Gorman Fort Banks Playground Expansion

All participants and town officials have agreed on details outlined in this memo for the expansions of the Gorman Fort Banks Playground, (GFBP). This will be a community build and will rely on professionals and volunteers to complete the project.  The Equipment is slated to arrive this Thursday and will be kept at the DPW until the Build, which will be Saturday October 15, 2011.  The day will begin at 7am and should finish around 5pm.  The equipment will be installed all in one day.  However we need volunteers before and after October 15, 2011 to complete the project.  Attached is a timetable with tasks and recommend number of volunteers.

Timetable

September 29, 2011, equipment delivered to DPW Yard and additional material ordered timbers, re-bar cement.

October 5, 2011 Dig safe will be called to mark excavation area.

October 8^th or 9^th volunteers needed for 1 to 3 hours in the am to prep wood for playground border

October 13, 2011 Playground Closed until 10-18 and temporary tape or fencing around area

October 13, 2011 DPW backhoe will be used to excavated area up to 12” need two additional bodies for policing area for safety, fence at end of day

October 14, 2011 Playground will be marked by company representative (Joe McMahon) in am for mid day start of digging footings- Rent a two man auger from Atlantic- need four person team to dig holes.  Need ply wood to cover holes overnight.  Begin wood border with Steve C and Mike B

October 15, 2011 need twenty volunteers to assembled playground with company representative, day begins at 7am and should end around 5pm.  Need volunteers for build and to run activities for school aged child while parents help with build volunteers participate.  DPW will have a hose, patio bricks, cement mixture and ample cement for build.  Steve Mike and other will continue to assemble boarder with re-bar.  Need a volunteer to take pictures notify paper and maintain volunteer list with contact info. 

October 16, 2011, Finish boarder and back fill playground area with wood chips 8 to10 volunteers, wheel barrels, rakes, weed whackers ect.  Fence Playground until October 18, 2011 to let cement dry and final inspection of play area.

This is a tentative schedule and is subject to change.  Please sign up with Dawn Manning to participate with this project. You may leave your information by commenting on this post or e-mail Dawn directly at kmanningfamily[insert at symbol here]comcast.net.

Stop & Shop A+ Rewards Program

Last year we earned $442 through Stop & Shop's A+ Program. We can do better!

Even though you may have signed up last year, you have to register again. Go to www.stopandshop.com, choose “Our Stores” tab, then “Register Your Card”. Or click here. You can find our school if you search by state, or enter school ID: 06294.You can register your card for up to two schools. Please register
soon, and ask your relatives and neighbors to sign up as well. This is a great, easy way for Fort Banks to get money, and it’s all up to you how much the school earns!

As always, I am there to help. You can send me an email with your card number and your last
name, and I will be happy to sign you up myself. Also, feel free to ask questions about this
program!

Thank you again, team!

Tanya Mendieta (Cash4fort.stopnshop@hotmail.com)

Access Road Meeting, September 19

On Monday night September 19th at 6pm there will be an informational meeting at the Gorman Fort Banks Elementary School regarding the establishment of an access road off Kennedy Drive.  If any of you have ever had the pleasure of dropping off a student or picking them up, you know how challenging the traffic is. Your attendance will show your support for the efforts to alleviate this problem.

Send in your summer reading logs!

If you haven't already done so, it's time to turn in your summer reading logs from our summer reading program. Please be sure your child's name, current teacher and grade are clearly printed at the top. Lost your log? Click here for a blank form.

The PTO is grateful to Twist & Shake for sponsoring our summer reading program.

Agenda for Wednesday, September 14

We hope to see you this Wednesday, September 14 at 8:30 am in the cafeteria. As many of us have work and activity commitments, we will try very hard to keep our morning meetings as close to one hour as possible.

Click here to download the print version.

Gorman Fort Banks PTO

Meeting Agenda for September 14th, 8:30 AM

• Intro 
• Introduction of Board
• Agenda items must be submitted in writing to marcie.moline@gmail.com at least 5 days prior
• Committee business vs. PTO General Session
• Principal’s Report (Mrs. Pearson) 
• Treasurer Report (Carolyn Gagnon)  
• Summary Report of Disbursements and Balance
• Site Council Update (Carolyn Gagnon) 
• Room parent drawing will take place outside of today’s meeting (Dawn Manning)
• Whether you are or are not a room parent, you can still volunteer in your child’s classroom or in the school
• Volunteer Update (Kelly Parker) 
• We also need volunteers for the library, contact Dawn Hurley
• Drop-off, Carolyn Gagnon
• Resource, Dawn Manning
• Absentee hotline, Linda Straccia
• Recess and lunch
• Cookie Dough Fundraiser
• Gorman Fort Banks T-shirts - Vote
• Clothes drive for the last week of September or first week of October? Vote.
• Summer reading program (Marcie Moline) - turn in those forms!
• Kindergarten Social (Marcie Moline)
• Affiliate programs
• Box Tops
• Labels for Education
• Recycle Rewards rrewards.com
• Labels4kids.com
• Stop & Shop A+ Rewards
• In-school Enrichment Activities
• Family Events
• Spooky Bingo - Vote for date to be held
• Valentine’s Day Bingo
• Literacy Night
• Math & Science Event
• Playground Update (Dawn Manning)
• Open Forum

PTO 2011-12 Meeting Dates

September 14, 8:30 AM	October 12, 6:30 PM
November 9, 8:30 AM	December 7, 6:30 PM
January 11, 8:30 AM	February 8, 6:30 PM
March 7, 8:30 AM	April 4, 6:30 PM
May 9, 8:30 AM	June 6, 6:30 PM

All meetings are on Wednesdays.

School Dropoff

For those of you who are old-timers you know how difficult school drop off at the Fortbanks can be. And for those who are new to the school, we have a legendary traffic reputation. The road configuration right now is "one way in, one way out." The key to making morning drop off work is through our parent volunteers. Do you have 15 to 20 minutes one morning a week?

All you need to do is stand in the loop from approximately 7:50 am to 8:05 to open car doors and be sure the children safely exit their vehicle and get onto the sidewalk.

What can you do to make drop off work like a machine:

• Consider installing your child's car seat on the passenger side if it is currently on the driver's side.
• Make sure your child is holding their backpack and lunch bag or have it in their immediate reach as you are entering the loop.
• Run through a check list with your child as you wait in the traffic line, "Do you have your backpack ready? Is your hat on..."
• Be cautious of pedestrians in cross walks.
• Do not park in the DPW lot.
• If you must travel with your pet during drop off. Be sure they are properly secured in their kennel or by leash. Drop off time often causes excitement or anxiety in pets. For the safety of the children, volunteers and your pet, please try to leave them for the brief time at home. Again, if they must travel with you, keep your pet secure and away from the volunteers and the exiting vehicle door.
• If your child does not know how to disconnect their seatbelt, now is the time to teach them and go over appropriate safety rules. Remind them that they should not disconnect their belt until the vehicle comes to a full stop.
• As the driver, DO NOT EXIT THE VEHICLE! This is why we ask for volunteers. Pull your car up to a volunteer and they will open your child's door.

Please add your name and e-mail to the comments if you are able to volunteer. Note, this information will not be posted on the blog but will be forwarded to the PTO.