A view from the other side--First PTO meeting

I went to my first PTO meeting today. I held back from signing up for every committee or open position, for now. I am hoping to see how things run in the school before diving in headfirst. I did share a few ideas from Jennifer's experience at her PTO and I got to know our current president, also named Shannon! She was very curious about the composting program that Sparks has. The VP wants to start a butterfly garden to help repopulate the dwindling butterflies in Illinois. (She seems to have a very green interests, from what I could tell today.)  I said a composting partnership could be a great way to support the local farms and benefit the butterfly garden project in return.

One thing I like already about Ferson Creek is the fact that they don't do the typical (dreaded) door-to-door sales for fundraising; however, they just come right out and ask families to please write them a check for whatever amount we're comfortable with! At the meeting, I expressed my gratitude for the lack of sales pushed on our students. I also suggested that families may be more willing to support specific projects when they know how money is being spent. I would be much more willing to write a larger check to help with the butterfly garden, for example, than to  give money for an unknown purpose. I think that got the president's attention as well.

Jennifer sent me pages of PTO related information for me to share with our group. Maybe I am getting involved already! LOL

Instead of taking her semi-usual nap around 11:00 this morning, Lilly did not go down until 2 PM! Then, she slept until almost 6! I never know what to expect from her these days. It was nice to have one-on-one time with Shawn when he came home from school though. We went through the papers in his backpack, had a snack, played lots of games inside and out - until we were getting eaten by mosquitoes, which I'm sure were infected by the West Nile virus that has now been detected in our county. Ugh.

When Raj got home, I left to have dinner with one of my Gymboree Playgroup friends. Now that school has started and our kids are all in kindergarten, we don't see each other on a weekly basis anymore. I think the moms in our old playgroup are missing our times together more than the kids are!