Dear Hunt Valley Families,

September has gone by so quickly and we’re in October already. Wow!

The Board and I sincerely want to thank everyone for your understanding as we made the difficult decision to cancel the Fall Festival. While we share in the disappointment, the safety of our children, staff, volunteers, and vendors is always our top priority. With the excessive rain all week and potential thunderstorms, we felt this was the best course of action. We truly appreciate your support and look forward to future events together.

In thinking about the next PTA sponsored event, it is the 2nd annual Trunk or Treat event on Friday, Oct 25 at Hunt Valley Swim Club. This is a free community event and all are welcomed. This year, we’re looking into expanding the event to include a live DJ and dance party on the tennis courts with glow sticks and concession items for sale. To ensure safety for families crossing Sydenstricker Rd in the dark, we submitted a request for a police officer to assist with traffic control. Additionally, we are incorporating the Teal Pumpkin Project, offering non-food treats. Each trunk will be provided a teal/purple pumpkin to give out non-food treats to those that choose not to have candy items. We are collecting donations for candy, Halloween themed fun size snacks, and non-food items. Please sign up if you would like to donate and/or interested in decorating a trunk. Top 3 trunks with the most votes will receive a prize! The collection bin is available at the front of the school.

BLUE STAR WELCOME WEEK: WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Every year, approximately 600,000 military families — or roughly 33% of the All-Volunteer Force — relocate. Most of these families move to new duty stations, while some transition out of the military and others transition in. Most of these moves take place during the summer, and only 41% of military families report they feel a sense of belonging in their local community.

Therefore, the Hunt Valley PTA, in partnership with the school, welcomes our new families to the community! This week is Blue Star Welcome Week, and we're asking for your help by filling out a quick survey on your local favorites—restaurants, playgrounds, pediatricians, hair stylists, and more.

Please take a moment to complete the local favorites survey (https://tinyurl.com/437cs9ja ) and share as many recommendations as you'd like. Your answers will be compiled into a "Community Favorites" guide for our new families to help them connect with the Hunt Valley area. THANK YOU!

Hunt Valley’s 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat on, Friday, October 25!

West Springfield Pyramid Challenge - Saturday, November 16 10:00am-12:00pm

The West Springfield Pyramid Challenge is a FREE fun run that was started over a decade ago. Students from the 7 elementary schools in the West Springfield Pyramid will run a half-mile or one-mile course, depending on their grade level at Irving Middle School. This year's event will also include a unified heat with an accessible 200-meter course for students with physical and cognitive disabilities.  Register your student using the website below - note that registration ends on Tuesday, October 15! https://runsignup.com/Race/VA/Springfield/WestSpringfieldPyramidChallenge.

If you have any questions, please contact wellness@huntvalleypta.org.

Reflections 2024/2025: Accepting Imperfection

We are excited to invite you to explore our 2024-2025 Reflections theme, “Accepting Imperfection” at PTA.org/Reflections! Get inspired for a new Reflections program and show your excitement using the tag #PTAReflections. Students submit their original works of art in any or all of the available arts categories and participate in the appropriate division for their grade: Primary (Pre-K–Grade 2), Intermediate (Grades 3–5), Middle (Grades 6–8), Accessible Arts (all grades welcome). More information to follow for signups, with a Dropbox for artwork.

Do you own a business or know someone that does and want to support our PTA?

Are you a social butterfly with networking superpowers? Do you collect business cards like Pokémon? The PTA needs your charm! Helps us by reaching out to local businesses and asking if they would like to sponsor the PTA. It’s a win-win – because who could say no to you?

For only $250, the contribution will directly benefit our students and school community, helping us continue to provide enriching experiences for everyone. As a Hunt Valley PTA Sponsor, the business will receive the following benefits:

●      Recognition in Our Weekly Newsletter

●      Acknowledgment at Monthly PTA Meetings

●      Visibility and Invitation to All PTA Sponsored Community Events

●      Tax Deduction

School Directory Information - COMING SOON!

Planning a birthday party or playdate? You can find students and parents by name, grade, or class! The directory is available to current PTA members at https://hvpta.ptboard.com/prf/directory. 

To access the directory, log in to HVPTA.PTBoard.com and click on Student Directory on the left menu. If you don’t have an account yet, follow the instructions under “Sign Up” on the top right corner to set up your profile. For those that need it, the school code is: KB63B8

All students are included in the directory unless they have opted out. If you prefer not to be listed in the directory, you may log in to your profile to adjust your visibility settings.

Not a PTA member yet? Join today!

Please use the QR code below or reach out to our PTA Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah Tinsley, at volunteer@huntvalleypta.org to join the mailing list for volunteers. 

The following positions are still open for the 2024-2025 school year. You do not have to do it alone. Grab a friend and be a powerful team with the help of a PTA Board Member as your Champion:

●      Teacher and Staff Holiday Sweet Shoppe (timeframe: December 2024)

●      Winter Food Drive Coordinator (December 1-16, 2024)

●      Spring 2025 Book Fair Coordinator (March 17-21, 2025)

●      Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week (May 5-9, 2025)

●      Spring Fling (May 16, 2025)

●      Outreach/Community Service Chair (ongoing)

●      School Supplies Coordinator for 2025-2026

If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Iris Stoyanov at President@huntvalleypta.org.

For more info, visit the Hunt Valley Elementary School PTA website.

If you have comments or suggestions for this newsletter, email President@huntvalleypta.org