Dear SMASHing parents!
Did you ever want to attend a PTSA meeting, but the evenings are just terrible for you? Well, have we got good news for you: Our next meeting will be Friday November 7th at 8:15AM in the Computer Lab. Bring your kid(s) to school and then join us for the meeting. It’s a great way to hear about what’s happening at SMASH.
We are happy to report that PTSA has a new board member. Big thanks to April Motola (Audrey’s mom in Core 1) for volunteering to be Fundraising VP this year. Now that we have a fundraising committee, we’d love for you to join us. It’s a great way to contribute to your child’s school at a time when, due to the dismal outlook of our economy, fundraising will be of utmost importance throughout the year. On that note, please also check out this week’s plea for Family Donations. Thanks!
Best, David Saltzman and Helga Schier
SMASHing Fundraisers
· The Rummage Sale/Car Wash is tomorrow, Saturday, October 11. Be there to shop!!!
· Spooky season is about to start, but hold off on buying those pumpkins until our 4th annual Pumpkin (and Bake) Sale next week on Friday, October 17. Contact Lori Nafshun at 310-452-5700 or gettalife@earthlink.net
· Greenraising is recycled wrapping paper, and so much more… choose from a catalogue full of environmentally friendly goods such as bottles or lunch boxes. Order online during our drive from October 8 through October 27, and SMASH will receive 40%. Go to www.greenraising.com and choose ‘Santa Monica Alternative Schoolhouse’ as the affiliate for your order. Encourage family and friends to do the same! If you’d like to do it the old-fashioned way, order forms are available in the office. Check out the flyer in this Friday Letter.
· Ever had cereal for breakfast? Of course you have... Which means you most likely have a few BOX TOPS at home. Bring them in by October 27! Collection cans are in the office. Thanks!
· Ever go shopping? Of course you do. Please check out escrip and the many community partners programs from Target, Ralphs, Albertsons and other stores. Don’t miss these easy opportunities to support SMASH while you shop what you’d shop anyway! Just check out the SMASH website at www.smash.smmusd.org and click on “Support SMASH” for more information.
SMASHing Festivities
· The annual SMASH/Muir Halloween Carnival is on Wednesday, October 29, from 3PM to 5PM. As always, it’s spooky, it’s fun and it’s free. If you’d like to volunteer, contact Helga at 310-828-8421 or helgaschier@verizon.net. As always, we’ll collect donations so we can feed the entire Muir SMASH community. Look for envelopes in your child’s classroom after the Pumpkin Sale.
SMASHing Meetings
· Our next PTSA meeting is on Friday, November 7 at 8:15AM. Let us know if you have issues, questions, concerns, ideas... we’ll put them on the agenda. Come check it out!
JOIN THE SMASH PTSA
Parent Teacher Student Association
If you’ve already signed up for your PTSA membership you’re off the hook. If you haven’t, read on, here’s an eloquent plea directly from PTSA:
State's Top Education Leaders Urge Everyone to Join the PTA
SACRAMENTO, CA- California's top education leaders, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and Secretary of Education David Long, today called on parents, teachers, and administrators to join the PTA.
Proclaiming September and October "PTA Membership Months," Secretary Long said, "PTA support for children is critical for the future of California. I urge anyone in California who cares about children and our public schools to join the PTA. Superintendent O'Connell and I are both proud PTA members. Students truly benefit from the active involvement of caring adults and we want every school in California to have a strong PTA. Join us-join PTA!"
"Parent involvement through the PTA is critical for the success of our children," Superintendent O'Connell said. "PTA volunteers work in schools and communities to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth."
The California State PTA, with nearly one million volunteer members, has been instrumental in efforts to support small class size, bring arts and physical education back into our schools, and ban junk food at school.
PTA provides members with free resources and training to build leadership and parenting skills. It also provides programs on a wide range of topics, including student achievement, childhood nutrition, and prevention of violence and bullying, to increase parent awareness of issues affecting their children.
For more than a century, the PTA has been supporting and advocating for public schools, children and families under the motto "Every child, one voice." The PTA is non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian and non-commercial.
The mission of the California State PTA is to positively impact the lives of all children and families by representing our members and empowering and supporting them with skills in advocacy, leadership and communications.
This is THE easiest way you can help out, no schlepping, no baking, no setting up, no cleaning up, no stringing beads on yarn. Just writing a check for $8 per member is all we ask. (Payable to SMASH PTSA.) And in return, you get a copy of the all-important all-school SMASH Directory. Please join by filling out the PTSA envelope then return it to the office today (well, Monday). Envelopes will also be in the office if you need them, just inside the door at the very bottom of the document stand. Questions? Email Susan Alinsangan (Core2, Owen Doyle’s Mom) at hellosusan@mac.com.
Sincerely,
Susan Alinsangan Helga Schier & David Saltzman Jessica Rishe
PTSA Membership PTSA Co-Presidents Principal
