DISTRICT 29 PTO MONTHLY MATTERS
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
Monday, December 2, 2024
Happy Holidays D29 Families!
With our first snow of the season under our belts, it officially feels like winter and that means it’s time to get cozy, celebrate, and give back. As always, the PTO has ways to do all three! Get cozy at Readapalooza this year by volunteering to serve hot chocolate for our passionate readers at SRS, celebrate the season with the festive classroom parties or by getting a start on your holiday shopping at the Middlefork Book Fair, and help our community give back through the Holiday Gifts Program.
The first round of PTO Gifts closed in mid-November and a special thank you to all the parent, student, and staff applicants who took the time to develop such creative ideas to enrich our students’ experience and provide feedback. The recipients of the grant will be announced at our next PTO meeting on Monday, December 9th at 9AM.
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 818 3080 9002
Passcode: 423325
Pro tip: If you don’t want to miss any future PTO or D29 event please be sure to subscribe to the district calendar here.
Ranjini Shankar
STAY INFORMED
Annual Holiday Gifts Program – Sponsoring Families from Northwest University Settlement House
By now you have all received the details for the Holiday Gifts Program. Here are some key dates and information:
Grades K-5th: Students should bring their wrapped gifts and/or gift cards to their school between Monday, December 2nd and Friday, December 6th. See ParentSquare communication from November 18th for details.
Grades 6th, 7th, & 8th: Monetary donations and shopping trip permission slips due Tuesday, December 3rd! Donations can be made via MySchoolBucks, and here is the permission slip. Shopping trips will take place on December 6th. See ParentSquare communication from November 18th for details.
Here’s more information about the program: Each year, District 29 collaborates with Northwestern University Settlement House (NUSH) to sponsor 40+ families in need to provide each member of that family with a holiday gift. NUSH has worked with countless individuals living in Chicago to disrupt generational poverty and open doors to better futures since 1891. Our school district provides $15,000+ worth of food, clothing, and holiday gifts for these families annually through this PTO program. This program is made possible by the PTO chairs, D29 staff, Student Ambassadors, and the generosity of our district families. Please contact Sarah Cohn at president_elect@district29pto.org with any questions. THANK YOU for your participation!!
Middlefork Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Middlefork School!
WHEN: Students will shop the fair during the school day on Tuesday, December 10th and Wednesday, December 11th. Additionally, we will hold Family Book Fair hours on Wednesday, December 11th from 3:15-6:00PM with a Readers’ Theater performed by the teachers at 3:30PM and Storytime with Mrs. Kiedaisch at 5PM.
WHERE: Middlefork Learning Center -or- you may shop online via The Middlefork Book FairScholastic Homepage between December 9th and December 22nd. You can also share this link with family and friends that may want to shop and support our school!
HOW DOES MY CHILD PAY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY? Cash, credit card or eWallet! eWallet is a digital payment account that allows your child to shop for books at the Fair without cash. Please visit the Middlefork Book Fair Scholastic Homepage to set up your student's eWallet.
HOW CAN I HELP?! We are looking for volunteers to help with setup and working the fair! Please sign up HERE. Additional help is needed for setup on Monday and after school hours on Wednesday!
Readapalooza
Is there a better way to start the holiday break than with some hot cocoa and a good book? The PTO is excited to help with the SRS Readapalooza this year on Friday, December 20th 1:00-3:30PM! Please sign up to volunteer here.
Alumni Relations
Are you a D29 alum or know someone who is? Sign up or share the Alumni Directory Sign Up link to join the Alumni directory! It’s a great way to reconnect with fellow alumni, stay aware of all the new and exciting happenings in the schools, and be an integral part of the broader D29 community. Please feel free to share the link with any friends and family who are alumni as well, the more the merrier! Please reach out to Sarah Hayes at d29alumni@gmail.com with any questions.
Winter Benefit 2025
Are you ready to party? Get ready for the hottest night D29 has ever seen with the Miami Nights Winter Benefit on Saturday, March 8th at Sunset Ridge Country Club. Block your calendars, start working on your outfits, and even more importantly, click here to volunteer or offer up an auction item! We can use any and all skills to make this epic event a night to remember. Any questions or not sure how you can help but would like to get involved? Reach out to Megan and Jocelyn at miaminightsd29@gmail.com.
PTO Dues & Classroom Party Fees
Thank you to all those who were able to pay their dues! If you haven’t, it’s not too late - The PTO is still collecting the following which can be paid through MySchoolBucks online or through the app.
PTO Dues, $25 per family – Dues help to fund the many PTO programs such as the Middlefork Coding Club, SRS AM Rec, Holiday Projects and more. Visit the PTO website to see the complete list of everything we fund.
PTO Classroom Fees, $25 per student – Room parents use these to fund classroom celebrations. Our Winter Holiday parties are just around the corner!
The PTO Wants Your Feedback!
Do you have thoughts about current PTO programs? Ideas for future PTO programs? Please fill out this super quick and anonymous survey and share your feedback.
COMMUNITY NEWS
A Message from the Northfield Park District
Please visit the Northfield Park District website for the upcoming Holiday Fest on December 4th, details on Winter Break Camp, Sunset Ridge Homework Club, and winter classes starting January 13th.
Sign up to receive the Park District news here and follow the Northfield Park District on Instagram and Facebook!
A Message from The Alliance for Early Childhood
This year we are working with 40 different schools across the region to provide teacher and professional learning, parent education, and family experiences in the Let’s Play! series. Here is a link to the 2024-2025 Member School Program Guide.
A Message from the Northfield Library
Please visit the Winnetka-Northfield Library website for information on upcoming events and more!
PTO SHOUT OUTS AND THANK YOUS
PTO Gifts and President-Elect Sarah Cohn for successfully completing another year of PTO Gifts. With new and improved guidelines, a focus on student experiences, and handling 13 amazing applications, it was a banner year for the program under Sarah’s leadership.
SRS Author Visit Chairs Maria Mastroianni and Tricia Gainsberg for bringing the ever-popular Aaron Reynolds to SRS for a dynamic author visit for the 4-6th graders.
Social Media Chair Kristin Galbraith for her patience and trendy skills in getting all our communication out to parents.
COMING SOON & NOTES
Important Dates
December 9: PTO Meeting 9AM
December 10: Board of Education Meeting 7PM
December 18: Parent Connections Meeting 9AM
December 23 – January 3: No School – Winter Break
January 13: PTO Meeting 9AM
January 14: Board of Education Meeting 7PM
January 20: No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 22: Parent Connections Meeting 9AM
All Zoom links can be found on the District 29 Calendar.
How to Help
Community involvement is instrumental in making the PTO a success. Please consider volunteering your time! Contact Ranjini Shankar at president@district29pto.org to get involved or with any questions.
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