Belmonte PTO planning fundraisers, movie nights, dances

SAUGUS – Saugus students are back in the swing of things, and the Belmonte Middle School PTO has been busy filling the calendar with events and fundraisers to keep them busy all year. On Sunday evening they will hold Belmonte?s first Family Movie Night Under the Stars out on the field behind the school. Students and their parents are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to watch a movie on the outdoor big screen, while enjoying hot dogs and hamburgers from the Hilltop Steakhouse Chuck Wagon.?We tried to do it in the spring, but with all the end of the year things going on it didn?t work, so we figured we?d do it in the fall before the weather gets bad,” said Belmonte Middle School PTO President Corinne Riley. “It?s just a family night to get the parents to come out and meet each other and get involved with the school, and to get the kids together too.”Riley said the Belmonte PTO tries to plan at least one big event each month for the kids to enjoy without breaking their parents? bank. On Oct. 26 they will hold Halloween at Roller World, which will give the kids the chance to put on their costume and spend some time outside of school skating with their friends. The students will be encouraged to attend the annual Harvest Dance in November, which will have a DJ and food, and in December they will participate in the annual Saugus Holiday Stroll along with a number of other Saugus schools.?One of the favorite big events is the MCAS dance in March,” said Riley. “They spend so much time studying for the test, so it?s nice to give them a little bit of a break to have some fun.”The Belmonte PTO holds several fundraisers each year in order to pay for the events. For the past two weeks students have been selling Grandma?s Pies, which is a new fundraiser this year, and a PTO bake sale will be held during the Election Day on Nov. 8. One of the most successful fundraisers is the coupon book sale, which includes coupons for local businesses, including restaurants and stores. Riley said it?s a great fundraiser because the PTO doesn?t have to pay a fee, so there?s no risk of losing money during the tough economy if it ends up to be unsuccessful.?It?s all trial and error. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don?t. We try to change it up because we don?t want to do the same fundraiser over and over again, but if it?s successful we try it again. Sometimes it?s not successful the second time around so you just have to see,” said Riley. “We have fundraisers going all the time, and the PTO has really done a lot in terms of helping the school pay for field trips and technology. It doesn?t always seem like a lot but it really is. With the economy, you just try for the best.”Last year was Riley?s first go as President, and the Belmonte PTO raised more than $14,000, which she said was an impressive amount for a middle school. The money raised went towards paying for a smart board, Red Ribbon Week, Teacher Appreciation Day and events and field trips for each of the grades, including the eighth-grade trip to Washington D.C., which was reinstated last year.?The trip was a great success. The kids had an awesome time, and there were no issues. A lot of parents were concerned, but in the end the kids loved it, and we were glad we contributed to that,” said Riley, whose daughter is currently in eighth grade.The Belmonte PTO has five officers, and anywhere from 15 to 30 parents who get involved during the school year. The group meets one evening per month, and parents volunteer to help out with the events and fundraisers that go on throughout the year.?PTO is big in Saugus, and ours is especially big for a middle school. A lot of parents get involved when their kids are little, and they?re more apt to help out. But then a lot of people go back to work when their kids get older, so a good amount of people aren?t available. Comparatively, for a middle school PTO we have a great turn out,” said Riley. “A lot of parents do stay active, and I th