October 06, 2010

GOSH stands for Garvin Organization for School and Home and is our PTO. Thank you to parents that attended this month’s GOSH meeting, taking time out of your busy schedules. We had two guest speakers share some great programs and ways to volunteer:

• Cumberland School Volunteers (CSV): Mary Ann Roll shared various ways to volunteer in our schools. Help is particularly needed for RIF distribution days at Garvin, Just Friends program and potentially assisting teachers with the Reading Street program. ALL those interested in volunteering in any of Cumberland’s schools during the course of the regular school day are asked to register with Cumberland School Volunteers. The INTEREST SURVEY  that came home via backpacks provide important information about your interests and availability during this school year. If you have not yet filled out a registration form , please return one as soon as possible. Be sure to check out the Special Help Wanted  needs of the CSV throughout the district.
• Destination Imagination (DI): Having lead several teams, Cumberland parent April Edwards, gave a summary about DI . It is a fun program designed to teach students 3 essential skills: creativity, teamwork and problem solving. For more information please see www.idodi.org and the RI affiliate www.rimagination.org . To start a team at Garvin, please contact April at 333-1340 or aredwards@cox.net

What’s Happening!

Activities

The Harvest Dance will be held on Friday, October 15, 6-9 PM at McCourt Middle School. Watch for Flyer/ Registration Form in your child's backpack (or click here if it never made it)!  Muggle Photography will be on site for family photos. Please return the registration form and payment back to GOSH by Thursday, October 14.  We are asking for a juice or water donation (no soda please).  If you have any questions, please email Andrea Cournoyer, andreajr1@cox.net . We look forward to dancing with you there!

Blackstone Valley Duck Race will be held on Sunday, October 17 at Hope Global, 50 Martin Street. This fun family event begins at 11:00 AM and includes food, face painting, bouncy tent, rock climbing and more. Ducks are “racing” at 1:00 PM. GOSH will be selling popcorn the day of the race with ALL proceeds going to the PTO. If anyone is interested in volunteering at the popcorn booth OR has a generator the PTO could borrow for the day please email GOSH (email at end), attention: Laurie Kissik. This event is rain or shine.

Thanks to Garvin families and Laurie’s organization, 206 ducks were sponsored by Garvin families raising $540 (equal amount benefitted Boys and Girls Club).

Many more activities are planned for the school year. We are able to enrich students’ Garvin experience through the gracious gift of volunteers. The following programs are chaired by 5th grade parents that have or will be moving onto McCourt Middle School: Box Tops (ongoing), Holiday Open House (December), Talent Show (March) and Field Day (June). If you are interested in becoming the chair or co-chair please email GOSH (email at end). In most cases, you would be able to “shadow” this year. Thank you in advance for your support!

Enrichment Programs

Garvin students will be entertained (and educated too) by Dr. Exhaustus in the Mobile Ed presentation of Our Changing Climate in November.

On September 28, the students enjoyed a show The Magic of Reading by Tommy James. The PTO was able to provide this program at no cost, thanks to Patty Remavich our Enrichment Coordinator. We are looking for a replacement for next year, as Patty has a 5th grader moving onto Middle School. Anyone interested in this position please email GOSH (email at end). 

Fundraising

Thank you to all who purchased Circus tickets we raised $175.20 .

Entertainment Books have been distributed. Thank you for all who have already ordered. Once multiple books are ordered you should receive them within a week. If you do not receive them, please contact Melani Santos, myanolanmom@hotmail.com , ASAP. If you are not interested in purchasing the book please return it. If you need more time to sell them let Melani know. Thanks again for helping to make this a successful fundraiser.

Pie Fundraiser: Do you typically serve pies during your holiday gatherings in November? Wouldn’t it be great if Garvin could benefit from the many of us that purchase our holiday pies? A faculty member suggested this as a fundraiser and GOSH was contacted by Awesome Sweets for potential fundraiser. If interested in chairing this fundraiser, please email GOSH (email at end), attention: Nicole Cook.

Stop & Shop A+ Rewards Program:  Garvin Memorial has signed up for this program. We are in the "pending" stage and should be up and running by Friday, October 8. Please go to Stop & Shop's website  to sign up. All you need is your Stop & Shop card. Tell friends, family and even neighbors to put Garvin Memorial as their school they shop for.

Email Communication

If would like to receive emails and didn’t this month, please email GOSH (email at end), with the following information:

• Parent name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Child’s name
• Grade
• Teacher

Your GOSH Board

          Laurie Kissik, President

          Melani Santos, Vice President

          Heidi Felice, Treasurer

          Anna Pierce, Secretary

          Nicole Cook, Liason

All questions or comments can be emailed to goshPTO@gmail.com or forward a note to school with your child, Attention: GOSH.