What Does the PTO Do?
Fall 2012
NHS PTO News
Welcome to a new school year at Norwell High School. The PTO is a very active and vital organization at our school, so please read on and see what we’re all about!
What does the PTO do?
The NHS PTO provides support for programs and educational and extracurricular materials that benefit all NHS students. We finance guest speakers for student/parent programs, provide grants to teachers for enhancing their classrooms and curriculum, and assist in financing student activities throughout the year. We also provide volunteers to help with programs that enrich our children’s overall high school experience.
Academic
In the 2011-2012 school year, the PTO was able to fund 100% of the grant requestsreceived from our school. Some of the grants went to Netbooks, Ipads, digital cameras, lab improvements, project supplies for the Art, Special Education, Science, Math, Tech Ed, and Science departments, and more. We also supported the yearbook, Halyard, and scholarships. The PTO also sponsored student trips for performances and awards.
The PTO purchases and distributes healthy snack foods for students during MCAS standardized testing in March, May, and June. The students love the brain food and look forward to it in spite of the testing!
We provide the Student Agendas that every student receives at the beginning of the school year. We also publish the School Directory. This is free to every family. It is available in a printed format, as well as electronically, via an app for your phone.
The PTO funds the School Messenger communication service (formerly ConnectEd), which is essential in efficiently sharing timely information through emails and voice mails if needed.
The PTO co-sponsors the annualFine Arts Festivalwith Norwell NSAS. We offset printing and postage costs, provide concessions and volunteers, and help hang the artwork. We all work closely to help the Art Department put on this very special town event in the Spring.
Awareness, Support, and Building Community
The PTO sponsors “Passionately Pink” Breast Cancer Awareness Day every October. Students and teachers dress in pink to support the cause while information is shared and fundraising is done during the day. This year’s event is Wednesday, October 17, 2012.
We support awareness programs for social and safety issues relating to teenagers. In addition to promoting the many programs that our Guidance department directs, we brought a crash-prevention course to our students this Spring. Look for a “Mock Crash” about driving dangers and acclaimed speaker Chris Herren discussing drug abuse this Fall.
The PTO is an outlet for sharing information pertinent to town policy and issues our community is facing. We partner with other school PTOs in the area to share ideas and resources. We collaborate regularly with the PTOs of other Norwell schools and hold special District PTO meetings together in Spring and Fall. This year’s District meetings are October 4 and March 14 in the Central Office and are open to the public.
Our only fundraiser is Quiz Night, to be held Saturday, February 2, 2013, at the Cushing Center. This event is a long town tradition that brings together our community in a fun night of competition while raising valuable funds. It is always a sell-out andour Principal, Mr. Fish, is our MC!
Last April, the PTO provided the popular “Candy Bar” at the Junior-SeniorProm. It was a huge hit! We are working with the Prom Committee to help support prom and some exciting new activities for 2013’s prom—stay tuned!
Celebrating our Seniors
We want to make sure that our students’ final year at NHS is special, and we host several events especially for them. We provide flowers for Awards Nights, Senior Movie Night and yearbook distribution, and Senior Breakfast, which kicks off Field Day. The PTO also arranges the Graduation Balloons and invitations on mailboxes to recognize their accomplishments.
Remembrance, Assistance, Recognition, & Hospitality
The PTO organizes Teacher Appreciation Luncheons for our faculty and staff. These are held on Early Release days to provide lunch on days when they remain for parent-teacher conferences or other meetings. Most of the food is donated. The faculty and staff greatly look forward to, and appreciate these events and it gives us a chance to thank them for their service to our school and our children.
We provide refreshments for many school events: Freshmen Orientation, Open House, Awards Night, and various receptions. We also recognize new and retiring teachers.
With all the new hires, and the loss of the teacher’s lounge for office space, the PTO was able to help renovate the teacher room in the cafeteria to accommodate the additional staff.
We also are able to thank our valuable custodians every year for all the hard work they do for our school.
In times of loss or hardship in our school family, we support families in whatever their needs may be. We assisted many families in 2011-2012 and are here when those needs arise.
Get Involved!
Check out our website via (high school section, organizations tab). It is updated regularly and contains details of all the current committees, chairs, contact information, and upcoming opportunities.
We get our ideas from our parents. Attend a meeting or volunteer for a committee. Please email if you have feedback or suggestions:.
Monthly meeting dates held at 9am in the high school library:
Thursday, September 13 Tuesday, October 16
Wednesday, November 7 Thursday, December 6
Tuesday, January 8 Wednesday, February 6
Tuesday, March 5 Thursday, April 11
Wednesday, May 1 Thursday, June 6
PTO officers for the 2012-2013 school year are President Heather Creel, Vice PresidentMichaela Robbins, secretary MerryAnn Hilson and Treasurer Karen Eaves.
We hope to see you at a meeting!
YOUR SUPPORT IS SO IMPORTANT!Bottom of Form
Your PTO fees of $30 cover the cost of student agendas and School Messenger communication service, plus a portion of non-budgeted programs and grants. Your participation is crucial to continuing everything mentioned in this piece and more. Donations are always appreciated.
Fees are accepted at Fall Sports Sign-ups, Freshmen Orientation, the Boosters Barbecue, Open House/Curriculum Night, and at any PTO meeting throughout the year.
Use our easy on-line payment system: Or you can mail a check:
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Tear Stub for Mailing Fees
Name______Student(s)/Grade______
Mail check payable to NHS PTO for $30 to NHS PTO, 18 South Street, Norwell, MA 02061, Attention Karen Eaves. Or pay on-line at .