Dear Parent or Guardian:
Please allow me to take a moment and welcome you to St. Peter School for the 2016-2017 school
year! Additionally, I wanted to write to you and encourage your participation in perhaps the
most important organization associated with our school: our Parent Teacher Association (PTA).
Our PTA consists of a dedicated group of parents who spearhead a number of initiatives to
support the school financially, as well as build a real sense of community. Our sincere hope is
that you will not only participate in PTA events, but become active yourselves in assisting with
its many activities.
As all of you know, the cost of Catholic education is by no means cheap. In order to offset some
of our costs, the PTA engages in a number of fundraisers that directly benefit the operation of
our school, building maintenance issues, technology upgrades, and countless other expenses that
might come to mind. Without getting into specifics in this letter, the PTA provides a vital source
of funding, second only to the subsidy that the school receives from the Diocese of Camden. For
this reason, I am writing to you to strongly support and become involved in our PTA.
However, the issue goes beyond financial concerns. The PTA coordinates a number of activities
designed to build community and foster a strong sense of family rooted in our Catholic values.
The organization also constitutes an important means of communication with me and the
teachers as to common concerns expressed by parents. I greatly value the input of the PTA and
the awareness that they give me as to parental concerns.
As with many organizations, there is often a sense that only a relatively small group of
individuals are doing most of the work. However, lot of hands can make short work of any task. I
am appealing earnestly to you to get involved- to perhaps pick one or two activities that you can
offer direct assistance during the year if you are unable to make a greater commitment. It would
be all the better if you could devote yourself faithfully to all the activities of the PTA. It is truly
in your best interest and that of the school to be involved.
Sincerely,
Mr. Joseph Saffioti
Principal
September 2016
Dear St. Peter Family,
Welcome back to the 2016 – 2017 school year! We are so excited to welcome our teachers, staff, parents and students back to
all the new and exciting things this school year will bring! Throughout the summer we have been working closely with Mr. Saffioti,
Mrs. O’Callaghan, Father Tim and various school and church staff to strengthen and streamline communication, create new and
exciting events for our community and enhance our existing programs.
One of the cornerstones of our enhanced communication initiatives is the new St. Peter School website. Thank you to Chrissie
Bendler, Co-Vice President of Events and Programs, for volunteering her time and talent to create a user-friendly, content-rich, and
professionally designed platform to disseminate vital school and PTA information. Log on and check it out www.stpeterschool.org.
As many of you may have noticed, we’ve also invested resources into marketing and communicating more efficiently via Facebook.
We will be using this social media tool, not only to promote our school and the PTA, but to use in conjunction with the website to
keep our community informed and updated. Please like us on Facebook to stay in the loop.
Thanks to Marci Abate, Co-Vice President of Events and Programs, we are also introducing a new app for your mobile phone
called Remind, a free text messaging app to connect you to the latest events and information. Please see us at Back To School
Night or look on our website or Facebook page to sign up for this quick and easy tool.
In addition to our upgraded communication vehicles this year, we also heard your survey responses concerning our school events.
While the majority agreed St. Peter events are amazing, there is always room for suggestions and improvements, and we listened.
We are proud to announce the addition of two new signature events this year, Fall Fest and Irish Fest. We are very
excited about the possibilities for each of these events, but we need YOU to make them a huge, fun-filled family success! We will
have more information at Back to School Night, as well as, at our open PTA meeting Thursday, September 29th at 7:00 pm in
Pastor’s Hall.
Continuing our much beloved events like the Christmas Bazaar and Race for Education are just as important too. No worries they will
return – bigger and better than ever! We’re also very happy to announce Candy Bingo is back!! Along with a new Pinsetter’s
Bowling Night and Halloween Dance, two events just for the older kids.
We look forward to meeting each and every one of you this year. Please visit our table at Back to School Night to say hello and
check out how you can make a difference. We continually welcome your ideas, your time, and appreciate your passion in making St.
Peter a shining example of community, commitment and excellence.
Sincerely your PTA Executive Board,
Claire Ciccotelli, President
[email protected]; 609-934-3490
Megan Frombach, Co-Communications Officer
[email protected]; 856-896-7009
Jenn Hak, Vice President and Volunteer/Room Parent Coordinator
[email protected]; 609-922-2302
Christine Wabs, Co-Communications Officer
[email protected]; 856-701-1321
Marci Abate, Co-Vice President of Special Events and Programs
[email protected]; 856-952-9816
Melanie O’Connor, Financial Officer
[email protected]; 215-570-0575
Chrissie Bendler, Co-Vice President of Special Events and Programs
[email protected]; 215-341-6152
The mission of St. Peter School PTA is to work in conjunction with the teachers, principal, advancement director and school board to maintain
open lines of communication between staff and parents; enrich our children’s health, well-being and educational success through strong parent,
family and community involvement; while developing and executing events, programs and fundraisers that support this mission.
PTA TRUTHS AND MYTHS
PTA TRUTHS
Provides Financial Support. Last year the PTA and its volunteers raised more than $50,000 for our school. This
money is used to offset tuition costs, purchase much needed equipment and supplies, update communication and
essential technologies, help pay for school assemblies and field trips, as well as support the expenses for the continuous fundraising, school and community events it provides.
Supports Our School. The PTA and its volunteers provide over 1,000 hours of volunteer support to our school and
coordinate additional volunteer hours through our Room Parent program.
Provides Educational Enrichment. Throughout the school year, the PTA and its volunteers implement various
school assemblies and book fairs to enrich our children’s experiences.
Builds Community. From staff appreciation luncheons, to Trunk or Treat, to the Race for Education, the PTA and its
volunteers strive to support our teachers, staff, children and parents through many programs designed to show our
gratitude; while simultaneously supporting strong family values, fostering a community where all are welcome, all this
and more wrapped up in some good-old fashion fun!
PTA MYTHS
Only moms or teachers are involved in the PTA. A strong PTA needs the support of all parents, caretakers, family
members, teachers, staff, parishioners and community members. Anyone who cares about our children and school
can be involved. Reach out to us, we are here for you.
Supporting the PTA means I have to volunteer my time. The PTA appreciates any support, in any form. This can
include donating water, juice or soda, baking or buying food, or donating items to be auctioned at events. Coming to
the many events, supporting the book fairs, and the dine and donates are another great way to support our mission.
We also welcome gift cards to offset event costs. Any donation can be sent through the school marked PTA.
I’ll get roped into volunteering all the time. While we would love lots of volunteers, all the time, we realize that is
not realistic. You can do one and done, or none – no pressure. We appreciate any time no matter how small.
I have an idea but no one is interested. New ideas are always welcome! While we do make a lot of decisions over
the summer due to booking reservations for space in the parking lot or Pastors Hall, as well as, securing vendors, we
are still open to all of your suggestions, talents and feedback. We are instituting two open PTA meetings, one for fall
and Christmas events and one for spring and end of year events. Please check the website or Facebook and join us.
10 RESONS TO GET INVOLVED
1.
Volunteering makes a big difference. Research consistently shows that kids whose
parents are involved in their schools do better.
2.
Volunteering offers tangible ways to be part of things. Sometimes we might mean well,
but our busy lives get in the way of committing. Joining a parent group will provide
concrete ways to get involved, whether at events, in the classroom, or on a committee.
3.
It feels great to participate! Your child spends a lot of time at school, and it’s great to
share some of her school-related experiences with her.
4.
You’ll get to know other parents. It’s powerful to create a circle of adult friends around
a school, and having a shared interest is a good place to start. What’s more, it can help
foster connections between families in your community.
5.
Your help is always needed. Whether it’s helping run the next big event or providing
support in the classroom, there are always ways to pitch in.
6.
It’s a manageable commitment. Volunteering can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to
be. Spend an hour at a bingo night or talent show, and your efforts will be appreciated.
7.
It’s fun! Even simple events like pizza nights and family reading nights can spice up your
week.
8.
You can tailor volunteering to play to your strengths. Within a parent group or school
community there are many ways to contribute, some of which are sure to complement
your strengths, interests, or professional skills.
9.
Have a great idea? Volunteering gives you opportunities to get your ideas out there.
10.
Volunteering provides another way to get to know school and support staff to better
understand their needs and ideas.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A ROOM PARENT?
WHAT IS A ROOM PARENT?
There are usually two parents per classroom assigned as the room parents for the school year. Together, along with the
teachers they will collaborate activities and parties within the classroom. Specific needs vary per class.
WHY BE A ROOM PARENT BE?
You’ll learn about the school, meet parents, become acquainted with school staff and socialize with a variety of adults
invested in the school’s success. Volunteering can also be a great example for children, an opportunity to illustrate the
benefits of giving back to a community.
ROOM PARENTS RESPONSIBILITIES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Recah out to the class parents and introduce yourself.
Gather and distribute class list information.
Participate in classroom functions as directed by the teacher.
Attend field trips.
Collect and make basket with classroom donations for Christmas Bazaar.
Communicate with class parents/guardians throughout the year via email regarding various donations and class information.
Collect monetary donations for group teacher gifts at Christmas and end of the year.
Contribute food item for teacher meetings throughout the year (4-5 times a year).
Volunteer at a least one PTA sponsored event.
Encourage other parents within the class to volunteer.
Attend one CAP class and submit fingerprints for eligibility.
Attend a meeting at school on October 6th at 7:00 pm.
HOW DO YOU SIGN UP?
At back to school night there will be signup sheets in each classroom. If interested you can ask the teacher specific questions
that night pertaining to their classroom. You may also reach out to Jenn Hak at [email protected] if you have any
general Room Parent Questions.
We look forward to meeting you and thank you for time and dedication.
NO TIME TO VOLUNTEER? DONATIONS WELCOMED.
WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER but we understand volunteering does not always fit in your
schedule, no worries. You can still be a part of the PTA by donating various items that are
essential for a successful school event.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Rectangle Plastic table clothes (green, yellow, purple, etc.)
Case of water (small or large bottles)
Case of juice boxes
Case of soda
Napkins
Paper plates
Plastic cups
Plastic utensils
Raffle tickets
Gift Cards are also a wonderful way to keep us on budget!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
BJ’s/Costco’s
Dollar General/ Dollar Tree
Wegmans/ShopRite
Philadelphia Soft Pretzel
King of Pizza/ Rita Marie’s
Amazon
Oriental Trading
Target
You can send these items through school at any time! Please just mark them PTA.
Or for you convenience contact Jenn Hak to arrange for pick up or drop off of any of the above items
at [email protected] or 609-922-2302.
SPS EVENTS 2016-2017
SEPTEMBER
6th-8th • Boo Hoo Yahoo Breakfast
15th & 22nd • Back to School Night
23rd • Candy Bingo
30th • Pinsetters Night (grades 5-8)
29th • Open PTA Meeting
FEBRUARY
10th • Daddy Daughter Dance
OCTOBER
22nd • Fall Festival
28th • Trunk of Treat
29th • Halloween Dance (grades 5-8)
APRIL
2nd • Mother’s Tea
28th • Art Auction
NOVEMBER
7th-11th • Book Fair
12th • Designer Bag Bingo
DECEMBER
1st-2nd • Secret Santa
2nd-3rd • Christmas Bazaar
JANUARY
14th • Canvas Mixers
26th • Open PTA Meeting
29th-Feb 4th • Catholic Schools Week
MARCH
25th • Irish Festival (Parish Event)
MAY
12th • Race for Education
19th • Family Moive Night
JUNE
2nd • Fun Day
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