Help Support Our School!

Our PTO has big plans for supporting our school this school year!

On Friday, November 1, students received a big yellow envelope with details about our PTO’s annual capital campaign fundraiser. Inside each envelope is a page explaining how the campaign works and detailing great incentives for individual students and for classes.

This fundraising campaign will run through November 22, and 100% of funds raised by the campaign go to support our school. This is a direct donation campaign, and there is nothing to sell or deliver. We will collect donations for the next three weeks in hopes of generating funds to support important projects at our school.

This year’s capital campaign hopes to raise funds to install additional interior and exterior security cameras, create a sensory garden in the courtyard, update and digitize our in house news system in our media center, and provide needed improvements to student restrooms.

Past campaigns have funded security cameras, whiteboards in all classrooms, the outdoor classroom, shade structures for playgrounds, security windows for exterior doors, playground equipment and storage for recess, decodable take home readers for K-2 classrooms, trees and landscaping, and school wide events.

PTO encourages every child to participate, and students who bring in donations can earn a special WES bracelet, plush keychains, chances to win gift cards, and tickets for them and a friend to go on a special reward trip to Pizza Hut. The class who raises the most funds will win a free field trip to Sweet Frog.

Donations will be collected on 3 Fridays across November 2024 - November 8, November 15, and November 22. Thank you for your support of our school!

Supporters can donate in several ways:

• Provide a cash or check donation and record it on a student's donation roster. Make checks payable to Wilkesboro Elementary PTO with Capital Campaign in the memo line. Donations will be credited to the specific student.
• Send a check directly to our school at WES PTO CC, 1248 School Street, Wilkesboro, NC 28697. You can indicate the donation for a specific student or class or specify it as a general donation.
• Donate online through our School Cash Online site. Follow the link here or below to the donation page. https://wilkescountyschools.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/1278/515/False/True
• Scan the QR code below or on any student's donation page to donate directly to our school

We encourage students and parents to record all donations on the donation form. PTO provides receipts to donors who make cash or check donations, and School Cash Online provides direct receipts for online donations.

At Wilkesboro Elementary, the safety and security of our students is our biggest priority. Each year the WES PTO and school staff meet to evaluate security needs to keep our school safe and provide a high quality educational experience for every child and family.

Safety & Security Needs - $8.000

Additional Interior and Exterior Security Cameras ($300 each) - These funds will be used to add cameras to the existing digital camera system and will expand our views to include spots on campus, particularly around exterior doors, playgrounds, and campus perimeters.

Instructional Needs - $7,200

Update In-House Camera System for the Media Center ($1,200) - These funds will be used to purchase digital equipment to create a dedicated recording station in the media center for broadcasting daily news by students to classrooms and will provide tools for digital projects (video production, podcasting, etc.) for classes. We currently run this system every day using a VHS camera and a cable connection that connects to VCRs that serve as tuners in classrooms.

Hardscaping & Landscaping for Media Center Courtyard ($6,000) - These funds will be used to remove existing rock surfacing, add new surfacing, and build raised garden beds to be cultivated by students. These funds will supplement existing grant funds to help complete the project to make this a sensory garden for children and families to use.

Capital Improvements - $10,000

Cosmetic Updates, Lighting & Improvements to 6 Student Restrooms - These funds will be used to provide updates to dated student restrooms to provide a better experience for all students.

Bigger Dreams if Funding Allows...

• Big Blue Blocks set to provide movement and creativity in sensory garden
• Robotics materials for an after school robotics club
• Coding materials for hands on coding opportunities for students to use in our media center

The Wilkesboro Elementary PTO is led by a group of dedicated volunteers who work hard to meet school needs, support school projects, and help connect families with the school's mission. The PTO Executive Team includes (above left to right) Susan McBride, Amanda Buchanan, Lynda Herndon, Nick Wehrmann, Taylor Jarvis, Ashley House and Stephanie Johnson.

The WES PTO is a volunteer organization made up of parents, teachers, administrators, and staff who are dedicated to the successful education of our children. The WES PTO works hard to make the school year enjoyable, exciting, and memorable for everyone.

The purpose of our organization is to help the school by providing support for educational and recreational needs, to promote open communication between administration, teacher and parents, and to encourage school spirit and pride. The PTO uses its resources-both volunteer and monetary- to support efforts of the staff, students, and school. We make many school traditions possible, and we welcome your support.

We are excited for a new school year, and we will work with our school administrators to make it the best year possible. Everything we do is made possible by volunteers, and we are always looking for volunteers to help make a difference in the lives of our children. Volunteering is easy, flexible, and fun and a good way to connect with other families. Please reach out if interested.

Each year, we sponsor a Capital Campaign fundraising event, which allows us to assist in

projects and needs for the school. This year, we will be looking for volunteers to help with

Grandparent’s Day celebration, book fairs, Fall Festival, water slide day and other special events throughout the year. Be on the look-out!

All are welcome, and we can use help facilitating our events. Every moment we

spend supporting our children and this school is an investment in their future. We would like to thank you in advance for your support and are looking forward to a successful 2024-2025 school year.

PTO Board Members

Taylor Jarvis, President

Amanda Buchanan, Treasurer

Stephanie Johnson, Secretary

Susan McBride

Ashley House

Nick Wehrmann

Lynda Herndon

You can connect with Rebekah Lisk at school at 336-838-4261, on REMIND or by email at liskr@wilkes.k12.nc.us

Our assistant principal Shanna Bumgarner and our principal Beckie Spears are always available to help. You can connect with us at school at 336-838-4261, on REMIND or by email.

Principal Beckie Spears - Email: spearsr@wilkes.k12.nc.us

Assistant Principal Shanna Bumgarner - Email: bumgarners@wilkes.k12.nc.us

Email: spearsr@wilkes.k12.nc.us
Website: wes.wilkescountyschools.org
Location: 1248 School Street, Wilkesboro, NC, USA
Phone: (336) 838-4261
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wilkesboroelementary/
Twitter: @WilkesboroElem1