Join the Excitement: Fun Run Starts Soon!

It’s hard to believe we’ve had more than a month back at school, and the Fun Run – our biggest fundraiser – is just around the corner! Read on for more info on how you can get involved.

For updates and information, please also check the PTA section of the Butler website, and join the Facebook page Butler Elementary Belmont MA Parents.

Colleen Hartley and Sara Carson
PTA Co-Presidents

Achievement Unlocked – We Did It Together

Upcoming Events

Exciting Updates

- 55% of the student body has registered.
- We have raised $8570, which is 57% of our goal of $15,000!
- Our donors come from 23 states and 3 countries.

-Local businesses sponsoring the Fun Run include the following: Anne Mahon Real Estate, Belmont Pharmacy, Buono Pest Control, Champion Soccer School, Eastern Bank, Fitness Together, Jayne’s Flowers, Russian School of Math, Sunrise Pediatrics Dental, Watertown Savings

Playful Goals

- If we reach our fundraising goal of $15,000, students are rewarded with Spirit Day!
- When a class reaches 100% registration, their teacher will receive a $100 gift certificate for the class!
- When a class reaches 100% fundraising goals, their teacher will receive a $50 gift certificate for class.

Special Shoutouts

- Team Sacco for 100% student registration
- Team Tavares for 100% fundraising goal
- Team Brish for 100% fundraising goal

Parents are welcome to attend, even if they’re not volunteering.

That said, we do need volunteers to help guide kids to stay on the course. All adults must have an up-to-date CORI on file with Butler, as well as an up-to-date confidentiality form. If all your paperwork is up-to-date, please volunteer to help mark the course and keep our children safe. To sign up, please click here.

PTA Board Meeting
Thursday 10/24 (Zoom)
6:00-7:00 pm

We’d love for you to attend our first PTA Board meeting of the year! All parents and caregivers are welcome to board meetings. Connect via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88902234082?pwd=TS4NvtLjaQbq7X7VD30dgmORZMd0BA.1
Meeting ID: 889 0223 4082

Note: All PTA Board meetings are held via Zoom.

Agenda:

General Business (Greeting & Approval of Minutes)
Past Event Recaps (Picture Day, Walk to School Day, Fun Run)
Upcoming Events/Planning (Original Works Fundraiser & Talent Show)
Closing Business (Q&A)

Original Works Fundraiser
Mon. 10/28 – Fri. 11/01

Butler students are hard at work in art class creating masterpieces for our new Original Works fundraiser! Our art teacher Ms. Williams has been working with them for several weeks and their art projects are almost ready for Original Works to transform into products like notepads, magnets, coffee mugs, key chains, and more.

Look out for packets with artwork and order forms coming home the last week of October. It’s the perfect chance to shop for unique gifts featuring your Butler student's art! Plus, 30% of all sales go back to the PTA and support our children’s education and community.

Happy shopping! Interested in learning more or volunteering? Please email: vrsavage@gmail.com

Monthly Coffee with the Principal
Friday 11/01 (Google Meet)
9:00-9:30 am

We hope you can join Principal Babson for her monthly “Coffee with the Principal” series. Stay tuned for more information in Principal Babson’s newsletter!

Talent Show
Friday 11/08
Starts at 6:30 pm

🎵Mark your calendars for Butler’s annual talent show! If your child has a talent they’d like to showcase, it’s time to start practicing! Here are some important dates:

Fri. 10/18 Flyers will be sent home and the sign-up link will go live!
Fri. 11/1 Sign-ups close
Thu. 11/7 3:15 pm Mandatory rehearsal for all participants\\
Fri. 11/8 6:30 pm Talent Show – Everyone is invited!

💃 We can’t wait to see our Butler students perform! Stay tuned for more details!
🎸 For questions or to volunteer, contact Vera Savage: vrsavage@gmail.com.

Order Butler Gear by Friday 11/15

It’s not just about clothing. It's about fostering a sense of belonging, identity, and pride among our students, staff, and the community.

To see and order Butler gear, please click here.

Green Team: “Put the Garden to Bed” Event
Friday 11/15
Starts at 4:00 pm

The Butler Learning Garden is at the end of its growing season. Let's prepare the garden so that when spring arrives, everything will be ready for the flowers to bloom!

Please join us in tidying the garden, adding compost, planting bulbs, and preparing the garden for winter weather. Many hands make light work! If you’re interested in helping, please email: thesaberwoods@gmail.com

PTA Board Meeting
Thursday 12/05 (Zoom)
6:00-7:00 pm

Mark your calendars! All parents and caregivers are welcome, and we’d to hear your ideas. At our December PTA Board meeting, we’ll hear from Dr. Jill Geiser, Superintendent of Schools, whom we’ve invited to be our guest speaker.

Connect via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83846033956?pwd=ULc5BybsgaxAMCzXTohy3HJqWW0Vt5.1
Meeting ID: 838 4603 3956

Volunteer Opportunities

Butler relies on volunteers to make events successful. There are many ways to get involved!

To volunteer for positions that involve working with children, adults need to complete a CORI background check on file with Butler (valid for 3 years) and a confidentiality form (valid for 1 year). If you’re interested, please let us know, and initiate the CORI process by contacting Maeve Freaney, the School Secretary: mfreaney@belmontschools.net

For more details, click here to visit the “Belmont Public Schools” website.

Room Parents (self-managed time commitment)

We are still in need of room parents for
Ms. Wolfe’s 2nd Grade classroom.

Room Parents are responsible for:

- Emailing class families to notify them of PTA events
- Communicating classroom updates and needs among class families
- Helping coordinate volunteers and supplies for class-level events (like field trips, The Fun Run, and Color Day)
- Helping organize (optional) holiday and end-of-year class gifts

We organize 1-2 Room Parents for each classroom and encourage Room Parents to join the PTA.

Interested? Email Zeb Kimmel at zeb@sloan.mit.edu.

Library Volunteer (during school)

Come volunteer in the library during your child’s/children’s library time! If you missed the in-person orientation back in September and would still like to volunteer, don’t worry!
We came up with an alternative set of steps.

1. Make sure your CORI background check on file with Butler (valid for 3 years) and confidentiality form (valid for 1 year) are both up to date. For more details, click here to visit the “Belmont Public Schools” website.

2. Learn pertinent information by clicking this "Butler School Library Orientation" link and reviewing the slideshow presentation.

3. After completing Steps 1 & 2, sign up via Butler Library’s SignUp page. Please be aware that Ms. Joanne, the Library Aide, is preferably looking for parents and caregivers who can commit to multiple times throughout the year.

PTA Board and Coordinator Opportunities

Please click here for the complete list of the position descriptions and commitment levels.

We are especially in need of:

- Secretary: The secretary records meeting minutes and retains them for record. They maintain a membership list with names and addresses of members.
- VP, In-School Enrichment: Field trips are back! This VP of in-school enrichment works directly with Principal Babson, the teachers, and the PTA to manage budgets for in-school enrichment or out-of-school field trips. Responsibilities include communication about, booking, and managing finances for field trips.
- Bookkeeper: We are looking for a bookkeeper this year, who can shadow our current treasurer with deposits, payments, and account reconciliation. The hope is this individual will learn this year and move into the Treasurer role in the future. While a background in accounting is helpful, it is not required.

Interested in joining us? Complete this short survey to let us know how you’d like to help! Have questions? Email: butlerpta@gmail.com

No more clipping of BOX TOP$ logos from boxes!

Just scan digital/paper receipts! Here’s all you have to do to get started:

- Get the Box Tops app for your phone by clicking on this link.
- Use referral code: KPKD0K2P or search for “Butler School” via the drop-down menus.
- Shop for your groceries, then scan your digital/paper receipts. To learn how to scan receipts, click here to watch this YouTube video.

We can also earn BONUS Box Tops for Butler by inviting our family/friends! When they scan their first receipt, both you and your family/friend will earn 20 Bonus Box Tops for Butler. Here’s how to invite your family/friends:

- Go to your Box Tops app home screen.
- Click “Invite Friends” by clicking on the person icon in the upper-right corner.
- Share the referral code that the app gives you.

To learn more, click here to visit the official Box Tops website.

Event Recaps

Curriculum Night

THANK YOU to all who made donations and volunteered for the Butler PTA on curriculum night. We enjoyed meeting parents and sharing what the PTA does here at Butler. We are always looking for volunteers so be in touch with us to learn more!

Picture Day

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped run things smoothly! Kudos to Kathryn Whittemore, our long-time coordinator who is in her last year. Photos you ordered will go to the address you listed on your form.

If you forgot to order, there’s still time.
Click here to go to the Hayward Photography website.
Enter our school password: DANF23

National School Custodian Day

On October 2nd (the same day as National Walk to School Day) we celebrated Jason and Yordano, our amazing custodians! We’re so grateful for all the work they do to keep our school safe and clean!

National Walk to School Day

THANK YOU for joining us for National Walk to School Day! Big thanks to the coordinators and volunteers who had “buses” running from six different pick-up locations to celebrate living in our walkable community.

KUDOS to Rachel Heller and Sylvia Limm for their amazing coordination of the event! We have big shoes to fill for next year.

PTA Membership

THANK YOU to the over 90 families who have contributed to the PTA by making a donation and/or offering their time to volunteer!

We have now raised almost $4000 thanks to donations by Kindergarten families over the summer, a successful Ice Cream and Raffle Night, and more donations at Curriculum Night and online!