PTO

We have started a Parent/Teacher Organization at Pike Central Middle School that would positively support our students and staff.

Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Melissa Stokes. 

School Reach system will no longer be used to remind parents of PTO meetings due to the complaints received by parents at the corporation office. 

A Facebook group page has been started.  Please invite other parents and staff to “like” Pike Central Middle School PTO.

The PCMS principal, Mr. Ludington, wife passed away.  A motion to purchase flowers or gift with a budget of $50-$75 was approved.

Mrs. Nalley gave the financial report.

Beginning balance when Mrs. Nalley took over as treasurer $550.58.

Following Checks to:   Top Cat Printing (tshirts)   $519.50

                                    Post Master (stamps)         $    8.80

                                    Melissa Stokes (AR Party Reimbursement)  $26.94

                                    Old Fashion Candy (suckers)  $127.20

Following Deposits:  $610 total from T-Shirt sales

                                   $234.25 Candy Grams

Ending Balance:  $712.39 (as of 02/16/12 )

Different projects for the school were discussed.  It was mentioned if the PTO decides to have a project defined with a financial estimate would help with fundraising and the school.  One potential project was providing benches and basketball goals in the courtyard by the smaller cafeteria.

A staff luncheon was also discussed. 

Fundraising ideas were discussed.  The e-script program would allow the PTO to receive a percentage from gift cards purchased.  The gift cards had a wide variety of retailers from Wal-Mart, restaurants, CVS, clothing stores, and etc.  It may take awhile for parents to catch on to the program, but think it would do really well around Christmas time.  Another fundraiser would be to bring back a craft show.  A few other area schools have successful craft shows.  If we were going to do an event like this, planning would need to begin early and schedule it when it would not conflict with the other schools.  A need of school spirit items available for purchase at home games was mentioned.  Those items would need to be purchased at the end of the school year for football season. 

8th grade graduation is coming up.  We will need to get donation letters out for supplies for punch and cookies.

PCMS PTO Meeting Minutes

August 25, 2011

Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Melissa Stokes.  Welcomed new members and described some of the events and fundraisers the PCMS PTO did last year, the members of the PCMS PTO, and want ideas for events and fundraisers for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year.   Minutes reviewed from May 12, 2011 PCMS PTO Meeting. 

Election was held to fill the vacancy of the office of secretary due to the previous secretary�s child is no longer in middle school.  Deb McCrary was nominated by Dana Hughes.  A vote was taken and Deb McCrary will be the new PCMS PTO secretary.

Melissa Stokes mentioned Winslow will be having their annual community festival on Sept. 17th and asked if the PCMS PTO would be interested in having a fundraiser at the event.  She had mentioned she had made some inquiries on possible food vendors that would not require any members to assist and the PCMS PTO would receive % of the sales or buy cotton candy to resell.  One vendor selling tropical snow cones was already booked for another event, but Jeff Huebschman from Dubois County would sell snow cones and cotton candy and the PTO would receive 15% of the sales or buy cotton candy at $1/bag to resell for$2/bag.  It was decided to have Jeff to come to the festival to sell the snow cones and cotton candy with the PCMS PTO receiving 15% of the sales because of the ease of not having to find volunteers to be at a booth and no upfront costs.  Jeff will be sending the PCMS PTO a check after the festival.

Some fundraising ideas that were shared was a �spirit store� that would be selling Pike Central merchandise such as shirts, blankets, foam fingers, etc, taking orders for Pike Central t shirts for students, staff, and parents to show their school spirit, and discount cards.

Events for the school year were discussed such as a dances, teacher and staff luncheon, BMX show or other action packed show and dances.

Members were asked to continue to brainstorm ideas for fundraising and events for the school year.

Next meeting will be on Wednesday, September 14th at 4 p.m. in the World Access Center.

Our children need us to be involved in their education and that involvement should not stop just because they have moved to the middle school.   We would like to help generate new ways you can support your teenager.  If you have questions or would like to help, please return the form below to Nikki at the school OR contact one of us.

            Thank you in advance for your support.

Pike Central Middle School PTO

Mellissa Stokes (indycolts204@yahoo.com or 789-2980)

Nikki Nalley (nnalley@pcsc.k12.in.us or 354-8478 ext 448)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

Phone number(s): ___________________________________________________________________

Email address: ______________________________________________________________________

Suggestions: ________________________________________________________________________

Research has shown that children of involved parents do better in school and on standardized tests, have fewer behavior problems, and are less likely to use drugs or alcohol.  Researchers have been studying the effects parent attitudes and actions have on their children's academic success for more than 30 years.  The results have been consistent.  Anne Henderson and Nancy Berla summed it up in their book, A New Generation of Evidence: the Family is Critical to Student Achievement, which reviewed the existing research:  "When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school.  And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school and the schools they go to are better." (PTOToday.com)