• Ice Cream Social Tomorrow 9/29
• PTA Meeting on 10/3
• Spirit Day on 10/6
• Picture Day is 10/10
• Alternative Family Meet Up 10/13
• Movie Night is 10/14
• Volunteer in the Discovery Garden
• Discovery Food Bus
• Ongoing Opportunnities: No Frills, Odyssey of the Mind, Reflections, and more
• Community News: Outdoor Lab Open House

Join us tomorrow evening from 6-7:30 pm for ice cream and fun on the mini turf field, the grassy knoll, and the veranda (N. Harrison St. side of the school). 

Reflections info, Military Family info, and a very limited selection of Grade Level T-shirt sizes will be available on site (CASH ONLY). 

This is NOT a drop off event! DAIRY FREE OPTION WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE. 

Join us Tuesday, October 3rd, as we host our second PTA Meeting of the school year in the Dining Commons, starting at 7:00 pm. Special Guests speakers will include Discovery’s own Sustainability Committee leaders chatting about all things green! 

Our October meeting agenda can be found here: https://discoverypta.membershiptoolkit.com/PTA_Meetings

This meeting will also be simulcast on Zoom (link will be released on the PTA website prior to the meeting). 

Explorers are encouraged to wear their Grade Level T-shirts on Friday, October 6th as we join together to celebrate Spirit Day!

In need of a Grade Level T-shirt? Check out our ‘Leave 1, Take 1’ hand-me-down bin (located inside the school by the front entry). Can’t find your size? No problem. You can also email president@discoverypta.org to buy a new shirt from our PTA closet inventory (if available).

Mark your calendar, help pick out your child's favorite outfit and practice those smiles!  Picture day is October 10th for both individual and class photos. Pictures can be pre-ordered online and will be available approximately two weeks after school picture day. Make-up day for individual pictures is scheduled for 12/8/23. 

Save time and Pre-order online here: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001029881#login

For questions about ordering please email underclass@vosphoto.com

The Discovery PTA is very excited to welcome author, Wendy Shang, to Discovery in February. In the meantime though, we are excited to watch her novelization of the book, Over the Moon, at our Explorer Movie Night on Saturday, October 14th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. This event will take place on the back turf field/veranda. (Pay your own way) food trucks will be onsite for dinner options. This is NOT a drop off event!

Wendy Shang’s website: https://wendyshang.com/about-me-and-my-books

Our fruit and vegetable garden has started the fall renovation process after a summer of running wild.  We are going to be having garden work mornings on Fridays from 8:00-8:40 am through the end of October.

Come help weed, prune back existing plants, and get the ground ready for new plants so we can have a successful harvest. 

Please wear clothes/shoes that can get dirty and I recommend long pants because the weeds are tall.

Please sign up for a slot (one family per slot, your comment can say your child(ren)'s name so we have an idea of how many will be coming) on the ParentSquare post here (https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/23107040). If you have trouble accessing the sign up, please email Allison Hutto (allison.hutto@apsva.us).

In the past, Discovery students have donated over 2,800 pounds of food/year to AFAC (Arlington Food Assistance Program) through the Discovery School Bus Program.

How it works: Students place unopened, perishable, and non-perishable food items in the Food Bus fridge at the end of lunch. Discovery staff will show students where to donate in the Dining Commons. We then transport the donations to AFAC at the end of each week.

We need volunteers (parents and kids!) to drive the donations to AFAC on Fridays anytime between 2-4 PM! It’s quick, easy and makes a big impact! SIGN UP here…

Please talk to your students about the Discovery Food Bus program!

Thank you for supporting the Discovery-AFAC partnership!

For more information about food assistance, please reach out to AFAC, 703.845.8486.

Your support matters!

This year the Discovery PTA’s No Frills donations will go towards funding a school wide Family STEM Night in the Spring, as well as other potential creative STEM projects in the classrooms throughout the school year for our Explorers. 

Our No Frills Campaign only runs through the end of October, so please, make your donation today!

All donations are tax deductible. The PTA is a 501(c)3 organization that is eligible for corporate matching donations.  

Learn more about the No Frills Fundraiser. 

Questions? Email fundraising@discoverypta.org

After a very successful post-pandemic return last year, in which one of our teams placed 3rd in Regionals, we are excited to announce that new Odyssey of the Mind teams are forming right now. If your child is interested in joining a team, please fill out the interest form by Sept 29th.

Roll up those creative sleeves and start creating your entry for Reflections in response to the theme: I am Hopeful Because...

Students are able to submit up to one piece in each of the 6 art categories.  Think about how to show you are hopeful for yourself, your community or the world.  Draw or paint a picture, take a photo, make music, create a dance, make a movie, write a story or poem - the choice is yours!

Get started today!

The PTA needs a variety of volunteers in both leadership and support roles. Please take a look at our volunteer page to see a full list of available jobs and choose a task that fits your skills. Help us pull off the many amazing events and programs we have planned for this school year! 

Just a reminder, in order to volunteer in the school building, parents or guardians must fill out a volunteer application every two years, and the required training is valid for three years. 

Discovery Explorers and their families proudly support local businesses in our community.  For details on opportunities to be featured on our website and/or newsletter for the 2023-2024 school year, please visit Discovery Sponsors.  For questions, please contact fundraising@discoverypta.org .   

The Outdoor Lab welcomes all Arlington families to our fall Open House!

Join us to explore the mountain trails, meadows, streams, and pond. 

While at the Lab, your family can:

• fish in the pond (cane poles & worms provided!)
• paddle the boats
• hike our trails (over 5 miles, various abilities)
• observe critters in our Nature Center (maybe pet a snake?)
• find a perfect spot for a family picnic! (bring your lunch!)

To help manage visitors, we need families to Pre-Register Here. Each registration is for one carload so please do not register for a ticket for each person in your car.

Tickets are “donate what you can” in support the Arlington Outdoor Education Association, a 501c3, tax exempt organization, that owns and maintains the Lab property and facilities.

Please remember that

• all visitors must sign in
• NO dogs allowed
• please leave only footsteps and take only pictures

We look forward to seeing you!