Brief PTO Briefing
Nothing so brief should need a subtitle!
December Cheer
Panera fundraiser
Though this may be a destabilizingly controversial opinion, it is the official position of (this year’s) Johnson Elementary PTO that Thanksgiving is a great holiday, and we hope that yours was as wonderful as ours was.
Also, we wanted to mention how much we appreciate all the feedback we’ve received in the last few weeks about the school name change situation and the elementary school attendance rezoning process that the city has undertaken. We read some very cogent and coherent arguments from different folks coming at these questions from different perspectives, and it was heartening to see our community’s passion and engagement around these issues displayed with such care and concern.
As we said we would, we forwarded your school name feedback to the relevant authorities, and also of course to the federal government so that you can be added to the appropriate watchlists. (The last is a joke.) We also shared the following with the naming committee, which we think is important and entirely true:
We want to add that no matter what the committee recommends—and whatever the school board ultimately decides to rename the school—we do not doubt that the commitment of the families, teachers, and staff that make Johnson the strong and wonderful community that it is will maintain. We are not bound in service of "Johnson" or "Tall Oaks" or "Public School 1645" or whatever words wind up atop the letterhead and on the sign out front. Our commitment is to the idea that all children deserve an education, that public schooling is an essential element of the good working order of civic life, and that our current and future community is made stronger by our collective engagement. Call the building whatever you like—our unwavering commitment is to the people inside, for the benefit of us all.
Here’s what’s going on with the PTO for the next little while:
December Sunshine
Julie Basic is heading up our December Sunshine Committee efforts, and is organizing a Hot Chocolate Bar for Wednesday, December 18 to send the teachers and staff off into winter break with a tasty treat. Please sign up to help provide the goodies and the various necessary infrastructure by clicking the button below, and email Julie here with any questions.
December Cheer
Sometimes sunshine isn’t enough! Sometimes we also have to do cheer! Please help us accomplish the spreading of both the sunshine (above) and the cheer, which can be accomplished by bringing in $10 gift cards to just about any establishment you can think of, so that cheer—in the form of $10 gift cards—can be spread to the Johnson staff. From Mr. Kronstain:
$10 Gift Cards REQUEST
Throughout December, we will be celebrating with our Johnson staff by counting down the 12 Days of Cheer. We’re looking for a number of $10 Gift Cards from various locations to pass out as gifts throughout the countdown days. Please bring these gift cars to the Front Office (and leave with Ms. Liz). THANK YOU!!!
Note: The three exclamation marks were Mr. K’s editorial choice, and we are not here to judge.
Panera Fundraiser Day!
Due to a longstanding personal feud that borders on a perhaps psychologically unhealthy vendetta, I am unable to speak entirely freely about my feelings about this particular fundraiser. (Please, no follow-up questions.) Being the professional that I am, however, I can deliver the basic facts: on December 10, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Panera in the Fifth Street Station shopping center the PTO will receive a generous 30% net share of the price of your order when you tell them you’re there for our fundraiser. This works through the website, via their app, or in-person. Details abound on the flyer below. Check it out!
Thanks for your time! Talk to you soon.