Classroom/Teacher Support

The Dover PTO recognizes the dedication and work of its teachers and staff.  To support their efforts, the PTO offers five funding opportunities:

• Direct funds
• Grant program
• Classroom library
• Books from the Heart
• Star Jar aka "Blue Tickets"

Direct funds

To create the best learning environment for students, teachers frequently spend their own money on items outside the school budget, e.g. additional books, puzzles, rewards, decorations, etc.  To help offset these expenditures, the PTO provides each classroom teacher with $250. Teachers are reimbursed by their out-of-pocket expenses by submitting check requests with receipts to the PTO Treasurer.

Grant program
To fund larger classroom expenditures outside of the school budget and beyond their direct money, Chickering staff can apply for a PTO grant.  Each year, the PTO circulates a basic grant application and then works with the Chickering Leadership Team to evaluate proposals.  Historically, grants have ranged from $100-$2000 and sometimes are submitted by grade teams to pilot programs for future inclusion in the school budget.  For needs beyond this range, Dover PTO will work with the Dover Sherborn Education Fund (DSEF) to meet the needs of the Chickering staff.

Past recipients of Dover PTO grants include:

Classroom Library
The Dover PTO spends $3-4,000 per year purchasing books for individual classrooms. Having books in the classroom 1) enables the teachers to monitor book selection and 2) minimizes time away from the classroom, especially in the lower grades.  As Chickering has implemented a Balanced Literacy program, these funds have been used in both individual classrooms as well as in the common Guided Reading Room, which was generously funded through DSEF. 

Books from the Heart
Each year, around Valentine’s Day, the Dover PTO sponsors its Books from the Heart program.  Chickering’s head librarian, selects approximately 300 new books and audio books to rejuvenate the library.  Parents are given the opportunity to purchase these books in honor of a teacher or staff member.  Bookplates in the front of each book record both the teacher and the child donor.  This year’s order form.

Star Jar
In 2003-04, the Chickering Leadership team created the Star Jar to reward exemplary behavior.  Students who exhibit caring, helpful or kind behavior are awarded a “blue ticket.”  These tickets are collected in the Star Jar in the main office.  At the end-of-school-year assembly, the Chickering Leadership team announces the cumulative total of tickets earned by the students. 

To recognize the students’ efforts, the Dover PTO donates $1000 to a charity selected by the Fifth Grade Student Council.  For example, the students have earned money for Crossroads for Kids, an overnight summer camp for at-risk youth in Duxbury, MA.  At the year-end assembly, Chickering students learned first-hand from Crossroads staff how their money would benefit campers.