Monday, October 24, 2011

Hunt PTO Update 10/24/11

Hey there Hunt familiesHope to see everyone at the community Dinner on Tuesday from 6-7pm. Your students have been working hard harvesting veggies, preparing fruit crisps, penning poems and practicing their instruments - get ready to be wowed by the free food, thoughtful displays and beautiful dinner music.  Need a ride to the event?  Send us an e-mail at huntschoolpto@gmail.com and we will make the arrangements to get you there and back.  No excuses - come mix and mingle and get to know Hunt kids and their families. It is not a community dinner if we are not working towards building our Hunt community.  

Thank You to Hunt parents, Kim Dinh, Sara Osaba, Susan Rutherford, Dorsey Hogg and Kate Belluche, who were able to help chop vegetables and supervise student prep chefs today.  Also assisting from the Friends of Burlington Gardens was UVM intern Madeline Kinzley.

Fundraising - Wish we didn't have to do it... (but we do!)  Check out the thermometer (at left) and see where we're at!

INLU:  We have raised $265 via INLU and checks/cash - thanks for your generosity.  To fund our planned programming for 2011-12, we need to raise about $8,000.  This works out to be about $20 per student.  It is not too late to donate.  Cash and checks made out to the LC Hunt PTO can be sent in a sealed envelope to the office or Click here to make a contribution on-line: www.inlu.com/huntpto2011

Holiday Wreaths: Yeah, it is kind of early to be thinking about decorating for the holidays, but honestly, we had to get a jump on all the competitors - everyone and their brother will be hocking wreaths in the coming weeks!  If you were going to buy a wreath anyway, why not support Hunt PTO programming and hard-working Vermonters.  I bet you have a neighbor or co-worker who might need/want a beautiful, fragrant wreath for their door.  And what about those kissing balls???  Don't we all need an excuse for more smooching?  Order forms went home last week with students.  Did you get one???  Below is a link to the order form.  Feel free to open the file and print yourself off a copy.
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=1j2o7cmU6O71c9mtycXgpt4i6Iy-OkghoeCQQi0CxW_I5E6CcCd1B9uCkvN84&hl=en_US  Orders can be sent in a sealed envelope into the office.  Thanks!

Think you could be a super-seller? Maybe you could peddle wreaths at work or around your neighborhood? Contact Gabi Baumann for the opportunity to be a super-seller (gamabaumann@burlingtontelecom.net)

Hunt PTO October Minutes - See below

Save the Date....
  • October 25 - 6-7pm - Community Dinner
  • October 28 - Picture Re-take
  • November 17 - 7-8pm - PTO Meeting (childcare provided)  Everyone welcome!
  • December 7-14 - Bookfair
Have a great week! Kate B.


Hunt Middle School PTO Minutes
October 13, 2011

Meeting Start: 7:05pm
Meeting End: 8:15pm
Approximate number of attendees: 19
Meeting facilitated by President – Helen Hossley
Minutes recorded and distributed – Kate Belluche

Budget was presented by Brian Pine.  Last week, officers met to discuss past budgets, available funds and plans for the future.  Some confusion about what money is restricted and how much money is actually available.  We have $3,001.31 in the bank.  $1,537.45 is unrestricted money and $1,463.86 is restricted.  There were questions about Assembly fees.  We dropped the post-NECAP assembly/celebration.  Marcie would like assemblies to connect to themes of wellness and community so they are not stand alone and can be better integrated into the curriculum.  Money budgeted to the 6 teams this year is $2000 and will be divided per pupil and distributed to teams when we have money to give.  PTO should communicate with teachers about what money might be available.  The budget was presented, seconded and approved.

Community Dinner scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th from 6-7pm.  Free to Hunt school.  Barb Prine again sent around a volunteer signup.  This year we will be offering rides to families who could not otherwise get to the dinner.  Brian Pine will have a van to shuttle folks and there will be ~7 drivers.  Brian Pine has been soliciting donations from local businesses.  More volunteers will be needed – especially on dishes and composting.  Wondering if Doug Davis will actually charge us for food…  Barb encouraged parents to talk to their student musicians about playing during dinner.  Teachers/students also prepping – making placemats, digging, prepping veggies, creating watercolor cards and poems, and writing community reflections. 

*Volunteer Opportunity: Monday, October 24th 8-10:45am.  Parents needed to help with vegetable prep.  Michelle Sutton will have students in the cafeteria peeling veggies for T and parents are needed to help supervise small groups and to chop veggies.  Bring 1 or more vegetable peelers and a kitchen knife for chopping.  Show up in the cafeteria or confirm with Jen at jsutton@bsdvt.org

Fundraising will see some tweaks this year.  Gabi Baumann submitted a plan put together by a committee of parents.  She is very grateful to have so many folks on board to help this year.   Three firm events include:
  1. Direct Appeal letter/e-mail – E-mail released, letter out at end of week.  Using Inlu to get donations electronically, but parents can also send checks to the office.
  2. Wreath Sale – Info will be out by the community dinner.  Families will be asked to buy a wreath and uber-volunteers will go door to door in hopes of greater sales.  Gabi is looking for vols to go door to door and for folks to take the information to their places of work.  Ideas were to post on Front Porch Forum and to have forms avail at all Burlington school except CP Smith.  Target is $2000 profit.  Looking into putting up a thermometer to track sales.  Cake for the top seller.
  3. Smencils will be sold at the Community dinner as well as around school.  Ms. Daigle will see if the Student council can help with sales/ideas. 
Other ideas were on a handout but not presented as they are not firm yet.  Box Tops were also discussed and feedback is that it is an easy way to get money.  Susan Rutherford will coordinate.
Healthy Gardens information was presented by Susan Rutherford.  Susan will work with Jen McGowan of the Friends of Burlington Gardens to help inform families about the school gardens and what programs students participate in at school connecting local produce, cooking and nutrition.  Behind the school is a ½ acre garden that the students tend and produce is used by foodservice.  There are also 6-7 raised beds.  The plan is to have the raised beds tended and used by low income families with students at Hunt school.  Susan also will care for the front flower gardens and is still trying to get the district to replace the dirt that was removed during construction several years ago. 
Bookfair planned for December 7-14.  Librarian Diane Pawlusiak is looking for volunteers to help during day.  Bookfair will also be open for the Concerts.  PTO will help to recruit vols via blog.
Principal’s Report focused on this year’s theme: Inclusive Culture.  Marcie and Ms. Daigle spoke about the 6th grade teams reading the Revealers and the rich discussion classes are having about the bullying happening in the book.  Students will also view a documentary about bullying called, Let’s Get Real.  Author of book is VT based and will come speak with students this year.
Lack of sports communication was brought up and Marcie agreed to look into it with Mr. Pecor.
November Agenda topics to include: Community dinner wrap-up, Principal’s Report, Fundraising update, parent communication/engagement, sports communication.  Idea to do a standalone Dialogue Night like BHS.

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