Welcome back to all the returning St. Michael students, parents, faculty and staff.  We send a warm welcome to all new families and to our new 5th grade teacher – Ms. Reed.  PTO would like to extend sincere thanks to the teachers, parish staff and all the parents who helped with the move to our temporary campus at St. Savior.  Many hours were spent moving items from the undercroft to the school building and then again from the school building to moving trucks and from the trucks into St. Savior classrooms.  As we watch all the construction activity on the St. Michael campus, we can be very happy that we have a beautiful, safe environment to hold our classes during this academic year.

PTO will be working hard again this year to support our school.  Some activities may have to be modified this year because of our temporary location but we will do our best to offer the same activities and service projects as we have in the past.

Thanks to Kelly Kern for her years of service as Used Uniform coordinator. This summer PTO members sorted through the overabundance of used uniform shirts, slacks and sweaters. We donated several boxes of clothing to St. Francis Seraph School (on the corner of Vine and Liberty).  The school sells uniform articles to the parents for $1 each since many of them cannot afford to purchase new uniforms.  The school really appreciated our donation.  We are grateful to Laura Dornoff for volunteering to continue this valuable service.  Please contact Laura if you have uniforms to donate.  Sale dates will be announced soon.

Stacy Asbrock is coordinating a new initiative during the month of September.  It is a fundraising program offered by Lazarus.  Parents are invited to purchase a Lazarus Earning for Learning card for $10.  St. Michael’s school keeps the $10.  Parents/friends are entitled to use the card for a $10 discount on a $50 or more cash (or check) purchase at Lazarus.  The card can be used for a $15 discount on a $50 or more Lazarus charge purchase.  Earning for Learning cards will be available at the September PTO meeting on Tuesday, September 17.  (Note:  Some exclusions apply and the offer is not valid from 9/17-9/29 – see the copy of a sample donation card for details). You can also order them by sending a request with the following information:  your name, your child’s name and homeroom, number of Earning for Learning cards requested, and a check written to St. Michael PTO. Please send the information to Stacy through Kenton Asbrock (2L).  The Earning for Learning cards will expire after 10/31/02.  Thanks, Stacy!  This is a great deal for Lazarus shoppers!

Following is a list of the 2002/2003 PTO Committee Chairs.  Thanks to all for their energy and dedication to St. Michael School.

Breakfast with Santa: Shelley Hoffman & Lisa Tueschl
Shelley and Lisa are planning the Breakfast with Santa for a Saturday in December at Sports Plus.

Campbell Soup Labels: Janis Freese
Information about the Campbell Soup Label program will be sent home soon. Please remove the labels from Campbell Soup cans or boxes and send them in to school. We appreciate everyone who signed up in the homerooms to coordinate this with Janis!

Christmas Village:  Linda Hauck & Gina Allaire
Christmas Village is a service project that allows the school children the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts for their family and friends at school. Linda and Gina are working out the details for the St. Savior format of Christmas Village.  We hope to have an update at the September PTO meeting.  If you are interested in helping Linda and Gina, please let them know. This service project entails hours of planning and preparation.

Everybody Counts: Amy Thaman
This program is designed to bring disabilities awareness to our children.  It consists of a presentation and hands-on activities that simulate the disability. Amy will coordinate parent volunteers to present the program in the spring.

General Mills Box Tops
St. Michael School receives 10¢ for each General Mills cereal box top collected. Please cut out the box tops and send them in to school. Thanks to the volunteers in each class that sort and count the box tops!

Hands on Science Outreach (HOSO): Gina Allaire
HOSO sign up will begin soon!  This is a wonderful after school program that gives your child the skills to explore our world from a scientific perspective.   This year the classes will be held on Tuesdays from 3-4 at St. Saviour.

Honey Baked Ham Sale: Maria DeVita & Maureen Mears
Two sales are held each year at Christmas and Easter.  This is a great way to avoid the long Holiday lines.  More information will come as the sales approach.

Hospitality Committee: Jane Carnahan & Bonnie Bobay
A big thank you goes to Jane and Bonnie for providing a continental breakfast and lunch for our teachers at the August in-service.  They will be contacting room mothers to coordinate snacks and drinks for monthly faculty meetings.  They also coordinate the faculty/staff Christmas breakfast, and the Catholic Schools week and May faculty luncheons.

Magazine Drive:  Linda DesMarias
The annual magazine drive, our second most profitable fundraiser, will begin on October 15th.  Orders will need to be returned on October 24th.  This year the children will not be collecting subscription money.  Customers will be billed directly by the Magazine company. Linda will be sharing more information in a letter before the sale begins.

Market Day: Joe Posge
Order forms will be sent home monthly through the school children. Parents can order their delicious Market Day food items through the school or through the Market Day website. Pick-up days will continue on Saturday mornings in St. Michael Assembly Hall. Payment is made at pick-up.

Playground Parents: Nora Posge
Nora organizes the parent volunteers that help supervise the playground during lunch recess.  Please contact Nora if you would like to help.

P.R.I.D.E.: Christy Vigil & Mary Morrison
PRIDE stands for Parents Religiously Involved and Dedicated to Education.  It was organized to promote spirit and pride in our school. The PRIDE 3-star logo (on the PRIDEwear) symbolizes the teachers/administration, parents and students working together to achieve a quality academic and religious education.

PRIDE Wear: Courtney Hegleson
Courtney will display samples of PRIDEwear at the September meeting.  Students may wear PRIDEwear sweatshirts as part of the school uniform.

Publicity: Kim Dusa & Ann Longaberger
Kim and Ann work with the community newspapers to share all the exciting news about St. Michael School.  You will see them at school events with their cameras as they take pictures to submit to the press.

Sally Foster Gift-Wrap Sale: Susan Leachman
The Sally Foster Gift-Wrap sale is scheduled for November. The gift-wrap will be delivered in time for your holiday needs.

Sanzere Spirit Wear: Mary Anne Coulson
After years of coordinating this service, Carol Piepmeier has passed the chair position to Mary Anne Coulson.  Mary Anne will provide samples of the Spiritwear at the September meeting.  Order forms will be available.  Sanzere Spiritwear contains the St. Michael Mustang logo.  It can be worn for gym class or on Spirit Day/Penny Power days.

School  Supplies: Lisa Teuschl
Many thanks go to Lisa for spending hours organizing, ordering and reorganizing the school supplies that were picked up at Meet the Teacher Night.  Lisa plans to review the process and recommend some changes for next year.

Spanish Program: Judy Zarick
There will be two 10-week Spanish classes offered this year for students in Grades 1 through 8.  The classes will meet on Wednesdays from 3-4pm at St. Saviour.  The first session will begin on October 2.  A flyer with additional information will be coming home soon.

Spirit Day/ Penny Power: Amy McKaig
Spirit Day/Penny Power is held the first Wednesday of each month.  Students are permitted to come out of uniform but are required to wear blue and/or gold, the school spirit colors.  Students may bring in pennies (or other coins) to be collected in the homerooms.  The money is used to buy classroom items at each teacher’s discretion.

Square Dance: Jane Carnahan
The annual dance will be held March 8, 2003 at the Sharonville Community Center.  More info on this fun event to come!

Used Uniform Sale: Laura Dornoff
A used uniform sale was held in July. Please contact Laura if you have uniforms to donate.  The fall sale date will be announced soon.

Walk-A-Thon: Linda Green & Christy Vigil
The annual walk-a-thon will be held September 20th.    Linda and Christy are working on a new walking route near St. Saviour.  More details will be sent home soon.  The
Walk-a-thon is PTO’s biggest fundraiser and fun event for the school children.

Welcome Committee: Laurie Kaufman & Barb Scott
Once again, Laurie and Barb matched families new to St. Michael School with a “buddy” family.  Barb and Laurie also provided refreshments for the New Parent/ Kindergarten meeting on August 22nd.  We are grateful to Laurie and Barb and all who have volunteered to be “buddy families” or provided refreshments.
 
 

*** A special thanks goes out to Lily Murray for coordinating volunteers for classroom and committee help.

Our first PTO meting will be held September 17th at 7:00pm in the St. Michael School Assembly Hall.  Babysitting will be provided in one of the classrooms. We will introduce committee chairs and discuss the 2002/2003 services projects and fundraisers and topics for future PTO meetings.  We strongly encourage everyone to attend.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact any of the PTO Board members by phone or e-mail.

Kim Hunter (President)    779-1368
    kim_hunter@mail.msj.edu
Bonnie Bobay (Vice President)   733-5094
Mary Abele (Secretary)            777-1141
Gina Fogarty (Treasurer)         469-9618