Ferguson PTO Weekly Newsletter

Friday, August 8, 2024

Firefly Families,

We have had an incredibly successful first two days of school! The energy, enthusiasm and positivity that filled our halls has set the tone for what promises to be an amazing year.

Our students have returned with bright smiles and eager hearts, ready to learn and grow. It has been wonderful to see them connect with old friends, meet new ones and dive into their classes with curiosity and excitement. Our teachers and staff have done a wonderful job creating welcoming and engaging environments, ensuring that every child feels supported and valued from day one.

We've had the chance to practice and refine our routines -- morning arrival, transitions throughout the building, lunch, recess and dismissal -- I am proud to say that things are running smoothly. Of course, we are always looking for ways to improve and we appreciate your patience and feedback as we continue to fine-tune our processes.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to our parents and guardians for your trust and partnership. Your support and involvement are key to our students' success and we are excited to work alongside you this year.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to make these first days so successful -- students, teachers, staff, families and volunteers. Together, we've set the stage for a year filled with learning growth and achievement.

Filled with Firefly Pride,

Carla

• Welcome Back!
• Arrival and Dismissal
• Student Verification
• Lunch Visitors
• Free Spirit Shirt
• Shine Your Light Fundraiser
• Room Representatives Needed
• Field Day Information
• Shop Firefly Spirit Wear - New Designs
• Stay Connected with PTO

Arrival Procedures

During arrival, cars will be able to temporarily stop around the front drive (yellow tags) and bus ramp drive (blue tags). We will place colored cones to indicate where the front of your car should stop. If you are the first car, we ask that you pull ALL the way up.

• Students can begin arriving at school no earlier than 7:30 a.m. Please do not drop them off before 7:30 a.m. as there is no adult supervision on duty.
• In order to maximize instructional time, students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:30 a.m. and go straight to their designated grade-level hallway. Students will engage in SSR (sustained silent reading) in the mornings before entering the classroom. Please make sure your students come prepared with a book to read. Students will enter their classrooms at 7:55 a.m. To facilitate a smooth start to their day, we would like all students to be in the classroom by 8:00 am.
• If your Firefly will be eating breakfast in the cafeteria, please have them arrive before 7:50 a.m. Students will not be allowed to enter the breakfast line after 7:50 a.m.

Dismissal Procedures

EVERY student at Alyssa Ferguson Elementary will be provided with a yellow or blue paper dismissal tag and a dismissal number (2 per student). Dismissal tags will be available when you enter the homeroom classroom for your Firefly during Meet the Teacher. The purpose of this tag is to expedite dismissal procedures.

We welcome our families to come enjoy lunch with his/her Firefly!

Guests will sit at the designated guest tables with the student they are visiting.

Guests will only be allowed to eat with their Firefly when visiting for lunch.

Guests will only be able to eat with their Firefly on designated days beginning September 3rd, 2024.

Guests will be invited to exit the cafeteria during the start of the 5-minute quiet SEL moment.

Welcome Firefly Families!

As we begin our second year, I want to thank you all for joining me on this journey. We will continue to learn, grow, and shine our light as a team! I want to emphasize that it’s YOU who makes all this possible. Getting involved at the school, volunteering your time, and offering financial support for our students is selfless and so very much appreciated.

We are very fortunate to have an amazing Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) filled with parents, teachers, staff, and administration who are supportive in making Ferguson Elementary a warm and welcoming community. We encourage you to be a part of our family. There will be many opportunities to make a difference at FE and it starts with getting connected on Konstella.

Above all else, reach out! I’d love to hear from anyone with feedback or questions. Our PTO is here to serve. Wishing you and your students a fun-filled, successful year!

Stephanie Titas
FE PTO President
feptopresident@gmail.com

Thanks to YOUR generous donations, the PTO is able to provide ALL students and staff with a grade level spirit shirt!

Each grade will have their own unique color, so if you are looking for spirit wear in Firefly colors, make sure to check out the Spirit Wear Store.

Please fill out one form per child by August 15.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf-w3-swXZ7PGnFb8xNrqrf-CuJ9mYNtglomHtxE0uF6OGoqw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Get ready to Shine Your Light!

Our goal this year is to raise $35,000, and we’ve got an exciting online auction lined up.

We appreciate your support of all the students and staff at FE through our fall fundraiser and we can’t wait to get started!

The PTO provides opportunities that aren’t funded by the district, but that provide enrichment and excitement to our students’ education.

All of your donations go directly to the students and staff at FE!

Help our Fireflies sparkle and make a donation today: https://givebutter.com/c/DxzvJT

Are you interested in becoming a Room Representative?

Sign up to help YOUR child's teacher! Learn more about the role and sign up here:

Fall Field Day is Next Friday! Sign up to volunteer with your child’s class as a classroom liaison or a station volunteer!

Find some fly gear for your Firefly today and support FE PTO!

SHOP closes Monday, August 12th

There are many ways to get involved with Alyssa Ferguson Elementary PTO, from volunteering and donating to attending our events and spreading the word. Visit fepto.org/volunteer to learn more.

Firefly Wishes are birthday messages displayed on the school marquee and mentioned in the weekly Fireflyer newsletter. Click on the graphic below for more information.

**Please submit your request at least 10 days week prior to your desired publishing date. We will not be able to enter late submissions into the system. Firefly wishes are $12 plus a $.59 processing fee. Availability is based on a first come, first serve basis. Firefly wishes can be purchased through Konstella under the "sales" link. When you are on the home feed, click "more", and "sales".

Check out our NEW Facebook & Instagram pages @alyssafergusonpto. The family group will remain open for you to ask questions. All official PTO business will soon transition onto our new pages. Make sure to follow both accounts to keep up with all the fun and exciting things happening at Alyssa Ferguson Elementary.

Click on the logos below to check us out on our websites and social media.

President: Stephanie Titas

Vice President: April Royston

Secretary: Whitney Johnson

Treasurer: Kiran Agarwal

Parliamentarian: Megan Allshouse

2024 -2025 Meeting Dates

The PTO Board meets monthly at the dates and times listed below. Meetings at 12 pm will be held in person in the Extended Day Room. Meetings held at 7 pm will be on Google Meet.

Everyone is welcome and invited to join us. It is a great opportunity to hear what the PTO is doing and share ideas with us. The PTO Board will convene on the following dates: