August 2026

Greetings from the Bach PTO!

Welcome to the very first monthly newsletter for the 2026-2027 school year. The goal of our newsletters is simple: to keep you informed. Please read on for important information on events and how to get involved. Remember: the PTO is 100% volunteer-driven. We can't support our community or offer events without you.

All parents & caregivers are welcome to join our meetings, which are typically held on the first Friday of the month from 9-10am in the MPR. Please note: the next meeting has been moved to Thursday, September 3rd at 9am due to Labor Day.

July Meeting Recap

Missed the July meeting? We've got you covered. You can view the minutes here.

Introducing Our New Website!

We’ve been working behind the scenes on a new Bach PTO website! Check it out: bachpto.org. 

The new site is more modern and searchable, with loads of information about upcoming events, fundraisers, and what your PTO dollars are funding. A few highlights:

- Event information and volunteer opportunities all in one place — find out what is happening and how you can help on our Events page. Be sure to subscribe to the PTO calendar in order to sync with your Google or iCal calendar.

- Better communication — in addition to this monthly newsletter, we’ve added text messaging to inform families about last-minute weather cancellations, so make sure you opt in for those (we promise to text sparingly!)

- Family directory — quickly find and contact other Bach families, with parents in control of what information they choose to share.

- Online forms and payments— our new platform can support things like donations, PTO reimbursement requests, and newsletter submissions. We’ll be adding spirit wear sales, as well!

And the best part? The new platform will cost the PTO nothing. This means more funds for the field trips and events our kids love, as well as the classroom supplies and curriculum materials our teachers need.

The platform is still under development, but we encourage you to log in and take a look around! Existing families: Log in using the same email address you used on the old site (no password needed). Check your profile and update information as needed. New families: Register with your email address and complete your profile. Once class assignments are finalized, students will be added to their classroom lists. Room parents use these lists to share information about class parties, field trips, and more—so please make sure your contact information is up-to-date!

Thanks to everyone who helps make Bach such a great community. We’re excited about making it even easier for all of us to stay connected and support our school throughout the year!

August-September Events

Summer Playdates — multiple dates

A great way for your kiddos to see old friends and make new connections before the school year begins. Please see below for grade-level dates & times. All playdates take place at Allmendinger Park.

2nd Grade: August 26th from 4-5:30pm
3rd Grade: August 23rd from 2:30-4pm
4th Grade: August 29th from 10am-12pm
5th Grade: August 23rd from 4-5:30pm

Contact: Ali Krauss (acostalexandra@gmail.com)

Teacher Meet and Greet — August 25th from 2:30-3:30pm

Kick off the new school year with an informal Meet & Greet on the Bach playground. Popsicles will be provided!

First Day of School Coffee — August 31st from 8:45-9:30am

Celebrate the first day of school with coffee on the playground, provided by your PTO. Learn more about what we do and how you can get involved.

Contact: Liang Sim (liang.sim@bachpto.org)

PTO Meeting — September 3rd from 9-10am

Our monthly meeting, moved to the Thursday before Labor Day. Join us in the MPR or on Google Meet: meet.google.com/xhz-xjbt-zcm

Contact: PTO Co-Presidents (president@bachpto.org)

New Family Dinner — September 9th from 5:30-7:30pm

An informal pizza dinner welcoming new families to Bach. There is no cost to attend; simply RSVP here by September 8th.

Additional information: New Family Dinner event page
Contact: Sarah Valencia (sarah.r.valencia@gmail.com)

Fun Run — September 25th during the school day

The culmination of Bach's biggest fundraiser. Each class has a chance to walk, run, or skip around an obstacle course in support of community events, field trips, curriculum materials, library books, and assemblies throughout the year (basically, everything that make school fun!). Please stay tuned for additional information. In the event of rain, the Fun Run will be moved to October 2nd.

Additional information: Fun Run event page
Contact: Jen Larson (jen.gidleylarson@gmail.com)
How you can help: we are actively soliciting sponsors. This year, we're offering a tiered sponsorship structure, with options beginning at $100. Please feel free to contact our Fundraising Chair, Kendrin Sonneville (kendrins@umich.edu) if you're interested or have any leads for us to explore. 

But wait, there's more! You can view the full 2026-2027 calendar here.

Volunteer Needs

Bach is always in need of volunteers! Please see below for current opportunities:

Lunch & recess — parent/guardian volunteers play an important role in helping us supervise, support, and connect with Bach students while they eat, play, and enjoy time with their friends. If you are interested, please fill out this Google form. The Bach main office will follow up with you directly.

Event leads — we are still seeking individuals to co-lead a handful of events, including STEAM Night in January and Bengal Bash in March. Feel free to contact us if you're interested, or go ahead and sign up here.