August 11, 2021 
What's New From Your Morse PTO
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
“Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder"  – Rumi
2 HOURS OF POWER VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE
So, What Exactly Is the 2 Hours of Power Volunteer Challenge?
We challenge parents and caregivers to volunteer for 2 hours over the course of the school year for Morse PTO.  
  • Think you are too busy? We really do have ​opportunities to fit everyone's schedule: at school, in the evening, on the weekends, from home, over the phone, via email, at the computer, in person. 
  • Not sure what you have to contribute? We need all kinds of talents--people who are crafty or tech-savvy or organized or love planning events or enjoy gardening or are just willing to cut, staple or sort.
If everyone volunteers for just 2 hours during the school year, we will show our kids over 1,000 hours of community service. Are you up for the challenge? Learn more about volunteering.​
**OUR MOST URGENT VOLUNTEER NEEDS**
Get more details about these needs or sign up here. 
Grant Award Committee
We are still looking for two people to join this committee to review Take Stock staff grants and determine which will be awarded. This includes Prize Squad duties! Committee members must be PTO members who have contributed to Take Stock. Meetings happen in the fall. 

Staff Lunches
Support the staff by coordinating a few lunches throughout the year. We have organized the back-to-school lunch; however, we still need someone to coordinate meals for fall and spring conferences. 
Major Event Committee Chairs
Morse PTO made the decision last spring to move all major events for this school year to Spring 2022 to better the chances of them occurring. However, we still need some leadership to ensure these beloved traditions happen.  While we have already started to recruit committee members for each event, we are still looking for committee chairs for Mother/Son, Daddy/Daughter, Trivia Night, and Carnival. Please consider taking lead on one of these, or grab a friend to co-chair the event. The Morse PTO board will be there to support you and serve as a resource during planning process if you need it. 
LEARN ABOUT YOUR PTO
Sign Up to be a PTO member
Aquarium maintenance, pond maintenance, teacher back-to-school gifts, teacher conference meals: these are just a small sampling of the items that the Morse PTO sponsors each year. Your Morse PTO membership fee directly funds these areas and activities, and your participation is vital. Not only does your membership enhance students' and staff's school experiences, it also builds strong community. Your PTO membership  makes you eligible to receive the school directory, vote at any PTO meeting, and serve in any elective position. If you haven't yet, please strongly consider joining through ParentVue  (under Fees) today!

​Support Teachers And Staff  Through A Donation To Take Stock in Morse
Morse PTO does not ask students to fundraise. Instead, we ask you to fulfill staff grant requests by donating to Take Stock in Morse. When you pay a PTO fee or contribute to a PTO fundraiser, the funds are distributed by PTO to support specific school initiatives, but 100% of your Take  Stock in Morse donation goes directly back into the classroom  in the form of resources, educational materials, innovative programming, and cutting edge technology. Take a look at last year's Take Stock approved staff grants and be sure to donate to Take Stock through ParentVue today! We are currently halfway to our goal, so we would appreciate your support to get us to the finish line.
GOOD TO KNOW
It's Time to Pull Out Field Trip Shirts
Traditionally PTO has provided each student a field trip shirt. Kindergarteners, 5th graders, and new students will receive a field trip shirt this year. Shirts are color-coded by graduation year and are intended to continue on with your child through each grade level.  If your child's field trip shirt has been misplaced or outgrown, Morse PTO will take orders for new shirts at Sneak-a-Peek. The cost of a replacement shirt is $5.00, payable to Morse PTO.

Our Checklist Makes Back-to-School Prep As Easy As 1-2-3!
Feel like there are a thousand Back-to-School tasks to tackle and you're not sure where to begin?  We've got you covered with our Back-to-School Checklist. It’s your one-stop guide to starting the year off right!
SAVE THE DATE
Sneak a Peek and Kona Ice--Monday, August 16, Morse Elementary
Come drop off school supplies, meet your child's teacher, and celebrate with Kona Ice. Please limit 1 free treat per current Morse student. (You may purchase additional Kona Ice for siblings and parents.) Students with last names A-L from 5:00-5:30pm and M-Z from 5:30-6:00. 

Kindergarten Coffee--Friday, August 19, 8:30-9:00 am, Morse OWLs Garden
Take a little time to meet or catch up with other Morse parents now that the kindergarteners have started school.

Morse PTO General Meeting--Zoom
Learn more about all of the things your Morse PTO does at this PTO 101 meeting! More information to come. 
It's a great day to be a Marksman!
The mission of the Morse Elementary PTO is to promote and encourage a
​student-centered environment with strong community connections.