Activities

Bulletin Boards:  Bulletin Boards at the entrance to the school welcome visitors and are themed including “What’s New” highlighting the year’s activities and the school’s special events, such as Spirit Week.  Other bulletin boards are updated monthly to recognize student birthdays. Please contact bulletinboards@gmspto.org for more information.

Hospitality Committee:  This committee is instrumental in planning different luncheons throughout the year to show our teachers how much we care about them.  This committee also organizes the Bake Sale at our Winter Wonderland and the Cake Walk at our Fun Fair. Please contact hospitality@gmspto.org for more information.

Art Appreciation:  The art appreciation volunteer goes into the classroom once per trimester.  The lesson plans are already prepared, project ideas are provided and each lesson takes approximately 30 minutes of in-class time scheduled with the teacher.  No prior art experience is necessary.  The purpose is to acquaint students with some of the best and most familiar works of famous artists so they may recognize the artwork and style of artist, learn about the wonderful world of art, and enjoy and appreciate the artist and his or her work.  Please contact art@gmspto.org for more information.

Assemblies: Each year, the PTO sponsors assemblies in which vendors are selected to provide an experience for the educational value and enjoyment of the students. In recent years, the K-2nd grade assemblies have changed each year. There has been a vendor that performed in the day and did a family show at night. Their message is usually about treating people fairly or persevering. The 3rd-5th grade has had the same assembly group for the last several years, a group that performs selected students’ writing from GMS.

Watch D.O.G.S.: Watch D.O.G.S. are “Dads of Great Students.” Twice each month dads are specially invited in to volunteer in the classrooms, in the lunchroom, out at recess and at some of our Grace McWayne special events.  Please contact watchdogs@gmspto.org for more information.

Walking Wednesdays: Parents are encouraged to join their students to walk around the school building and through the playground every Wednesday during the recess hours.  Walking Wednesdays begin the last Wednesday in August, continue into November and pick up again in March through to the end of the school year.  By participating, students earn a footprint for each 30 laps that they complete as a grade level.  When the grade level has 10 foot prints, they get a special fun recess! Please contact walkingwed@gmspto.org for more information.

Great America/ Raging Waves Program:  Students earn admission tickets in winter months to the popular summer destinations Great America by reading and Raging Waves for fitness. Please contact greatamer.ragingwaves@gmspto.org for more information.

Young Authors:  Periodically, the PTO will bring an author into the school and develop activities around the author’s work.  Examples include Literacy Night where the entire school joined in reading a book furnished by the PTO prior to an evening at the school where students engaged in activities related to the book (such as art projects and trivia quizzes) and culminating in remarks by the author.  Please contact youngauthors@gmspto.org for more information.

Communications: Throughout the year, the PTO utilizes various platforms to keep the Grace McWayne community informed of the important activities and events in our school:  the Grace McWayne PTO website which includes the school calendar, the Grizzly eNews delivered weekly by email with a leading Principal’s Message, and the Grace McWayne PTO News & Events Facebook page.  Please contact  vp-communications@gmspto.org for more information.