PTO Monthly Matters - November 2025
- saradeath9
- Nov 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 11
NOVEMBER 2025 PTO MONTHLY MATTERS
PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
What a month it has been! We blinked and now the holidays are just around the corner. It never ceases to amaze me just how much our volunteers accomplish – from feeding our teachers on conference day and teacher appreciation treats to amazing Halloween parties, from kicking off Family Bingo Night planning to before and after school enrichment program coordination, so many of you have been hard at work and I am incredibly grateful.
A quick note of encouragement about the Public Opinion Survey that should have arrived in your mailbox last week about the D29 Middlefork Capital Improvement Project. As district parents and civically engaged Northfield residents, it’s imperative that we all fill this out and provide feedback to the Board of Education. Here is a link where you can submit it online if you haven’t already snail-mailed in your completed survey. The deadline to complete the survey is November 17.
As always, plenty more to come in the month ahead and you can learn all about it at our next PTO meeting on Monday, November 10th at 9AM.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 842 6298 1899
Passcode: 283826
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.
Sarah Cohn
STAY INFORMED
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 to add them to your cart on MySchoolBucks.
PTO Dues, $25 per student – Dues help to fund the many PTO programs such as Middlefork Coding Club, SRS AM Rec, Middlefork Family STEAM Night, International Night, 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!
Middlefork Family STEAM Night Parent Volunteers Needed 🔬🔭
We’re currently hard at work planning the 1st Annual D29 STEAM Night on the evening of Wed, Feb. 25 and we’re looking for parent help! This event will be a fun, hands-on evening celebrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through engaging activities and demonstrations. Right now we’re looking for parent volunteers who work or have hobbies in STEAM-related fields that might want to share their expertise at “Ask an Expert” tables where students can explore careers that utilize STEAM concepts. Please fill out this form if you’re interested in learning more and participating!
Something’s Cooking – Cookbook Community Project Feedback 📖
We are exploring the idea of creating a D29 Community Cookbook featuring favorite family recipes from both Middlefork and Sunset Ridge! Before we get started, we’d love your feedback to help shape the project. Please take a minute to share your thoughts here; this will help us decide if there’s enough interest and what type of cookbook our community would love most.
Middlefork Book Fair Save the Date 🗓️
Get ready to blast off with Anderson’s Book Fair at Middlefork on December 9 & 10! Students will shop the fair during the school day and we'll hold Family Book Fair hours in the evening. We’re looking for volunteers to help during the fair. More details coming soon!
November’s Takeout Tuesday 🍔🍺
This month’s Shop & Dine partner is Lazy Dog! Eat there or order takeout any time between 11am-11pm on Tuesday, November 18! Enter the code 01NORTHBROOK online for order ahead and pickup. Or use the digital flyer in person. 15% of each diner’s total bill will be donated to the PTO. Cheers!
Willow Hill Light Show ❄️
We’re partnering with Willow Hill Lights this year to bring holiday cheer to D29 families! $10 from every ticket sold for time slots on Nov 17, 18, 19, and 20 will be donated back to the PTO. Buy your tickets through this link to participate.
Family Bingo Night – Save the Date & Join the Fun! ⛷️
Grab your goggles and join us for the coolest family event of the year: D29 PTO’s Ski-In to Bingo Night on Friday, January 30 at SRS! Enjoy a fun-filled evening of bingo and other games, fun prizes, food and wintery fun for the whole family. Tickets go on sale November 11 through Givebutter — watch your inbox and socials for the link and updates.
COMMUNITY NEWS
A Message from the Northfield Park District
Please visit the Northfield Park District website for information regarding the upcoming special programs such as information on Winter Youth Classes, Letters to Santa and Thanksgiving Break Camp and Winter Break Camp. Holiday Fest is on Wednesday, December 3rd starting at 5:30PM.
Sign up to receive the Park District news here and follow the Northfield Park District on Instagram and Facebook!
A Message from the Northfield Library
Please visit the Winnetka-Northfield Library website for information on upcoming events and more!
A Message from Go Green Northfield
In partnership with the Village of Northfield and the Northfield Park District, GGNF is hosting a pumpkin composting event again this year! You can drop pumpkins in the dumpster located at the southeast corner of the Community Center parking lot through Nov 17. No non-organic decorations or plastic bags please! 🎃
SHOUTOUTS AND THANK YOUS
Conference Meal chairs Ema Dzaka, Maria Mastroianni, Jayaa Poddar, and Catherine Dicke for providing an amazing spread at each school and giving the staff a much needed boost to successfully get through all their conferences.
Teacher Appreciation chairs Jayaa Poddar and Anne Skaggs for surprising teachers and staff with a mobile coffee cart treat.
All the Room Parents and parent volunteers who planned and helped out with the Halloween parties that the children are sure to remember
President-Elect Sarah Hayes for organizing another successful Takeout Tuesday and for all the parents who ordered food from Panda Express. The PTO raised $300!
COMING SOON & NOTES
Important Dates:
November 7: Early Dismissal (11:30AM K only; 11:40AM 2nd/3rd; 11:45AM 1st only; 12PM 4th-8th)
November 10: PTO Meeting 9AM
November 17-20: Willow Hill Light Show Gives Back to the PTO
November 18: Board of Education Meeting 7PM
November 18: Takeout Tuesday @ Lazy Dog
November 24-28: No School - Thanksgiving Break
December 8: PTO Meeting 9AM
December 9: Board of Education Meeting 7PM
December 16: Takeout Tuesday @ Lou Malnati’s Wilmette
December 22-January 2: No School - Winter Break
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 Sarah Cohn at president@district29pto.org to get involved or with any questions.