WPTO- Wexford Parent Teacher Organization
General Meeting-Agenda
November 15, 2016- 9:30 a.m.
- General
1. Call to OrderHeather Weitzel
2. Principal’s ReportDr. Rick Walsh
3. Guidance Counselor ReportMrs. Amy Sclight
4. President’s ReportHeather Weitzel
5. Secretary’s ReportShana Mackie
5.1 Approve October Meeting Minutes
5.2 Correspondence
6. Treasurer ReportKelly Christy
- Committee Reports
Holiday Shop- Kelly Christy, Kelly Saversky
This year’s holiday shop will be held Dec 7-9 during school hours. Students will have the opportunity to shop for gifts with their class. Details were included in the most recent e-news that came out Nov 11. The link for class shopping schedule, shopping list and the link to volunteer are included in the e-news release. Shopping lists will also be sent home with students. These will be stapled to an envelope for parents to return list and money. Deadline to return money is Nov 29, 2016.
We are looking for parent volunteers to help students shop during the holiday shop. We are also looking for any creative parents that can volunteer time to personalize some sale objects prior to the shop dates as well as during shop hours. If you are interested in doing some personalization work prior to the shop dates, please contact Kelly Saversky () or Kelly Christy ().
Outreach- Danielle Orlando, Traci Hockenberry
October 24 Outreach: Thirty-four third graders made cards and filled 50 holiday stockings with snacks, granola bars, and candy to be sent to the troops overseas this holiday season. In addition, they heard from Summer Tissue, of Military Connections, as to the importance of their efforts. Many Wexford families donated to this program, which we, along with Military Connections, were very greatful.
Side note: the kids made one card with all their names on it and it was shown on the Military Connections Facebook page – so cute!!!!
Halloween Candy Donations: Nov 1 – Nov 11, bins are set-up for the kids to donate their ‘extra’ Halloween candy. The candy will be giving to the North Hills Community Outreach.
Stuff A Bus: Toys-for-Tots drive. We will be sending out flyers to all the kids at Wexford to inform them of this program. We are expecting that the toy drive will be from November 21 through December 1, with the bus being loaded on December 2 (these dates are not confirmed yet).
December 5 Outreach: The students will be participating in filling backpacks for the Deer Lakes Backpack Initiative, which began in January 2013. Each child enrolled in the program will receive a bag of food for them to take home over the weekend. This program was created in Deer Lakes by Carol McCaskey who recognized that students get food at school during the week but don’t always have food available at home on the weekends. A communication will be going out asking for donations, as well as asking for participants.
Gift Card Sales- Heather Weitzel, Jeanna DAmbrosio
The Giant Eagle Gift Card committee and the WPTO would like to sincerely thank all of the Wexford families, teachers, and staff for helping to make our fall Gift Card Sale a huge success. We had just over 90 people participate in the sale and we raised over $2800 as a result of your generosity. Your participation in this fundraiser will help support a variety of great programs for our children. Our next sale will take place in late February.
Please join us in congratulating the top sellers in each grade, as well as the classroom with the highest total sales!
Kindergarten – Jack B. – Mrs. Zimmerman (AM)
1st grade – Ariana K. – Mrs. Samek
2nd grade – Rosey K. – Mrs. Franitti
3rd grade – Reagan K. – Mrs. Laffey
Classroom winner: Mrs. Samek – 1st Grade
Ram Reader- Elise Scott, Shelly Versyzla
Kick off for the Read to Feed read a thon benefiting the KDKA Turkey Fund was November 2.... kids are busy reading and getting sponsors and donations to help raise money for the KDKA Turkey Fund. The results assembly where we will announce the total amount raised and present the check to the KDKA Turkey Fund is November 18th. On the 9th and 10th of November, we will welcome into our school 28 readers from our community to read to the students in each classroom!
Staff Appreciation- Bethany Nordman, Michelle Plowey, Shana Mackie
The Staff Appreciation committee will serve the staff on Monday, December 19. The theme is a “ Teachers Spark the Love of Learning” with a hot buffet lunch prepared and served during the staff lunch times. This is an event that does NOT require parent donations.
School Store- Elise Scott, Shelly Versyzla
The next school store will be held November 18. Students in grades 1-3 will get to shop during their lunch times. The school store will also be open December 16.
After School Programs- Erika Cooper, Heidi Donovan, Tina Hunkele, Jen Katzfey
We are setting the final details for the winter and spring after school programming. Registration for Winter 1 programs will open December 29th with programming beginning on Tuesday, January 9th. The Winter 1 session is a six-week session followed by the five-week Winter 2 session scheduled to begin on Tuesday, February 21st. Winter programs will include an Artist in Residence mosaic program, Gemini Acting Studio, Weird Eric magic instruction, Mad Science, and others.
Fall programming grossed over $1,500 and we hope to have a strong spring as well.
Assemblies- Erika Cooper
Fall assemblies have completed with the third of our fall assemblies taking place last Friday (November 11). Fall assemblies included juggler Steve Mills, the Carnegie Science Center "on the road" program, and Jump with Jill healthy living program. No assembly is scheduled for the month of December due to the many other events at the school (classroom holiday parties, holiday shop, and school sing along). Our winter assemblies will feature the Saltworks Theatre Company and a Black History month laser show tribute.
Book Dedication- Michelle Stulak
Please look for more information about the book dedication committee in the upcoming E-news. You may purchase a book for $15 and dedicate it to a student, family member, staff member etc. The list of books available for purchase will soon be listed in the E-news. Questions? Contact Michelle Stulak at .
Spirit Wear- Diana Pockar
There will be an online Spirit Wear sale from November 11-28. Items will be ready by December 16. You can choose to have specific items left in the office for you to personally pick up if you do not want your child taking the items home with them.
Vendor Programs- Ashley Wagerer
AmazonSmile – So many people shop online during the holidays. AmazonSmileis a simple and automatic way for you to support Wexford Elementary every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop atsmile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience asAmazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Wexford Elementary. To shop atAmazonSmilesimply go tosmile.amazon.comfrom the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark tosmile.amazon.comto make it even easier to return and start your shopping atAmazonSmile.On your first visit toAmazonSmile(smile.amazon.com), you need to select WexfordParent Teacher Organization, to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. AmazonSmile will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make atsmile.amazon.comwill result in a donation.
Apples for Students – With the holidays just around the corner, don’t forget to sign up and start helping our school. Register your Giant Eagle Advantage card and shop at Giant Eagle, Giant Eagle Market District, Giant Eagle Express, and Get Go.To sign up go to GiantEagle.com/AFTS and enter our school ID number #1339. Once your card is registered, your card is scanned as usual, and the points are automatically credited to our school. It’s so easy!
Box Tops for Education – The school will be having a box top challenge in January. We will award the class with the highest amount of box tops submitted during that time. The award is still to be determined, but could be something like extra recess or pajama day. Don’t forget that each box top is worth $.10, so keep collecting those box tops and be ready to help the school earn money.
- Additional Notes
Castle Toys and Games Benefit day- Please shop at Castle Toys and Games at the Wexford Location in the same plaza as Panera and mention Wexford Elementary. The school will receive 20% of the profits from the shopping totals collected for Wexford Elementary.
Winter Parties- Please note the winter parties will be held on Thursday, December 22 starting ay 2:30. The party themes must revolve around winter themes, nothing of religious themes. There is NO food or drink allowed in the parties. Only the volunteers assigned to the party may come to school that day and help in the classroom. If you are not assigned as a party volunteer, you are NOT permitted to enter the party. Those of you who are indeed assigned as party volunteers must check in and out of the office the day of the party. You may list that you are taking your child home that day as well.
Coral Reef Donations Needed- The following items are needed to complete an art project with Mrs. Scheller after winter break. This project will be completed by students in grades 1-3. There is a bin located near the front office as well as a bin near bus drop off where students may drop off the donations. The WPTO really appreciates your generosity with these donations.
Assorted sizes & designs – paper Dixie cups
Assorted sizes & designs – paper baking cups
Plastic bendable straws in assorted solid colors
Paper coin rolls in assorted denominations
Wax paper (Cut-rite brand ONLY please)
Vinyl clear disposable gloves
Toothpicks, colored
Rolls of twisted jute twine (green color only)
Plastic mesh body scrubbers
Onion mesh bags
Egg cartons – Styrofoam in white &/or colored
Plastic grocery bags, colored
Toilet paper tubes & paper towel tubes
* Next PTO Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 17 at 9:30.