August 27, 2008

Welcome! Welcome all new students (and parents) to Patwin, and welcome back to all returning students (and parents).   We are very excited to begin the new school year, the Patwin Parent -Teacher Association (PTA)  have a number of events to help orient you to the school and/or to help re-engage you (the student) and you (the parent) back into the swing of a new school year at Patwin.  We begin with the “Welcome Coffee” on the first day of school, then there is “Back to School Night”, followed by the “Fall Pizza Social” all happening in September.

As you sift through the many papers you receive in the next few weeks, consider the role the PTA plays in your child’s life at school.    The PTA is a way for Patwin parents to have a direct, positive impact on the quality of our children’s education.  PTA Volunteers contribute their time and energy in the classroom, library, computer labs, office, playground, lunch time and after school.  PTA Volunteers keep the community connected and informed by producing the student directory and  weekly newsletters, organizing social events, family education nights, teacher appreciation events, and holding the end -of-year celebration…. Patwin Day. 

Patwin’s PTA continues to be an active, participatory group of  VOLUNTEERS who have helped organize the supplemental funding needed for programs offered by our school.  The PTA supports Patwin in a wide variety of ways.  We provide financial support to academic programs where state funds fall short or are non-existent.  In past years, through parent support and involvement, the PTA has either provided funds and/or volunteers for the following programs:

* computers for student use              * grants for academic programs        * funds to classrooms

 * new books for the library               * enhances the science programs     * garden program,

* reading and enrichment programs.  *student assemblies                          * playground equipment

* provides subsidies for outdoor education. 

This financial support is made possible through the fundraising efforts of  PTA volunteers and the support  of  Patwin families.  Funds are raised by:

* registering grocery cards              * the Walkathon                  * book fairs

* collecting “Box Tops”                     * dinner fundraisers            * the generous donations of Patwin Families

Again, The PTA is a way for Patwin Parents to have a direct positive impact on the quality of your child’s education.  We need your involvement, your ideas, and your energy!  Please get involved!!! Every helping hand, every donation of a single hour can make an enormous difference in the lives of our children, in the quality of our neighborhood school, and in the community we live in. 

Please take some time to go through the PTA information and forms enclosed.  You will find a PTA membership form, volunteer forms, Patwin newsletter form and Patwin Student Directory form in your packet.  Completed forms can be returned to the collection box in the office. 

As your  PTA president I am encouraging you to think about what activities you want to volunteer for next year.  I am hoping/counting on everyone to plan on volunteering 20 hours.   We especially need PTA Room Parents for each classroom.   If you can not be a room parent, look at the list below and find 3 or 4 things that you would be able to do - Make a soup for  your grades turn, brownies for soup day,  volunteer for two hours at the bookfair, perhaps even count box tops one evening every three months.   If you choose to volunteer during school hours your children with love showing you off to their friends  - they will brag about what Mom and Dad is doing for the school.  If you can  make / bring goodies for the teacher appreciation  and cupcake day, they will brag to their friends about it.  Your actions will show them that school is important and  you take pride in them.   So remember - the school needs EVERYONE to give a little time - please find  a way to give at least 2 hours a month.  SIGN UP SHEETS WILL BE IN YOUR CHILD’s CLASSROOM ON BACK-TO-SCHOOL  NIGHT.    

Thank you , Teresa Clarke

Your PTA President

OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THE PTA (Sign up at Back-To-School Night)

* Room Parent (1 to 2 per classroom)  -  coordination of the following: 

Hopefully most communication will be by email / Class newsletters.

* Unfundraiser - (need one or two people to help stuff envelopes and put stamps on them)

* Class Cupcake sale - (one time during the year)

* Box Tops (count 4 times a year)

* BRAVO - (1 or 2 person per class)

* One Lunch for Teachers (each grade with have one day during the year - 6th Grade, Sept. 11)

            (bring in soups / salads / sandwich makings / dessert  / fruit /cheese, etc.)

* Hospitality volunteers (Soup Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, Fall Social, etc.)

            (pretty much the same - coordinating with Nicole/Jackie)

* Bookfair Volunteers (staffing for one day at each fair) (4 parents need per grade)

* Teacher’s Gifts (holiday/end of year)

* Walkathon (encouraging volunteers)

* Patwin Day Volunteers (4 volunteers per grade)

* 4th /5th /6th Grade may include fundraising (Parents and students) for their big classroom trips