In the past, Central Elementary ran multiple fundraisers to finance the various programs that enhanced our children’s public school experience. The energy we put into these efforts never yielded the kind of results we needed. A search for a better way led us to create

The 100% Fund

The 100% fund drive was designed to replace five of our annual fundraisers and allow all of our donated dollars to go directly to Central PTO.

Some highlights of this program are:
• Your donation is 100% tax deductible as we are a 501(c)(3) organization.
• 100% of your dollars go to the PT0 and you don’t have to purchase any products.
• $100.00 is the suggested donation, but any amount makes a difference.

To find out more about programs the 100% fund supports – click here - Central 100% Fund Drive Information Flyer

To donate to the 100% fund – click here – Central 100%  Fund Donation Form

Central Elementary PTO

2010/2011 School Year

Dear Central Parents,

Welcome to the 2010/2011 school year at Central Elementary!  While it is hard to believe that Summer is over, we are excited to begin what is sure to be a rich and rewarding school year. There are a wide variety of ways you can get involved, stay informed and participate in the many activities we have planned throughout the school year.  As we are your PTO, we want to hear from you so please attend a meeting, send an e-mail or stop one of us at drop-off to tell us your thoughts and ideas.  As we continue to build our community, we wish to include a diverse range of ideas.

Get connected and stay informed!
There are two major ways you receive information, both of which are paperless.  The first is through E-Backpack sent from Dr. Limperis every Wednesday.  E-Backpack announcements include school-related information and important dates.  To receive weekly E-Backpack e-mails, you must subscribe by going to www.district96.org/central, where there is a sign up option located on the right column.   To find out about what is happening with the PTO, go to www.centralptonews.org and subscribe to the weekly announcements.  You also may receive e-mails from your child’s Room Parent, but keep in mind that all communication will be via electronic mail.  You can always check out both of these websites to see past announcements, but these are the main ways to stay informed as we are committed to eliminating the paperwork sent home in backpacks.

Get Involved!
There are so many ways you can get involved at Central and we encourage you to do so.  We have an incredibly rich and varied school environment and would love you to be part of the mix.  Consider volunteering in the Library, participating in our Cultural Arts program, donating something for the classroom, attending a PTO meeting, volunteering for the Book Fair or Family Fun Night…the options are endless.   PTO meetings are held the 2nd Friday of each month with a few exceptions such as evening meetings.  You can find a complete list of meeting dates in the District Calendar which can be found on the District 96 website.  You also can purchase a copy from the PTO and we can assure you, it comes in handy.  Research shows that children of parents who volunteer, grow up to volunteer themselves so it’s a great way to teach your children the value of giving back to the community and to be part of the amazing Central School community.  As a parent of a Central child, you are automatically part of the PTO; there are no membership dues and every voice is heard equally.  Our first PTO meeting is on Friday, September 10 @ 9 am in the Library.

What are we doing?
The PTO has several initiatives this year but our primary focus is on our Cultural Arts and Artist in Residence programs.  Both of these programs allow the PTO to enhance our children’s public school experience.  In these challenging economic times, we believe it is our main charter to fully fund programs which will benefit every child at Central.  This year we are very excited to partner with Dr. Limperis and the Central Staff to bring an amazing story teller to Central who will work in concert with the teaching staff to dovetail storytelling curriculum with Central goals and objectives.  We are very excited to have been able to secure this storyteller and were able to take advantage of significant savings by partnering with Hollywood school to split the costs.  The Cultural Arts program will receive a big facelift and we will begin a restoration process to protect this significant investment.  Stay tuned for details later in the school year.  We also have many family activities and events planned and are greatly looking forward to our very popular (and profitable) Book Fair.  We are proud of the past accomplishments of our past PTO Boards and are thrilled at the completion of the playground project in front of Central.  This is an example of your hard earned PTO dollars at work.

As we embark on another year, we wish to be very mindful of our fiscal responsibility and ask that you consider donating through one or more of our fundraisers or volunteer your time.  We offer several ways for you to donate, volunteer and/or participate, and thank you for your involvement.  Attached you will find a list of our fundraisers and their timelines.  We are looking forward to a great year!  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

Central PTO Co-Presidents
Jeannine Glavas (Pres-jeann@centralptonews.org) and Samantha Durst (Pres-sam@centralptonews.org)

Student Directory Information Form

and

Directory Order Form

Central PTO compiles a student directory annually, which includes classroom lists and each student’s contact information for your convenience.  If you wish to be included in the Student Directory, please print out and complete the Student Directory Information Form, and return the completed form to the PTO mailbox (located in Central’s front office) by Tuesday, August 31.

The Directory Order Form was available in the Spring.  If you have not yet ordered your Directory, please complete the Directory Order Form and return it with payment ($5), to the PTO Mailbox by Friday, September 3.

For questions regarding the Student Directory Information Form, contact

Sandy Briolat, briolats@centralptonews.org or

Jennifer Pacourek, Jeanine Vaia @ To download the Student Directory Order Form – click here – Directory Order Form Fall 2010

To download the Student Information Form – click here – Student Directory Information Form 2010-11.pages

Back by popular demand:

Give now to the school fundraiser that uses your money, but not your time.

100% goes to Central! 100% is tax deductible!

We’ve eliminated the burden of intensive fund raising throughout the school year by streamlining fundraising activities to just a few. Now, the majority of the funds raised for valuable PTO events and activities will come from the Central 100% Fund — a “just write a check” option that is simple, quick and benefits your children … 100%!

This one-time, tax-deductible donation supports PTO without asking you or your children to buy or sell products. And unlike other fundraisers, there’s no middleman to take part of the profits!

Giving to the Central 100% Fund is optional, but parents are encouraged to contribute a suggested amount of at least $100 per family. Any amount, however, will be greatly appreciated and well utilized. Making your contribution now gets one more thing off your plate!

Ask your employer about making a matched donation!
Please make checks payable to Central PTO and return to school office by 9/05/10.

For more information, contact Stephanie O’Brien at obriens@centralptonews.org.

THANKS!

To contribute please download the 100% fund form – click here – Central 100% Form

Central Elementary PTO

Fundraising and You!

You have probably noticed the big and beautiful changes in the landscaping in front of Central School!  Your PTO dollars have helped make this project possible.   Whether you are a new parent or a veteran, you know that throughout the school year, the PTO conducts several fundraisers to fund various programs at Central aimed at enhancing the excellent academic experience our children enjoy. While participation is always optional, we do encourage you to get involved in these activities, as it is a wonderful way to get to know your community, play a part in its success and be part of your child’s journey. Historically we have tried to keep fundraisers to a minimum, but at this time find we need to be more creative in generating the necessary funds to keep our PTO sponsored programs vibrant and stimulating. Here are some ways you can help and contribute!

100% Fund – A suggested one time donation of $100.00 is fully tax deductible and 100% goes towards the PTO.
Innisbrook Gift Wrap and Gifts – Children sell premium gift wrap and gifts to family, friends and neighbors.
Original Art Works – Children create beautiful one of a kind pieces of art that are made into a variety of items such as note cards and shopping bags.
Riverside Foods Scrip – Order Riverside Foods gift cards and 5% goes to the PTO.  Support a local business while doing your regular shopping.
Great Lakes Scrip – Order gift cards through the Great Lakes Scrip program with cards available from over 700 retailers.  Up to 14% goes to the PTO.  Great for big purchases such as electronics, holiday gifts, remodeling materials, and back to school items.
Target – By simply registering your Target Card or Target Visa online, designating Central as the beneficiary school, up to 1% of your purchases goes back to Central.  Through the “Target Take Charge of Education” program, Central, to date, has received over $10,000.
Pavers – Be a part of Central’s history by purchasing a personalized brick that will become part of the permanent landscape.
Auction – Attend the first Central Auction and raffle.  Have a chance to bid on amazing art produced by our children and purchase once in a lifetime experiences all donated by the Central School and Riverside community.  Stay tuned for more details and visit us on Facebook at Central Elementary Auction 2010/2011.

Through these fundraisers, the PTO is able to fund incredible programs such as:
Cultural Arts in the Classroom, Field Trips for every grade, Science in a Can, Ecology Club/ Environmental Concerns, Artist in Residence, Flying Carpet/Great Books, Halloween Play, Family Fun Night, Talent Show, Ice Skating Party, 5th Grade Games and Picnic, Little Symphony, Hike/Bike to School Activities, Turn Off TV Week, Roadrunner Yearbooks, Historical Perspectives, Read to Succeed and last but not least our 5th grade D.A.R.E program.

And many more!  We are looking forward to another amazing year and we can’t do it without you.   So sign up if you can and enjoy helping your school and meeting other parents.

Central PTO Team 2010/2011

These items were available in the Central School E-Backpack on 8/18/10.

Central School

• Back to School Letter 2010-2011

These items were available in the District 96 E-Backpack on 8/18/10.

District 96

• 2010-2011 Approved Community Organizations

• Village of North Riverside Kindergarten Enrichment Program
• Sokol Spirit Class Schedule 10-11

School supplies that were ordered through Central PTO will be delivered to your child’s class and will be there on the first day of school, Tuesday August 24th.

If you are not sure if you ordered supplies please contact Jennifer Sedivy.

Thanks and see you Tuesday.

New and “Seasoned” Parents

Please join us at the Welcome Back Reception on Tuesday, August 24 @ 8:30am in the Central gym.

New Parents - Come meet the Central School community and find out what is going on for this year.

“Seasoned” Parents – We missed you!

Reconnect with old friends, and meet new ones.  Calendars 2010-11, Directory Order Forms, Committee Chair Folders, Fundraising Information, Yearbooks (which have not been picked up), and much, much more will be available.  Light refreshments will be served.  You don’t want to miss it!!

Looking forward to seeing you,

The Central PTO Board

These items were available in the Central School E-Backpack on 8/11/10.

Central School

• Back to School Letter 2010-2011

These items were available in the District 96 E-Backpack on 8/11/10.

District 96

• Approved 2009-2010 Community Organizations

• Riverside Farmers Market
• Riverside Library Summer Reading Program for K-5
• Riverside Library Summer Programs for Teens
• North Riverside Library Summer Reading Program
• Brookfield Library Summer Reading Program

Our Parent Teacher Organization Meetings are going to be held on Fridays.

The first meeting is Sept 10th – SAVE THE DATE

Consequently our bylaws require updating to accommodate this change.  We also changed a few other housekeeping items.  As per our bylaws, the proposed changes need to be communicated to the membership 30 days in advance of discussion and voting.  We will discuss and vote during the Sept. 10th meeting.

Below are a copy of our bylaws with the proposed changes in red.

Proposed Changes to Bylaws