Your PTO President, Laura Hayden, is thankful for...

• Jennifer Monk-Reising (JMR) who spent countless hours with me this past summer. None of this would be possible without her support and teamwork 
• Karen Healy who dove into the deep end with me and hasn't stopped making me laugh 
• Laurel Schroeder who initiated our website migration and who dared to sit with me on my deck for over 5 hours and go through it all with me. Your patience is next level. This website was your baby first
• Sarah LaTarte who is taking the website from birth to childhood and making it look really good - and work really well -along the way. Your work has been invaluable. You also have spent countless hours (and then some) on this site, and with me, making this happen. Thank you for teaching a woman to fish
• Ry4an Brase, our co-website wizard, whose speed and efficiency around all things tech is stunning and who hosted our first marketing meeting at his Google office over a free lunch. That's the coolest I've felt in years. 
• Our treasurers (new and old) Dan Hamalainen, Jane Hollingsworth and Silvia Robles who sweated it out with me in my dining room while we went deep on every line item we have
• Mayuri Guntupalli who has spent more hours creating Sign Up Geniuses than any human ever should and who has gone out of her way to make the Room Parent process as helpful and clear as possible 
• Susie Shaefer (and Nicole Webb). We started walking for exercise but ended up with a new Scholarship Fund 
• Carolyn Loh who was strong armed into planting flowers with me at the front of the school and is now the head of our Grounds Committee. Thank you for saying yes 
• Joe Malcoun who loaned us beautiful and functional meeting space at Cahoots for our kick-off meeting in August. Thanks for making us feel legit
• Kate Brummett for her interest and work in making sure new families truly feel welcome. Thank you for the playdate you hosted, the welcome tent and hand outs at popsicles in the park and your continued energy and interest in this space
• JMR who hosted - and rocked - her last popsicles in the park. Your attention to detail and flair for the fabulous never goes unnoticed. 
• Alisse Portnoy, our new Inclusion Chair/Ombudswoman, who always pushes us to be a little better version of ourselves...even when inconvenient. Your inclusion work is making our community stronger and better
• Our popsicles in the park student ambassadors who gave all of our new penguins a tour of the school. Your kindness and hard work made the day extra special 
• The few young BPE students that mistakenly thought I was President of the USA, not the PTO. Sigh. 
• Megan Smulders, Kate Brummett, Rachel Ufer, Susie Shaefer and Karen Healy for planning the back to school picnic and bringing Crazy Craig into our lives
• Rachel Ufer for always jumping in where needed and reading everything again...and again. 
• Our Committee Chairs. You are the unsung heroes of the PTO. Without your leadership and effort so many things just couldn't and wouldn't happen. 
• Our dedicated, and hard working, Principals, Teachers, Staff and Students. You are the heart and soul of the school. Your PTO is here to support the great work you do. Full stop. 
• My husband, Brian, for being totally supportive of a middle aged unpaid internship
• Every Executive and At-Large member of the PTO. I recognize that you thought this massive giving of time and energy would start in September and I've been all up in your business since June. Thank you for the walking, talking, coffees and feedback. Thank you for being willing to do the work early so that we could recognize the benefits now. Thank you for tolerating the random purple lanyards I bought us. Thank you even more for wearing them. Progress over perfection. If we're going to do the work anyway, we might as well have some fun doing it. Thank you for making it all true. 
• Everyone in the Burns Park Elementary School Community. Thank you first for your generosity. Everything - I mean everything - we do is a direct result of your generosity. Thank you second for your grace, civility and humor. We won't get it perfect. We may not even get it right but I assure you we are giving it our best effort.  We welcome your feedback - especially that of the constructive, helpful (and bonus points for humorous) variety.