Cherokee Elementary families who eat at the Chipotle on Hildebrand Way on Wednesday, Oct. 7, can send 25 percent of their tab to the school's PTA.

The Dine to Donate fundraiser runs from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Chipotle at 5255 Hildebrand Way in Hamilton, according to the school's Friday, Oct. 2 newsletter. Twenty-five percent of eligible purchases during that window go back to the Cherokee PTA.

There is one requirement: families must tell the cashier they are with Cherokee before paying, show a digital or paper flyer, or enter promo code BRJTBCX on the Chipotle app or website for pickup orders. Delivery orders do not count, according to the PTA flyer.

The event is the PTA's second Dine to Donate of the 2026–2027 school year. The first was scheduled at Wendy's on Sept. 17, according to school newsletters.

The PTA said it uses fundraiser proceeds for projects including the school's Innovation Hub, playground equipment, author visits, symphony performances and science programs.

Cherokee Elementary, a grades 3-6 school in Liberty Township, enrolls about 791 students in the Lakota Local School District.

MAP testing complete, state tests next

Principal Mike Stapleton wrote in the Friday, Oct. 2 newsletter that MAP testing is complete for all grades. He noted students showed strong focus and effort during the testing sessions.

The next testing window opens Oct. 20, when third graders begin the English Language Arts (ELA) portion of the Ohio State Test. That assessment carries particular weight for third-grade families because Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee ties promotion decisions to state reading scores.

Stapleton also noted the first quarter ends Friday, Oct. 16, marking the start of the second quarter. Families should expect report cards and progress updates shortly after that date.

The PTA also organized the annual Family Farm Night at Neiderman Farm in late September, part of a string of fall events aimed at bringing Cherokee families together outside the classroom.