Couldn’t make our virtual PTO meeting? No worries! Here’s a recap of what we discussed, what’s coming up, and how you can get involved!
The Circus Is Coming Back!
We wrapped up another visit from the Billy Martin Circus on October 24! We discussed ticket sales, advertising costs, and ways to make future events even better.
And we’re excited to announce that the circus is coming BACK!
Mark your calendars for Sunday, February 21, 2027, at 3 PM at Ridgway Area High School!
We heard from several families who couldn’t make it to the October shows, so we’re excited to offer another opportunity to enjoy this longtime Ridgway tradition. Even better, the February performance will feature ALL NEW ACTS!
Our hope is to make this a late-winter tradition, giving families something fun to look forward to when we’re all ready to get out of the house!
More ticket information will be shared soon.
Coin Wars Carnival Recap
We had a great time celebrating our students at the October 23 Coin Wars Carnival!
One thing that worked especially well was having each grade level wear a designated clothing color. It made it easier to identify students by grade, and we’d love to continue doing this at future events!
We also discussed opportunities to partner more closely with the high school to increase peer tutor involvement. Having older students help with activities is a great way to connect students across grade levels, and we’d love to explore more opportunities like this.
We’re also following up on a few remaining items from the celebration, including the kindergarten pizza party.
Class Fund Fundraising Updates
Our grade-level Class Funds continue to be a focus as we work to support student activities and experiences.
4th Grade: A Thanksgiving-themed turkey fundraiser is in the works! We’re awaiting final approval before sharing additional details.
2nd Grade: We’re exploring some fun holiday fundraising ideas, including gift card raffles and other opportunities to support the class.
1st Grade: Fundraising plans are still being discussed.
Special Education: The spaghetti dinner fundraiser previously discussed for November has been postponed. We’ll revisit plans after the holidays.
We also discussed how PTO fundraising proceeds are designated and distributed to support specific school needs and student experiences. We’re continuing to work with district administration to make sure these processes are clear and properly documented.
Santa’s Workshop: December 16 & 17!
One of our FAVORITE PTO traditions is right around the corner!
On Wednesday, December 16, and Thursday, December 17, we’ll once again transform the FSG library into a magical holiday shopping experience where students can choose special gifts for their loved ones.
We’re also exploring the possibility of offering online e-wallets to make shopping and payment a little easier for families! More details will be shared if we’re able to offer this option.
But making all that holiday magic happen takes a LOT of helping hands!
Setup begins Friday, December 11, after school, and we’ll spend the following week organizing, preparing, and wrapping gifts.
Whether you can help for an hour or spend an entire day with us, we’d love to have you! We’ll be sharing volunteer opportunities soon.
Please note: Volunteers helping inside the school must have their required clearances approved and on file with the district.
We’re also working on consolidating PTO supplies into one storage unit with 24/7 access and coordinating help with transporting everything for the event.
Stay tuned for volunteer sign-ups!
Thankful Thursday
Our Thankful Thursday coffee deliveries from Creative Cup continue as a small way to show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them!
Upcoming deliveries:
November 19: Middle/High School
December 17: FSG
Thank you to our teachers and staff for everything you do for our students!
Have You Visited Our New PTO Website?
One of our biggest goals this year is making PTO information easier for everyone to find.
We’ve created www.ridgwaypto.com as a central place for upcoming events, fundraising information, volunteer opportunities, meeting links, and more.
We know not everyone uses social media, so we’re also sharing biweekly updates through Take Home Tuesday that link directly to the website.
We need your help spreading the word! Please share the website with other families, teachers, and community members.
And if there’s something you can’t find, visit the Contact section and let us know! We want to keep improving the site and making it a useful resource for everyone.
If you’re interested in helping keep website information updated, we’d love to hear from you!
Join Us at Our Next PTO Meeting!
Our next meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, December 2, 2026.
Meeting information and the link to join will be available under Calendar & Events on our website.
You don’t have to attend every meeting or volunteer at every event to be part of the PTO. We appreciate whatever time, ideas, and support you’re able to share!
Thank you to everyone who continues to support our schools, students, and community!
Ridgway Area PTO
Supporting Our Schools. Strengthening Our Community.
