Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year! We have a wonderful staff so excited to welcome our students to school each day. This message is a one stop shop and the PTA is hoping to provide you with some helpful back to school information.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Back to School Picnic, Wednesday, September 7, 5:30 pm -7:30 pm
- Gather with friends old and new at this casual event, which features a PTA-sponsored DJ and the ever-popular Kona Ice Truck!
- Bring your own picnic or pre-order food from Potomac Pizza. Orders must be placed online by Sunday, September 4th at 5:00pm by logging into AtoZ Connect and going to the Back to School Picnic category menu on the left.
- Questions? Contact Christy McGinty (christymcginty@gmail.com).
Back to School Night, Tuesday, September 13, 6:30-8:15
- 6:30-7:00pm General Meeting with School Administration and PTA
- 7:00-7:30pm Session I
- 7:40-8:15pm Session II
Download the school calendar
- Never miss another event! Your PTA has created a handy Google calendar with all the key dates for MCPS, school, and PTA events. Here’s the link to the calendar and instructions on how to add it to your personal Google calendar.
- If you prefer having a hard copy, you can find the MCPS calendar HERE and the PTA’s calendar will be online soon.
CREATE OR UPDATE YOUR AtoZ ACCOUNT (PTA DIRECTORY & PURCHASES)
The Wyngate PTA uses AtoZ Connect for a student and teacher directory, Spirit Wear store, PTA membership and donations, as well as events throughout the year like the Back to School Picnic
If you are logging in for the first time, you will need to select New User/Create Account.
- Click “Register/Login”, then “Create Account”
- Create your family’s account and click “verify my email.”
- Check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
- Finish your registration by filling out the “Parent/Family” and “Student Info,” as well as your “Directory Publish Preferences”
- New this year: Since class lists are not shared with the PTA until the MCPS Annual Notice for Directory Information and Student Privacy procedure is complete in late September/early October, parents can update their child’s teacher assignments in the directory. Please update each child’s information with their assigned homeroom teacher once the school year starts.
- Visit the stores: Using the menu on the left you can join the PTA, make a donation, and order pizza for the back to school picnic. Check back often as additional stores are added throughout the year!
All returning families are required to verify their contact info in the system every year. Just visit AtoZ Connect, log in, and verify your contact information. You can also update your student’s classroom teacher once you know it.
JOIN THE PTA
- By joining, you’ll sleep better knowing that you’ve supported our students, teachers, and community. Plus, you’ll get a handy directory (print AND online versions) so that you can easily send birthday party invitations and quickly find the address when you have to pick up your child from an after-school play date.
- Wondering what the heck the PTA actually does anyway? Take a look HERE.
- To join, go to AtoZ Connect (don’t forget to create your account if you are new this year – see above!) and select “Membership” from the Menu. From there, select family membership and proceed to checkout on the bottom left.
MAKE A DONATION TO THE PTA
- Your membership contribution (see above) is vital, but unfortunately, it doesn’t cover all the costs of our year-round events. Instead of asking you to do a painful fundraiser (ask veteran parents about the days when they had to sell wrapping paper), we are respectfully asking for a tax-deductible donation of $50 PER STUDENT. Just think of the feeling of relief you’ll get by knowing that you’re done making contributions even before school starts!
- To donate, log onto your AtoZ Connect account. (Don’t forget to create your account if you are new this year – see above!) From there, select “Donations” from the menu, enter your amount and proceed to checkout on the bottom left.
HELP THE SCHOOL EARN EASY MONEY
- Sign up for the free Amazon Smile program and the Wyngate PTA or Wyngate Foundation will earn 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products.
- Participate in the Boxtops for Education program. There’s no more clipping! Just download the app, scan your grocery store receipt and each participating item earns us $0.10, which adds up quickly.
- Join the Harris Teeter Together in Education program. You must register EVERY YEAR. Please do so HERE and enter Wyngate Elementary School’s number, which is 8170.
SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
- We know that you’re busy, but by sharing just a bit of your time and talents, you will make Wyngate Elementary a more vibrant and welcoming community. Without your involvement, the PTA simply cannot continue to provide the resources and events that make Wyngate so wonderful.
- Just fill out this quick survey to let us know how you would like to be involved. There are lots of options–daytime or evening; one-time or ongoing committees; leadership roles or helpers.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE
- If there’s a change to your child’s dismissal plan, please send a legible, hard copy note that includes your child’s full name, the date, and detailed instructions. If he/she is going home with another student, BOTH children need to send in notes with both kids’ full names. During the school day, teachers and office staff are busy taking care of our kids, so sending emails with changes in dismissal aren’t the best means of communication. If there’s a last-minute change, please call the office.
STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE PTA
- Join the PTA listserv Click HERE for directions on how to join.
- Follow the PTA on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wyngatepta) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/wyngatepta/)