Childrens House Montessori - Little Rock Arkansas

Children’s House Friends and Family:

If you weren’t able to make it to the last PTO meeting on Jan. 12, here’s a run-down of the discussion…

Classroom Materials and Teacher Training

Eddie Conners, PTO president, announced that the PTO gave $3,000 to the school for classroom supplies and teacher training. The PTO had previously approved the donation. From that money, the teaching team in each classroom will receive $500 (for a total of $2,500) to spend on materials they would like for their classes. Dede Lowe said teachers would be happy to let the PTO know what materials they end up buying. The group decided to get with Sheila Patterson to discuss collecting information on how the money is spent. The remaining $500 will help pay for Montessori training for two teachers.

Becoming a Nonprofit

The PTO unanimously voted to formally become a 501c(3) organization. Officially becoming a nonprofit will help separate the PTO from the school for tax purposes and will help with future fundraising activities, particularly the Kroger cards. The Kroger cards generate $330 to more than $500 a month for the PTO.

The PTO officers will spend the next 30 days working on getting the organization incorporated through the Secretary of State’s office. The officers will review the resources available through our PTO Today subscription and present draft bylaws at the March meeting. Then we will begin working on the IRS paperwork that’s required to obtain the nonprofit status. The total cost is expected to be around $1,000, including the IRS application fee. We hope to have completed the work by the end of the summer.

Kroger Cards

The Kroger cards generated about $380 and $330 for the last two months. For those of you keeping score, here is how much money the PTO has received through the Kroger cards this school year. (The month listed is the month in which we received the check for the previous month’s Kroger purchases.)

• September: $85
• October: $543.36
• November: $395.75
• December: $496.10
• January: $380.50
• February: $332.25

Total: $2,232.96

Spring Fundraiser

We discussed ideas for a possible spring fundraiser, particularly one that requires very little effort. PTO members are encouraged to think of some ideas and bring them to the next meeting. It’s far easier to think of ways to spend the money that a fundraiser could generate. One idea the PTO discussed is a fence that would run in front of the school along Lee Street. The Hillcrest neighborhood requires a fence that is attractive enough for the historic area, while the Department of Human Services requires something sturdy enough to protect children from any car accidents along Lee Street. The PTO discussed a decorative fence with supports behind it that can’t be seen from the street.

Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. in the upstairs class.

If you weren’t able to make it to the last PTO meeting on Oct. 14, here’s a run-down of the discussion…

The Budget

Treasurer Tina Powis-Dow presented a DRAFT budget for the PTO and suggested that it remain in draft form until we have a better idea of how much money the Kroger cards will raise. We started this year with a balance of just over $3,500, and the budget plans on leaving next year’s PTO with a beginning balance of about $1,500. The idea is to leave just enough money to provide a cushion for next year’s PTO while putting as much money as possible to work for our school.

The budget was based on the idea that we would have three main fundraisers: the Kroger cards, the PTO annual dues, and the silent auction. The budget also suggests we will spend the biggest portions of our money on teacher training, classroom supplies, playground equipment and making the PTO a formal non-profit organization.

Fundraising

The budget was built around the idea that the Kroger cards will raise between $490 and $540 per month, a little more than $4,000 for the year (the Kroger cards raise no money for the PTO during the summer). From Aug. 9 through Oct. 8, the Kroger cards raised about $545. The budget also assumes that the PTO annual dues (which are entirely VOLUNTARY) will raise $1,000, the silent auction will raise $3,000, and a potential spring fundraiser could raise $550.

Fund spending

The budget plans on spending $1,000 to pay one-third of the price for Montessori training for two teachers. (The school, not the PTO, will pay the other two-thirds.) The training costs about $1,500 per teacher and is provided by the North American Montessori Center (www.montessoritraining.net/). NAMC is located in Canada, but the courses are taken online. The program takes nine months to complete and requires an internship, which, for our teachers, will be completed at Children’s House.

The budget also anticipates spending $750 on classroom supplies for each of the five classes and $1,300 for new playground equipment, $480 for classroom presentations from the Museum of Discovery staff.

Other planned expenditures for the year include $195 to pay for child care during PTO meetings, $225 to pay Children’s House staff to provide educational presentations after PTO meetings, about $760 for the Kroger cards that were sent to parents over the summer ($5 on each card), $50 for PTO mailings, $425 for the Halloween Carnival (food, prizes, and a band), $350 for the silent auction (mailings and food), $75 for the Spring open house (food) and $500 for the Easter egg hunt (pavilion, supplies, and food).

The budget also allows for some holiday gift cards for the staff and a dinner for Teacher Appreciation Week. There was some discussion about increasing the budgeted amount of money for holiday gift cards since $50 was provided to each teacher last year. An updated budget will be available at the next PTO meeting.

The budget also includes $800 to convert the PTO into a 501c3 organization and $200 for a membership to PTO Today (www.ptotoday.com), a magazine and resource for PTOs. The PTO officers explained that making the PTO a formal nonprofit was necessary for fundraising (next year Kroger won’t let the PTO use the cards to raise money unless we’re a 501c3) and to ensure that, for tax purposes, the PTO and the school are considered separate organizations.

Expenditures

The PTO voted on two expenditure requests: $375 to pay for the mulch that has already been distributed on the playground and $300 for materials for Nancy’s upstairs class. Both of these expenditures were hold-over commitments from last year’s PTO.

Halloween Carnival

Planning for the Halloween Carnival (Oct. 31) is going well. Dede Lowe’s husband’s band Parachute Woman is set to play at the event, and some folks have loaned us two bounce houses for use during the carnival. We’ll be providing lunch for everyone who comes (including neighborhood children), so there was some discussion about whether the PTO should charge a nominal fee for game tickets to offset the cost of providing food. The PTO also decided to have the school retain the proceeds from the ticket sales.

Book Fair

The Book Fair is set for Nov. 11 and 12 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., and will include a preview event the evening of Tues., Nov. 10 (after the PTO meeting). The book fair isn’t a traditional cash fundraiser, but the school does receive free books depending on the total amount of books sold. This is a great way to buy holiday gifts, while supporting the school. Children’s House parent Megan Eves is overseeing the book fair, and she needs other parents to help staff some one-hour shifts. The job basically involves helping parents find books and collecting money for each sale. Contact Megan (megan@tinyville.us) if you’re interested in helping out or have any questions.

Special thanks to Sheila Kuonen who gave a post-PTO meeting presentation on how she teaches math to the Children’s House juniors. We all learned a lot, and look forward to similar presentations after all PTO meetings.

Montessori parents, family and friends,

In case you missed it, here’s a run-down of the discussion at the Tuesday, Sept. 15 PTO meeting.

Kroger card

Everyone should have received a Kroger card (with $5 already on it) in the mail with the PTO invitation. The Kroger card is the easiest way for the PTO to raise money for the school because 5% of every dollar spent using the card goes to the Children’s House PTO. Typically the PTO raises about $4,500 throughout the year, but the goal for this year is $8,000. Here’s how it works:

• Do your regular grocery shopping at Kroger.
• When you’re ready to check out, ask the cashier to put money on your Kroger card.
• Then pay for your groceries using your newly filled up Kroger card.

The Kroger cards are already scanned and set to raise money for Children’s House PTO. Extra cards (that are NOT pre-loaded with $5) are available to give to friends and family who shop at Kroger. (For additional cards, check the display board near the children’s folders.) Anyone can help us raise money for the PTO and the school. The cards work at any Kroger–even stores out of state. If you use it to pay for gas or prescriptions, you get double the points. Be sure to use the card quick, because if it’s inactive for 90 days, it can no longer be used to raise money for the PTO.

Classroom parents

This year we’re asking one parent in each class to be a classroom parent. These parents will serve as liaisons between the teachers and the PTO, so that we will know what each classroom needs and wants. When teachers want to purchase something, they’ll talk to their classroom teacher, who will discuss it with the PTO. (All purchase requests will also need to be made in writing. The PTO has a purchase request form, which can be found in the PTO folder in the kitchen or email Tina Powis-Dow at tinapd@yahoo.com to have a purchase form emailed to you.) Volunteers were taken after the Sept. 15 PTO meeting, and the classroom parents are as follows…

• Outside class: Zelenka Herts-Gibson
• Downstairs class:Robin Eiler
• Upstairs class: OPEN Any volunteers?
• Juniors class: Jennifer Triplett

PTO officers and contact info

PTO officers this year and our email addresses are:

1. Eddie Conners, president: econners@msn.com
2. Amy Duzan, vice president: duzanland@netscape.com
3. Tina Powis-Dow, treasurer: Tinapd@yahoo.com
4. Nell Smith, secretary: smithnellm@gmail.com

We’re also on Facebook. We would love to hear from you. Any questions? Ask and we’ll try to find out. We will be emailing notes (like the ones you’re reading right now) from each PTO meeting. If you want to ensure you’re on the email list, contact Tina Powis-Dow. The notes from the PTO meetings will also be posted on the Children’s House website: www.chmlr.org. Check out the other great info updated there regularly, such as the school calendar and the weekly newsletter (AKA, the Children’s House Chatter).

Event dates

The Halloween carnival has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 31. This is a fun event the PTO puts on every year at the school. There will be games, a bake sale and a hot dog lunch. If anyone has a bouncy castle (or any other inflatable bouncy structure) that you’d be willing to let the school borrow for the carnival, let one of the officers know. Mark Oct. 31 on your calendar. We hope you’ll be there!

We’ve scheduled the silent auction for Friday, Dec. 4. What a great way to get some holiday shopping done AND raise money for the PTO. If you’ve never been to the Children’s House silent auction, you may not know that’s it’s a really good time. Really. Food and beverages (adult ones) will be served. Be thinking of what you might donate for the auction. You could ask neighborhood businesses to donate something, or show off your talents with your own donation. Can you cook? Donate a meal. Know how to do taxes? Offer up your services.

Next meeting

The PTO meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. At the next meeting, we’ll discuss the budget for the coming year as well as the financials from last year. We hope you can make it.

• Spring Fundraiser - Thanks to all of you who participated in the Spring Fundraiser. This fundraiser was not advertised and it certainly wasn’t mandatory. We came across an opportunity to raise more funds for the playground and decided to go for it. As a result we raised $322. These funds were able to go toward the picnic tables that Nancy purchased last fall. All of the items should be in soon. About 15 families participated; if we do this or something similar next year and everyone participates and sells 5 items, we could raise well over $1,000. Just a thought!
• Spring Clean-up - Many of you participated in the Spring clean-up. Thank you for ALL that you did. The kids have been so excited about the updates and changes! Much-needed repairs were made; thanks to all of the handy folks who came out. Some of you were not able to come but participated by donating plants or other items. Again, thank you. Ultimately the students are the ones that benefit from such giving. For that, it’s always worth it.
• Officers needed for next fall - Some of the officer and committee chair positions will be vacant as of the last day of this school year. Several of us have served for 3 or 4 years and have enjoyed our service, but will either not be here or simply will not be able to serve in this capacity. In order to have a successful start to the school year next year, we really need parents that are willing to serve in one of these roles to come forward before the end of this year. Needed: president, vice-president, treasurer, teacher appreciation chair and Easter picnic chair person(s). Those that are interested please contact me or one of the other officers and/or please come to May’s meeting.
• Web site - Please be sure to sign up to receive alerts when items are posted.

Download Newsletter

Every year we like to take the time to do some spring cleaning around the school.  The staff and students really appreciate and enjoy our help.  This year we have playground equipment that needs mending,  and/or painting.  There are plants that need planting and grounds that need cleaning, as well as other things.  Please join us. It’s a great way to get to know other parents and staff members and an awesome way to show our support to our little ones. Donuts, juice and coffee will be served.

What to bring with you….

• your indoor/outdoor tools
• spray paint (if you have any)
• outdoor trash bags
• anything else that you think may be useful

If you have access to any of these items they would be much appreciated.

• Pressure washer
• leaf blower
• rakes
• paint brushes
• spray paint
• a ladder
• saws

If you have any extra potted plants of any type including vegetable, or children’s gardening tools, the teachers could use them to let the students garden.

If you can’t make it, but would like to donate the use of any of the above items, contact Kim at 804-6890.  In case of rain, please check the web-site, www.chmlr.org for a reschedule date.  We appreciate all you do.

Download Newsletter >>

CHM Parents, please please help us with the Easter Egg Hunt tomorrow if you can. Most importantly, we need help putting the eggs out — if you can come early - say 10:15 or so, and help us do that, that’s a huge help! Second, we could use a couple of grillers to grill the hot dogs. And last, we may need some help cleaning up. Please help in any way that you can, and thanks so much in advance! We hope to see you and your families tomorrow!!!

If you can volunteer, respond to Dana at dmlandrum@mac.com.

Saturday, April 4, 2009
11am - 1 pm
BURNS PARK, ELDOR JOHNSON PAVILION (Map)

The PTO provides the hot dogs, condiments and plates, etc.
Parents, please bring a food item
as assigned to your child’s class:

• Downstairs Toddlers: Drinks
• Downstairs Class: Desserts
• Upstairs Class: Side Dishes
• Outside Class: Side Dishes
• Juniors: Desserts

KIDS: BRING YOUR BASKETS!!!

PARENTS: PLEASE SIGN UP IN YOUR CHILD’S ROOM TO VOLUNTEER TO HIDE EASTER EGGS, COOK HOT DOGS, OR CLEAN UP – THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

In the event of SEVERE weather, check the school’s website, www.chmlr.org, to see if the hunt has been rescheduled.

Questions?  Call or e mail Dana at 837 0414, or jdlandrum@mac.com

Download the agenda.