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8/25/21 Weekly Email

NEW INFORMATION

Spirit Wear – Spirit Wear is now available! Our first round of Spirit Wear is now available to order. There are several Spirit Wear days throughout the school year celebrating PD! Please click here to view the options available and order: http://piercedowner.memberhub.store

PD PTA Fundraising – The PTA thought it may be a good time to introduce a few easy ways to raise funds for our PTA from home. These ideas are all completely optional, but convenient ways to support the Pierce Downer PTA:

  • Amazon Smile – You can now support Pierce Downer while ordering from Amazon Smile! Go to Smile.amazon.com, sign in with your Amazon credentials, choose and select Pierce Downer as your charity.  A percentage of your eligible purchases will go directly to our school! Thank you for your support!
  • KOHA App – Please download the KOHA app today and start supporting Pierce Downer! This is an easy and free app that helps give back to Pierce Downer each time you shop at many of our local businesses, such as: Cadence, Mojo’s, Another Round, Zazzo’s, Evelyn Jane, Adorn 512, Bangle Boulevard, and many more! Just download the app (search KOHA in your App Store), register your personal information, select Pierce Downer as your school and start shopping!!  It’s as simple as selecting the local business from the approved merchant list, attaching a picture of your receipt and watching the dollars go straight to PD! Click here for more information!
  • Corporate Matching – Many companies sponsor matching gift programs and will match your charitable donation made to the PTA. You can maximize your PTA donation by participating in your company’s program at no additional cost to you.  It’s free money!  All you need to do is apply.

First PD PTA Meeting –  The first PD PTA meeting and New Family Welcome will be scheduled soon! Stay tuned for more details!

REMINDERS

Weekly Email Contact – You are receiving this email because you provided your preferred email address to District 58 when your registered your PD student for the 2021/2022 school year, and you checked the box to indicate that this information could be shared with the PTA.  If you wish to add, delete, or change this email address at any point during the school year, please contact Jennifer Klemz (PTA VP Operations) at pdvpoperations@gmail.com.  We are happy to include up to two email addresses per family.  Be sure to add piercedownerpta@gmail.com to your Contacts so emails don’t fall into your Spam folder.

Yearbook – If you haven’t done so already, this is the LAST CHANCE To order your 2020-21 yearbook, we only have a few left!  Please email Karen Mellen karenmellen@yahoo.com if you are interested.  Yearbooks already ordered are in, and will be delivered to individual homes within the next week.

Volunteer Signup – The PTA is planning our volunteer opportunities for the 2021-22 school year and will be using Sign Up to help us organize our volunteer efforts. This information helps us form committees, especially those that need to be up & running this month (i.e.: New Family Welcome, Room Reps, Copy Helpers and Welcome Back Party).  Please sign up for what interests you and also keep in mind that while we are hopeful that all of these events can take place during this school year, we will be following all District 58 guidelines.  We are still in need of many volunteers:

  • Click this link to view descriptions and signup: https://signup.com/go/NNFxRaU
  • Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on Sign Up) 
  • Choose your spots – Sign Up will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy! 
  • Your name/email address will be shared with the committee chair, who will then contact you before the event/task to discuss details. 

We hope that you will sign up for these amazing programs and events that the PTA organizes at PD.  Without volunteers, none of these activities would happen!  

School Supply Kits – If you ordered school supply kits from Carlson’s online back in May, they have been delivered directly to the school and will be waiting for the students in their classrooms tomorrow.  The teachers will direct the students in labeling their supplies using the pre-printed name labels provided by Carlson’s.  Take note of the items that were NOT included in the kits (gym shoes, art smock, old sock, headphones, band/orchestra items, etc.) and send those with your student as needed on the first day.

Thank you – The Welcome Back Party was a huge success!  The party would not have happened without the planning and direction of Jennifer Hearne as chair!  In addition, a big thank you to all of the volunteers that helped at the event: Kelsey Wendell, Liz Rossi, Melissa Poirier, Francesca Rabchuk, Veronica Roche, Ann Marie Powers, Jennifer Klemz, Vikki Jacknow, Jen Meggos, Sarah Scholz, Natalie Wilson, Kara Morrissey, Brooke Roth, Jennifer VanHouton, Meghan Chanda, Jana Sutherland, Renee Moomey, Lindsay Frost, Meredith Ulaszek, Jennifer Sunnquist, Megan Skarr, Mackenzie Gapastione, Elise Fox, Danielle Bergandine, Erika Nelander, Kelly Rakers, Ellie Hufford, Meredith Van Syckle, Carlee Main, Ashley Esko, and Jess Flanigan. Finally, Mr. Wagner and Mr. Steel did an AMAZING job surviving the dunk tank.  Such good sports!!

The PD PTA wishes good luck to all of our students and staff tomorrow on the first official day of school!

Save the Dates –

8/26 – First Day of School
9/6 – No School – Labor Day
9/9 – Curriculum Night 
9/21 – Chipotle Dine-Out

For more information on school or PTA activities please visit the school web site or PTA website. Also please subscribe to the PTA calendar. For even more information on community events and activities please check out the District’s e-fliers page.

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8/18/21 Weekly Email

Welcome back!  The Pierce Downer PTA is busy planning for the upcoming school year and we want to extend a warm welcome to each of our Pierce Downer families.  PD is a wonderful community school and the job of the PTA is to enhance what the school offers and build a strong community for our children and families.  Our PTA funds many school activities (e.g., field trips, art awareness, assemblies), hosts social events for families (e.g., daddy/daughter dance, mother/son kickbowl, fun run), and provides unique academic enrichment opportunities for the kids (e.g., Reflections art program, STEAM, Artcot).

The PTA primarily communicates through email (piercedownerpta@gmail.com) and our web site (piercedownerpta.org).  Each week the PTA will send an email through Gmail letting parents know about upcoming PTA programs and volunteer opportunities.  We hope all families will become members of the Pierce Downer PTA and share in the voting decisions on all the activities/items our PTA funds.  Membership information to come soon!

Weekly Email Contact – You are receiving this email because you provided your preferred email address to District 58 when your registered your PD student for the 2021/2022 school year, and you checked the box to indicate that this information could be shared with the PTA.  If you wish to add, delete, or change this email address at any point during the school year, please contact Jennifer Klemz (PTA VP Operations) at pdvpoperations@gmail.com.  We are happy to include up to two email addresses per family.  Be sure to add piercedownerpta@gmail.com to your Contacts so emails don’t fall into your Spam folder.

Welcome Back Party – Don’t forget! Monday, August 23rd from 5:30-7:30 pm is the PD PTA Welcome Back Party. Click here for more details! 

Vendors will be available with food/treats and all purchases will be in CASH ONLY.  Following is a list of prices: Skuttlebutts pizza slice $4; Kona Ice- $3 Kiddie Cup (9oz), $4 Klassic Cup (12oz), $5 Color changing cup (17oz) $3 refills. The Dunk Tank station donations will also be CASH ONLY, as follows: 2 balls for $1, 5 balls for $2.  A portion of the food/treats proceeds and all of the dunk tank proceeds will benefit the PD PTA.  Let’s dunk Mr. Wagner!!
**The committee is still in need of some volunteers to help facilitate the party stations. Please note that each volunteer will only work a one hour time slot at each station so you and your family can enjoy the party. Sign up to volunteer here. Thank you!
Also during the Welcome Back Party, stop by and say Hello to Craig Kubinski, our custodian who retired during the pandemic. If you would like to make Craig a card, you are welcome to drop off cards at the party OR if you cannot attend, please leave your cards for Craig in the bin in between the front doors at 4633 Middaugh. If you are attending the welcome back party, please consider wearing your favorite Blackhawks or favorite band t-shirt as Craig loves the Blackhawks/music and misses everyone at PD
 
Yearbook – If you haven’t done so already, this is the LAST CHANCE To order your 2020-21 yearbook, we only have a few left!  Please email Karen Mellen karenmellen@yahoo.com if you are interested.  Yearbooks already ordered are in, and will be delivered to individual homes within the next two weeks.
 
Volunteer Signup – The PTA is planning our volunteer opportunities for the 2021-22 school year and will be using Sign Up to help us organize our volunteer efforts. This information helps us form committees, especially those that need to be up & running this month (i.e.: New Family Welcome, Room Reps, Copy Helpers and Welcome Back Party).  Please sign up for what interests you and also keep in mind that while we are hopeful that all of these events can take place during this school year, we will be following all District 58 guidelines.  We are still in need of many volunteers:
  • Click this link to view descriptions and signup: https://signup.com/go/NNFxRaU
  • Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on Sign Up) 
  • Choose your spots – Sign Up will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy! 
  • Your name/email address will be shared with the committee chair, who will then contact you before the event/task to discuss details. 
We hope that you will sign up for these amazing programs and events that the PTA organizes at PD.  Without volunteers, none of these activities would happen!  

Directory Spot – Pierce Downer PTA uses the Directory Spot App to list student/family contact information, classroom lists, and staff lists. For new families, this is a great tool for sending invitations, cards, getting email addresses, and setting up playdates!   In order to get access to this application you must join the school PTA.  Directory Spot is usually available and updated around the 2nd month of school.  Additional information will be coming soon.  Please email Liz Rossi elizabethdrossi@gmail.com if you do not wish to have your family listed in the directory.    

School Supply Kits – If you ordered school supply kits from Carlson’s online back in May, they will be delivered directly to the school and will be waiting for the students in their classrooms on the first day of school.  The teachers will direct the students in labeling their supplies using the pre-printed name labels provided by Carlson’s.  Take note of the items that were NOT included in the kits (gym shoes, art smock, old sock, headphones, band/orchestra items, etc.) and send those with your student as needed on the first day.  

Save the Dates –

8/23 – Welcome Back Party, 5:30pm-7:30pm
8/26 – First Day of School
9/6 – No School – Labor Day
9/9 – Curriculum Night 
 
For more information on school or PTA activities please visit the school web site or PTA website. Also please subscribe to the PTA calendar. For even more information on community events and activities please check out the District’s e-fliers page.