The Hyde Park Baptist Elementary School PARENT TEACHER FELLOWSHIP (PTF) is an organization of parents who volunteer their time to help with service projects and fundraising efforts that provide items needed by the staff, teachers, and most importantly, the students at Hyde Park Elementary School.
The mission of the organization is to create and organize events that enhance the students' academic and spiritual development. Home and school cooperate fully in this endeavor. Fundraisers provide funds necessary to purchase the latest materials needed for instruction, such as TV/VCR units and state-of-the-art computers for each classroom. PTF also organizes activities for students to go out into the community and the world to share the message of Christ's love during the Christmas and Easter seasons.
PTF SERVICE PROJECTS
Although sales of some sort are involved in several of these activities, they provide services or products to parents and students rather than generating revenue for the school.
School Supply Sale: Parents are given the opportunity to purchase a package of school supplies that has been tailored by teachers for each grade level. Orders are placed in advance and supplies are distributed to classrooms before the first day of school in August. Orders can be placed online at www.Innisbrook.com using School Code 119001.
Student Directory: Each fall, as a service to our parents, the PTF puts together a school directory for parents to purchase.
Uniform Resale Shop: In May of each year, PTF sponsors the very popular Uniform Resale Shop. Parents can send outgrown clothing (especially Chapel dress items) to school to be sold in the shop. Prices are low, and 100% of the sale price is returned to the parents, who in turn are able to purchase items for their children for the following year at greatly reduced prices.
Hospitality: The Hospitality Committee organizes weekly "Treats for Teachers" and helps with various teacher luncheons throughout the school year. This committee also recognizes teacher and staff birthdays throughout the year.
Yearbook: The Hyde Park Elementary Yearbook is a treasure each year! Individual student pictures are organized by class, and photos of activities and events throughout the year are included to create a memory book for the students. This is a busy and ongoing project for the Yearbook Committee, but is a wonderful and greatly appreciated service for our students. Each May, students enjoy yearbook signing parties with their grade level.
Community Vendor Rebates: These are known as "Painless Fundraisers" because the school benefits when parents purchase items that they buy on a regular basis through participating vendors.
Randall's Remarkable Card: Just by giving the grocery store checker at Randall's the school number, 2564, a percentage of the purchase total is put into an account that is paid to the school each quarter.
Box Tops for Education: General Mills offers rebates to schools that collect and send in the "Box Tops for Education" seal from hundreds of household products and food items. There is friendly competition between classes for the largest number of box tops collected, and PTF rewards top classes each spring with a special party.
Lands' End: The Lands' End School Uniform Catalog is one of the sources for elementary school uniforms, and when parents place an order, all they have to do is enter the elementary code, and a percentage rebate is made to the school from all uniform purchases.
SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS ACTIVITIES
Around Thanksgiving, the PTF provides leadership in the schools' participation in "Operation Christmas Child" which is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, an organization led by Franklin Graham. At a special Chapel service before the Thanksgiving holidays, each student brings a "shoebox gift" to school that is designated either for a boy or a girl. During the Chapel service, students walk up to the stage to present their gifts. After the Chapel service, a host of parent volunteers box and ship the gifts to Samaritan's Purse. The gifts are distributed at Christmas throughout the world to needy children in poor countries. Our children and our school receive tremendous blessings from participating in this project.
Leading up to the Easter holidays, each grade level participates in an activity in which students go out into the community and provide a service or special activity for others. PTF searches out these opportunities, and organizes a schedule of activities for the students.
PTF FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES
Over the years PTF has refined their search for just the "right" fundraisers for Hyde Park Elementary School and the two described below have been consistently profitable over the years. The PTF fundraising is concentrated in the fall with only two events. Working with the principal, PTF allocates this money to be spent in various areas of the elementary school.
September - Magazine Sales
Parents, family members and friends can order new subscriptions and renew existing subscriptions through this program. Students and classes compete for prizes. Orders can be placed online all year at www.APHearst.com using School Code WB2470.
October - Gift Wrap Sale
A color catalogue offers quality gift wrap and all related items, food items, and assorted gifts. Students and classes compete for prizes. Orders are delivered before the holidays. Orders can be placed online all year at www.Innisbrook.com using School Code 119001.
