Fundraising

Read "Earn Easy Money for BES." You will be amazed at the simple and FREE ways you can contribute to Banks Elementary and your child's education.


December 12, 2015

Science Fair is coming - Entries are due Fri. Dec 18!

Hey Parents - Science Fair is coming!

The Fair itself will be held Feb 26 at Banks Middle School. 

If your student is interested in having a project in the science fair (required for all 4th Grade students), the entry fee and $3 for the display board is due Friday 12/18. Packets will go home this week. 

Here's a link to an online version:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tCU1nfAMpF0cXPe6uOY71o0fE1Ief6MluMM-lMHGQVE/edit?usp=sharing

December 11, 2015

Board Announcment


The BES PTO would like to announce a change to our Board.  Jessica Calmettes has stepped down as President.  We wish her well and “Good Luck” in her new full-time job! 
At the meeting on Wednesday, Heidi Heckenberg (previously our VP) was voted in to take over as President.  Congratulations, Heidi!  Sue Bair will fulfill the VP roles in the interim until we find a new VP. 
If you know anyone interested in getting more involved at the school and taking on the VP role, please let us know!

November 2, 2015

November PTO Meeting

The PTO meeting for this month will be Wednesday, November 4th, at 9:30 a.m. See you there!!

September 16, 2015

BES PTO Alternative Fundraising Form

Announcing the new BES PTO Alternative Fundraising Form!

Didn't like catalog/cookie dough sales? Great! Neither did we!  We've come up with this new fundraiser to replace having our kids go door-to-door selling stuff we don't need.  Click on the link below to see the details or check it out in this week's Friday folder.

Alternative Fundraising Form


P.S. Special Thanks to Rockwall Middle School PTA for coming up with the original idea!

September 3, 2015

BES Directory

Please fill out the directory paperwork and submit it as soon as possible! Thank you!!

http://goo.gl/forms/UjiSw9exI6

September PTO Meeting!

Here we go! The teachers and kids are back in the classroom, we are all starting to get back into our school year routines, and the first PTO meeting of the school year is just around the corner! The PTO Board is excited to join you in making this a fantastic year for everyone! Join us next Wednesday, September 9th at 9:30am in the BES Library!

July 2, 2015

New BES PTO Board and First Meeting!

Welcome to the 2015-2016 BES PTO Board!

President - Jessica Calmettes
Vice-President - Heidi Heckenberg
Secretary - Sierra Turner
Treasurer - Sue Bair

Our first meeting for the new school year will be Wed, July 8 at 6pm. @ 38159 NW Hahn Rd, Banks, OR 97106. 

We hope to see you there! We'll be talking calendar of events for the school year, plus budgeting for all that we hope to accomplish!

May 12, 2015

Looking for a Few Good Men or Women

We are taking nominations for the 2015-2016 BES PTO Board.  All nominations need to be submitted to the BES office or bankselementarypto@gmail.com by June 1.  All nominees need to be able to attend the June 8th PTO meeting (6pm in the BES Library).  We'd love to have you!
 
The following board positions are open (all descriptions are approximate descriptions and are flexible based on what the school/PTO needs):
 
President
Primary liaison to Principal and administrative staff
Create yearly calendar, with board and Principal.
General oversight, direction, and coordination of PTO activities
Represent the PTO at various events, including speaking at Kindergarten Round-up, Back to School
night and other events as needed.
Plan, make preparation for, and chair all PTO executive board and general membership meetings
Generate meeting agendas, distribute on PTO Bulletin board/FB/Blog/Email as needed
Establish special committees and appoint chairs as needed, Oversee delegation of responsibility
throughout
Ex-officio member of all committees (except Nominating)
Oversee development of the PTO budget
Estimated time commitment: 10 hrs a week, monthly meetings, 4-6 big events a year

Vice President
Serve in absence of President
Lead annual review of PTO by-laws
Present a slate of officers at May or June PTO meeting, lead nominating new officers.
Coordinates child care volunteers & promotes attendance to monthly board meetings.
Create, and with Volunteer coordinator, implement volunteer recruitment & retention plan
Write monthly or quarterly PTO newsletter, with approval of board and president, distribute on Bulletin board, Friday Folders, Blog, District Webpage and Email
Serves on PTO committees and assist in coordinating activities of the organization as needed.
Attend monthly board meetings and assist where needed.
Estimated time commitment: 5 hrs a week, monthly meetings, 4-6 big events a year

Secretary
Keep an accurate record of all meetings and monthly board meetings, especially noting actions required.
Distribute minutes of meetings within seven days via bulletin board, email, blog, district website and Facebook.
Review minutes of previous month’s meeting at board meeting, following up on actions required.
Maintain record of minutes, Treasurers reports, meeting agendas, newsletters, and other relevant
documents in accessible files. Move past records in file cabinet in PTO closet, destroy records over 7 years.
Inform members of meeting dates, times, and agendas
Responsible for receiving and writing correspondence pertaining to the organization’s activities
As needed help create and distribute fliers for upcoming events
Maintains PTO bulletin board outside office.
Attend monthly board meetings and assist where needed.
Estimated time commitment: 5 hrs a week, monthly meetings

May 3, 2015

Brave Run Needs Volunteers! Saturday May 16

The Brave Run committee is looking for volunteers the day of the race on Saturday May 16th.  Anyone high school age to adult can help. and we have a variety of needs that morning that will help make this a wonderful .  It is a great  event that supports the Technology Fund at the elementary school.  If you are already running, or walking you are helping.  If you aren't participating in the race, we would love to have your help!  For more information please contact Heidi Heckenberg at heidibears19@gmail.com, or call her at (503) 473-9278.  Thank you.

April 15, 2015

Notes from 4/13/15 PTO Meeting

Here are the notes from this weeks PTO meeting:

We had 4 teachers, 4 parents, and Ms. Waite-Larkin at the meeting this month.

We had a great discussion around next year - the PTO working more closely with the Staff on the one fundraiser/event that we have.  Getting lots of school support in designing, promoting, and staffing the event in order to help get the community more excited about the event.  We are definitely leaning towards a Harvest Fest/Carnival happening on a Sat in fall (tentatively Nov. 9).

We agreed to purchase a new dishwasher for the Staff room (the one there is not working and it would cost more to repair than to replace).  Ms. Staly is going to research and purchase so that it meets the staff's needs. The PTO gave her a budget of $700.

Family Dance is this Friday.  Wear your 80s outfits to school!  Lots of cool games and dances.  Fun neon/glow-in-the-dark items to purchase. Smencils for sale!  Bring the whole family!  (Please note - this is intended to be a entire-family event not a "drop-off" type of event.  Unchaperoned students will not be allowed in.  Thank you for understanding!)

Michawn McCutchen (our current PTO President) will be stepping down as president next school year.  So if you're interested in shaping the PTO and how it supports the school - this the job for you!  No experience necessary!  The Treasurer and Volunteer Coordinator will be continuing, so there will be experienced board members to help you learn the ropes.  Let us know if you or someone you know is interested in taking on this rewarding role - bankselementarypto@gmail.com

Kinder Round-Up will be May 7, 5:30pm-7:00pm.

Art Fair will be May 13, time TBD.

A side note - the school board announced the new Superintendent on Monday night.  Here's the article introducing Mr. Leo:
http://www.oregonlive.com/forest-grove/index.ssf/2015/04/banks_announces_new_superinten.html

April 7, 2015

Brave Run is Coming Soon! Register now! Race is May 16.

If you're looking for a local 5K/10K that benefits a great cause...come run the Banks Brave Run! $22.50 ($12.50 for age 17 and under) for either distance and all proceeds go to help improve technology in our school! Check out http://banksbraverun.blogspot.com/
for more details. The race is May 16.  Come out and support your school!

March 18, 2015

News from March PTO Meeting - 3/9/15

March's meeting was small - only had 6 attendees. 

The decision was made to minimize PTO events and fundraising for the next school year.  We will be doing JUST 1 event and it will be a fundraiser in 2015-2016.  Brave Run would also continue to happen, if the Brave Run committee decides to continue with the event.

The hope is that we can get the community, volunteers, teachers, and students to rally around that event, make it HUGE, and earn enough money to support the school throughout the entire year. 
  • That means....no cookie dough/catalog sales, no movie nights, no Back-to-School BBQ (the Open house is run by the school, just the BBQ will go away).
  • BoxTop/Labels for Education collection will continue.
  • If a volunteer has a strong desire to have an event/program, and is willing to take a leadership role making it happen, the PTO will be willing to support.  The volunteer will need to get PTO Board approval.
This would help us stop over-working our volunteers by trying to cover all of the things that the PTO is currently doing, and potentially get more to help with 1 finite event.

We will still need to have discussion around what the event will be and how we will financially support the school with the proceeds of this event (1 big project vs. small expenses throughout the year).

This decision does not have any impact on non-PTO fundraising activities such as: sports, scouts, library, or school-run events (Run for the Arts, Science Fair, book fairs, etc.).

February 20, 2015

Science Fair update!

Friday, February 27, 6-8pm @ Banks Middle School

We have joined forces with the Banks Middle School to bring you a new and improved Science Fair.  Same time and date, but we are moving our location to the Middle School where there is room for more science-goodness.  What to look forward to:

Student presentations
Egg Drop Challenge
Stomp Rockets
Rice Rock Museum
Reptiles
Balloon Rocket races
Brave Run Booth
Smencil Sales ($1 each)
Ice Cream Bars (50 cents each)

Elementary students participating in the science fair will still bring their experiments to BES for setup on Wednesday afternoon for judging/display at the school on Thursday.  They will be moved to the Middle School on Friday for the Science Fair.

See you there!

February 11, 2015

Tidbits from 2/9/2015 PTO Meeting

For those that couldn't make it.....

Boxtops

  • Due 2/17.  Counting party will be 2/19 in the Library Classroom 9am-done.

 Science Fair - Friday 2/27  6-8pm

  • Come see reptiles roaming the halls (!), have balloon rocket races with the Boyscouts, eat some ice cream (50 cents per bar), buy some Smencils ($1 each), chat with the Brave Run folks and, of course, check out the cool science experiments done by the students.  See you there!

Next PTO Meeting March 9 6-8pm

  • Have an interest in what the PTO does and where it spends its money?  This is the meeting for you!!  There is a proposal on the table to restructure the PTO for the 2015-2016 school year.  We will be voting on the proposal at the March 9 meeting.  Come to the meeting to find out more!

SAVE THE DATE! 

  • Glow-In-The-Dark Family Dance - rescheduled to April 17, time TBD.  We have a few volunteers, we will need more.  Check back for volunteer signup sheet to come.  Cost will be $3/person or $10/family, with up to 5 glow bracelets included.

February 6, 2015

January 27, 2015

February Box Tops and Labels Collection!!!!

The due date to turn in Box Tops and Labels is Tuesday, Feb 17th and the Counting Party will be Thursday, Feb 19th at 9:00 am in the Library Classroom.

Start gathering and sending them into the classrooms!!
Don't forget to ask neighbors without kids, or with non-school age kids to save theirs for BES!!!!

Thank you for your support!!
Any questions Cynthia Rieben is your person to ask!!

January 14, 2015

Highlights from the Jan 2015 PTO Meeting
  • Family Movie night is this Friday at 6:30 P.M. Suggested donation of $1 per person.  Free popcorn, bottle water, RedVines.  Selling Smencils for $1 each. Movie is classic... "Duck Tales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp."  See you there!

  • Turn in your Boxtops and Labels for Education on Feb 17.  Counting Party details will be posted soon.

  • Oregon Battle of the Books battles will be starting the first week of Feb (get your 3-5 graders reading!).  2015 Regional competition is March 7.

  • Science Fair will be Feb 27.  All 4th Grade students are required to participate.  All other grades, it is optional.  Registration forms will be sent out this week.

  • NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR SETUP and CLEANUP. Please contact bankselementarypto@gmail.com if you can help out. Or click on the SignMeUp link on the "Volunteer" tab.

  • The Family Dance that was scheduled for February 6, has been postponed until April due to lack of volunteers.  If you are interested in helping with the dance, please contact bankselementarypto@gmail.com.
For all of the details from the meeting, see the "Minutes & Newsletters" tab.  For the financial details, see the "Where Is PTO Money Spent" tab.