Birthday
Book Program: The Birthday Book Program maintains “wish lists”
of supplemental reding materials that families may purchase as a gift
to a specific classroom or the school library to mark a special occasion
in their child’s life, such as a birthday or graduation. The lists
are currently available on Amazon.com and books may be ordered from there;
however, you may feel free to purchase a book off the list anywhere and
notify the Birthday Book Program Coordinator to take the purchased title
off the list. You may access the various wish lists by clicking on the
appropriate classroom links below:
Pre-Kindergarten
Wish List
Kindergarten
Wish List
First
Grade Wish List
Second
Grade Wish List
Third
Grade Wish List
Fourth
Grade Wish List
Fifth
Grade Wish List
Sixth
Grade Wish List
Seventh/Eighth
Grade Literature Wish List
Eighth
Grade (Math) Wish List
When you receive the book, have your child bring it into
school to present to the class and teacher. We have special bookplates
to place inside commemorating the child's name, the occasion and the date
(e.g., A gift to St. Paul School from John Jones on his 9th birthday,
February 23, 2007), so please include all pertinent information for us.
Contribution Programs:
The PTO administers a number of contribution programs through which we
receive donations by collecting various proofs of purchase and similar
items. The Contribution Programs include:
- “Boxtops for Education” Label Collection: Save
your specially marked “Boxtops for Education” labels from
participating
products and be on the alert for collection weeks to send them in
to school. The PTO receives 10¢ for each Boxtop coupon we submit.
- Tyson “Project A+” Label Collection: Save the
Project A+ labels from participating
Tyson poultry products and turn them in to school during the designated
collection weeks. The PTO receives 24¢ for each Project A+ label.
- Printer Cartridge collection and recycling program: Help
the school and the environment at the same time! We collect used ink
jet and laser printer cartridges and send them to be recycled. The PTO
receives a donation for each recycled cartridge. A collection box is
available in the school office for your used cartridges, and postage-paid
mailers are also available so that you can send them in yourself. Please
consider asking your employer if they would donate their used cartridges
– we will be happy to give them a supply of pre-paid mailers to
use.
- Lands End Preferred School Program: If you intend on purchasing
any uniform items for your child through Lands End or any other qualifying
clothing such as khaki pants, etc., please be sure to include the St.
Paul School Preferred School ID number when making your purchase (9000-9810-4).
Lands End will contribute 3% of eligible Preferred School purchases
to the PTO each year.
Scrip Program: This
fund raiser, which is one of our newest fundraisers, was introduced at
St. Paul School in 2006. Here’s how it works: school families and
friends purchase gift cards to local stores at face value (e.g., they
pay $25 for a $25 gift card to Stop & Shop). They use these gift cards
to make their regular purchases for everything from groceries to gasoline,
or they give them as gifts to family and friends for birthdays, holidays,
etc. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these gift cards (usually
around 5% but often more) is retained the PTO. Half of these proceeds
go to the PTO, and half are given to the purchasing families as a credit
for the following year’s tuition.
We keep an inventory on hand of the most often requested cards, including
most grocery stores and many clothing stores and local restaurants. In
addition, we place orders every two weeks for items that we may not have
in our regular inventory with our scrip broker, Great
Lakes Scrip.
Available
Cards and Contribution Percentages
You may order your scrip online at www.shopwithscrip.com.
You will need to enter the St. Paul School Enrollment Code when placing
your order, which is 41D6B9AF14379. Simply fill out the online order form
and send a check for the total amount of your purchase to school to the
attention of the Scrip Program Coordinators.
In addition, you can download the scrip
order form, fill it out and send it with your payment to school to
the attention of the Scrip Program Coordinator. In addition, the cards
will be sold at school on a regular basis at a place and time to be announced
later.
We are very excited about this fund raising opportunity, since it allows
families to support the school without making purchases outside of their
regular spending habits, and has the added bonus of giving participating
families a tuition credit. While the program is new to St. Paul’s,
similar programs have been very successful at other Catholic schools for
years, especially on the West Coast and in the Upper Midwest. If you haven’t
used the Scrip Program yet, please give it a try. Start small, using it
for your monthly grocery purchases or your morning coffee, and see how
your earnings (and the school’s) start to add up!
Book Fair: The PTO holds
two Book Fairs each year in cooperation with Scholastic Books. The Book
Fairs are held on the evening Back-to-School Night (for parents) and the
following school day (for children) in September, and on Exhibition Night
(for parents) and the following school day (for children) in May. A schedule
of when each class visits the Book Fair during the school day is sent
home so that parents can meet their child(ren) at the Book Fair at their
designated time if desired (advisable especially for the younger children).
If a parent cannot attend the Book Fair with a child, the child may bring
money to school in a sealed and name-labelled baggie or envelope to use
for purchasing books.
Christmas Bazaar: The
Bazaar is not only one of our largest fund raisers of the year, but it
is truly a “friend raiser” as well and one of the most enjoyable
for our St. Paul families. The children look forward to it with an anticipation
rivaling only Christmas – pity their poor teachers that week! For
the parents, it is an excellent opportunity for us all to spend time together
and get to know each other a little better. We get a large influx of visitors
from the larger St. Paul Parish and surrounding communities, who seem
to enjoy the excitement of the children almost as much as the delicious
baked goods and beautiful bargains at the gift tables. It is truly a community-building
event!
There will be sign-ups for Bazaar volunteers at the PTO coffee following
the Opening Mass for the school year in September. Be sure to volunteer
to help with set up on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday and/or to work
at the Bazaar on Friday or Saturday – it’s a great way to
meet other families! In addition, don’t miss the Boxwood Making
event (one session in the morning and one in the evening) the Wednesday
prior to the Bazaar. For a nominal fee you will be able to make one decorated
boxwood centerpiece which will be sold at the Bazaar and another to take
home a grace your own holiday table, all while enjoying the camaraderie
of your fellow school families.
Class Party Night: On
one evening in the fall, several parties will be held at various families’
homes for the parents of children in different grades. Parents pay a donation
to the school to attend the part(ies) for their child(ren)’s grades,
and all the proceeds go to the PTO. A very fun evening!
Fall Magazine/Catalog Sale:
At the beginning of each school year, a catalog containing magazines
and gift wrap/gift items will be sent home. This is an excellent opportunity
for you and your family and friends to subscribe to new magazines or renew
existing subscriptions, as well as purchase gift wrap and gift items just
in time for the holidays. For out-of-town family and friends, online ordering
is also available.
Family Fun Nights:
These are strictly “friend raising” events. Several times
a year we gather for some low key, inexpensive and wholesome fun. Past
events have included Bingo Night and Trivia Night. Everyone pays a nominal
amount to cover costs and brings a refreshment, and lots of laughs are
an integral part of the fun!
Family Portraits:
Each fall we have a weekend during which a local photographer will take
family portraits, which can be used for Christmas cards and holiday gifts.
Weather permitting, these portraits are usually taken at the Hingham Bathing
Beach. It’s a great way to avoid the angst of taking the annual
Christmas Card photo yourself and support the PTO at the same time (a
portion of the proceeds from the sitting fee and order goes to the PTO).
Golf Tournament: We are
in need of volunteers who are willing to look into holding a Golf Tournament
in Fall 2008 as a “friend raiser.” If anyone is willing to
assist us in organizing this event, please contact one of the members
of the PTO Executive Committee.
Grandparents’
Luncheon: This is another strictly “friend raiser”
event. On the Friday before First Communion in May, all the children’s
grandparents or “special senior friends” are invited to a
luncheon at the school. Each class sings a song and the grandparents are
vastly entertained while enjoying a gourmet lunch served by parent volunteers.
Harvest Dance: This
event is held each fall and is a perennial favorite with the children.
Everyone dresses in “western gear” (cowboy hats and bandanas)
and meets at the school gym for an evening of dancing and fun. Food, beverages
and treats are available for purchase.
Pot O’ Gold: In
late January each school family receives Pot O’ Gold Calendars to
sell for our annual Pot O’ Gold Raffle. Volunteers also sell the
calendars after weekend masses during the month of February. A drawing
for a cash prize is held each day during the month of March, with the
largest “Pot ‘O Gold” awarded on St. Patrick’s
Day, of course!
“Spring Fling”
Dinner Dance and Auction Fundraiser: Our largest fundraiser of
the year, the Spring Fundraiser has traditionally been a golf/tennis tournament
followed by a dinner and silent/live auction. In 2008, we have decided
to change the format to a dinner dance and silent/live auction. This will
simplify administration of the event, enable us to hold it on a Saturday
evening instead of a weekday, allow us to consider a larger number of
event venues, and avoid being at the mercy of Mother Nature by coupling
our largest fund raiser with an outdoor event. We are fortunate that,
through the generosity of local merchants and the families and friends
of St. Paul School, we are able to offer some truly fabulous auction items
each year – everything from luxury seating at sold out concerts
and sporting events to dream vacations! This is a definitely a not-to-be-missed
evening, so mark your calendars, line up your babysitters and get ready
to “bid early and bid often”! April 11, 2008 Save the Date Flyer/NoticeThanksgiving Pie Sale: This
fundraiser is offered not just to bring fund to the PTO, but as a convenience
as Thanksgiving and Christmas draw near. A variety of delicious frozen
pies can be ordered in early November and tucked away until needed over
the holidays, just when we all need a little extra help in the kitchen. |
