Activity

Description  

When

After School Specials

Classes and activities sponsored by the PTA and taught by parent/teacher/community volunteers. These “classes” will give PH students an opportunity to try new activities in a safe environment.

Winter

Back to School Picnic

A PTA-sponsored event that is a “welcome back” event for all PH staff and families. Families bring their own picnic. Ice cream and desserts are provided, as well as entertainment and games.

August

Band Concert - Beginning

Band concert put on by mostly 5^th-grade students so they can showcase their talents. All Pleasant Hill families are welcome to attend.  The concert is held in the Cafe. 

Winter & Spring

Band Concert - Intermediate

A band concert put on by mostly 6^th-grade students so they can showcase their talents. All Pleasant Hill families are welcome to attend.  Concert is performed in the Cafe.

Winter & Spring

Chorus Concert

Concert put on by students in the school's chorus group to showcase their singing talents; all Pleasant Hill families are welcome.  The concert is held in the Cafe. 

Spring

Cougar Carnival

A PTA-sponsored event that is a carnival in the middle of Winter! The event takes place at school which has all kinds of carnival games to play along with carnival food to eat. All items are paid for with tickets that are pre-ordered a week or two in advance. Ordering information, comes home in the PTA newsletter (Pleasant Views) about a month or so prior to the event. Tickets are also available to purchase at the event. Students are issued punch cards to wear around their necks to keep track of their "winnings." The cards are redeemed for prizes.

NOTE:  The event is only for Pleasant Hill families and their immediate family members.  Students will not be admitted without a chaperoning adult.  Parking for this event is only in the back parking lot and across the street at Birchwood (not in the front or along the sidewalk in the back).

Winter

Dads & Donuts

Dads take their kids to school early to have donuts and juice in the Cafe with other dads and kids.  It starts about 30 to 45 minutes before school and ends when school starts.  NOTE:  Dads with last names beginning with A-L attend one date and dads with last names beginning with M-Z attend a separate date.

Spring

Family Fitness Fair

An event sponsored by Northwest Community Hospital partnering with the Northwest Suburban Council of PTA's for families of Pleasant Hill. There are numerous booths set up throughout the school with interactive health and fitness activities — a different one at each booth. Families receive a passport that gets stamped at each booth and is turned in to be entered in a raffle for health and fitness-related prizes.

NOTE:  This event is offered every other year.  It is also an event for families to participate together — children cannot be dropped off to attend the event alone.

Winter

(2011)

Family Reading Night

A PTA-sponsored event held at school in the evening that encourages families to recognize the importance of, and fun, in reading together. Families will follow a map to different stations to read together and/or be read to by different staff members. Snacks provided at the end of the evening. The Book Fair and Reflections galley will be open for the evening as well.

Fall

Field Day - Grades 1-6

A PTA-sponsored event in which students participate in an all day event in both indoor and outdoor sports.  Games are run by volunteers and students rotate through them with their classrooms in an organized manner (it's not like recess!).

June

Field Day - Kindergarten

This event is sponsored by the Kindergarten Teachers and the Room Moms.  The students participate in outdoor games during their classroom time. 

June

First Day of School

(Grades 1-6)

First day of school in which parents drop off their children at the designated outside doors and wave good-bye as the school year officially begins.  Morning bell rings at 8:45am; school starts at 8:50am; school ends at 3:20pm

• Grades 1 & 2 - Door 6 (main back door off back parking lot) or Door 10 (west of front door) 
• Grades 3 & 4 - Middle back door for grades
• Grades 5 & 6 - Eastern-most back door    

August

First Day of School

(Kindergarten)

First day of school in which parents drop off their children at the designated outside doors and wave good-bye as the school year officially begins.  Morning starts at 8:50am and ends at 11:20am, while afternoon starts at 12:50pm and ends at 3:20pm.

• Kindergarten door (located on west side of building) for AM students
• Front door (inside by office) for PM students

August

Fundraiser: Run for Fun

Our main annual fundraiser will be "Run for Fun."  This is a during the school day event where children Run for Fun to raise money for various PTA events and services.  Kids will receive pledge sheets, as well as prizes, snacks and drinks. Our goal is to raise $50/child.

Fall

Halloween Parties

Students' lunch hours are combined to allow time to go home to change into their costumes or they may change at school. Students can only wear costumes in the afternoon. After lunch, students return to their classrooms to organize for the parade around the school block (Illinois, Cedar, Pleasant Hill Blvd, Bennet and back to Illinois) Parents can gather outside to see all the costumes. Students return to classrooms for their parties, which are generally the last hour of the day.  The room parents manage the party and ask for parent assistance. 

On October 31^st  or next closest school day.

Holiday Shop

A holiday shopping opportunity for students sponsored by the PTA. The PTA sets up an actual shop in the Cafe from 3:20-6:30pm.  Gift items range in price from $0.50 to $10. Students and parents are welcome.

December

Intramurals

Sixth graders are welcome to participate in Cross Country (Fall), 2-Ball (Winter) and in Track (Spring).  Most practices are held during recess at school with only a few sessions after school. 

All Year

Last Day of School

Last school day when students attend school for only a couple of hours in which they spend the majority of the time in the Cafe and gym at the year-end assembly; families sometimes gather at Birchwood park across the street from school for a picnic lunch once school lets out at 11:20am.

June

Meet the Teacher Day

One-hour long window in which parents and students can meet their teachers, see their classrooms, and bring their school supplies.  Bring some dollar bills and envelopes since this is one of two days when money is collected for various classroom-related items such as party money (used by room parents to finance school parties for Halloween and Valentine's Day), magazine subscriptions, classroom binders, totes, etc.  You can also turn in other forms that are sent in the August mailer. 

Day before school begins

Moms & Munchies

Moms take their kids to school early to have donuts and juice in the Cafe with other moms and kids.  It starts about 30 minutes before school and ends when school starts.  NOTE:  Moms with last names beginning with A-L attend one date and moms with last names beginning with M-Z attend a separate date.

Fall

Multi-Cultural Fest

Pleasant Hill families sponsor booths where they showcase their countries/cultures through artifacts, food, and activities. Families sign up ahead of time to sponsor a booth. NOTE:  This event takes place every other school year.  COST:  A low single price pays for participation in the activities.

Spring

(2012)

Musical — Grades 1-6

The music teacher works with each grade to create a musical program for families. Grades pair up for the programs with grades 1 & 2 together, grades 3 & 4 together, and grades 5 & 6 together. Kindergarten has their own program with the kindergarten teachers.  Performance schedule:

• Daytime Performance is for the other grades and staff.  Parents can also attend this program and it is easiest to video this performance.  Chairs for parents are in the back of the Cafe.
• Evening Performance is for families.  The students usually need to be there at least 15 minutes early, and so do the parents, if you want good seats.

There's usually a DVD available for purchase from the evening performance.  The music teacher will send home specific information on the DVD.

Varies by grade.

Evening shows start typically at 7:00pm.

New Family Welcome

Families new to Pleasant Hill may attend this informal gathering to tour the school, talk with the principal and/or assistant principal and to learn more about Pleasant Hill activities and the PTA. Various PTA committee members are on hand to talk about PTA events to be held during the year.

August

Open House

This is a great opportunity for families to come to school in the evening to visit their child's classroom and see their child's work. Students and teachers work really hard to prepare for this night, and it is a very well-attended event. Classroom time is from 7-8pm.

Spring

Parent Orientation

Orientation is the parents' opportunity to hear all about what their children will be doing/learning in school this year. Orientation occurs in your child's classroom where grades K-2 orientation timeslot is separate from grades 3-6 to make it easier for parents to visit multiple classrooms.  A PTA General Membership meeting occurs between the two.  (Example:  You may go to your 2^nd grader's room from 6-6:45pm, then you'd go to the cafeteria for the PTA general membership meeting from 6:45-7pm, and then you'd head to your 5^th grader's classroom from 7-7:45pm.)  Teachers typically have parents sign up for parent-teacher conference times (in Nov) so bring your calendars.  Keep the dollar bills in hand since this is the other time, besides on Meet the Teacher day, you can pay for classroom incidentals; if you don't have the cash at this time, you can send it to school with your child later.

NOTE:  This event is parents/guardians only.

August

Typically during the first full week of school.

Parent & Teacher Conferences

This is the parents chance to meet with their child's teacher in their classroom for a one-on-one discussion about their child's progress (usually 10-15 minutes).  Parents typically sign up for a conference time in August and the teachers send home a reminder close to the date. 

NOTE:  Students should not attend the conference.  If they must accompany the parent(s), they should bring quiet activities to complete in the hallway.

Monday & Tuesday

prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday

Picture Day

Each student's photo is taken individually (which is also included in the class photo) for inclusion in the yearbook (available to purchase at the end of the year) and for purchase by the student's family.  Each classroom is assigned a time to come to the Cafe to get students' pictures taken.  There are designated volunteers to help students with hair and clothing issues.  A picture retake day is also scheduled for any absent students or students who are not happy with their first picture. 

Fall

PTA Changeover Dinner

This dinner provides an opportunity for PTA committee members to recognize outgoing 6^th grade parents, transition information/materials to incoming members and welcome the PTA officers, both new and returning, for the coming school year. Invitations are distributed by the PTA co-presidents.  

May

PTA General Membership Meetings

These are held in the cafeteria (Cafe) in conjunction with another all school event. 

• The first meeting is with Parent Orientation in the fall.  At this meeting, the PTA membership votes whether or not to approve the current year's budget. Copies of the proposed budget are available in the cafeteria prior to the meeting. Forms to join the PTA are part of the August Mailer. Once you've completed the form and sent it in to school, you may vote on the budget. Being a PTA member also entitles you to receive a copy of the Pleasant Hill PTA directory.
• The second meeting is with Open House in the spring.  At this meeting, the PTA membership votes on the nominees for the PTA officers.

Fall & Spring

PTA Monthly Meetings

Monthly meetings are held in the evenings in the Teacher's Lounge to discuss various events/issues pertaining to the school, the students, or PTA itself.  All PTA members are welcome to attend; however, voting is reserved for committee chairs of the PTA.  Attendees are encouraged to attend without children.

Once a month on Tuesday evenings

Rec Nights

Rec nights are held on Thursdays throughout January, February, and March. By grade level, students and parents (one parent per student) come together to participate in physical activities and "compete" in games in teams.  The games are held in the gym and it gives children and parents some outdoor fun indoors during the dead of Winter!  Gym shoes and active wear are recommended for both students and parents.

January - March

Reflections

Our national PTA sponsors this art program which offers student an opportunity to create works of art for fun and recognition.  There are six different categories in which a student may express themselves:  visual arts, musical composition, photography, literature, dance and film/video.  Specific program rules are sent home along with the theme for the contest. 

Fall

Roller Skating Party

A PTA-sponsored event where all Pleasant Hill students get together to roller skate.  Students must have an adult chaperone in order to attend the event.

Winter

Room Parent Tea

The Room Parent Tea is an informal meeting of room parents and teachers to discuss the plan of attack for class parties for Halloween and Valentine's Day and schedules for AR (Accelerated Reader program) and centers, if applicable.  This meeting is held in the Cafeteria.

September

School Pride Day

Students show school spirit by wearing Pleasant Hill gear called "Spirit Wear" or red & white to school on the first Friday of every month.  Spirit Wear will be sold at the beginning of the year with a form in the August mailer.

First Friday of each month

Special Person's Day

This used to be Grandparents Day but was changed to incorporate any special people that children want to ask to share the morning with them. Special people come to school in the morning and gather in the cafeteria (Cafe) to have coffee and mingle while teachers and students ready their classrooms. Special guests then go to their children's classrooms where they generally do a craft or some other project with their students.  Student volunteers are in hallways to provide directions.

November

Strings Concert - Beginning

A strings concert put on by student string players (mostly 5^th graders) so they can showcase their talents.  The location of the concert rotates between District 15 schools (see calendar for details).

Winter

Strings Concert - Winter

A strings concert put on by student string players (mostly 6^th-graders) so they can showcase their talents.  The location of the concert rotates between District 15 schools (see calendar for details).

Winter

Talent Show

A PTA-sponsored show spotlighting the talents of Pleasant Hill students. Students or student groups sign up to "try out" for the show - they put together a dancing, singing, or some other kind of performing act and then present it to a panel of a few PTA members in a try-out situation. The purpose of the try-out is to ensure the act meets the timeframe allowed and the material is appropriate for a grade school environment.  The actual show takes place in the Cafe during the day for the student body and then again in the evening for families. 

NOTE:  This event takes place every other school year. Print out a copy of the 2011 talent show program here

Spring

(2011)

Valentine's Day Parties

The Valentine's party typically takes place during the last hour of the day. The students celebrate by playing games, snacking, and exchanging cards with classmates.   Teachers will let you know if a box (usually a decorated shoe box) or bag (again decorated) needs to be provided.  The room parents put on the parties and ask for parent assistance.

Closest school day to February 14^th

Volunteer Luncheon

The Pleasant Hill staff sponsors this event in which parent and other volunteers who have assisted in and out of classrooms all year long are honored with a lunch in the Cafe with student council members assisting. 

May