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This committee ensures that new families are phoned and told that we are glad they have chosen CMS, and that there is someone available to them should they have any questions. Members of the committee also invite new parents to the Parent Coffee, which is organized and held during the month of September by the Welcoming Committee. It's an opportunity for new parents to meet returning parents and staff, have questions answered, and to get acquainted. The committee purchases and sets up refreshments, i.e., bagels, donuts, coffee, tea, etc., for the event in the cabana. The committee also cleans up after the event. Fall Family Picnic This event is also held in September. It's a great way for families and staff to meet each other and to have a lot of fun! The picnic is a potluck with each family bringing a main dish and either a salad or dessert, and the children always enjoy the yearly relay games. The people on this committee set up the tables and supplies, organize the games, and provide clean-up. FUNDRAISERS Gift Wrap Sale This is the first fundraiser of the school year. We are currently using the Innisbrook Company. Students receive a brochure and order form for use in selling the products during a designated time period. The Innisbrook quality is excellent, and we receive 50% to 55% of all sales. This is an excellent fundraiser for us. The children seem to enjoy selling, too! Parents who pay the optional PTO fee should not feel obligated to participate in the Innisbrook fundraiser, but may certainly choose to do so. The chairperson contacts Innisbrook, gets the information packets, and distributes them to the students via the school. At the end of the sale period, packets and money are collected, checked, then all is sent in to Innisbrook. When the orders come back, the committee distributes the products to the students. Invoices are verified and forwarded to the PTO Treasurer for payment. Spring Fair The fair is an annual May event held on the school grounds. In the past we have had various themes such as "Medieval Times" and "Cultures From Around the World." The goals of the fair are two-fold. First, it is a social celebration for the children of CMS. Second, it raises money enabling the PTO to provide funds for the school's cultural arts shows and to provide extra-curricular and social events for students and their families. The Primary and Elementary classes participate in the performance portion of the fair. This is when classes sing and dance to a variety of music. CMS coordinates all of the performance activities of the classes. The other activities that run during the fair for the children, parents, families, and alumni of CMS are coordinated and produced by the chairperson of the Spring Fair with great help from the sub-committee chairs. The Spring Fair Chairperson is responsible for creating and leading the team of parents who plan and facilitate the activities of the fair. The chairperson coordinates all meetings prior to the fair, oversees that all fair committees are filled and functioning properly, produces informational newsletters about the fair, and supervises other activities that relate to the fair. The committees include: Games, Food, Lemonade & Baked Goods, Can Raffles, Table Sponsors, Plant Sales, Ticket Sales, Cake Walk, Arts & Crafts, Dress-Up Sales, Set-Up and Decorating, and Clean-Up. Lots of volunteers are needed to make this event a success. Planning for this event begins in the winter, and so we welcome all newcomers and "seasoned pros" when it's time to get this event organized. It is the PTO's biggest fundraiser, and has consistently grown year after year just as the school has. It is great fun and a wonderful way to get involved with CMS. Parents who pay the optional PTO fee should not feel obligated to make a donation to the Spring Fair fundraiser, but may certainly choose to do so. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES & EVENTS School Store An order form is sent home describing clothing articles and school supplies that can be purchased for children and adults. This is not a fundraiser. It is a service available to our families for those who wish to demonstrate a bit of school spirit and our colors. The chairperson distributes the order information, collects and checks orders, turns them in to the manufacturer, and distributes the products when they are shipped to the school. Holiday Sharing/Spring Sharing Children visit with seniors at an area nursing home or center. They might also share some poems and stories they have written in school, and/or have a group sing-along. Committee members organize the event and arrange a time convenient to the school and senior facility for children to visit. They assist in getting the children to and from the senior facility, and work with the school staff and the activities director at the facility to coordinate the event. This year the CMS PTO will sponsor another community sharing event in the early spring. Suggestions are encouraged, particularly from the students. Ideas include a clothing or food drive. Holiday Craft Workshop The children gather for this family social event to make holiday crafts. Committee members arrange for the venue, plan and purchase the crafts, arrange for a snack for the children during the event, and provide guidance and clean-up at the workshop. Holiday Musical Program Greenery Committee members collect greens from area nurseries, and work at the school the Monday before the Holiday Music Program to form bundles of greens tied with ribbons for the children to carry and arrange along the stage on the night of the performance. If you like gardening, of sorts, and like the outdoors, this is the committee for you. Cultural Arts Program The Cultural Arts Committee is responsible for selecting several special artists to make presentations to CMS children during the school year, and for filing for a small grant of approximately $300 that is applied for each year. A committee of two or three attends showcases during August and September to sample artists and performers who would be appropriate for our school. After making their choices, the committee meets with the CMS Administrator and approximately six final selections are made. These events are then scheduled by the committee, in conjunction with the school office staff, for monthly performances. On the scheduled dates, committee members arrive early and often stay to facilitate the presentations. The entire student body enjoys these visits, and in some cases the children are divided into two groups. The Cultural Arts Program is a large expense for the PTO, but it is well worth it. It gives the children an opportunity to be exposed to a wide variety of cultures and their arts. Winter/Spring Family Fun Events These events are a great time for socializing for the entire family. The winter event is usually held in February, and The PTO covers the cost to the children. This year the PTO will also sponsor a spring family fun event as well. The committee members decide on an event; rent a hall and entertainment if necessary; and provide set-up, clean-up, and any other required essentials. Past years have included spaghetti dinners, potluck dinners, live entertainment, bowling, line dancing, and a talent show. New ideas for this event are always welcome. Staff Appreciation Luncheon This luncheon, held during Staff Appreciation Week, is a way for CMS parents to thank the CMS staff for all they do for our children. It is held one day during regular school hours. Parents provide the staff with a delicious buffet luncheon, help serve the food, and monitor the classrooms during the luncheon so that all staff can enjoy the meal. The committee sends out notices, plans the menu, and coordinates the volunteers who provide the meal and monitor the classrooms. They also arrange for the set-up in the cabana of all the great food, and for the clean-up afterwards. Year End Family Picnic This picnic is held at Sandy Point State Park during the last week of school. The committee and the office staff set the date and send out the particulars in a letter to the CMS families. The committee provides and purchases some refreshments, such as lemonade and watermelon, and provides set-up and clean-up for this event. Families pay for (if catered) or bring their own food. The children swim (under parental supervision) and play, and everyone has a great time. It is a wonderful way to close the year. One Last Note: Each chairperson for the above committees and events is responsible for keeping a permanent committee folder explaining the details of the committee's activities which can be passed on to his/her successor. Each chairperson should work with one other committee member as a mentor so that another member can easily assume the chairperson role. Chair positions are to be held for no more than two terms.
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30 Old Mill Bottom Road, North, Annapolis, Maryland 21409
Phone: (410) 757-4740 | Fax: (410) 757-8770 Email: cms@Chesapeake-montessori.com © 1999-2004 ~ The Chesapeake Montessori School Website design by The Abel Group |
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