Robert Crown School PTO

The Spring Fundraiser, the proceeds from which we will put toward a new electronic sign for outside the school, is coming to a close very soon!

Don’t forget to check out the Flower Power catalog your student brought home, or if you prefer, send in your donation for our No Hassle Fundraiser (download form here).

The school years continues to fly by and we find ourselves in March… already!! We have another busy month ahead of us at Robert Crown. Here’s what’s on deck:

• Kindergarten Pre-Registration is Monday, March 2 from 6-7:30 p.m. Parents that have children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2015, and who live within the boundaries of Wauconda CUSD 118, are eligible to register for the 2015-16 school year.
• Our Spring Fundraiser also kicks off on March 2 and runs through March 16. This year we are trying something different, offering a catalog featuring flowers, bulbs and seeds that will be delivered in early May — in time for our regional planting season and Mother’s Day!
  If you are not interested in the flowers, we are also offering a No Hassle option, where families can donate money directly to Robert Crown PTO. Through this fundraiser, we hope to raise $6,000 to purchase a new electronic sign for outside our school. The kids are especially excited about this fundraiser, because the top sellers in each grade level will get to help duct tape Mrs. Diol and Miss Picchetti to the wall! Look for information to come home in backpacks this week!
• Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough order pick-up is Tuesday, March 3 from 3:45-6 p.m. in the Cafeteria.
• The March PTO meeting is Wednesday, March 4 at 9:30 a.m. in the Teacher’s Lounge. We hope to see you there!
• The Spring Spirit Wear Sale also begins on March 4 and runs through March 18. A new selection of items will be available to order online or using the flyer that will be sent home this week.
• Manna Gift Card orders are due on Wednesday, March 11 and will be delivered on the following Wednesday, March 18.
• Market Day orders are due Thursday, March 12 and will be available for pick up on Monday, March 16.
• Don’t miss Shamrock Gym Night on Friday, March 13!! It’s a fun family event with games and activities, and everyone’s favorite — the gym maze!! Look for information to come home with all of the details soon!
• Ice Cream Sales and Spirit Wear Day are on Friday, March 20, just before we all head off for a well-deserved Spring Break!

You may recall, we launched a new project this month, called Valentines for Veterans. With only a few days notice before going on a 5-day weekend break, the students and families at Robert Crown really took this endeavor to heart. We ended up with literally hundreds of Valentines for vets and active duty military, all of which were distributed by members of the Veterans R&R Youth Committee.

Click here for a slide show of pictures, featuring RCS students and the recipients of all of our goodwill and appreciation.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated! We are definitely going to make this an annual activity!!!

Welcome to February Robert Crown Families!!

Here’s what the PTO has going on this month:

• The February PTO meeting was cancelled. We will see you next month, on Wednesday, March 4 at 9:30 a.m.
• Manna Gift Card orders are due on Wednesday, February 11. Don’t miss out on this easy way to get all your gift cards in one place, while also helping our school!
• Classroom Valentine’s Parties are also on Wednesday, February 11. Look for information from your child’s room parent to come home soon, if it hasn’t already.
• Market Day orders are due on Thursday, February 19. Orders can be picked up on Monday, February 23 in the cafeteria between 3:40 and 5:30.
• Friday, February 20 is Popcorn Day! Popcorn will be sold for 25 cents during each lunch period. This is also Spirit Wear day! Make sure your little Bulldog wears his or her favorite school colors!
• Look for exciting news about a new fundraiser coming home soon! The prize for the top sellers in this program is something special!!

Since school was closed on Wednesday, January 7, the monthly PTO meeting has been rescheduled for January 14 at 9:30 a.m. We hope to see you there.

It’s cold outside, but the students all got a warm welcome back from Winter Break today! We hope everyone enjoyed their time off and is ready for a great second half of the school year!

Here’s what’s going on at Robert Crown this month:

• The first RCS PTO meeting of the year is Wednesday, January 7 at 9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. Join us to hear about all of the wonderful programs we have on tap for the rest of the year.
• The School Supply Sale is January 14-15. Students will be able to buy a variety of items to restock their classroom supplies, with items ranging in price from $0.10-$2.00. We will also need volunteers to help staff the sale. Look for more information to come home in your children’s backpacks soon! Contact April Jasinski if you have any questions or to volunteer!
• Next week also marks the start of the Otis Spumkmeyer Fundraiser, featuring delicious cookie dough and other sweet and savory treats! This is one of our  most popular fundraisers of the year. The sale runs from January 14-28. Items will be available for pick up on March 3. Students will bring home order forms and additional information soon.
• Manna Gift Card orders are due on Wednesday, January 14. This is a wonderful program that allows you to purchase gift cards to many of the most popular national stores and restaurants while also helping our school. Many families buy gift cards to Target, Jewel and other stores they frequent, gifts for friends and family, or gas cards for every-day or business travel. If you have purchased from Manna in the past, thank you for your continued support. If not, take a closer look at the order form this month and we’re sure you’ll find family favorite!
• Market Day orders for January are due on Thursday, Jan. 22, and can be picked up on Monday, Jan. 26. Stock up for quick family dinners, snacks or game day treats!! Contact Jessica Schachelmayer with questions or to volunteer to help on pick-up day.
• Ice Cream sales will be Friday, January 23. Students will be able to purchase ice cream sandwiches or Minute Maid fruit bars for 50 cents during their lunch period. Contact Lyn Lacrosse if you’d like to volunteer to help sell to the students! That Friday is also Spirit Wear day! Dress your student up in their favorite purple and gold to show their Bulldog Spirit!!
• Friday, January 23 is also Family Movie Night, featuring How to Train Your Dragon 2! Don’t miss this fun event, held from 6:30-9:30 in the gym. Wear your PJs. Bring your favorite pillows and blankets. And cuddle up with some popcorn and other treats to share! If you would like to volunteer for this event, contact Carrie Hewitt.
• To wrap up the month, the joint District #118 PTO will host a Family Bingo Night at Wauconda High School on Friday, January 30. Look for more information on this district-wide event soon!!

Here we are… near the end of 2014 already! The RCS PTO elves have been busy getting ready for a busy and exciting December! Just look at everything we’ve got coming up:

• Holiday Shop: The Holiday Shop runs from Tuesday, December 2 to Friday, December 5 this year. Each class will have a chance to visit the shop to buy presents for immediate family members. The kids absolutely love the opportunity to pick out gifts for their loved ones! If you forget to send money on your child’s assigned shopping day, don’t worry! They can still pick out gifts, and we will send a note home with the amount owed. If you have any questions about Holiday shop, contact Cinda Hansen or Jill Morino.
• Fall Fundraiser Pick Up: If you or your family members placed an order through the Great American Gift catalog in October, your items will be available for pick up on Tuesday, December 2 from 3:40-6:00 in the RCS Cafeteria.
• Since December is a short month at school, we have early deadlines for both Manna Gift Card and Market Day orders this month. Manna orders are due on Wednesday, December 10 and will be delivered on Wednesday, December 17. Market Day orders are due on Thursday, December 11 and can be picked up on Monday, December 15.
• Classroom Holiday Parties will be held on the last day of school before Winter Break, Friday, December 19. You should receive information about your student’s party from the Head Room Parent shortly, if you haven’t already.
• In addition to the above PTO-sponsored events, the 2nd Grade Musical is on Wednesday, December 17. If you have questions, please contact the office. (UPDATED WITH CORRECT DATE)

We wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!!

Here’s what’s happening at Robert Crown this week:

• There is no school on Tuesday, November 4, in observance of Election Day. Don’t forget to vote!!
• The October/November PTO meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria. We hope to see you there!
• Good luck to all the students performing in the 5th Grade Musical on Thursday night!
• Sunday, November 9 is the District 118 Fall Fashion Show. Don’t miss this fun event! All proceeds from the event are split between the three elementary schools and two middle schools in the district.
• Next week is our Fall Book Fair! We are looking for volunteers to help with set up and work the Fair. Contact Laura Weintroub if you’d like to help out! Also, look for more information to come home in your child’s backpack this week, including details on Family Night and our Burger King Restaurant Benefit Night!

Other Upcoming Events

• Market Day orders are due on Thursday, November 13. This month is PIE MONTH, and if we sell more than 100 pies we get a boost in the percentage of sales we receive!! The delicious pies are perfect for the upcoming holidays, so stock up!! Orders will be available for pick-up in the Cafeteria on Monday, November 17.

We hope everyone had a nice long weekend! Back to business as usual for this week!

It’s Red Ribbon Week, where we focus on positive attitudes and behaviors and making good choices! Every day there is a different theme to keep the students engaged in the discussion; and on Thursday we will have a fun assembly featuring BMX superstar Matt Wilhelm! A flyer with all the details was sent home in students’ backpacks but here’s an extra reminder (you can also download the flyer here):

• Monday: “STOP Bad Choices and Eat Right”. Students and teachers are encouraged to wear red today.
• Tuesday: “Hairs to Being Healthy!” Crazy Hair Day!!!!
• Wednesday: “Don’t Get Stuck on Drugs” Students can wear a hat and they will receive a sucker.
• Thursday: “Team Up Against Drugs”. Students and teachers can wear their Robert Crown Spirit wear or school’s colors (purple and yellow). There will be a special afternoon assembly scheduled for students to attend. Matt Wilhem, a professional BMX biker will entertain the kids and encourage them to live a healthy life.
• Friday: “Shade Out Drugs Day!” Students and teachers are encouraged to wear sunglasses today.

On Friday, we will celebrate Halloween with a costume parade around school grounds at 2 p.m. (weather permitting), followed by classroom parties. Contact your Head Room Parent, if you haven’t already heard about your students’ party!

Other Upcoming Events

• There is no school on Tuesday, November 4, in observation of Election Day.
• The next PTO meeting is Wednesday, November 5 at 9:30 a.m. in the RCS cafeteria.
• The District 118 PTO Fall Fashion Show is Sunday, November 9 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Concorde Banquets in Kildeer. Tickets are available online at the Dist. 118 PTO website or you can submit your order via check using this form.
• Our Fall Scholastic Book Fair is November 10-14. Look for more information to come home in your students’ backpacks soon! And don’t forget Wednesday is always Family Night, with a special restaurant benefit night at Burger King where Mrs. Diol and Miss Picchietti will be helping serve food!