DES PTO Gator Blast E-mail
Week of September 25-October 1, 2022
No School on Monday!
This Week:
Monday 9/26- Schools Closed for Rosh Hashanah
A look ahead:
Wednesday 10/5- Schools Closed for Yom Kippur
Wednesday 10/19- Unity Day and 2-hour early dismissal
Thursday 10/20- 2-hour early dismissal & Parent Teacher Conferences
The News:
PTO Membership
Click Here To Join The PTO Today!
This week marks the end of our 2022-2023 PTO membership drive push. A huge thank you to those that have joined already. We are looking forward to a great year with our DES families and couldn’t do that without your support. We would love to have 100% of our families join, so if you just haven’t had the opportunity to click that “Click Here To Join The PTO Today” link yet, what are you waiting for? If you are a family with financial hardship and would like to join, please email us at despto21035@gmail.com.
A Message From The PTO President
Hello DES families,
I have a confession to make…my oldest is in her 4th year at DES, and we didn’t join the PTO for at least one and maybe two of those years. I kept meaning to do it, and then I got busy, and it fell off my radar. My guess is that it’s the same for many of you.
Here’s my plea, please join now! We are down 114 families compared to last year, which equates to around $4000. Every membership counts, and we are asking that you take a moment to join while it’s on your mind. It’s as easy as clicking here.
Thank you for supporting all of the wonderful activities and events that the PTO facilitates.
Jen Hurst,
PTO President
Volunteer Spotlight
Dining for Davidsonville are special nights when you can eat at your favorite restaurants, and DES receives a portion of the profits. It’s a win-win for the restaurant and for our school. The first of these Dining nights took place on September 21st at the Edgewater Chipotle. We would like to thank everyone who participated. Megan Reiser is this year’s Chairperson for Dining for Davidsonville!
Megan is an alum of DES and has been involved in the DES community as a parent since moving back to the area in 2019. She has assisted with various activities over the last several years, most recently coordinating this year’s dine nights, coaching volleyball, and as an assistant girl scout leader. Megan and her husband Tim have two children; Kaitlyn is in 4th grade at DES, and James is in 7th grade at CMS. In her free time, Megan enjoys reading, cooking, and being outdoors.
Chess Club
We are excited to announce the start of the Fall DES Chess Program! Brought to you by Magnus Chess Academy, this program is for grades K-5 and runs for 11 weeks from October 12-January 18, 2023. Meetings are held after school on Wednesdays from 2:30 pm-3:30 pm and cost $198. You can register by clicking here. See the attached flyer for more information.
Community Wellness Day
The University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center is hosting a free Community Wellness Day at Park Elementary on October 15th from 10 am-1 pm. There will be some great resources for families, including health screenings, flu shots, boxed lunches, and produce boxes – plus games and activities for the children. See the attached flyers for more details.
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PTO Executive Board 2022/2023:
VP Communications – Laura Call
VP Volunteer Coordinator – Cathy Rutkowski
VP Fundraising – Robyn Davis
Secretary – Samantha Rhinehardt
Treasurer – Anne Schneider
Asst. Treasurer – Dan Walsh• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Visit the Gator Gear Store:
https://www.zazzle.com/store/gatorgear
Davidsonville Elementary PTO
@PTO_DES
DESPTO.ORG
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DES PTO Gator Blast E-mail
Week of September 18-24, 2022
Wednesday 9/21- Chipotle Dining for DES
A look ahead:
Monday 9/26- Schools Closed for Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday 10/5- Schools Closed for Yom Kippur
Wednesday 10/19- Unity Day and 2-hour early dismissal
Thursday 10/20- 2-hour early dismissalThe News:Dining for DES
Our first DIning for DES is this week. Take a night off of cooking on Wednesday, September 21st, and stop by Chipotle in Edgewater from 4-8 pm to grab dinner for the family. Show the attached flyer in person or use code WG3PLMV if you order online to help support the DES PTO. See the attached flyers for more information.
PTO Membership
Click Here To Join The PTO Today!
We have just 2 weeks left of our membership push and would love for you to be a part of the PTO. Thank you to all that have joined so far; we are excited for a great year together! All PTO members will receive our student directory, which should be available at the end of October/beginning of November. The mission of the PTO is:
To enhance the educational opportunities and facilities for the students, teachers and staff of Davidsonville Elementary School which are not otherwise provided for in the school corporation budgets.
To promote the relationships between students, teachers, staff, and parents.
To promote the welfare of children in the home, school, and the community.
Did you know that joining the PTO does not require any further commitment? That’s right, just by joining, you have already helped to support our mission.
BUT….
If you want to do more, that’s great too! We can always use extra hands to make everything happen. Click here to fill out our volunteer sign-up form.
Volunteer Spotlight
One of the fun fundraisers we do at DES doesn’t even take place at the school…it takes place at Skate Zone in Crofton. For DES Skate Nights, everyone is invited to skate, eat and play games at Skate Zone. There is usually a theme, like wear your craziest socks or come eat ice cream from Cold Stone! These nights are a ton of fun and a great way for the kids to get their energy out, even if the weather is less than ideal. The whole family is invited, and the school makes money on each admission. It’s a win-win. If you missed the last Skate Night we just had on Friday, don’t worry, our next one is scheduled for November 11th!
The Chair for Skate Nights is AmyLea Murphy. Her family was new to DES last year, but they were quickly made to feel at home. She has three children, and the youngest is a second grader at DES. Their family likes to travel and go on adventures. They enjoy being out on the water and snuggling up for movie nights at home. AmyLea has many personal hobbies as well, which include: listening to music, dancing, reading, cooking gardening, crafting, being in nature, and being with her beloved pets. She loves to feel inspired.
Friday’s Skate Night
We had a great turnout on Friday for Skate Night with 284 admissions. Thanks to all that came out to make the event a success. We were able to raise over $1400! Check out our Facebook page by clicking here for some photos of the fun. Hope to see you at the next Skate Night!
PTO Executive Board 2022/2023:
VP Communications – Laura Call
VP Volunteer Coordinator – Cathy Rutkowski
VP Fundraising – Robyn Davis
Secretary – Samantha Rhinehardt
Treasurer – Anne Schneider
Asst. Treasurer – Dan Walsh• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Visit the Gator Gear Store:
https://www.zazzle.com/store/gatorgear
Davidsonville Elementary PTO
@PTO_DES
DESPTO.ORG
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DES PTO Gator Blast E-mail
Week of September 11-17, 2022
Calendar:
This Week:
Tuesday 9/13- PTO General Membership Meeting 7-8 pm
Thursday 9/15- Back To School Night 6:30 pm
Friday 9/16- Skate Night 5-7 pm
A look ahead:
Wednesday 9/21- Chipotle Dining for DES
Monday 9/26- Schools Closed for Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday 10/5- Schools Closed for Yom Kippur
Wednesday 10/19- Unity Day and 2-hour early dismissal
Thursday 10/20- 2-hour early dismissal & Parent/Teacher Conferences
The News:
General Membership Meeting
Our first general membership of the school year is this week! All are invited to attend the meeting, and we hope to see you there. We will review our plans for the upcoming year, vote on this year’s budget, and answer any questions you may have. Light refreshments will be available.
When: Tuesday, September 13
Time:7-8pm
Where: DES Media Center
Back To School Night
Mark your calendars for Back to School night at DES on Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 pm. You will get lots of important information about your student’s classes, policies, and routines. Two back-to-back sessions will occur for those families with multiple Gators. See attached flyer for more information.
While you are at Back to School Night, come and visit the PTO table in the main hall to meet officers of the PTO Board, ask questions, drop off your membership or Gator Blast forms, or just say “Hi.” Gator Gear will be for sale too!
PTO Membership
PTO Membership Drive is going strong!
The PTO mission statement says we exist:
a) To enhance the educational opportunities and facilities for the students, teachers, and staff of Davidsonville Elementary School which are not otherwise provided for in the school budgets.
b) To promote the relationships between students, teachers, staff, and parents.
c) To promote the welfare of children in the home, school, and the community.
Doing all of these things requires volunteer time and a bit of fundraising too. The DES PTO offers staff support, student events, programs & clubs, and facility improvements. We host the Gator Gallop 5K, The Holiday Shoppe, book fairs, movie nights, spelling bees, Newspaper Club, and so many other things including our upcoming Basketball event with the Harlem Wizards.
Want to join but don’t want to commit to any time? That is perfectly ok! We know not everyone can volunteer their time and just joining the PTO helps support our mission.
Still not sure if you want to join? Come to our general membership meeting on Tuesday and see firsthand what we are all about.
Click Here To Join The PTO Today!
Skate Night
Our first Skate Night of the school year is almost here! Come skate the evening away on Friday, September 16th from 5-7 pm. Entry is $5 per person, and skate rentals are $5 each. This is such a fun event for students to spend time outside of school with their DES friends. Sometimes you may even spot a DES staff member skating around! Wear sunglasses for a door prize! See attached flyer for more details. A Special Thank You to AmyLea Murphy for organizing this event.
Volunteer Spotlight
Colleen Durocher is the chairperson for this year’s food truck events for teachers and staff. Throughout the year, she will coordinate different food truck vendors to visit the DES campus at lunchtime to give our staff some fun lunch options. Additionally, the PTO plans to pay for two food truck lunches this year for all staff.
Colleen is the mother of two children now attending DES, Madelyn, who is in 2nd grade and Brooks who is in Kindergarten. She and her husband Chris love coaching their children in various sports throughout the year. In their free time, they enjoy spending time with family and friends and in the winter, you can find them trying to Ski and Snowboard as often as possible. Colleen and Chris are excited to be a part of the DES community and to support our teachers for years to come.
Gator Gear
Check out our online Gator Gear store today and show your Gator Pride or stop by and see us during Back To School Night on Thursday, September 15th, and grab some of our newest gear. Click here or scan the QR Code to browse our online store now.
Congratulations Mrs. Waite
DES Teacher of the Year!
Congratulations to Mrs. Waite, who was selected as Davidsonville Elementary School’s Teacher of the Year. We are so lucky to have Mrs. Waite here at DES teaching our 3rd graders. She is well-loved around DES with students, families, and staff. She has molded so many young minds, and her commitment to her students has no bounds. Mrs. Waite is now a nominee in the county-wide Teacher of the Year contest sponsored by AACPS. Thank you and congratulations Mrs. Waite!
Volunteer Opportunities
Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
The PTO is looking for volunteers with heart! We have so many programs, clubs, and events for the kids and staff that we could always use an extra hand. No amount of time you have to offer is too small! Please fill out this google form or contact Cathy Rutkowski for more information.
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PTO Executive Board 2022/2023:
President – Jen Hurst
VP Communications – Laura Call
VP Volunteer Coordinator – Cathy Rutkowski
VP Fundraising – Robyn Davis
Secretary – Samantha Rhinehardt
Treasurer – Anne Schneider
Asst. Treasurer – Dan Walsh
- • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Visit the Gator Gear Store:
https://www.zazzle.com/store/gatorgear
Like us on Facebook:
Davidsonville Elementary PTO
See us on Twitter:
@PTO_DES
Support us EVERY TIME you shop at Amazon
using the Amazon Smile program:
Click here before you shop
Visit the PTO website:
DESPTO.ORG
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DES PTO Gator Blast E-mail
Week of September 4-10, 2022
No School on Labor Day Monday!
Calendar:
This Week:
Monday 9/5- Schools Closed for Labor Day
A look ahead:
Tuesday 9/13- PTO General Membership Meeting 7-8 pm
Thursday 9/15- Back To School Night 6:30 pm
Friday 9/16- Skate Night 5-7 pm
Wednesday 9/21- Chipotle Dining for DES
Monday 9/26- Schools Closed for Rosh Hashanah
The News:
General Membership Meeting
Please join us for our first general membership meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 13, from 7-8 pm at DES in the media center. We will review our plans for the upcoming year, vote on this year’s budget, and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing everyone there, and all are welcome at the meeting!
PTO Membership
Have you signed up for the PTO yet? Thanks to all who have joined already; we are excited about the school year and your support. Membership dues help support the needs of DES, its student, and its staff. If you still need to sign up, why not join today? We want your support and involvement, but joining and contributing to the PTO does not mean you have to volunteer!
Click Here To Join The PTO Today!
Volunteer Spotlight
Brenna Raines is the Chairperson for two big DES Events: the Kindergarten Welcome Wagon and the Holiday Shoppe. The Welcome Wagon serves to greet new Kindergarteners and their parents to DES. The Holiday Shoppe, this year scheduled for Thursday, Dec 1st, is a beloved tradition where students are able to shop independently for holiday gifts.
Brenna joined the PTO in 2021 and helped with the Holiday Shoppe, Teacher Appreciation Week, and Kindergarten Welcome Wagon. She is mom to a DES 1st grader, kindergartener, and 2.5-year-old future Gator! She enjoys crafting and baking for school activities.
If you are interested in joining the Holiday Shoppe Committee, please email Brenna at brennaraines@gmail.com
Gator Gear
Check out our online Gator Gear store today and show your Gator Pride or stop by and see us during Back To School Night on Thursday, September 15th, and grab some of our newest gear. Click here or scan the QR Code to browse our online store now.
Volunteer Opportunities
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” -Elizabeth Andrew
The PTO is looking for volunteers with heart! We have so many programs, clubs, and events for the kids and staff that we could always use an extra hand. No amount of time you have to offer is too small! Please fill out this google form or contact Cathy Rutkowski for more information.
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PTO Executive Board 2022/2023:
President – Jen Hurst
VP Communications – Laura Call
VP Volunteer Coordinator – Cathy Rutkowski
VP Fundraising – Robyn Davis
Secretary – Samantha Rhinehardt
Treasurer – Anne Schneider
Asst. Treasurer – Dan Walsh
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Visit the Gator Gear Store:
https://www.zazzle.com/store/gatorgear
Like us on Facebook:
Davidsonville Elementary PTO
See us on Twitter:
@PTO_DES
Support us EVERY TIME you shop at Amazon
using the Amazon Smile program:
Click here before you shop
Visit the PTO website:
DESPTO.ORG
Week of August 28-September 3, 2022
Welcome Back Gators!
Monday 8/29- First day of school for grades 1-5, Kindergarten Conferences/Welcome Wagon
Tuesday 8/30- Kindergarten Conferences/Welcome Wagon
Wednesday 8/31- Friday 9/2 -Staggered opening for KindergartenA look ahead:
Monday 9/5- Schools Closed for Labor Day
Tuesday 9/13- PTO General Membership Meeting 7-8 pm
Thursday 9/15- Back To School Night 6:30 pm
Friday 9/16- Skate Night 5-7 pm
Wednesday 9/21- Chipotle Dining for DES
Monday 9/26- Schools Closed for Rosh HashanahThe News:Welcome to the DES PTO Gator Blast!
Welcome to this school year’s weekly Gator Blast emails. The Blasts are made by the DES PTO and are free to all families. They will be delivered most Sunday evenings to the email you provided us. Please keep in mind that during holidays you may see a delay in The Blast. On occasion, you may get Special Edition Blasts with information that just couldn’t wait until Sunday. This Blast is a great source of information for parents, and we want to ensure that it reaches each family that wishes to receive it. If you know of a new family at DES, please forward this email to them so they can sign up by clicking here. If you have a question regarding The Blast, please contact Laura Call. The PTO wishes every family a great 2022-2023 school year, and we look forward to seeing you at events!
If you missed the 8/26/2022 Parent Update email update from Mrs. Harris, you can find it attached. Please take a look, as it has a lot of updates for the 2022-2023 school year.-DES student school hours are 8 am- 2:25 pm, and doors open at 7:40 am
-DES phone number is (410)222-1655
-Bus Information click here
-Lunch menu click here
-School Supply List click here
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Open in new tab Please join us for our first general membership meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 13, from 7-8 pm at DES in the media center. We will review our plans for the upcoming year, vote on this year’s budget, and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing everyone there, and all are welcome at the meeting!
Our annual PTO Membership Drive has begun, and we want you to be a part of the PTO! With your support, the PTO is able to put on social events for students, help to support the school, staff, and student needs, provide funds for assemblies and educational programs, purchase equipment the school may need, and so much more. We do this through several events over the school year, such as our annual PTO Membership Drive and our highly anticipated Basketball Night with the Harlem Wizards! Please consider joining the PTO this year. We would love to have 100% participation! Did you know that a perk of joining the PTO is you will have access to our Student Directory?
Click Here To Join The PTO Today!
Volunteer Spotlight
Charu Espar and Mary Kurgansky are this year’s Co-chairs of the Teacher Luncheon and Hospitality Committee. The Committee organizes staff luncheons and plans other activities to show the PTO’s appreciation.
Room Parent, Science Fair Judge, Luncheon Committee, etc. Charu and her husband Jerry have 2 children. Arjun is in 5th grade, and Ian is in 4th grade at DES. In her free time, Charu enjoys reading and belongs to two book clubs. Also, she loves to travel internationally.You can participate in this Committee by providing food, drink, etc., by volunteering your time to help with a luncheon, or by decorating the teacher’s lounge. If you are interested in joining this Committee or would like more information, please contact Charu at charu2@gmail.com or Mary at maryeboese@yahoo.com.
Gator Gear
If you haven’t taken a look at our Gator Gear online store, click here to take a look. All our gear is designed by a DES parent, AnnMarie Gnall. We were so happy to see so many at Sneak a Peek getting their Gator Gear. If you missed us there, we will be back during Back to School Night and during the Kindergarten Welcome Wagon. You can always find the link to our Gator Store at the bottom of The Gator Blast emails!
Volunteer Opportunities
“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” -Elizabeth Andrew
The PTO is looking for volunteers with heart! We have so many programs, clubs, and events for the kids and staff that we could always use an extra hand. No amount of time you have to offer is too small! Please fill out this google form or contact Cathy Rutkowski for more information.
“A smile is the universal welcome!” -Max Eastman
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
VP Communications – Laura Call
VP Volunteer Coordinator – Cathy Rutkowski
VP Fundraising – Robyn Davis
Secretary – Samantha Rhinehardt
Treasurer – Anne Schneider
Asst. Treasurer – Dan Walsh
Visit the Gator Gear Store:
https://www.zazzle.com/store/gatorgear
Davidsonville Elementary PTO
@PTO_DES
DESPTO.ORG
