Author Archives: Bigelow PTO

Cookie Dough Drive – New Information

NEW:  Want to support the Cyndi Daley-Smith and Howard B. Smith scholarship fund, but you do not the temptation of sweets??  Donate your cookie dough to Bigelow for election bake sales and the Bigelow drama / music department performances.  Or, to Newton Food Pantry.  Write on the sales form which entity your purchases are to be donated (or keep them for personal use and bake sales in your freezer/refrigerator).  If you choose to donate the “dough” to the Newton Food Pantry or Bigelow, we will make sure it gets to the right place.

Last day to purchase cookie dough is Friday, March 7.  Order forms are in the office and orders should be turned into the box marked “cookie dough” in the office.  Please see attached flyer for more details. 

Questions?  Contact:  Lauri Perry (laurisperry@hotmail.com).

PoPS invites you to “Be Chair-itable” and contribute to our TAKE A SEAT Campaign!

PARENTS of PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS AT BIGELOW! PoPS invites you to “Be Chair-itable” and contribute to our TAKE A SEAT Campaign!

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST ENDEAVOR HELPING ENRICH THE PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCES OF OUR CHILDREN & THEIR AUDIENCES, & MANY MORE AFTER THEM!

Two years ago, the inaugural year of PoPS, we helped raise the funds to install the sound system in the theater at Bigelow. This year, we are committed to replacing the folding chairs with better seats which interlock, and stack, making setting up & storage much simpler.

As a special fundraiser initiative, 
we invite you to make a donation to 
“TAKE A SEAT” 
and secure a ticket to Man of La Mancha (On March 13, 14 and 15)
at the same time. 

The musical typically sells out, so this idea makes sense!

Everyone who makes a donation will be thanked in the program. Even if you donate one dollar, it will all go towards a much needed addition to the school, not just for plays or concerts but for any assembly or school wide event that uses the auditorium.  

AND, as a special incentive!:

  • THE FIRST 50 PEOPLE to pledge a donation of $20-99 will receive one free ticket to one performance.
  • THE FIRST 14 pledges of $100 or more will receive two free tickets AND WILL HAVE TWO SEATS RESERVED FOR THEM WITH THEIR NAME ON THEM IN THE 2ND OR 3RD ROW OF THE FRONT SECTION OF SEATS IN THE THEATER!  ** These seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis **

So, 14 pairs of seats will be available on Thursday, and on Friday, and on Saturday to be reserved by the first 14 participants who wish to pledge $100.  Please note: in order to give as many people the opportunity to have seats reserved, only one pair of reserved seats will be allocated per donor so specify the night you prefer. 

Tickets will be available as usual to all, whether or not they take part or not in this fundraiser. 

We are sending this information out to all of the cast, crew and band members first; in another week, it will be posted to the general Bigelow community on the PTO newsletter.  DEADLINE FOR ALL TAKE-A-SEAT PLEDGES WILL BE MONDAY, MARCH 10th, in order for donors names to be put in the theater program.  

To make your pledge, email me back in the first instance so that I can allocate your ticket and make sure your name will appear in the program. Once all pledges are in, I will be able to email you if you are one of the lucky recipients of the name-tagged reserved seating! We will then tell you how you can pay.
Best wishes to you all as we head into the home stretch of rehearsals, and many thanks in advance for your participation in this new PoPS endeavor.
Nancy Gair on behalf of PoPS nrgair@gmail.com

 

LAST CALL for Big Night Auction Items

If you have been thinking about donating to the Big Night Auction but have not had a chance, please consider donating today!!!!

Tickets to sporting events, gift cards for services, restaurant gift certificates, vacation get aways,  jewelry, artwork, a dinner or cocktail party, memberships etc are all appreciated.  Click here  to donate to the auction on line.  Thank you to all of you who have already donated to the auction.

Bigelow Middle School PTO is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.  Tax ID #20-0348453. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.

Thank you, your event co chairs – Liz Haas and Laurie Halloran

SchoolKidz Volunteer Needed

We are looking for someone to lead the SchoolKidz effort.  SchoolKidz is the program through Staples that allows parents to pre order school supplies.  School supplies are available for pick up the week before school starts and no trip to the store is required.  This is a great service for families and it benefits your children through the PTO.

What does the SchoolKidz leader need to do?  Coordinate the updating of supply lists with the school.  Oversee the ordering by parents in May / June.  Arrange a delivery day at the school in August.  Organize the boxes and add the “special” items into the orders after delivery (we will get a few helpers for you.)  Oversee distribution the morning of the Open House in August.  This program is all done on line.  We will help do all the advertising / PR.  And the past SchoolKidz leader is available to go over everything with you.

Interested??  We need your help!!  Please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com

Cookie Dough Drive Underway

Please help support the Cyndi Daley-Smith and Howard B. Smith scholarship fund and buy cookie dough today!!!  16 flavors available and they can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months.

All orders are due this Friday March 7.  Delivery of cookie dough orders is March 27.  Extra packets and order forms are available in the main office.

Incentives:  Sell 3 tubs of cookie dough by Mar 7 and students receive a chance to win cash ($1 – 20 – 50 -100)!  Sell 5 tubs and you receive a chance of winning cash and a free tub of your favorite cookie dough!

Please see attached flyer for more details.  Thank you for your participation!

Please contact Lauri Perry (laurisperry@hotmail.com) with questions.

Cookie Dough Drive Kicks off Today

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Today, Feb. 25, is the kickoff of the Cookie Dough spring fundraiser.  All orders are due March 7.  Delivery of cookie dough orders is March 27.  Funds raised benefit the Cindy Daley Smith and Howard Smith scholarship fund and other PTO programs.  Packets and order forms were distributed at lunch today to students.  Check with your child for the packet.

Incentives:  Sell 3 tubs of cookie dough by Feb 28 and students receive a chance to win cash ($1 – 20 – 50 -100)!  Sell 5 tubs and you receive a chance of winning cash and a free tub of your favorite cookie dough!

Please see attached flyer for more details.  Thank you for your participation!

Please contact Lauri Perry (laurisperry@hotmail.com) with questions.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon NEW DATE March 13th

Our annual teacher appreciation luncheon will now take place on Thursday, March 13th.  We need parents to provide a luncheon item, dessert or drinks. We also need volunteers to help set up and clean up. Set up is at 10:30am and clean up is at 3:15pm.

Please sign up here to donate and / or volunteer (or confirm what you had previously signed up to bring / volunteer.)

Items may be dropped off the morning of the luncheon in the teacher’s lunchroom or put in the refrigerator there no later than 10:30am.  You may also drop off items the evening of Mar 12th at Stacy Schwartz’s house at 15 Park Ave.

It is most helpful if items are brought in a recyclable container. Please send in your favorite lunch food!  Salads, sandwiches, entrees; whatever you think our wonderful teachers and staff will enjoy.

Thank you in advance for helping us show our appreciation for our teachers and staff.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chairs, Maria Sullivan at mariasullivan47@gmail.com or Stacy Schwartz at staschwartz@gmail.com .

Next PTO meeting March 11, 7pm – Parent Workshop

Please save the date for our next PTO meeting on March 11, 7pm in the Bigelow school library.  Newton Youth Services, in conjunction with the Bigelow PTO, is proud to present:

Creating Successful Students: Understanding Executive Function and Tips for Strengthening These Vital Skills at Home
In a workshop designed specifically for parents, Dan Levine and Laura Moy of Engaging Minds will:
1.   Demystify the term “executive function” and explain which skills it encompasses
2.   Explain why executive function skills are such an increasingly important aspect of every child’s education, especially in today’s ever-changing world
3.   Offer tips and strategies that parents can begin to employ at home to better support their children in strengthening these vital skills

Background on this program:

The Newton Health and Human Services Department was recently awarded a mental health and well-being grant by the West Suburban Community Health Newtork. The project focuses on raising awareness about youth stress in Newton, the negative impacts, and resources available for managing stress in healthy ways. This grant was written as a direct result of Youth Risk Behavior Survey quantitive data and two recent Newton Youth Summit’s qualitative results.

As one piece of the project, Newton Youth Services has partnered with Engaging Minds, a learning center located in Newton focused on teaching executive function skills. These skills include organization, prioritization, initiationof tasks, time management, goal-setting, planning, etc., and are useful in reducing students’ stress. The partnership is focused on bringing programs about executive function to parents, students, and school staff.

 

BIG NIGHT – Auction Items Needed

imagesThe Big Night, Big Easy, the Bigelow PTO’s biggest event of the year.  This year it is a Mardi Gras themed event, at the New Art Center in Newtonville on Sat. March 22 from 7pm – 11pm.

Do you have something you would like to DONATE to our auction??  Tickets to sporting events, gift cards for services,  restaurant gift certificates, vacation get aways,  jewelry, artwork, a dinner or cocktail party, memberships etc are all appreciated.  Click here  to donate to the auction on line.  Thank you to all of you who have already donated to the auction.

Would you like to underwrite a portion of the evening??  We have a number of opportunities available.  Click here    We would like to thank Leslie Williams and Jack Goldsmith for underwriting the costs of the Music for the evening!!

You can also help by soliciting a local business for an auction donation.  Click here for a printable business solicitation letter and donation form.

Bigelow Middle School PTO is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization.  Tax ID #20-0348453. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.

Tickets for the night will be available soon.  Save the date.  We hope you can join us for the super fun night.  If you have any questions please contact Liz Hass at haas.joffe@gmail.com

Thank you, your event co chairs – Liz Haas and Laurie Halloran