The Moanalua Elementary 6th Grade Promotion is scheduled for:

Date:  Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Place:  MES Cafeteria
Time:  8:30am (doors open at 8:15am)

As a reminder: Please do not park in the Parks and Recreation Center Parking lot (alongside the middle school) or on Pineapple Lane. Also, parking in the back of the cafeteria is prohibited.

For additional details, please click here for the May 7 Letter to Parents. Congratulations, MES 6th Graders!

Please join us for the PTO General Membership meeting which will be held on:

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Time: 5:30pm (preceding the Starlight Concert)
Place: MES Courtyard

We will be voting to approve the Proposed PTO Budget for 2012-2013. Please click here to view the Budget.

It’s coming to an end of yet another school year.  Are you wondering where the time went?  So are we.

So, your MESPTO is currently ramping up to plan an enriching 2012-13 school year.  Why not join us and have a say in how your PTO supports your child?

Did you know your PTO supported each grade level with the following monetary support?

• Kindergarten:  $475
• 1st grade:  $1,250
• 2nd grade:  $3,600
• 3rd grade:  $2,085
• 4th grade:  $5,460
• 5th grade:  $2,650
• 6th grade:  $7,100

The monies were used for field trips, grade level plays, Engineering Night, the Big Island trip and other educational and enrichment activities.

Did you also know that through the PTO’s support:
- MES teachers and staff were provided with $8,000 to supplement classroom, art and learning supplies for our students?
- The May Day Program was made possible with funds of $1,700?
- Service Groups benefited from $3,700 to run their various programs and activities?

Money isn’t everything, but it sure does say a lot.  This is all money you helped to raise, so thank YOU.

If you are one of those parents who want to support your child, your teacher and your school then we want you to contact us.  We can help you find a committee or volunteer position that will interest and reward you.  Please check out our website at www.moanaluapto.org and visit the committee page to get an idea of all the wonderful programs that could use your energies.  Or, you can email manpower@moanaluapto.org with your questions.

Don’t wait!  Get involved now so we can have exciting programs ready for your child when they come back to school.

a lively and prolific group of people made the impossible possible.  One day they found themselves without a leader.  They were capable, and were determined to survive, and continued their efforts, but they felt lost.  Then one day, a very ordinary person stepped up to lead, and the group became energized, and once again thrived and began making the impossible possible again.

This is a true story which has taken place on our Moanalua campus many times over.  The remarkable people are you and I who are the heart of the MES-PTO.  Ordinary people who CARE deeply and by working together are able to accomplish the impossible for our children.

Your past three presidents stepped into a role they never imagined they would.  With no experience, they stepped up because they were asked.  They served because they care and lent their vision and energies to lead an extraordinary group of volunteers to support our children and school in remarkable ways.

This same story is unfolding right now.  We need an ordinary person to step up to support the MES-PTO executive board.  We are asking you to be our next PTO president.  Please don’t let the next school year start without direction.

Interested?  What is the job description of president?  You run the meetings, support the committees, be inclusive and invite people to support the PTO, motive and inspire participation, communicate with volunteers, and be a liaison with school admin to support the students.  Easy!

You will not be alone.  You will be supported by over 600 MES families, a dedicated core of PTO volunteers, and appreciative teachers, staff and administrators.   Contact Alan Serikawa, Elections Chairperson at Elections@moanaluapto.org and be our next president.

Be a part of something bigger and better than any of us individually.  Be a part of your MES PTO!

Have you every wished MES could offer your child more?  Well wish no more, we can help make your wishes come true!  How?  Join the MES-PTO executive board and plan the future.

Be a part of this energetic team of parents, teachers and staff.  We are looking for volunteers to help give our efforts direction.  No experience required!  If you care and want to get involved with your child’s education then you are more than qualified!!!

The office of President is vacant.  Nothing to shy away from.  It is the easiest job because you have the support of over 600 families behind you.  Your role is to be inclusive, motivate your fellow parents, and get people involved.  You support the ideas and efforts of the committees and work with the school to make wonderful things happen.

The office of Secretary is also open.  This vital position keeps the organization on track and organized.

Don’t wait any longer.  We need you now!  Please contact our Elections Chairperson Alan Serikawa at Elections@moanaluapto.org for more information.

Thanks to all of the families of the children listed below who generously donated cash, gift cards and gift certiificates for our April 25 Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day!

We collected over $2,500.00 for the teachers and staff and over $700 for the A+ staff.  A little over $100 of the cash donations were used for expenses such as paper goods, cleaning supplies and thank you gifts for the non-parent therapists.  After final reconciliation of the account, the last of the gift cards were distributed on May 7.

Please click here for a list of the families who contributed cash, gift cards and gift certificates to the MES Teachers and Staff.

Thanks to the families of the children listed below for their contributions to the A+ personnel appreciation collection.  All cash donations and gift cards were forwarded to the A+ director, with the final gift card dropped off on May 1.  Thanks, again, to all of our supportive MES families!

Please click here for a list of families who contributed cash, gift cards and gift certificates to the A+ Personnel.

Here are a few more thanks you received from grateful teachers & staff:

“To our Awesome PTO, Once again you treated the staff to a wonderful day.  We all appreciated your kindness as you fed us, pampered us, and allowed us to participate in fun activities.  Mahalo! Thanks a bunch for all you do…on teacher appreciation day and throughout the year.  Love, Mrs. Mann-Molay”

“Dear PTO, Thank you so much for the wonderful teacher appreciation day!  I enjoyed the scrumptious food, dessert making, Zumba and generous gift card.  Our PTO is no ka oi!    May God richly bless you!  Love, Nicole Arceo (preschool teacher)”

“To the best PTO in the world!  Wow!  Again, the entire day was overwhelming!  From the Happy Smiles, cheers, greetings, applause, fantabulous foods of exquisite quisine, and variety to the greatly planned workshops and comfort stations!  Every moment was enjoyed and warmly appreciated!  Your continued support and involvement in your childrens’ lives are depicted in their education successes!  Thank you again MESPTO!  Ms. Katahara and Mrs. Sakamoto P3″

“MESPTO Mahalo!  Just a brief note of thanks to feeding us and gifting us (teachers and staff)!  Really enjoyed the “eats” and gift cards.  I enjoy working with the students.  God bless, Jane M.”

“Dear MESPTO,  Thank you so much for the wonderful teacher/staff appreciation event! It was more than wonderful – the food was all so delicious, the activities restored and energized, and the gift card and notes from students & families were so thoughtful and touching! Gail and Carol, you are magical in the way you pull off huge, successful events like this! It is we, the MES staff, who are so fortunate and appreciative of all you do for us all year long. Much love & Mahalo! Susie Okamura”

The MESPTO would also like to send out a special Thank You to Todd Shimabukuro and the MES custodial staff who asked to have their portion of their gift cards given back to the students.  We will be using their donations towards Campus Beautification efforts (paint and supplies for the 10 squares for the kindergarten and 1st grade areas).  Thanks, Todd and crew!

If you have any questions on your donation, please feel free to email the committee at manpower@moanaluapto.org.  Thanks, again for making the event a special time for the teachers and staff (and A+ staff) at Moanalua Elementary School!

FALL SOCCER REGISTRATION

Date: Saturday, May 5 & May 12, 2012
Time: 9:00 am -2:00 pm
Place: Ala Puumalu Park, next to the tennis court

Visit the AYSO Registration Page for more information: http://aysoregion118.com

Please join us at the next PTO meeting!

Date: Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Time: 5:30pm
Place: MES Library

Also, our General Membership meeting will be held on:

Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Time: 5:30pm (preceding the Starlight Concert)
Place: MES Courtyard

Thanks to all of our MES families and friends who helped to make Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day a success on April 25.  The teachers, staff (and later, the A+ personnel) really enjoyed the delicious selection of food and drinks at the potluck!  Lucky name drawings, thank you grams, and afternoon activities of Healing Touch, Tai Chi, Dessert Demos, Shoulder Massages and Salon Services were a big treat for the faculty.

Please take a look at a thank you note from one of the faculty to the MESPTO and Families:

“April 25, 2012

Dear MES PTO and Families!

Every year, I am so in awe of your generosity, and incredible kindness.  My gosh—I watch every food show on Food and Travel Network (ha, ha!) and still, I don’t have enough adjectives to describe the bounty of food that is presented to us each year—this year is obviously, no exception!

We got a hint of things to come, when we were greeted with smiles and cheers, and a door man!

Your generosity is amazing, with the outrageous amounts of food, salads, entrees, desserts, plus Starbucks Coffee (served graciously at our tables, no less!)—Wow.  We are so incredibly lucky!

As if this all wasn’t enough, a huge thank you too, for the generous gift cards.  AND, day’s not over because we get treated to exciting activities—perfect to try to burn off at least some of the calories consumed!

Thank you once again, Moanalua Elementary School PTO and all the families who made this day so special!

With sincere gratitude,

Lila Koide”

We would like to thank all of the families of the children listed below for their potluck contributions:

Please click here for the list of the families who contributed to the potluck

Thanks, also, to our parents and friends of MES who provided services or goods free of charge to our teachers and staff for the afternoon events, potluck, or the lucky name drawing:

Please click here for the list of those who provided services & goods to the event

Thanks to all of our hardworking and enthusiastic volunteer parents and friends who made and waved signs, moved furniture, carted and carried food and drinks to and from the serving areas, and cleaned up…it was not easy work and they all worked hard!  Thanks to:

Please click here for the list of volunteers

We also thank families and friends who generously donated gift cards, certificates and monetary funds towards the teacher, staff and A+ collections.  The over 150 donations were given to the teachers, faculty and the A+ personnel this week and they were all appreciative of our families’ generosity.  We are still processing the last of the gifts (i.e. checks) and will have a recap for your viewing with the final distributions and the donors’ names on the MESPTO website next week.

If any of our readers should have any suggestions for improvement or would like to chair or co-chair this event for next year, please contact manpower@moanaluapto.org .

Thanks, again, MES families!