October 8th 2024

Twin Lakes Mission Statement:  We believe in creating a community where all can learn and succeed. We encourage respect and knowledge of all people and the environment.

Meeting Protocols:

• Begin and end on time.

• Respectful listening - no side conversations.

• Respect other opinions.

• We are here to positively impact Twin Lakes Elementary.

Welcome and Introductions.

Old Business:

1. Homecoming parade was on September 20th and it was a success! 

2. Parent picnic was on September 25th.

3. BookFair made $3036.21 in Sales. Media Center spent $681 in scholastic dollars. Next BookFair will need volunteers during October Conferences.

4. MEA will be October 17th and 18th.

5. Volunteer Opportunities ($10 background check required, lasts for 3 years).

6. Open Board Position: Co-Treasurer Needed

New Business: 

1. OtterFest Committee will need a lot of volunteers to keep going.

2. October 16th was decided to be the Fall Teacher’s Dinner

There is a sign up list for crockpot meals and other food that was e-mailed.

1. Veteran’s Day: Monday November 11th
   (PTO provides refreshments, photo opportunities, volunteers needed) 

2. Turkey Bingo: Book Donations are always appreciated

3. Hover and SquareSpace annual charges. Does it have to be on personal credit cards?

4. Papa Murphy’s Pizza Night is postponed until management change is finished. 

Are there any other places we can ask to host “donate to the school” nights? Culver’s hosts for Rogers Boys Soccer.

Parent Liaison’s Report: N/A

Principal’s Report: Walk-a-thon

Treasurer’s Report:  

1. 2023 PTO Budget Review

2. 2024 PTO Budget Going Forward

Update on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 8:52PM by Admin

October 8th PTO Meeting Recap:

• The Homecoming Parade was a great success! There were bubbles this year to make it look like all of the little Otters were swimming down the road! Candy was given to children to throw out to the crowds in stages, so it lasted longer for the families that were near the end of the parade route. There was talk of how Twin Lakes Otters have the best float because it has the most candy being tossed!

• Parent Picnic sold over 400 school meals! Children without relatives attending were able to participate by having picnics with their teachers, or with their friend's families which was a new this year.

• There are still volunteer slots open for BookFair coming next week during conferences! A new BookFair Chair Person is also needed to take over the fun that is ordering books and volunteering to help sell the books to parents and kids. It's a great way to help earn the school money for new library books and for teachers to get new books for their classrooms! 

• There is a new Co-Treasurer board member! Finally!

• The Fall Teacher's Dinner looks like it is going to be a good one this year! Lots of parents have been so wonderful signing up to donate to our crockpot fest!

• Veteran's Day is coming November 11th. It's a wonderful, special event that the school hosts to celebrate our Veteran's. Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Parents, Neighbors, Cousins, Siblings, you name it! They are invited to share doughnuts and coffee in the lunchroom with their student and there is a booth set up for student's to get their picture taken with their special person! Following a light breakfast is the presentation in the gym where students will give speeches and all grades will sing their designated military song put on by the schools' music teacher! PTO provides the refreshments for Veteran's day, but we need volunteers to help set out the coffee pots/juice and put doughnut holes into trays that go on the lunch tables. 

• Turkey Bingo will be coming up November 27th. A day for all the students to play bingo being broadcasted by Principal Collins. If students win, they get to gobble on down and get their Turkey Bingo Book! These are purchased using the Scholastic BookFair proceeds and books that are collected from parents! Gently used books are always appreciated as a donation to the school for such events! Send the books in with your child, or drop them off in the office!

• Papa Murphy's night is still postponed until the change of management gets sorted. For now, we are gathering up ideas on how else to raise money for the school through "eat out" nights.

• There is a new event making its way through the school this year! The Principal's Fundraiser is back since it's discontinuation during covid. This year, Principal Collins has thrown together a Walk-a-Thon to help fund money for the school, aiming for teachers to get new mics for their surround system. Twin Lakes Elementary School is about 18 years old now and is starting to need a few upgrades. This Walk-a-Thon will be fun for the kids and good for the teachers! The students will be asking friends and family to help donate money for them to walk around the school with music playing and acitivity tables set up. Top sellers in each class with get to PICK A STAFF MEMBER TO THROW A PIE AT! How fun is that?! The top class to earn money also gets a pizza party!

• The 5th graders "Kindness Retreat" is here. They will spend the day in the gym learning about leadership and how to be kind to others. It's an activity that will be the framework for being a community member going forward to their new middle school life~

• There were only six volunteers who showed up to the Otterfest Committee tonight, but it takes a lot more hands to help run Otterfest. Due to this, there will be one more chance for volunteers to come forth for the November 12th Otterfest meeting before Otterfest Carnival will officially be cancelled. The few remaining committee members are putting together "Job Descriptions" for all the roles that need to be filled and announcements will go out to try to get more awareness to parents that help is needed. Look for an Otterfest Committee booth during Conferences if you have questions!