Robert Crown School PTO

This week we kick off our biggest fundraiser of the year. As in previous years we are working with a wonderful company called Great American. Your student(s) will be bringing home a packet of information, including several catalogs and order forms, later this week. We will kick things off with a brief, fun assembly on Wednesday, during which the kids will learn all about the program and the prizes available. This will be the only time we ever take your kids out of class for an assembly like this.

You can get a sneak peek of what Great American is offering this year at their website. One of the most exciting new additions is a selection of personalized photo items, including gifts and holiday cards. You can upload your photos online, just like with other popular photo sites, and our school reaps the benefits!

We will also be participating in Great American’s partnership program with Save the Children again this year. For every student who sells at least five items, Great American will donate a baby chick to a family in an impoverished country, helping them provide food and extra income to sustain their health and well being. Stop by the school during the month of October to see our wall of chicks outside the cafeteria, representing each Robert Crown student who reached that goal!

District 118 Area Gift Card Program

If you are a fan of the Manna Gift Card program, you are going to love our newest program! In October and January, we will be offering a new gift card program, focusing on Wauconda- and Island Lake- area businesses. Instead of one-off Restaurant Benefit nights, you will be able to purchase gift cards to area restaurants that you can use at your convenience. The restaurants, in turn, donate 10% of the value of all gift cards sold to our school. An order form will go home with students this week and is due back to school by October 8. If we get a good response this first time around, we hope to be able to expand the program to include other businesses in the area!

 Other Upcoming Events

• Donuts with Dad will be held on October 15 from 7:00 – 8:30 am. Make sure all the dads, grandpas, uncles or other guys in your kids’ lives mark their calendars for that fun event!
• Pumpkin Fest is a fantastic family event put on by the Robert Crown teachers and staff! Stop by on Saturday, October 18, between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for some fall family fun and games!
• Matthews Middle School’s 7th annual Run For Your Life 5K walk/run is also Saturday, October 18. Visit the MMS website for more information or to register.
• The Bulldog Nation Foundation, a group that raises money to help improve and support the educational experience at Wauconda High School, invites you to Trivia Night, hosted by STAR Charities, with all proceeds going to Bulldog Nation Foundation. The event is Saturday, October 25 from 6-10 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. For more details, visit the BNF website.
• The District 118 PTO Fall Fashion Show will be 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. We are currently looking for donations for Silent Auction baskets. For more information on suggested donations, click here.

Today is the deadline for your September Market Day order! Visit www.MarketDay.com to check out all their products and special online deals! Pick up is Monday, September 22.

Tomorrow is the deadline for turning in your PTO membership if you want to be included in the Membership Directory! You can send the form in your child’s backpack or sign up online at: http://www.d118pto.org/join-the-pto/.

We hope everyone is having a great school year so far! Here’s what’s happening with Robert Crown PTO this week.

Community Crawl – Sept. 9-11

This week marks the first joint fundraiser of the year between the three grade schools and two middle schools — the District 118 Community Crawl. Stop by participating local businesses between Tuesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 11 for a bite to eat, a drink, a haircut, a gift or something fun for yourself.

And don’t forget to join us at the Wauconda Farmer’s Market for our Back to School Night school supply drive on Thursday, September 11 from 3-7 p.m. All of the supplies collected will be distributed between the five schools for use in stocking up classrooms as needed.

Manna Gift Card Order Forms Due

Do you have birthdays or holidays coming up where you’re stumped for gift ideas? Does your business offer gas cards or incentives to your employees? Did you know the Robert Crown PTO offers a program that helps us raise money while providing our families with an easy way to order gift cards for those very occasions? Your child should have brought home an order form for our Manna Express program in his or her backpack last week. All you have to do is fill out the form, send in a check, and within about a week you will receive all of the gift cards you ordered! We hand deliver them to your child’s classroom and make sure they are put directly in their backpack to ensure safe delivery home.

Order forms for our Manna gift card program are due this week, on Wednesday, September 10. You can download the order form here. Contact Cinda Hansen with questions.

It’s time again for our annual Community Crawl! On September 9th, 10th, and 11th, the three elementary schools and two middle schools will team up to support our local businesses. The participating businesses are listed on this flyer and will also display a sign in their storefronts.

Please visit these businesses September 9th, 10th, and 11th! A percentage of each sale comes back to our schools, and we are able to show our generous business owners how much they are appreciated. Throughout the year, they make numerous donations to assist our PTOs in the various events that are held. The Community Crawl is a fantastic way to support our schools and local businesses at the same time!

Thursday, September 11th, we will be hosting a Back to School night at the Wauconda Farmers’ Market. We will be collecting school supplies to distribute to the teachers in our district. When you drop off a donation, you will receive a coupon for a free item from one of several businesses as a thank you!

Invite your friends, relatives, and co-workers to participate too! Additional flyers are available at your school or you can download the Community Crawl flyer here. Be sure to mention that you are a District 118 parent when making your purchases so our schools get a percentage back from your support!

Enjoy a delicious beverage, pastry, lunch, dinner, dessert or pamper yourself at one or more of the participating merchants! Have fun shopping! Remember, it’s all for a good cause!

If you have a question, please contact one of the committee members or drop us an email at d118pto.commcrawl@att.net.

The Wauconda District 118 PTO
Community Crawl Committee

Dana Plunkett (WMS), Lauren Maihack (WGS) Jill Morino (RC),
Rachel Coty (CC), Kim Miller (MMS), Michelle Huspen (WMS)