Because you have a child or children in the Homer Elementary (K-2) building, you are a member of the PTO. The PTO is your child's Parent & Teacher Organization. We exist to help make the child's school experience a positive one. To accomplish this goal, we rely on parent and teacher involvement. You are welcome to come to any PTO meeting, come be on a committee, or chair an event, or just listen and add your input. PTO Meetings are held the first Monday of every month in the Elementary School conference room.

Board Members: Tammy Small, Melanie Cook, Casey Avery

Events

K, 1st, 2nd Grade Parent Night:

PTO is a presence to welcome parents back for another great school year and to educate and solicit volunteers for the various events run by or sponsored by the PTO.

Yankee Candle- Fall Fundraiser:

Students from the building are asked to participate in the largest fund raiser for the school- selling Yankee Candle products. This fund raiser typically raises between 60-75% of our annual budget. Thank you to parents and the community for helping to support this fundraiser and hence the Homer Elementary PTO.

Reading Is Fundamental:

Children at the school participate in this dynamic program. The PTO helps by funding all the books that go home for children in the fall and spring.

Boxtops for Education:

Each year our parents, caregivers and community cut these little labels off food and products marked with BoxTops for Education. Each label cut out and sent in to the school represents 10 cents which we can give back to the school. Last year our Box Tops coordinator was able to cut and manage over 20,000 labels which yields more than $2,000.

Movie Nights:

We hold a free movie night about once a month in the elementary cafeteria. Our movie license allows us to show most movies from the major production companies. Movie nights are announced by take home flyers and in PTO meeting minutes. Free freshly popped popcorn as well.

Visiting Author:

Each year we work in conjunction with the Homer Elementary School Library to bring one or two authors to the school to either read, do a workshop, presentation, or sign books- or all of the above. We generally 100% sponsor the author's visit including hotel stay and mileage.

Cabin Fever:

In the middle of the winter PTO has a night of reading, literacy, and education by opening its doors to a fun family event. The event features several volunteers reading books to children around a chosen theme of the evening. Crafts are also offered, as well as yummy treat catered to the chosen theme.

Thanksgiving Food Drive:

The Homer Elementary PTO asks families to donate food items, and then in conjunction with The Homer Elks, we put together food baskets that include all the fixings for a full Thanksgiving dinner including the turkey, sauces, breads, vegetables and fruits. All this comes in a reusable bin for clothes/toy storage. We try to make as many baskets as we can to service the families in Homer who are in need of assistance this season.

Holiday Warm Clothes for Kids:

In partnership with Edward Jones, Jason Cicioni Homer Elementary PTO collects new coats for children . The PTO complements this with purchasing new hats, mittens and gloves for children. We also use some of our budget to buy snow pants, mittens, gloves and hats for classroom teachers to have as extras for winter recess.

Winterfest Children's Activities:

During Homer's Winterfest, the Elementary building is open to Children's Activities including a bounce house, games, prizes, crafts, and a featured headliner entertainer. Years past have highlighted Wacky Chad, Hilby the Skinny German Juggle Boy, Moreland the Magician and Nate and Kate singing duo. Homer PTO sponsors this event but does charge a small admission fee to help make up some of the cost.

Field Trips:

The Homer Elementary students go on a couple field trips throughout the year that are either partially or fully funded by the PTO. In the past students have gone to Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Cortland Reparatory Theater's Children's Productions, The Science Center and more!

Assemblies:

In addition to character education, Homer Elementary sometimes presents other programs on science, bullying and other topics related to student's learning. The PTO sponsors these assemblies.

Teacher Mini Grants:

We have been fortunate enough to offer mini grants to every teacher in the building and in 2013 we were able to grant 100% of the approved mini grants, getting thousands of dollars worth of classroom manipulatives, books, software licenses, technology and other classroom tools in our teacher's hands.

Library Books:

The librarian has been able to pick out a huge selection of new books each year that we fully fund. Our library will stay current, dynamic and full of reading resources for our children.

Staff Appreciation:

In addition to First Friday pastries and coffee, we also show appreciation to our maintenance staff and bus drivers and other non instructional staff by writing notes, bringing in treats and having a day dedicated to our appreciation of their fine work with our kids.

2nd Grade Field Day:

The PTO sponsors a day at the JM McDonald Sports complex for 2nd grade students- complete with treats, T-shirts, water bottles and fun!

Scholastic Book Fair:

Each spring, we organize the Scholastic Book Fair and hold a book sale during the school day and during an evening. We organize books, and try to fill teacher wish lists as well. The profit from this sale is used for teacher resources, library books, books for RIF, and student prizes.

Spring Carnival :

This year, the PTO will sponsor a spring carnival complete with dunk tank, prizes, entertainment and food.

Yearbooks:

Each K-2nd grade student and all teachers will receive a photographic yearbook to remember their K-2 year. The PTO fully funds this program for the students.