Announcements
PTO Membership and Donation Drives


Everything is online and super easy to do!  The goal is 100% participation!

Frequently Asked Questions about PTO Membership:

I joined last year, do I need to join again?
Yes, we ask our families to join the PTO each year.  You annual dues support the PTO events and activities all year long.  

I get the Dolphin Digest each week, so does that mean I am a PTO member?
No, anyone can subscribe to the Dolphin Digest.  The PTO wants everyone to have access to information.  Your annual PTO dues do help cover the cost of our Constant Contact email service. To be a PTO member, please follow the link above and join the PTO. 

What benefit do I get for joining the PTO?
In addition to supporting our fantastic Dogwood students, teachers, and community, PTO members receive access to the online PTO Member Directory through Membership Toolkit. Members can access the directory on the Membership Toolkit webpage or through the Membership Toolkit app.  After you join, download the Membership Toolkit app and log in.  In the app, you can search for names, filter by class, touch to call or text, pull up maps, and add contacts to your phone.  You will love it!!  

Contact us at dogwoodelempto@gmail.com with any questions.

Congratulations, Dogwood!

Dogwood Elementary has been named a Reward School by TN Department of Education! Congratulations to our Dogwood students, teachers, and staff!

Morning Car Line and Drop Off

Get your playlist and your patience ready! Car line is in full gear, and ready for the kindergartners to join this week!  For both veteran and newbie car line parents, here are a few friendly reminders about car line.

Please remember that car line will be long and slow for the first few weeks of school as parents and students acclimate. So put in your favorite tunes and enjoy the time with your kiddos before drop off and the quiet time before pick up! 

If you are new to Dogwood and unfamiliar with the campus, you may find this  car line map helpful.
Health Room Volunteers Needed!

The Nurse's Clinic is a busy place!! We can help ease the traffic by volunteering in the Health Room to provide assistance with simple needs such as band-aids, temperature checks, and/or a phone call to a parent. This helps Nurse Maddie to be more available to students that require a skilled nurse.  Medical experience is not required to volunteer. 

Shifts run from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, but we are happy to have your help even if for a shorter time frame (just leave a comment when you sign up). Please consider signing up for a shift and let's try to get the Health Room staffed through the end of the year! Thank you for supporting Dogwood!
A Message from your School Counselors

New Dogwood Parents:

We are so excited to have your child as a part of our Dogwood family. Hopefully, the first week has been a pleasure. Additional opportunities are available for your child to become more familiar with the school environment and offer support during this transition. This is also a great way for your child to connect with other new students in a smaller setting. New student groups will be starting within the next two weeks meeting once a week for 30 minutes. These sessions will last approximately four weeks.

Please contact Brandi Fitchpatric or Natalie Adkinson, school counselors, at 752-7946 for additional information. 
Yearbook Executive Board

All 4th  and 5th  graders that are interested in being on the 2019-2020 Yearbook Executive Board should fill out an application and turn it in to Mrs. Mink (C31) or Ms. Sweda (C30) by Thursday, August 29th .  
READO forms due this week

Don't forget!  Summer READO forms are due to your homeroom teacher this Friday, August 23rd! Turn your completed READO forms in for a prize!

READO forms can be found on Ms. McIntyre's website, or you can email  Ms. McIntyre with any questions about READO. 
Tour Forest Hill Elementary School!


GMSD Family Members,

Many of you joined us for forums or meetings, responded to surveys, or served on committee teams about everything from site selection to school design.  Let our team take you on a tour of the school that we built together.

Germantown Municipal School District and the City of Germantown are excited to share Forest Hill Elementary School with the community later this month.  They will be opening the doors to the general public from 12pm-2pm on Saturday, August 24th.  Students and teachers will be on hand along with parent volunteers to offer tours.  Each tour takes approximately 40 minutes.

"This building is special because it was designed by the stakeholders that will use it," said Superintendent Jason Manuel describing the educational space.  The first school built in Germantown since 1982,  the 110,000 square-foot hub for enhanced learning will serve students in kindergarten through the fifth grade. 

The school features large windows in the classrooms and corridors which allow daylight and views into the heart of the building. Opportunities for learning extend beyond the building and throughout the 36-acre site which includes a historic oak tree and a pond.  A theatrical stage, a full-service art studio, and gym with hardwood basketball court will be amenities available to the larger community of the Germantown Municipal School District.

Trademarks of GMSD capital projects are evident in the technologically advanced classrooms, media center, bright and welcoming corridors, and the integration of STEAM spaces throughout.
    Box Tops for Education
If you have any box tops already cut out that you have been saving, you can still send them in as long as they are not expired!  Just print out  this sheet  and send them in!
 
Exclusive CycleBar Offer for Dogwood Families!

CycleBar is offering all Dogwood PTO Families $100 off their regularly-priced 10 pack of classes. This is over 50% off!!! You can sign up online or on the Ride CycleBar app. Just click "10 pack" under "Packages" and use promo code DOGWOODPTO at checkout to receive this great offer! You can also email CycleBar with any questions.


Girl Scout Information Night

Are you interested in having your daughter join Girl Scouts in the Germantown area?  All parents of kindergarten through 12th grade girls who are looking for troops in Germantown are invited to attend the  Germantown Girl Scouts Parent Information Night

Thursday, September 5th from 7 pm - 8 pm
Faith Presbyterian Church
8816 Poplar Pike in Germantown 

Come hear from local Girl Scouts and Troop Leaders about the exciting opportunities and adventures with Girl Scouts in Germantown! Girls interested in joining Girl Scouts are welcome to come to the meeting too, and talk with other girls that are currently in Girl Scouts.

Do you already know your daughter wants to join a troop, but you can't attend the meeting?  Click here to fill out our interest form, and someone will contact you in early September about placing your girl with an appropriate troop.

Treasures for Teachers

Since 2015, the Germantown Education Foundation (GEF) has partnered with the Knowledge Tree on a groundbreaking program called Treasure for Teachers.  Your $100 gift allows the GEF to purchase gift cards from the Knowledge Tree.  In return, the Knowledge Tree is graciously giving back to our teachers by adding $20 to each gift card.  To learn more, or make a donation, please visit  Treasures for Teachers .
Houston/Germantown Lacrosse Club

The Houston Lacrosse Club's Boys' and Girls' Fall Ball Program is about to begin! Students are invited to engage in the most exciting and fastest growing sport in the U.S.  This program is geared towards players (both experienced and beginners) who attend public school in Germantown and is not intended to conflict with their participation in any other sport.   

Players should bring full gear (stick, mouthpiece, helmets(boys)/goggles(girls), and cleats) and water to each practice. Each player is required to be a U.S. Lacrosse member. Memberships are available at www.uslacrosse.com

For general club information and to register online, visit www.houstonlax.net.  Registration is on the first page of the website.  
Falcon Footlights

Do you want to build a snowman?  Falcon Footlights Booster Club brings a production of Frozen Jr to the Farmington Elementary Stage this fall!  Auditions are open to DES, FES, FHES and HMS students from 1st through 8th grade.  

Reserve your spot  for an audition time. 

Auditions will take place August 25th.  More information can be found on the Falcon Footlights Booster Club Facebook page.
PTO Announcements
Stay up to date with the PTO!

The PTO will have its first meeting on August 20th at 9:00 AM in the Dogwood cafeteria .  For those who are unable to attend, the meeting will be streamed on the Dogwood PTO Facebook page. Meeting minutes will be available on the  PTO website  following the meeting.

Please visit the Dogwood PTO website to learn more about the PTO, our events, and ways you can get involved! The PTO Guidebook can also be found here!

If you are a parent of a Dogwood student, you can also request to join the  Dogwood PTO Facebook Page to keep up to date with PTO and school events.  ** Be sure to answer the membership question to gain access, as it is a closed group for parents only**
Marco's Pizza Night

Marco's Pizza and Dogwood Elementary are working together on an exciting program!  On Tuesday, August 20th, Marco's pizza is generously donating 10% of all sales for the entire day to Dogwood!  This would be a great day to order pizza for your office, take the night off from cooking, or invite some friends over for a pizza dinner!  


Battle of the PTOs!

Come out to support Dogwood Elementary's Parent Teacher Organization on Saturday, August 24th as they cheer on your Memphis Redbirds!  The Redbirds are taking on the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) and there will be a Terminix Fireworks Show following the game.  For just $17, you can receive the following:
  • 1 reserved Field Box seat
  • 1 hot dog and soft drink voucher
  • 1 Redbirds hat
For each ticket purchased, $4 will go to support Dogwood Elementary! The PTO that raises the most money will be awarded a ceremonial first pitch and if they sell 250 or more tickets they will participate in a check presentation on the field!   Purchase Deadline:  Aug 22nd @ 11:59pm.



Shout Outs!

Thank you to our fabulous PTO New Parent Liaison, Carie Alley , who planned and organized the Kindergarten Meet & Greet for our newest baby Dolphins and their families.  The PTO appreciates everyone who volunteered to make it such a fun event for our Kindergarten families - Amy Carter, Cory Carter, Tina Thorn, Carrie Mayrhofer, Karen Viotti, Nabiha Huda, Furqan Huda, Edward Wildrick, William Gates, Chris Alley, Leanne Howell, Stacy High, and Holly Kulp.  A big shout out to MemPops for serving popsicles and USA Karate for donating their bounce house.  Dylan Singler with USA Karate is always a big supporter of Dogwood and GMSD!

With the help of Karen Viotti , Carie Alley also coordinated the New Parent Reception to welcome our new Dogwood parents.  Thank you to Nabiha Huda, Carrie Mayrhofer, Holly Kulp, Jamie Bialowitz, Ryan Strain, Tina Thorne, and Hayley White for helping with the New Parent Reception.   Carie does such an amazing job embracing our new Dogwood families with helpful emails, mentor families, tours of the school, the PTO Guidebook, and so much more!  

Thank you to Amy Wenzel, Hayley White, Nabiha Huda, Carie Alley, Michelle Midha, Kristen Boccher, Holly Kulp, and Gayle Higley for helping greet our Dogwood families and direct car line the first week of school.  

The Dogwood community is the best!! There are so many people who serve our students, teachers, and families so well that we would like to recognize them more publicly throughout the year. If you have a shout out for a student, teacher, parent, or administrator any time throughout the year, please email it to elizgates@gmail.com.

PTO Guidebook

Do you have questions about how to check your child out early? Wondering how you can celebrate your child's birthday?  Are you unsure where to park at Dogwood?  Do you want to know the hours for the school store?  All of these questions and MORE can be answered in the  2019-2020 PTO Guidebook!  If you still have questions that the Guidebook does not answer, you can always send an email to the PTO, and we will do our best to try to help you!
Mabel's Labels

Looking for an easy way to avoid your child's possessions ending up in the Lost and Found?  Check out  Mabel's Labels Fundraising, enter Dogwood Elementary School PTO, and a portion of your purchase will be donated to the DES PTO!


Events
Curriculum Night

Save the date for our upcoming Curriculum Nights! Your Curriculum Night will be held in your child's classroom. We ask that only adults attend Curriculum Night.

Thursday, August 15 Kindergarten Curriculum Night 6:15 - 7:15 PM
Monday, August 19 Grade 2 - Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Monday, August 19 Grade 1 - Curriculum Night 6:00 PM
Tuesday, August 20 Grade 3 - Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Tuesday, August 20 Grade 4 - Curriculum Night 6:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 PreK Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 Grade 5 - Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 Special Education and Gifted Curriculum Night 6:00 PM

You Don't Want to Miss...
Upcoming Events
Thursday, August 8- Friday September 6 PTO Membership Drive and Family Donation Drive
Monday, August 19 Grade 2 Curriculum Night  5:00 PM
Monday, August 19 Grade 1 Curriculum Night 6:00 PM
Monday, August 19 GMSD Board of Education Meeting
Work Session at 5:30 p.m.
Business Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
at Germantown City Hall
Tuesday, August 20 General PTO Meeting 9:00 AM
Tuesday, August 20 Grade 3 Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Tuesday, August 20 Grade 4 Curriculum Night 6:00 PM
Tuesday, August 20 Marco's Pizza Spirit Night
Thursday, August 22 PreK Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 Grade 5 Curriculum Night 5:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 Special Education and Gifted Curriculum Night 6:00 PM
Thursday, August 22 Grade 5 Washington D.C. trip meeting  6:00 PM
Friday, August 23 Completed READO forms due
Saturday, August 24 Memphis Redbirds "Battle of the PTOs" 6:35 PM
Thursday, August 29 Applications for Yearbook Executive Board (for interested 4th and 5th grade students) due
Dogwood Calendars

There are several ways to keep up to date with all Dogwood events.  You can subscribe to the  Google Calendar or the  iPhone Calendar, and have all events downloaded directly to your phone and updated throughout the year.  Prefer everything on paper?  You can purchase a print 12 month calendar featuring artwork by Dogwood students for only $5.00 on  My School Bucks.


Dogwood Elementary PTO | (901) 756-2310 |   Email | Website

Germantown Municipal School District provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, handicap/disability, sex, genetics or age.
STAY CONNECTED: