About the PGO

You are the PGO!

Every Crocker Farm family is automatically a member of the school’s Parent & Guardian Organization (PGO).

The Crocker Farm PGO maintains this website as well as a facebook page to keep families informed about school & PGO events.

The PGO’s mission is to enhance our children’s educational and social experience by:
* Planning events that bring us together as a school community
* Sponsoring activities to raise funds for equipment, supplies, special school events, field trips, scholarships, and mini-grants for teachers
* Finding ways to show our appreciation of and support for our teachers and staff

 

Volunteering at Crocker Farm

We can ALWAYS use a hand! There are lots of ways to volunteer and help at Crocker Farm. Many of the school’s great events and activities would not be possible without volunteers, and volunteering for even an hour or two makes a difference and helps our school.

There are several ways to sign up to volunteer at Crocker Farm.

 

PGO Steering Committee

Members oversee the PGO activities for the school year, and help decide the PGO’s funding and other priorities. Crocker Farm PGO Steering Committee members together plan the calendar of PGO events and set the PGO’s priorities for funding each school year. Members usually individually oversee a few of the PGO’s events each year and volunteer for others.

Chair/Co-Chairs
Oversee the year-round activities of the PGO. Serve as the primary PGO contact with school and district administrators and staff, and other ARPS PGOs. Distribute a volunteer sign-up form to families in the fall and work with communications and class parent coordinators, help find volunteers for PGO activities and events.

Communications Coordinator(s)
Oversee the PGO Blog and Facebook page, and other outreach and communication with Crocker Farm families, such as our PGO letters to families, and mailings that go out in backpacks. Help promote PGO events and fundraisers.

Fundraising Coordinator(s)
Help select the PGO’s primary fundraisers each school year, and help promote them among Crocker Farm families. Depending on interest and skills, may also help school teachers/staff prepare grant applications to help subsidize field trips or other enrichment activities.

Treasurer 
Oversees the PGO’s bank account, including deposits and withdrawals. Helps with school events and activities that involve money, such as by providing an event cash box and reimbursements for expenses, and collecting the money raised in fundraisers. Oversees the mini-grant program, jointly making decisions on which mini-grant requests to fund with the rest of the PGO Board. Keeps track of how the PGO’s money is being spent, and with the PGO Board helps develop an annual PGO budget.

Class Parent Coordinator
Serves as the primary contact between class parents and the PGO. Keeps class parents informed about important PGO updates and info. Helps coordinate a class parent get-together each fall for Q&As.

Preschool Representative
A preschool parent who serves as the primary contact between the preschool teachers, staff, and families, and the PGO. The Crocker Farm PGO includes the preschool as well and helps with fundraising for the preschool. Helps decide how the PGO can best help the preschool and which preschool mini-grant requests to fund.

Below is a summary list of the PGO’s activities. We are still seeking a School District News Coordinator. If you are interested in this volunteer position, please email us at crockerfarmpgo@gmail.com.

2016-2017 Crocker Farm PGO Steering Committee

 

 

Main PGO Events for the Year 2016-2017

(Ideas for additional events are always welcome)

These events are only made possible with the help of volunteers, including people who coordinate the events.

  • Sept: Welcome Back Event(s)
  • Oct: Fall Field Day
  • Nov: Barnes & Noble Fundraiser; Winter Clothing Collection & Distribution
  • Nov: Election Bake Sale fundraiser
  • Jan: Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast & Celebration ; Ski & Skate Sale Fundraiser with Amherst Lions Club
  • Feb: Family Movie/Activity Night + Parent Workshops
  • Winter: Afterschool chess club once a week
  • March:  Hillside Pizza Fundraiser
  • March-April: PGO Coffee(s) with School Committee Candidates
  • April: Used Book Swap
  • April: Bus Driver & Crossing Guard Appreciation Breakfast
  • Spring: Annual Appeal Fundraiser
  • June: Ice Cream Social, Spring Tag Sale, Staff Appreciation Breakfast; Help with Field Day, Help with Graduation
  • Ongoing: Monthly PGO Coffees with the Principal (& Special Guests)

 

PGO Activities & Events Each School Year

Ongoing

  • Class Parents
  • PGO Blog & Facebook Page
  • PGO Coffees with the Principal and Special Guests

 

Events/Activities

(The PGO seeks 1-2 parents to oversee each event/activity each year)

  • Welcome Back Breakfast for Teachers/Staff (Aug)
  • Welcome Back Event for Families (Sept)
  • School Picture Day (Sept; school event, PGO provides volunteers to help)
  • Harvest Fest/Fall Field Day (Oct)
  • Winter Clothing Collection & Distribution (Dec)
  • School Family Directory (Fall; distributed mainly electronically)
  • December Break Food Collection for Families (Dec)
  • Chess Club (Jan-Mar)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration (Jan; school event, PGO provides volunteers & helps with food)
  • Math Night (school event, PGO helps)
  • Curriculum Day Breakfast for Staff
  • Family Movie/Activity Nights
  • Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast (April)
  • PGO Coffees with School Committee Candidates (Mar-April)
  • Used Book Swap (April)
  • Crocker Press book publishing for lower grades (Spring)
  • Science Night (Spring, school event)
  • Ice Cream Social (June)
  • Field Day (school event; PGO helps provides healthy snack)
  • Teacher Appreciation Lunch/Breakfast (June)
  • Help with 6th Grade Graduation (June)

Fundraisers

  • Barnes & Noble Fundraiser (Nov)
  • ValleyGives Fundraiser (Dec)
  • Ski & Skate Sale Fundraiser with the Amherst Lions Club (Jan)
  • Hillside Pizza Fundraiser (March)
  • Annual Appeal (Spring)
  • Scholastic Book Fair (Spring)
  • Tag Sale (Spring)
  • Passive fundraisers (Target, Stop & Shop, BoxTops)
  • Help with Grant Writing to Subsidize Field Trips

 

What the PGO pays for & helps pay for

* Field Trips: PGO subsidizes trips & helps with grant applications
* In-School Performers & Education Enhancement Activities
* Mini-grants for Teachers & Classrooms; Staff
* Class Celebrations
* Math Night & Science Night Support
* Band & Orchestra Fundraisers
* Ethnic & Heritage Events
* Student Snacks for Guidance Office & classrooms
* Money for Guidance Dept, for student/family needs
* Celebration for ARHS seniors who are Crocker Farm alumni
* PGO Scholarship to ARHS Senior who is a Crocker Farm alum
* Class Celebrations/Class Snacks
* Ethnic & Heritage Events

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