Speaking / Subject
Rachel Williams

PTO President / o Welcome and President Update
  • Meeting called to order 6:36pm
  • AZ Merit Scores--Fireside ranks 7th out of 1,095 schools in AZ!! We are so proud of this accomplishment!
  • Technology Night Follow-up and Digital Citizenship - great programming from NotmyKid. Digital Citizenship lessons begin this week for 3rd-6th! A great night, thank you to everyone who was able to attend.
  • Hand Out LINK
  • Digital Citizenship uses Common Sense media curriculum. To learn more check out their website:
  • Students and teachers will be usingNearpod technology
  • Your Digital Citizenship team will be sending home monthly objectives, learning lessons, and family tip sheets
  • Spirit Wear - fall/winter styles available online this week. Purchase soon for holiday gift giving!!Hoodies and long pants coming soon.
  • Volunteer SPARKle of the Month - honoring the time and talent our volunteers share with Fireside!The PTO board has asked teachers and staff to nominate volunteers every month.
  • September Winner! Kristy LAST NAME provides amazing support to our teachers!!! Thank you Kristy!
  • October Winner! Megan Willy our Kiss and Go coordinator!Thank you Megan!
  • Order your yearbook now! $30 per book. Price increases in January. These are a great keepsake your child(ren) will cherish for years to come. And, we need your photos! We can’t make a great yearbook without your help!
  • Website: Upload photos with the access code "fireside" at yearbookforever.com/#cu/362197.
  • Snap App: Upload five pictures at a time from your phone with the Yearbook Snap app.
  • Email: Email directly to
  • Student Council had their first meeting this morning. Thanksgiving Boxes will begin soon to benefit Echo Mountain Primary. Boxes will be delivered to classrooms on Oct 16th. Sign-up genius will go out to families from homeroom teachers. Boxes need to be filled by Nov 17th then will be delivered on Nov 20th to Echo Mountain. We are so excited to be involved in this effort again this year.

LauraLAST NAME
Book Fair Chair /
  • “Saddle Up” Scholastic Book Fair begins Oct 18. Please sign-up to volunteer -- we need lots of helping hands for another successful fair!
  • This fall there will be a “pencil pull” from a giant cactus. If the pencil is sharpened they get a free book.
  • Teachers get an additional $100 to shop on Oct 30th.
  • Since the beginning of our Scholastic program, Fireside has earned $97k and purchased 13,000+ products.
  • Fireside made it into the national scholastic magazine!
  • Teacher sign-ups go out this week and take homefliers will go out next week. Parents can ask their child’s classroom teacher when their class will be attending the fair.
  • Each class visits twice. The first time is a preview and they get to make a wish list. Kinders willattend with their buddy class. Parents can then approve the lsit and send money with their child.
  • Parents can shop during open times. Check the calendar for times.

Rebecca Guglielmo

PTO Secretary / o Secretary Update
  • Rebecca moved to approve the August Meeting Minutes as written. Tara Frutkin seconds. Minutes are approved.
  • Specials and Resource Teachers’ Wish List
  • We are pleased to share a supply wish list on behalf of our multi grade level classrooms (Specials, Resource, etc.). This wish list will be available on our Fireside PTO website in the coming week. We encourage you to take a moment periodically to review this list and help out our superb teachers, so that they can continue to engage our children with integrated, hands-on learning opportunities.

Mrs. Simmons

Principal
Mrs. Smith

Asst. Principal / o Principal’s Update
  • We hope you had a great Fall break!
  • Check out our School Digger.com AZ Merit Scores--Fireside ranks 7th out of 1,095 schools in AZ!!
  • We were in the 30s last year, we are so proud of this accomplishment.
  • We are the only public school in the top 10
  • Conference Week. Look for sign up genius which will be available soon.
  • School grades come out next week.
  • Check out Mrs. Simmons communication email.
  • I am always available, email, come in or find me on campus!

Jen Opie

PTO Treasurer / o Budget Update
  • QuickBooks checking balance: $107,503.99.
  • Includes $27,987.79 in class and chorus funds, which are managed by PTO, but are “pass thru dollars”.
  • QuickBooks savings balance: $29,039.74
  • $5,000 budgeted for new school to open across from Pinnacle HS. The rest is for Rainy Day fund.
  • Approved budget over-run:
  • $150 to Fall Book Fair for Scholastic theme pack supplies. Our Book Fair Chair requested this purchase as a fun way to freshen up book fair. Fall book fair will be a pilot for the theme packs and results will be evaluated for possible continuation at future book fairs.
  • Building development purchase:
  • Refrigerator ($574.49) for staff lunchroom to use for PTO event needs rather than take up teacher fridge space; also can be used for extra staff space as needed.

Erica Ellertson

PTO VP Committees of Programs/Special Events / o Committees Update
  • Movie Night! Community Partner Event, showing Despicable Me 2 is Oct 28 at Cashman Park. Begins at 5pm(movie starts around 6ish). Mexican food truck will be there, Trunk or Treat, popcorn, snow conesand other vendors will be there as well.
  • Bingo Night is November 17
  • Under TheBig Top Bingo
  • Pre-K-2nd from 6:30-7:30 and 3rd-6th from 7:45pm-8:45pm
  • If you have children in both age groups, you can pick one session to attend
  • Spring Carnival is Friday April 6 from 5:00pm-9:00pm
  • Theme is “Fireside Country Fair”
  • Bounce House, games, food, areas for different age groups and more!
  • If you would like to volunteer please contact Erica Ellertson at
  • Trekkers
  • We still need a Chair.
  • 1st-3rd grade? Or 1st-6th? What do we think? Thoughts from the attendees.
  • Tends to be 1st and 2nd graders.
  • If you would like to help with Trekkers please contact Erica Ellertson at
  • PE teacher may be opening up a running club in the morning which may be an option for older students.

Tara Frutkin

PTO VP Committees of Fundraising / o Committees of Fundraising Update
  • Costco shopping day Oct 21 from 8-10:30am. Shop to earn valuable paper for Fireside.
  • Go do your normal shopping and for every $100 we spend we get a ream of paper. Don’t forget to tell the cashier you are supporting Fireside Elementary.
  • Fireside raised $276 at Sweet Tomatoes Family Night Out. Thank you Shara for organizing!
  • Order a Papa Johnspizza Oct 18 for “Family Night In” 20% proceeds back to Fireside
  • Kona Ice $3 after school Oct 13. 20% proceeds to Fireside.
  • Box Top Reminder-clip and send in with your child-FREE MONEY

Emily Mohr & Orli Kaplan

PTO Co-VPs Fundraising / o Fundraising Update
  • Mustang Money - End of Campaign Report
  • 47.4% participation school wide
  • Met our dollar goal. We wish we were at a higher participation for our school.
  • You can still donate online!
  • With the money raised, we can move forward with our filtered, chilled and refillable water bottle stations throughout the school.
  • “Eat. Drink. Give! The Giving Continues” Spring Fundraiser Update
  • March 3, 2018, Fireside Community Center donates the space for free!
  • We will have additional bars this year
  • Solicitation of auction items has begun!
  • We are in need of Big Ticket Items, contact Emily and Orli at

Regan Olsson

PTO VP Marketing & Communication / o Marketing & Communications Update
  • In the process of updating our website hosting to make things easier for our mobile capabilities.

Fireside Teacher Representatives
LeAnnaWolkis (Kinder)

Deanna Labella (Kinder)
/ o Teacher Report
  • Thank you from all the staff for our fabulous half-day teacher luncheon from Portillos
  • Mrs. Spenikwants to thank the PTO for funding the upcoming ceramics project
  • Mrs. Hoffner and entire staff want to thank the PTO for the staff shirts. We love the designs and variety.
  • Thank you for all of our room moms and parents for donating yarn and boxes to the project lab
  • Mrs. Wolkis sends a big thank you for supporting the additional flexible seating for Kinder.

School Council Reps
Pam Gowda

David Pegram
/ o School Council Update
  • Pam and David reported on the latest School Council meeting.
  • Is your 4th-6th grader interested in Mustang Patrol? This is a great leadership opportunity. Applications coming soon.
  • Safety Reminder for our Kindergarten families. Parents need to drop off children at the gate.
  • Emergency Planning by Our School. To learn more check out our website:
  • Tech Night was fantastic. A very informative evening.Shane Watson (name?), the presenter was able share tough information with solutions that made parents feel like they had tangible tools.
  • We may be able to do another one. 3rd-6th
  • Awareness was key.

UPC Reps
Michelle Bianchi

David Cooper

Emily Jacobsen
/ o UPC Update
  • UPC Update - September Meeting
  • Yes! For PV Students - event schedule and updates. Must be registered to vote by October 10th. Verify your voting status and/or register to vote HERE.
  • Dr. Lee, our superintendent, is always there.
  • This meeting was about the budget. How it’s developed and incorporated and affects our schools.
  • ESA Empowerment Scholarship was discussed.

Rachel Williams

PTO President /
  • Thank you for health screenings volunteers
  • Digital Citizenship will continue to provide presenters for parents to keep educating both our parents and children on internet safety.
  • Teachers need to get Mini Grants in, we only have $4k left for the year as of now.
o Parent Comments
  • Can we get the staff shirts with the state of AZ logo on them for the school community?
o Adjournment at 7:33pm

Upcoming Dates at Fireside Elementary

OCTOBER
October 13 / After School Treats – Kona Ice ($3)
October 18 / United Parent Council (UPC) Meeting (9am)
October 18 / Family Night In – Papa John's
October 18 – 27 / Fall Book Fair (set up 10/18, take-down 10/30)
October 19 / School Pictures RETAKES
October 21 / Costco Paper Event (8-10:30am)
October 23-26 / Parent/Teacher Conferences
October 25 & 26 / Early Release (12:30pm)
October 27 / NO SCHOOL
October 28 / Movie Night @ Cashman Park (6pm–partnering w/Desert Ridge Comm Assoc.)
October 31 / PTO Exec Board Meeting (9am)
NOVEMBER
November 3 / After School Treats – Rita’s Ice ($2)
November 7 / PTO General Meeting (6:30pm)
November 10 / NO SCHOOL (Veteran’s Day)
November 15 / United Parent Council (UPC) Meeting (9am)
November 16 / Family Night Out @ Chipotle (Desert Ridge)
November 17 / Bingo Night (6:30-8:30pm)
November 22-24 / NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Recess)
November 28 / PTO Exec Board Meeting (9am)
DECEMBER
December 2 / Chorus Holiday Sing Along @ Coyotes Game
December 5 / PTO General Meeting (6:30pm)
December 5 / Early Release (12:30pm)
December 8 / Barnes & Noble Polar Express Night
December 8 / Family Night Out @ California Pizza Kitchen
December 19 / Winter Chorus, Band & Strings Assembly/Concert (Assembly 2pm; Concert 6:30pm)
December 19 / PTO Exec Board Meeting (9am)
December 20 / United Parent Council (UPC) Meeting (9am)
December 25– Jan 5 / NO SCHOOL (Winter Recess)
FIRESIDE ELEMENTRARY WOULD LIKE TO
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