Merriam PTO N2K ( Need to Know)

From the PTO Board: Neena Arora, Kristina Rychlik, Dianna McNeish and Eleni Digenis-Bury

Week of 11/28/11 

11/30  Wednesday – Merriam Staff vs PTO Basketball Game 6:00 PM

12/13  Tuesday -- School Council Meeting

12/24 to 1/2  Winter Break

1/16   Monday  -- No School

1/23 Kindergarten Change Over

1/25 Wednesday – Donuts with Dad/Muffins with Mom PTO meeting with Camp Fair prep

1/26   Thursday – Camp Fair

2/10 to 2/17 Scholastic Book Fair

MERRIAM STAFF VS. PTO BASKETBALL GAME - WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH AT 6:00 (DOORS OPEN AT 5:30)

LOCATION: RJ GREY JUNIOR HIGH GYMNASIUM

Just a few days away: Show your Merriam community spirit at this annual basketball extravaganza - come join the fun and cheer on your favorites as Merriam staff members play a friendly game of basketball versus PTO members on Wednesday, November 30th. The game will be held at the junior high gymnasium and begins at 6:00, with food available and doors opening at 5:30. Tickets are available at the door.

We are still looking for a couple more volunteers to make this game a big success - you can help and still watch parts of the game!

- Ticket/concession sales help.

- Halftime help with free throw contest, pie in the face.

If you are interested and can lend a hand, please contact Carrie Mathews (carrie275@aol.com) and Meg Brennan (pilatesmeg@yahoo.com).

There will be another opportunity to order gift cards through SCRIP with delivery scheduled for December 16^th.  Order forms will be sent home via Friday mail in the coming weeks.

We are looking for a volunteer to help in the office, a couple of hours in the morning, every other Wednesday.  If you are available to help, please contact Dianna McNeish, (mcneish4@verizon.net)

Last year there were some changes to the ethics rules as it applies to class gifts to teachers. Gifts from a class can have a value of up to $150. Gifts from an individual still may not exceed $50. The guidelines are described below.

930 CMR 5.08(14) Class Gifts to Teachers.A public school department employee is not prohibited from accepting a gift, or several gifts during the school year, from public school students and/or their parents and guardians, with an aggregated value of up to $150, if the gift is identified only as being from the class, and the identity of givers and amounts given are not identified to the recipient. Parents may also give gifts to the classroom or the school in accordance with the rules of the school district. Gifts received pursuant to this exemption are not required to be disclosed because the givers are not identified to the teacher. Public school department employees must disclose gifts received from individual students, parents, and guardians that are not class gifts as explained in 930 CMR 5.07.

Example : A teacher has a class with 23 students. Parents of 20 of the students collect money and give the teacher a $150 gift certificate to a book store, indicating that it is a class gift. One of the parents who did not contribute to the class gift gives the teacher a $25 certificate to a spa. The teacher may accept the $150 class gift certificate and no disclosure is required. The teacher may not accept any other gift from the parents who contributed to the class gift. The teacher may accept the $25 spa certificate, but must file a disclosure pursuant to M.G.L. c. 268A, § 23(b)(3).

Example : A teacher has a class with 23 students. Parents of 13 of the students collect money and give the teacher a $130 gift certificate to a book store, indicating that it is a class gift. Parents of the other ten students collect money and give the teacher a $100 gift certificate to an office supply store, indicating that the gift is a gift to the classroom and that the teacher should use it to buy necessary classroom supplies. The teacher can accept the first gift on his own behalf and the second on behalf of the classroom. He must spend the $100 office supply gift certificate on classroom supplies and should keep receipts documenting those purchases. Items purchased with money that is a gift to the classroom is the property of the school district. The teacher may not knowingly accept any additional gift from parents who participated in

Did you know… You can order quality merchandise from Innisbrook year-round at their webstore,  and Merriam will earn 40% profit on every item!? Stock up on:  Gift-wrap, Ribbons, Tags, Totes, Helen Grace Chocolates, Household and Gift Items, Magazine Subscriptions!  All orders will ship directly to your home.

There are two easy ways to place an order:

1.    Visit the Merriam PTO website at www.merriampto.org,  and click on the red Innisbrook link to go directly to their webstore.  All orders placed from this link will automatically be credited to Merriam School.

2.     Go to www.innisbrook.com, select “SHOP the Innisbrook Online Store,” and then enter our school number: 111153. 

We earn 40% profit on every item, so please consider making a purchase,

and invite family and friends to participate too.  Thank you for supporting our school!

Questions? Please contact Mindy Shapiro: mindyshapiro@yahoo.com  (978) 264-9495

year

those purchases. Items purchased with money that is a gift to the c