hardy pto agenda minuteS
August 11, 2026
For your information
- Hardy PTO Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-j6Cv-riOPmpVRl5QfXANI2oOhM5dvMm68KyHe_gjxRr2LQ/viewform?usp=header
- Water Bottle Fundraiser: Hosted by Linda Carella (Lake St. Crossing Guard). $5 for every $20 water bottle goes to Hardy PTO: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGFT6BNyMAwti8MDXH17itJZs8Bkz9t46kKSmUWRQsQEtAmQ/viewform
- Label Everything: Please label everything your child brings to Hardy - clothing, lunch bag, water bottle, tupperware, etc. Use a sharpie pen or buy labels such as Mabel’s Labels. 20% of Mabel’s Labels purchase goes to Hardy PTO if you use the link and search for Hardy Elementary School PTO (Arlington): https://mabelslabels.com/fundraising/support
- EVENTS:
- Hardy PTO Activities:
- Caregiver Coffees (K & 1-5) - Sept 11th (open to feedback);
- Back to School Frozen Treat Social - Sept 18th (open to feedback)
- 5th Grade Fundraiser - Sept 22nd
- Hardy School Activities
- Back to School Night: Drop in between 6pm and 8pm on Sept 23rd
- Arlington Community Activities:
- Arlington Town Day: Sept 19th 10:30am - 4:30pm
- Hunger Action Week: Sept 20-26th - Arlington Eats, Foodlink & Robbins Library
- Spy Pond Fun Day: September 26th from 10am-1pm
- Arlington Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration: Oct 10th at 11am at Arlington Masonic Temple
- Hardy PTO Activities:
MEETING MINUTES
- Welcome & Updates
- Will move PTO meeting days to Thursdays until end of year. PTO will revisit meeting dates at beginning of 2027
- Still looking to fill the following positions:
- PTO President
- DIG Co-chair
- Safe Routes to School Co-chair
- Garden Team Chair & Co-Chair
- Classroom Coordinator
- Google Drive is available for how-tos and database of information for anyone who’s interested in volunteering for any of the committees
- Still looking to fill the following positions:
- Will move PTO meeting days to Thursdays until end of year. PTO will revisit meeting dates at beginning of 2027
- Principal’s Report - Gretchen Saunders
- First few days of school have focused on welcoming new and returning students and learning basic routines
- Looking forward to Back to School Night, September 23rd 6-8pm; student-led tour format; younger siblings are welcome
- Admin Assistant
- Working on updating school website
- Excited to integrate ParentSquare (app available)
- Very user friendly and caregivers are encouraged to utilize it as much as possible
- Asking teachers not to lean on other platforms so we can become more comfortable with ParentSquare
- Classroom coordinators cannot access it yet to push out information, but Principal Saunders will check with ParentSquare representative for more information
- Admin Assistant
-
Committee Updates
- Treasurer - Brian Gibree
- Reviewed budget at last meeting in August
- Similar budget to last year
- Fundraising - Lisa Morella
- Launching Direct Donation Drive at the Back to School Social on September 18th
- Looking for assistance with setting up a site that lists out the ways sponsors can provide assistance; also would like to tier sponsorship (bronze, silver, gold)
- Harvest Fest - October 3rd; Wilson Farms to support
- Need volunteers
- Launch Tickets to provide free day passes
- Ski Rentals - Boston Ski & Tennis
- Potential Sponsors
- Dominos reached out to support; provide deeply discounted prices and waive sales tax
- Offering a potential “Pizza Weekend” where a percentage of sales go to the PTO
- Mathnasium
- Individual realtors
- Dominos reached out to support; provide deeply discounted prices and waive sales tax
- Enrichment
- Teachers can reach out to enrichment@hardypto.com for assistance with ideas and suggestions
- Safe Routes to School
- Planning for pedestrian and bike training for students during school
- Reached out to a rep for assistance with Bike Rodeo
- DIG
-
- Hispanic Heritage Month starts Sept 15th
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Will share calendar once finalized
- Human Rights Commission hosting interactive workshops using real life events that happened within APS to explore solutions in managing behavior
- Working on understanding how it can be scaled for elementary students and students with autism
- Working group meeting is Sept 23rd
- Classroom Coordinators
- Looking for volunteers to assist teachers
- Snack - Annie Clarke-Lauder
- This committee collaborates with school to provide snacks for students in partnership with PTO and Arlington Eats
- Garden
- Fall bulb planting TBD
- Green Team
- New fleet of trash grabbers; can be rented for anyone interested in utilizing
- Would like to work with Hardy After School Program
- Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) - Tunde Horvath
- First meeting September 25th at 8:45am
- Facebook page available to connect with community
- Upcoming Events
- Picture Day - September 14th
- Curriculum Night - September 23rd
- Treat Train - October 2nd (5th grade hosts)
- Harvest Fest - October 3rd
- Trunk or Treat - October 23rd
- Need an organizer to solicit candy/toy donations
- Planning Event Ownership for the Year:
- Auction (March)
- Hour of Code (March)
- Bike Rodeo (October)
- Book Fair (March)
- Caregiver’s Nights Out
- STEAM Fest
- Caregiver Coffees
- Literacy Night (March)
- Multi-cultural Fest
- Craft Day(s)
- NEXT MEETING(s):
- October 15th
- November 12th
- December 10th
Please find archived minutes here:
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2026-2027 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2025-2026 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2024-2025 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2023-2024 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2022-2023 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2021-2022 School Year
Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2020-2021 School Year
