October 14, 2020 
What's New From Your Morse PTO
WISDOM OF THE WEEK
”Sometimes carrying on, just carrying on, is the superhuman achievement." -Albert Camus
2 HOURS OF POWER VOLUNTEER CHALLENGE
​PRETTY PLEASE!! Looking for a Blue Valley Education Representative 
We still need someone to attend monthly school board meetings and to share the information with the PTO Board. Approximate time commitment is 2 hours monthly.  If once a month is too much of a time commitment, grab a friend or two to alternate months with you! REMEMBER: Blue Valley offers livestream OR in-person options for these meetings. Remaining dates for meetings: November 9th, December 14th, January 11th, February 8th, March 8th, April 12th, May 10th, June 14th, June 30th, and July 19th. Read more about this position and other volunteer opportunities here.
DON'T FORGET
Help Teachers by Fulfilling their Wishlists
In an ongoing effort to support the Morse staff as they navigate this challenging year, we have asked teachers to create wishlists of the items they want or need to help teach and support our students. Click here to find the wishlists.

Thank You For Supporting Teachers And Staff Through Take Stock in Morse
We'd like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to those of you who have donated to Take Stock in Morse. There is still time to contribute! You can donate through ParentVue. Get more information about Take Stock and look at last year's approved staff grants.
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Be on the Lookout for Halloween Information from Teachers
As a reminder, Morse PTO currently does not have Room Parents because of school protocols in place for Covid 19. While parents may be absent from the building this year, many teachers still want to celebrate Halloween in some safe way. You can be a part of the celebration by fulfilling teacher requests for snacks from the Nut Safer list, craft supplies, and more. Pay close attention to your email over the next week for teacher requests, or contact your child's teachers to ask how you can support them. 
GOOD TO KNOW
PTO and Staff Working on Mr. V's Memorial 
Morse PTO is still working with staff to determine a fitting memorial for Mr. V. If you wish to contribute, Morse PTO is collecting funds via Venmo: @MorseElementary-PTO. Be sure to include "Mr. V Memorial Fund" in the notes section. More details about the memorial will be coming soon. 

Please Welcome Dr. Russ Kokoruda
Dr. K, as he has introduced himself to many students over the last few days, will provide administrative support to the Morse community through the end of December. He has most recently served as interim principal at Leawood Elementary. Please help us give him a warm Marksman welcome.  

Special Delivery-->Morse Spirit Wear!
Thank you to all who ordered Morse Spirit wear. Expect information about when and how you will receive your order in the next few weeks. Remind your son/daughter to wear spirit items to school on Fridays to show Morse pride.

Families Raise Money for Morse by Eating Tacos and Burritos
A big THANK YOU to all the families who made Chipotle Spirit Night a success! You helped us raise $375 for Morse. While the pandemic has limited our ability to do some fundraising activities this year, we CAN help our community by participating in these special nights. Be on the lookout for more spirit nights at various restaurants coming soon.
SAVE THE DATE
Book Fair--Tuesday, November 10 - Friday, November 13
The 2020 Morse Book Fair will be held in the Morse library. Stay tuned for more details.
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School Pictures--December 1, December 2, and January 27
School pictures are scheduled for in-person students on December 1 and December 2 to allow for social distancing. Picture retakes and pictures for virtual students will be January 27.   
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.