Annual Events
The Abbot PTO puts on a variety of events throughout the school year to celebrate our community and support students, parents, staff, and teachers. Some events servea as the annual culmination of running program. Our biggest events are also critical fundraisers.
Beyond PTO specific events, we also help promote school events including Popsicles on the Playground, Curriculum Night, National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID), and Field Day.
First Day Parents Coffee (first day of school)
Stick around after drop-off on the first day of school and join the PTO for coffee and snacks. This small community gathering is a great way to kick-off the year!
Abbot Run-a-Thon (October)
The Abbot Elementary Run-a-thon is one of the longest running event histories in the area. This rich community event and popular fall tradition involves Abbot students, teachers, alumni and families.
Runners and walkers collect pledges prior to the event and then earn money for every lap completed around a track set up behind the school. Pledges are taken via paper forms, as well as an online fundraising site. Donors can also contribute a flat rate instead of pleading per lap. The Run-a-Thon is the Abbot PTO’s largest fundraising event of the year. The 2024 Run-a-thon took place on October 5.
Between 400-600 people attend this event as many friends, neighbors, and family members come to cheer on their favorite runners. Although the Run-a-Thon is an outdoor event, weather has never been a factor in its popularity or success.
In addition to raising valuable funds for Abbot Elementary, the Run-a-Thon provides the opportunity for students to be directly involved in helping to support their own school. The event establishes a sense of community pride while reinforcing the positive experiences related to physical activity.
To encourage students to challenge themselves, the “100 Lap Club” was established where students who complete 100 laps are rewarded with a special group photo opportunity and a special trophy that is different from what other event participants receive.
Disability Awareness Workshop (February or March)
The Disability Awareness Workshop (DAW) is a one-day program to teach 4th graders an empathetic understanding of physical, developmental, and learning disabilities. This is a fun, hands-on event sponsored by The Center for Independent Living and happens annually in February or March.
Watch an explanatory video of DAW at Abbot: Abbot students gain empathy and understanding at Disability Awareness Workshop
The 2024-2025 event will be on February 7, 2025.
Scholastic Book Fair (March)
The Scholastic Book Fair connects students and families with great books while raising funds and earning books for the Abbot Media Center. Our fundraising also includes raising enough to ensure that all Abbot students can participate in shopping at the fair. We have a Family Event, Grandparent Event, and teachers take classes to shop during the school day.
Hundreds of quality books in every price range, interest, and reading level are available for purchase over a three-day period in the Abbot Media Center. Scholastic offers exclusive, more affordable editions of many of the most popular books sold in retail stores. Abbot earns books and funds for our Media Center based on a percentage of all items purchased during the Book Fair.
Teacher Appreciation Week (May)
Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated nationally each year during the first full week of May. We make sure to promote the week and show love to our incredible Abbot teachers and staff by chalking the walk into school, snacks, and other offerings.
The Abbot Science Olympiad team competes in the regional competition each year in May. WESO events vary with some requiring knowledge of scientific facts and concepts, and others relying on scientific processes, skills, or applications.
Girls on the Run 5K (May)
At the end of the season, the team completes a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.
Abbot Ice Cream Social (late May)
The Abbot Elementary Ice Cream Social has a long-standing tradition of being a wonderful community event as well as a fundraiser. There are many free activities in which to participate as well as ones that require tickets that are priced at $1 each. Activities include carnival games, face painting, a cake walk, fire truck tours, a raffle, and more! Ice cream, pizza, and other treats are available for purchase.
The key fundraising component of the Ice Cream Social is the Raffle. The raffle includes items that appeal to students and adults alike, donated by local businesses and featuring the ever-popular themed class baskets. Raffle tickets are priced at $1 each and may be placed in the specific basket for the prize desired.
Fifth Grade Farewell and Mural (early June)
A brief ceremony celebrating the fifth grade students’ time at Abbot followed by cake and punch. 5th graders add their handprints in shades of green paint to the leaves on the mural outside of the office and write their names in the bark of the trees.
A2 PTO Thrift Shop “Show Your Support Saturday” (varies annually)
Throughout the school year, the A2 PTO Thrift Shop dedicates a Saturday to each of the schools in the district and 10% of the day’s sales go to the school. Abbot’s Saturday for 2024-2025 is May 3!
Shopping at the PTO Thrift Shop benefits PTOs throughout the district year round, as we each get a bonus check based on how well the shop does each year. Show Your Support Saturday is a great way to know you’re supporting Abbot specifically.