SRMS PTO News
August 2025
Welcome Back to School!
Hello, Sunrise Middle School Families -
We hope you had a rejuvenating summer! The SRMS PTO is excited for the 2025-26 school year, and we hope you will join us in our mission of supporting our school, teachers, and staff in the upcoming year ahead! Please take a moment to look through this newsletter for important information about upcoming events and ways that you can help. Also, if you haven't already, be sure to follow our Facebook and/or Instagram pages to keep updated with the latest PTO news, and you can subscribe to have our monthly newsletters/communications delivered directly to your inbox!
RAISE ABOVE IT FUNDRAISER
This month, from August 11th through 25th, we are going to kick off our Raise Above It Fundraiser. This is projected to be our largest fundraiser of the school year! Our goal is to raise $20,000. We hope the below Q&A is helpful. As always, please reach out to us at azsunrisepto@gmail.com if you have any questions, and thank you in advance for your support!
Q: How easy or difficult will it be to reach our fundraising goal of $20,000?
A: If 100% of SRMS families participate, the $20,000 goal breaks down to only $60 per student! We recognize that some families will be able to contribute more and some less.
Q: What will this year's fundraising money be used towards?
A: Below is what the SRMS PTO funded in the 2024-25 school year. Funding areas will be similar for this school year.
- Staff Appreciation
- Back-to-school breakfast and supplies
- Monthly lunches/treats
- Conference dinners
- Bottled water, coffee, and tea supply in the staff lounge
- Daily lunches/treats during Teacher Appreciation Week in May
- Holiday and end-of-year gifts
- End-of-year luncheon
- Educational Enrichments & Student Support
- Robotics
- StuGo
- Dance & Theatre
- Dungeons & Dragons Club
- Mandarin
- NJHS
- Snacks during state testing
- Teacher Grants
- Yogalates equipment
- Art supplies & lessons
- Classroom treats
- Snacks for students
- Supplies & materials for Special Ed
- Science supplies
- Music books for Orchestra
- Posters for Social Studies
- Activities & snacks for Mandarin
- Band equipment & supplies
- Community Events
- PTO Operating Budget
- Website
- Smore subscription (newsletters)
- Insurance
- UPC dues
Q: Why are we not doing the Step It Up! fundraiser again this school year?
A: Last year was the first year that SRMS participated in the Step It Up! fundraiser. Although we had strong results (profited ~ $6,800), this represented only a 50% profit margin. With the Raise Above It fundraiser, we will keep 90% of the total donations raised!
Q: How is it possible to earn so much more profit (90% this year with Raise Above It vs. 50% last year with Step It Up!)?
A: Raise Above It offers several fundraising programs. In order to retain maximum profit, the SRMS PTO is using the Online Platform option only - e.g., Custom online donation platform with the latest technology. Unlike last year, there will not be a schoolwide kickoff assembly - which will also mean less classroom disruption and more learning time!
Q: Will there still be prizes?
A: Yes. However, unlike last year, when Step It Up! provided the prizes, the SRMS PTO will be funding the prizes. We aim for quality over quantity!
Q: What are the main differences between the Direct Give Drive and the Raise Above It Fundraiser?
A: The Direct Give Drive is set up on the Zeffy platform, and the PTO keeps 100% of donations. The Direct Give Drive will be up and available for donations anytime this school year. With Raise Above It, we keep 90% of donations, and the fundraiser runs for only two weeks, from August 11th - 25th. Although the profit margin is slightly less with Raise Above It than with the Direct Give Drive, the Raise Above It Fundraiser allows for greater outreach and participation by contributors outside of the school. This is because SRMS families will be encouraged to share the Raise Above It fundraising campaign with 10 or more family members, friends, co-workers, etc. It will be fun to see all the different states that the donations come in from! You can contribute to whichever fundraising platform you prefer - the Direct Give Drive, Raise Above It, or both.
Q: What is Raise Above It's privacy policy?
A: Please see the privacy policy here.
Q: I am excited to participate in the Raise Above It Fundraiser and help us achieve our $20,000 goal! How do I start?
A: Great! You can join in on the Raise Above It fun by clicking here. But please hang tight for just a few days. The fundraiser officially starts on August 11th and will run through August 25th. Stay tuned for more details via emails, a flyer that will go home with students, and the PTO's website, Facebook, and Instagram.
Please read on for more news and ways you can get involved at SRMS - thank you!
In Partnership,
Your 2025-2026 SRMS PTO Board
Important School & PTO Dates
8/1: Walk the Campus from 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM; Kona Ice sales from 12:00 - 2:00 PM
8/2: Quest Families Summer Gathering from 4:00 - 7:00 PM at Melrose Paradise Recreation Club (Please email azsunrisepto@gmail.com if you did not receive the invitation and would like to be notified of additional Quest family events this school year.)
8/4: First Day of School
8/7: PVUSD Governing Board Meeting at 6:30 PM
8/11: Open House/Meet the Teacher from 5:30 - 7:40 PM (Come meet the PTO in the Cafeteria from 5:30 - 5:55 PM! Teacher presentations commence in the classrooms at 6:00 PM.)
8/11 - 8/25: Raise Above It Fundraiser (Please help the PTO reach our $20K fundraising goal that will enable us to continue supporting the amazing staff, students, programs, and clubs at SRMS!)
8/12: Dine-Out Fundraiser Benefiting SRMS Robotics from 10:30 AM - 10:00 PM at Barro’s (See flyer below.)
8/12: Virtual PTO Meeting at 3:15 PM (All SRMS parents and staff are welcome! Hear updates from the Principal/Assistant Principal, PTO officers, and Teacher Representative. Learn what the PTO is up to, ways you can get involved with our wonderful SRMS community, and share your inputs! Please email azsunrisepto@gmail.com for the meeting link. The agenda will be linked here.)
8/19: Early Release at 12:00 PM
8/20: United Parent Council Meeting at 9:00 AM (All are invited to attend in person or online! Please see meeting details here.)
8/20: PTO-Sponsored Staff Appreciation | Hydration Station & Snacks (Please see the Signup Genius if you are able to contribute items or help set up/clean up.)
8/21: Picture Day (The school and Lifetouch would love your help with picture day! Please click here for more details and to sign up to help!)
8/21: PVUSD Governing Board Meeting at 6:30 PM
What is the United Parent Council? The UPC consists of volunteers from across PVSchools working together to enhance the educational experience for all students. UPC:
- Supports PV Schools’ parent group organizations and school communities.
- Facilitates communication and information between families and the District.
- Celebrates the accomplishments of the schools, teachers, principals, staff, and students in PV.
- Collaborates with various organizations to provide valuable information and resources on relevant topics.
Updates from the UPC:
- 8/20 from 9:00 to 11:00 AM: UPC Meeting - The Opening Bell with Dr. Cummings!
- Join UPC for our monthly meeting and the traditional first program of the school year: "The Opening Bell" presented by Dr. C. Todd Cummings. Meet our new Superintendent and hear about his thoughts about the upcoming school year!
- All are invited to attend in person or online!
- We will be in person in DAC East/West at the district office, or join us via Zoom.
- Arrive a few minutes early to mingle with other UPC Reps and District Administrators during the Meet and Greet from 8:45am-9:00am.
Planning ahead, as the current PTO officers' students move on to high school next year, there will be a need for a brand new board in the 2026-27 school year. If you'll be a continuing parent at SRMS or know of anyone else interested in serving the SRMS community, please let us know at azsunrisepto@gmail.com! No experience needed - just a heart for our school community! We are happy to answer any questions about the PTO board positions.
- 2026 - 2027 President
- 2026 - 2027 Vice President
- 2026 - 2027 Treasurer
- 2026 - 2027 Secretary
- 2026 - 2027 UPC Representative
Are you interested in learning more about some of Sunrise's stellar staff members, their favorites, and wish lists? If so, please check out the Staff Spotlights. We will be sharing additional spotlights throughout the school year!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemspto
Email: azsunrisepto@gmail.com
Web: https://www.azsunrisemspto.org/
You can also fill out this Google Form if you would like to volunteer your time or connect on upcoming committees with the SRMS PTO. Donations of time are welcome!