WELCOME PACKETDTS PTA

2019/2020

Cole's Compassion Corner, on our DTS Playground

Dear Parents and Teachers,

On behalf of The Downtown School PTA, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2019/2020 school year. The summer went by too quickly, but we’re excited to start this year’s journey with all of our returning DTS family members, as well as all of you who are new to the school!

DTS's mission is to be a catalyst for students to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens. Our goal as the PTA is to support the school's mission in any way we can. Last year, we raised close to $20,000 and were able to support the drumming program, Teacher Appreciation Week, teachers' grants, teacher training for The Responsive Classroom Initiative, playground equipment, the new loose-part recess program, and more. This year we have multiple fund-raisers planned to help raise the money needed for 2019/2020. But right now we need you to join our PTA!

Membership is just $10 a year per family. We meet the second Tuesday of each month from 6 - 7 pm, upstairs (next to the Multi-Purpose Room in Building 1). All PTA members are, of course, welcome to attend these meetings. This year, we’d love to see more dads be part of the team, especially with the new program called Watch DOGS (Dads Of Great Students), which the school will be implementing this year.

Our first PTA meeting will be on September 10th at 6 pm. Our first general meeting will be held during our annual school picnic on September 17th at Bolton Park–there everyone will have the opportunity to vote on our 2019/2020 budget, as well as our new officers. Right now we still need a new Vice-President and a Secretary, so please let me know if you're interested. Important: You can now get up to 20 volunteer hours by volunteering with the PTA!

As your PTA President, I'm always just an email away: dtsptaboard@gmail.com. Please let me know if you have ideas or concerns. I’m looking forward to helping each of you find a way to become involved with The Downtown School PTA. Thanks!

Best wishes, Valerie Brockenbrough

PTA Team: Amanda Wright, Jigar Desai, Jennifer Hurst, Charlease Roper, Monique Parks, Liz Noland, Martie Lohmeyer, Aisha Washington, Jen Rimes, Emmylou Dooly, Amanda Hawks, Marcia Smith, Shannon Pierce, Casey Raymer, MaryPat Meaney, Amelia Hailey, Elizabeth Schaefer, Emily Hooke, Leeann Snyder.

The Downtown School PTA Board 2019/2020

President Vice President Vice President Membership Vice President Fundraising Treasurer’s Secretary At Large Member At Large Member Faculty Rep Faculty Rep Principal

Valerie Lecoeur Brockenbrough VACANT Lori Holmes Amelia Hailey Steve Hoeing & Jigar Desai VACANTCharlease RoperVACANT Sylvan Taylor Jane Murawski Mr. Andrew Lester-Niles

2019-2020 Committee Chairs

Audit Jen RimesBack to School Picnic Monique ParksBookFair Liz NolandBoo Hoo Breakfast Valerie BrockenbroughBox Tops Martie LohmeyerCommunity Relations VACANTFamily Fun Nights Aisha WashingtonGrade Parents Emily HookeNew Parent Ice Cream Jen RimesNominating VACANTPlayground Liaison Emmylou DoolySpirit Wear Elizabeth SchaeferTeacher/Staff Appreciation Amanda WrightWebsite LeeAnn SnyderYearbook Amanda Hawks, Monique Parks

Open PTA Positions for 2019/2020

The Downtown School PTA still needs volunteers to assist in the following areas. A brief description is included below. Please consider these volunteer opportunities as they are a great way to meet fellow parents as well as to enrich the lives of our children and help keep the school successful. You can get up to 20 hours of volunteers hours when you join the PTA Team.

Please contact Valerie Brockenbrough at dtsptaboard@gmail.com if you are interested.

Here are the open positions for the upcoming school year:

• Vice-President: will work with and assist president during the 2019/2020 and will become PTAPresident for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022.

• Secretary: records minutes at all PTA meetings.

• Community Relations: coordinates activities with local downtown businesses and organizations.

• School Improvement Team (2 parents) :The School Improvement Team's purpose is to devise,implement, evaluate, and amend our School Improvement Plan. The plan addresses both academicand social-emotional aspects of our school. The team consists of a member of each grade level, aclassified representative, our guidance counselor, media coordinator, AP, instructional facilitator, 2parents, and the principal. We meet once monthly (currently the third Tuesday of each month) from3:40 - 5 pm after school. Ideally the two parents would represent two of the three buildings, if not allthree.

• Nominating Committee: Need a chairperson and 2-3 members. The Nominating Committee istasked with identifying talented, motivated and responsible individuals to serve as officers for thefollowing year. The committee shall prepare a slate of officers to be voted on at the May orSeptember General meeting. Time commitment for this committee will be approximately 1 – 3 hoursdepending on their ability to recruit people willing to serve as PTA officers for the coming year.

• Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) Committee: need a chairperson and 3-4 members tocoordinate the new WATCH D.O.G.S. program. WATCH D.O.G.S., a national program designed tobring positive male role models (our dads, granddads, uncles, partners) into our students lives.

Important Dates Fall 2019

FacebookStay connected! We keep you informed about

upcoming meetings, events, volunteer opportunities and more!

https://www.facebook.com/DTSWSPTA/

8/26/19 9/2/19 9/5/19 @ 2:45 pm9/9/19 - 9/27/19 9/10/19 - 9/13/10 9/10/19 @ 6:00 pm 9/17/19 @5:30 - 8:00 pm 10/8/19 @6:00 pm 10/9/19 @1:00 pm10/25/1910/28/19 & 10/29/19 11/05/19 - 11/08/19 11/11/19 11/12/19 @6:00 pm 11/12/19 - 11/26/19 11/27/19-11/29/19 12/10/19 @5:00 pm 12/10/19 @6:00 pm 12/11/19 @1:00 pm 12/23/19 - 01/03/20

Back to School Labor Day Gelato Social Attraction Books School Pictures PTA Meeting School Picnic PTA Meeting Early Release End 1st quarter Teacher Prof Day Book Fair Veteran's Day PTA Meeting Spirit Wear Thanksgiving PTA Meeting Pod Performance Early Release Winter Break

Link your Shopping Cards to DTS

You need to relink each fallHarris Teeter, Lowes Foods, Target and Publix will give The Downtown School a portion of all money you spend in their stores. All you have to do is link your Harris Teeter VIC, Lowes Foods Rewards, Target REDcards (debit or credit) and Publix account to The Downtown School.

DTS Code for Harris Teeter: 3194DTS Code for Target: 79932For Target,Lowes and Publix: check https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/65619 or https://www.facebook.com/DTSWSPTA/ for instructions and links DTS to your account.

Keep Clipping to Earn Free Money for The Downtown School! We can earn up to $1,000. Send these items with your child in an envelope or bag at any time. There are collection bins in the Building 2 Lobby by the computers and in the Building 1 Cafeteria.

Please help support the Downtown School Food Bundles program through the donation of food items to help eliminate food insecurity within our Downtown Family by bringing a donation to the Downtown School Beginning of Year Picnic on TUESDAY, September 17th.

Food items that we regularly need include:

- Breakfast:- Oatmeal, Grits, Protein Bars

- Lunch:- Soup, Individual Mac and Cheese, Pasta Meals, Ramen, Peanut

Butter, Crackers- Dinner:

- Soups with Protein, Ravioli, Chili, Tuna, Beans and Franks- Snacks:

- Fruit cups, Applesauce, Goldfish, Pretzels, etc

Food Bundle Donation Baskets are available throughout the year at the entrance of every Downtown Building and you can sign up at:

http://bit.ly/dtsfb19

Email: DTSFoodBundles@gmail.com

Food Bundles Program Food Drive

Only ONE form per family is necessary. You can also sign up for membership using your credit/debit card @ https:/dtspta.memberhub.store/.

Please enclose your membership dues (checks made payable to DTS PTA) and return it to your child’s teacher. Membership dues are $10 per family.

Member(s) Name(s):

Address:

Phone: Email:

Please list your child(ren) and their teacher(s) for the 2019-2020 school year:

Name: Teacher:

Name: Teacher:

Name: Teacher:

Please list additional children and attach

We would like to be ACTIVE members. This means we will include $10 for our membership and we are willing to volunteer for various DTS PTA activities.

We would like to be NON-ACTIVE members. This means we will include $10 for our membership and understand that we are DTS PTA members, but will not be contacted to volunteer for DTS PTA activities.

______We would like to give an additional donation of $ to the DTS PTA.

Membership dues and donations to the DTS PTA are tax deductible. The DTS PTA is eligible to receive matching gifts from corporations who match their employee’s donations. Please check with your employer for the correct forms to double your gift to the DTS PTA.

In an effort to cut down on expenses and reduce paper waste, the DTS PTA is attempting to use as much electronic correspondence as possible. I give the DTS PTA my permission to send newsletters and other important updates via email.

Signature

Date

If you have any questions, please contact dtsptaboard@gmail.com.

Payments made by check to the Downtown School PTA that are not honored by the bank will incur a returned check fee of $25.00

The Downtown School 2019-2020

PTA Membership Form

Direct Give for The Downtown School

The overall purpose of PTA is to make every child’s

potential a reality by engaging and empowering families

and communities to advocate for all children.

Your gift affirms the incredible work that our DTS faculty

and staff are doing on a daily basis with our children. We

hope you will be a part of this circle: the greater the

support, the stronger the education environment is at the Downtown

School.

Please share this information with everyone who would want to make an

investment in our community at The Downtown School. If needed, you can

find a link to this letter on our PTA Website for easy sharing.

We’re asking each family to make a pledge, however big or small.

Please consult your Tax Advisor to determine the tax deductible portion of this gift. The

downtown school is a charitable organization.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, I would like to Support the DTS Fund Drive!

$10 $20 $50 $100 $150 $200 Other$______

Please Print

Teacher/Homeroom~ ___________________________________

Student’s Name~________________________________________

Parent or guardian~_____________________________________

Email~______________________________________________

(If your workplace or personal business would like to contribute)

Employer match~___________________________________

Matching Employer Email~ ________________________________

Please return bottom portion in a sealed envelope to your child’s classroom. Mark the front of the

envelope Direct Give DTS PTA . We appreciate your dedication to The Downtown School.