We Do Some Things...
You Do What?
QUICK LINKS
01.
EWPTO meetings are typically held monthly on the third Monday, unless otherwise noted based on the district calendar. All meetings are at 6:30 p.m. at Emerson-Williams Elementary School.
02.
Discover what committees are available. Sign up for a committee. Have a question for a specific committee? Email a committee chairperson.
03.
Did you miss a meeting? Read the meeting minutes to discover what occurred, what decisions were made, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
04.
Fundraising is crucial to our PTO as it helps bring great programs to our school for all students. Become a member and consider making a voluntary donation.
05.
Tiger Topics is our school Newsletter and Tiger Tidbits is our eNewsletter. We welcome articles written by Teachers, Staff, Students, and our E-W parent community. Submissions are due prior to the last school day of each month.
06.
Your child didn’t come home with a flyer in their backpack yet? The digital backpack is where you can find copies of notices that should go home with your child. Subject to availability and may vary by grade/topic.
07.
Interested in knowing how our PTO works and the way we conduct business? Read our By-Laws.
08.
Are you an Emerson-Williams Teacher or Staff Member that has a wish for something for your students/classroom?
09.
The most frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding EWPTO all in one place for your convenience.
COMMITTEES
Ad Sponsorship
Committee members are responsible for soliciting advertisement sponsors and/or businesses that wish to sponsor EWPTO. Ads run in a select number of Tiger Topics newsletters and appear on our website.
Apparel/Spiritwear
Retain the services of an apparel vendor, oversee distribution of order forms, collect payment, and then distribute purchased items to E-W families.
Beautification
Collaborate with the Principal on ideas or ways to improve the school’s appearance and then implement those ideas.
Birthday Board
Prepare the cork board located in the lobby of the school at end of each month. Decorate with a theme, write student names, and display the birthdays.
Board of Education (BOE)
Attend BOE meetings (or rotate Member attendance) and report back the points of interest relating to E-W at the following PTO meeting. BOE meetings usually occur on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.
Book Fair
Collaborate with a book vendor in setting up, advertising the event, and assisting children and families with purchasing books. Typically occurs in September.
Box Tops for Education
Promote (social media, email blasts, flyers, word of mouth) the scanning of receipts to the Box Tops app on smart devices, collect any phased out clipped Box Tops from product boxes, and send them to company for reimbursement.
Budget
Review current EWPTO needs and trends to create a proposed budget for the following school year. Usually begins meeting(s) in the Spring.
Butter Braid Pastry & Cookie Dough
Retain the services of a vendor, oversee distribution of order forms, collect payment, and then distribute purchased items to E-W families.
By-Laws Review
Review the Emerson-Williams PTO By-Laws and propose a revision vote to the Membership, as needed. Usually meets in the Spring, but can meet at anytime during the course of the current school year; no less than every two years.
Cheer/Staff Appreciation
Through the school year, recognize life events of Teachers and Staff such as retirement, and organize other small signs of appreciation. Organize a luncheon and signs of appreciation for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Day/Week (annually the first week of May).
Chocolates
Committee oversees distributing order forms, collecting payment, and then distributing purchased items to families.
Color Run - Tiger Trot
Coordinate a one mile run around the school for students and their families while Teachers and Staff throw colored corn starch at the runners.
Community Outreach
Organize different community outreach opportunities with Wethersfield Social and Youth Services or other local organizations. For example, a school-wide collection of non-perishable foods, personal hygiene products, diapers/wipes, cleaning supplies, and/or cash donations.
Copy Fairy
Members help with photocopy jobs for teachers and staff. Members can come into the school (before, during, or after school hours) and make photocopies. Members assist with EWPTO photocopy jobs to distribute to teacher mailboxes in the main office, which are then sent home with students.
Creative Arts
Attend the Wethersfield Creative Arts Council meetings, held 3-4 times a year, and preview possible programs/assemblies for our school.
Cultural Night
Organize a culturally enriched activity evening which embraces the various cultures represented within our Emerson-Williams community. Usually occurs annually in March.
Dance
Coordinate our themed Someone Special Dance for E-W students, retain services of a DJ, photo booth, snacks for sale, etc. Usually occurs in the E-W gymatorium in Spring.
Dinner on the Lawn
Coordinate this free family event that occurs outside on school grounds. Families are invited to bring their own dinner and chairs while socializing with other E-W families. May also include live musicians.
Family Fun
Coordinate events, for example – bingo night, movie night, paint night, etc. that will bring E-W families and community together.
Flower Sale
Collaborate with a florist or landscaping vendor, distribute order forms, collect payment, and then distribute purchased items to families. For example, poinsettias in Fall for the holidays and bouquets for Mother’s Day in the Spring.
Future Projects
Committee members research, develop, present ideas to the EWPTO Board and Membership, and implement future projects for Emerson-Williams.
Holiday Store
This family event provides students with an opportunity to shop for their family for the holidays. Members shop for gifts to sell, decorate the gym, and set up the store. Students shop for gifts with help from 6th Grade “elves.” Parent volunteers help wrap purchased gifts.
Jogathon
Coordinate a jogathon, with E-W’s Physical Education Teacher, going around the school field. Students solicit sponsors for how many laps they can run and proceeds will benefit the students and staff at Emerson-Williams.
Kindergarten Hand Print Project
Members coordinate making a canvas fabric mural with hand prints of Kindergarten students, and then do it again when those students are in 6th Grade as a memento.
Kindergarten Lunch Helpers
Committee is responsible for finding and scheduling volunteers who will help Kindergarten students during the first 5 school days in the cafeteria.
Media Center
Committee members coordinate volunteers to read to Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 2nd Grade students during their scheduled media center time. Submit SignUpGenius links to the Webmaster to update on ewpto.com.
Membership
Committee members run the annual EWPTO membership drive at the beginning of the school year by advertising with a flyer using social media, email blast, EWPTO website, and collecting payment for voluntary membership dues.
Parents Night Out
Coordinate and organize a fun experience for E-W parents to enjoy some relaxation without the kiddos. For example, escape room, axe throwing, trivia night, etc.
Poetry Afternoon
Committee members coordinate with the E-W reading teacher to help with set up of the afternoon of poetry. Typically occurs in the Spring/May timeframe during school hours at Emerson-Williams.
Restaurant Nights
Committee members work with restaurant(s) to schedule date(s) to patron the restaurant as a fundraiser and market the event via flyer, social media, and email blast. Examples include Puerto Vallarta, Chili’s, Bertucci’s, etc.
Room Parents
Committee members solicit volunteers to Room Parent for each classroom in each grade level, share ideas for crafts in the classroom, and coordinate teacher gifts throughout the school year and during teacher appreciation week.
School Pictures
Committee members select a photography vendor and work with school staff to coordinate taking photos of students and staff. Picture day (and retake day) occur once in the Fall and again in the Spring.
Screen Free Week
Members work with the Wethersfield Schools Parents Council (WSPC) to coordinate daily activities for families to participate in and abstain from “screen” activities. Typically held annually in Spring during National Screen Free Week.
ShopWithScrip
Committee works with ShopWithScrip managing the online E-W account that offers the school community eGift cards for sale at cost and in turn EWPTO receives a varied percentage profit. Advertise the fundraiser via word of mouth, flyer, social media, and email blast. Physical gift cards are available. For example, available gift cards include Target, Stop & Shop, Starbucks, Chili’s, Disney, Ruth’s Chris, and many more.
Sixth Grade Activities
Initially, parents will work closely with teachers. Then members could plan fund-raising events and activities specific to the 6th grade including field trips, yearbook, and end of the year activities. Co-Chairs will report to the PTO of 6th grade activities or fundraisers at PTO meetings. Additionally, the Co-Chairs may need to be liaisons to assist with collecting and transporting fundraising funds.
Sports Games
Members coordinate with teams to purchase tickets for E-W families for one night of family fun. This is a fundraiser and members will distribute info flyers, collect payment and distribute to families. Examples of games may include Wolfpack, UConn or Yard Goats.
Strawberry Festival
Members organize this fair like event, usually includes inflatables, DJ, games, etc. They also coordinate volunteers needed for event, set up and clean up. This event usually occurs near the end of the school year.
Talent Show
Members coordinate different talent acts by E-W students into a performance/show for a night.
Tiger Topics Newsletter
Committee is responsible for writing a monthly newsletter about school happenings, which is distributed to all families. Content may also be provided by EWPTO Board, Principal, School Nurse, E-W Staff, Fundraising and Event Committees, and students.
Website
The Webmaster and committee members are responsible for maintaining and updating the EWPTO Facebook page and website.
- update committees list online
- update email forwarders
- email new Committee Chairs of email forwarder for their committee & inform who is a part of their committee
- update SignUpGenius
- update website with new information
- renew domain and hosting annually
- email Committee Chairs at end of school year with a reminder to update Dropbox.
Welcome Back Luncheon
Members coordinate volunteers to donate food for staff luncheon usually held a few days before the start of school.
Wish List
Committee members reach out to teachers to provide funds for items needed that are not covered in the school budget. Teachers submit requests via the online Wish List form at ewpto.com, subject to approval of the Principal, and committee members review and approve the purchase/delivery of approved items with the EWPTO Treasurer.
WSPC (Wethersfield Schools Parent Council)
Members represent EWPTO and attend monthly town wide meetings along with other PTO/PTA representatives and report back points of interest to the EWPTO. Meetings usually occur on the 2nd Thursday of the month.
MEETING MINUTES
PAST ARCHIVES OF MEETING MINUTES
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Fundraising is crucial to our PTO as it helps bring great programs to our school for ALL students. We are so grateful for your annual donations to our Membership Drive. All donation amounts are welcome. Being a “Member” of the PTO allows you to make a motion and vote at PTO meetings as well as know you are supporting a worthy cause and enhancing your child’s experience at Emerson-Williams Elementary School. To become a Member with or without donating please use our online membership form.
TIGER TOPICS/TIGER TIDBITS
Tiger Topics is our newsletter and Tiger Tidbits was our eNewsletter born of the Covid Pandemic. For a donation to EWPTO you can place a business card sized space on our website, have it featured in our parent emails, showcased on Facebook and/or included in our newsletter. Tiger Topics is distributed each month, with a minimum of 5 newsletters each school year. Become a sponsor by clicking the link below.
PAST ARCHIVES OF TIGER TOPICS
DIGITAL BACKPACK
The digital backpack is where you will find copies of notices that go home with your child. Copies will be posted within a week of notice receipt, but may not be an all-inclusive list of notices that come home. Notices are arranged by month sent home. Click the link below to access Digital Backpack.
EWPTO BYLAWS
Bylaws are the rules that govern how we are organized and run. Bylaws cover topics such as the makeup of the Executive Board, how Officers are elected, and who can register as a Member.
TEACHER/Staff WISH LIST
Are you an E-W Teacher or Staff Member that has a wish for something for students/classroom? Click the link below to submit your Wish List request.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I register to be a member of EWPTO?
You can register anytime: go to https://www.ewpto.com/ and click on the “Membership” under the ‘Get Involved’ navigation bar. Print out the form, complete it and return it to school. This form is also found under ‘What We Do’ navigation bar.
When are the EWPTO meetings?
EWPTO meetings are generally held monthly on the third Monday at 6:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted based on the district calendar. EWPTO meetings are held in-person at Emerson-Williams Elementary School during the school year. There is generally no meeting in December. These meetings are open to all of the school community. We hope to see you there!
What goes on at EWPTO meetings?
We discuss, learn about, and help plan upcoming school or PTO events, vote on any purchases that need to be made, listen to teacher requests and guest speakers, and get to know other Emerson-Williams parents, teachers, and staff. Past meeting minutes are posted on our website.
If I am unable to attend EWPTO meetings, but I still want to be involved, can I still join and volunteer in some way?
Yes, there are still plenty of ways to get involved! Whether it’s giving financially, giving of your time, or making suggestions on ways to help Emerson-Williams Elementary School, WE NEED YOU, so please join today and explore the rest of the website to find out more about how you can help. Please feel free to contact the EWPTO Board – if you have any questions – we are here to help!
Do you have to be a parent of a student to volunteer for EWPTO? Can grandparents, siblings, family friends, etc. volunteer?
We welcome anyone to volunteer for EWPTO who shares the common goal of advancing Emerson-Williams Elementary School.
What are EWPTO membership funds used for?
Annually, EWPTO funds support school assemblies, teacher wish list program, technology improvements, and fun family events, such as Strawberry Festival, Dinner and Music on the Lawn, Bingo Night, Movie Night, and much, much more. For a list of activities and enhancements, look at the WHO WE ARE page of this website.
Why should I register as a member of EWPTO?
Being a member of EWPTO helps you stay connected. It’s a great way to discover resources through our many programs. Of course, a large function of EWPTO is fundraising. As an important part of what we do, these fundraising efforts provide curriculum-based programs, technology improvements, and community events. In addition, EWPTO strives to play a supportive role to staff, and teachers in the classroom through appreciation events. All of these are vital to our school’s and students’ success. Being an EWPTO member also provides opportunities to meet and support teachers and other parents. Through that, you can develop relationships that let you share ideas, concern, and experiences allowing a more effective way to influence positive change at our school. By getting involved, you’ll be part of solutions. Only EWPTO members can vote on EWPTO issues. And, as an EWPTO member, you will be demonstrating to your child the importance you place on education and open communication. We hope you’ll register with EWPTO today!
You can register anytime online by clicking on “Membership“.
How can I become a sponsor of EWPTO?
Yes, sponsorship with social media advertising is available. Check out our Become A Sponsor page.
Didn’t see your question(s)?
Email the EWPTO Board at PTOBoard@ewpto.com and we would be happy to answer your question(s).
