| Quick Links | |
PTA Membership Form
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| Dates to Remember | |
For details, go to:
September
1-24 Map Testing
7 Room Parent Tea, 3:30-4:30
13 Volunteer Forms Due
15 Board of Education Meeting, 7pm
17 PTA Directory Forms Due
22 1st Turn In: Run for Fun Pledge Sheets
24 Run for Fun
27 NWSC General Membership Meeting
October
1st Final Turn in: Run For Fun
1st Moms and Munchies, 8:15am
Last names A-L
1st School Pride Day
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September 2010 |
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Dear Pleasant Hill Parents & Guardians,
Welcome back! Or, for those of you who are new to Pleasant Hill... WELCOME! A new school year WELCOMES students with a fresh start, academic growth and new friends.Our parents WELCOME getting back into a routine, additional outlets for their kids energy, and the opportunities that lie ahead. Our staff WELCOMES meeting new students, the challenges that lie ahead and doing what they do best... which is developing our kids!
As the PTA, we WELCOME an exciting new year filled with a blend of new events along with the traditional favorites. We are also looking forward to utilizing this new communication vehicle and hope you find it useful and informative! We WELCOME all to join the PTA to show your support for the school and, most importantly, your children.
Finally, we'd like to WELCOME all our new PTA committee heads. These are the volunteers who work behind the scenes to help create a positive environment for our children to learn and have fun. These PTA leaders can be noticed wearing red name badges at school. So, if you see us around and want to ask a question or too, always feel WELCOME!
Donna Hirsch & Sherri Lamerand, Co-Presidents |
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| Welcome Back Everyone! |
 Our new newsletter format requires that we all do our part to save space, so my contributions will take on a different feel than they have in the past. Instead of using the newsletter as an avenue to share stories that meander in and out of relevancy to school topics, thus turning the newsletter into a double-digit page affair, I'll keep my comments to just a few short paragraphs. If you still want to hear a story or two, you are more than welcome to visit me in the back parking lot before or after school as the Irish in me will undoubtedly have me sharing tales to whatever parents are unwise enough to wander into earshot of me!
To begin, please allow me to extend my most heartfelt and sincere thanks for all the well-wishes and congratulations that I received following my wedding this summer. I am so grateful to be part of a community that not only sees me as the principal of their child's building, but also as a person with a life outside of Pleasant Hill. I hope that my wife (it still seems funny to use that word) will be able to join us at some of our events this year so you can see just how beautiful she is, and wonder along with the rest of the staff just how in the world she ended up with me. The words "over-achieving" were peppered throughout our wedding reception!
In the meantime, there is so much to be excited about from last year, and so much work to do for this year. In the next issue, I'll be sharing with you our ISAT results from last year, along with the MAP growth data. The MAP growth data is of particular importance because it was one of our school goals last year. The data is good; in fact the data is epic (that's what people in the entertainment industry like to call a "tease").
As we look ahead to this year, we have new goals in place that the staff will be working towards. Grade-levels will be working to make improvements to the writing curriculum. The core of our writing instruction is outstanding (the 6+1 Traits of writing), however, the staff desires very much to align our grammar instruction to ensure no gaps from grade level to grade level. In addition, teams are also exploring ways to diversify the students' writing experiences. It is our hope to focus on a broader range of writing styles rather than simply focus on the traditional expository, narrative, and persuasive pieces. Lastly, all staff members are working toward a more comprehensive, documented intervention system. I will go into more detail regarding the intervention system at a future PTA meeting.
As I am sure that I have exceeded my quota of words, let me conclude by wishing everyone a happy, productive, and healthy school year. It's wonderful to be back; I hope you feel the same! Matthew Palcer
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| Join the Pleasant Hill PTA Today! | | As a reminder, the PTA Membership and Directory Form sent home in August is due by Friday, September 17th. You will not be included in the directory or receive a directory if you are not a member of the Pleasant Hill PTA.
A couple frequently asked questions:
1. What is the difference between Family membership and Individual membership? Family membership is a family with two parents in your household. Individual membership is a family with a single parent in the household.
Single parent = $4 Two parents = $8
If your membership form lists two parents, and you joined for an Individual membership, we will ask you to join as a Family membership. 2. What do my spouse and I get for becoming members of the PTA? Membership in the PTA means membership in the Illinois PTA and the national PTA for one year. Also, with your PTA membership card, you can receive discounts with T-Mobile, Southwest Vacations, LegoLand and More!
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| Run for Fun! | |
On Friday, September 24, your children will be participating in our Run For Fun. This event is Pleasant Hill PTA's major fundraiser for the year. Please encourage your children to seek pledges so that the PTA can continue to fund all the programs that we have in the past. Prizes will be awarded for children who collect more than $50 in pledges.
The Pledge Sheet includes details about how this fundraiser works and all the school programs and acitivites it supports.
Important Dates
September 22nd - Early Bird Pledge Sheet Turn In
September 24th - RUN FOR FUN during school hours (rain date Sept. 27)
October 1st - Final Pledge Sheet Turn In
October 8th - Prize Distribution
QUESTIONS? Contact Joanne Wojcik at mjwojcik@ameritech.net or Carol Witucki at carolah@dls.net. |
| BoxTops Time! |
 Congratulations to each student who brought in over 100 Boxtops last year. Our top collector brought in 845! Let's see if someone can beat that this year. Our "Trash to Cash" programs enabled us to purchase SEVEN new digital camera kits that yearbook volunteers and teachers may use to capture all the projects and activities going on at Pleasant Hill. First Boxtops Contest of the year
Whichever gender submits the most Boxtops wins! 1. Cut out your Boxtops.
2. Put them in a zip-top baggie.
3. Write out the information below.
4. Put the info in the baggie and zip it up.
5. Drop it off in the drawer outside the front office by October 1st!
Name: ________________________________________
Classroom: ____________________________________
Check one: Boys rule: _______ Girls Rule: _______
Please also check out the following programs that can help support our school: Anyone who would like an overview sheet of all our "trash to cash" programs, please email me at howardmenk@comcast.net and I will send you the list. |
| Manna |
Put your everyday shopping dollars to work. Earn money for our school without spending anything additional. Simply purchase gift cards from stores that participate in the Manna Group Scrip Program!
They are the same gift cards available in stores. Nationally known retailers such as Wal-Mart, Jewel, Dominicks, JCPenney, Kohls, Carson's, Macy's, Gap, Starbucks, Home Depot, Best Buy and Shell participate in the scrip program along with hundreds of others.
Orders due...........Pick up
October 20th..........October 27th
December 1st ........December 8th December 8th.........December 15th February 23rd.........March 2nd
May 25th...............June 1st
If you have any questions, Please contact Yukari Lofton at 847-359-1578 or yukari@lofton.net
Thanks! Manna Committee |
| Volunteers Needed! | | Please remember to fill out your Volunteer Form and turn it in by September 13th. I am pleased to report that I have received 121 forms so far! However, that still represents less than half of the families at Pleasant Hill.
Please consider all of the fantastic opportunities provided by PTA, such as Art Awareness, Fall Fest, Cougar Carnival, Moms/Dads & Donuts, Reflections, Talent Show, Field Day, Yearbook, and the list goes on and on. Each of these programs and events requires the time and talent of parent volunteers in order to exist. Remember, you are not committed when you submit the form. Once I gather all the responses, I will send a list of possible volunteers to the chairpeople of each event. When that event comes near, a chairperson will contact you to see if you would be able to help out. Some of the opportunities are during the school day, but just as many are in the evening or can be done on your own time. Please fill out your form and help our Pleasant Hill PTA continue to enrich our school with fun and fantastic programs and events for all of our children!
Dawn Wurtz. Volunteer Coordinator
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| Spirit Wear | |
The Pleasant Hill Spirit Wear sale is on! This is our PTA sponsored once-a- year-only sale of clothing items in our school colors and with Pleasant Hill logos. The sale is run each September as a convenient way for parents to purchase PH spirit wear for their children (or themselves!) This is not a fundraiser, as PTA sells the items at our cost. On the first Friday of each month, students show their school spirit by wearing Pleasant Hill colors or PH clothing.
This year, we have an exceptionally cool assortment of items for sale, including t-shirts, shorts, hoodies and capris. A rack with samples of each item for sale, in every size available, has been set up across from the office so that you may see everything as well as have your kids try on sizes. Please come by and check out what's new! Forms were sent in the big summer mailing, and there are a few extra in the rack by the office. Orders are due by September 17th. The items will be delivered about 4 weeks later. GO COUGARS!
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| Legislative Update |
Welcome to the 2010/11 school year. Throughout the year I will be using this newsletter to keep you informed about pending legislation that affects our school, positions advocated by the state and national PTA organizations and any resulting membership action requests. Right now the legislative focus is on getting elected/re-elected, so not much will be happening between now and election day. If you would like to know more about the 2009/10 Illinois PTA policy initiatives please go to: Illinois PTA Website For more information about the national PTA go to: National PTA Website.
James Carr, 1st VP Legislation
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| Reflections | |
Start working on your Reflections Entries today! REFLECTIONS is a nationally sponsored PTA program that offers an opportunity for each child to create works of art for fun and recognition. Each child can participate in any of the six artistic categories: Literature, Musical Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, Dance Choreography, and Film Production.
This year's Reflections theme is "Together We Can..........." Encourage your child to dream up a story, compose a musical piece, take a photograph, draw a picture, create a dance, or produce a film that conveys what this theme is to them.
All entries will be due on Wednesday, October 13th. We will also be giving kids an opportunity to come in during their recess on Sept 17th, Oct 1st, and Oct 8th to work on their entries. We will be showcasing all the entries in our special art exhibit during the Fall Fest on October 22nd. Watch for further details to be sent home in September. If you would like to view the program rules and guidelines, view the PTA Reflections Webpage.
Colleen Novak and Chris Barto, Reflections Committee
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| Yearbook (Already?!) | |
WANTED!!
Yearbook is looking for pictures from the first day of school. If you would like to submit yours, please email them to dcpeterson12@sbcglobal.net before the end of September. If you need to submit them in hard copy, please send them to school with your child in an envelope marked "Yearbook."
Thank you in advance,
The Yearbook Committee |
| Save the Date! |
Northwest Suburban Council PTA/PTSA and staff
from Community  Consolidated School District 15 present a free program for parents.
Homework Motivation and Tips for Parents to Support a Successful Year for their Children
Monday, September 27th at 7:00pm
Walter R. Sundling Auditorium
1100 North Smith Street
Palatine, Illinois
For more information, please contact Lyn Bremanis, NWSC PTA 1st VP Programs, at bremanis@comcast.net.
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| Company Grants | |
Does your company offer grants to schools? PTA would love to know about it! We are applying for grants to help meet some of the physical and educational enhancements we would all like to see at Pleasant Hill.
If you know of a grant that is open to schools or PTAs or if you just have a question, please e-mail the info to Pat Murakami at patriciamurakami@yahoo.com
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| Meet Your PTA Board |
Donna and Family
 | Donna Hirsch
This is Donna's second year of being co-President. She has been at PH since 2001 and this year her son Jack is in 6th grade with Mrs. Silver while her daughter Brie starts Fremd! With the PTA, she has enjoyed volunteering for: room parent, Field Day, Volunteer Coordinator, and Cougar Carnival. She misses the days of running centers and helping out with AR. Donna works full-time as the VP of Organizational Development at Trustmark Insurance. She also enjoys gardening and volunteering at her church, Willow Creek.
Sherri and Family
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Sherri Lamerand
This is Sherri's first year as co-President. When her oldest son started Kindergarten, Sherri volunteered as room parent. This opportunity opened her eyes to all the extra hands involved in making school a positive experience for children and decided then to help at school whenever possible. Prior to becoming a full-time mom, Sherri worked as a regional manager for a lobbying association. Sherri and her husband, Scott, have 2 sons, Alex in 3rd and Ryan in 1st. Now that Ryan is in school all day, Sherri feels bittersweet about her new found time. Sherri enjoys bike riding, family dinners and cozy movie nights with her boys.
The remaining members of the PTA Executive Board will be highlighted in future Pleasant Views emails.
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| What's New with Parent Education? | Doesn't it seem like we parents have to learn a lot--and I mean A LOT!-every time our kids enter a new grade or are ready for another stage of life? There's all that content stuff that those little ones know better than us. Then there is the race to master technology that kids are already dabbling in, and finally, we have to discard last year's notions of their likes/dislikes, how they prefer to communicate and what's cool. Exciting and exhausting! Speaking for myself, no, I did not learn everything I needed to know in kindergarten! Perhaps you feel the same?
This year's Parent Education column will have a new format. I will try to customize it to the needs of Pleasant Hill parents. Mr. Palcer has suggested relevant topics like developing leadership skills in children, what some new federal reforms will mean for PH parents, how you can help your children become better writers, and how to get your 6th grade son to tell you everything that is on his mind. Ok, if you know the answer to the last one, you can write a guest column here. Second, I will interview our non-teaching staff so that you can get to know them and the valuable resources they offer to our children and parents. Finally, if any of you have a burning topic that you want addressed here, or even an article you want to submit to Parent Education please email me at muditarastogi@hotmail.com. Hope your new semester goes well, and have a great learning curve!
Mudita Rastogi, Parent Education Committee
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 Pleasant Hill E-News is funded by the Pleasant Hill PTA and produced by Pleasant Hill PTA Volunteers. It is produced monthly and is distributed electronically, as requested by Pleasant Hill families, staff, and community members.
Donna Hirsch, PTA Co-President (gredonhirsch@yahoo.com)
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