Prairie Trail Star Newsletter - October 2012

PRAIRIE TRAIL STAR An edition of the Prairie Trail Elementary PTA

www.prairietrailpta.org

Vol. 17, Issue 2 October 5, 2012

Prairie Trail Elementary is No Place for Hate

President’s Pen In This Issue President’s Pen............................p. 2 From The Principal.......................................p. 3 iPad for Schools...........................p. 3 Counselor’s Corner...........................................p. 4 Upcoming Events.........................p. 4 Pajama Fundraiser......................p. 5 PTA Fundraising...................................p. 6

Prairie Trail Elementary PTA 5555 Timber Creek Road Flower Mound, TX 75028

Facebook/PrairieTrailPTA Websites: www.PrairieTrailPTA.org www.ptavenue.com

Members and Volunteers – We can do great things with your help!

as a member and encourage those you know to sign up as well. It’s the best $11.50 that you can spend.

Beyond dues, our membership is important because there is impact in our numbers. The more members we have, the bigger our impact is in Austin. There is a legislative arm of PTA that represents us and speaks for our children to our government. They have helped to make significant changes in the past to things like seatbelt laws (and other important legislation) and are currently working to ask for equitable Public School Funding and reduced emphasis on High-Stakes Testing among other issues. The more voices we have in our membership numbers, the louder we will be heard and this will impact all of our children.

The last thing I would like to mention is our volunteers. We have an OUTSTANDING group of volunteers this year. I am so impressed with the number of people that have stepped forward! We can do such great things with your help and commitment! Please keep up the great work already begun.

As always, if you have questions, concerns or suggestions, please contact me at jill@fourzs.com or 940-367-0355.

If you missed our last PTA meeting, I explained why PTA meetings are important. The truth about those meetings is that we need you there. While the board can vote on a number of things (budget, fundraisers, programs, etc.), YOU – the membership – are the final vote that gives the authorization for everything that we do. The board is responsible to membership, so we report to you. We need YOU to make everything happen within PTA. I know that the feeling about the PTA meetings is ―get them over so we can get on to the program‖ but our goal this year is to provide something educational in every meeting so that you will get something worthwhile out of your time spent at the meeting. My hope is also that you will learn something about what is going on within the PTA and the school as well.

We have until October 15 to finalize our membership count to the state and we still have a way to go to meet our membership goal. My hope is that every parent will sign up to be a member this year. Membership is one of our largest fundraisers for the PTA and your membership dues go directly Regards, toward programs that benefit ALL of Jill Zielinski our children. We were able to expand Prairie Trail PTA President Accelerated Reader this year because of membership dues. We fund Field Trips, Field Day, Youth Protection and College Week activities, Talent Show and Spring Fest and many other programs out of the dues we receive from membership. Please show your support of YOUR PTA by signing up

From The Principal, Mrs. Adams Dear Prairie Trail Parents,

treated at school. Encourage them to report troubling behavior to the nearest adult. If you become aware of negative behaviors happening at school, contact your child’s teacher or an administrator so we can investigate. It is everyone’s job to insure the positive learning environment our children need to thrive and grow.

I hope all of you will be able to join us for the iPad for the West Zone 5K Fun Run/ Walk on Sunday, October 28that 2:00p.m.!

The event will take place on the Forestwood Middle School Trails. Parking will be available at Flower Mound and Marcus High Schools with shuttle bus transportation provided to Forestwood. You can register or donate on line by going to the West Zone Fun Run link on the Prairie Trail web page.

On Monday, September 24th, Prairie Trail won it’s designation from the AntiDefamation League as a No Place for Hate school. This was the culmination of a year of training, community collaboration, and student initiated activities aimed at making Prairie Trail a school where everyone is respected and diversity is celebrated. I want to thank Roberta Clark of the Anti-Defamation League and all of the parents who joined us for our Flag Presentation and Pledge Ceremony.

While we are excited about receiving recognition as a No Place for Hate®school, we know that the work of creating a safe, respectful and nurturing school is a continually evolving process. We will continue to work with students and parents to build a community of acceptance that does not tolerate teasing, name calling, bullying or See you at the race!

Warmest Regards, harassment of any kind. Please take time to Chellie Adams review our behavior policies in the student handbook located on the school web site. Discuss with your child how they are being

ATTENTION ATHLETES AND EXERCISE ENTHUSIASTS! All of the schools in the Marcus and Flower Mound feeder patterns are joining together to raise money to buy iPads for West Zone Schools! The Flower Mound Showdown West Zone 5K Fun Run/Walk will be held at the Forestwood Middle School Trails on Sunday, October 28th at 2:00 PM. Parking will be available at Flower Mound High School or Marcus High School with shuttle buses provided.

To register, click here or visit the LISD or Prairie Trail website and look for the Flower Mound Showdown 5K Fun Run/Walk iPad with red sneakers. From there you can follow the links to register or donate for this great cause. The entry fee of $25/person or $75/family of four or more covers your participation fee and t-shirt while supplies last.

Let’s do Prairie Trail proud and support 21st century learning tools for our schools!

Counselor’s Corner Guidance Lessons in the classroom have begun. This year’s guidance lessons will add the Second Step Program to the curriculum in all grades. The four units of the program are: Skills for Learning: Promotes the development of the skill of self-regulation. Students who can self-regulate are better able to participate in and benefit from classroom instruction.

They are also more successful in social interactions with their peers. This unit is reinforced throughout the program.

Empathy: Teaches student skills for identifying emotions in themselves and others, labeling the emotioins, and taking the perspective of others. These skills are the basis for helpful, responsible behavior. Having empathy is also related to academic success.

Emotion Management: Teaches students proactive strategies that help prevent strong emotions from escalating into negative behaviors.

At times, papers will come home with your child so you can discuss and reinforce what your child has learned in the guidance lesson.

Sherri Woolson PTE School Counselor woolstons@lisd.net 972-350-4021

Upcoming Events OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

5 8 11 12 22 - 26 24 26 29 31

2 5-9 7-9 9 9 12 - 16 15

End of 1st 6 Weeks Columbus Day/Fair Day—No School Teacher Luncheon Report Cards go home Red Ribbon Week Picture Retakes Spirit Day School Fundraiser Delivery 3rd Grade Field Trip—Elm Fork

16

Pajama Day Spirit Day CCA Food Drive Book Fair Preview School Fundraiser Money Due Veteran’s Day Celebration Book Fair PTA General Meeting & Talent Show (Cafeteria—6:00 pm) Book Fair Open—5:30 pm End of 2nd 6 Weeks

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Your Prairie Trail PTA is selling quality, affordable, pajamas for the whole family!!

Tell your friends and family!!

Prairie Trail PTA Pajama Sale October 5 – 19, 2012

The best part…40% of all sales go directly to OUR SCHOOL!!

There’s something for everyone: Ladies, Men, Girls, Boys, Toddlers, Slippers, even Pets!

Holiday Gifts Birthday Gifts Teacher Gifts

Pajama Day at School (they are coming!)

Sleepovers – your child can be the best dressed!

You can get a sneak peak now!

Go to www.pajamafundraiser.com and check out all the great styles and patterns!!

Prairie Trail PTA Fundraising As a reminder, here are some easy ways to help raise funds for our PTA and school:

Box Tops for Education We all shop for groceries, sometimes two or three times a week –or more. Now turn those shopping trips into easy cash for our school, and encourage friends to do the same! Clip these little labels for BIG earnings - 10 CENTS PER box top.

HOW? Bring your box tops to the drop-off bin in front of the cafeteria doors!! Get more program details including product listing at www.boxtops4education.com.

Campbell’s Soup Labels Each label gives us points to buy items needed for our school (Clip UPC ONLY-don’t send the entire label.)

HOW? Bring your UPC labels to the drop-off bin in front of the cafeteria doors!!

Funding Factory Funding Factory is a recycling program that pays us for sending in used cell phones, laser and inkjet cartridges, laptops etc.

HOW? Bring your products to the drop-off bin in front of the cafeteria doors!!

Target’s RedCard Take Charge of Education Program

This program allows you to select a school, register your RedCard for the program and the school will earn 1% on all of your RedCard Target and Target.com purchases.

HOW? Go to the link below to register for the program and start earning today! http://www.target.com/redcard/main . You can apply at the store right at the checkout line the next time you’re at Target.

Something to Share???

Please send all news you would like to share with Prairie Trail students, teachers and parents to: Amy Kenney · PTA VP of Communications · amy.kenney@verizon.net