Middle Gate Elementary School
schoolhouse-pic
7 Cold Spring Road, Newtown, CT 06470
Middle Gate Minute
A Bi-Weekly eNewsletter
Edition: September 06, 2016

Parent Teacher Association 
PTA Comments or Suggestions?  
Important Notes:  Notes 
Please check times and dates for Parent Open House

Don't forget to update your InfoSnap/Parent Portal Information
(some dates are tentative and subject to change)
 
Sept 6th & & 7th:
Parent Open House
(see below for details) 
 
Sept 8th:
Library Volunteer Orientation


Sept 9th:
Ice Cream Social
 
Sept 13th: 
PTA General Meeting

Sept 27:
Picture Day
 
Oct 24, 25, 26, 27:
Scholastic Book Fair
 
Nov 15, 16, 17, 18:
Used Book Fair
 
Dec 7, 8, 9:
Holiday Boutique
 
March 3 (TBD):
Sock Hop
 
 
Downloads:
 
Quick Links  QuickLinks 

Contact us
:
PTA Phone: (860) 532-0464
 
2016/17 PTA Board of Directors
President:  
Vice President
Secretary:
Corresponding Secretary:
Treasurer:
Assistant Treasurer:
Yearbook Photos:
OPEN HOUSE DATESopenhouse
Open House 9/6 and 9/7 

Open House presentations: are scheduled for Tuesday, September 6

and Wednesday, September 7.  A letter will be details regarding the event will be sent home during the first week; however, the specific times for each class are listed below.

 Tuesday, September 6 

        6:00-7:00     Kindergarten and Grade 1

        7:30-8:30     Grade 4 and 3-Cologna*

 

Wednesday, September 7 

        6:00-7:00      Grade 2 and Grade 3 (Connors and DeSisto only)

 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

SPIRIT WEAR ON SALE AT OPEN HOUSESpiritwear
Spirit wear is great for Field Trips!   image-spiritwear

If you are looking for more clothes to fill your closet, Spirit Wear will be on sale at these events - so stock up on T-Shirts and show your support for Middle Gate!
 
- Open House 9/6
- Open House 9/7
- PTA Member Ice Cream Social 9/9

Teachers love when kids wear Middle Gate T-Shirts and Sweatshirts when going on school field trips. It helps show pride for their school, and easily identifies them.
LIBRARY VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONlibrary
Thursday September 8th - 9:30 am - 10:30 am  

Calling all Volunteers, please come to our Volunteer Orientation in the library on Thursday 9/8 from 9:30-10:30. The first part will review safety procedures and is for all volunteers while the second half is targeted to Library Volunteers. 

PTA MEMBER ICE CREAM SOCIALicecream
Friday Sept 9th  6:00 pm to 7:30pm image-icecream

We welcome all PTA Members to the start of a new wonderful year at Middle Gate and let's celebrate with our annual Ice Cream Social!

Ice Cream, fun toppings, whipped cream and friends! Get together and see your old classmates together again - or make a new friend and welcome someone new to the school!
Always a favorite event. And remember, if you are a PTA Member, it is free!

Don't forget to send in your PTA Membership form
included below in this newsletter.

Sign up for the event here:
Link to Sign up for Ice Cream Social
PTA MEMBERSHIPPTAmembership
Reminder to send in your forms 

We sent home PTA membership forms for you to complete and send back to the school. Your PTA Membership fee helps to support PTA programs and events for the school that otherwise could not happen.

If you want to give your support, but feel you are unable to volunteer, this is one of the easiest ways for you to support Middle Gate.

Plus you get bonuses for being a member like the School Directory, and Free entry to the Ice Cream Social!

Don't forget to send in your membership!

Here is a link to the form PTA form
VOLUNTEER INTEREST FORMVolIntForm
Sign-up For Events - Every Minute Counts!
 
We have lots of events this year that wouldn't be as wonderful without the support of all the parent volunteers that help make them happen. If you can only pick a few hours, one event or three events, every minute of time you give us helps provide fun and engaging activities for the students of Middle Gate.

If you want to see the list of planned events and tasks, and sign up for something that interests you, please print, complete and send in the form to the school in an envelope marked "PTA Volunteer Interest Form"

Here is a link to the form Volunteer Interest Form
UPDATE INFOSNAP/PARENT PORTAL INFORMATIONinfosnap
Reminder to update your information for returning students 

INFOSNAP: If you have not already done so, please update your INFOSNAP online information for returning students as soon as possible. It is critical that we have accurate and current information for all students and their families. If you have any questions, please contact the office. 

 

How do I get started?
Visit https://newtownps.powerschool.com/public/ and log on to the PowerSchool Parent Portal. From the Parent Portal:

  1. Select the student you wish to register along the top (if applicable)
  2. Select the InfoSnap Student Registration Icon on the left side for 2016-2017.
  3. Agree to the terms and conditions
  4. Click Begin Forms
HOW TO LINK TO THE MGSPTA GOOGLE CALENDARgooglecalendar 
Links and information to Synch up to the MGSPTA Google Calendar  image-calendar

New this year is a Google Calendar that you can link and synch up to with your own calendar. Never forget or miss another Middle Gate PTA event - or double book your calendar!

If you don't want to synch up the Google Calendar - there are also printable Calendar and List of Events documents in the Mark Your Calendars section at the top of the newsletter.

The Calendar view will give you dates and time throughout the year, the List of events will show more detailed information about the event, as it comes available. These will be updated every newletter as events update and change.

Here are some instructions on how to link to the MGSPTA Google Calendar
Link to Document 
NEW DROP OFF DRIVEWAYDropoff 
IMPORTANT FOR MORNING DROP OFF - NEW DRIVEWAY 

As you may have noticed on campus, a "road" has been paved to provide access to our lower parking lot.  The purpose of this new access way is to support the student drop off process.  This process will not be in place for day one; however, we want to make you aware of this change.

Here is a document from Mr. Geissler about the new drop-off route including the image below.
Link to document

You will continue to receive notices about the new route and when it will begin operation.

To view the new route in OpenStreetMap: Link to online map
map-image

SEND PICTURES TO THE YEARBOOKsendpics
Remember all the fun times throughout the year 

All through the year, there will be different events and activities at Middle Gate school. The best way to preserve those memories is to submit them to the yearbook.

All during the year you can send pictures from the first day of school, the ice cream social, book fairs, movie nights, restaurant nights and more! You and your kids will love looking through the yearbook at the end of the year and remembering all these fun times together with friends!

We are using a different yearbook company this school year!! We are very excited to be working with https://www.coffeepond.com! The best part is they have an APP to upload pictures right from you phone or devise!!!!! Pictavo Comminity APP!

Download Pictavo Community
School ID: 63963
pictavo-image

Any questions, contact: [email protected]
Yearbook-Card
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESVolunteer

Volunteers and Committee Chair-people needed for lower grades:

We will be needing volunteers and chair-people to start learning some of the events and activities that the PTA hosts. While we are excited that our children grow, and sad to see them move on to the upper schools, those families who have been our great support system move along as well.

This is the perfect time if your child is just entering Middle Gate in Kindergarten - or if you are new to the school - to get involved and learn from the veterans who have been doing it in the past.

If you are interested in volunteering or being a chair-person please reach out to Debbie DeBlasi at [email protected]
NEW PTA MEN'S CLUBMen 
Men's club for Dads/Guardians at Middle Gate

We are starting something new in this school year! We are starting up a Men's Club for all the Dads and Guardians at Middle Gate to do some activities with the kids. Why should the Moms have all the fun?

Also, this is a requirement by the CT PTA to be named a "school of excellence". Wouldn't it be great if we can add that award to the long list of awards we already won?

This club will be chaired by Gregg Baimel. They will have some activities to plan so there is more information to come on that!

Contact [email protected] if you are interested.