PTO . . . IS ALL ABOUT VOLUNTEERS WORKING HARD TO MAKE MORLEY A GREAT PLACE FOR OUR CHILDREN!

 

COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS

2009 - 2010

Audit – Jane Quiring
This committee provides a great leadership to our PTO by performing an internal review of the PTO accounting processes and financial reporting.

Book Exchange – Kim Foote
Students enjoy the opportunity to exchange gently used books for new, fresh reading material, just in time for summer. This year’s Book Exchange will be held June 1-2, 2010.Book Fair

Book Fair (Fall) – Lynnette Olson, Linda Roh
Always popular, the Scholastic Fall Book Fair will be held November 9 – 13, 2009. In addition to the book sale itself, events such as Lunch with Someone Grand, the Chili Feed, and Art Fair Night and Meadowlark Café Coffee Shop (featuring complimentary coffee, pastries and holiday gift wrap), add to the excitement. This event provides so many wonderful volunteer opportunities – parents can work a book fair shift, provide food for the Teacher Preview Brunch or Meadowlark Café, wrap gifts, donate gift wrap and tape . . . there is a perfect job for you!

Book Fair (Other) – Barbara Torrey-Clegg, Kim Foote, Renee Burchell
The students can look forward to a couple of different types of book fairs this year, the Barnes and Noble Morley Book Fair at South Pointe and the Indigo Book Store Morley Book Fair in the Haymarket. The Barnes and Noble Book Fair will take place on Wednesday, December 2 (all day) and the Indigo Book Fair will take place on Friday, March 12 from 5 – 10 p.m. Not only will this give our students the opportunity to purchase great, new books; but it will give our Morley families a chance for fellowship.

Bulletin Boards – Heather Masten, Rochelle Tan
Enjoy the artistic creations of our Morley students displayed on the bulletin boards in the hallways of our school. This committee keeps the art flowing!

Chili Supper – Kathleen Morris
Wednesday, November 11 is the date for this treasured tradition. Chili and cinnamon rolls, prepared and served by our own Morley teachers and staff, will warm the hearts of all. While you are here for the Chili Supper, be sure to check out the Art Fair. School Picture Retakes are offered on this night, as well.

Community Involvement – Theresa Puente, Tammy Whiston
This is an exciting new committee we have this year which will provide our school with the opportunity to become involved in service projects and other charitable efforts.

Copy Room – Lisa Stolte
Parents staff the Morley copy room in shifts several days per week. This essential service supplements copy services provided by LPS and helps our teachers meet those last minute copy needs. Various shifts allow our PTO volunteers scheduling flexibility.

Family Fun Night – Addie Vance, Jen Garbin, Marin Salisbury
Come join our Morley families for a great adventure at our “western” family fun night. Food and fun await our entire Morley student body on Friday, September 25. Enjoy dinner (for a nominal fee); sample Otis Spunkmeyer cookies (a popular product that is part of our Red Apple Morley fundraiser); enjoy some crafts; and bounce and play in inflatables (courtesy of our Red Apple Morley representative, John Crose). Our PTO volunteers do an amazing job with this popular annual family event, so put on your western duds, grab your lawn chairs, and join in the fun!

Field Day – Marsha Artz
Friday, May 14 will be the date for our annual Morley Field Day. Along with our P.E. teacher, PTO volunteers supervise games, contests, and fun activities for our students. It’s a day everyone looks forward to all year!

Fifth Grade Recognition – Linda Roh
The fifth grade class has worked hard and is recognized for their achievements with a fun-filled day at Camp Kitaki, special fifth grade t-shirts, and a fifth grade memory night celebration. This committee assists with fundraising for these special events.

Grants – Laurie Petty
This group is preparing grant applications to secure funding for several special projects, including paving our walking track to the east of the building, adding new playground equipment, and updating our continual technology needs. If you have done any grant writing or enjoy writing and editing, this committee is for you.

Hospitality/Welcome/End-of-Year Events – Michele Buckwalter, Shari Cypher
On the first day of school (Wednesday, August 19), a Back-to-School Brunch has become a rite of passage for parents after sending their students off to their first day of school. Catch up with those parents and grandparents of your student’s classmates after a summer away from school. Just after the conclusion of the school year, June 4, teachers, parents, and students celebrate the end of another successful school year with a potluck luncheon. Sandwiches are generously provided by our VIP sponsor Lincoln Benefit Life. This committee coordinates all the details of these memorable events.

Images for a Lifetime Photo Fundraiser – Renee Burchell
Both indoor and outdoor sittings can be arranged during this photo fundraiser, October 5-9, 2009. A portion of all photos and Christmas cards ordered during this fundraiser will benefit our Morley PTO.

Labels & Box Tops Fundraisers – Loretta Hellmuth , Tasha Dahlberg
This committee will coordinate the collection of labels, box tops, printer cartridges, and other recycling-type fundraisers, and also provide feedback as to the money received by the school for these materials.

Leaps and Bounds – Peggy Dynek
This committee creates keepsakes of your student’s writing. The cover is laminated, the writing is bound, and the finished book is then returned to its author. Packets are available in the library or from your child’s teacher.

Library Assistant – Lisa Dresbach
PTO volunteers staff the Morley Media Center in shifts. Working closely with Mrs. Millard, our Morley Media Director, the library assistant secures PTO volunteers to ensure there is adequate assistance for our students in the library. Various library shifts provide scheduling flexibility for our PTO volunteers.

Mini-Classes/Clubs – Open
Very popular mini-classes and clubs are a favorite offering at Morley. We are fortunate to have two clubs returning this fall, our Chess Club and FCA Sports Club. These clubs will meet weekly and supplement several mini-classes planned for the school year. Watch the website, <www.morleypto.org>, and bi-weekly Meadowlark Times PTO newsletter for sign-up information. If you would like to teach a mini-class or help with the coordination of this popular program, sign up to help out with this committee.

Morley Spirit Merchandise – Tara Haar, Terri Gillam
Let your Morley spirit shine! This committee will be developing Morley t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and more so you and your student can show your Morley pride. If you are creative and enjoy design, this may be your opportunity to have fun while sharing your skills.

Outdoor Gardens – Sue Wurm
Our beautiful grounds are the result of lots of hard work by this committee. If you have a green thumb and/or enjoy landscape/gardening work, or want to learn by observing our Master Gardener, this committee would love to have you. Since we will be offsite this year, this committee may have other options.

PTO Membership – Barb Soucie, Sharm Johnson
This important committee markets PTO Membership, compiles the PTO membership database, and the PTO directory (assisted by the Vice President of Technology). Representatives meet with new families at Kindergarten Round-Up and throughout the year to acquaint them our Morley PTO.

PTO Newsletter – Kera Frederick
Every other Friday, watch for the purple PTO newsletter, The Meadowlark Times, to come home in your student’s Friday folder. Packed full of “news you can use,” it will contain information about upcoming PTO events, sign- up sheets, volunteer information, and other important news. The current copy of the PTO newsletter can always be found on the Morley PTO website at <www.morleypto.org>.

Red Apple Morley – Tammie Fitzgerald, Kaye Eiland, Lisa Larson, Stacie Arndt
This is our major fundraiser. In the fall, from October 2 – 16, the school will be selling magazines, Otis Spunkmeyer frozen cookie dough, frozen foods, wrapping paper, and gift items. New this year, the magazines will be available for purchase online and will continue throughout the school year. In the spring, from January 29 – February 12, we will be offering a re-order of the Red Apple Morley food products and Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough.

Room Parents – Lynnette Olson, Becky Lindquist
Parents can sign up to be a room parent at the Open House on Tuesday, August 18 or they can attend a room party planning meeting on Thursday, October 1 and Thursday, January 14. This sign up will be to help with the two annual classroom parties (Fall – October 23 and Valentines – February 12) in their student’s classroom. Parents will be asked to indicate if they would like to provide materials for the party and/or attend and supervise the party. Whether they are signed up to be “room parents” or not, parents are always welcome and encouraged to attend classroom parties and events. Please note that this sign up is NOT to volunteer in your student’s classroom (grading papers, or assisting the teacher) – this is for the two parties and any other food/party needs your student’s teacher may have. Teachers will manage their own sign-ups for classroom volunteers.

School Pictures – Loretta Hellmuth, Rochelle Tan
On Tuesday, September 22, both individual and classroom photos will be taken to preserve those precious memories. A few weeks after pictures are taken, your student will bring home a small sample photo for you to view prior to ordering your student’s individual picture. Retakes will be offered the night of the Chili Feed on Wednesday, November 11. Again, please check the website, <www.morleypto.org> and the bi-weekly Meadowlark Times newsletter for complete ordering information.

Spelling Bee – Kim Foote
On Thursday, January 21, we will hold our second annual spelling bee. The students get the opportunity to show off their spelling skills, while raising money for a good cause. We have many behind-the-scenes responsibilities for volunteering, including grading tests, tallying totals, and delivering tests.

Staff Appreciation – Jan Griffin, Becky Lindquist
This committee has the enjoyable job of demonstrating our appreciation for our teachers and staff who give so much to our children all throughout the school year. Dinners are provided on the nights of Parent-Teacher Conferences and various surprises and gifts of appreciation are provided through the year. Again this year, there will be a sign-up sheet for PTO volunteers to bring in treats for the teachers and staff on specified Fridays.

Technology – Tammy Whiston, Anne Loudon
Communication is enhanced and wasted paper seriously reduced with our PTO website: <www.morleypto.org>. For THE LATEST information about PTO events and happenings, check the website. If you bookmark this page and check it frequently, you will always know what is happening at Morley! This committee keeps the website updated and also consults with the Executive Board about a variety of technology, software, and hardware questions.

That’s Amorley (Dinner/Silent Auction) – Claudia Messineo, Kera Frederick
This “Blue Jean Ball” will be an outstanding event for fun and fellowship with other Morley parents and supporters! This event will feature dinner, entertainment, and an opportunity to bid on some very unique items! With our relocation to Abbott, we wanted to give everyone an occasion to gather and enjoy getting to know one other better, as we do when we are at Morley School.

Walking Club – Peggy Dynek
During first and fourth quarters, you can see more than a quarter of our Morley student body walking before school (along with moms, dads, siblings, and grandparents) with our Walking Club. Teachers report that students participating in Walking Club are ready to learn when they report to class. The walkers say that it is just plain fun!

Wellness Committee – Barb Soucie, Peggy Dynek
A new committee this year, the Morley Wellness Committee will work to create a healthier school environment. This committee will base its goals and objectives on the best available evidence of programs, policies, and practices that positively impact healthy eating and physical activity behaviors among students and staff.

Yearbook Committee – Erica Thompson, Renee Burchell
Photos from classroom parties and class pictures are the mainstays of this special keepsake of your student’s year at Morley. You may e-mail your digital pictures to yearbook@morleypto.org

 

  

Whether you chair a committee or volunteer an hour during the school year, please know that your

time and efforts are valued and appreciated.

 

Thanks for helping to make Morley even better for our children!