Treasury Report

• Checking: $9,982.55
• Savings: $280.80
• PayPal: $2,924.91
• Cash: $1,077.25
• Total Funds: $12,265.51

Family Bingo Night Fundraiser

Family Bingo Night was a huge success as our first major fundraiser, drawing 180 attendees! Although we usually host smaller bingo events, their popularity is growing, and we may need to address potential spacing issues for future events.

Donations & Sponsorships

• Selah Tea kindly donated coffee and a $25 gift card (valued at $38).
• Additional prizes were also donated, totaling $61.40 in value.

PTA Expenses

• Pizza: $34.52
• Additional Food: $54.02
• Prizes: $52.74
• Total Costs: $141.29

Funds Raised

• Cash: $677.25
• Venmo: $63
• Total Raised: $686.23

October Hannaford Community Bag Fundraiser

• Amount Raised: $168

Calendar of Events

• Trivia Night
  • Date: January 15, 2025
  • Location: Albert S. Hall School
• March Bingo Night
  • Date: March 26, 2025
  • Location: George J. Mitchell School

Upcoming Fundraisers

Direct Donation Drive

• Duration: January 6 – February 6, 2025
• Goal: Raise $100 per student for “100 Days of School” (Total Goal: $10,000)
• Purpose: Meet budget needs for next year; a shortfall may lead to budget cuts.
• Promotion:
  • We’ll contact businesses that supported us last year, as some may prefer to donate before their fiscal year ends.
  • We’ll need school email lists to inform parents and will promote through fliers, social media, email campaigns, and the Colby Now newsletter.
• Campaign Details:
  • The 99 Pledges website allows each child a customized profile with photos and a bio.
  • Visual Campaign: Sara Wing proposed sharing graphics to show “This is what you’re helping our schools with” on social media. Sarah Le Van will post the graphics we have.

Principal-for-the-Day Raffle

• We’ll bring back the popular “Principal for the Day” raffle.
• Additional incentives from local businesses will be pursued for prize variety.

Albert S. Hall Science Fair Initiative

Thanks to Carrie LeVan, the Albert S. Hall Science Fair is becoming a reality! This new after-school program, designed to engage students in science projects, will meet weekly from February 3rd to April 17th. To ensure adequate staffing, we’ll limit enrollment to 20 students in the first year. Students can take the late bus after each session.

Science Fair Presentation

• Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
• Time: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (synchronized with the late bus schedule)
• We hope to expand attendance options for parents in future years and are considering evening events based on parent feedback.

Participation Details

• Fifth Graders: All 5th-grade students are encouraged to join, whether or not they attend the after-school club. A home curriculum packet, created and donated by Carrie LeVan, will be available for download on the PTA website.
• Parent Information Night: Scheduled for January, this meeting will inform 5th-grade parents about the science fair’s goals and requirements. Students and parents will sign a commitment form so we can estimate materials needed.
• Cross-Grade Engagement: Fifth graders will present their projects to 4th graders, inspiring future participation.

Supplies & Costs

• Materials: Tri-fold display boards (bulk purchased from Dollar Tree at $1.25 each) for approximately $100-$150, plus $30 for glue sticks and colorful paper. Estimated total for supplies: $250.
• Decorations: Participation ribbons, banners, and other decorations, estimated at $100-$200.
• Funding Options: We’ll explore grants, including a potential Colby College grant, and seek small donations from local businesses and labs. Currently, we plan to use the 5th-grade budget of $1,000, but this could be offset by outside funding.

Additional Support & Volunteers

• Colby College volunteers are offering valuable support, with three to four students joining the science club activities. Amy Murphy and Sara Wing have committed their time, and Professor Lindsey Madison will provide a special “Mad Scientist” demonstration in January to spark excitement among the students. Sarah Staffiere is also part of the planning committee.

We’ll finalize the meeting schedule with parents closer to the January assembly.

Student Enrichment

2nd Grade Field Trips

• Requested by: Alisa Snipe, 1nd Grade Teacher
• Destination: Children’s Discovery Museum
• Schedule:
  • November 18: Two classes
  • November 25: Two classes
  • December 2: Three classes
• Total Cost: $4 per student for 119 students, totaling $476
• Budget: Covered within the class’s $1,000 enrichment budget
• Status: Approved

Music Room Rug Request

• Requested by: Jo Hampton, Music Teacher at George J. Mitchell School
• Purpose: Current rug doesn’t accommodate her larger 3rd-grade classes. She identified a rug featuring music symbols that allows space for 24 students.
• Total Cost: $1,016 (via Amazon)
• Funding Assistance: PTA can contribute up to $250. We will help set up a DonorsChoose campaign for additional funding, as there’s a possibility that DonorsChoose may match donations. Holly, the art teacher, successfully used DonorsChoose to secure new art desks, so we’ll assist Jo in any way possible. Further coordination will continue via email.

School Beautification Initiatives

• Albert S. Hall School Mural Project
  • Artist: Dani Apon
  • Status: Dani is eager to meet with us to discuss the mural’s vision and develop mockups. We’re exploring ways to involve students in the design process, potentially through the Student Council, to gather ideas for a mural that represents the spirit of the school.
  • Cost & Timeline: Costs will primarily be for paint and materials, with a timeline tentatively set for late spring to early summer. Final planning will proceed via email communication.
  • Volunteer Call: We’ll need volunteers to help with painting larger sections of the mural. If you have ideas for the mural or want to get involved, please reach out to the PTA President.
  • Support Team: Sarah St. Pierre has been coordinating with Dani, and Tabatha King has also expressed interest in supporting the project.
• Civil Rights Team “Day of Welcome”
  • Event: “All Are Welcome Here” day, organized by the Civil Rights Team, is scheduled for Friday.
  • Support: As part of the celebration, the team plans to distribute LifeSavers candies to the public. The PTA has voted to contribute $25 to support this welcoming gesture.

Teacher & Staff Appreciation

• Holiday Gifts: We have a budget of $1,500 allocated for holiday gifts for teachers and staff. We are currently considering gift cards, and additional details will be shared via email. To add an element of surprise, we’re also planning a “golden ticket” giveaway by placing a winning ticket inside a chocolate bar. The lucky winner will receive a larger gift card or another special prize.

Yearbook

• Photo Submissions: We’re setting up a submission link where parents, teachers, and staff can upload photos throughout the year directly to the yearbook committee. A form will be included to collect essential details, such as the child’s name, grade, and teacher.
• Ordering & Promotion: The order link will be available on our website. Promotion will begin in February, with flyers and emails sent to teachers, staff, and parents.