HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013

1. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 Save the date: October 1 - Chess Club 1st and 2nd @ 12 PM 8 - Chess Club 1st and 2nd @ 12 PM 11 - Book Fair setup 12 – Smith School Fall Festival 14 - No School 15 - No School 16 - Book Fair – Family night 17 - Book Fair 18- Book Fair 18 – Teacher and Parent fall grants due 22 - Chess Club 1st and 2nd @ 12 PM 23 - PTO mtg with Dr. Ramey & Kevin Philo @ 7 PM 25 - PTO exec mtg @ 1 PM 29 - Chess Club 1st and 2nd @ 12 PM 31 - Halloween Parties November 1 – No School 5 – Parent Teacher conferences 7 – Parent Teacher conferences 16 - Harman Trivia Night 18 – Everybody Counts 19 – Everybody Counts 19 – Chess Club 3rd – 6th @ 12 PM 20 – Everybody Counts 21– Everybody Counts 22– Everybody Counts 26– Chess Club 3rd – 6th @ 12 PM 27 – Thanksgiving Break – no School 28– Thanksgiving Break – no School 29– Thanksgiving Break – no School Next PTO Meeting: Our meeting this month is a meet and greet with Dr. Kyle Ramey, Oakwood school’s superintendent, and Kevin Philo, Oakwood school’s treasurer. It will be at Harman on Wednesday, October 23 from 7 – 8 PM. This is an opportunity to get to know our school leaders a little better plus hear about the school levy which is on the November 5 ballot. If you want to submit your question ahead of time, please send it to Tricia Bauer at tgsbauer@yahoo.com. Otherwise, feel free to bring them on the 23rd. Thank You! A HUGE thank you to everyone who joined PTO this year -- over 60% of the Harman families! A special thanks to Susan Purks for hosting the PTO Coffee and all the people that brought food and drinks: Carly Anderson, Susan Purks, Theresa Dewing,, Tanya Rhodes, Kiersten Cahill, Melissa Morris, Laura Hart and Eileen Epley. Jen Makkas and Allison Martindale for all their hard work on the directories and getting us online. Printed copies should be available this month!

2. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 (continue) Harman Night Schoolis right around the corner!  Please be on the lookout for the invitation sent home with your child the first week of October.  The date is Saturday, November 16th at 6:30pm at St. Alberts Church.  If you are new to Harman or haven't attended in the past this is a "can't-miss" event and the PTO's primary fundraiser for the year that funds all the wonderful things PTO does such as 40 Assets, Everybody Counts, Battle of the Books, Up with Art, and so much more!   It's a fun night out for the entire Harman community that includes great food and cash bar, trivia games and a fabulous silent auction!  For more information please contact Margot Hadley, Chair, at 657-2660 or margotmv@yahoo.com.  Harman Directory The Online Directory is live!!! If you purchased a yellow, blue or gold PTO membership this year, you should already have access to the Harman Online Directory. We are very excited to offer this new format and hope that everyone finds it to be a very useful tool! If you have not yet received an email with a link and a temporary password for the online directory access and you purchased a PTO membership, it may be that we do not have an email address on file within the directory for your family. Unfortunately, access cannot be granted without an email address on file. Please send your email address to HarmanDirectory@gmail.com and we can then grant you access. If you would prefer that your email not be displayed online, we can easily hide that information for you. Please remember that ALL family information changes must go through Brenda Casterline at the school office. If you would like any information updated in the online directory throughout the year, please email your changes to HarmanDirectory@gmail.com. For those that have ordered printed directories, be on the lookout soon for the printed version to be delivered home via your child. Thank you again for all of your support (and patience!) as we implement these changes! As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated! Jennifer Makkas & Allison Martindale Harman Directory Co-Chairs HarmanDirectory@gmail.com

3. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 (continue) Book Fair – New dates and times Let’s Fall Into Reading!  An amazing selection of books is headed our way.  Please come support our school and add some books to your library or your teacher’s library! Book Fair Dates:      Wednesday, October 16th – Friday, October 18th Shopping Hours:      Wednesday-Thursday, 8:00-4:00pm; Friday 8:00-1:00pm Special Events:        Family Night  – Wednesday, October 16th, 6:00-8:00pm You will also have an opportunity to shop via an online book fair; more details to come home with your child. See you at the Book Fair! Bake Sale Volunteers Needed The Book Fair Committee needs two volunteers to set up and run a bake sale for Harman's Book Fair Family Night.  Family Night is on October 16th from 6-8pm.  Contact Susan Usechak, Susanusechak@hotmail.com We need Teacher Workroom Volunteers One hour a month commitment. 
You choose your day and drop in at any time! 
Our teachers truly appreciate this!
Email Shannon or Kiersten for a quick 10 minute orientation. 
mackpackof5@gmail.com or Kscahill7@gmail.com

4. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 (continue) Chess Club Our 1st and 2nd grade players are really off to a great start!  We have several new players and plenty who already know the game.  This group will continue to play on Tuesdays through October.   Grades 3-6 play chess starting mid-November.  Those who signed up at Open House will get reminder letters.  All are welcome! Both groups will play tournament chess in February/March.   Thanks for your support, parents and volunteers!!! Leigh Addison and Todd Stammler The PTO is Sponsoring a Yearbook Cover Contest! Calling all creative students! Design this year’s yearbook cover and win a free 2013-2014 yearbook. Submit a cover design on an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of white paper two colors of ink (black is considered an ink color). All designs should include the title Harman Yearbook. The student's name should be in the bottom right hand corner. Submit original artwork to your child's teacher no later than October 25. Don’t forget to vote on November 5! A school levy is on the ballot this year. It is an operating levy to help offset the reduction in state spending, the increase in inflation, and other expenses. To learn more about the levy, be sure to come to the PTO meeting at 7 p.m., Wed., October 23 at Harman. We will discuss the levy with Dr. Kyle Ramey, Oakwood’s superintendent, and Kevin Philo, Oakwood’s treasurer. We hope to see you there!

5. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 (continue) Drama Club Calling all 2 to 5 graders – Drama club will start in January. More details coming. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Meredith Spitzmiller mspitzmiller@woh.rr.com Teacher Luncheons Parents, want an easy way to tell the teachers how much you appreciate them?  Then look no further than the PTO Teacher Appreciation Luncheons.  The luncheons will begin in October and will the first one will be hosted by the Sixth Grade.  Each grade will then host one luncheon thereafter.  Look for an email with a link to Sign-Up Genius in the future....it will be your link to the appropriate luncheon.  (First Grade Parents - no need to worry until we work down through the other grades - your luncheon will be held in May!)  Thank you for helping us make these events fabulous.  Kim Allen and Stephanie O'Hara Smith Elementary Fall Festival Saturday, October 10 10 -2 PM Lots of pumpkins, games, & food! Parent Grants – Do you have an idea for the school that will benefit everyone? Each year PTO puts aside funds to help pay for new, educational, fun programs. This is how Spanish and Drama clubs got started. If you are interested in applying for a grant, please submit the grant application that is attached. They are due on Friday, October 18 and will be reviewed on Friday, October 25th. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Tricia Bauer tgsbauer@yahoo.com.

6. HARMAN PTO NEWSLETTER October 2013 (continue) Cafeteria News Many thanks to our September cafeteria volunteers!  We have a full schedule for October, but there are still openings in November and beyond.  If you are interested in volunteering and have not been sent the sign-up genius link, please email Liz Jacomet at jacomet@att.net. October 1 - Kelly Jones & Liz Jacomet 2 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 3 - Beth Gideon & Masami Smith 4 - George Williams & Stephanie Ferra 7 - Ken Millard & Emily Ochs Carlile 8 - Kelly Jones & Maureen Wagner 9 - George Williams & Friends 10 – Lisa Petkie & OPEN 11 - Sarah Seim & Kelly Thobe 14 - No School/District PD Day 15 - No School/Waiver Day 16 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 17 - Anne Meira & Liz Jacomet 18 - Sarah Seim & Jennifer Makkas 21 - Ken Millard & Emily Ochs Carlile 22 - Kelly Jones & Laura Hart 23 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 24 - Molly MacDonald & Liz Jacomet 25 - Clare & George Thielen 28 - Ken Millard & Marie Devgan 29 - Kelly Jones & Angela Scott 30 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 31 - Anne Dobmeyer & Masami Smith November 1 - No School 4 - Ken Millard & OPEN 5 - Kelly Jones & Margot Hadley 6 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 7 – Lisa Petkie & OPEN 8 - Jennifer Brock & OPEN 11 - Ken Millard & OPEN 12 - Kelly Jones & George Williams 13 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 14 - Jennifer Makkas & Anne Meira 15 - Sarah Seim & OPEN 18 - Ken Millard & OPEN 19 - Kelly Jones & Angela Scott 20 - Sheila Dayspring & Polly Gwin 21 - Beth Gideon & Masami Smith 22 - Chuck & Lynette Dinkler 25 - Ken Millard & Marie Devgan 26 - OPEN & OPEN