Butler PTA

November 2024 Newsletter

Stay Connected: Future Events, Volunteer Openings, and Past Highlights!
talent show

Setting the Stage for a Fantastic Year

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU...

♥For making the 11th annual Fun Run a success! Our largest annual fundraiser helps provide enrichment programs for our children and teachers throughout the school year.

♥For attending the Talent Show and encouraging your children to share their talent with all of us!

♥For willing to volunteer for STEM night in January (more info coming in December!). 

♥For offering donations, ordering delicious menu items at Moozy’s and Comella’s, purchasing artwork and Butler gear as part of our fundraising efforts (there's still time to order - details below!)

A NOTE REGARDING THE UPCOMING DIRECTORY! 

Butler is going digital! Over the next several weeks we will be creating our first Butler Elementary Digital Directory.  If you already opted in through the district, your information will be included and you will receive the link to view the directory.  If you have not opted in and would like to be included, please fill out this form.  Please look for more details from us over the next few weeks!

Please read on for info on how to get involved with the PTA. For updates and information, please also check the PTA section of the Butler website, and join the Facebook page Butler Elementary Belmont MA Parents. 

See you soon!

Colleen Hartley and Sara Carson
PTA Co-Presidents

Membership at a Glance

We have now raised about $4350 in PTA membership donations. Please help us reach our goal of at least 200 families and $7500 in PTA membership donations by filling out our volunteer and contribution form.

Families who join between now and the end of November will be entered in a drawing to win a gift card from our generous local Belmont businesses.  Questions? Contact PTA VP of Fundraising Julie Crockett: juliescrockett@gmail.com

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Upcoming Events

Original Works
Deadline extended to 11/13, Wednesday!

Due to the recent shortened weeks we have been able to extend the deadline for our Original Works orders. If you plan to place an order (and we hope you do!) there is still time! 

Click here for more information on pricing.

Please return your order form, artwork, and payment to your child’s classroom teacher by Wednesday 11/13. 

If you have any questions, please contact: vrsavage@gmail.com.

artwork

Winter Assistance Program
sign up by 11/13 Wednesday
to request assistance or to offer support

As we have in previous years, we will hold our BELMONT CARES DRIVE. This drive is intended to support fellow Butler families who may need help providing winter clothing or holiday gifts for their children. 

Gift cards will be discreetly provided to families who request assistance, distributed as they become available. While we cannot guarantee that all requests will be fulfilled, we are committed to doing our utmost.

We anticipate mailing gift cards during the week of 11/18.

To request a gift card be confidentially mailed to your family, click here.

To anonymously donate a gift card to a Butler family, click here.

If you have questions, please contact our school counselor Kristin Romig: kromig@belmontschools.net

winter

Green Team Garden Clean-up
11/15, Friday (4 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. If you’re interested, please contact: thesaberwoods@gmail.com

breadsticks
scan

Monthly Restaurant Fundraiser at Fiorella's Trattoria
11/21, Thursday (all day – just say Butler!)

Fiorella’s Trattoria will donate 15% of all proceeds to Butler. 

Just please remember to say Butler Elementary School when placing your order! 

  • Go with friends & family to: 263 Belmont Street in Belmont

  • Stay in & order takeout: (617) 489-1361

  • Please click here for the flyer of information.. 

We highly recommend ordering a few servings of Fiorella’s famous breadsticks! Your hungry Butler kiddo may finish them all before you even get to the table!

coffee

Monthly Coffee with the Principal
12/6, Friday (8:45 - 9:15 AM)

Let's join Principal Babson in person for her monthly "Coffee with the Principal" series.

More information will be shared in Principal Babson’s newsletter!

PTA Board Meeting
12/5, Thursday
(6-7 PM via Zoom)

Our meeting will recap past events and plan for upcoming ones. We welcome your attendance and ideas!

We’ll hear from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jill Geiser, whom we’ve invited to be our guest speaker.

jill

Agenda:

  • General Business (Greeting, Approval of Minutes, Financial Update)

  • Guest presentations (Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jill Geiser)

  • Upcoming Events/Planning (STEM Night)

  • Closing Business (Q&A)

Connect via Zoom:

  • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83846033956?pwd=ULc5BybsgaxAMCzXTohy3HJqWW0Vt5.1

  • Meeting ID: 838 4603 3956

Volunteer Opportunities & News

Butler Gear
Deadline: 11/15, Friday

As the weather gets colder, remember that we have some school spirit clothing to warm you up!  It will be exciting to see Butler represented in new ways!  You can still order beanies (with and without pom-poms!), plaid flannel pants, and hoodies here!

Long sleeved t-shirts, car magnets, and short sleeved t-shirts available for purchase through the PTA.  If you have any questions, contact Colleen or Sara: butlerpta@gmail.com.

BOX TOP$

Please scan your digital or paper receipts in the Box Tops app and money goes directly to the Butler PTA! For more information about Box Tops, check out their website: https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/ 

You can also get the app:

  • Visit this site: https://www.boxtops4education.com/s/get-the-app

  • Use referral code: KPKD0K2P

  • OR search for Butler school via the drop-down menus.

  • Then, just shop for groceries as normal! Don’t forget to scan your (digital or physical) receipts.

Click here for a YouTube video that shows how to scan receipts 

Earn a bonus for Butler by inviting family and friends!

  • Go to the Box Tops app home screen

  • Click on the "person icon" in the upper-right corner

  • Go to the Invite Friends section

  • You’ll get a referral code that you can share.

You AND your friend will both earn 20 Bonus Box Tops for Butler when your friend scans their first receipt!

Volunteer Requirements

The Butler PTA and our Butler students and community rely on volunteers to make our events successful.

In order to volunteer, adults need:

  • CORI on file with Butler School (valid for 3 years)

  • confidentiality form
    (valid for 1 year)

  • to let us know of their interest!

To initiate a CORI, contact the School Secretary Maeve Freaney: mfreaney@belmontschools.net

Library Volunteer
during school

Come volunteer in the library during your child’s/children’s library time. If you missed orientation, you can still volunteer! Please...

  • read through the Library Training Slides

  • ,ake sure your CORI and confidentiality paperwork is submitted and up-to-date

  • sign up via Butler Library’s SignUp page.

Our Library Aide Ms. Joanne is preferably looking for parents who can commit to multiple times throughout the year.

Other Open Volunteer Positions

We have many open coordinator and board positions with the Butler PTA.

Please check out the list of descriptions, complete with commitment level, by clicking here. 

pta

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? Complete this short survey to let us know your interests!

Have questions? butlerpta@gmail.com

Event Recap

Fun Run
Thank you for making the 11th annual Fun Run a success! We surpassed our $15,000 student fundraising goal and could not have done it without your help! Belmont’s own Becca Pizzi got our students ready to run with a great warm-up, and Mr Trodden and several volunteers kept the kids safe and encouraged while they ran around the school. Big thanks to our Fun Run team for leading our biggest fundraiser of the year!

Talent Show
🎵💃 The Butler Talent show was a truly memorable evening.  41 Butler students from all four grades signed up to sing, dance, play instruments, perform gymnastics routines, and more.  We had visits from Moana, Bowser, ‘N Sync, a puppet show, and even a spooky Halloween number performed by our 3rd graders.  Over 300 audience members filled the cafetorium in support of our talented students.  Thank you to Julie Babson, Jason Fopiano, Audrey Ruddock, and all of our PTA volunteers for their work putting together this magical evening.  

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