About the PTO

The Bluff Creek Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is non-profit association. It is 100% run by volunteers who work to raise money to support, strengthen and enhance the education of their children at Bluff Creek Elementary.
 
The BCE PTO creates, manages, plans and executes a variety of fundraising opportunities including: family events, local business partnerships, and merchandise retail sales. See all the fun and creative opportunities where you can give an hour (or more) of your time to benefit our kids here.
 
In 2017-18 these efforts raised over $60,000 for the school. The money raised funded field trips, classroom technology and supplies, and events for your kids attending Bluff Creek Elementary. See how your volunteerism and donations directly provided additional opportunities for your children at Bluff Creek here.

2018-19 | PTO is fundraising for a Guided Reading Bookroom

For 2018-19, in addition to supporting yearly grants and allocations for staff/teachers/students, the PTO is also raising money for the Guided Reading Bookroom program at BCE.

A Guided Reading Bookroom is different from the existing Media Center because it provides leveled texts in multiples of 6-12. The benefit of a well-developed Guided Reading Collection are:

• Supports Reading Instruction:  Guided reading libraries provide a collection of reading materials at different reading levels that support small group reading.
• Enriches the Curriculum:  Having a wide range of non-textbooks accessible to classroom teachers encourages them to incorporate diverse fiction and nonfiction books into their teaching. Teachers can also introduce students to a wide range of book genres, authors, and topics.
• Reinforces Language Acquisition:  Guided reading libraries provide a vast resource for diverse activities that reinforce language acquisition. While the best predictor of reading success is the amount of time spent reading, reading achievement is also influenced by the frequency, amount, and diversity of reading activities.
• Encourages Independent Reading:  Having books readily available in the classroom (student book bins) supports independent reading, personal exploration, project research, and individual assessment.  Successful reading programs provide students with daily time to read self-selected books at their guided reading level that meet their personal reading interests.
• Increases Vocabulary:  By reading a variety of texts at their appropriate level, students’ vocabulary increases, which improves reading comprehension and language arts skills.

• Allows Students to Interact with Books:  A guided reading library functions as a gathering place for students to meet and talk about their reactions to books with peers and teachers. These exchanges encourage comprehension and critical thinking.
• Books for each Grade Level:  Each Grade level will have approximately 16 different books with 12 – 15 copies for each book 
• Donation Dollars:  Every $20 donated will buy 4 books.  Books are typically bought in bundles of 12 copies. 
• Other Items:  Book rooms will be organized with shelves, book bins, and other items to make this space very useable for every child.  

Bluff Creek Elementary PTO
2300 Coulter Blvd. Chanhassen
612.504.0355