Originally delivered on 10/24/2019 3:02 pm

SUBJECT: Reflections, No Frills, and more - Discovery PTA Newsletter 10/24


 

October 24, 2019

Halloween is around the corner, and then, before you know it, November will be here. It seems like the first few months of the school year have flown by. Read on to find out how your child can enter the PTA Reflections contest before the deadline, learn about upcoming APS events, and more...

In This Issue:

  • Calendar of Upcoming Dates
  • Book Fair and PumpkinFest Wrap Up
  • No Frills Fundraiser
  • PTA Reflections Submissions
  • Principal Coffee: Cyber Safety
  • Feed the Candy Monsters
  • Baroody Camps on Nov 5
  • Lost and Found at Discovery
  • Community News

Don't forget to take a few minutes to join or renew your membership in the Discovery PTA. The Discovery community needs you!


 

Calendar

10/25 - Parent/Teacher Conferences - No School
10/28 - APS Middle School Information Night
11/1 - PTA Reflections submission due
11/1 - Principal Coffee (Blue Sky Studio, 9:15 am) on Cyber Safety
11/5 - No School
11/8 - Lost and Found items will be donated
11/13 - Next PTA Meeting

Check the PTA Calendar for more information.


Post Book Fair Buzz

A huge thank you to all the book fair volunteers who helped to make this year’s book fair a big success, especially our Book Fair co-chairs Hermon Black and Colette Chipman. A special shout out to Ms. Scopellite for helping to MC the Joke-O-Rama stage. Many lively jokes were shared on stage by Discovery explorers. The random winners from the Joke-O-Rama are Robert in Ms. Friess’s class, Sadie in Ms. Pollard’s class and Josh in Ms. Appaiah’s class. The top seller for the book fair was Guts by Raina Telgemeier. Keep on reading, everyone!

We also owe a huge thank you to EVERYONE who volunteered time and energy to PumpkinFest. An event of this magnitude would be impossible to pull off without the support of dedicated volunteers and we are so grateful for each one of you. Special thanks to Jennifer Sinclair for her spectacular organizational skills. 


No Frills Fundraiser is Live!

No baking. No cleaning. No selling. The easiest fundraiser ever created is here! And 100% of your contribution goes to making Discovery the best it can be for all our students. 

If you want to support events like PumpkinFest and Bingo Night and everything else we do together to create an awesome Discovery community, please make your donation today

The average family donation was $125 last year, but we appreciate donations of any amount. Our main goal this year is for 100% family participation.


PTA Reflections

PTA Reflections is a nationally acclaimed student recognition program to encourage artistic creativity in the classroom and at home. Students of all grades and abilities may participate and explore the arts based on the 2019-2020 theme: Look Within.

Students may choose one, several, or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts.  The deadline for submissions is Friday, November 1st. Place completed entries in the drop-off bin near the main entrance along with a completed entry form.  Remember to provide a detailed "artist statement" as this is worth half of the available points.  For details click here. For questions, email Teresa O'Connell at reflections@discoverypta.org.

One of last year's PTA Reflections winners, Discovery 4th grader Mason Mirabile has had his film entry "Through Your Eyes" named as an "Official Selection" for the 2019 Virginia Film Festival, and it will air this weekend in Charlottesville, VA. Congratulations Mason!


Principal Coffee on Cyber Safety on Nov 1

Please join us in the Blue Sky Studio at 9:15 am on Friday November 1st. Mr. Reeves, Discovery Technology Coach, will share a wealth of information on cyber safety. What is a chat room? How do you know who is in it? Learn what what your child is able to access and how you can monitor his or her actions. We will share curriculum we use at Discovery to teach cyber safety, review popular online games, and answer all your questions.


Feed the Candy Monsters

Wondering what to do with your leftover Halloween Candy? So the Switch Witch doesn't end up eating all of it, consider feeding the candy monsters at school. Donated candy will be collected from Friday, November 1st - Thursday, November 7th at the school and will be donated to Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation on November 9th. Last year, Mattie Miracle collected over 15,000 pounds of candy that will stock their Snack & Items Carts at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and Children's Hospital at Sinai to help support families caring for children with cancer. 



 Sign up Now for Baroody Camp for Nov 5 

Don't forget that school is CLOSED on Tuesday, November 5th. Want to make sure your kids have something fun to do that day? Sign up now for Baroody camps taking place at Discovery! https://bc-arl-discovery.jumbula.com/#/camps


Discovery Lost and Found will be Donated November 8th

Is your child missing a water bottle/sweatshirt/glove/etc? Have you checked the Discovery Lost and Found? Lost and Found is located in the hallway across from the entrance to the library. The rack is getting full and unclaimed items will be donated to those in need on November 8th, so please take the time to stop by and take home anything that belongs to your family. Thank you!


2020 Elementary School Boundary Process

In Fall 2020, APS will develop new boundaries for elementary schools that will take effect in the 2021-22 school year.  Although the boundary process will be focused on the two new schools that are opening, this will essentially be a County-wide boundary review. The first phase of the school boundary process will start in November 2019.

On November 5, 2019, APS families can view an Online Information Session that presents information and answers questions received to date from community members on the planning phase of the 2020 Elementary School Boundary Process.  There will also be an online questionnaire soliciting feedback that will run from November 5 through November 24.  Information regarding the information session is forthcoming on the “Engage with APS” site.


APS Middle School Information Night: Oct 28

APS Middle School Information Night: The 2020-21 Information Night for Middle School will be held on October 28, 2019 from 7 pm-9 pm at Washington-Liberty High School (1301 N. Stafford St.). Topics will include registration, school options and transfers, application deadlines and procedures, school information sessions, available resources, and more. Get all the details


To submit community news for publication in the Discovery PTA newsletter, please email a short blurb to newsletter@discoverypta.org.

Sponsorship


We are currently offering sponsorship opportunities on the PTA website.  Becoming a sponsor allows you to advertise your business at an event, on our website, or in our newsletter while supporting our PTA. If you know anyone that is looking to do a little more marketing of their business or may be interested in becoming a sponsor, please let us know at fundraising@discoverypta.org


Seasonal Roots CSA Delivered to Your Home!

Kids love veggies – if they’re SEASONAL ROOTS veggies! Sign up here for freshly harvested local produce that’s packed with flavor and nutrients, plus pastured eggs, grass-fed dairy and meat, and wholesome artisan fare, all local and home-delivered. Save $15 on the annual membership AND get $20 for Discovery PTA when you use the code: EATLOCALDES. 


AmazonSmile for Android Users

If you are an AmazonSmile customer, you can now support Discovery Elementary School PTA in the Amazon shopping app on your Android device! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.

  • If you have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping App, open the App on your Android device.
  • View Settings and select AmazonSmile.
  • Follow the in-App instructions to complete the process.

Grocery Cards-one of our biggest fundraisers! 

Harris Teeter
Link your Harris Teeter VIC Card to Discovery.  Visit harristeeter.com/together-in-education to sign up.  Please note that you need to link your account annually, and credit is given for purchases of Harris Teeter branded merchandise from August through May of each school year.

Giant
Please register your Giant cards to benefit Discovery. Go to Giant's website, click on Savings & Rewards, then "A+ School Rewards." Discovery is school #40035.
 

Amazon Smile

Link your Amazon account to Amazon Smile, and Discovery will receive 0.5% cash back on all eligible purchases.  Visit smile.amazon.com, sign into your Amazon account, and link to Discovery Elementary School PTA.  Please note that in order for Discovery to receive credit for your purchases, you must access your account and make the purchase via smile.amazon.com in a browser... not the Amazon App.  As of August 2019, Discovery has generated nearly $2500 through this program!

 

Box Tops

Physical Box Tops can be turned into the main office.  Box Tops also has a new App that allows you to photograph your receipt and immediately receive credit for Box Top labeled merchandise.

CONTACT THE PTA

 



Discovery Elementary PTA
5241 N. 36th St.
Arlington, VA 22207