Middle Gate Elementary School
schoolhouse-pic
7 Cold Spring Road, Newtown, CT 06470
Middle Gate Minute
A Bi-Weekly eNewsletter
Edition: Aug 2017

Parent Teacher Association 
PTA Comments or Suggestions?  
Important Notes: Notes
Please not you are receiving this email because you did not opt out of PTA communications. We hope you will continue receiving the Middle Gate Minute as it is very informative of events and happenings at the school and in town. However, you have the ability to be removed from this mailing list using the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this email.
(some dates are tentative and subject to change)
 
Aug 25
Kindergarten Bus Run
Class Walk-Through

Aug 28
First Day of School!!

Aug 30

New Family Orientation 

Aug 31 
Ice Cream Social 

Sept 26
 
1st General PTA Meeting
All are welcome!

Oct 26 
General PTA Meeting

Nov 14

General PTA Meeting


Jan 18  

General PTA Meeting


Apr 10

General PTA Meeting
 
 
Downloads:
(updated every newsletter) 
 
Quick Links  QuickLinks 
Contact us :
PTA Phone: (860) 532-0464
 
2016/17 PTA Board of Directors
President:  
Vice President
Secretary:
Corresponding Secretary:
1st Treasurer:
Emily Howard
2nd Treasurer:
Stacy Liparidis
Assistant Treasurer
Meredith Britton  
Yearbook Photos:
HOT TOPICS
WELCOME FROM THE MIDDLE GATE PTA PRESIDENTWelcome
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Dear New and Returning Families,

Welcome to the start of another great year at Middle Gate School! I especially want to welcome our new students and kindergarten families. I am really excited (and a tiny bit nervous) to take on this new role as PTA president.  We have an all new board who are eager, supportive and ready to go.  We are looking forward to again provide enriching and enjoyable programs and activities for the students and families of Middle Gate. We will be supporting "old favorites" such as trunk or treat, holiday boutique sock hop and Middle Gate madness and are brainstorming some new ideas, as well.  In order to make all these things happen, we need your support and assistance, especially via volunteering.
    
We celebrate the start of the school year with a Welcome Back Ice Cream Social, on August 31st 5:30p-7:00pm.  It's a great opportunity to catch up with friends after the (not long enough) summer, meet new people or just enjoy some ice cream.  And of course, you'll have such a nice time that you'll want to become a PTA member!  Did I mention that PTA members get their ice cream for FREE?  It's a $5/person charge for non-members.  We prefer to get memberships in advance but we will have forms available at the social if you choose to sign up at that point.  

Last year alone, the PTA was able to provide the school with document cameras for the classrooms, shelving units, books for classrooms and the library, sound panels for the cafeteria, a shed for the athletic department, science presentations, assemblies, a new sound system for the gym/auditorium, picnic tables and benches for outdoor class time and our beautiful Ben's Bells murals, to name a few.  We are here to help you and answer any questions or concerns. Enjoy the last few days of summer and I look forward to an exciting year!

Sincerely,

Amy Habboush
PTA President 2017 - 2019
KINDERGARTEN BUS RUN & BUS BUDDIES - FRI AUG 25BusRun 
Kindergarten Bus Run & Bus Buddies
Friday Aug 25 8:00am - 9:30am
(check schedules for your child's bus pick-up time)

 
Link to Bus Routes

The Kindergarten bus run will take place on Friday, August 25th.  A PTA parent volunteer will be there to greet your child and help them get comfortable on the bus. Pickup will be in the library at 9:30AM. LaBonia & Parniawski's classes will be dismissed from the front of the library and Massett & Schmidt's classes from the rear door.  Directional signs will be available.

In addition, any Kindergartener interested in having an older student as a bus buddy for the first few days of school or those students wishing to be a bus buddy please email Jessica Sachs, jessicatendler@gmail.com. Buddies are available to help the new student feel comfortable and to walk with them from the bus to their teacher the first few days of class. Buddies will meet before or on walk-through day.
CLASSROOM WALK-THROUGH ALL STUDENTS - FRI AUG 25 
Classroom Walk Through
Friday Aug 25 9:45am - 10:35am


The Kindergarten bus run will take place on Friday, August 25th.  A PTA parent volunteer will be there to greet your child and help them get comfortable on the bus. Pickup will be in the library at 9:30AM. LaBonia & Parniawski's classes will be dismissed from the front of the library and Massett & Schmidt's classes from the rear door.  Directional signs will be available.

In addition, any Kindergartener interested in having an older student as a bus buddy for the first few days of school or those students wishing to be a bus buddy please email Jessica Sachs, jessicatendler@gmail.com. Buddies are available to help the new student feel comfortable and to walk with them from the bus to their teacher the first few days of class. Buddies will meet before or on walk-through day.
REMINDERS FROM MR. GEISSLERMrG 
A few reminders from Mr. Geisser

Use Access Road for Pick-up Time
Our main entrance will not be available for families and guests from 3:10-4:00pm.  Guests and pickups will be required to use our access road (by the little red schoolhouse) as we do for morning drop off. This will allow us to keep the Main entrance open for buses arriving at MGS and transporting students to Reed. Another minor adjustment is that we will begin our arrival process at 8:45am so the buses may then proceed to Reed.  

New Family Orientation Wed Aug 30
A New Family Orientation will be held on Wednesday, August 30 (8:15am/Cafeteria). This is another opportunity to ask questions, receive school information, and meet friends. All new families (adults and entering children) are encouraged to attend and students will be "dismissed" to classes at approximately 8:45am). 
ICE CREAM SOCIAL - THU AUG 31IceCream
I scream you scream we all scream for Ice Cream! image
Thursday Aug 31
5:30pm - 7:00pm

We all welcome you to the start of a new wonderful year at Middle Gate and let's celebrate with our annual Ice Cream Social! Thursday, August 31st 5:30-7:00pm

Ice Cream, fun toppings, whipped cream and friends! Get together and see your old classmates together again - or make a new friend and welcome someone new to the school!

Always a favorite event. And remember, if you are a PTA Member, it is free!
Non PTA member $5
PTA MEMBERSHIP FORMSPTAFORMS
We sent home PTA membership forms for you to complete and send back to the school. Your PTA Membership fee helps to support PTA programs and events for the school that otherwise could not happen. If you want to give your support, but feel you are unable to volunteer, this is one of the easiest ways for you to support Middle Gate.

Plus you get bonuses for being a member like the School Directory, and Free entry to the Ice Cream Social!

Don't forget to send in your membership!
Here is a link to the form if you need it:
VOLUNTEERS AND CHAIR PEOPLE NEEDEDVolunteers 
We need a few more volunteers to make this a successful year image

We are looking for people to shadow chair people this year for next year's events and committees. Most events/committees do not take a big investment in time but give a lot back. Things like the Scholastic Book fair, need help with volunteer sign ups, set up and tear down. Publishing centerwill no longer be publishing hardcover books. Softcovers are super quick to put together and require a lot less volunteers and time. Last years chair is offering to help whomever takes over by setting the schedule, ordering all supplies and sending out the schedule/introduction letter to the teachers and being available for questions. We have all the information you need to be successful and make it an easy volunteer spot to take over. You are never alone on any volunteer events, there are plenty of people to help or to give you helpful hints and ideas.

If you are interested in volunteering or being a chair-person please reach out to Amy Habboush at amy518@hotmail.com.
KINDERGARTEN LUNCH SIGN-UPKinder 
Volunteers Needed for Kindergarten Lunch - 11:00am - 11:30am image

We are looking for parents to help the kindergartners at lunch. It is such a fun way to help out at school! You really get to know all the kids and get to see your own child! While there are a number of teachers' aids in the cafeteria during lunch, parent involvement ensures that things run smoothly as the children adjust to the routine. We would like to have three volunteers each day for the first few weeks and should be fine with two for the rest of the year. You'll find a link to sign up below. There will also be a sign up sheet at orientation.

Please feel free to sign up for as many slots as you like. Lunch runs from 11:00-11:30 a.m. Please give yourselves a few extra minutes to sign in at the front office and get your visitor badge from security. If you are new to the school system or have not done so already, you will need to turn in our volunteer form ahead of time.

Thank you for volunteering! We're looking forward to a great year! Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions and remember to click the link below to sign up!


Sincerely,
Gabrielle Joshpe
SPIRIT WEARSpiritWear
Spirit wear will be for sale at bus orientation and after walk through.  We will also be collecting PTA membership forms and dues
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Click Image to view PDF.

YEARBOOKS ON SALE!Yearbook 
Last year there were people who did not order Yearbooks in time and there were not enough extra yearbooks at the end of the year. Order now and make sure your child will remember their year at Middle Gate:

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