Chestnutwold Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Meeting Agenda: Nov 5th, 2025
Attendees: 7 board members, 12 attendees, Mrs. Leach, 2 1st grade teachers
Welcome & PTO Highlight of the Month
Classroom Enhancements
More details are posted on website + social: https://www.chestnutwoldpto.org/classroom-enhancements
Vote to Approve Minutes from Last Meeting - Approved
Clubs - VP not here - should be wrapping up soon
Upcoming Events
Winter Holiday Market coming up - opportunity for holiday pictures, crafts, local vendors (some Chestnutwold Families)
Quizzo Moved to Fri 1/23 - hoping for more attendees. Some ideas - smaller teams, more prizes (3)
Positive feedback on date change for Quizzo.
Bag Bingo last year was in April
In-School Activities
Wrapped up first assembly of the year (Little Circus)
Young Writer's Day is coming up soon. Good on volunteers, tried to accommodate volunteers to be able to go to their kids’ classrooms
Thanks to organizer of our Bake sale + Clothing Drive
Book sale coming up end of Dec 1-5, family nights 12/2 and 12/4. More volunteer slots for younger grades, 2 for older grades
SpiritWear Sale - some new designs this year. Open through next Tuesday 11/11. Two week turnaround needed, so needed to close in time for holiday gifts
New Volunteer Opportunity – Teacher Appreciation Coordinator
Someone to help us organize our teacher appreciation efforts throughout the school year.
Have some new ideas - have been in contact with other district elementary PTOs
Reach out if you’re interested in coordinating. Doesn’t require a lot of onsite volunteering.
Treasurers’ Monthly Report
Principal’s Remarks
PTO contributed to half of the native american tepee raising assembly. Kids enjoyed it, other teachers in the district were interested as well. Appreciated PTO + Musical money went towards that
Very excited for Young Writer’s Day. Appreciative of our community members for making that happen. Teachers and students love it
American Education week is coming up. Teachers will be reaching out with dates on that
Conferences coming up - upper grades meeting with just block 1 teacher
Teachers’ Remarks
Ashley Loughlin wanted to thank for baby gift
Thank you for classroom enhancements
Thank you from 5th grade teachers for teepee raising and storytelling experience. Went great with module 1 curriculum.
Intra-District Council Update
We just had our first meeting, got together and planned what will be discussed in the future.
Will have Dr. Hayes come and talk at the next council - ‘get to know you’ session with IDC.
Brought up that some PTOs are more successful than others in terms of fundraising, will be having a future session dedicated to that.
New Business
What do we hope to achieve at PTO meetings?
Build a Community (thank you for showing up!) Great opportunity to meet + form relationships
Have a say in what happens in the PTO - any Questions?
5th grade TeePee assembly was awesome - so hand-in-hand with what they are learning. Was tough with Covid, and its nice to finally have hands-on opportunities like that. Child couldn’t stop talking about it when the came home
When putting budget together, we thought it would be nice to put money towards curriculum-geared experiences. Doesn’t need to be a school-wide assembly, we feel good putting budget towards that
Would people be more conducive to a different meeting location (eg. Sam’s on County Line)
People might feel like they have to buy something
Looking for ideas to get more people, help to build a community
Lots of 4th and 5th grade parents
Maybe advertise the ‘after-meeting’ at Sam’s
Specific callout for K-2 families by homeroom helpers? Also word of mouth.
Is earlier in the day possible? For younger age kids it may be easier to try that since it’s bedtime at 7-730 for K kids
From parent - This school is always supportive of teachers - encourage kids to wear red, and for parents to wear red to drop-off too (8:30 - every Wednesday at the main entrance)