Fall Running Club
Sign up to volunteer for Running Club here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BACAC29A0F4C43-58421088-running
you must complete the volunteer application through the district before you can volunteer for Running Club
Running Club takes place every Tuesday and Thursday on the field during lunch recess in the fall and spring. We need 3 volunteers to join us each session to help scan cards, hand out prizes, and answer kids' questions!! Students will grab a card with a QR code on the way out the door to recess and, if they want to participate, a volunteer will scan their card after each lap they complete and sync the session at the end. You will need to use your own smartphone and download the EZScan 2 app.
Lead volunteers will be present to manage and assist!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Reach For the Stars Fundraiser
Join us in supporting North Star Elementary with Reach for the Stars 2025, our annual PTO fundraiser! This is your chance to make a direct impact by contributing to programs that enrich our students' experiences—enhancing curriculum, providing new equipment, and hosting community favorites like STEAM Night and Navigator Night. Every donation helps our Navigators soar higher! Donate today: https://givebutter.com/RFTS2025
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Trunk-or-Treat
Sign up to decorate your car for this fun event! Sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BACAC29A0F4C43-58324662-trunk
Dress up your trunk—and yourself—in your best not-so-scary costume. We’ll have snacks and drinks available, and you’re welcome to bring a picnic dinner if you’d like.
Our goal is to have at least 25-30 families participate with decorated trunks, plus a few parent volunteers to help with set-up and clean-up.
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Scholastic Fall Book Fair
Sign-up here to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BACAC29A0F4C43-58492338-fall
Join us for the Scholastic Book Fair—a fun and educational event where students, teachers, and families can discover and purchase a wide selection of books and educational products. Not only is it a great opportunity to spark a love of reading, but proceeds from the fair will also directly benefit North Star, helping to fund new books and valuable resources.
The Book Fair will be open on the following dates and times:
Tuesday, October 28th: 2:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday, October 29th: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 30th: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
We look forward to seeing you there!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Wish Upon a Star: Community FAN Tree
Join us in spreading joy this holiday season! The North Star PTO is partnering with local organizations to support local families by collecting new, unwrapped clothing, winter gear, and gift cards. More details to come!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
PTO Meeting
Join us for our upcoming PTO meeting! Each session will include a brief PTO update, plus special guest speakers sharing valuable insights and updates for our school community.
Light refreshments will be served, and Mathnasium will be on-site with fun, educational activities to keep kids entertained while you attend. We’d love to see you there, your voice and participation make a difference!
Please RSVP here so we can get an accurate headcount.
Unless otherwise specified all PTO meetings will be held in the North Star Library
S.T.E.A.M. Night
Join us for a night filled with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) activities!
We will need several parent volunteers to help run stations, please sign up here: (Link coming soon)
STEAM Student Showcase Invitation
We’re thrilled to invite students to participate in the STEAM Student Showcase during our upcoming STEAM Night at North Star Elementary!
Project Guidelines
We encourage a wide variety of STEAM projects, whether they are traditional science experiments, creative art installations, or innovative engineering designs. This is a chance for students to engage in hands-on learning and share their efforts in a fun, supportive environment.
Project Size: To ensure there is enough space for everyone, we recommend that students bring manageable-sized projects. For larger projects, a photo or diagram can be displayed instead.
Project Categories: Students may present anything from experiments, LEGO structures, models, artwork, and technology demonstrations, to coding projects or engineering designs.
Project Form: If your student would like to participate, please complete the Student Showcase Form to help us plan accordingly.
Submission and Set-Up: Students can drop off their projects during the school day on November 20th or arrive 30 minutes before STEAM Night to set up their display. There will be tables and bookshelves for each student’s project, ensuring a designated space for all participants.
Project Collection: At the end of the evening, families are responsible for picking up their child’s project.
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Holiday Parent Meet-up
North Star Parent Meet-up: December 9th, 6 PM @ Location TBD
We’re hosting a casual North Star parent meet-up (adults only). Dress Code: Ugly sweaters or anything festively fabulous and ridiculous.
RSVP link coming soon
Family Movie Night
Pack your blankets and join us for a fun NS family evening as we present the family film.
$1 cash donation for popcorn, pizza, and drinks.
Read-A-Thon
2025/2026 North Star Navigators Read-A-Thon
📚 February 13–27, 2025
Get ready for an exciting week celebrating reading and raising funds for our PTO! For our new families, the Read-A-Thon is a fun and engaging way to inspire your child to read while involving friends and family in encouraging their progress. All proceeds directly support PTO initiatives, benefiting our entire school community.
Key Dates to Remember
Kickoff Event: Kids can bring their favorite books and enjoy a cozy day of reading to jumpstart their minutes. Date to be confirmed, stay tuned!
Read-A-Thon Period: Friday, February 13 – Friday, February 27, 2025
How It Works
One week before the Read-a-thon, you’ll receive instructions to activate your reader’s personal page. This page is where you’ll track their reading progress and fundraising efforts.
Why Read-a-thon?
It motivates kids to read more, building strong reading skills.
It’s easy for families to participate, and kids love it!
It’s a vital fundraiser for the PTO, with all proceeds going toward programs and resources for North Star Elementary.
Keep an eye out for more details, and thank you for supporting our school!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
PTO Meeting
Join us for our upcoming PTO meeting! Each session will include a brief PTO update, plus special guest speakers sharing valuable insights and updates for our school community.
Light refreshments will be served, and Mathnasium will be on-site with fun, educational activities to keep kids entertained while you attend. We’d love to see you there, your voice and participation make a difference!
Please RSVP here so we can get an accurate headcount.
Unless otherwise specified all PTO meetings will be held in the North Star Library
Screen-Free Week
A healthy childhood depends on a surprising thing: play! Through creative play, kids explore their physical world, build their curiosity, and expand their imaginations. Screen-Free Week allows families and communities to come together and connect. This year, we are excited to bring you Screen Free Week, February 23 - 27, which aligns nicely with our Read-a-Thon fundraiser.
What is Screen-Free Week?
Screen-Free Week encourages students to unplug from digital screens and explore fun, creative activities like reading, playing, and spending time with family. Students will complete pledge cards and track their screen-free days. The class with the most screen-free days will win an ice cream sandwich party! Make sure your student turns in their pledge card with the screen-fee days to their teacher.
Book Swap:
February 25th, 5:30 - 7 PM @ North Star
Bring gently used books to trade
Cuppa Yo Night:
February 26th, 4:00 - 9:00 PM @ Cuppa Yo (20789 NW Henry Ave)
Mention North Star and Cuppa Yo will donate a portion of the proceeds to our PTO.
Printable Resources for Parents:
Visit this link to print out activities ahead of time.
These resources are designed to be printed, and copies will be made available at North Star for your convenience.
Visit screenfree.org/resources for even more ideas.
North Star Bingo Night
Join us for a fun family night out from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm that will also benefit the Bethlehem Inn.
Kid Prizes:
We are asking that students donate their gently used toys for bingo prizes.
Students can start bringing them to school on Monday, March 9th.
We will have bins out in front of the school for toy donations.
On Bingo night kids who win get to choose a new (to them) toy.
Please only bring items in good condition!
Adult Prizes:
We will have an adult prize table with great gift cards and swag!
If you’re able, please bring an item to donate to the Bethlehem Inn for entry into Bingo night. You can find a list of needed items here: Bethlehem Inn In-Kind Donations
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
School Dance
Get ready to dance the night away at our North Star School Dance! Grab your family and friends, put on your dancing shoes, and join us for a night of music, games, and fun. It's going to be a blast—don’t miss it!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Staff Appreciation Week
We'll be celebrating our North Star teachers and administrators all week!
Our PTO and parents have some fun things planned for our beloved teachers and teaching staff. We need parent volunteers to make it happen! Please join us in the fun and sign up (Link coming soon!)
On Sunday, May 3rd, please join us anytime for a sidewalk-chalk and thank you note writing party. We are going to cover the sidewalks with love for our staff, and it will also be a last-minute chance to write a note to all the staff you want to shout out.
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
Spring Running Club
Sign up to volunteer for Running Club here: (Link coming soon!)
you must complete the volunteer application through the district before you can volunteer for Running Club
Running Club takes place every Tuesday and Thursday on the field during lunch recess in the fall and spring. We need 3 volunteers to join us each session to help scan cards, hand out prizes, and answer kids' questions!! Students will grab a card with a QR code on the way out the door to recess and, if they want to participate, a volunteer will scan their card after each lap they complete and sync the session at the end. You will need to use your own smartphone and download the EZScan 2 app.
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
PTO Meeting
Join us for our upcoming PTO meeting! Each session will include a brief PTO update, plus special guest speakers sharing valuable insights and updates for our school community.
Light refreshments will be served, and Mathnasium will be on-site with fun, educational activities to keep kids entertained while you attend. We’d love to see you there, your voice and participation make a difference!
Please RSVP here so we can get an accurate headcount.
Unless otherwise specified all PTO meetings will be held in the North Star Library
Navigator Night
We need volunteers to make this night happen! Sign-up to volunteer here: (Link coming soon!)
Join us for a fun night celebrating an amazing year! We'll have a book fair, silent auction, bounce houses, lawn games, food trucks, and more!
If you would like to help or have any questions, please reach out to: info@northstarelementarypto.org
PTO Meeting with Beth Martin & Lynne Tat
All parents and caregivers of North Star students are automatically members of our PTO—welcome!
Join us for our first meeting of the year as we welcome guest speakers Beth Martin and Lynne Tat. They’ll be sharing North Star Elementary’s refreshed Vision and Mission statements. This is a great opportunity to come together as a community, align on our shared values, and learn more about the guiding principles that will shape the year ahead.
Light refreshments will be provided, and Mathnasium will be on-site to provide activities to keep kids entertained. We hope to see you there!
Please RSVP here so we can get an accurate headcount.
unless otherwise specified all PTO meetings will be held in the North Star Library
PTO Volunteer Meet-up
Join us for an in-person volunteer meet-up at North Star before the PTO school-year kickoff meeting. Come learn about PTO opportunities and needs, share how you’d like to get involved, and connect with other families.
Agenda
Welcome
Volunteer opportunities
Sign-ups and next steps
Open Q&A and community time
How to prepare
Bring your ideas or questions
If you cannot attend in person, a virtual meet-up will be scheduled soon. We’ll share the invite once finalized.
Questions?
Reply to this invite or contact Mika Olin [ mikalinette@gmail.com ], PTO Volunteer Coordinator.
Welcome back coffee
Swing by after drop-off to meet the North Star PTO Board and enjoy a warm cup of coffee!
North Star Mountain Meetup
Join us for a fun day at Mt. Bachelor with other North Star families. Meet in the Sunrise lodge around 9:30 AM to ski/snowboard with other North Star families.
Email info@northstarelementarypto.org if you have questions or would like a 35% discount code for tickets.
Please RSVP if you plan to join us, we hope to see you there!RSVP here
Fix & Repeat Fundraiser
On Thursday, March 20th the delicious and generous FIX & REPEAT (555 NW Arizona Ave) is donating back 20% of Dine-In, Takeout & Pick up orders to support a great cause -- North Star Elementary PTO!
On behalf of North Star Elementary PTO you’re invited to join us and eat out, not only in support of the organization, but to show one of your Bend restaurants some love too!
We hope you can make it, and please feel free to forward this invitation to your friends and family. Thanks in advance for your support!