Turtle Lake PTA Activities

Turtle Lake PTA volunteers plan and implement several programs and events throughout the school year.

 

Programs

Yearbook

Restaurant & Fundraising Nights 

Staff Appreciation

Gifts for Everyone

Grade Level Projects & Classroom Enrichment

Fall Events

Grade Level Socials (September 2026)

Turtle Trot Fun Run (October 2, 2026)

Fall Carnival (October 3, 2026)

Fall Book Fair 

Spring Events

Culture & Heritage Night 

Read-a-Thon (February)

Spring Book Fair 

5th Grade Celebration 

 

 

 

 

Grade Level SocialsImage with text "Grade Level Socials, fun with friends old & new". Has pulsing purple stars in corners

Lead: Kim Schroder

 

The PTA hosts grade-level gatherings on the playground to help students meet new friends and reconnect with old friends. In the case of rain, socials will be held in the gym. 

1st Grade

  • September 15, 2026
  • 6:00-7:00pm, Playground

2nd Grade

  • September 17, 2026
  • 6:00-7:00pm, Playground

3rd Grade

  • September 22, 2026
  • 6:00-7:00pm, Playground

 

4th Grade

  • September 24, 2026 

  • 6:00-7:00pm, Playground

5th Grade

  • September 29, 2026

  • 6:00-7:00pm, Playground

 

 

 

 

Our current playground was built in 2014. To find out more about the journey to build an inclusive playground, check out the original webpage for the Playground for Everyone group. 

 

A Playground for Everyone

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Fall Festival Image

 

Fall Festival Sponsors will have their logos included on this page, included on a dedicated sponsor page, highlighted in Facebook posts, and displayed at the Fall Festival. Email us at TurtleLakePTA@gmail.com to find out more about sponsoring the Fun Run or a Carnival Game. 

 

Our Fall Festival is our first of 2 major fundraisers as well as *the* Turtle Lake social event of the season! Kick off the weekend with a Fun Run on Friday evening and meet up with friends, play some games, and enjoy some food on Saturday!

 

 

Turtle Trot Fun Run

Image with text "Turtle Trot half mile and 2 mile" and a picture of 5 turtles running on their back legs.

Leads: Kristi Pogatchnik, Carly Gatzlaff, Kevin Holly

 

Kick off the Fall Festival with the Turtle Trot Fun Run on Friday Evening! Registration is free for all family members. Same day registration is available but we appreciate early registration so we can prepare for participants! Donations are welcome but not required to participate. All proceeds directly support the students, teachers, and classrooms of Turtle Lake Elementary.  

 

Click Here to Register! 

 

When: Friday October 2, 2026 5-7:30pm

  • Same Day Registration: 5:00pm
  • 1/2 Mile Start: 5:30pm
  • 2 Mile Start:5:45pm

Where: Outside, at Turtle Lake Elementary

How to Register: Use the link below to pre-register (preferred) or register at 5pm the day of the event.

 

Important Turtle Trot Links: 

 

To Register in advance (register each participant separately): Registration Link

Shirts available for sale at the event.

Optional Donation: PTA Donation Link

To Volunteer: 2026 Turtle Trot Fun Run Volunteer Link

Couch to 2mile Training Plan: Couch to 2mile training plan.pdf 

 

2026 Turtle Trot Course Maps

*We may need to make adjustments to the course map below to account for road construction in the area. 

 

Image showing map of 1/2 mile run around school and 2 mile run up and back along lexington

 

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CarnivalGif with text "Fall Festival Carnival, Games, food, fun" leaves are floating behind the text

Coordinators: Jen Hopp, Leslie Van Duynhoven

Games: Lily Bray

General Store: Kate Reinert

Baskets: Jenna Totz

Committee Members: Jen Hopp, Elizabeth Ryan, Don Ho, Kristi Pogatchnik, Whitney Wojahn

 

The social event of the fall! Hang out with friends, play games, win prizes, and raise money for our school!

 

2026 Carnival Handout (PDF)

 

COME: The social event of the fall! Hang out with friends, play games, win prizes, and raise money for our school! 

Game Tickets ($.25/ticket) and Raffle Tickets ($2/ticket) will be sold at the Carnival. Raffle tickets are cash/check only.

 

VOLUNTEER: Do you have a few hours to help out? We need over 100 volunteers to set up, run games, and clean up afterwards! Thanks for helping make this a great Carnival!

Click Here to Volunteer! 

 

DONATE: Pick up a few items from the suggestions below or donate money!

  • Grab candy, snacks, books, or small prizes during your next shopping trip.
    • Game Donations:
      • Multipacks of gum (Bubble Gum Wheel)
      • Multipacks of regular-size candy bars (no nuts) (Dice Game)
      • Pre-packaged snack cakes or cookies (Little Debbie, Hostess, etc.) (Cake Walk)
      • Lollipops (Dum Dums, Blow Pops, Tootsie Pops, etc.) (Lollipop Tree)
    • General Store Donations
      • Individual snacks and treats (chips, crackers, fruit snacks, applesauce pouches)
      • Gently used books and DVDs
      • Stickers, temporary tattoos, and other small novelty items
  • Make a monetary donation and we will purchase needed items.

 

When: Saturday October 3, 2026 11am-3pm

  • Raffle ends at 2:30 with winners contacted starting at 2:45

Where: Outside around Turtle Lake Elementary, Basket Raffle in Gym (in case of rain, the Carnival will move inside the school)

 

Important Carnival Links: 

 

To Volunteer: 2026 Carnival Volunteer Sign Up

 

For information about donating: 2026 Fall Festival Handout (Downloadable)

  • Please contact your teacher about the theme for your student's classroom.

 

 

 

 

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Book FairsHas text saying Book Fairs, fall and spring. A stack of books is nestled in the words 

2026 Fall Book Fair

  • When: November 9 - 13 2026, 9:30am - 5:30pm M-TH, 9:30-1:30 Friday & Online
  • Where: Turtle Hall, Turtle Lake Elementary
  • Scholastic eWallet: check back in October 
  • To Volunteer: check back soon 

2027 Spring Book Fair

  • When: March 29 - April 2 2026, 9:30am - 5:30pm M-TH, 9:30-1:30 Friday & Online
  • Where: Turtle Hall, Turtle Lake Elementary
  • Scholastic eWallet: check back in March
  • To Volunteer: check back in spring

Please remember that sales tax (8.38% in Shoreview) will be added to listed prices at checkout.

 

Book Fair Leads: Vanessa Petrulo, Whitney Wojahn

 

Turtle Lake hosts 2 book fairs, one in the fall (late October, early November) and Spring (March or April). Students visit the book fair during the school day with their class. Families are welcome to visit the book fair after school hours on Monday through Thursday.

 

A portion of the proceeds comes back to the PTA. How those funds are to be used at the school is determined by PTA members after the conclusion of the book fairs. 

 

The book fair accepts cash, credit, or Scholastic eWallet. eWallets are book fair specific, so a new one needs to be created for each book fair. Please use the link associated with the specific book fair. Funds leftover from prior book fairs automatically transfer to an eGift Card which can be used to fill a new eWallet.

  

 

 

 

  

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Culture & Heritage NightImage with Text saying "Culture & Heritage Night" Images of what look like snowflakes but are simple line drawings of people around circles holding hands

Lead: OPEN

 

Culture & Heritage Night is an evening of free fun for all where we can celebrate the diversity of cultures, nationalities, heritages, ethnicities, and backgrounds making up our Turtle Lake Community. It is a wonderful opportunity for our families to share their backgrounds with the school community in a celebration of diversity. 

 

What to Expect: Members of our Turtle Lake community sign up to host a table or display showcasing the games, food, clothing, music, and traditions of their culture or heritage. These tables are arranged around the gym and attendees visit tables open-house style throughout the evening. Children attending will be given a passport that they can get stamped at each display they visit. Allergen information about food samples will be displayed. 

 

When: Friday, January 22, 2027, 6-7:30pm

Where: Turtle Lake Gym

 

 

Host forms will be available in December.  

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Read-a-ThonImage of multi colored books leaning on each other with text "Turtle Lake Read-a-thon"

 

Lead: Michelle Morse, OPEN

 

A month long celebration of reading that can also earn money for our school! All pledged donations go to the PTA to support our other activities and programs. Click here to find out more about Our PTA. 

How it works:

  • Students set a daily reading goal and gather pledges (per minute read or a straight donation.)
  • At the end of the month: total the minutes read at home and school, collect the pledged donations, and turn in the paperwork.
  • Donations are not required to participate.
  • Prizes will be given to top readers and top fundraisers.
  • Everyone who completes the forms and returns them on time is entered into a Grand Prize Drawing.
  • School-wide prize for meeting the school goal!
 

The 2026 Read-a-Thon

February 1 through February 28, 2026. Minute and Pledge Trackers are Due Monday, March 2

 

2026 Documents:

2026 School Goal: Read 1 Million Minutes! If the goal is reached, there will be a donut truck for the whole school!

 

link for online pledge payment

 

2026 Prizes:

  • $10 Gift Card to the top reader in each classroom
  • $20 Gift Card to the top reader in the entire school
  • $20 Gift Card to the top fundraiser in the entire school
  • $20 Gift Card to the top fundraising family
  • DISCO DANCE PARTY for classes who raise $1,500 or more!
  • $5 Book Fair Voucher to one student winner in each classroom
  • Kindle!
    • All minute tracking forms, returned on time, count for entry for the grand prize drawing of a Kindle
    • All pledge sheets, returned on time, count for entry for the grand prize drawing of a Kindle
  • Reading Party for classes who read 20,000 minutes (1-2) or 30,000 minutes (3-5)

 

read-a-thon tipsbook ideas


 

 

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5th Grade CelebrationGif of falling confetti on a black background with text "Turtle Lake elementary PTA" small at the top and "5th Grade Celebration" large and in the center

 

 

Say goodbye to grade school with a two day celebration of our amazing 5th graders! Each year we host an outdoor party the last week of school and a mid-day clap out for families on the last day of school. Planning starts in April, details will be available in May of each school year. 

 

 2027 Celebration

Thursday, June 10: Class Party Outside from 2:00-3:45pm.

 

Our 5th graders get to relax and have fun at an outdoor party on Thursday afternoon. There are 2 ways to help out:

  • Volunteer: We are in need of volunteers to help set up, run games and stations, and clean up afterwards. 
    • Please click *here for the sign up* to volunteer! 
    • You will need to have a current background check on file with the office to volunteer. Find those forms *here*.
  • Donate: We are also in need of donations for the party! 
    • Please see our wish list at Amazon.
    • We would also like donations of 2L of soda or large Gatorades. We request that these items be dropped off at the front office instead of shipped.



Friday, June 11: Parent Clap-out from 11:05-11:25am

 

Please join us in celebrating the graduation of your 5th grader by coming together for an outdoor clap out. 

  • What is a clap out? Parents and Families will line up along the sidewalk in front of the school to create a tunnel that the students will parade through by class. After all classes have gone through the tunnel, families can meet up with their student(s) for pictures and a little socializing. Students will then finish the remainder of the school day.
  • As this is an outdoor event, there is no need to check in with the office. Please park in any open space. 
  • Please stay in the line until all classes have gone through. There will be plenty of time to find your student and take photos after.
  • The clap out will start at 11:05. Arrive EARLY to allow time to park and line up on either side of the walkway at the front of the school.

 image showing that parents and families should line up in front of the school to clap out their 5th grade student. photo area is to the east of the school in the grassy area along the sidewalk

 

 

 

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YearbookImage of brightly colored doodles on a black background with text "Turtle Lake Yearbook"

Leads: Kim Rueb, Abby Hansen

 

Every year several volunteers work throughout the school year to create our wonderful yearbooks. 

 

Follow this link to order you 2026-2027 Turtle Lake Elementary Yearbook: Check back soon

 

 

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Restaurant & Fundraising Nights image showing a stylized covered serving platter with a fork and spoon crossing in front of it behind the text "fundraiser Nights" in glowing neon sign letters. The text "turtle Lake elementary PTA" is at the bottom in smaller letters

Lead: OPEN

 

Scattered throughout the school year are evening fundraisers where we partner with local businesses to share their profits from a set time frame with the Turtle Lake PTA. Past events have been at Raising Cane's, Cheap Skate in Coon Rapids, Davanni's, and Culver's. 

 

 2026-2027 Fundraising Nights coming soon

 

 

 

 

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Staff AppreciationImage with text "Thank you teachers & staff" in brightly colored lettering

Lead: Michelle Morse, OPEN

Thoughtful Thursday: Aleisha Gottlund

 

The PTA shows its appreciation for our teachers and staff throughout the school year: a back to school breakfast in August, snacks at communication nights, regular Thoughtful Thursdays, and a week-long celebration in May.

 

Thoughtful Thursday Sign-up

 

 

 

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Gifts for EveryoneImage of a simple box with a bow with the text "turtle lake elementary PTA" at the top and larger lettering of the text "Gifts for Everyone"

Leads: Robin Brusman, Laura Brusman

 

Gifts for Everyone (GFE) is a program facilitated by PTA volunteers to support families within the Turtle Lake community who are experiencing extreme financial stress during the holiday season. GFE provides families with clothing, shoes, books, and grocery gift cards. There are many different ways to participate: buy an item for a specific child and deliver it unwrapped to a drop off location, donate monetarily, or sponsor an entire family. 

 

2025 Gifts for Everyone Information:

The 2025 Gifts for Everyone Holiday Giving Program (GFE) has begun and this year the need is great! 

 

Two ways to participate:

  • Donate Items selected from the SignUp Genius list.
    • Items must be unwrapped, labeled with the child's number, and include a gift receipt when they are dropped off. 
      • Items can be dropped off at Turtle Lake Elementary or at the addresses listed on the signup.
      • Items can also be shipped to the home drop off locations, be sure to indicated "Shipped" as a comment on the signup if choosing this option. 
    • Item donations are due by Friday, December 5, 2025.

  • Make a financial donation with cash, check (made out to Turtle Lake Elementary PTA), or online.
    • If making a financial donation, please try to do that earlier in the program so our volunteers can make purchases for the program in a timely manner. 

 

All items are due Friday, December 5, 2025. 

 

Any questions about the program, please contact Michelle Lucarelli at michelle.ervasti@gmail.com

 

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Grade Level Projects & CLassroom enrichment

Lead: Rebecca Marr

 

The PTA funds experiences and tools for each grade level. This can range from paying computer program subscription fees to bringing in Artists-in-Residence or special entertainment to buying supplies for special art projects. Classroom enrichment funds are given to all teachers to enrich their space. 

 

These programs account for almost half of our budget at roughly $30,000 ($16,000 for classroom enrichment, $14/student for grade level projects.)

 

 

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