• Events Committees

    The chairpersons for these events must be able to begin planning several months in advance, to develop a schedule of activities, either new or based on the previous years’ event, keep a budget, and coordinate many volunteers.  Whenever possible, the chairperson should attend the prior year’s event.  All of these events are fluid and open to change.

     

    The chairman is ultimately responsibility for:

    • Working with a teacher-representative and school administration.
    • Facility planning, requisition of grounds, tables, tents, etc. from the Board of Education.
    • Communicating committee plans and progress at a PTO meeting.
    • Tracking cash flow and coordinating outside vendor contracts with PTO Treasurer, if necessary.
    • Flyers and announcements.
    • Volunteer oversight.

     

    Cultural \ Assembly Programs

    The PTO dedicates a significant portion of its budget to this committee. The money is used to present theatrical, musical and dance assemblies, as well as educational programs, for the children at each school. Meetings are held several times throughout the year to select the shows that will be presented at each school. In addition, committee members may attend showcases (short previews of several shows performed at one location), go to various schools to preview possible programs and investigate any teacher recommendations based on performances that they have seen.

     

    The members make the scheduling arrangements between artists and schools. The following skills are helpful in serving on this committee:

    • An interest in today's performing arts and in providing a stimulating variety of programs to the children.
    • The ability to communicate and work with artists and school staff when arranging dates.
    • The ability to travel to daytime showcases and/or preview shows being held at other schools.
    • The ability to attend the scheduled programs and assist the artists when needed.

     

     

    Field Day

    Field Day is an exciting and fun-filled day offered to Millington and Gillette School students near the end of the school year. Separate chairpersons are assigned to each school, and the two events will be held on separate days. The children spend the day enjoying relay races, games, and tests of athletic skills. Field Day is a celebration of physical energy and team spirit. All children are awarded a certificate at the conclusion of the day's activities.

     
     

    Food Day -- All Schools

     

    Food Day is an optional special food service program sponsored by the PTO. Students are given the opportunity to purchase food items to be served on Food Day by volunteers. The selections include pizza, bagels, salads and submarine sandwiches.

     

    The lead chairpersons are responsible for scheduling dates and menus and overseeing volunteers.  Volunteers are needed to distribute the food to the children.

     

    Ice Cream Day -- Millington and Gillette

    Ice cream day is an optional dessert program which generally takes place once a month and is scheduled to coincide with School Spirit Days at Gillette and Millington. The desserts must be preordered quarterly along with each student's PTO Food Day orders through our automated ordering system - www.myfooddays.com. The Food Day Coordinators at both schools arrange for volunteers to sort and deliver the ice cream to the children.  Please watch for the ordering period opening and closing notifications in order to participate in this program.
     
     

    Kindergarten Workshop

    The Kindergarten Workshop is an orientation program for children entering kindergarten and their parents/guardians. The workshop is a two half-day program that is scheduled in the spring.  Prospective students attend classes that are conducted by  parent volunteers and participate in kindergarten related activities. While the children are in classes, parents/guardians attend informational seminars with various school personnel including the superintendent, principal, kindergarten teachers, and support staff. The purpose of this program is to be informative for the parents/guardians  and to make an easier transition into kindergarten. This PTO program requires a large support staff of volunteers which includes the following:

     

    • Two or Three Kindergarten Workshop Co-Chairs
    • Two Teacher Coordinators
    • Teachers
    • Floaters
    • Workshop Hospitality Staff
    • Babysitting Staff

     

    The workshop co-chairs are responsible for planning and organizing this event. This includes obtaining a site location, scheduling speakers, registering students, purchasing supplies, collecting money, and paying expenses.

     

    The Teacher coordinator prepares the curriculum, purchases the school supplies and assembles them for distribution to the teachers. Also, the teacher coordinator hosts meetings (at least 2) for the teachers and the co-chairs at her/his home to prepare for the workshop.

     

    Teachers are responsible for coordinating their classroom activities and preparing their materials.

     

    Co-Chairs and teachers attend preparation meetings run by the Teacher Coordinator prior to the event. During the week of the workshop, hospitality volunteers are needed to distribute snacks and refreshments and babysitting volunteers are needed in the nursery for those families requiring babysitting assistance for younger siblings.

     

    This program is typically run in the morning at an off-site location. Parent volunteers are also needed on the final day to chaperone students on their field trip to Gillette School. This is the highlight of the workshop for the students, who get to ride a school bus and visit the kindergarten teachers in their classrooms.

     
     

    Staff Appreciation Luncheon

    This PTO event was specifically created as a singular means of thanking the faculty, administration, and support staff for all of their hard work and dedication to the children of Long Hill Township Schools. The luncheon is hosted by the PTO membership and is planned for late spring. Committee members are needed from all three schools to help plan the event and to solicit food and beverages from the PTO membership. The PTO purchases all supplies and food for this event. It is also necessary for members to be present the day of the luncheon for setup and cleanup.

     

    The Staff Appreciation Luncheon is also given in lieu of the general thank you gifts (Nurse Appreciation Day, Secretary's Day, etc.), and complimentary PTO dinners that have previously been presented to the administration, faculty, and support staff.

     
     

    Visiting Authors

    The Visiting Authors program brings authors, illustrators, poets, and playwrights into the classrooms. The purpose of these visits are to encourage the love of reading and writing by meeting published authors, introduce students to authors as positive role models, and provide insight into the process of writing and publishing a book.

    The visiting authors' committee works closely with the principals and coordinating teachers and will recommend, review, and contract authors for each grade level.  The committee will act as a liaison between the schools and the authors, to make sure that the program suits our curriculum and that we have all the supplies and technical equipment the author needs for his/her presentation. The committee will often secure dates for the authors months or even a year in advance.  The committee works within a budget and submits all expenses to the PTO treasurer.
     

    The committee will publicize the program to teachers, parents and students, coordinate programs, and provide and present awards or program prizes, if required, to all who participate.  If an author has books for sale, the committee will handle all aspects of the sale, including creating the flyers, collecting the order forms and payment, ordering the books from the publishers, facilitating the autographing of the books, and distributing the books to the children.  The committee will attend the events, assist on the day of the program with distribution of materials, and  arrange for the authors' lunches and hotels, if needed.

     
     

    Visiting Artists

    The PTO is proud to support a comprehensive Visiting Artists program that brings artists into the classrooms. The purpose of these visits is to introduce various art techniques and inspire artistic creativity in students by meeting artists, and introduce students to artists as positive role models.   This committee researches and secures grants from various funding sources to enhance their programs. Working closely with the principals and coordinating teachers, the committee recommends, reviews, and contracts artists.
     
     
    Grade-Specific Events
    Grade Specific Events are developed to give the students a hands-on, interactive day and are tied into the curriculum appropriate to each grade.  Timing of the events is also important to coordinate with curriculum.  The chairperson must be able to begin planning several months in advance, to develop a schedule of activities, keep a budget, and coordinate many volunteers.  Volunteers at these events are encouraged to dress the part.  For some of these events, the students dress in costume as well. Many of these events include lunch for the participants.  Whenever possible, the chairperson should attend the prior year’s event.  The format of these events is fluid and open to change.

     

    The chairman is ultimately responsibility for:

    • Working with a teacher-representative and school administration.
    • Facility planning, requisition of grounds, tables, tents, etc. from the Board of Education.
    • Tracking cash flow and coordinating outside vendor contracts with PTO Treasurer, if required.
    • Flyers, announcements, and emails.
    • Volunteer oversight.
     

    Environmental Day- 2nd Grade

    The Environmental class project coincides with Earth Day and compliments the second grade science curriculum. This second grade project is designed to be a very "hands on" or interactive approach to learning about ecology, the environment, and green alternatives to give students an awareness of their world around them.   

     
     

    International Day- 3rd Grade

    International Day gives third grade students the opportunity to take a world tour, visiting 8 - 10 countries over the course of a school day. Children have the opportunity to learn about specific cultural activities, language(s), food, and interesting facts about each country. This event is usually held in February.  The country tour is held in the afternoon after an International lunch provided by parent volunteers held in each classroom.

     

    During the country tour, children get to travel “around the world” spending approximately 15 minutes at each country booth. Each booth has information and artifacts pertaining to the country as well as a brief activity such as music, a craft, a slide show or a book. Children carry a travel bag that is used to collect country literature and other trinkets as they visit each booth. Parent volunteers run individual country-booths, serve as tour guides guiding the children to the various countries, and assist with the classroom lunches.

     
     

    Science Day - 4th Grade

    Science Day gives 4th grade students at Millington School the opportunity to work in teams to plan, complete and display the results of a science experiment.  The chairperson, working with a teacher representative, must organize the day’s activities.  They also arrange for volunteers to assist prior to and on the day of the event.  A science program by an outside vendor may be planned for the afternoon.

     

     
     

    Colonial Day- 5th Grade

    Colonial Day is a hands-on learning experience for fifth grade students at Millington School. It coincides with the fifth grade social studies curriculum involving the American colonial period and takes the children back to a time when people had to do a great many things for themselves. It is a full-day program and is usually held in the spring.  Students, teachers, and parents come dressed in colonial garb and are ready to relive that bygone era by participating in colonial-era  activities and crafts as well as being provided colonial-era foods for lunch.

     
     

    Medieval Festival- 6th Grade

    The Medieval Festival is a full day celebration for the sixth grade at Central School. It corresponds to the curriculum and gives students a chance to experience what they have learned about this historic period. The event is often scheduled during the 8th grade class trip in the Spring to maximize resources. Amidst music and games of the medieval times, the students eat traditional food, wear medieval costumes and participate in related activities. Past highlights have included a 6th grade talent show, a demonstration by the high school fencing team, a medieval knight or other period actor.

     
     

    Victorian Tea - 7th Grade

    Victorian Tea is an event for the seventh grade at Central School and encompasses the study of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in the Reading classes and the Social Studies classes’ coverage of the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian Age.  Victorian Tea is a full day event held in January.  The students, dressed in period costume, will move to various stations including topics such as education, leisure activities, class differences, the Industrial Revolution, and war and exploration.  During lunch, the students will experience a traditional “high tea”.  At the culmination of the day, the students will be treated to a “Punch and Judy” performance, typically seen in Victorian Britain.