Take 5 With Your PTO – Spying on (I mean “Volunteering”) with your kids.

So last week we talked about having fun and getting to know other adults in the Irving Community, but today let’s learn about ways to give back while keeping an eye on the youth in the Irving Community.

So many great parents organize so many fun things for our youth, and organize some good for the world things too! Let’s dive into the Fun Fair, Sleepover, Book Fair and Zero Waste!

Fun Fair:

Who They Are: Committee- Kara Sakellaris, Nick Sakellaris, Courntey Sakellaris (costco order and concessions), Nicole Daniel (Dancing for Desserts)

What They Do: Help with this winter indoor special event in February that includes games, prizes, entertainment, and food. For the Desserts: Coordinate donations of desserts, help run this event at the Fun Fair, and coordinate storage and pickup of desserts after they are won.

Time Commitment:  We plan January- February. Event is late February. 1 thing to know– Online ticket sales was a HUGE undertaking last year. Open to ideas on making the event more equitable but also a FUNdraiser.

Sleepover:

Who They Are: Committee- Kara Sakellaris, Nick Sakellaris, Sarah Carter (has been our parent organizer for past several years of breakfast)

What They Do:  Solicit parent/teacher volunteers, promote to families, and organize activities, food, and supervision for annual sleepover (this year on 5/8/2020). Nick and Kara do all sign ups, communications, flyers, set up and cleanup of event.  Volunteers are needed though to help supervise the games, movie, and yes – sleepover too! And if you don’t sleep over – bring coffee and breakfast the next morning!

Time Commitment:  We plan March and April, event is late April or May.1 thing to know- This is the most fun event EVER! And Sarah doesn’t even spend the night!!!!

Book Fair:

Who They Are:  Jean Dawson (Yep – Superwoman does it herself!)

What They Do: Help with the fall and spring sales of high-quality paperback and hardcover books.  Spring dates are 4/20 to 4/23/2020. (Fall Dates are usually October). Work with the seller, set up, get the volunteers, make sure wish lists are filled out by the teachers, and more.

Time Commitment:  You’ll be busy the week or two before – and then expect that week to be living at the school (or have a good group of volunteers working all of the shifts.  1 thing to know – Just like for us when we were kids – the book fair is a highlight for youth. Their smiles and joy in finding the right book is priceless.

Zero Waste Lunch Committee

Who They Are: Leah Fluecke and Sabrina Blackney

What They Do:  Volunteers are essential in maintaining this Zero Waste program because they train and assist the children through the sorting process, which can be a hurried and confusing process.

Ideally, we need volunteers to commit to overseeing all three lunch periods from 11:30 to 12:25, however, if you can only make part of that time, please let me know. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4fa8ab28a6fc1-lunchroom1

Adult family and college students welcome! If you are able, please consider signing up for a reoccurring time slot each month.

Time Commitment:  Just an hour of your time! 1 thing to know – Nothing will show you what your kid is really like at school than lunch time :).

So, thanks for taking 5 – and next week we’ll look at the Executive Committee.

ICYMI – Mr. Sakellaris’s Homework Help Presentation

In case you missed it….we were lucky to have our own Mr. Sakellaris do a learning session regarding “How to support your child at home with academics” presentation at our PTO meeting.  And we are even luckier that he shared the tips for us to post! See the attachments below for more information.

Within, Beyond; About the Text Questions for Reading at Home 3 (6)

Help Your Child At Home Presentation

PTO Meeting Thursday 3/5! And Other Ways to Get Involved

  • Thursday 3/5 7:00 PM Our next PTO meeting will be held on Thursday, March 5th at 7pm in the Irving Auditorium.  Mr. Sakellaris, Irving 3rd Grade Teacher, will be leading our learning session for March. He will teach us “how to support your child’s learning at home”! All are welcome and childcare is always available.
  • Daily: Volunteers needed during lunch hour (11:30 am – 12:25 pm) to guide kids through composting and recycling. Only a one hour commitment whenever it is convenient for your schedule! Seniors and College Students Welcome! The kids love seeing friendly faces in the lunchroom!

Next Week: SPRING SING Concerts 

  • Tuesday, March 10th
    Kindergarten – 6:45pm
    Grade 1 – 7:15pm
  • Wednesday, March 11th
    Grade 2 – 6:45pm
    Grade 3 – 7:15pm
  • Thursday, March 12th
    Grade 4 – 6:45
    Grade 5 – 7:15pm

And if you participated in the online auction, you will be contacted this week if you won and about the parties, the Parent Parties that are not sold out will be added to the square site along with the Teacher Parties. Thanks Irving!

 

Black Is Beautiful Project Needs You Friday 2/28

Irving School has worked with DivInc to plan immersive activities for the entire school community to enjoy during Black History Month! The last week of the month, February 24th-28th, we are proudly presenting African Heritage Week, which will engage students in highlighting the rich legacies of African Americans to our society.

To culminate our Black History Month and African Heritage Week celebrations, all of our students will be working on a collage project entitled, “Black is Beautiful”, on Friday, February 28th. The finished works will then be displayed throughout the school.

These collages will be created using images taken from predominantly African American publications, such as Essence Magazine, Ebony Magazine, Jet Magazine, and other postitive media portrayals.

We would like to strongly suggest that volunteers who represent a variety of skin tones, (parents, caregivers, and community members), join us in the classroom to help lead the students in this project. The intention is to also help illustrate the diversity and beauty that is the African Diaspora.! This home-school connection will surely be the highlight of the week for our students!

Please review the available slots below for your child’s class and click on the button to sign up.

Knikia Dantzler, a third grade parent and member of DivInc, will be leading this project the day of, and will be coordinating with volunteers. Any questions regarding the project can be directed to her thru email: dantknik@my.dom.edu

Thank you so much for all of your help, and Happy Black History Month!

Please view the SignUp Genius and choose a slot, Only an hour of your time during the day!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e49abaf2aa1f94-black