media Center/Library (IMC)
Important Dates to Look Forward to this School Year!
September 8 First MEF meeting – Fieldstone IMC at 7:30 pm
September Fall Spirit Wear Sale begins
October 10 Boolathon at Montvale Lanes
December 2 Casino Night at Pearl River Hilton
January 28 Harlem Wizards at Pascack Valley High School
March 17 MEF Challenge at Memorial School
Please visit our website at www.mef4kids.org and browse the many
opportunities available to help support Montvale Schools!
MEF meetings are typically held the
second Thursday of the month at the Fieldstone IMC
Come join us and be a part of what’s happening!
[1] U.S. Dept. of Education. Non-Regulatory Guidance: Parental Involvement: Title I, Part A, April 23, 2004 http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/parentinvguid.doc accessed July 5, 2010.
[2] Lewis, Anne C.; Henderson, Anne T., Urgent Message: Families Crucial to School Reform, 1998, cited in U.S. Dept. of Education. Non-Regulatory Guidance: Parental Involvement: Title I, Part A, April 23, 2004.