PTO Newsletter - September 19, 2023

Good evening Ryerson Parents, Teachers, and Staff,

The PTO is amazed at the enthusiasm and engagement of our wonderful families this school year! We had a great September General Meeting yesterday evening, where we heard from Mrs. Farmer, Mrs. Daly, and Mrs. Caldwell about the many ways our school is supporting our students academic, emotional, and social needs.

Last night, the PTO Board voted to use our budget surplus from last year to fully fund the remainder of the 2023 Ryerson PTO Gift request. This brings our 2023 Gift to $14,500! We have again set a goal for the 2023-2024 school year to fully fund all in-school assemblies, classroom experiences, and field trips. We estimate this will amount to an additional $9,000 of grants toward enriching our students' learning.

Thank you to all who attended Parent Night last week. We hope everyone enjoyed spending some time in the classrooms and hearing from their teachers about the year ahead.

We would also like to take the opportunity to thank those who have volunteered as Room Parents. This year we have an ambitious goal of three parents per classroom, and nearly all of our classrooms have had three parents step forward. If you have a student with Mrs. Whalen, Miss Norden, Mrs. Chin, or Mrs. Pinski, and you are interested in jumping in, please reach out to us and your teacher!

With all of the fall fun coming up in Madison, we hope that your family will be able to take part in some of our many upcoming PTO events. Take a look below for updates and opportunities in our School on the Hill!

Best,

Erica and Charissa

Extracurricular Enrichment Registration Re-Opens TONIGHT at 8pm

Extracurricular Enrichment registration will reopen this evening. Our fall classes will be offered to students in grades 1 through 3 - not to worry Kindergarteners, your turn will come soon!

The following classes will be offered throughout the week:

Coolology
Lego STEM
Chess
Animals Galore!
Painting with the Masters

If you registered on Saturday morning and you received an email receipt after registering, your spot is secured and you do not need to register again. If you are not sure whether you registered successfully, please email us to check.

For everyone else, the registration form can be found by clicking "My Account" and scrolling down to the "New Forms" section. It will be called "Fall Enrichment Registration Grades 1-3" and it will only be visible starting at 8pm on Tuesday. As a reminder, we recommend viewing the form on a computer/laptop screen or via the Membership Toolkit app.

Thank you again for hanging in through the confusion and glitching!

Final Week of Spirit Wear Sale

Our Spirit Wear shop closes this Friday, September 22! Our selection includes cozy hoodies, tie dye shirts, waterproof stickers, baseball caps and more. Be ready for Friday Spirit Days - don't delay, make your purchase today!

Ryerson PTO Website

Our website is a great way to find information about current and upcoming happenings around school! This is the place to pay dues, register for events, find important dates, and sign up to volunteer. Make sure you've created an account so you don't miss any of the fun!

Dues Drive Progress

We are so close to our $6200 Dues goal! With over 320 Ryerson students this year, the PTO is hoping to be able to fund many exciting activities. But we can't do it without you! This year's dues are $35 for one student, $55 for two students, and $75 for three students. There is also an option to choose the amount you pay.

Remember, your dues payment does not obligate you or your family to commit time or involvement in PTO activities. We have had over 150 students' families pay dues, and we are so grateful to all of you for your generosity and support!

School Store - September 29

This student favorite is not to miss! Our parent-run sale is held in the school lobby at the start of the school day. Items are priced from 25¢ to $2. Parents may shop with their students between 8:30 and 8:45, and then each class has a shop to come throughout the morning.

Ryerson Welcomes Sherri Duskey Rinker - October 6

Get ready for takeoff! We've teamed up with Sherri Duskey Rinker, author of the bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series. Sherri Duskey Rinker will be visiting Ryerson on October 6 to meet with grades K and 1 to share the newest addition to the series, Construction Site: Taking Flight!

All parents are invited to purchase a signed copy of the new book from RJ Julia now! We will distribute purchased copies to students during Sherri's visit on October 6.

Purchase Now

Beach Clean-Up Day - October 7

Join the Ryerson, Jeffrey, and Brown PTOs for a fun morning at the beach making our world a cleaner place! We will be at Garvin's Point on Saturday, October 7 from 8am-10am.

The Long Island Sound is one of the nation's greatest estuaries, and by coming together to clean Madison's beach areas, we can prevent harm to our environment! We will bring supplies, but if you have any extra gloves please bring them along. We also recommend wearing work clothes, and closed toe shoes, and bringing plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen.

No need to register, but please save the date, bring a friend, and join us!

Ryerson Family Trick or Treat Night - October 26

Our Family Trick or Treat Night is scheduled for Thursday, October 26. Teachers will be passing out candy at each of their classrooms, so put on your costumes and come trick or treat early with us!

Parents, this evening will also be your chance to shop the Scholastic Book Fair.

This event is hugely popular and we anticipate up to 200 children visiting each of our classrooms. Our teachers will be donating some candy, but we would love to be able to make sure no one runs out! Please click here to sign up to donate candy to the event.

We are asking for volunteers to help decorate on the afternoon before the event. Please click here if you are interested in lending a hand!

Sneaker Drive - Coming Soon!

Do you have used or old sneakers hanging around the house? Starting early next month, we will be collecting sneakers to be recycled. The PTO will receive a small amount per donated pair, and we will all be able to prevent extra waste ending up in landfills!

Lyman Orchard Pies and Cookie Dough Fundraiser

Stay tuned for more info on this yummy fundraising starting in late September!

Volunteer Opportunities

The PTO Volunteer Program is one of the best ways that parents can support the students and staff at our school. We will have multiple opportunities throughout the year to help out, during the school day or outside of school hours. By filling out the volunteer interest form, it helps us to organize our planning. This will not commit you to volunteer, but your contact information will be forwarded to the PTO board member or Committee Chair that is coordinating that activity and they will be in touch with you. Thanks for volunteering!

Decorate Trick or Treat Night

Sign up here to help SPOOKIFY Ryerson's lobby and hallways as we prepare for the kids to Trick Or Treat through the classrooms.

Assist with Animals Galore

We are looking for a few extra sets of hands at each Animals Galore! class this fall. The kids will be working on various projects that will benefit from some extra helpers in the room. Please take note of the class dates, as there is a two-week gap for this class due to scheduling conflicts. Please sign up here for as few or as many spots as work for you!

Volunteer Now!

Looking Ahead

Tuesday, September 19

12:00a Fall Spirit Wear Sale

7:30p Board of Education Meeting

Wednesday, September 20

12:00a Fall Spirit Wear Sale

Thursday, September 21

12:00a Fall Spirit Wear Sale

Make a Good Choice: PTO-Sponsored Cultural Arts Assembly

Friday, September 22

12:00a Fall Spirit Wear Sale