Dear Monsignor Clarke School Families,
I hope this email finds you and your families in great health and spirits. As we step into a brand new academic year, it’s my honor to extend a heartfelt welcome on behalf of our dedicated PTO Board of Directors. Whether you’re a returning family or new to our Monsignor Clarke School community, we’re thrilled to have you! The year ahead is brimming with opportunities and enriching experiences for our students and families.
💌 Your Roadmap for the Year Ahead
We recognize that this introductory email is quite comprehensive, but we wanted to provide you with a thorough orientation and valuable insights for the upcoming year. Going forward, rest assured that we will aim to keep our communications as concise as possible!
💫 Introducing Your 2023-2024 PTO Board
We’re delighted to present our dynamic team of parent volunteers who are committed to helping our community of families make this school year truly exceptional:
- Kent Dresser – President
- Julie Johnson – Serving Past President
- Rebecca Fasula – Family Ambassador
- Kay O’Neill – Social Chair
- Monica Mabe – Book Fair Chair/Social Co-Chair
- Lisa Stanleun – Fundraising Chair
- TBD – Middle School Delegate
To learn more about our board members – follow this link.
🎯 Our Collective Pursuit and Your Integral Role
While the PTO Board spearheads initiatives and facilitates events, the heart and soul of our organization lies in the collective strength of every one of our parents and teachers. Every parent and teacher is a member of the PTO. Our pursuit to enhance every student’s educational journey, furnish indispensable resources, and nurture a thriving community spirit can only be fully realized with your active involvement. Remember, the PTO is not just a select few—it’s all of us, united in purpose, faith, and mission. Each voice, each hand, and each idea adds to the tapestry of our success. We wholeheartedly invite you to join us, infuse your unique flair, and together, let’s make an enduring, positive impact on our children’s futures. There is no minimum volunteer commitment at Monsignor Clarke School. Our only appeal is that you wholeheartedly ask yourself: ”How can I positively contribute to our school’s success?” For more information on volunteering, please email us at PTO@Monsignorclarkeschool.org!
💡 The Impact of Your Generosity: Past, Present, and Future
Through the years, PTO fundraising has had a transformative impact on the Monsignor Clarke School environment. Your generous contributions have enabled us to establish a state-of-the-art science lab, equip classrooms with Chromebooks, provide Bibles to our middle-school students, enhance security across the campus, and even remodel the elementary bathrooms last year.
Looking ahead, the list of aspirations for this year and beyond is just as ambitious. From installing air conditioning in the library and the gym to adding a new innovation center in the library—every dollar raised serves a crucial purpose.
We pledge to keep you informed about how your contributions are making a difference. Your ideas are the lifeblood of our PTO, so we warmly invite you to share any suggestions you may have for new projects or improvements!
💰 Our Promise of Fiduciary Responsibility
We are deeply committed to ensuring every dollar we raise is allocated effectively and transparently. From enriching our educational offerings to supporting our exceptional staff and improving our facilities, we’re meticulous in putting each penny to its most impactful use. Your trust is not just appreciated—it’s sacred to us.
🔮 New Ambitions for the Year: Elevating Excellence
As we look ahead, our ambition reaches beyond just the norm! This year, we’re not just aiming high; we’re shooting for the stars to support our school and advance educational improvements. Here’s what’s new and noteworthy:
Digital Transformation: Step into the future with us! Throughout this year we will upgrade the PTO’s communications platform. We will revolutionize how we connect, engage, and collaborate. Gone are the days of traditional PTO Meetings; we’re creating a more dynamic and interactive space for our community.
Streamlined Volunteer Platform: Volunteering is becoming more accessible than ever. We’re rolling out an intuitive, user-friendly platform designed to match your unique skills and availability with the perfect opportunities, making your contribution even more impactful.
Holiday Surprise: Hold onto your Santa hats! We’re piloting an awe-inspiring Christmas event that promises to be the talk of the season. This is one holiday spectacle you’ll definitely want to be a part of!
But that’s not all—your favorites are here to stay! From our beloved annual Book Fair to the much-anticipated Field Day, we’re continuing to offer many of the events and fundraisers that have become treasured traditions within our community.
Get ready to be part of something extraordinary. Together, let’s make this year a monumental success and set a new standard of parent and community involvement for Monsignor Clarke School!
🎉 2023-2024 Events Unveiled!
The Perfect Blend of Fun and Purpose: Our Event Categories Explained!
At the heart of every PTO event lies one guiding principle: enriching our children’s educational experience. However, we’re not just about achieving goals; we’re about having an absolute blast while doing it! Our events come in two delightful styles:
Pure JOY Events (aka Fun-Raisers): These are the events where the only agenda is JOY, connection, and a whole lot of fun. Think Rock Spot Middle School Night or the ever-enchanting Father-Daughter Dance. No fundraising, just fun-raising! Any fees here are designed to cover the cost of the event.
Purpose-Driven Events (aka Fund-Raisers): Don’t let the term fool you; these events are packed with fun, but they serve a dual mission—raising vital funds for school building and educational improvements. Events like the Color Run and Golf Tournament blend the excitement of friendly competition with the satisfaction of contributing to a meaningful cause.
So, whether you’re looking to purely revel in the spirit of our community or to combine enjoyment with a dash of altruism, we have an event tailored just for you!
🗓️ Mark Your Calendars for 2023: Follow this link to see our events for the 2023-2024 school year!
* There is always the potential of a slight date change or weather cancellation due to unforeseen logistics. Please be sure to always check your latest news and announcements to confirm these dates!
🤝 How to Get Involved
We’re not just seeking volunteers; we’re inviting you to become the heart and soul of our PTO:
General Interest Sign-Up: Look out for a general interest email arriving this week. This email will provide the opportunity to express interest in a specific event that will be coming up this school year. There is no obligation here!
Event-Specific Commitment: Subsequent emails will follow throughout the school year as specific events draw near. Responding to these emails means committing to helping with a specific event.
If you have specific questions about volunteering, or if you have an event or idea that you would like to pitch, please feel free to email us at PTO@monsignorclarkeschool.org anytime! We would love to hear from you.
🌱 Beyond Events: Our Holistic Approach
While our events and fundraisers are often the most visible aspects of our work, the PTO’s contributions span a broader range of activities, all aimed at enriching the Monsignor Clarke School experience:
- Book Fair: Our annual event that not only promotes the joy of reading but also raises funds for crucial educational materials.
- Blessed Bibles: Each year the PTO helps our Campus Ministry by funding blessed bibles for Middle School Students.
- School Store: This convenient hub offers school essentials and serves as an additional fundraising source for enrichment programs.
- Teacher’s Back-to-School & Christmas Breakfasts: These special gatherings kick off the academic year and the holiday season with warmth, setting the tone for positive, collaborative relationships with our educators.
- Teacher Appreciation Week: A week-long celebration filled with gratitude, recognizing the tireless efforts of our teaching staff.
- Field Day: A day of outdoor activities and games that promote teamwork, physical fitness, and school spirit.
- Box Tops for Education: This program makes it easy for families to contribute to our school simply by purchasing everyday items.
- Squad Locker: Our online store where you can purchase Monsignor Clarke School gear, a portion of the proceeds from which goes back to our school.
All these initiatives are guided by our commitment to the core values of Faith, Respect, Leadership, Service, and Kindness, ensuring a nurturing and dynamic educational atmosphere for everyone involved.
✝️ Staying True to Our Core Values and adding to the JOY!
As we venture into this promising academic year, let us not forget the core values that are the cornerstone of our Monsignor Clarke School community: Faith, Respect, Leadership, Service, and Kindness. Our PTO initiatives and activities are designed not just to meet functional needs but also to deeply resonate with these guiding principles. We’re committed to fostering an environment where these values are actively practiced, celebrated, and upheld by all.
🙏 Our Spiritual Theme: The JOY of the Lord is Our Strength
This year, our Campus Ministry has chosen the uplifting theme “The JOY of the Lord is my strength,” inspired by Nehemiah 8:10—a fitting parallel as our school doors open at 8:10 AM! In this theme, “JOY” serves as an acronym for “Jesus, Others, You.” We are deeply committed to ensuring that the essence of this theme resonates through all our events and activities for the year.
💰 A Friendly Budgeting Message for the Year Ahead
We’re thrilled about the enriching activities and community-building events we’ve planned for this academic year. While we always strive to keep costs to a minimum, it’s worth noting that many of these events do have participation fees that cover the costs of hosting the events. As you are planning your budgets for the coming months, you may want to set aside funds to fully enjoy the events that interest you and your family the most. Our events calendar listed above is designed to help you plan and budget for upcoming events. Our goal is for all events to be productive and inclusive. If you are struggling to send your child to a particular event, please email me directly and I will help you find a solution. kent@dressermarine.com
We promise you that each event is designed to provide exceptional value, not just in terms of fun and community spirit, but also in how they contribute to our children’s educational experience. So let’s start planning today for a year full of meaningful and joyous engagements!
🌟 Expectations: Our Pledge and Your Role
The PTO Board is committed to dedicating focused, positive, enthusiastic, and strategic energy towards achieving the best solutions for our school community. We are volunteers. We are not perfect, but our hearts are in the perfect place to carry out this work. We pledge to maintain a solution-oriented approach, always seeking innovative and effective ways to enhance our school’s environment. In return, we kindly ask our wonderful families to mirror this commitment by fostering a thoughtful mindset within our community. Let’s replace criticisms with constructive suggestions, meet challenges with a proactive and solution-based attitude, and if offering feedback also offer to help. By working collaboratively, with everyone doing their part, we believe our community can thrive, ensuring a productive and cooperative academic year for all.
We eagerly look forward to an inspiring year filled with achievement, laughter, and community spirit. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out at any time. You can call or text me at 401-835-3088. You can also email the PTO’s general inbox at PTO@Monsignorclarkeschool.org.
May God bless us all for an excellent year!
Warm regards,
Kent Dresser
President, Monsignor Clarke School PTO
