McKinley PTO Newsletter

May is here and it's our last full month of the school year. Life is busy for everyone so here are a few reminders for the upcoming week:

Last PTO Meeting of the 2016-17 School Year is Thursday!

Please join us on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Library.

Thursday's meeting opens with The Mechanics of McKinley, an informational session about topics that affect McKinley. This week's topics include staff updates for the 2017-18 school year and a closer look at McKinley's discipline strategy (presented by Mrs. Hoffmann), the new child care options for next year (presented by The Right at School Coordinator) and an introduction to the ABCD Brain Study, the largest initiative by the NIH to understand the factors that impact child and adolescent brain development (presented by Dr. Lindahl, National Institute of Health). The Mechanics of McKinley will be live streamed on Facebook and will be available for viewing after the meeting as well.

The PTO meeting will be held immediately following The Mechanics of McKinley. To view a copy of the PTO meeting agenda, click HERE.

End of the Year PTO Survey

Did you receive your End of the Year survey? If not, click HERE to fill out your copy by Wednesday, May 3rd. Survey results will be complied and the information will be shared during the May 4th PTO meeting.

Teacher Appreciation Week is this week!

The Committee will be working hard all week with something special planned each day to acknowledge our wonderful teachers and staff. On Friday, each class will celebrate their teacher in their own way. We are still in need of a few supplies for the week. Click HERE to sign up to contribute.

Sincerely,

Brain Malloy & Lindsay Stadler

tosamckinleypto@gmail.com

Make sure to put the following dates on your calendar!

May 1-5 - Teacher Appreciation Week

May 4 - Last PTO Meeting for the 2016-17 School Year

May 6 - EFW Run/Walk

May 10 - Bike to School Day

May 16 - Spring Concert

May 18 - BOGO Scholastic Book Fair

The High Interest Day committee would like to thank the PTO for its generous sponsorship of HID. We also appreciate the support of Mrs. Hoffmann and the McKinley teachers and staff that makes the day possible. Charlotte Garder and Terri Uden, in particular, put a lot of time and effort into making it a great day and 2nd grade teacher, Tracy Loechler, graciously offered to teach Hour of Code for another year. McKinley’s custodian, Juan Matute, carried countless chairs and tables and turned the lunchroom around in record time.

Thanks to all who brought in treats, beverages and baked goods to feed our volunteers. They were tasty and appreciated. Tall Guy and a Grill Catering provided a delicious lasagna lunch. We also appreciate everything contributed for our classes. A special shout out to Tracy Smith and Liam Wesson’s family for all of the 2 liter bottles. Terri Uden and Jenny Leigh were instrumental in providing materials for Percussion. Thank you to Anna Schmidt, Lori Brandenburg, Sarah Scharlau and Cara Schwantes for cutting no-sew pillow fabric.

We’d also like to thank our presenters from Wauwatosa West’s athletic department and German club. A big thanks to our community presenters from Ruckus & Glee, MSOE Fencing Club, Metcalf’s Sentry and the Wauwatosa Master Gardner’s Club. We especially appreciate our parent presenters: Emilia Arana, Vilma Bell, Lori Brandenburg, Dan Byrne, Lindsay DesPlaines, Maggie DiCastri, Kirsten Dodulik, Sarah Dupee, Lori Hagopian-Smith, Megan Hambrook, Jessica Hryniewicki, Kristi Knoedler, Kristin Marlier, Sarah Myers, Kristin Olson, Chuck Schmidt, Kerwyn Splude Sr., Margaret Stockbauer, Maura Riordan and Ruth Yasko.

High Interest Day couldn’t happen without a lot of help leading up to and on the day of the event. Thank you to everyone who generously spent time volunteering: Joni Alcala, Azyna Almashouti, Karla Baierl, Allison Bardole, Corey Boldt, Rhianon Bott, Melanie Brandenburg, Joe Byrne, Monica Deluhery, Sara Deutsch, Greg Ebertowski, Darren Engbring, Mrs. Fuerst, AJ Grove, Jessica Grusnick, Jessica Gugel, Shelly Heu, Ellie Jacobson, Shalini Khar, Barbara Klein, Conrad Klein, Erin Kell, Lindsay Krumsee, Robin Lane, Sarah Lerand, Danielle Long, Melissa Mann, Lisa Martinez, Sean Parish, Becky Prusko, Tina Raymond, Lisa Reetz, Andrea Reynolds, Matt Sanders, Bridget Schmitt, Jodie Schroeder, Michelle Schwade, Jamie Schwake, Cara Schwantes, Ella Schwantes, Paul Schwantes, Rebecca Shaw, Eliza Soczka, Jeannie Spiro, Imani Stockkbauer, Colleen Tiefenbrun, Colleen Watters, Julie Welch, Rachael Wozniak, Dana Wurzburger, Erica Zipp and Ava Zovic.

We apologize if we missed anyone. It takes a lot of people to make the day happen. Everyone’s contributions were appreciated!

To see more photos from High Interest Day 2017, click HERE.

Order forms for the McKinley Peace Garden Plant Sale are due by Friday, May 5. Plants will be ordered from Shady Lane Greenhouse in Menomonee Falls. Please contact Terri Holzen (tmholzen@yahoo.com) with questions or if you need extra forms.

Volunteers are needed to help sort plants on the afternoon of Thursday, May 25. Please contact Terri Holzen (tmholzen@yahoo.com) if you are able to help.

It’s time to gather the Box Tops you have been collecting! The Spring Box Tops Classroom Competition will start May 1st and go until May 18th.

BoxTops for Education can be found on hundreds of food packages and other products, and helps McKinley earn hundreds of dollars.

Send your neatly clipped and counted (in sets of 50) BoxTops to your child’s teacher. The classroom that collects the most will win an ice cream party!

If you would like to volunteer to help count the Box Tops, please contact Sarah Atols at matols@wi.rr.com.

We are looking for donations of small packaged goodies to sell at the bake sale. The Spring Bake Sale, is May 16th, 2017. Please contact Rebecca Shaw OR Anna Schmidt at beccalazzmu@yahoo.com OR schmidt.anna@yahoo.com. All proceeds donated are contributed to help with the 5th Grade Celebration. Please see click HERE for more information.

Thurs., May 18th

8:30-6:15

McKinley Gym

Buy One, Get One Free!

Come stock up on some great reads and prevent the “summer slide.”

Many volunteers are needed to make this event possible, especially after school from 3:15-4:00. Duties include straightening books, working registers, bagging, assisting shoppers, crowd control, set-up and tear-down. Please email Melissa Mann at mmann002@yahoo.com or click HERE to sign up for a time slot.

Thank you!

May is National Bike Month- Check out these great events in May and coming this summer!

Bike to School Day- Wednesday, May 10th.

o Bike helmets and helmet fitting checks before and after school (Suggested $10 donation for helmet to McKinley PTO).

o Bike Safety Checks courtesy of Ben’s Bike Shop 7:30a.m. - 8:15 a.m.

o City of Wauwatosa Bike Registration before and after school- Wauwatosa Police Department. Bring all your bikes to be registered. Registered bikes are easier to recover if lost or stolen.

o Submit your Bike to School coloring sheet sponsored by Corey Double Boldt, Power’s Realty Group

Help needed to make bike to school day a success! No experience necessary.

Events before and after school. Click HERE to sign up.

The City of Wauwatosa 1st Annual Bike Rodeo:- Saturday, June 24th from 9-noon (rain date June 25th) at Washington Elementary School for ages 4-13.

What is a “Bike Rodeo?” A "Bike Rodeo" is a bicycle safety clinic that includes a ride through a miniature "chalk street" course and obstacles where young cyclists are shown where and how to apply bike safety rules. The City of Wauwatosa Bike and Pedestrian committee is sponsoring the bike rodeo. The WI Bike Federation will run the course; the Wauwatosa Police Department will be provide bike registration; Wauwatosa Health Department will provide bike helmets and helmet checks; Dream bikes will provide bike safety inspections and flat tire changing education stations; PRIZES AND MORE! The event is being held the Saturday before the East Tosa Gran Prix- http://www.tourofamericasdairyland.com/schedule/wauwatosa-about.php

Bike Adventure Camp- for ages 10-13 years, August 7- 17th (454800). The class has been offered in Brookfield for several years and is very popular. Kids off all levels of bike riding are welcome, and bikes provided for those who need them (or who don't want to haul their own bike each day). Kids will learn bike safety through hands on riding on city streets and trails after classroom instruction and on-bike practice on the playground.

Starting May 15, tables will be set up in the hallway (near Room 14) of all items that are currently in the lost and found. Please consider stopping by to see if anything looks familiar! The table will also be available to look at during the Spring Concert on May 16. On May 19, the remaining items will be taken down and eventually donated. If your kiddo is missing something, please come take a look!

Did you see the letter from the Wauwatosa School District on April 11th?

You can advocate for all Wisconsin public school children- Ask your legislators to

1. Raise the revenue cap to restore local control.

2. Increase state aid $300 per year, per student.

3. Pause voucher school expansion until all publicly funded schools have the same accountability measures in place.

By phone (be sure to leave your name, phone number, home address and a message):

· Sen. Leah Vukmir: (608) 266-2512

· Rep. Dale Kooyenga: (608) 266-9180

· Rep. Rob Hutton: (608) 267-9836

By email (be sure to leave your name, home address and a message):

· Sen. Leah Vukmir: Sen.Vukmir@legis.wisconsin.gov

· Rep. Dale Kooyenga: Rep.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov

· Rep. Rob Hutton: Rep.Hutton@legis.wisconsin.gov

Postcard or letter- Look for SOS Members (they will be wearing SOS pins) on the playground before and after school.

S.O.S. Wauwatosa Yard Signs are now available- Contact Sarah Lerand, sjlerand@yahoo.com or text 414-841-3576 if interested in one.

For more information check out our website- http://www.soswauwatosa.org/

Do you or your McKinley student need spiritwear? We can help! We have the following options with this year's new design:

• Gildan kids shirts in youth sizes XS through XL. Some sizes have very limited quantities. (We are out of XS and S shirts, M is size 10-12, L is size 14-16, and XL is size 18-20). Gildan youth shirts are $10 each.
• Bella womens shirts in womens sizes S through XL. Bella shirts are a more fitted style (S is size 2-4, M is size 6-8, L is size 8-10, and XL is size 10-14). Bella womens shirts are $15 each.
• Bella Canvas shirts in unisex adult sizes S through XL. (S fits chest sizes 34"-37", M fits chest sizes 38"-41", L fits chest sizes 42"-45", and XL fits chest sizes 46"-49"). Bella Canvas shirts are $15 each.

Shirt samples will be displayed on the PTO bulletin board outside the office. Orders can be places by emailing tosamckinleypto@gmail.com and will be filled in the order received. Some sizes are sold out! Shirts will be available for pick up in the office every Friday. Payment is due via cash (exact amount please!) or check at pick up.

If you would like to show your appreciation to McKinley staff by bringing in a snack, please sign up for Teacher Treats! There are 46 staff people at McKinley. Treats of all kinds are welcome! Click on the button below for more information and to sign up.

Looking for an opportunity to get involved in your child's classroom? Please consider volunteering to assist in the art room! Sign ups are available through the link below.

For questions, please contact Lisa Kimpler: lkimpler@yahoo.com

This year Office Max/Office Depot stores are offering local schools the opportunity to partner in a fundraising activity. 5% of all qualifying purchases made by parents or teachers for the entire year will be donated to the school in the form of a merchandise credit. McKinley's master ID # is 70113794. For more information, visit http://www.officedepot.com/a/content/back-to-school/5percent/

You already are! If you are a parent, guardian or teacher at McKinley Elementary School, you are a member of the PTO.

Interested in becoming more involved? The PTO is always looking for help. Volunteer opportunities in areas of marketing, communication, social media coordination, event coordination, website design, merchandising and more! There are volunteer opportunities that fit everyone's schedule - during school hours, after school hours, work from home hours and one time event hours.

For more information about how you can become involved in PTO efforts, contact Brian Malloy bmalloy@me.com or Lindsay Stadler lindsaystadler@gmail.com

Email: tosamckinleypto@gmail.com
Website: mckinleypto.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/McKinley-Elementary-School-PTO-Wauwatosa/227520614000173?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @MckinleyPto