What exactly does the PTO do? Put simply, the PTO works with the staff to enhance the opportunities for our children. The award-winning volunteer program provides thousands of hours of assistance to the staff including time as writing coaches, correcting papers, or working in the library. Our manpower and funds enhance the facilities such as maintenance of the playground, beautifying the campus and construction and maintenance of the Outdoor Classroom. The PTO also provides financial support and parent coaches for various student enrichment groups such as Battle of the Books and Math Olympiad, as well as supporting a Cultural Enrichment program that brings new and exciting presentations and performances to the school year-round. Finally, the PTO promotes community by sponsoring family fun events such as Bingo Night and the Ice Skating Social.
How does the PTO do it? The PTO needs to raise funds to make all of these wonderful things happen. The biggest fundraiser of the year is our Magazine Drive which takes place in the month of September. Selling has never been easier since you can now order online and select Bicentennial to benefit. Even out-of-town relatives can participate by going to the Bicentennial web page and clicking on “PTO”. The magazine link is up on the PTO website year round and magazines purchased throughout the year benefit the school. In the spring we will have a Yankee Candle fundraiser just in time for Mothers Day. We also have our Bobcat Bonus Bucks program which is unique in that kids are not involved with selling anything. Families that want to participate can buy gift cards to national retailers at face value, but the PTO purchases the cards at a discount resulting in a rebate that the PTO keeps and puts back into our programs. Bobcat Bonus Bucks are sold a few times throughout the year.
Who makes up the PTO membership? Every Bicentennial family is automatically a member of the PTO and we encourage everyone to attend a meeting to find out more about what we do. Due to feedback received last spring, this year meetings will alternate each month from morning meetings to evening meetings the next month. Hopefully this will make it easier for people to attend a meeting and get involved in all the wonderful things the PTO has going on throughout the year. Below you will find a list of the meetings scheduled for this year. The morning meetings are held in the school cafeteria and the evening meetings are located in the Media Center. We hope to see you soon!
September 20th 7:15 p.m.
October 16th 9:30 a.m.
November 14th 7:15 p.m.
January 15th 9:30 a.m.
February 20th 7:15 p.m.
March 12th 9:30 a.m.
April 11th 7:15 p.m.
May 14th 9:30 a.m.