Last Saturday the 3rd of November was Shopper's Day - an event that the PTO was excited to bring back!  We were fortunate to have wonderful vendors and a great turnout to support the Hermantown PTO and to help you one-stop-shop for the upcoming holidays (which seems more urgently upon us with the falling snow and the ever-forward-pushing retail stores with their Christmas displays that are now up before Halloween!)

Thank you to our Hawkwear Chairs - Jaime Wentzel and Trista Turnbull - for putting in a long day's work selling apparel a the event.  I personally enjoyed interacting with those of you who stopped by our table (not so much doing the inventory after and the hauling of totes up a flight of stairs, but it's all for a good cause and some much-needed cardio!)  Our PTO is very lucky to have such dedicated volunteers! 

If you weren't able to find something to your liking, we are happy to announce our Christmas Pre-Order for SPECIAL Hawkwear!  It will only be available online so order now!  This special merchandise is NEW- the designs were just created and approved, and we are very excited to see you out and about wearing them with pride and supporting our school!  Click here to browse our special items.

You get back what you put in... that's how our PTO works.  Volunteers and financial contributions help us to be more successful to then help the school and the students.  It's a cycle of good will that makes Hermantown a great place to be!

Why does the PTO run their largest fundraiser at the beginning of the year when every other activity is also fundraising?  (I know, I asked this question too once upon about a year ago before I joined.)  Well, we need to know how much money we have for the year in order to be able to allocate accordingly and to budget effectively.  Makes sense, no?

Luckily for us all, we live in a very generous community.  With a goal of $30,000, we surpassed it by raising over $36,500!  With the addition of a user-friendly web interface this year and our wonderful committee chairs at the helm, there was no way we couldn't be successful in our efforts.  I mean, look at those smiling faces... doesn't anyone care about the children?  HA... we all do - clearly.

Many local businesses contributed financially or with prizes while parents, friends, grandparents, and relatives... all contributed to our surpassing of a lofty goal so to everyone, we say a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!!

With the Ed Challenge funds, the PTO will be able to enhance the school experience for our students.  In case you didn't know (I didn't when before I joined the PTO), here are just a few things the PTO funds support:

• anti-bullying presentations
• art shows
• classroom supplies
• educational software
• teacher reimbursement
• field trip transportation
• back-and-forth take home folders for each student
• new student packets
• new playground and gym equipment
• new science and math tools
• 5th grade cultural experience
• and more!

Of course the PTO still does other ongoing fundraising throughout the year with Hungry Hawks, Hawkwear sales, Aluminum Cans, Box Tops, Book Fairs, and Shoppers Day so please continue to support us so that we can support your children and their school (in the "circle of support" so to speak).

Oh, and please consider coming to our next meeting on October 25th  from 6-7 pm in the Elementary School Teacher's Lounge.  I'll do my best, as ever, to make it fun and informative - new ideas, input, and feedback are ALWAYS welcome!

Warm Regards,
Cyndi Frick, PTO Prez

Going into the first PTO meeting of the school year, I worried that I would stray off topic, as I tend to do, and would run over the allotted hour.  As it were, the meeting ended in 30 minutes, leaving my kids who were in the childcare room irritated that they didn't "get to play until 7:00".  Can I ever win?  I think no.

Turnout for our first meeting was fantastic - about 30 I believe (math isn't my strong suit; which is why I'm not treasurer).  Our "head table" wedding-style table setup was intimidating to some of the board, but they didn't complain... much.  

New ideas, input, and questions are always welcome at our meetings.  I know speaking in a group setting can open yourself up to "peer judgement", but that's not what we're about.  Two heads are better than one, and 30 heads are way better than two... especially since mine is mostly dead at 6pm.

Thank you to all who took the time to attend.  I hope you were glad you came, and I will do my best to make this PTO fun, dynamic, exciting, and something all want to participate in and get something out of.

I hope to see you at the next meeting on October 25th.  Same time, same place!

Best,
- Cyndi Frick, PTO President

Last night the Hermantown PTO greeted excited families (families carrying a staggering amount of Kleenex boxes and the biggest containers of hand sanitizer that I've ever seen) as they arrived to meet staff and teachers at Hermantown Elementary School. 

The new Hawkwear was a BIG hit, and the volunteer team from Wells Fargo on Haines Rd. in Duluth was there to lend a helping hand to the PTO by hauling, selling, and inventorying all of the apparel and accessories.  A very HUGE Thank You to the Wells Fargo team for stepping up to help out!

I was happy to take on the role of greeter / recruiter from my tiny PTO table in the entryway (no, I'm not huge, I swear - it was the table!).  It was certainly rewarding to see excited parents ready to get involved in their children's school and to talk to the students who were ecstatic about the new accessible playground.  I do believe I missed my true calling as a recruiter!

Many parents signed up to volunteer for the PTO, Hawkwear sales were a success, and we even sponsored a back-to-school book giveaway.  We are proud to say that about 800 books went home with students, books that were generously donated by the Reading Corps book drive from last year - what a great way to get kids back into the school groove by reading!

The enthusiasm for the new PTO is contagious, and we are excited to breathe new life into the organization and to be able to do more than ever to support our school and our students.

Thanks for stopping by,
- Cyndi Frick, PTO President
#VolunteeringFeelsAwesome