Brown PTO Welcome Letter

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome each of you and your families to F.W. Brown Elementary School.  As Brown PTO board members, it is among our responsibilities to talk with you about our organization, invite you to be an active member and very importantly, encourage you to get involved in your school.  But first, since this may be the first time at Brown for many of you, please let us explain what the Brown PTO is all about.

What is the Brown PTO and who can be a member?
Our PTO is an independent organization and we do to belong to any state or national affiliation, or support any political platforms and all the funds that we raise stay here at our school.  We strive to enhance children’s educational experiences as well as promote open communication and understanding between parents and the staff at Brown.  You are automatically a member of the Brown PTO, if you are a parent or guardian of a child attending Brown Elementary or a staff member at Brown.

PTO Programs and Fundraising
Our primary objective as a PTO is to provide our school with funds, programs, resources and services that will enrich and maximize the education of every child.  To meet this important objective, and afford services that are no longer covered by our school budget, we must fundraise.  Though it may not be our favorite responsibility, it is a necessary one.  Our school community must raise money if we want to provide our children with field trip transportation, assemblies through out the year, equipment and materials for the classrooms, special grade incentive celebrations, Positive Behavior Program, 4th & 5th grade honor roll luncheons, March Reading Month activities and a free book for each student, field day, as well as improving the playground and the beautification of our school.

This year we are holding three main fundraisers. 

• The teachers are kicking their fall fundraising event off in September.  It will consist of Cookie Dough and Entertainment Books.  The monies raised will go directly to the teachers for use in their classrooms.
• The PTO will be next in mid-October.  It will be a catalog fundraiser, consisting of items for your home, great Christmas items for your family, jewelry, wrapping paper, magazine subscriptions, and more.  There will be a Super Party for students selling 12 items or more.  The monies raised will go to the above mentioned programs for the students.
• The teachers will have a spring fundraiser as well.  Again the monies raised will go directly to the teachers for use in their classrooms.

In addition to these, we have small ways you can give back to the school.  Bake and Chip Sales, Book Fairs, Santa Shop, Mom to Mom Sale, 25 cent Used Book Sale, as well as our “No Brainers” – Box Tops for Education, Campbell’s Labels for Education, Tyson – Project A+ Reward Program, Paper Recycling, Used Ink Cartridge Recycling, Direct TV Enrollment, Meijer Rewards, Gordon Food Service Rewards, Restaurant Fund-raising Nights, and a big favorite: Market Day – a monthly food program.

PTO Family Fun Nights & Events
The PTO is very excited to be sponsoring Family Fun Nights and Events again this year.  Watch for information on the following:  Apple Fest Booth, Trunk-n-Treat Night, Movie Nights, Breakfast with Santa, an Ice Cream Social, and new this year a Science Fair and an Art Fair.  Our school also sponsors three additional programs for families – Math Night, Science Night, and Reading Night.  These are FREE events for your family to attend, with the exception of the Breakfast with Santa.  They are a fun way to spend quality time with your kids as well as meeting other families at our great school.
Become a Volunteer…Why YOU should get involved!
As you can see, we are a busy group.  This is where you can come in!  We need your help, and so do your children.  Over 500 independent studies on parent involvement show that when parents get involved in their children’s education grades go up, test scores improve, children are more likely to attend better schools after high school, they have fewer discipline problems and they’re less likely to use drugs and alcohol.  Get involved TODAY! 

Please look at the Brown Bobcat Volunteer Booklet, indicate what events/activities interest you, and we’ll contact you to discuss it further.  Volunteering doesn’t have to mean a huge time commitment.  We understand it is increasingly more difficult to find time to give, but please, whatever your time schedule allows, we have a need for you.  We even have tasks that can be performed in the evenings, during the day or that can be done from home.

You do not have to attend monthly meetings to be an active member of the PTO.  We have other ways of keeping parents informed.  If you can attend a meeting – great!  We welcome any new ideas and can always use your help.

You can watch through out the year for our PTO Calendars, Newsletters, and Event Updates for information and ways to jump in and volunteer.

***Every Volunteer Makes a Difference!***

In conclusion
Our PTO is certainly about more than bake sales!  We’re about women and men working together toward a common goal.  That goal, simply stated, is creating a better school and a better educational experience for our children.  We strive to create an atmosphere where teachers, administrators, and support staff can do their best work – and so can our children.  There is so much more that can be done and we need your help.  We invite you to join us for refreshments on Wednesday, September 9 in the Brown Library at 6:30 p.m. it will be a short gathering to “Meet & Greet the PTO!”  Or you can join us for refreshments at our first General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, September 16 at 9:00 a.m.  We look forward to meeting you!

On behalf of the Brown Elementary PTO, we would once again like to extend a warm welcome and best wishes for a successful school year!  Please feel free to contact any of us with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
The Brown Elementary PTO Board Members

Jennifer Vella/President – (734)753-0334 – jvella0334@charter.net
Mary VanHooser/Vice President – (734)782-5771 – crazyw5@chartermi.net
Sarah Gyolai/Recording Secretary - (734)783-4731 – sgyolai@sbcglobal.net
Danielle Valerius/Treasurer – (734)789-9622 – dannival@gmail.com
Melissa Johnson/Communication Secretary – (734)216-0163 – melissasjohnson@comcast.net
Patrick Bevier/Principal – (734)782-2716 – bevierp@huron.k12.mi.us