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October 2012

Volume 1, Issue 2

Message from The President 1 Membership Report 3 Invitation to Volunteer 3

What’s been happening? Issaquah Meals Service 4 After-School Movie 4 Gift Wrap fundraiser launch 5 September staff appreciation 5 Enrichment Grants awarded 5 Art Walk 6 Grounds Beautification 6 PTA Bulletin Board 6 General Membership Meeting 7 Parent Ed: Mia Beck 7 Picture Day 7

What’s coming up? Book Fair / Family Night 8 Box Tops fall drive deadline 8 Food Allergy Support Group 9 Reflections submissions due 9 Business sponsorships due 9 Thanksgiving food drive 10 Dancing through the Decades 10 Parent Ed opportunities 10

What else is going on? NEW: Volunteer of the month 11 Ongoing fundraising 11 Program reminders 12 Community Outreach 12 Gift-a-Book 12

What’s happening in district/state? ISF: All in for Kids 13 ISD: Homework policy review 14 ISF: Click for Kids 14 Issaquah PTSA: Council Mtg 14

It’s been an amazing start to the school year and I hope all of your students have gotten back into the swing of things and are enjoying all of the great things Sunny Hills has to offer.

I want to thank each of you in the community for your continued passion and support of the school through your support of the Sunny Hill PTA. Hopefully you have visited the PTA website and found the online registration process easy to navigate. Moving more of our processes and transactions online creates opportunities for everyone to benefit, as we reduce paperwork and repetitive completion of information for you, and at the same time, significantly increase the accuracy of our information. If you haven’t already visited our website, be sure to check it out - you can join the PTA (or renew your membership); purchase a yearbook and an emergency kid for your child; and even make your Walk-a-Thon donation now, rather than waiting until spring to donate! It can’t get much better than that!

Just as we did last year, we will join forces with the school for weekly communication through the Mustang Messenger, the weekly eNews publication sent out by the school. In the Mustang Messenger, you’ll find current information that is relevant to the school, the district, and the PTA. We also have established the Pony Express, a new monthly newsletter that includes more in-depth articles, recaps of events and programs, and “thank yous” to our many wonderful volunteers. In addition to these two email publications, we’ll continue to use the PTA website as a key source of information for school families. Be sure to visit the website throughout the school year to sign up to volunteer to support our many PTA-sponsored events and programs!

Speaking of staying up-to-date, people are often surprised to hear of the many school programs and events that are funded by the PTA, so I try to communicate often about this. Here are just a few examples:

Enrichment Grants: Teachers (individually, or as grade-level teams) and staff apply for PTA-sponsored grants to support programs and materials that expand enrich our children’s learning opportunities.

Reflections: An annual art contest sponsored by the national PTSA that recognizes student artwork.

Humanitarian outreach: This takes many forms, including providing meals at Issaquah Meals Service; a food drive at Thanksgiving; and a holiday gift program.

Message from the President Quick Links

In This Issue

Published monthly by Sunny Hills Elementary PTA | Sammamish, WA | Unit 2.6.25 www.sunnyhillspta.org | sunnyhillspta@gmail.com | 425.837.7400

(continued on page 2)

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 2

1 Yo Plateau benefit day

5-6 NO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL [CONFERENCES]

7 Holiday Gift Program ends

14 PTA Board Meeting, 9:30 am, Mustang Club Portable

18 Last day of school before Winter Break

19 WINTER BREAK BEGINS (through January 1)

December 2012

3 Yo Plateau benefit day

5-16 Thanksgiving Food Drive

9 Picture make-ups [individual pictures]

12 NO SCHOOL [VETERANS DAY]

16 Dancing through the Decades, 7-8:30 pm, PLMS

22-23 NO SCHOOL [THANKSGIVING]

26 Holiday Gift Program begins

30 Report cards go home

November 2012

President Danielle Miller

Co-Vice Presidents Kym Clayton | Laura Yamashita

Secretary Monica Rockwell

Co-Treasurers Pailin Huang | Brian Neville

Pony Express (monthly) Leigh Taylor

Mustang Messenger (weekly) Mary-Kate Anderson

Meeting Minutes

Budget / Financials

For the Record

Art Walks: A series of in-school “gallery” events, presented by a team of expert parent volunteers, that gives students a chance to view and learn about paintings, art movements, and art history.

Art Fair: A biennial event in which the Sunny Hills gym is transformed into an art gallery, and every student is a contributing artist!

Scholastic Book Fair: An annual fundraiser that features an evening family event with guest readers and other family fun.

We also just approved our budget for the 2012-2013 school year, and I am excited to give you some of the highlights of what we approved:

License BrainPop for student use during school hours ($1,200)

“Just Right” books for classrooms and/or the library ($5,000)

Provide funds to teachers, specialists, and library for classroom items ($10,000)

Fund “Artist in the Classroom,” which includes instructors and supplies for arts instruction as planned by teachers ($10,800)

Fund the Art Docent and Art Walk programs ($3,800)

Support science enrichment, as ISD pays for only 6 of the 18 science lessons presented at Sunny Hills each year ($4,600)

Support the BEL reading program for students who need individualized reading instruction ($12,000)

Provide scholarship funds for school supplies and field trips ($2,000)

PTA funding for these programs adds up to $49,400 - and this doesn’t even include the thousands of dollars the PTA will put toward Eager Reader, Family Bingo Night, Dancing through the Decades, Science Fair, Art Fair, Staff Appreciation, and so many other PTA-supported programs and events.

As always, thank you so much for your continued support of the PTA. We wouldn’t be able to support our kids without each one of you. I look forward to continuing to meet you all and seeing you around school!

Danielle Miller, Sunny Hills PTA President 2012-2013 sunnyhillsptapresidents@gmail.com | 626.390.5075

(continued from page 1)

Welcome to the second issue of the Pony Express, the new monthly newsletter of the Sunny Hills PTA. The Pony Express will serve as a record of the school year, with reports and photos from events and programs, recaps of meetings, committee reports, recognition of volunteers, and a message from the PTA president. We will continue to provide information about upcoming events and deadlines through the Mustang Messenger (weekly eNews), which is sent by the school. We will publish the Pony Express monthly on the PTA website—where you can also access past issues—and we’ll send an email notice to let you know there’s a new issue out. Please let us know what we could do differently!

[Questions? Contact Leigh Taylor]

About the Pony Express

22-26 Scholastic Book Fair

23 Family Night at the Book Fair, 6-8 pm, Sunny Hills Library

24 Box Tops submissions due

26 Reflections submissions due

26 Directory sponsor deadline

October 2012

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 3

PTA membership climbs—now at 80% membership Sunny Hills PTA membership continues to grow with the support of our amazing school community. To date, 80% students are covered by a PTA member. With the help of approximately 55 more families, we'll be at 100% membership.

If you haven't already registered for a 2012-2013 PTA Family Membership, please take a few minutes to join (ideally, by our first WA state PTA membership deadline, which is October 20). There are two ways to join: (1) register and pay online, or (2) print a registration form and mail the completed form with a check. Forms are available in the office.

Sunny Hills PTA is grateful for the volunteers who deliver more than 50 programs and events to help grow the best school experience possible for our children. Will YOU help us support the programs our students and families love? Many of our volunteers find they receive something in return for their time and talents: new friendships and connections, opportunities to help each other grow, and the obvious satisfaction of supporting our school and community. The following programs need YOU:

After-School Movies volunteers

Banking Day Chair

Banking Day committee

Bingo Family Night committee

Dr. Seuss Read Across America committee

Emergency Preparedness Kits committee

Recognition Awards committee

Science Fair committee

“Dancing through the Decades” dance and carnival committee

Spring Ice Cream Social committee

Walk-a-Thon committees

Sign up to volunteer here. Your support makes all the difference!

[Questions? Contact Kym Clayton]

Families & Friends: Sunny Hills PTA Needs YOU!

Special shout out of thanks to:

the 400+ parents who have joined to date

every single full-time member of the Sunny Hills staff - WOW! Now, that's support!!

the Washington State PTA President, Novella Frasier, who has joined our PTA. Will you join her and the hundreds of others to have a voice for our kids?

Thank you for supporting the students, staff and community of Sunny Hills Elementary School!

[Questions? Contact Barb Howe] Washington State PTA President Novella Frasier, who is now a member of the Sunny Hills PTA!

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 4

What's been happening?

The Sunny Hills PTA would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Sunny Hills Girl Scout Troop 41138 for purchasing, preparing, and serving a hot, delicious meal to approximately 50 patrons of the Issaquah Community Center’s Meals Program on September 24.

Thank you to Girl Scouts Avery T, Abbey C, and Skye B for serving the meal with such big smiles on their faces! A big thank you also to Amy Coleman and Leigh Taylor for all of their help with serving and clean-up. Another big thanks to Girl Scout Vanessa T and Eloisa Tang, for a generous donation to buy the food!

Issaquah Community Meals Service

What a great time we had, once again, at the After-School Movie (ASM) fundraiser. We showed Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules, which generated lots of laughs from everyone. We were at maximum capacity for this event!

We would not have been able to run such a safe & successful fundraiser without the following AMAZING volunteers: Amy W, Eryn H, Gina P, Jaime M, Kari I, Jennifer M, Kym C, Lisa S, Martha G, Tracy D, Eloisa T, Erin E, Edel B, Jill B, Rob T, Matt A, Becky H, Amy G, Dana R, Sally P, Monica R, Heather H, and Jen O.

In addition, we had great help from Sunny Hills staff: music teacher Don Clausen helped us with AV, PE teacher Mrs. Duncan delivered the mats to the MPR, and Karin Danner and Karin Farrar helped with all the "behind the scenes" stuff in the office. Rich Adcox, our wonderful custodian, quickly helped clean up after the last lunch to allow us to set up for the movie. Thanks also to our awesome emcee, PTA president Danielle Miller, for helping get the kids organized to watch the show.

Please watch for info about our next movie, coming in February. Sign up quickly so you don’t miss out!

Many thanks from your ASM chairs, Shirley Murphy, Shelby Morton, and Jenell Tamaela

After-School Movie a huge success!

If you are part of a group that would like to serve a hot meal, we still need volunteers for November 26, March 25, and May 27. Three kids and three adults seem to be the perfect size group to help on-site, and the rest of your group can contribute to or help prepare the meal. If you are interested in signing up to take on a meals service date, please contact Sheila Barlow.

Sheila Barlow, Issaquah Meals Program Chair

↗ It was Standing Room Only for the September 26 showing of Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules.

→ Just a few of our enthusiastic parent volunteers!

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 5

What's been happening?

On September 27, we launched our new online Innisbrook store, in response to member feedback about our annual gift wrap fundraiser. With our new ongoing fundraiser, you can order online, anytime throughout the year, and have purchases shipped directly to you. There are no deadlines, no order pick-up, and no pressure to sell.

Many thanks to those of you who have already shopped! As of October 15, our new ongoing gift wrap fundraiser had already generated nearly $400 in profits for the Sunny Hills PTA.

Sop online: www.innisbrook.com [school code: 121191]

[Questions? Contact Maya Quinn]

Gift Wrap Fundraiser Popcorn Fridays started September 28 and has been going gangbusters! We’ve been the busiest ever—we sold more than 330 bags of popcorn in our first week! Thank you to volunteers Marsha McCabe, Colleen O'Keefe, Tandi Begin, Connie Fortier, and Faye Curnow .

Jennifer Frederick, Popcorn Chair

Popcorn Fridays

Enrichment Grants I would like to announce the decision of the PTA Board regarding the 2012 Enrichment Grants. I am pleased tosay that with our $6000 budget, we are able to fully fund five requests and partially fund two more. I would also like to point out that funding for BrainPop is no longer being handled through our Enrichment Grants program, as it is now its own line item in the PTA budget.

Thank you to all who submitted grant proposals - your commitment to developing, improving, and enriching the educational experience of Sunny Hills students is much appreciated. Also, many thanks to the awesome Enrich-ment Grant Committee: Kym Clayton, Kammy Lull, Ayana Meissner, Colleen O'Keefe, and Lisa Small.

Lori Riskin, VP Ways and Means

The Staff Appreciation Committee served snacks at the last Staff Development Meeting. We served a "No whine" and cheese spread including cheeses, crackers, salami, fruit, and truffles, and finished off with sparkling cider. Thanks to Lisa Small, Connie Fortier, Stacy Jarvis, Cheryl Furey, Kathy Dillon, Tandi Begin, and Sara Ceteznik for their donations.

Stephanie Shipley and Alison Tobey, Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs

Staff Appreciation

↑ PTA President Danielle Miller serving on the first Popcorn Friday, with hair dyed blue and yellow to honor a PTA membership challenge promise.

Sylvers / 1st grade team $550.00 Non-fiction science curriculum books

Johansen / 1st grade team $1,015.00 Magnetism and Energy workshop

Clark / 2nd grade team $1,049.00 Forces and Motion toy workshop

Kim / 3rd grade team $400.00 Bob Jackson geologist visit

Foryan / 4th grade team $2,092.31 Reading workshop kits

Dean / 5th grade team $512.89 Nonfiction books for class libraries

Burke / 5th grade team $380.80 Engage Your Body, Engage Your Mind

TOTAL FUNDING $6,000.00

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 6

What's been happening?

Art Walk: The World is Our Oyster - Renaissance Masters

A BIG thank you to Grounds Beautification Chair Amy Gibbons and her husband, Dan GIbbons. They spent many hours cleaning up the flower beds and planting. Because of your help, our school looks beautiful. The fall decorations are a nice touch for the season!

Grounds Beautification

↑ Art Walk Chair Heather Rogers teaches a class about Renaissance Masters as part of the first Art Walk program of the school year.

This year Sunny Hills students will be learning about fine art, thanks to the PTA sponsored Art Walk program. The theme of this year’s Art Walk program is "Strokes of Genius: Master Artists - Renaissance to Modern." During the school year, all teachers have the opportunity to sign their class up for a 20-minute session to learn about the most amazing artists of this time period, and to take a look at some of their masterpieces.

Last week Art Walk Chair Heather Rogers and Co-Chairs Lori Riskin and Monica Rockwell introduced hundreds of students to the artists of the Renaissance, highlighting two of the most important artists of all time: Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Students learned about the lives of these artists, heard about what made them so extraordinary, and examined their art: most notably the Mona Lisa,

the painting "School of Athens" (by Raphael), the Sistine Chapel, and the statue of David.

If you'd like to learn more about this Art Walk - well, ask your kid! The next Art Walk will be in November and is titled "Fleeting Moments - Impressionist Masters."

Heather Rogers, Monica Rockwell, & Lori Riskin, Art Walk Co-Chairs

PTA Bulletin Board

Next time you’re in the office, be sure to check out the PTA Bulletin Board. Thank you to Margaret Freese for keeping this information center updated with details about upcoming events and programs at Sunny Hills!

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 7

What's been happening?

We had a great turnout for our meeting General Membership Meeting on October 11th with over 50 parents in attendance for both our meeting and a Parent Ed talk! We provided babysitting for over 30 kids whose parents enjoyed both our meeting, and Parent Ed seminar, in the Sunny Hills library. If you were there, you know that we covered a lot of important information and business. If you were unable to attend, here’s a quick recap of what you missed:

We reviewed our PTA Mission Statement, Standing Rules, and Goals and Objectives and voted to approve them for 2012-13.

We discussed current year plans with recent financial updates and voted to approve the 2012-13 budget.

Our principal, Sarah White, gave a principal’s report in which she shared books from the new Book Room donated by ISF, and

General Membership Meeting explained the difference between these books vs a Just Right Books. She also shared her appreciation for our PTA sponsored After School Movie in September and how well the volunteers ran the program.

We announced our enrichment grant recipients in which we donated $6,000 for academic and achievement programs, books and workshops across all grade levels.

We showcased multiple upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Our Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF) representative, Dana Rundle, described the importance of the foundation. She explained the many key programs have been implemented in the district, including the 3,000 new books each elementary school received this year, through funding from ISF. She shared that there is a two-pronged function between PTA and ISF that is key to providing our kids with important educational opportunities. The “All in for Kids Campaign” runs now through

November 15 and everyone is encouraged to participate. If you donate before October 29, they’ll remove your name from their call list, and add it to their All in for Kids appreciation ad in the Issaquah Press. Donations can be made at www.isfdn.org

After we adjourned our meeting we had special guest, Mia Beck, a Love and Family Life Coach and Sunny Hills Elementary School Parent, gave her exclusive presentation called, “What Children Wish Their Parents Knew.”

It was a busy, productive, and informative meeting and we had an interested and engaged group. Many thanks to everyone who spent the time with us to better understand our plans for the year! If you’d like to join in the fun next time, mark your calendar now for the next general membership meeting: Thursday, January 25, 9:30 am, in the Mustang Club portable.

Special Guest Mia Beck, a Love and Family Life Coach (and a Sunny Hills Elementary School parent), led a fabulous Parent Ed discussion after our October 11 General Membership Meeting. Her talk was called “What children wish their parents knew.” She discussed the difference between promoting self esteem and self confidence in our children by giving us tools to appropriately praise our children. She also shared how we can break patterns of arguing in our families.

Parent Education: Mia Beck Picture Day Thanks so much to Jaime Menold, Amy Linzbach, and Kristin Marcy for taming flyaway hair, straightening collars, holding jackets and doing everything in between to make Picture Day run smoothly this year! Thanks also to Picture Day Chair Heather Duenaz.

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 8

10/22—10/26: All-Star Book Fair—Every Reader is a Star!

What's coming up?

Book Fair Wish Lists

Please join us as we celebrate a love of reading at our annual Scholastic Book Fair! The Book Fair will be held this Monday 10/22 through Friday 10/26 in the Sunny Hills Library. We will be open for business as follows:

Mon 10/22 2:55-4:15 pm

Tues 10/23 8-8:30 am 2:55-3:30 pm

Family Night 6-8 pm

Wed 10/24 8-8:30 am 12:45-1:15 pm

Thurs 10/25 8-8:30 am 2:55-3:30 pm

Fri 10/26 8-8:30 am

Don't forget to bring your family and friends to our Tuesday Family Night event! In keeping with our All-Star theme, wear your favorite sports apparel or team jersey. We will have some “stars” from the community as guest readers, 6:30-7:30. Don’t miss the fun!

All proceeds from the Book Fair support the Eager Reader Program and our school library.

[Questions? Contact Jennifer Olsen or Megan Haas]

Next week is our annual Scholastic Book Fair. We are so excited for another fun and successful PTA event!

In addition to providing an opportunity for us to shop for our own children and families, the Book Fair gives us an opportunity to fulfill teacher and staff requests for books.

The PTA has asked teachers and staff to make up "wish lists" of books they need for their classroom

libraries. Parents have continually said they love the idea that they can purchase a book or two for their teacher or another staff member (resource, librarian, etc).

To make giving books even more fun for the kids, there are book labels the kids can fill out and put inside their gift purchase, so the book will forever have their name and their teacher’s name, showing they gave the book as a gift.

These wish lists are available at the book fair all week. Many times parents

10/24: Fall Box Tops drive deadline Hurry and get your Box Tops in - there are only a few more days left before the fall Box Tops collection drive ends! Each student who submits ten or more Box Tops on a Box Tops collection sheet by the October 24 deadline will receive one free popcorn certificate, and his or her name will be entered in a drawing for great prizes!

Drop off completed forms in the Box Tops collection box in the office. ThePTA redeems Box Tops for cash, which we then use for educational items and PTA-supported programs and events. For a list of participating products and valuable store coupons, please visit the Box Tops website.

Deadline: Wednesday, October 24 [More info about Box Tops] [Questions? Contact Karen Goo]

choose to have their child give a book as a gift for the upcoming holiday season, a birthday, or sometimes “just because.”

Please look for the big Teacher Wish List display when you come to the Book Fair. And thank you in advance for supporting the PTA Book Fair and our amazing staff!

Jenell Tmaela, Curriculum Support Director

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 9

What's coming up?

10/25: Food Allergy Support Group I am excited to announce our first Food Allergy Support Group meeting of the school year:

Thursday, October 25, 10 am Sunny Hills Conference Room (in front office)

If you have a child who has food allergies, or if you have a question about food allergies, please come! I will be covering two topics: “Putting Rumors to Rest” and “Getting the Right Facts about Food Allergies.” I will also

let you know about current research, legislative issues, and new information regarding allergies. I am here to educate our school, family, and friends of all that is available in our world of allergies.

Come and find out what we have to offer, and spread the word to those you know who may need support or information.

[Questions? Contact Sally Porter]

10/26: Reflections submissions due Calling all students! Here is a chance to let your creativity shine. Each year, the Reflections Program challenges students to create art that supports a specific theme. The theme for the 2012-2013 school year

is "The Magic of a Moment." Entries are due in the office before 3:30 pm on Friday, October 26.

Students may enter up to three submissions for consideration, in any combination of the six art categories: dance/choreography, film/video, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts (art forms such as drawing, painting, print making, and collage). Original works of art are considered for moving on to the Council/State/National levels.

Students at Sunny Hills are entered in one of the following categories: Primary (preschool to 2nd grade), Intermediate (3rd to 5th grade), or Special Artist (students who submit under and meet ADA guidelines).

All Reflections submissions will be displayed during the spring Art Fair and will be featured in the yearbook.

Complete rules & guidelines for each category, along with entry forms can be found on the Sunny Hills Reflections page and the Washington State PTA website. Paper copies are available in the Sunny Hills office.

Deadline: Friday, October 26, 3 pm [more info] [Questions? Contact Alicia Veevaert]

10/26: Directory Sponsorship registration deadline Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity! There are only a few more days left to advertise your business or a business you patronize in our community, to more than 420 families, teachers, and staff, in our Sunny Hills Directory! This is a GREAT way to highlight your business, drive foot/phone/web traffic and promote coupons to our Sunny Hills community.

When you work with PTA, your business demonstrates its commitment to improving the lives and education of every child. Your business aligns itself with a trusted organization that has more than 100 years of proven advocacy on behalf of children.

In order to participate as a business sponsor, PTA rules require that your business (or a representative) join the Sunny Hills PTA. Join and register online, OR print a

sponsorship form and submit the completed form, along with your check made payable to Sunny Hills PTA, to the Sunny Hills office. Registration is due on or before Friday, October 26.

Deadline: Friday, October 26, 3 pm [more info] [Questions? Contact Danielle Miller]

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 10

Highlights of upcoming programs sponsored by PTA organizations within the Issaquah School District. [Complete list of programs] [Questions? Contact Cheryl Furey]

Psychological Testing: Nuts and Bolts for Parents Presented by Dr. Amy Ford Tuesday, November 13, 7-8:30 pm Clark Elementary Library Sponsored by Issaquah Special Needs Group [more info or email Becky Gordon] Please join us as we discuss psychological evaluations. Learn what tests are used and what they tell us about the child. Learn the differences between an evaluation conducted through the public school system and a private evaluator. Most important, learn how results are used to make a diagnosis, and how that relates to accommodations received through a 504 plan or an IEP.

Upcoming Parent Ed Programs

What's coming up?

11/5—11/16: Thanksgiving Food Drive Sunny Hills has long tradition of supporting our community through donations to the Issaquah Food Bank at Thanksgiving. This year we will be collecting donations in the classroom, Monday, November 5 through Friday, November 16.

Children are invited to bring their donations to school and place them in the baskets in their classrooms. We will make an additional collection at Dancing through the Decades (Friday, November 16, 7-8:30 pm, Pine Lake Middle School). Please join us in making this Thanksgiving a full one for those in need in our community!!

Non-perishable meal items to donate: Baby formula, pasta, cereal, evaporated milk, cooking oil, sugar, flour, snacks for kids lunches, juice, dried fruit, canned peaches, dried pinto beans, pet food, and diapers (size 4-6).

11/16: Dancing through the Decades

Monetary donations: Money can be donated to go towards the purchase of turkeys and other perishable items. Please make checks payable to Issaquah Food Bank. Place your check in an envelope and put it in the collection basket in the classroom, or contact Stacy Jarvis to make other arrangements.

Volunteers needed! Our committee is looking for a few more volunteers:

Collect donation items from classrooms

Collect donations at Dancing through the Decades (Friday, November 16, 7-8:30 pm)

[Questions? Or able to help? Contact Stacy Jarvis]

11/3: Benefit day at Yo Plateau

On the first Saturday of each month, Yo Plateau is sponsoring a Sunny Hills benefit day! Just mention “Sunny Hills” and 20% of your purchase will go right back to Sunny Hills. Take the family for a Saturday treat each month and help out the school at the same time!

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 11

What else is going on?

We are fortunate to have so many incredible volunteers at Sunny Hills who make such a difference to the school and our children. A new program has been created, called “Bloomer of the Month”, that recognizes these awesome volunteers who truly help our children bloom.

Nomination Process

Submission forms (in the shape of flowers) and a Bloomer of the Month box are located next to the volunteer sign-in sheet in the office. If you’d like to recognize someone, please complete the form by listing the name of the

New: “Bloomer of the Month” volunteer recognition program

Ongoing fundraising: Easy ways to support Sunny Hills

volunteer and what activity they assisted with. Then place the form in the Bloomer of the Month box. Forms need to be submitted by the last day of the month.

Recognition Process

No later than the first Friday following the first of the month, a name will be randomly drawn from the

box. That person will be named the Bloomer of the Month and will receive a $5 Starbucks gift card.

[Questions? Contact Cami Blumenthal]]

My Coke Rewards is a fun way to support Sunny Hills PTA every time you purchase a participating product. The PTA will use My Coke Rewards points to purchase items for use with PTA-supported programs and events.

Here’s what to do:

Register at www.mycokerewards.com (more information about the registration process)

Enter the cords from Coca-Cola beverages and other eligible products

Choose the option to donate the points to Sunny Hills Elementary (found by entering the school zip code, 98075)

[Questions? Contact Ayana Meissner]

If you shop at Safeway, take a few minutes to enroll in eScrip to earn money for Sunny Hills. It's free and easy! Every time you shop at Safeway, a percentage of what you spend is then given back to Sunny Hills. This could mean hundreds of additional dollars for our PTA to

put right back into great Sunny Hills programs! To sign up go to www.escrip.com, click on "1-Sign Up," and enter your Safeway club card number.

If you participated in the past, you must renew by November 1 so that our group continues to earn contributions. To renew , go to www.escrip.com, click on "Yes, Renew!" and enter your phone number, email address, or Safeway club card number.

[Questions? Contact Kavitha Vedha-Peters]

Ink and toner cartridge recycling

Encourage the importance of recycling and help keep Washington green by bringing in your used ink and toner cartridges to our recycle bin located in the Sunny Hills office. The Sunny Hills PTA earns money for all ink jet and toner cartridges that we turn in to be recycled, so ask your co-workers, friends, and relatives for their empties as well! The more you and your kids turn in, the more we earn to help our school! We recycle through Cartridge World in Issaquah. Purchase your ink and toner there, and receive $2 off your purchase if you mention Sunny Hills.

[Questions? Contact Sheila Barlow]

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 12

What else is going on?

Psssssttt … Here's a little-known secret: if you are looking for a fun way to contribute to your student's classroom, being an Art Docent is one of the best opportunities around! You get to teach fun and exciting art lessons and engage students in a new way each time. Have little or no experience with art? Not to worry, we have many lessons and supplies. All you need is an enthusiasm to teach and a willingness to sometimes get a little messy with your students.

[Questions? Contact Katelyn Shriber]

Become an Art Docent

Has your child lost a coat or sweater? Please be sure to check the Lost and Found rack located at the back right of the stage of the Multipurpose Room. Also, you can help by putting a name tag inside your child’s coat, sweater, and lunch box.

[Questions? Contact France Perron]

Check the Lost & Found

Now taking orders for the 2012-2013 yearbook! The cost is $16 per yearbook. Order anytime until March 22, 2013 – but we encourage you to order now and avoid last-minute panic in March.

Also— When you take pictures at a school or PTA sponsored event, PLEASE consider submitting your photos for possible inclusion in the yearbook! Contact Yearbook Chair Milla Ciobanu for details about submitting photos.

[Order online]

[Questions? Contact Milla Ciobanu]

Order your yearbook

New community outreach programs

The Sunny Hills Gift-a-Book program helps to update the library's book collection. It is an excellent way to honor your child for a special occasion or remember a special person or teacher. The book you gift will be presented to your child during his/her library time and a book plate will be placed inside the book honoring the student and the occasion. If you choose to participate in the Gift-A-Book program, please pay online here OR fill out the form and return it with a check for $16 per student.

[2012 Gift-a-Book Wish List]

Did you know that the Tiger Mountain Alternative School has students who do not have regular access to food on weekends and evenings, basic toiletry items, or gas to get to school? Since there is no PTA to help the school raise money for these basic needs, the Principal at Tiger Mountain has asked Sunny Hills, and other Issaquah Schools, to help with donations in the form of food, gas cards, toothbrushes, and other basic items to help these students out. The Sunny Hills PTA will be setting up a donation bin in the office and the next time you are at the gift card stand at Fred Meyer, or picking up shampoo or a toothbrush at Walgreen’s, if you could pick up and extra one and drop it in the donation box at school, your generosity would be greatly appreciated by a student in need that is working hard to finish school and succeed!

Additionally, our PTA recently was asked by the Issaquah Food Bank for help in collecting food during their leanest months, September and October, but they need help year round! In response to this need, we are also setting up a collection bin in the office for year-round donations for the Issaquah Food Bank. Currently they are in desperate need of the following: canned tuna and salmon, peanut butter, healthy cereal, healthy snacks, pasta and sauce, nuts and dried fruit, juice and healthy drinks, flour, sugar, chunky soups, toiletries, laundry supplies, formula and baby food, diapers sized 4-6 and wipes. Once again, if you are at the store, if you can pick up an extra one or two of these items, or let your child decide on what items to pick out and donate, your generosity would be greatly appreciated by those in need!

[Questions? Contact Sheila Barlow]

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 13

Did you know that the Issaquah School District’s per student funding ranks 277th out of 295 districts in the state of Washington? Did you know Washington state ranks 44th in per pupil funding in the nation? That means that, as a district, we have to educate our students with one of the smallest budgets around.

The formula that is used to allocate state funds to schools was developed in 1977, when Issaquah was a really small farming community. Unfortunately, there is very little we can do to change state funding.

As a result, Issaquah, like many surrounding districts, has been forced to turn to parents to fill the gap between what we expect for our kids and the funding provided by Washington State and the local levies. Our individual school PTA is one way to support our kids, and the Issaquah Schools Foundation is another.

You may wonder where your money goes, how the district uses this money, or how it benefits your children directly. You should have those questions. The foundation started 26 years ago when a couple of parents wanted to donate a rug to their child’s classroom. Due to the limitations on public schools being able to hold fundraisers and accept donations, the foundation was formed.

So—how does this benefit your child/ren? Most recently, ISF donated $375,000 to create leveled book rooms at every elementary school. We received more than 3,000 new books at Sunny Hills last year. The year before, ISF contributed more than $425,000 to help the district adopt the new science curriculum. Every new teacher at Sunny Hills received a gift certificate to help set up his or her classroom. Every incoming kindergartner was assessed prior to starting school, thanks to a grant provided by ISF. The list goes on and on, but I assure you that every one of your children has been touched by contributions made to the district by the schools foundation.

The foundation has two big campaigns (fundraisers) each year: one is going on now, called “All In For Kids;” the other is held in the spring, “Nourish Every Mind.” I ask you to donate to both, if you can.

The “All In For Kids” campaign ensures that current programs continue to be funded. The “Nourish Every Mind Luncheon” fills in any gaps the earlier campaign

Issaquah Schools Foundation: Are you “All In?” failed to reach, and also allows the foundation to create more opportunities and dream big.

I am often asked how much is appropriate to donate. Only you can answer that question. I tell parents to think of it as another activity or sport their child is enrolled in. This one exercises their brains and will most likely carry them further than the sport they just finished.

Last year the average family donation was $283 - however, $5 makes a difference, $500 makes an impact, and $5,000 changes lives. Do what you can. Please don’t wait to donate - you will forget. Do it now, make a difference, and don’t wait for me to call and ask!

If you have any questions or would like more information on the foundation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Dana Rundle, Sunny Hills PTA Representative to ISF

[donate to All in for Kids] [more info about ISF] [Questions? Contact Dana Rundle]

What’s happening around the district and the state?

↑ Sunny Hills PTA President Danielle Miller and Curriculum Support Director Jenell Tamaela showed their support for Issaquah schools by helping out in the Issaquah Schools Foundation booth at Issaquah Salmon Days.

October 2012 Sunny Hills PTA Pony Express Page 14

What's happening around the district and the state?

The Issaquah School District is revisiting its homework policy and wants to hear your opinion on your child's (or children’s) homework. Currently, homework may be assigned for one of the following purposes:

Practice: To help students to master specific skills which have been presented in class

Preparation: To help students gain the maximum benefits from future lessons

Extension: To provide students with opportunities to transfer specific skills or concepts to new situations

Creativity: To require students to integrate many skills and concepts in order to produce original responses

Issaquah School District: Homework policy under review Under the current homework policy, the purpose of homework assignments, the basis for evaluating the work performed, and the guidelines and/or rules should be made clear to the student at the time of the assignment.

With that foundation:

Do you believe this policy is in practice in the classroom?

When is homework a valuable learning tool? When is it not?

Do you believe that currently the amount of homework your child receives is appropriate?

What weight should homework be given in a student’s overall grade?

Please share your feedback on these questions with Dana Rundle, Sunny Hills PTA Advocacy Representative.

Issaquah PTSA Council held its monthly general meeting on Thursday, October 11.

Major topics addressed at this meeting were ISF’s “All in For Kids” campaign and ISD’s upcoming review of the homework policy.

The principal of Tiger Mountain High School spoke about the school’s desire to help meet student needs, including breakfast food and money for gas to get to school. The Issaquah Food Bank also put out a request for support, as their cupboards are looking bare from their fall rush. Sunny Hills PTA will participate with a food drive—see article on page 12.

[Questions? Contact Danielle Miller]

Issaquah PTSA Council

We will share updates through the PTA website and eNews as we hear more. You may also follow this hot topic at the Issaquah School District website. Thanks so much for your feedback.

We plan to discuss homework at our next general membership meeting on January 25, so please mark your calendar and plan to attend!

Additional information:

ISD’s timetable for reviewing the policy

ISD’s current policy regarding homework

Respective responsibilities of parents, teachers, and students

[Questions? Contact Dana Rundle]

ISF: First “Click for Kids” day successful! Sunny Hills went all in to support ISF’s “Click for Kids” day with Honk & Wave events before and after school on Friday, October 12. On Friday alone, ISF received $10,806 through online donations! Great response for a single day! An additional $3,670 came in over the next two days, making the three-day total $14,476.

Thanks to Dana Rundle, Danielle Miller, and Jenell Tamaela for their help with the Honk & Wave, and thanks to our Sunny Hills families who have donated to ISF. If you haven’t donated already, be sure to do so soon to avoid getting a phone call in mid-November …

[Click for Kids]