Planning for Fall Festival 2011!

 I hope you’re eagerly anticipating next month’s Fall Festival, scheduled for October 14^th, 5-8 pm at the Student Activities Field on Shippensburg University Campus. In the fifth year of its resurrection, it is a GBLUES tradition that gets better every year.  We do make a bit of money, and proceeds happily benefit the school camp fund, but Fall Festival is primarily a big party that you don't want to miss.  The food is always excellent, and the children very happy as they enjoy carnival-style games, autumnal-themed natural crafts, and a range of activities.  This year, planned activities include a zip line, hay ride, cupcake walk, a new science zone, dress-up & photo area, puppet theatre, fortune teller, and bike pump-powered rockets.  Children’s craft wristbands are $3, and you can do as many games and activities as you’d like for $5.  We’ve decided preschool children may attend and play for free. 

We are lucky to get a lot of university student support, but we need the support of GBLUES parents as well.  Please consider helping with one of the following:

*Donations:  we need baked goods (sign-ups coming soon--bake sale and cupcake walk) and gently used games & books for the prize store (there will be boxes in the lobby to collect them).

*Planning:  with such an early festival, much of this has been done, but I would love a new parent volunteer to coordinate the carnival games this year.  University students will do some, and we have a source for several pre-made others, but we need a leader to pull all of those together.  Could it be you?

*Work parties:  I’ve planned three making events: 

(1) Thursday, September 29^th, , 6 pm.  While the parents talk festival business during the evening PTO meeting, children and a few helpers will be working on festival decorations in the art room.

(2) Tuesday, October 4^th, 8-11 am in the office conference room.  We’ll work on organizing and preparing supplies for the crafts and prize table.

(3) Friday, October 7^th, 1:30-3:30 pm in the conference room.  Children are welcome during the after-school portion.  We’ll work on signs to organize our festival.

*Day-of help.  Food preparation and set up start at noon, and we can use particular help during the witching hours of 4-6 pm.  Parents are needed to help serve food and to fill in spaces in the craft and activity areas.

Please feel free to contact me with your interests and ideas.  We're open to everything, but of course implementation will depend on volunteer availability--if you really believe in your idea, go ahead and offer to lead the charge!  vfgoates@gmail.com or 422-4255.

See you on the 14^th!

Valerie Goates

Fall Festival Enthusiast

GBLUES Relay for Life 2011

Hi, parents.

Relay for Life is this Friday.  The plant sale last month was a great success (nearly $1000 raised!) and we encourage you to continue to sent in loose change for the coin jars in each classroom.  Our actual walk will be Friday afternoon from 1  to  2:15.  You are welcome to join us. 

 

We didn't do t-shirts this year, but to present a unified, team feel, we are encouraging each child to wear blue that day.  I also carved a stamp of an element from the logo Mrs. Maclay designed for us.  It is 1 3/4" by 4 1/4", with "HOPE" in large block letters, using a peace sign for the "O".  A thick underline has the phrase "GBLUES Relay for Life" engraved in smaller letters.  If you or your child would like to use this stamp to decorate your own t-shirt, scarf, card, or other item, you may.  Stop by GBLUESPTO.blogspot.com to see an image of the stamp (oh, and look to see what PTO positions are still available!  We had a really fun, sweet-filled PTO meeting last night, but the volunteering was a bit sparse, so there is still LOTSLOTSLOTS of room for you!  Still need a coordinator!!).

 

We will be having a mini-workshop Thursday afternoon in the courtyard, right after school, for those who would like to make a logo-stamped item.  I will provide strips of fabric that the children may stamp to tie around their arms or hair, or you may bring your own item. All stamps will be in dark blue ink, and this will be the only opportunity; we will not be doing the stamping during school hours.

 

Thanks for your support.  Last year you walked for my baby, Reuben, and that meant a lot to our family.  I'm happy to report that our boy is 2 years past his diagnosis and doing really great.  We have been able to celebrate two birthdays since (the nation-wide Relay for Life theme this year is "birthdays"), and with great joy. 

 

Best,

Valerie

PTO positions for 2011-2012

Our list so far:

PTO Executive Board

COORDINATOR
CO-COORDINATOR
TREASURER	Heidi Miller
SECRETARY	Nikki Aikey
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR	Valerie Goates

Year-Round Positions

PROGRAMS
FUNDRAISING	Nikki Aikey & Kim Wadlington
HOSPITALITY: FIRST FRIDAYS	Kim & Derek Wadlington
HOSPITALITY: PTO MEETINGS
BOX TOPS	Susan Spicka
GIANT A+ REWARDS	Susan Spicka/Lisa Johnston
SPIRIT GEAR	Jill Hollar
YEARBOOK	Andrea Geesaman
LUNCHROOM/ DISWASHING COORDINATOR
PLAYGROUND	Sean Cornell

Burst Efforts  (In calendar order, one-page)

Back to School Picnic:  September       

Angel Cornell

FALL FESTIVAL: October  Valerie Goates

Food:  Andrea Katz

Activities:   Shannon Heckman, Becci Zullinger, Amanda Ruth, Holly Kennedy

I want to help!

Holiday Store: December  Amanda Ruth/Jennifer Steffen

I want to help!

SPAGHETTI DINNER: March  Andrea Katz

*SILENT AUCTION- ADULTS:   Joanne Meehan

*SILENT AUCTION - KIDS:       Holly Kennedy

I want to help!

CAMP GBLUES: May  Sean Cornell & Patrick Taylor

CAMP GBLUES - FOOD                    Glunts

FOOD SHADOW  (taking over next year!)

Teacher Appreciation: May Joanne Meehan

RELAY FOR LIFE:  May or June (working with the teachers:  Mrs. Howland & Dr. Nelson)

PLANT SALE HELPER:

PARENT COORDINATOR:

END OF YEAR PICNIC: June

FOOD:                   Stephanie Harty

GAMES:       Elizabeth Orseno

5TH GRADE GRADUATION:    

Add a comment if you see yourself in any of these positions!
(or talk to/e-mail Valerie Goates or Lisa Cline)
three_goats@yahoo.com
LJCLIN@ship.edu

The last PTO meeting of the year

Parents!  Teachers!  Children!

(and a hearty welcome to the new GBLUES parents!)

 

Please come to the last PTO meeting of the year at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 31st.  We want your feedback on the last school year, we need your energy for the upcoming, and if that's not enough encouragement, I'm going to try really hard to bribe you to attend, promising a tasty bit of sugar and an all-ages GAME SHOW to launch the evening.  Jen Yaukey of Phantom Shadow is treating us with a all-the-bells-and-whistles GAME SHOW for all ages to participate in and enjoy watching. She has agreed to do a little sneak peek mini-show for the kids at the end of the school day on Tuesday, so when they come home dying to come Tuesday night, well, agree!  So, see you then?

 

Earlier this month, the middle school's family night included a chocolate chip cookie bake-off that I've been regretting not entering.  So when I was giving some serious thought to what to serve for snacks at our PTO meeting, this was an easy conclusion:  cookie contest!  Bring a dozen or two of your very best cookies to show off and share.  We'll have two categories:  classic chocolate chip and "the others".  You probably won't beat my chocolate chip cookies, but you can try ;).

 

I've ordered a little something crazy awesome for the winners of both the game show and cookie contests.  Just wait until you see them.  You'll definitely be jeal. 

  

The business end:  we need to get our PTO staffed and ready to commence our labor of love into the next school year. Lisa sent out an e-mail listing most of the PTO helper positions earlier this morning.  Some of this year's workers have agreed to continue their work next year, but we still need both coordinators and workers for many of our activities; please consider stepping up to help get the work done next year.  With a small student body, we need a higher number of parent participants....and it's often good fun as well.  THINK ABOUT IT, then come and hear more on Tuesday.  I'm sticking with Fall Festival, being more involved this year in Holiday Store, and centering more on volunteer recruitment, so we REALLY NEED A NEW COORDINATOR for next year.  Takers, please?  It's bound to be good for your resume or something....

 

(hey:  peek at all of the good information on the PTO blog:  GBLUESPTO.blogspot.com)

 

Best wishes!

Valerie

 

May 2010 newsletter submission

JR and Renee Stewart help students search for native fauna

 

 Marian Goates, 4th grader, dying of laughter and Camp joy

Spring is sliding right by, her usual sneaky self.  I can't believe we have just one major PTO event--the end of year picnic and 5th grade graduation on June 8th--left this year.  2010's tremendously cheery indoor event (all my memories of it are crowded with wildly grinning children; oh how my Reuben loved the DJ's strobe lights!) proved that it will be an excellent one, whether or not the fickle weather cooperates.  Families are invited; please do plan on attending and taking advantage of the chance to visit with other GBLUES families and teachers and watch a lot of happy children.  More information and your class' food assignment will be headed your way soon. 

I haven't had a chance to thank many of you for your support of our last two spring events.  They were grand! 
*March: The Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction was a successful fundraiser and also a lot of fun.  So many people worked so hard to fill the auction with interesting items (including a new--and very active--children's room this year) and the kitchen with good food.  I noted extra effort put into decorations and more extensive entertainment this year, and know that every detail has a dedicated person behind it.  Thank you for volunteering your time and your dishwashing and your food (best dessert bar yet!) and your music and your auction goods and for bringing family and friends, and, you know:  spending money!  Despite the slow economy, we were able to meet all of our fundraising goals this year, supporting all of our field trips and programs and especially:

*April: Camp GBLUES! It continued legendary. My yearly contribution to Camp is showing up for the campfire (and Mr. Z's stories!), partying (in a most-appropriate way, of course--charades, pillow fights, bedtime imagery, and a couple of soothing chats) with little girls in the cabins overnight, and generally enjoying others' hard work planning lessons and in the kitchen while I hang around the second day in our magical Pennsylvania woods.  This year did not disappoint; I even arrived grumpy and was quickly charmed into joy.  I give happy and generous praise to all of those who worked hard to make it all look so easy, but I want especially to praise our children.  I witnessed so much kindness and so much inclusion and so much trustworthiness.  Our school can be a little overwhelming to newcomers, who see the creative mess in the halls and the sometimes casual atmosphere in the classrooms; the children are given extra freedom, and they rise to deserve it, taking advantage of the opportunities for expression and learning that this flexibility gives them.  I could give several examples of maturity in freedom I saw at camp, but think I can sum it all up with this:  they successfully roasted marshmallows. 

I think I have to start a new paragraph to give that statement appropriate weight. I helped load sticks, and watched with awe and pride as 75 children, after an exhausting day, safely and calmly played with fire and sugar.  The K-2s marshmallowed at their afternoon campfire, as well.  This is amazing stuff, friends!  The next day, I stopped by a GBLUES family's house to find their second grader still in his camp tee, with water bottle and "medicine bag" slung across his shoulders, playing "Camp" in the grass while his older siblings did yard work and muttered to me about the unfairness of not attending Luhrs themselves (they're recent converts).  I really love this school, which is a matter of really loving the people:  you.

Okay, swinging it back on topic! 
Just prior to the final event (the picnic, remember?  I digressed for so long I thought I'd remind you) are our final PTO meetings:  June 3rd will be the last First Friday Coffee/Treats/Mingle of the school year followed by a wrap-up-the-old/launch-the-new PTO Board Meeting.  Essential to that new launch is the evening meeting that Tuesday (May 31st) to elect the Board members for the 2011-2012 school year.  I use the term "elect" quite loosely; in my five years at the school, I've never seen any competition.  This is an evening to thank those who have been talked into leading the PTO assault of love on the new school year and its happy PTO events, and to try to talk a few more into accepting new roles.  Yourself, for instance...?  I happen to know of quite a few opportunities (Holiday Store, Fundraising Chair, Coordinator...).  Several of us are about to "graduate", and new ideas are always welcome.  Creative flux is good stuff.  My 11 pm brain is lacking a good segue, so let me move past the rambling to the summing up:

****Please come to the last PTO meeting at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, May 31st.  We want your feedback on the last school year, we need your energy for the upcoming, and if that's not enough encouragement, I'm going to try really hard to bribe you to attend, promising a tasty bit of sugar and an all-ages GAME SHOW to launch the evening.  Game details are still pending at newsletter press time, but it will be good.  Even my GBLUES alumn/super-cool-in-middle-school daughter has decided to come ;).  I know.  It's almost too much.****

See you then? (at any or all of the above!) Thanks for all of the great support you've given me this year as I muddled through.  I'm moving on to another PTO position/s that I think better plays to my strengths, but have had a fun year of it.  You were excellent.

Best,
Valerie

volunteer clearances: my experience

This school year, SASD is requiring clearances for all volunteers working with children.  The benefits of caution are obvious, but we kind of hate it, anyway:  paperwork!  time! cash!

You can find this information elsewhere

(lab school website version here: http://www.ship.edu/Labschool/PTO/PTO_Information/  ;
SASD website here: http://www.shipk12.org/web/article.php?story=20100803155538853
and here: http://www.shipk12.org/web/filemgmt_data/files/Announcement%20Letter%207-26-10.pdf ),

but I thought I'd repeat it anyway, in case more=helpful.  I always think personal experiences do.  I'm working on mine tonight, and will come back and edit if I make mistakes, so you can learn from them!

So I give you:

Valerie's Clearances.  A Personal Journey of Wanting to Commence Rewarding Volunteerism.  :)

First, to do any work in the school with kids, you need to fill out the district volunteer form and get a TB test.  You can get the test FREE at either of the bigger elementary's nurses' offices or at the high school.  I just walked into James Burd and she gave me a nice little shot.  Then Kathy at our own school can read it in a couple of days.  A volunteer form came home with your child early in the year, so you may have already filled one out.  You can get another in the office or  online here: http://www.ship.edu/uploadedFiles/Ship/Labschool/PTO/Volunteer_Information_Form.pdf.  Easy.  This step I already did.

If you only want to visit the classroom or school with direct teacher supervision, this is enough.  Hooray!  If you want to be alone with kids, aka sleep over with your cutie at camp, you have $43 further to go.  I promise it will be worth it.  Not too bad for lodging, meals, and Mr. Z's campfire stories (and I will not be politically correct and say the nighttime walk is just as cool.  It is not.) .

Next is the FBI background check.  This is the most expensive part of your journey to full volunteerism ($33) and involves a trip to get fingerprinted, but the paperwork is easy.  Our state has contracted the coordination of this to a company called Cogent.  It involves 2 parts:  the paperwork and the fingerprinting.  They recommend you register online here, though you can also do the registration over the phone.  You must register before you go to be fingerprinted.  The nearest fingerprinting locations for us are Chambersburg and Carlisle (at the UPS store!).  Look at this page https://www.pa.cogentid.com/index_pde.htm to find links to "register online" and find "print locations and hours, as well as answers to other questions you may have.  I just registered online (quick form, but you'll need your SSN, DL # & credit card handy), and I'm heading to this location (with now-printed registration form & valid ID) on Monday morning and dragging along a friend to get fingerprinted:

Franklin County - Franklin County Career and Technology Center

2463 Loop Road, Chambersburg, PA  17202 

Mon, Tues and Weds 10:00A – 4:00P 


Next is the state Child Abuse History Clearance.  This is just $10, but its completion is involving major eyerolls at my computer here tonight because (1) I have to physically mail it in; (2) they only accept money orders or business checks, no cash or personal checks or credit cards; (3) will take up to 4 weeks; and (4) the paperwork is a royal pain, requesting all addresses and household member names since 1975 (Do you know how many apartments I lived in during college education of self and spouse?  We're on our 8th address together, not counting that month with my parents, then there was my undergraduate before--all of my roommates names? So many! I think this will be "permanent residence [insert my home town]" and "various apartments and roommates in Provo, UT, while attending Brigham Young University [and yes, they won in the first round tonight.  Go Jimmer!]".  What do you think?--and also there's that LDS mission for a year and a half in Texas in various small towns...it's a "best of your belief" sort of thing, and I hope they accept my best guesses!  I remember someone telling me to write all of my addresses down and keep them in case I have this someday...too bad for that good advice!).  Anyway, print & fill out & mail in two forms and cross your fingers, I guess.  I'll let you know if it works!


Read what the state has to say here:
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htmPrint these forms:
*Child Abuse Clearance
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ucmprd/groups/webcontent/documents/form/s_001762.pdf

Last is the Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Record Check (you can fill this single page pdf in on your computer, but you still have to print it and mail it in with yet another $10 money order)
http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ucmprd/groups/webcontent/documents/form/s_001769.pdf

Done!
You're off and running!  I mean, of course, NOT running while you're leading nice children in the halls or through the woods to their cabins or next eco lesson, of course.  Because we're very responsible that way.

Updates on how it actually went:
coming!

What is the Holiday Store?

The PTO sponsors a holiday store each December, usually held for two days during the last week of class before winter vacation.  Students can purchase small holiday gifts for family members and friends.  In the last few years, our emphasis has pulled away from resale items to focus on student-made gifts.  A week before, the children come home with a shopping list you may help them fill out:  who would they like to make gifts for?  At school, the children will get to see the options available that year, and decide on their budget.  Prices range from $1 to $5.   Most are a craft the children will complete during their class's turn at the store, making useful items like stationary, bookmarks, magnets, and containers.  A few items are also available to purchase for the hard-to-make-for demographics, like babies and pets. 

Each year we need several volunteers to help at craft stations, with wrapping, and as cashiers.  I love working the holiday store--it's full of generous spirits and grand MAKING.

We owe special thanks for the tremendous amount of preparation and work done by Joanne Meehan and Holly Kennedy to create a beautiful shopping and crafting experience in 2009 and 2010.

What is the First Friday Coffee?

On the First Friday of every month, the PTO sponsors a get-together in the front lobby at drop-off time.  Coffee, hot cocoa, and treats are served in the front lobby for parents, starting about 7:45.

First Fridays have been great, with fantastic food (especially thank the Wadlingtons if you see them!) and good attendance.  If you haven't attended before, it's a great chance to meet other parents and visit with teachers; many have a substitute the first hour of school so they can make it. Derek and Kim Wadlington pull it all together, and we have recently started having one grade at a time join in to provide the food (tell your room parent if you're willing to help; you may receive a call to do so this year).

What is the Spaghetti Dinner?

The Spring Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction, usually held in late March, is our major fundraiser of the year.  If it's a success, we are able to offer Camp GBLUES, a really unique opportunity, to all of our students at no additional cost for families.  The dinner is on a Saturday, with all-you-can eat pasta, salad, and breadsticks, as well as a spot of dessert.   The silent auction, with both handmade items and donations from local businesses, runs throughout the afternoon and evening, and brings in the most money that day. 

Wondering how you can help? 
(1) Come! Eat! Bid! Bring your friends and family. 
(2) Donate to the silent auction.  Each classroom donates items for a themed basket, and we'd love to have your handcrafted items.  If you run a small business or know someone who does and has something to contribute, we will happily accept those as well!  We will also sell some specialty baked goods (what do you have to show off?).
(3) Volunteer to help. 

For 2011:
* The dinner will be held on Saturday, March 26, from 5-8 pm

*Ms. Deibler, our music teacher, is organizing students and student teachers to provide musical entertainment through the evening.  Please contact her if you would like to take part.

*Auction:  We will also have items available for viewing and bidding at the school for the week prior to March 26th, to try to bring in some of the campus community and others who may not be able to attend.  Children love the excitement of the auction, and we're having a special table for them this year, with items targeted to the $3-$5 range.

What is Camp GBLUES?

Camp GBLUES is a beautiful, unique opportunity for children to learn about and in our Pennsylvania woodlands.   With successful fundraising, it is offered to all students at Grace B. Luhrs as part of the regular school experience and at no extra cost to families.

For grades K-2, it is a day camp  on Thursday.  Grades 3-5 stay overnight and also enjoy a 1/2 day at camp the next day.  Lessons are taught mostly by Shippensburg University students, with some back up from parents, teachers, and university professors.  We need parents to lead family groups, help in the kitchen, and stay overnight.  Plan now if you need to finish clearances (me!).  All students will be released from school when the buses get back at approximately 1 pm on Friday.

After a few complications, Camp 2011 is now SET for April 28-29 (Thursday and Friday) at Camp Penn, a return to the venue of our past.  Peek at Camp Penn here:
http://www.susumcamps.org/camp-penn

2010-2011 Room Parents

Our excellent teachers have recruited room parents to serve as PTO envoys to their classroom's parents.  The room parents will, we hope, be able to contact & utilize more of the talent and enthusiasm we have out there. (aka:  they'll ask you to do things for the PTO.  Thank you in advance for saying yes!  Coersion?  Just semantics...)

A bit late (posted here, anyway), the 2010-2011 room parents are:

K – Misty Butler

1 – Erika Kyle

2 – Jennifer Clough

3 – Nicole Aikey

4 – Michelle Keyes

5 – Derek & Kim Wadlington

Pending reasons you may hear from yours soon:

Spaghetti Dinner help & First Fridays food

January 2011 newsletter

Hello, Parents & Teachers!
We're sad our mini winterfest PTO meeting was canceled this week, but hope we can utilize new media to bridge communication until our next general meeting (March 10th:  game night!).  Please watch for our PTO e-mails and offer your feedback and help in response.  If e-mail is not convenient for you, please call me anytime:  300-3635 with questions or offers.

All of our attention is focused on March 26th's Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction, our major fundraiser of the year.  If it's a success, we are able to offer Camp GBLUES, a really unique opportunity, to all of our students at no additional cost for families.  The dinner is on a Saturday, with all-you-can eat pasta, salad, and breadsticks, as well as a spot of dessert.  Mrs. Deibler, our music teacher, is organizing students and student teachers to provide musical entertainment through the evening. The silent auction, with both handmade items and donations from local businesses, runs throughout the afternoon and evening, and brings in the most money that day.  We will also have items available for viewing and bidding at the school for the week prior to March 26th, to try to bring in some of the campus community and others who may not be able to attend.  Children love the excitement of the auction, and we're having a special table for them, with items targeted to the $3-$5 range.

Wondering how you can help? 
(1) Come! Eat! Bid! Bring your friends and family. 
(2) Donate to the silent auction.  Each classroom donates items for a themed basket, and we'd love to have your handcrafted items.  If you run a small business or know someone who does and has something to contribute, we will happily accept those as well!  We will also sell some specialty baked goods (what do you have to show off?).
(3) Volunteer to help.  We'll start trolling for volunteers for that-night help (cooking, serving, cleaning, running the auction) via an e-mail at the end of the week.  You may reply to the e-mail or sign up in the lobby for hour-long shifts (though of course we'll take you for longer).  We'll do a last volunteer push at our First Friday coffee on the morning of February 4th, then room parents will solicit help to fill all of our slots.  Since we have such a small student body, we need a higher-than-usual rate of parent participation.  Thank you for always giving it!  We are, in particular, looking for someone to shadow Rae-Ann Sprecher-Frey this year to head up the Spaghetti Dinner next year.  Think about it... (it's almost down to a smooth science and ready for you to step right in!).

After a few complications, Camp is now SET for April 28-29 (Thursday and Friday) at Camp Penn, a return to the venue of our past.  It's a day camp for grades K-2 on Thursday, and grades 3-5 stay overnight and also enjoy a 1/2 day at camp the next day.  Lessons are taught mostly by Shippensburg University students, with some back up from parents, teachers, and university professors.  We need parents to lead family groups, help in the kitchen, and stay overnight.  Plan now if you need to finish clearances (me!).  All students will be released from school when the buses get back at approximately 1 pm on Friday.

I'm working on getting summaries of all our major activities easily accessible on our PTO blog:  GBLUESPTO.blogspot.com.  Look on the right side bar.

First Fridays have been great, with fantastic food (especially thank the Wadlingtons if you see them!) and good attendance.  If you haven't attended before, it's a great chance to meet other parents and visit with teachers; many have a substitute the first hour of school so they can make it.  Thanks for your PTO support this year, most recently with the Holiday Store, fundraiser, and Thanksgiving Feast.  We need you!

Best,
Valerie Goates
2010-2011 PTO Coordinator