Parent-Teacher Organization



ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17



Dear Alton Darby Elementary Community Members, On behalf of the ADE PTO Executive Committee, I would like to once again thank you for all your support. We cannot express enough gratitude for the countless hours that have been volunteered, the many items that have been donated, and the generous financial contributions that have been made. ADE is such a wonderful, supportive community and we appreciate all you do to help the ADE PTO in its mission to enhance the educational experience and learning environment for every student at Alton Darby Elementary. This year we focused on community building and encouraging ADE families to the visit the school and talk with other families. We furthered that initiative by introducing Pastries with Parents. It was an overwhelming success and we look forward to continuing this tradition. We are working with the teachers to divide this into multiple smaller Pastries with Parents events (by grade, last name, or sign up). The idea is to make parking and logistics a little easier, but yet still make it a large enough event for meaningful community building. We welcome any input and will share the new format with everyone at the beginning of next school year. As we look forward to next year, we are focusing on further expanding our community building events. It was wonderful to see so many of our families come to the Luau and we would encourage everyone to attend our Fall Tailgate in hopes of seeing the same number of families. It is always fun to see the kids dancing while the marching band plays, playing touch football with the football players, and cheering along with the cheerleaders. We are also looking forward to further major purchases for ADE. The kids are currently voting on playground expansion proposals. All the proceeds from the Walk-a-Thon, along with other surplus PTO funds, will be used to fund the expansion. Providing shade will definitely be part of the plan, but the rest of the details need to go through a building and grounds planning process. Please be patient as we work through the process, but we will get the ball rolling at the beginning of next school year. Read on to learn about all the events and initiatives made possible by ADE PTO. If you are interested in helping plan and/or volunteer for any of our events next school year, please contact Karla Warren, Vice President of Volunteers, at [email protected] and we would love to get you involved. THANK YOU! Dawn Steele, President of Meetings

Overview of 2016-17 events and initiatives made possible and/or supported by ADE PTO: Classroom Furniture – authorized purchase of dry erase easels, rugs, and storage containers needed in the classrooms, Lucy Calkins set of over 400 books for more reading selections in the classroom, and rolling carts to assist the Media Center in building carts for “buddy reading” (friends can read and discuss same book) Student Development – purchased quiet activity equipment and soccer goals for recess, and helped a class meet their fundraising goal to Skype with Author Aaron Becker Classroom Enrichment – funded Makerspace Cart, Makerspace supplies, Learning Apps, books, magazines, teaching guides, and other learning materials for the classrooms; Book Room – purchased additional book sets to be used for educational “level group reading” Music Room – helped fund rights to music, plays and musicals used in each grade level Art Room – volunteered as “Garden Fairies” in the summer and funded supplies Physical Education – financed and provided volunteers for Field Day, provided Mr. Burkhardt and Mr. Decker with some financial support for AD/DC Warrior Dash Community Building – Meet the Teacher Ice Cream Social, Fall Tailgate Party, Pastries with Parents, contribution to classroom Holiday Parties, Family Game Night, Family Fun Day Games/Activities, 5th Grade Recognition T-shirts and celebration, and End of Year Luau Field Trips - paid for the Field Trip bus transportation used by each class Wellness Committee – hosted food tastings each month during lunch to encourage students to try new healthy food options, supported Get Fit Girls healthy living club, and hosted Walk-a-Thon to encourage students to be active in support of their School Teacher/Staff Appreciation Committee – coordinated dinner on conference nights, funded water cooler in Teacher’s Lounge, and organized Teacher Appreciation Week Kindergarten Screening Tours – answered questions for incoming Kindergarten Parents and gave tours of the school while their children were being screened Student Folders– volunteers assembled the take home folders each student receives at beginning of year Spirit Wear - coordinated ordering and purchasing of ADE Spirit Wear School Supply Sale – provided the convenience of one stop shopping for all necessary school supplies purchased and delivered directly to your child’s classroom Financial overview ADE PTO is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is run completely by volunteers. Any funds remaining at the end of a fiscal year will be used to fund future activities and purchases for the School.

Fundraising – coordinated reward card programs with local Community Partner Stores that give money back to ADE for purchases, hosted Spirit Nights where local food vendors gave money back to the school for purchases on a specified date, Art to Remember, PTO Bookfair, School Supply Kits, Mumkins, Spring Flowers, Box Tops, Family Fun Day Silent Auction, and Walk-a-Thon