About Our PTO (26-27 School Year)

The PTO provides After School Enrichment programs during the fall and winter.  Our programs for the fall will start in late September. More information on the classes and how to enroll will go home a week or so after school starts.  For the winter session, paperwork will go home just before the winter break with classes started mid-late January.

Flyers will go home with students with more information including descriptions, dates, times and the cost of each program.  Once classes are released, you can also get this information and sign-up for a class at the link below.

After School Program Info & Registration

Last year we held our 10th Annual Soar- A- Thon.  Our nearly 700 VanGorden Eagles walked together and participated in several stations, raising over $20,000 to support our school and purchase a new sound system for the cafeteria & stage.  The Soar-a-Thon is usually the first Friday in October.  Information on business sponsorships, donations, prizes, etc. will be going home after school starts along with volunteer sign-ups.

In the Spring, we will have our annual Carnival. This is a huge event that encompasses the whole school including nearly every classroom, the gym, cafeteria and lobby areas.  Purchasing a wristband will get a night full of games, prizes, special guests, inflatables and raffles.  More information will go home closer to the date.  You won't want to miss it!

Sponsorships and donations for the Soar-a-Thon, Carnival wristbands, etc. can be purchased on our Square site.  Please click the link below to access that site.

PTO Square Site

Is your student an artist?  Please encourage them to submit their paintings, drawings, small sculptures, etc. to the office for our monthly drawing. They could win a certificate and small gift card.

All artwork must be the student's original work.  There may be no more than 2 submissions per month, per student.  All art must be submitted by the 25th of each month.  November & December will be drawn together. There will be no drawings May-August.

There will be one winner from each grade per month.  Due to the limited number of winners, a student can only win once per school year.  However, all submitted art will be displayed in the lobby for the month so we encourage student's to continue to submit, even if they have already won, so that they showcase their talents.

Some of the other events we put on throughout the year include:

1) Community Nights - various restaurants partner with us to offer us a percentage back from sales on a particular night.  We try to do one restaurant each month.

2) Muffins & Donuts - in the fall we host Muffins with a Special Person and in the winter we host Donuts with a Grown-up.  Students can bring one person (parent, grandparent, etc) to enjoy some breakfast before school.  Please note that these are now a 2-day event (separated by last name) to minimize crowds, lines & parking issues. 

3) Fall Events - we sponsor a fall event each year.  In the past we have done a Trunk-or-Treat and for the past two years, we have held a Glow Bingo Night, which has been a huge hit.

4) Book Fairs - we have a book fair in the fall where students can purchase books through Scholastic in our HUB. There is usually a family night in conjunction with one of the fall conference nights.

5) Holiday Shop - our holiday shop is not a fundraiser but a fun event where students can shop in the HUB for small presents for parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers & friends.

6) Honor Roll - we provide a special lunch time treat to our students who made the honor roll during the 1st-3rd quarters of the school year.

7) Talent Show & School Play - we also sponsor an annual talent show for all students who want to show off their acts/talent.  Every other year we also host a school play in the winter. We did a play in 2025 so the next one will be this upcoming school year.

8) Candy Grams - In February, we sell candy grams during lunch times where students can purchase a small Valentine for a special person. This can be for anyone in the school including other students, teachers & staff.

9) Spirit Wear - We design some cool spirit wear for our Eagles and their families. We open our online store 2-3 times a year for purchases.  The first one usually opens early August.  We have our first spirit day on the last Friday in September, where student's are encouraged to wear their VG and Lakota East spirit wear to school.

As you can see, we do a lot and try to make VanGorden a place where students can learn, grow, excel but also have fun. For more information on these events as they happen, watch for flyers going home with students, follow us on Facebook and read the VanGorden View and PTO News emails.