PineyPiney RidgeRidge Press Press December 2014 The Official Publication of the Piney Ridge Elementary School PTA
From the President...
Happy Holidays! It’s hard to believe winter and the New Year are upon us. It seems like the school year just PTA Meeting Dates started, and here we are in December already! The past 7:00pm in the Media Center 3+ months have certainly been busy for your PTA. *Free childcare provided for potty-trained children Movie Night was a great success! We had a wonderful turnout at this year’s indoor movie event; and the kids really enjoyed the movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. We even had a raffle for a movie gift oo Wednesday, January 14, 2015 basket. Special thanks to Mary and Paul Bornyek, Jen o Tuesday, February 10, 2015 Hobson, Stefani Califano, and all the movie night helpers for the FUN night! oo Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015 Our PTA works hard to support the teachers and staff oo whom mentally nourish and care for our children. PTA oo Wednesday, May 13, 2015 is able to provide early dismissal desserts, conference night dinners, and monthly pick-me-ups to all our o teachers and staff thanks to Aimee Rivera, Robin o Mattox, Lori Conroy, and all the bakers and helpers o who work hard to provide these treats.
I’d also like to thank everyone who has helped support our PTA through fundraisers and direct donations this year. The KidStuff fundraiser raised over $2000 this year. This money helps us provide wonderful cultural ✓ www.pineyridgepta.netwww.pineyridgepta.net programs for our children. We have already hosted Eric Energy and his Slime Workshop for the entire school. The kids were delighted and awed by this interactive science assembly. This is just one of the many January 23rd; the Piney Talent Show on Friday, wonderful programs PTA is able to provide our kids March 13th; the Science Fair on Friday, March 20th; with your help! and Family Fitness Night, date TBD, just to name a few. Stayed tuned for more information, and come The new year brings more awesome PTA-sponsored on out and have some FUN! events like the Daddy Daughter Dance on Friday, Our next PTA meeting is Wednesday, January 14th at 7:00pm in the media center. This will be a combined general meeting and budget meeting. As always, ABC Care provides free childcare for all toilet-trained children. Hope to see you there! Visit our website at http://www.pineyridgepta.net for updated event information, volunteer opportunities, and other useful information. As always, if you have any suggestions for improving communications, fundraisers, etc., please let me know!
Wishing you a safe Holiday and a Happy New Year! Gina Willman
Dates to Remember
Spring Fling Silent Auction The committee plans and runs our hugely successful silent December 4th- Winter Concert auction, which includes class baskets, local business th December 11-14 -5 Below donations, and many other Fundraiser things. If interested please
December 16th- EW Becks email Rebecca Schwartz at Fundraiser [email protected] om December 18th- Winter Concert Spring Fling Our biggest FUNdraiser is in th December 19 - Pajama Day need of a lot of volunteers to help with set up, take down, December 23rd – Holiday Dress Up games, bake sale, arts and December 24th-January 2nd- Winter crafts, food booths, solicitation Break of businesses/sports teams/etc. for silent auction, assembling January 5th – School Reopens baskets for auction and more.
th If interested please email Susan January 14 - PTA Meeting Coates at [email protected]
January 15th – Spring Fling Committee Meeting
January 19th- No School
January 20th- No School
January 23rd- Daddy Daughter Dance
February 10th – PTA Meeting
February 13th- Grandparents Day
February 16th- No School
By Kim Fleming
The first meeting of the Carroll County Curriculum Committee was held in November. Topics discussed included writing instruction at the elementary level, the high school program of studies, and assessments for high school graduation. Most applicable to the Piney Ridge population was a presentation on opinion writing at the elementary level. All Humanities teachers throughout the county are integrating lessons on opinion writing into their instruction. Students approach opinion writing in an integrated way: they read “mentor” texts to determine how published authors express and defend their opinions, they speak and listen to one another expressing opinions and providing reasons, and they engage in the writing process to write original opinion pieces. The writing process follows the procedures of pre-writing (typically using graphic organizers), drafting, peer revision, editing, and publishing. Student work is graded using a series of opinion writing rubrics that gradually increase in complexity throughout the elementary years. You can help your child develop skills for opinion writing in the following ways: Ask your child to distinguish between a fact and an opinion When your child expresses an opinion, such as, “Dogs are the best pet,” ask them to provide reasons for their assertion. Ask for your child’s opinion about foods, places to visit, clothes, sports, etc. Provide your own opinion and back up your opinion with reasons.
In addition to opinion writing, students craft narratives and informative pieces at every grade level. If you have questions you would like me to take to the Curriculum Committee, please contact me at [email protected]
Inclement Weather Announcements regarding school openings and/or closing can be heard on the following radio stations: WTTR, WHVR, WBAL, WCAO, WCBM, WFMM, WFBR, SFMD and WZYQ no later than 6:45 a.m. The closings will also be shown on the local television stations. Alert Now messages will also be sent out to parents via telephone and/or email. If schools might be delayed one (1) hour or more, the notification will be made by the same time and through the same stations as for the closing of schools. It will also be posted on the CCPS website www.carrollk12.org
When: Friday, January 23rd, 2014
SAVE THE DATE FRIDAY, MARCH 13TH *The theme will be 6:30-8:30 announced when we get closer to the date! The event will be open to students in grades K-5. Please keep an eye out for sign up information.
*Adult volunteers are needed to help make this event a success. If you would like to help out please contact Carol Good at [email protected].
Rehearsal Dates: Feb. 23rd 4-6pm, Feb.25th 4- 8pm, March 2nd 4-6pm & March 5th 4-8pm
Spring Fling 2015 will be on Saturday, April 18th, 2015
We are still looking for lots of volunteers to help with this awesome event. Specifically, we need help with games--planning, organizing, and running just a few of the many games. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. No experience needed. Please contact Susan Coates at [email protected] for more information about how you can help.
*The next Spring Fling Committee meeting will be on Thursday, January 15th at 7:00 pm. Join us and see how you can help!
Mark your
calendars!!!
Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile Grandparents Day is purchases to Piney Ridge Elementary School PTA whenever going to be held on you shop on AmazonSmile. Friday, February th AmazonSmile is the same 13 , 2015. Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. *Please note that the snow date is going to be Friday, February 20th, 2015. Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.
Order Deadline Pick-up date December 31st January 6th January 28th February 3rd February 25th March 3rd April 1st April 7th April 29th May 5th May 27th June 2nd
*Orders are to be picked up from 7-8pm in PRE school cafeteria
PRES PTA Fundraising!!!
Throughout the year PRE PTA will be partnering with local businesses/restaurants and holding fundraisers to help support
new technology for the school as well as other PTA programs
for our students. Below are some of the fundraisers planned for the upcoming months.
Beck’s Dec. 16th Five Below Dec. 11th-14th
Stratosphere Jan. (exact date TBD) Panera Jan. (exact date TBD)
Hoppers Feb. (exact date TBD)
Chick-fil-A Feb. (exact date TBD)
EW Becks Fundraiser Come out on Tuesday, December 16th (All Day) and enjoy a delicious meal at EW Becks on
Main Street in Sykesville. A percentage of your check will be donated back to PRES PTA!
When: December 11th-14th
Where: Five Below in Westminster, MD
How: After you are done shopping, present the flyer to the cashier at checkout. Five Below will donate a % of your purchase to PRE PTA Fundraiser *A flyer will be sent home with the children as well as sent out in an AlertNow email. You will also be able to find the flyer on the PTA Facebook Page!
Piney Ridge PTA has a Facebook page!!!!! If you are a member of Facebook and haven’t already
joined the PTA Facebook page please do so. We
share important updates on upcoming events & information about everything PTA. Come check us out!!!
Family Fitness Night is going
to be held in February this Piney Ridge Science Fair will year. Please stay tuned for be held on Friday, March 20th, 2015 more information as we get closer to the date!!!! Children from K-5 can participate.
More information to come as we get closer to the date!
*Stem Professional volunteers are needed to act as visiting scientists. Please contact Wendy Lakenan at [email protected] if you are interested in helping out!
PTA members who attended last night’s CPR and first aid training are grateful to Mrs. Yetman for taking the time to conduct this training. We appreciate your dedication! Thank you!
Piney Ridge Elementary
2014-2015 Executive
Board Members
President Gina Willman [email protected] NewsLetter Vice President Submissions Wendy Lakenan [email protected] Tabatha Hohenberger Submissions for the PTA [email protected] newsletter should be e-mailed to Secretary [email protected]. Heather Lewis [email protected] Written submissions can be placed Treasurer in the PTA mailbox. Please Rebecca Schwartz include your name and phone [email protected] number with each submission. Please contact Jamie Hamilton at Teacher Representative [email protected] Keith Taylor Call school 410-751-3535 with any questions.
Piney Ridge is a
GREEN
SCHOOL Maryland Green School
Distribution of the PTA Newsletter
In keeping with our efforts to save paper and reduce waste, our PTA newsletter is available online. If you have access to a computer, please choose to receive this newsletter electronically. You will be notified by AlertNow when the PTA newsletter has been posted on the Piney Ridge Elementary PTA website. If you still prefer a hardcopy, you can request a copy using the form below.
------cut and return
If you would like a paper copy of the PTA newsletter each month, please fill out this portion and return it with your child to his/her homeroom teacher. (Please note: if you have more than one child at Piney Ridge, please send this in with your YOUNGEST child attending PRES.
______Student Name Homeroom Teacher
______Parent Signature