October 2017

Letter from the PTO Co-Presidents

What an amazing back to school month! Even though our Back to School BBQ had a rainy ending, it was like water on a fire of FUN! This year, our BBQ chairs pulled out all the stops with a Polaroid photo booth, delicious and plentiful food, and gorgeous flower centerpieces. Between the face painting, sugar treats, and playground fun, all I saw were smiling students all evening. Thank you so much to our amazing chairs Lori Lembo and Maureen Younkin and every teacher and parent that offered a happy helping hand.

Did you get a chance to see the Ride for Missing Children cyclists? If you didn't, you missed a crew of amazing men and women. The students cheered with posters and well wishes for the group that included 4th grade teacher Lisa Luyckx, and several Birchwood parents! Our Birchwood volunteers put breakfast sandwiches together for the cyclists, and were there to cheer everyone on! The love and positive energy is always a thrill. THANK YOU to the riders and volunteers that make it happen every year!

We are looking forward to buttoning up some new PTO entity-business this month, by adopting our budget and bylaws. We are also tinkering with the website every week. If you are experienced in website building or content generation and feel like throwing in some expertise, please reach out! We anticipate our PTO will need a full Communication Committee in the coming years, and would love some help to keep things flowing smoothly.

We are looking ahead to SCHOOL PICTURE DAY and the MONSTER MASH. Keep checking the website for updates!

Happy Autumn in New York, Birchwood Families.

Erin & Jeff

Monster Mash 2017

Itâ€™s a Pizza Party!

Friday, October 27, 2017

6:00p.m.-8:00p.m.

Birchwood Elementary School

Please come and join us for some Spooky Fun!

Magician, Games & Prizes, Music, Pumpkin Decorating, Ghost Story Walk, Firetrucks and more!

Doors open at 6pm.

Admission is $5 per child (Adults are free)

Tickets for Games, Pizza, Dessert, Drinks and Entertainment will be sold at the Front Door and by the Gym:

$.50 per ticket or 15 tickets for $5.00

Come outside the gym and pay a visit to the Niskayuna District 2 Fire Department

50/50 Parent Raffle- Try your Luck!

Tickets may be purchased online at: http://birchwoodpto.org/MonsterMash

Advanced Tickets can be picked up the night of the Monster Mash (We will have separate line)

Schedule of Activities:

6:00-7:00: Pizza, Dessert and Refreshments in the Cafeteria

6:00-7:00: Pumpkin Decorating in the Art Room

6:00-7:00: Firetrucks outside the Gym

6:15-7:20: Games in the Gym with a music/DJ

6:30-7:30: Magic shows in the Music

Room (6:20, 6:40, 7:00)

6:45 Ghost Story Walk in Kindergarten Wing

7:30-7:45: Magician in the Cafeteria

7:45-8:00: Parent costume contest & 50/50 winner!

Join the Nature Club at Monster Mash for a Spooky Story Telling Adventure in the Birchwood Forest

Something new for Monster Mash this year: ghost stories! Volunteers will lead families on the Nature Trail to the Forest Classroom where we'll enjoy a fun Halloween-themed story "The Little Old Lady that Wasn't Afraid of Anything." There will be one session only, meet in the Kindergarten hallway at 6:45 to sign-in. (Weather permitting. Students must be accompanied by a parent. Two tickets per student; free for accompanying parents

2017-2018 PTO Opportunities Still Available!

There are still opportunities to get involved in our many wonderful Programs and Events this school year. Please visit

birchwoodpto.org/volunteer/15642 to view the opportunities that are still available. If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact Anna Kate Connolly at annakate.connolly@gmail.com or 518-810-5819.

Looking for media center volunteer for Thursdays from 10:00-10:50. If interested, please contact Amy Hefley at amhefley@gmail.com or 518-598-2365.

When: Monday, October 23^rd at 7:30am

Where: Staff Lounge

If you would like to donate goodies, please email Tiffanie Wood at woodiesroundup@hotmail.com or sign up online at birchwoodpto.org/volunteer/17406.

We are hoping for some of the following items: orange juice/apple cider, Dunkin Donuts box of Joe, muffins of all kinds, assorted quiches, yogurt parfaits, fruit salads, unique family breakfast dishes, breakfast casseroles, pumpkin pancakes, syrup, fall themed dishes of any kind, soft tub of butter/cream cheese, foil, hash browns, and bacon/sausage/ham. Cash donations are also great! Thank you for supporting this event to honor our Birchwood staff!

Sincerely, Daniella Richardson & Tiffanie Wood

YEARBOOK - 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL PICTURES

We need photos you have taken of your kids, waiting for, getting into or off the bus. They can be individual or group shots from the 1st day of school. Please forward them to birchwood17and18@gmail.com to be added to the yearbook page. Please include your child's name and homeroom information. Pictures must be at least 800 KB in size so they print well and need to be submitted no later than 10/31.

Thank you for your support - Millie Gnatek and Lori Kwiatkowski, Yearbook Co-Chairs

SAVE THE DATE!!!!!

Fall picture day is coming! It will be on Thursday, October 12th with LifeTouch Pictures. Order forms will be sent home prior to picture day. Please fill them out, make sure payment is included, and return both the form and payment with your child to school. You also have the option of making your selections online and paying for it online. Directions for online options will be listed on the order forms that come home. If you have any questions about picture day or if you would like to volunteer to help out on picture day, please email Tiffanie Wood at woodiesroundup@hotmail.com. We are looking for volunteers to sign up in 1 or 2 hour blocks of time between 8:00 and 11:30.

Thanks, Tiffanie Wood

Popcorn, Popcorn- I smell POPCORN! Popcorn Fridays starts this Friday! Every other Friday the PTO sells boxes of popcorn during snack time for only 75 cents per box. In order for your child(ren) to purchase a box the day of, please send in the 75 cents per box. Any questions contact Suzasnne Brooksby at 518-378-4025 or suzierunsL8@gmail.com.

Mark your calendars Popcorn Fridays are

Oct 6, 20, Nov 3, 17, Dec 1, 15, Jan 5, 19, Feb 2, 16, Mar 2, 16, Apr 20, May 4, 18, Jun 1

School Banking- We've partnered up with CapCom Federal Credit Union and offer a great youth savings program. They can make deposits right at school (same dates as Popcorn Fridays) or at any local branch. School Bankers receive a welcome kit, including a t-shirt and check register, and earn prizes for every fifth deposit. If you have any questions, please contact Mira Lee.

Why Should You Use School Banking?

Start your childâ€™s CAP COM School Banking Account with only $1

Students earn $30 for their FINAL report card and up to $30 per year with our Great Grade and Reading programs (Up to $60 per year!!)

Cool prizes and contests for CAP COM School bankers

Free coin machines - turn coins into cash at CAP COM locations

Youth Scholarship programs

How do I enroll my child(ten) in the School Banking Program?

Call (518)-458-2195 ext. 4656

Open an account online at www.capcomfcu.org

Or stop in any branch location and talk to a School Banking Representative

Friends of Music

Friends of Music is having their ever so popular Pie Sale going on right now! Order your pies through Friends of Music http://niskyfom.org/pie-sale/ from Mourningkill Bakery in Ballston Spa. Pies will be here before Thanksgiving! Fresh made pies, frozen and ready whenever you are.

Back by popular demand and just in time for Thanksgiving!

THE FRIENDS OF MUSIC

PIE SALE

Lots of varieties to choose from! From Apple, to Tollhouse, to Very Berry Crumb!

Pies are freshly made and frozen with baking instructions. Each Pie is $13.00.

Consider this pre-order only sale supports music education through enrichment grants, scholarships, and district festivals.

For this year we will be using Mourningkill Bakery in Ballston Spa, NY

ORDER DATE:

Online purchases may be made between September 20 â€“ October 22, 2017.

**PICK UP DATE: Tuesday, November 7, 2017

3:00 - 6:00 PM

**Niskayuna HS Parking lot off Nott Rd

Order your pies by 10/22/17 online at http://niskyfom.org/pie-sale/ and take the stress away from your Thanksgiving prep!

Thank you,

Laura Oâ€™Connor (oconnkl@verizon.net)

Friends of Music Birchwood Liaison

Box Tops for Education

Help Birchwood's fundraising efforts by clipping those boxtops! Print out the October collection sheet here:

Ideas & Accolades

A NEW feature has been added to the website! Visit birchwoodpto.org and point to "Ideas & Accolades" under "General Info" to give feedback to the PTO! Send your ideas and comments, and give credit to Moms and Dads that give it their all every event and program. Special shoutouts will be printed in the bulletin each month.

Parent Helpers

We have our FIRST parent helper listing up on the website and looking for more! If you have an older child that can offer babysitting, yard work, odd jobs, or otherwise to Birchwood parents, email us at birchwood@niskypto.org!

The email should contain the name and contact info, and a description of the student and the jobs they would like to perform. We are hoping to generate a database of wiling helpers for our Birchwood parents. Please share this with any Niskayuna area students!

PTO MEETING!!!

October 11 at 9am in the conference room. Can't make it but want to send some comments? Find the agenda online and add your notes to the bottom!

SUBJECT: October Birchwood Beagle