Happy New Year From the PTO

We hope you and your family had a wonderful start to the New Year!

Please check back soon for updates regarding the 2013 Butterfly Benefit.  We will need everyone's participation to make our benefit and auction a success.

The 2013 Butterfly Benefit is Friday, February 22nd.

PTO Meeting Friday, December 14th 8:15 am

There will be a PTO Meeting this Friday, December 14th at 8:15 am.

We will be discussing and planning the Butterfly Benefit in February, so please try to attend!

Fundraising Update & Next Meeting

The Fall Bake and Craft Sale was a HUGE success!  Thank you to all our families who participated & helped raise $900.00 for MSL.  There were many tables full of cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, bread, jam and homemade crafts.


Kroger Cards continue to be an excellent and easy way for MSL to earn FREE money.  The school gets 5% of every re-load to the Kroger Gift Card from school.  Just keep remembering to re-load your card before the checkout process begins.


Target Red Cards are also very easy and link directly to your debit account.  You save 5% on each and every Target purchase, while MSL receives 1% of the total.  That can really add up over 100 families, throughout the year.

The PTO's next meeting, will be Friday, December 14th at 8:15 am.  The Butterfly Benefit will be the primary focus of attention.

Thank you to all of our families who help make MSL an amazing community!

A Quick PTO Fundraising Update

PTO Bake and Craft Sale-FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16th

• **The next PTO Meeting is scheduled for Friday October 12 ~ 8:10 (After morning car line)**

It's hard to believe September is coming to a close.  The month was busy with our first PTO meeting, Visioning Day and a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon.  We're off to a good start in regards to our on-going fundraising efforts.

• Target-We just received our largest check ever from the Target Red Card program:

$745.42

• Kroger-The Kroger card re-loads are on the increase!  In just 2 months, MSL has earned:

$641.20

• Box Tops-The Box Tops program is going so well, we needed to increase our yearly goal to $500.00.  We're currently at:

$212.91

• Looking forward, we hope to have a few "Family Restaurant Nights."  These will be designated days and times to dine with MSL families at local restaurants.  Most places will donate a percentage of the money made back to MSL.  Please feel free to suggest a restaurant or any other fundraising idea to the PTO.  

• Bake and Craft Sale: Friday November 16th!!  This will be a chance to showcase your baking and/or cooking skills, canning, crafts...anything goes.  The PTO will provide tables and volunteers, but we need the community to provide the goods!  Please be thinking about something your family could provide for our sale and we'll have a sign-up list coming in a few weeks.

Fundraising-Box Tops, Kroger Cards and Target Cards, Oh My!!

There are 3 easy ways to raise money for MSL right now and throughout the year!  Click on each link to learn more about the programs.

1)  Box Tops for Education
2)  Kroger Gift Cards
3)  Target Red Card

1)  Box Tops for Education

MSL has already earned $203.44 for the 2012-13 School Year!!!!!! (Updated 9/17/12)

Box Tops are found on hundreds of different products and MSL get $.10 for each Box Top collected.

There are many ways to earn Box Tops for the school:

Click HERE for a printable list of Box Top items.

• Purchase products which have Box Tops located somewhere on the packaging:

• Look for Green Giant Fresh Produce-Lettuce, baby carrots, asparagus, Romaine hearts...there are many healthy choices
• Many types of cereal like Cheerios, Basic 4, Total & Wheaties
• Progresso Soups, Land o' Lakes Butter, Yoplait Yogurt
• Hanes T-Shirts, Avery Labels, Ziploc Bags, Hefty Bags, Brita Water Filters

• Shop the Box Top Marketplace-Box Tops are automatically credited to MSL each time you shop.  Just click through the link on the box top website:

• iTunes Gift Cards 
• 1800 Flowers.com
• Hanna Anderson.com
• Home Depot.com
• Target.com
• Walgreens.com
• Zulily.com

Click on these links for complete lists.  Just be sure to register with the Box Tops website and click through the link, in order for MSL to automatically receive credit.

Apparel and Accessories

Babies and Kids

2)  Kroger Gift Cards


Kroger Gift Cards are simply a gift card already linked to MSL.  The school receives 4% of the total charged to each card, which adds up quickly.  In previous years, MSL made nearly $3000!  Current updated earnings will be posted ASAP.

• Obtain the MSL gift card from the front office ($5.00 is pre-loaded on the card to maintain activation, so please bring $5.00 cash to exchange)
• Load the card prior to checking out at the grocery, pharmacy or fuel station
• DO NOT throw away a used card.  Simply re-charge as needed and MSL makes $$$$
• Ask your family and friends to also use a Kroger Card

3) Target Red Cards

Target Red Cards save YOU 5% on your total purchase EVERY time you shop at Target.  Link you card to MSL and the school receives 1% of the total purchase.   The Target Red Card IS NOT a credit card.  It is linked to your checking account/debit card.  

• Simply sign up for a card (with a voided check) at the Target check out or customer service
• The Red Card arrives in the mail in about a week
• Go on-line here to link your Red Card to MSL

PTO Meeting Summary 9/12/2012

MSL PTO Meeting Summary

Wednesday September 12, 2012

8:15 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

·      Attendees: Greg Dixon

Shannon Williams

Lori Wendelin

Claire O’Laughlin

Andi Baggarley

Rebeeca Buse

Robert Buse

Preethi Ananthakrishnan

Becky Thomas

·      Introductions and message from Mr. Dixon

o   Mr. Dixon discussed the importance of looking back at MSL’s past, before we make important decisions for the future.  Six years ago, the MSL community worked together to move the school and experienced tremendous growth.  Creating and supporting the “Community” is critical to MSL’s success and a primary goal of the PTO.

o   Several ideas were discussed to help foster the growth of MSL’s family community:  New family mentor program, personal phone calls to new families to welcome and “check-in,” magnets/shirts, maximize communication through possible mass texts/alerts and Google Calendar.

o   Dr. Buse spoke about his experiences with Montessori within his family and how his children transitioned from Montessori to a traditional high school.  We talked about promoting the Chess Team to our community and increasing awareness of our clubs in general.

o   We discussed ideas to help remind families about PTO meetings:  Blue flyer distributed in car-line prior to meetings, mass texts, emails.

·      Fundraisers

o   We agreed to minimize the amount of “stuff” we ask families to buy.  Instead, our Fall goal is to promote Kroger Cards, Target Cards and Box Tops. 

o   Mr. Dixon ordered more magnets and shirt orders (spirit wear) are pending. 

o   Fall Bake Sale (11/16/12) The PTO will host a Bake Sale just prior to our Thanksgiving Holiday break.  Proceeds will go to the Outdoor Play scape. 

§  Cake Flour participation? (need to contact)

§  Sign ups for bake sale items

§  Promotion with emails/fliers and pictures and/or design of play scape

·      Butterfly Benefit Discussion

o   Need to form a separate committee, with chair, which meets separately from the regular PTO

o   Need to start promoting the event and soliciting donations ASAP (Save the Date, asking families to start acquiring items for the auction now, teacher donations)

o   Need to create a calendar with action items and due dates ASAP

·      Next Meeting Date: Friday October 12 8:15 am

o   PTO members in attendance discussed potential meeting times, to help include as many families as possible.  It seems mornings are best, as afternoons require childcare for everyone and evenings/weekends are already very busy.

First PTO Meeting of 2012-13

The first meeting of MSL's PTO will be THIS Wednesday 9/12 immediately after car-line in the morning.

Please attend for any amount of time your schedule allows.  Coffee and homemade cinnamon rolls will be served...that alone is worth the trip:)

The meeting will be brief and we plan to discuss:

• Volunteers (organization and communications)
• Library
• Butterfly Benefit Committee
• Fall Bake Sale and Small Hands
• Fundraising Opportunities (restaurants, businesses, Kroger, Target)
• New ideas and suggestions for the PTO

Thank you ahead of time for your participation!