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Welcome

Principal Amy Borio

&

Vice Principal Jess Buckle

Planned Fundraisers For 2025 – 2026:

• Lyman Orchard Pie & Cookie Dough Sale -
• Ongoing through Oct. 22nd
• After School Enrichment Programs - Fall, Winter & Spring
• PGS Spirit Wear - September - June
• https://pine-grove-school.spiritsale.com/
• Scholastic Book Fair - Nov. 19th - 25th
• Minted Cards - September - June
• Local Partnership/Events - TBD
• Raise Craze - February 9th - 25th
• Graduation Yard Signs - May 2025
• School Supply Kits - May 2025
• Konstella Ads
• Yearbook

FUNDRAISING

PTO Supports & Funds:

• In Class Field Trip Programs – Grades K – 4 ($17,500)
• Teacher stipend/reimbursement program ($150x53=$7950)
• School Wide Assemblies
• School Improvements and Special Projects
• Family Events
• Family Skate Day - Feb. 1st, 2026
• Movie Night (Sept. 19th) Bingo Night (March 13th)
• Staff Appreciation Events and Meals (approx. $4,250)

Your PTO Dollars at Work

2024-25 Fundraising Donations

• THANK YOU! Because of your support, the PTO is able to offer the following initiatives that directly impact our students, families, teachers, and school.

*Sporting events, local restaurant nights, Enrichment club enrollments, PGS spiritwear & branded items, Minted promotion, raffle winner, Stop & Shop Community Bag program, Box Tops

3%

35%

10%

49%

3%

Hopeful Projects & Family Events:

• Popsicle Social during Meet & Greet - August 26
• Family Movie Night - September 19th
• After School Enrichment Programs - Fall, Winter & Spring
• Trunk or Treat - October 18th
• School Spirit Week
• Family Skate Day, Simsbury Farms - Feb. 1st 2026
• Wolf Pack Game - February 22nd 2026
• Family Bingo Night - March 13th 2026
• Spring Musical(!!)
• Piney Palooza - May 29th 2026
• Coordinating with RBS for an End-of-the-Year 4th Grade Event
• Yard Goats Game - June 14th 2026

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Additional Programs Supported by the PTO

• Pink Out - Oct. 24th - with Community Council
• Piney’s Legacy Library (Lauren Weber)
• Little Free Library (Jennifer de Castro, Lauren Chase & Mira Muniz-Butke)
• Lost and Found (Lauren Chase & Caroline Amin)
• Art Liaisons (Devina Patel and Heather Hutton)
• STEM Closet for the Teachers
• Teacher Luncheons - Back to School, During Parent-Teacher Conferences, and Teacher Appreciation Week (Michelle Hetrick)
• Hospitality - Staff Appreciation Gifts & Kindness Cart (Sarah Pfinsgraff, Julia Olsen & Kelli Brochu)
• Hospitality for Veteran’s Day Assembly (Ashley Marolda)
• New Spirit Wear (Erin Sullivan)
• And More!

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Volunteer Opportunities

All Volunteer Sign-Ups are Posted In Konstella:

• Classroom Parties (Halloween, Winter Holiday, Valentine’s Day, 100th Day of School, End of Year) - Room Leads will post
• Kindness Cart - 1x month
• Lyman Orchard Pie Distribution - Nov. 15th
• Scholastic Book Fair - Nov. 19th - 25th
• Valentine’s Day Lunch - February 13th
• Raise Craze Events and Service Activities - February 9th - 25th
• Teacher & Staff Lunches
• Lunch & Recess Duty - Teacher Appreciation Week
• Art Show in preparation for Open House - TBD
• Field Day - Spring
• 4th Grade Activities - Sycamore Day & Slideshow- June 2026

We need your help!

• 1 Volunteer to help RJ Domack with Grounds and Gardens
• 1-2 Volunteers to help Michelle Hetrick with Staff Lunches during conferences and Teacher Appreciation Week
• 4th Grade Slideshow
• 2-3 Raise Craze Committee Volunteers
• 4th Grade Sycamore Day Committee Volunteers

Konstella – Exclusive PTO Communication Tool

• Make sure your student is assigned to their classroom
• Room Leads communicate only through Konstella regarding classroom specific events, announcements, classroom parties, etc.
• Directory feature – Example, parents can securely communicate/message other parents to schedule playdates, etc.
• Piney Post newsletter every Monday
• Volunteer opportunities, announcements, calendar, directory, and more!
• Pay for items like PGS yearbook & tickets for family events.

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⭐️ This our biggest fundraiser of the year! ⭐️ February 9th - 25th

Last year we were able to raise over $43,000 for PGS and kept over 93% of the proceeds! Monies raised fund in-school and out-of-school field trips, school assemblies and programs, school improvements, teacher stipends, teacher and staff appreciation. This enabled us to purchase the new swings for the playground!

• Through Raise Craze, we are guaranteed to keep at least 90% of donations that come into the school
• Raise Craze aligns with the characters and qualities that we are working to instill in our students
• Student incentives are experience based
• The PTO runs the program ourselves completely and we will need the school and volunteer support to make it a success! Look for volunteer opportunities through Konstella
• Please reach out to the PTO at info@pgspto.com to volunteer to help

Thank you Room Leads!!!

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Room Lead Responsibilities:

• Introduce yourself to the classroom teacher- they may already have a plan for activities and parties for the year
• Your teacher may have additional requests or needs that they will communicate with you
• Create a Konstella post to the classroom parents introducing yourself and your co-room lead (see sample email on the next slide)
• Konstella is the only way you should be communicating with classroom parents
• Create Konstella sign ups for classroom parties
• Collect money from parents for teacher gifts (Winter Holiday, End of Year, Birthday, etc.)
• You can collect one time as a One and Done or separately for each event
• Gifts are always from the entire class no matter who contributes
• PGS PTO will have a standardized list of ways students can show appreciation to their teacher each day during Teacher Appreciation Week
• These gestures are meant to be a non-monetary way for all students to show their thankfulness for their teachers
• Reach out to any one of us for help throughout the year!

Room Leads: Sample Email

Hello Parents/Guardians of [insert teacher’s name],

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We wanted to introduce ourselves as the Room Leads for the upcoming school year! I am [parent's name who is sending the email] ([insert child's name] mom) and will be working alongside [insert co-room lead name] ([insert child's name]mom) as room parents in [insert teacher's name] [insert grade level] classroom. We are excited to share volunteer opportunities, communication methods and important information/dates in order to have a productive and engaging year. We thank you in advance for your interest and support of our students and[insert teacher's name].

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Our only method of communication will be via Konstella, so please be sure to use this app to check for updates/notices, important dates, sign ups, etc. Konstella is used widely throughout the school and has useful information including the school calendar and announcements for activities through the PTO.

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We will be providing more details in the future, but wanted to let you know we are currently working with [insert teacher's name] on planning events, sign up opportunities and parent volunteers. Please be on the lookout for various ways to get involved via Konstella.

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Feel free to contact us with any questions:

[insert room lead parent name] -[parent email] or [parent phone number]

[insert room lead parent name] - [parent email] or [parent phone number]

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We are looking forward to a great year and hopefully get to meet all of you soon!

Sincerely,

[insert names of co-room leads]

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Konstella

• Konstella is our school’s communication and coordination tool.
• Through Konstella, parents receive information on all school and classroom announcements, and volunteer signups.
• Konstella is the only way you should be communicating with classroom parents.

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Creating a Sign-up

1. From Konstella, Click ‘Create'.

2. Choose “One-time Sign Up”

3. Select the Group that it is going to (your classroom)

4. Enter event name (e.g., Halloween Party).

5. Add a description for your event and any information parents may need

6. Add items/jobs and how many are needed (e.g., juice boxes, paper plates, volunteer help).

7. You can add other users as an organizer, like your co-room lead so they can also view and edit your sign-up

8. Save the draft and click “Next” where you can choose to preview your email before sending or “Publish and Notify Users”

9. We would recommend adding a reminder at the bottom 1 or 2 days in advance to remind parents of their sign-up

Creating an Announcement

1. From Konstella, Click ‘Create'.

2. Choose “Announcement”

3. Under “Select Groups” choose your classroom

4. Add a title to your message (e.g., Reminder: Wear your teacher’s favorite color on Friday).

5. Create your announcement.

6. Add additional users if you want your other room lead to be able to view and edit.

7. Save the draft and click “Next” where you can choose to preview your email before sending or “Publish and Notify Users”

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This is used for important info, needed to go out to the entire class.

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Tips and Best Practices

Post signups early so parents can plan.

• For big events and sign-ups, schedule a reminder announcement to go out a few days before.

• Keep announcements clear and short.

• Check your messages regularly.

• Announcements vs. Messages:

• Announcements = one-way (great for reminders and info).
• Messages/Chats = two-way conversations with parents.

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Tips and Best Practices

• When creating a Konstella post, save periodically
• Once you save a document you will then find it under “My Creations” in the top right corner
• Only when you “Publish and Notify Users” is your post sent out to your class
• You can either send your post out “Immediately” or Schedule your post to go out at a specific day and time
• Never hesitate to ask for help!