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Newsletter
Leave a CommentHow did it get to be May?
The year is certainly flown and is quickly approaching its end. There has been much activity and much more to come!
What has PTA been doing?
At several meetings, members discussed the role of our PTA. Noticing that times have changed along with levels of involvement and availability, we are changing what we focus our energies, time and dollars on. The major theme is “Togetherness” which is providing opportunities for getting together, fostering school spirit, and building parent-student-teacher connections.
From the PAAS sponsored winter dance, Chic-fil-A community night, Spirit wear sale, the Illusionist/dance/ice cream social, Uno’s community fundraiser, Administrative Staff Recognition and Teacher Appreciation week, the Drama Club’s performance of “Beauty and the Beast”, all that we’ve been doing revolves around togetherness.
We’ll keep at it for the rest of the year with the 8th grade dance (June 22nd), the Year-End Picnic (June 16th) where we will celebrate Patapsco’s 40th year, and another Chic-fil-A Spirit Night (May 26th). Thanks are owed to the parents who are already hard at work on these great Patapsco traditions. Interested in lending a hand? Contact patapscopta@gmail.com.
Teacher Appreciation Week Thanks yous
Kudos to the many parents groups who took one day of the week to host a special treat for the staff. On Monday breakfast was provided by the Parents of African American Students, Tuesday’s fruit baskets were from the Music Booster Parents, Wednesday was a salad bar provided by the Korean Parents, Thursday’s cookies were provided by the 8th grade parents and Friday’s wrap sandwiches were from PTA! Many thanks to Christine Daughtery who is an extraordinary coordinator! And to her committee and the parent groups for set up and clean up each day! The staff really loved the week!
What about next year?
As the year winds down, we will be electing next year’s PTA Board at the June 16th year end picnic. We are looking for a 1st Vice President who will co-lead with me in the 2010-2011 school year. We are also in need of someone to do our Fall Membership Drive. Look for our full list of areas where we could use a hand to come out at the end of May. Contact me at patapscopta@gmail.com if interested in any of the above!
PTA’s finances
PTA members’ gifts of time and dollars enable us to provide our services and programs. Knowing time and dollars even more precious in this economy, we want to be certain that provide services that help us to first attain our “togetherness” goal and second raise only as much money as we need. Fundraising is only a means to an end; it isn’t why we exist. As a result, PTA spent its May 10th meeting reviewing its budget and deciding how it was going to pay for its programs. It was decided forgo asking families to sell products. Instead we will host a variety of spirit nights and ask for tax-deductible donations directly made to PTA. The budget will be austerely drafted for our members review in September. It is our hope that these choices will be better suited to our community.
Join us at a Chic-fil-A Night Spirit Night For the Patapsco Middle PTA
Attend our Chic-fil-A Night on May 26th from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Chic-fil-A located at 4905 Executive Park Drive and Route 100.
Give your coupon to the cashier when you ordering inside or at the drive-thru.
Forgot the coupon? Just say you’re there to support the Patapsco Middle PTA Spirit Night!
Our PTA receives 20% of the proceeds from all sales from Patapsco Middle School friends and families.
Other Community News
Ticked Off about Lyme
Thu., May 20, 7 p.m., River Hill High School Auditorium
The River Hill High School PTSA will present a free informational program about prevention, symptoms, testing and treatment for Lyme disease. The program will include a screening of Under Our Skin, an award winning documentary about the devastating consequences of inaccurate diagnosis.
Patapsco Middle PTA Newsletter Update
It’s a little long, but hopefully worth the read. Thanks to all the parents who support our PTA!
Why are the kids home on Tuesday?
In the spirit of cooperation, the school system combined its resources with the County Government to respond to the snow storms. This effort for a time diverted resources from snow removal at the schools. The system is trying to catch up. Not only are they clearing the parking lots, bus and car loops, and sidewalks on school grounds, they are clearing all building exits in case of an emergency and shoveling roofs too. {Thanks to Courtney Watson for providing this information.}
Despite the best efforts of many, bus stops and walking routes to many schools throughout the County are impassable. PTA Council has requested that all parents clear their sidewalks and bus stops on their property. They even suggest that neighborhoods organize to shovel these areas out.
Come Wednesday, parents will decide whether their children are safe waiting at the bus stop or walking to school or if their children should be driven. As a result, there may be more cars in the car loop in the mornings and afternoons. Please schedule your time accordingly.
Patapsco Middle PTA Finances
Our PTA gratefully and solely relies on our parents and staff generous gifts of time and dollars to provide our children and our PMS community with the programs that recognize student growth & achievement, enrich our children’s classroom experience, and foster community spirit. Our revenue is lower than planned for by forgoing the mulch sale and lower proceeds from our magazine sale. To balance our budget, $5,500 needs to be raised. To fund priority programs, $3,500 is needed.
We are addressing the problem in several ways– freezing spending, exploring fundraisers like a dinner night out at Vocelli’s or Chic-fil-a or elsewhere {Thanks to Michelle Norato and Cindy Anderson for coordinating this!}and requesting direct donations (Thanks to Kelli Dicks for her help!).
We are also establishing a Ways and Means Committee to explore how we can raise the dollars we need to support our programs. Guess what help is needed—3 to 5 are needed to look into fundraising opportunities. Anyone willing to help, please contact Monica Machiovec at joemon4@verizon.net.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to help us balance our budget any amount would be gladly accepted. Send your donation to the PMS front office in an envelope marked “PMS PTA donation.” Checks should be made payable to “PMS PTA.”
Focusing on mission
Considerable discussion has taken place to better identify what the purpose of our PTA is and to run programs that directly support it. There are 5 areas identified:
- Encourage and support Student growth and achievement (academic, character, life skills)
- Support Parents needs
- Support Teachers/Staff
- Foster community spirit and interaction amongst students, student/staff, parents/staff, students/parents/staff
- Advocate for the resources necessary to provide our children with a quality education
Join us March 8th at 7 pm as we continue our discussion
Year end picnic
Thanks to Rita Herlihy for agreeing to be co-coordinator for the year end picnic, fondly known as the Beach Blast. We are in need of another co-coordinator to help out! Please consider volunteering or joining the group who pulls this great event off. This long standing tradition is a family friendly, low-key, well attended event by parents and staff that also invites our incoming 6th graders from our feeder schools. It is a wonderful way to spend a warm June evening! Contact patapscopta@gmail.com if interested!
Notes of Thanks
- Thanks to all the parents, PAAS, and PMS staff that helped ensure the success of our first winter dance! The event was well received by students by the more than 200 who attended. There was a great turnout of students and adults.
- Thanks to Patti LaConte for agreeing to coordinate our spring spirit wear sale!
- Thanks to Amy Hummers who is taking on the task of building a Patapsco Middle PTA website. Look for it to be up and running in the near future. Have ideas on what to include on the site or links to other sites? Email them to patapscopta@gmail.com! Our goal is to have it work for you.
- Thanks to Rhonda Best in the front office for all her support of PTA to date. She collects envelopes, makes reminder announcements, coordinates the distribution of information, sends e-school emails, and fields questions from parents, staff and students for a multitude of program. She is indispensable!
Mt. Hebron Renovation Update
Members of the Help Mt. Hebron Committee continue to meet monthly with the Principal of Mt. Hebron High School, representatives from HCPSS, and the construction manager regarding the status and any concerns regarding the renovation. Scott Ruehl, the Principal of Mt. Hebron High School, recently shared with the Mt. Hebron’s parents: “As of today, February 4, the project remains on schedule. The new gym floor and bleachers are working out well and look great. The new addition has been fully enclosed and over 95% of the interior walls are up. They continue to work on running plumbing, wiring, and air ducts. This week they are placing the roof top air units. They have begun painting some of the interior walls and in the next couple of weeks they will be putting up the ceiling grid. Although we will not occupy the new wing this school year, in June we will be able to start moving furniture into the rooms. Some of the new rooms will be used as swing classrooms while the renovation continues in another part of the building.”
