/ 2015-16
St. Ignatius, Martyr School Homeroom Parents Guide / Home of the Bobcats


Table of Contents

Welcome …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2

PTO Officers ………………. ………...... 3

Important Information ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Calendar of Events ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5-6

Grandparents Day………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7

Fall Fest ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8-9

Halloween Carnival ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10-12

PTO Meetings and Concessions …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13

School Grounds Clean-up ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 14

BINGO …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 15-16

Book Fair……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17

School Masses……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..18

Mardi Gras………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19

Teacher/Staff Appreciation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 20

Teacher Potlucks and Snacks……………………………………………………………………………………………………….21

Other Events ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 22

Classroom Parties ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 23

Where Do I Start?? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 24

Sample Letters ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25-26

Notes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 27

Sign Up Sheets Powered by Bringit……………………………………………………………………………………………….28

Login to RenWeb to Record Your Volunteer Hours ………….………………………………………………………….. 29

Ethics and Integrity in Ministry Summary …………………………………………………………………………………….. 30

Dear Parents,

Thank you so much for volunteering to be a Homeroom Parent this school year. We are excited to have you on board! Your time and talent is a value to everyone here at St. Ignatius.

This guide is to serve as a source of information you will need throughout the year. Please take time to coordinate the events with your class and teacher(s). Some teachers may have additional classroom needs that you can also help to coordinate, such as reading time, field trip volunteers, etc.

As a Homeroom Parent, your main responsibility is to communicate and coordinate activities and include as many parents as possible to help. You are not expected to bring all the treats, plan all the parties and participate in all classroom activities. You will find that many parents like to be involved in their children’s activities and classrooms; all you have to do is ask them to help.

We look forward to working with each of you in creating a great year for our students. Please feel free to contact me, or any other PTO member, if you have any questions. Have Fun!!

Thanks for your commitment,

Teresa Rojo

VP of Stewardship

(512) 576-6020

PTO Officers 2015-2016

______

Pastor

Fr. Bill Wack,

Principal

Jennifer

President

Nicolle

Secretary

Stephanie

Treasurer

Karina

VP of Events

Vacant

VP of Stewardship

Teresa

VP of Fundraising

Pete

VP of Development

Laura

Teacher Liason

Julie

Backup: Kathryn

Important Information
______

  1. Keep classroom parents informed with monthly newsletters/emails of upcoming events and dates.
  2. Please plan for events in advance. Give parents enough time to contribute or to volunteer their time or talent. Do not be afraid to ask. You might want to keep a list of who volunteers for a certain event, just in case you need it for future reference.
  3. When asking for money or items, ask the class parents to give it to the teacher. Have parents place money/items in an envelope/bag with their child’s name on it.
  4. Please do not spend your own money on things you need for any event. Have the classroom parents share in the cost.
  5. If you are planning a fundraiser, get approval from Ms. Malone in advance. This is very important.
  6. Homeroom Parents are the primary communicators to the class parents regarding certain events. You may need to call or email parents for special events. It is important to print out a class directory (available on RenWeb) or ask parents for this information.
  7. This is an opportunity for everyone to get involved in our school and have fun, while creating wonderful memories for our students.
  8. Remind parents that the hours they volunteer need to be logged on Ren Web.
  9. Please remind parents that all volunteers are required to attend the “Protecting God’s Children” workshop (also known as Ethics and Integrity in Ministry “EIM”) sponsored by our Diocese. Dates and times for workshops can be found at Parents will need to complete this workshop in order to volunteer in the classrooms.
  10. This year, we are asking for at least one parent volunteer to serve on a PTO sub team. This role can be shared between parents, divided by semesters - whatever works for your parents! Serving on these sub teams include assisting with various tasks (setting up for PTO meetings, Bingos, selling items at school during lunch, creating flyers, etc.).
  11. Some parents do not read your email communications because the emails get “lost” or mixed up with their other emails. Suggest creating a new email account to be used only for St. Ignatius communications. Remind them to update their new email address in Renweb if they do this.

Calendar

______

2015

1

August

6-12St. Ignatius Faculty Inservice

6New Faculty Inservice-Pastoral Center

8All School Beautification Day-8:30am

975th Anniversary Kick-off-Mass with the Bishop and Reception 9am

10Diocesan Mass for Faculty and Staff 10:30 at St.Helen

13 First Day of School-Noon Dismissal No Afterschool Care, No lunch

14Noon Dismissal No Afterschool Care, No lunch

25Back to School Night-6-8:00pm New Parent Orientation 6:00-6:30-Classroom Visits (All Parents) 6:30-8:00pm

28PTO Back to School Social

September

7Labor Day-No School

8Student Photos

8 PTO Meeting -Dinner 5:30-Meeting 6:30

11Grandparent's Day Celebration

12Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon: 8th grade & PK-3

1575th Anniversary of School's First Day

16Noon Dismissal-No ASC, No lunch-Austin Area Staff Inservice

18School Holiday-No School

19Fall Fest

21-25Scholastic Book Fair

26Diocesan School Advisory Board Inservice8:30-12-Pastoral Center

28 -10/2Iowa Assesment-K-8th Grade

October

5-9Homecoming

9Homecoming Dance Middle School-7-10pm

10Grounds Clean-Up 9-noo : 7th grade & K-1

12No School -Diocesan Institute MaybornConference Center 8:30-3:00

October (continued)

14End of First Marking Period

15 & 16Noon Dismissal-No ASC, No lunch-Parent-Teacher Conferences/Report Card Distribution-Beginning of Second Marking Period

16PTO Bingo

1675th Anniversary Event- Alumni Mass

17Feast of St.Ignatius

17St. I SMASH

20Vision and Hearing Screening

28Student Photo Retakes

30Halloween Carnival-PTO

November

6Diocesan Choir Festival at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church

10PTO Meeting -Dinner 5:30-Meeting 6:30

14Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon: 6th grade & K-2

20PTO Bingo

25-29Thanksgiving Break- No School

29First Sunday of Advent

December

11School Advent/Christmas Program

12Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

12Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon : 5th grade

18End of the Second Marking Period

18Noon Dismissal-No ASC, No lunch

21-1/4Christmas Break-No School

2016

January

4Teacher Inservice-No School

5First Day of the Second Semester

8Report Card Distribution

9Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon - 4th grade

January (continued)

12PTO Meeting- 5:30 Dinner & 6:30 Meeting

15Class Photos

18MLK Day-No School

24Open House noon to 3pm

25100th Day of School

28Middle School Science Fair

30Celebrating Catholic Schools Dinner

31-2/6Catholic Schools Week

February

6Mardi Gras Gala

10Ash Wednesday

15President's Day- No School

20Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon- 3rd grade

March

8PTO Meeting- 5:30 Dinner & 6:30 Meeting

1175th Anniversary Event- Alumni Mass

11End of Marking Period

12Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon- 2nd grade

14Beginning of New Marking Period

16Noon Dismissal- No ASC, No lunch/Report Card Distribution

16-28Spring Break & Easter Holiday- No School

25Good Friday

27Easter Sunday

29Classes Resume

April

5ACRE Testing

9Diocesan Science Fair- 9am-2pm

9Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon-1st grade

15Spring Dance- Student Government/NJHS

18-22Scholastic Book Fair

29Teacher Inservice-Noon Dismissal-No ASC, No lunch

May

7First Communion-5pm Mass

9 -13Starbase- 5th grade

10PTO Meeting-5:30 Dinner, 6:30 Meeting

14Academic & Athletic Awards Ceremony-Grades 4th-8th

14Grounds Clean-Up 9-noon- PK-4A & PK-4B

20 Last Day of School for 8th grade

218th Grade Graduation-10am

27Last Day of School/Report CardDistribution/Noon Dismissal-No ASC, No lunch

30Memorial Day Holiday

31Teacher Inservice Day/ Inclement Weather Make-up Day if needed

June

1Teacher Inservice/ Inclement Weather make-Up Day if needed

475th Anniversary Event-Alumni Mass at 5pm and Reception in Family Center

1

Grandparents Day______

September 11, 2015

The Grandparents Day Celebration consists of the Friday morning school mass honoring all grandparents with a reception immediately following in the Family Center. Tickets will be provided for the reception. The PTO provides most of the refreshments but requests the classes to provide orange juice and pastries. We also need volunteers to help set up, serve and clean up. Two separate sign up sheet links will be provided for you to forward to your classes.

Link for volunteers:

Link for donations:

Fall Fest

______

September 19, 2015 – 11:00 am to 8:00 pm

St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church sponsors an annual Fall Festivalwhich is the parish’s largest fundraiser. It is an all day festival filled with food and game booths,music, etc. Funds raised at this event go to support various ministries, which includes our school. As recipients of this support, our school is being asked to provide assistance setting up and operating booths.

Since there will not be a Fall Fest Dinner Auction this year, we will not be making Fall Fest Baskets. Instead, the Fall Fest Committee requests we put our time, talent and treasure into truly decorating the Fall Fest booths, much like we do for the Halloween Carnival.

Fall Fest Booths – September 19

The school is asked to decorate and man ten booths. Things to be done:

•Each lead homeroom parent should get a booth coordinator responsible for getting a booth theme/design, decorating , operating , and cleaning up at the end. The classes that share a booth need to coordinate with the other class to create a design and to share volunteer responsibilities.

•Signup sheet links will be provided for volunteers for setup, 30 min. intervals between 11am – 8pm, and clean up. Keep the sign-up sheet at your booth so everyone knows who is working when.

•The Fall Fest committee will set up the booth and provide supplies needed. You are responsible for decorations.

•Create a class banner to acknowledge your classrooms.

•Follow game rules to keep the games fair.

•This year no prizes are given at the game booth. Tickets will be given as follows:

1 ticket awarded at a consolation prize

2 tickets for measure of skill

3 tickets to the winner (max tickets per player)

•Tickets are redeemed for prizes at the Ticket Redemption Booth.

• There is a booth decorating contest with a $50 gift card for 1st place and $25 gift cards for 2nd and 3rd place.

Fall Fest Booth AssignmentsWith Sign Up Sheet Links

GradeBooth Theme

PK3 & 5th Bowling

PK4 A & BDuck Pond

Kinder 1 & 2Fishing Pond

1st Confetti Eggs/Silly String

2nd Bucket Toss

3rd Soda Ring Toss

4th Hair Spray Painting

6th JENGA

7th Football Throw

8th Balloon Dart Throw

Halloween Carnival
______

October 30, 2015 from 6-8p

Every year a Halloween Carnival is coordinated for the benefit of our children’s enjoyment. Admission to the Carnival is free. This event is fun and gives our school an opportunity to participate as a family. Each class is asked to sponsor a booth based on the theme assigned to the class.

Things to be done in preparation for the Carnival are:

• Define how you will create and decorate your booth based on theme.

• Prepare a list of items needed and communicate to parents.

• Ask each family to provide decorations or donate money to purchase items for the booth. These decorations are not provided by PTO.

•Prepare a 30 minute interval signup sheet for parents to sign up for a shift to decorate/set up, man the booth, clean up, child care and manning the cash box for concessions.

• Layout of the family center will be provided and will indicate the location of your class booth.

•The booth will need to be ready by 6pm, and you can start setting up by 4pm. Breakdown/clean-up starts at 8pm.

•Prizes will be provided by the PTO for best booths.

• The contests are usually:

- Best Decorated Booth – 1st, 2nd, 3rd

- Best Costume

Concession Booth: 6thGrade

PTO will provide everything for concession sales:

-Plate with hot dog, chips & lemonade will be sold for $3

-Nachos will be $2

-Sodas & Water will be $1

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL BOOTH ASSIGNMENTS WITH SIGN UP SHEET LINKS

GradeBooth Theme

PK3Arts & Crafts

PK4APin Tail on Cat

PK4 BGo Fish

Kinder 1Cupcake Walk

Kinder 2Ring Toss

1st GradeFortune Telling

2nd GradeCasket Ball

3rd GradeBook Walk

4th GradeBean Bag Toss

5th GradeBowling

6th GradeConcession

7th GradeFootball Throw

8th GradeHaunted House

PTO Meetings and Concessions

______

PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) meetings are held every other month on a Tuesday from 6:30-7:30pm in the school’s Family Center. Two classes will be responsible for set up, concession sales, childcare, and cleanup. Confession sales start at 5:30 pmand go until7:30 pm. PTO will provide the dinners for sale but the classes are responsible for providing sodas, bottled waters, and desserts for sale.

ScheduleSponsoring Grade

September 8th 3rd and 4th

November 10th 1st and 7th

January 12th PK3, 2ndand 8th

March8thPK4 A & B and 6th

May 12thKinder 1 & 2 and 5th

These meetings are designed to keep parents informed of school news, events, activities and other pertinent information. This is also an opportunity to voice opinions, raise questions, or praise someone doing a great job.

Homeroom parents should encourage class parents to attend meetings so they are up to date on what is happening at the school. The class with the most attendance will receive aprize from the PTO.

Students of a parent that attends the PTO meeting will receive an “Out of Uniform Pass”, which will be for the following school day, or other day.

Childcare is provided at all meetings by the sponsoring class.

The PTO will provide dinnerplates to sell for $5. *Classroom parentswill provide desserts for $1.00 and sodas/water for $1.*

Lead Homeroom parents should contact each other to determine who will provide what. Parents can sign up to donate items or money for items for a lead parent or class parent to purchase. Parents will also need to sign up for a shift to set up, sell or clean up kitchen when done.

Set up can begin @ 5:00pm (flexible).

Link to the sigh up sheet:


School Grounds Clean-up

______
onSaturdays, From 9:00 am -12:00 pm

In an attempt to keep the school grounds looking nice, families get together from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm one Saturday each month to clean the school grounds. Each class is assigned a date in which parents and children come together and provide this service. Things to do:

•Notify parents of the date your class is assigned.

•Things parents should bring: rakes, brooms, leaf blower, weed/bush trimmers, extension cords, gloves, garbage bags, etc.

• If possible, have a sign-up sheet as to who will bring what.

A list of things to be done around the school will be provided.

•Mrs. Malonewill come to the school and open any lock(s) needed.

• Children of parents that participate in the clean-up will receive an “Out of Uniform Pass” for the following Tuesday. Parents will need to work at least 2 hours in order to receive this pass.

•Participation in school clean-up counts towards volunteer hours for the school year.

•Please email the parent signup sheet at the end of the cleanup to your teacher, so they can be notified of the students receiving the out of uniform pass.

•If any parents cannot attend on the day that their grade is sponsoring the clean but still wish to participate they can help on another day of their choice.

DateSponsoring Grade

September 12thPreK3 and 8th

October 10thKinder 1 and 7th

November 14thKinder 2 and 6th

December 12th 5th

January 9th4th

February 20th3rd

March 12th2nd

April 9th 1st

May 14th PreK4 A and B

BINGO
______

BINGO is the PTO’s best fundraiser in which parents are asked to support. Classes are assigned one Bingo a year and are responsible for providing and selling food at the concession and child care.

• Lead homeroom parents should contact each other to determine the menu. It shouldinclude a meat portion and at least one side, if not two. Once the menu is decided, please let PTO know so we can get it advertised. Prepare enough for 100 people.

•Since PTO only has 3 Bingo games this year, we will be selling the desserts as well. Classes are responsible for providing the sodas, bottled water and desserts.

•PTO will provideadditional items to be sold such as nachos, pickles, etc.

• Determine what class will provide items needed, who will prepare what and who will work what shift and communicate to class parents.

• Prepare a signup sheet for parents to sign up for a shift to cook, set up, sell,clean up or child care.

• Have a signup sheet for parents so they can sign up to donate food items needed, or they can contribute money to purchase items needed.

•Sponsoring class is responsible for child care.

• PTO will provide paper products; plates, napkins, utensils, cups, nacho boats. The PTO cabinet will be unlocked for retrieval of these items.

Setup:

•Cooking/set-up can start at 4pm

•Bring allitems needed for preparing & serving food.

•Be ready to serve by 6:00 pm and stop by 8:30pm.

•Classes are responsible for cleaning the kitchen when done.

•Money box (with change) will be provided by PTO treasurer.

Recommended Prices:

•$6.00Per plate (includes lemonade & container for lemonade provided by PTO)

•$2.00 Nachos

•$1.00 Pickles, Soda, Water

•$1.00 Desserts

You may reduce the prices at intermission.

BINGO DATES AND ASSIGNED GRADES
______

Bingo DateSponsoring Grade

October 16th PK3, 1st, 2nd & 6th

November 20thPK4 AB, 3rd, 5th& 8th

April 8thKinder1 & 2, 4th7th

Below is the signup sheet link:

BOOK FAIR______

Book Fair is one of favorite events among our students. All the profits raised from the Book Fair go directly to help add more books to our school library.

PTO is responsible for setting up, operating and tearing down two book fairs a year, one in the fall and one in the spring. Set up is usually on Monday mornings, with sales Tuesday through Friday, and tear down Friday morning after assembly.

The Fall Scholastic Book Fair is September 21 – 25, 2015.

The Spring Scholastic Book Fair is April 18 – 22, 2016.

Several volunteers are needed throughout the Fair to help set up the Book Fair, run the cash register, reorganize books during the Fair and help pack up after the Fair.

Below is the link for the Book Fair signup sheet.

Any questions regarding Book Fair should be directed to Mrs. Staveley at:

School Masses

St. Ignatius Martyr Church takes up a collection for our school the second weekend of every month. To show a presence at these masses, Fr. Bill would like all Pk4 through 8th grade classes to serve as greeters, ushers and gift bearers at each mass. We request one parent to help coordinate the students and at least four students per mass to sign up to serve, but of course we always encourage more to attend, wear their uniforms and share in these duties! The ushers are good about finding "jobs" for all the kids in uniforms.