This Week: Back to School Night, Field Trip Chaperones & Volunteer Needs
Hi Miner Community,
It’s been a busy start to the school year — full PTO meeting, bear name reveal, and lots of exciting events ahead. This email is your one-stop shop to catch up, mark your calendars, and find ways to plug in. Scroll for highlights, upcoming dates, and a few quick favors we need from you to keep things running smoothly. Thanks! -Liz M.
PTO Meeting Highlights
Slides are here if you want all the details. You can also click on Dr. B’s slide to see her video presentation. We covered upcoming events, volunteer needs, and school updates.
PTO Meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 1 from 6:00-7:00pm.
Back to School Night – Thursday, Sept. 11 (5:30–6:30pm)
Start in the cafeteria, then head to classrooms. This is one of the best chances to meet teachers, see classrooms, and connect with other Miner families.
Local School Advisory Team (LSAT) – Tuesday, September 16 (5:30-6:30pm)
The LSAT is a group of parents, teachers, staff, and community members who work with Dr. Broquard to guide decisions that shape our school. Every DCPS school has an LSAT. Miner's LSAT meetings are on the third Tuesday of every month at 5:30pm.
Meetings are open to the public, and all Miner families are encouraged to attend. Zoom link will be provided next week.
Stay in the Loop with Our PTO Calendar
We’ve added a Google Calendar to the Miner ES website homepage — you can sync it directly to your own calendar so you never miss an event. Check it out at minerelementary.org.
Want to Chaperone Field Trips This Year?
To volunteer with students, all adults (18+) must complete the DCPS Clearance Application process (valid for 2 years). Processing can take a few weeks, so start early and aim to be cleared by early October if you plan to chaperone this fall. Last year, some classes had to delay trips because of a lack of chaperones, so let's ensure they have what they need! Here's how it works:
Apply online – complete the DCPS Clearance Application on a laptop/desktop (not mobile). This must come first or the rest won’t process.
Fingerprinting – schedule a background check (you’ll get instructions after applying).
TB screening – short questionnaire; some applicants may need a TB test.
You may also review the DCPS Clearance Process for Volunteers one-pager for additional guidance.
Immediate Volunteer Opportunities
Miner runs on more than the average bear — and right now we need a few helping hands:
Grant Application Help (urgent) – Support Ms. Emma with a FoodPrints grant (2–3 hrs, needed in the next few weeks). Email us ASAP if you can assist: minerpto@gmail.com
Trunk or Treat (Oct. 24) – Candy donation boxes will be in the lobby this October; we need families/teachers to donate candy and to decorate cars and hand out treats.
Choir T-Shirt Fundraiser – Help raise funds so students can wear Miner T-shirts at the Winter Concert (Dec. 17).
Teacher Lounge Upgrade – Help us source 6 comfy chairs + a mini fridge (secondhand is fine).
Teacher Spotlights – Interview staff for features in our Bear Bulletins.
Mascot Hosting – Take the bear home or to your classroom for a “Day in the Life” adventure.
Holiday Greenery Sale – Presale will open online Nov. 5; pickup at the Miner Holiday Market (Dec. 5–6). We’ll need bakers, sellers, and helpers to move trees.
Interested? Fill out our Volunteer Interest Form. There’s no commitment — just let us know what you’d like to help with, and we’ll follow up.
Please Confirm Your Contact Info
We’re moving our PTOemail list from Google Groups → Squarespace next week. Since the list hasn’t been updated in over a decade, we need most to re-confirm.
If you joined the list in 2025, you’re all set — no action needed.
Everyone else: please confirm so we can carry you over.
If you can't remember when you joined the list, just confirm to be sure.
If you don’t want to stay on the list, just ignore this step — we’ll remove you when we switch systems.
CLICK HERE TO CONFIRM YOUR INFO
We’ll send two more reminders this week before the switch next weekend.
Pro tip: Please addminerpto@gmail.comandpto@minerelementary.orgto your safe senders so our future emails don’t land in spam.Not sure how? Google “add to safe senders list” + your email platform (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.). The internet will guide the way...
Thanks for being part of our Miner community — we’re excited for the year ahead.
Warmly,
Miner PTO Board
P.S.Our mascot finally has a name! Watch the big reveal on Instagram:@miner.pto.