September Meeting / Healthy Snack Cart

At the September meeting we had a guest speaker, Melanie B. present on the idea of a Healthy Snack Cart.  A snack cart is currently available in Kasson and has been a big hit.  Melanie provided the following information:


Every activity at school is a learning experience for the child.  Snack has become an essential part of an elementary students day.  The current group snack has many downfalls including the often unhealthy nature of what is brought for snack.  It is also expensive to bring a group snack 4 to 5 times a year for kindergarten or up to 9 times in 1st grade.  There are no low income subsidies available for this.  Peanut allergies have only increased the complexity of serving a safe, healthy group snack.  It can be difficult for the teacher if a child forgets, brings something that cannot be served (unhealthy or forget spoons, etc)  A group of parents have brought forward a great solution to the problems associated with group snack.  The heathy snack cart will allow all student access to a choice of healthy food for snack time.  The snack cart would be elective and a separate charge service through the food service.  Kasson Mantorville along with Taher currently has the healthy snack cart program working wonderfully.  They report it is $50 a year for full time students (1-4).  Voluntary participation at KM was 90% this year.  Their food service director has been overwhelmed by how many apples, bananas, and oranges that they have been going through.


We are looking for input/questions about the interest in recommending that Taher and Byron Elementary work together to begin the Healthy Snack Cart.


Estimation of providing a healthy group snack for your child's class per year:
Kindergarten - 4 times = $48.00
full time 1st - 4th = $100.00


Want to know more or show your support of this initiative?  Please contact the PTO or Mr. Rodemeyer.

Thank you!

A Healthy Snack Cart

Welcome Back / Fundraiser Information

Hello Parents,

Welcome back to school! On Thursday, September 8th The Chip Shoppe will be in Byron to start the annual PTO fundraiser. This fundraiser raises the money the PTO uses throughout the year to support many activities at all 3 schools in the Byron School District. Below is a list of activities funded by the PTO in the 2010 – 2011 school year listed in the order in which they were requested and approved. As you can see, the PTO worked hard to touch the lives of each student here in Byron.

 Zoo Field trip for HS Zoology class
 Physical Education (broomball, bowling and canoeing for MS & HS)
 Freaky Friday
 Kindergarten Planetarium Field Trip
 1st Grade end of year trip to Dodge Center park
 1st Grade trip to Oxbow Park
 KPals curriculum
 Post Prom committee donation
 Student & staff T-shirts for Blue Ribbon celebration
 Elementary School Bus Tags for 2011-2012 school year
 Anne Frank field trip (unable to get tickets, replaced by a MN Science Museum Field trip)
 Middle School fun night
 Elementary School Movie & Bingo Nights
 2nd Grade Zoo Field trip
 "I Love to Read Month" at Byron Elementary supplies & incentives
 “I Love to Read Month” books for all students at Byron Elementary
 3rd Grade trip to Mystery Cave
 3 xylophones for MS Music program
 Donation to continue HS Rewards program
 Tiles to begin a pride wall at Elementary school
 Donation to help fund the 4th Grade final fling
 K-1 Reading intervention program
 Sound system to be placed in the Elementary School Little Theater
 4th Grade and of year pool party
 Partial funding for new percussion instruments(s) at BHS
 BHS Math department trial of iPod touches as a learning aid
 High School Art department smart boards
 Two Think it over Babies at BHS
 Heart rate monitors for PE at BHS
 Fitness Gram Software for PE at BHS
 Savings program started for new Playground equipment at BES

At the PTO we appreciate the support of so many parents we receive through volunteering at an event, supporting the fundraiser and more. As you review the fundraiser materials, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to The Chip Shoppe or Amy Hoerle (byronpto@gmail.com). Please remember that many of the fundraiser items are frozen and thus must be picked up October 17, 3:30 - 7:30 @ BES gymnasium as there is no available freezer storage at BES for your items. The fundraiser pickup is scheduled during parent/teacher conferences as a convenience, but if this does not work for you please reach out to a friend, neighbor or relative to pick up your items. If you prefer not to participate in The Chip Shoppe fundraiser, your cash donation is always appreciated and tax deductible as the PTO is certified by the IRS as 501(c)3 organization. If you have any questions, concerns or want to know more about the PTO, please join us at our monthly meetings.

The next PTO meeting has been rescheduled for Monday, September 12th at 7:30 p.m. at the BES Media Center (Library).

On behalf of the PTO, I look forward to seeing you all soon and have a great year,

Amy Hoerle

Party on the Playground

Thank you to all who were able to attend this year's Party on the Playground.