PTA News for December 1, 2020

****************************************************************************************************

UPCOMING DATES:

Tues. 12/1 - Final 'Rock 'n Fun' Virtual Spirit Rally

Tues. 12/1 - AAP Level IV Application Deadline

Dec. 1 - 8 - Book Fair Online

Tues. 12/1 - 'Heritage Stories' Night & McAlister's Restaurant Night

Wed. 12/2 - 'Create a Story' Night

Thurs. 12/3 - 'Share a Favorite Childhood Story' Night 

Tues. 12/8 @ 7pm - Virtual PTA Meeting

****************************************************************************************************

Beginning THIS TUESDAY, December 1 - Virtual Book Fair, Story Nights, and McAlister's Restaurant Night

Dec. 1 - 8 SLES will have an ONLINE Book Fair with Bookworm, a local bookseller out of Springfield. To kick off our Book Fair, we will have Story Nights for our families to enjoy some good tales together! We highly encourage 6th graders to participate again this year for this wonderful event. Any 6th grader that volunteers will get service hours credit. All participants get their choice of a SLES spirit team stress ball, tattoo, bookmark, or bracelet! Please use these links to access each night of fun!

Dec. 1st - Heritage Stories Night: Families and students share a story from their heritages. Ms. Snow will also be there to explain the Virtual Book Fair.

https://meet.google.com/znn-raji-rwa

 

Dec. 2nd - Create a Story Night: Families can create a story together based on genres.

https://meet.google.com/wfh-ghwr-yjr

 

Dec. 3rd - Share a Favorite Childhood Story Night: Students, families, and staff share their favorite childhood stories. 

https://meet.google.com/wod-nagx-izh

 

Sign up to share your heritage story or favorite story here: https://signup.com/go/AciRVrJ

 

While you are enjoying these stories, why not order out? We've teamed up with McAlister's to do a restaurant night on 12/1. McAlister's will be giving SLES 25% of all dine-in, take-out, or curbside pick-up orders. More details to come. 

 

Our Care & Share Season at Stratford Landing

SLES Care & Share is a program that supports SLES families in need of additional support. 2020 has been a year we will all remember! It’s had challenges & silver linings we couldn’t have imagined a year ago. We are committed to helping our families & staff continue to support each other now, as well as when we are all back together in person. 

You can choose from the following four options to support SLES families.

Thank you in advance for your support of our Dolphin Community. We are “One Stratford”! 

GIFT CARDS FOR FAMILIES  Donate a $10 gift card for the following local stores to provide support for our SLES families this holiday season: Walmart, Shoppers, Giant, Safeway: https://slpta.org/care-share or email careandshare@slpta.org

NEED/GIVE SUPPORT TO CARE & SHARE FAMILIES  For the remainder of the school year, the PTA will offer a Need/Give program to help SLES families with groceries, supplies, assistance, errands and other items they may need: https://slpta.org/care-share. If you are a family in need of support, please complete this confidential form that is shared directly with school staff. If you would like to offer support, please complete the form.

This flier provides some additional details, links and information for our families to participate.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EDbIT8IYhCmyeiWme3asr5xLdNvYrrd0/view

December 1 - McALISTER’S DAY Order in-store, online, takeout or curbside and McAlister’s will give back 25% to SLES. Order for your family AND donate a meal to an SLES family: https://slpta.org/care-share

Through December 2 - AR WORKSHOP DIY ORNAMENT KITS The ‘Do-It-Yourself’ hands-on workshop in Old Town is partnering with SLES on DIY ornament kits - at home - and giving back up to 20% on each kit sold. Order for your family AND donate to another SLES family: https://www.arworkshop.com/event/?loc=alexandria&ev=204203 

 

Congratulations for Raising $20,000 through Rock N Fun; Tuesday is the Final Spirit Rally

Thank you to all of the families and friends of the school that donated! This was a strong start to meeting our budget for the 2020 - 2021 school year. Based on the money raised, students earned their Rock ‘n Fun shirts, and other prizes that included spirit prizes, rainy day items for the school and we saw Mr. Magee and Mr. Fannon carry out the ice bucket challenge!

The fun isn’t over yet - students will participate in the Rock ‘n Fun pep rally on Tuesday, 12/2. There will be music, dancing, “Would You Rather” Challenges from our Principal, and a few other surprises. 

Dolphins - wear your Rock N Fun t-shirt on Tuesday. If you haven’t picked yours up, you can do so at the SLES main entrance/vestibule with a contactless pickup, starting Monday, 11/30 from 9 am - 4 pm. Ring the bell to pick up your Rock N Fun items. 

The fundraising was awesome, but since we were not able to meet our full Rock ‘n Fun budget, the PTA will work together along with school administration to determine the best ways to meet the financial goals of 1) resources to support outdoor education, 2) support for teachers on virtual platforms and in-person classrooms (i.e. classroom libraries), 3) non-screen learning tools for families, and 4) mindfulness initiatives.

Thank you to Steph Fultz for spearheading the Rock N Fun effort and Committee - she truly rocks!!! Thank you committee members Sara Jefferies, Megan Gottemoeller, Chris Estenson, Jamie Mellon, Amanda Hood, Sandy Hodgkinson, Craig Stephens and Jill Cox.

A big thank you to the teachers, students and administration for making this fundraiser possible. We could not have pulled this off without the help of Mr. Morris, the staff and every single teacher who worked to support the Rock ‘n Fun in their class!

‘One Stratford’ -- you came together and made this happen!

 

AAP Level IV Application Deadline - Dec. 1 @ 4pm

Attention Families! The FCPS window for AAP Level IV Applications for the 2021-22 school year is now open! If you or your student is applying, the last day to apply is Tuesday, December 1. Digital copies of the application materials must be submitted to Ms. Luster (Advanced Academics Resource Teacher) at the following email address: laluster@fcps.edu by 4:00pm no later than 12/1/20 to be included in the FCPS district screening. There are no exceptions to this deadline. In the subject line please write: Level IV Application for 2021-22

 **Families with students already in Level IV classes do not need to reapply. **

 If you do not have digital access, it’s best to place all of the application items in a manila envelope with your child’s name on it and drop it in the front office to the attention of Ms. Luster, Advanced Academic Resource Teacher.  Please keep digital and/or hard copies for your records as items will not be returned.  

Questions? Please email Ms. Luster: laluster@fcps.edu

More detailed parent information about all advanced academic services can be found on the SLES website or through the FCPS website, at the following link:

https://www.fcps.edu/index.php/registration/advanced-academics-identification-and-placement/elementary-school/students-new-fcps

 

Be the Good Project: Winter Care Packages 

Sponsor or put together a care package to be delivered to local families in partnership with nearby schools. Collected items to be delivered to the organization on Dec. 12. Email projectbethegood@gmail.com for more information and sign up for this project at: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/20f054baca62aaafb6-winter.

*Be The Good Project LLC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit recognized by the IRS and is not affiliated with the SLES PTA.