Flynn PTO update 10/7/12

Mrs. Tremblay's class releasing Monarchs

K Walk to School Sign in

Hey There Flynn Families - NECAP tests are underway in grades 3-5- one week down, one to go.  Get those kiddoes in bed early again this week as these tests are exhausting!  Picture Day for Grades K-3 went off without a hitch last Tuesday.  The weather cooperated allowing us to take pictures outside and all classes were present so class pictures could be taken as a group - so exciting!  We are so pleased with our change to Ambient photography! Hope you will be too!

Walk to School Day last Wednesday was a HUGE success with hordes of Flynn families hoofing it to school.  Big thanks to Shanta and Sarah for their leadership.  Plans are underway for more frequent Walk to school celebrations.  We'll get some photos up soon in the cafeteria - come on in to take a peek!

PTO PIZZA Don't forget that pizza order forms are due Tuesday, Oct. 9. You can drop them off in the office or you can email your order to Tammy Kuypers at Kuypers5@yahoo.com. Get your order in and enjoy a night off from cooking!! Delivery next Tuesday.

*****New this month- FREE PIZZAS*******

 

 

We are going to pick 2 names: 1.From the orders    2. From the staff list

and they will receive a coupon for a free pizza for any other month.

 

THANKS FOR SUPPORTING FLYNN SCHOOL PTO!!!

AND REMEMBER $8 OF EACH PIZZA ORDER GOES DIRECTLY BACK TO FLYNN!!

 

Principal's Coffee this Wednesday at 8:30 in the multi-purpose room.  All families are invited.

The Scholastic Bookfair is coming up in  a few short weeks.  Things will be a little different this year with our limited space.  Students will get a brochure showing some of the books being offered, but there will be no preview days for students or families - BUT, like always, there will be a Thursday eve Bookfair for families to come shop AND an affordable pasta dinner organized by the PTO.  Mrs. Wells is looking for some assistance in the following areas:  4-5:30 - Set up helper (1 more), Cashier and general volunteers between 5:30-7(5 more), Wrap up 7-8pm (2 more)  Contact Alice Wells at awell@bsdvt.org to help

Information will be going home soon via backpacks, asking for food donations and volunteers for the Pasta dinner.  There will be gluten free options available for dinner and on the bake sale table as well.  Let us know if there are any other allergy needs that we can accommodate - we want all families to be able to join us!


School Food is a hot topic these days with all the new FDA guidelines for schools.  Recently I have heard programs on VPR and seen some articles about how schools/kids/families are coping.  I was wondering what Flynn families think.  While working at Flynn, I notice the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables offered at every meal and there always seems to be ample food to fill every child's belly with something fresh and healthy - I'm impressed with how far school food has come in our community.  I took a few minutes to talk with Edith Ducharme who heads up our Flynn kitchen to get the inside scoop on how thing have changed.  Here is what I learned:

 There is a new poster at the entrance of the cafeteria and the food offerings are placed on the chart each day.  Students must pick 3-5 things, including a grain, a protein and 1 or more offerings of fruits or vegetables. 

• The salad bar is only fruit, veggies and salad now - no cheese, no bacon bits, no mayonnaise based salads.  Kids can make unlimited trips to the salad bar.
• Grains are all whole grains, brown rice, wheat bread
• No transfats like margarine, no butter - olive or canola oils only
• Protein is limited to 2oz of meat, beans or other meat alternative
• At each meal the school must offer 2 different fruits or veggies, a grain and a protein
• Flynn school serves breakfast before school, "breakfast" again as a snack, lunch, supper for afterschool kids and an additional snack bag for some students who stay until the end of the day.

Any thoughts? Observations?  What, if anything, does your child say about snacks/lunch at school? 

Parent Teacher Conferences are now being scheduled on the Flynn website or via phone at the main office.  As always, the goal is 100% participation.  Remember that your child is invited and welcome at Parent Teacher conferences - make them a partner in their learning.  If you want to have a private conversation with your child's teacher, consider having your child in the room for part of your conference time.  Click the link for sign-ups  http://ptcfast.com/schools/John_J_Flynn_Elementary_School

Did you know that the PTO funds small grants for Flynn teachers?  Your fundraising efforts help us give $100 each year to classrooms to help them cover extra costs associated with field trips, buses, class books, teaching supplies...  You might not realize it, but many items used in teaching your child are just not covered by the budget.  Teachers spend a lot of their personal money on classroom supplies.  We just paid out several grants this week to help offset classroom trips to the Flynn Theatre this Fall.

Boulders & Burritos!!  October 24th, 5-8pm Boloco on 92 Church St. will be donating a full 25% of its revenue to the Hunt Middle School Stone Circle Project. 

This includes both dine-in and take-out orders.  Please plan to eat a globally inspired burrito at Boloco that evening, and encourage family and friends to do the same.  Many thanks to Boloco for the restaurant's generosity in supporting this great project!!

***Wondering why we included a Hunt event/fundraiser????  ALL of our kiddoes will be off to the Middle school in a few short years.  This outdoor classroom will benefit your child and be both a classroom and "hang-out" spot when your son/daughter gets to Hunt.  Plus, what better excuse to not make dinner???  Hope to see you there!

 

Flynn Elementary Bottle Drive Nov. 3

Saturday, November 3rd from 9am to 5pm
Merola’s Market, 1563 North Avenue  (the corner of Tracy Drive and North Avenue)
Help support the Flynn PTO and clean out those bottles from your garage. START SAVING NOW!!!

Drive down the right side of the building to the drive-up bottle drop off and say you are donating the cans and bottles to the Flynn PTO.  Merola’s will donate 10% in addition to what is collected to the school.

Tell your friends and neighbors to start saving!

Can’t make it that day? Questions? Contact Mary Mitchell and you can drop them at the school or her house.

(863.8983 or Maryellemo1@hotmail.com)

Save those bottles and cans! This is a quick and easy way to help support our school.

We will also be having a second bottle/can collection Saturday, March 10th.


PTO minutes from the October meeting available at the end of this post - Thanks Christine for filling in!

<sub>SAVE THE DATE

 
October 8 - School Pictures for grades 3-5
October 10 - Principal's Coffee - 8:15 am
October 16 - PTO Pizza Pick-up - 4:30-6pm
October 17 - Early Release
October 18, 19 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 24 - Boloco Night to benefit Hunt MS
November 8 - Bookfair and Pasta Supper at Flynn</sub>

PTO meeting 10/4/12  - notes by Christine Leithead, standing in for Sara Deshaw

Welcome – Tammy Kuypers - Tammy raised the question of the structure and flow of our meetings and asked if we should consider a structure change, particularly the “open forum” section which we often don’t have time for.  Consensus was to keep structure the same but to assign time limits for regular monthly update features to keep those more concise and to start meetings with a “quick share” for members to share quick news, comments or suggest which topics will be part of open forum at end of meeting.

First “Quick Share/What’s on your mind?”:  Kate Belluche – suggestion for possible future enrichment activity:  Robotics/Lego mindstorm

Updates:

Treasurer’s report – Presented via Tammy Kuypers (John Boone not present) – John has created new format for report, with categories broken out.  Format includes more details and more clarity, also includes graphs.

Fundraising update – Tammy Kuypers

Meadow Farms wrapping paper fundraiser was a big success and brought in about $6000 (net).  PTO keeps half of that amount.    

PTO pizzas sold 29 pizzas this month, bringing in 300!

This coming month PTO pizzas will have an added bonus feature:  There will be a drawing of names from everyone ordering a pizza – the winner will get a coupon for a free pizza!   There will be an additional drawing of all of the names of the teachers – one teacher will also win a coupon for a free pizza!

Pay It Forward donations are currently at about $300.

School Pictures were a great success at Flynn (Thanks Lisa Tulkop!)  Pictures at St. Joes will be on Monday, Oct 8. 

New Fundraising Chairs will be Chris and Amanda.

Enrichment update – Sarah Smith

Lack of space due to construction project had forced Chess club to be tabled until January, but solution of having morning chess club was found.  For the fall, Chess club will be held at 7:30 am, one day every other week.

This month the second grade classes will be going on a field trip to Flynn Theatre.

The stage gym will be usable in time for the school play practices. 

Room Parent and Staff Appreciation update – Lisa Tulkop

Lots of parents signed up to be room parents.  Lisa will be setting up an informational meeting for room parents soon.  Any interested parents can still sign up at any time!

Question was raised of what will be happening with the Halloween or costume-parade-day classroom parties for the older students.  Details are still being planned.  

October staff appreciation activity will be a luncheon at the start of parent-teacher conferences, on Wednesday October 17th, put on by the second grade families.

Other:

November Book Fair – Due to construction and lack of space, this year’s structure will be different.  Books will not be set out in library ahead of time.  Books will only be set up in multi purpose room on day of book fair, November 8. 

Volunteers are needed to help staff book sale portion of event.

PTO puts on a pasta dinner and bake sale.  Kate B. and Tammy K will coordinate pasta dinner.  Volunteers are needed. 

Garden Grant – Still in planning stages:  Sara Kleinman will be applying for a $2000 gardening grant.  Plan is for new gardening projects to happen outside of the school after construction project is completed.  More information and details about dates funding can be used and deadlines is needed before looking for volunteers with green thumbs.

Outerwear Swap – Takes place in November.   Christine L. volunteered to lead with support from Tammy.  Donations from Gadues dry cleaning and local families.  Usual space in front lobby is unavailable so we’ll need to secure a new spot to set up.

Black Signs – Lisa Tulkop has been doing them and volunteered to continue.  Thanks Lisa!

Magnetic calendars – There have been some difficulties getting them ordered.  They’re still in the works and once ordered, will arrive quickly.

Babysitting/Child care during PTO meetings.  It has been suggested that expectations for children, as well as a parent agreement and sign up be added.  Mary Mitchell worked on draft of agreement and expectations, with copies for feedback. 

Family Directory – District is collating information.  We’ll receive a list of all families who did not “opt out” via form at the beginning of the school year.  Once completed. Kate B. will create cover and copies of directory will be sent out.

Open Forum – Jon Kuypers:  Are teachers feeling supported by the PTO?  There is very little teacher attendance of PTO meetings, we’d love more feedback.  Christine L suggested and will create a comment/suggestion box for the staff break room.