Maplewood Parents and PTA

This list below, provided by outgoing PTA President Lisa Sloan, gives a glimpse of the incredible power of such a caring community, who donate time, money, energy, and creativity. I was absolutely open-mouthed as I reviewed this list! I'm guessing there are even activities left out!

We have accomplished so much as a school community over this past year. (Not to mention what our children have done!) As our year draws to a close, it is a chance for us to reflect on some highlights of what our wonderful parents have made possible for Maplewood through their time, talents and resources.

• A new Playground! This involved two years of parent planning, $55,000 in fundraising (including more than $15,000 from Run for the Playground), countless volunteer hours and true unity of our community. Congratulations to all for an amazing effort and success!!!

• Through 170 donor contributions, the Maplewood Campaign raised more than $30,000, enough money to retain one of our specialists for the 4^th year in a row.
• PTA provided $300 directtly to each classroom for Pupil Enrichment, including K-5, ESL, ERC, Computer, General PE, and Music.
• Author Roland Smith's visit was funded through PTA and the students thoroughly enjoyed it.
  

• The PTA Parent Resource Committee sponsored the first-ever Family Art Night, with more than 100 families joining in the fun.

• Parent Volunteers sold SCRIP live twice a week and increased weekly preorders to yield a record $4,000 in revenue to support staffing at Maplewood.

• 15 parents became Reading Friends to 30 students this year, helping them get the extra boost they needed to be successful.

• Parents helped with School Photos, Vision Screening and Hearing Tests.

• PTA funds provided a much-needed and deeply appreciated Air Conditioner for the front office.

• The Book Fair allowed students a chance to select and purchase literature, thanks to parents who organized the event, parents who volunteered during the event and parents who brought their children in to buy books (and paid for them!)

• Our Back to School Picnic & Open House celebration was enhanced by the Blue Grass Band, paid for through PTA.

• The annual PTA Carnival welcomed hundreds of children and families and served as a wonderful community-building activity for the entire school as well as raising more than $3,000 to support PTA programs – made possible through a well-organized and committed group of parents who planned the bash. Special thanks to our teachers for staffing the booths!

• Parents purchased and sold Sally Foster, Cookie Dough and Coffee to raise more than $8,000 to support PTA programs, and parent volunteers headed the sales.
• The PTA budget provided Field Trip Buses for K-3. Kindergarten used theirs for their trip to see The Boxfcar Children; 1st Grade went to the Rock Museum; 2nd Grade took their tirp to Franz Bakery; and 3rd Grade has taken TriMet so far this year, so their allocation is still unclaimed.
  

• PTA’s Garden Committee maintained the classroom beds, mobilized a crew to lay bark chips along the Wild Wood Trail and began initial planting for a school-wide garden literacy program. They also raised more than $1,000 through their Native Plant Sale to support the Playground.

• PTA parents, past and present, joined together to make this year’s School T-shirts.

• Parents organized, donated to and worked at our annual Used Book Sale, raising a record $800 for PTA programs, while simultaneously supporting our values of sharing, recycling and reusing.

• PTA hosted a New Parent Orientation to shed some light on the upcoming year.

• Collaboration, compromise and creativity among school administration, teachers, Site Council, PTA, Campaign and Playground Committee resulted in a school-wide plan to offset an additional .39 reduction in staff (which was eventually funded by PPS – Yahoo!)

• Class Parents helped the teachers organize volunteers, parties, field trips and numerous other projects.

• The Yearbook Committee produced our first ever full-color yearbook.

• Bookbaggers made memories for 80 students during this literacy-based overnight event, through the support of parent volunteers who planned, organized and helped on the night of the event.

• The PTA Clothing Center in NE Portland was again the recipient of Maplewood funds and volunteers, providing clean, new clothes to PPS students in need.

• Parents are working with the city, the Neighborhood Association and the school to further the Safe Routes to School program.

• Maplewood’s 5^th grade Conflict Managers enjoyed team-building, training and a final celebration thanks to PTA funds and parent support.

• Hundreds of Maple Leaves now decorate the fence around our school year, thanks to one parent’s vision and several helping hands. What a Legacy!

• This year’s Read-aloud-athon raised more than $5,000 to support PTA programs, with all the children participating, whether they raised funds or not.

• PTA monies and parent volunteers helped establish a 5^th grade Boys Empowerment Group, a weekly meeting to cultivate emotional intelligence and healthy friendships.

• Parents saved Thriftway receipts and Box Tops, used their WaMu debit cards and Target credit cards – all to earn Cash Back for Maplewood.

• Our annual School Directory was a labor of love and parent volunteer hours and very helpful to us all.

• Field Day volunteers are lined up to help with this fun-filled, year-end event for our students.
• PTA funded Overnight Field Trips for the 4th and 5th grades and provided busses for the 1st and Chorus to sing at Washington Square Mall.
  

• So many parents gave hours and hours of help in the classrooms and with take-home projects for the teachers. This support is invaluable to our teachers, and our children, and it is endlessly rewarding to the parents.

• Maplewood’s very own Laminating Fairy provided service that will stick with our kids for years!

• Parents have diligently tracked and reported on Legislative and Funding issues that effect PPS and Maplewood, and PTA funds from throughout the Portland metro area were used to help pass the most recent school funding measure.

• PTA has formed Liaisons with the Maplewood and Multnomah Neighborhood Associations and will be part of the Maplewood Neighborhood Association’s Annual Summer Picnic.

• The Spring Celebration was another chance for our school community to join together for some fun. Thank you PTA’s Parent Resource Committee for organizing this!
• The Maplewood Library was able to purchase 200 needed books including award winners, classics, ECB/ER books and additional copies of the most popular titles with PTA funds. About 600 books are checked out of our school library at any given time.
  

• PTA funds remained available as needed for Student Aid and Music Scholarships.

• Spirit Week was lots of fun for the students, and it happened thanks to parents helping behind the scenes. It was especially fun to see all of the parents in pajamas!

• Parents organized the teacher workroom and came in daily to do whatever work needed to be done.

• Multiple parents played a role in the success of Teacher Appreciation Week, from coordinating flowers to setting up a breakfast and providing a wonderful luncheon celebration.

• Parents got up to speed on today’s numbers at Family Math Night, with many supporting the event by running stations of math games and activities.

• Parent Coffees, an informal opportunity for parents to get together and chat, were held on Tuesday mornings, thanks to parent volunteers coordinated through the PTA Parent Resource Committee.

• Our School Pianos enjoyed their annual tune up through PTA funds.

• Parents provided meals at each monthly PTA meeting, and PTA funds enabled childcare.

• The 2^nd Annual Maplewood Camping Trip is coming up in August, courtesy of efforts of the PTA Parent Resource Committee.

• Parents published and distributed a monthly PTA Newsletter to keep all parents informed of school activities.

• PTA supported Safety Patrol again this year by providing their insurance and funding their end-of-year celebration, and our staff provided daily support and coaching.

• For the fourth year in a row, a parent volunteer worked with an entire grade, 3^rd this year, to write, produce and perform their own play.
• Our children are so fortunate to participate in a parent-run Art Literacy program, with this year's artists including Vincent Van Gogh, Keith Haring, Henri Matisse, and Edgar Degas.
  

• 60 children learned and played at Chess Club each Friday through the support of parent leaders and weekly parent volunteers.

• Parents spent countless hours helping with homework, driving kids to and from school, packing lunches and snacks, getting kids to sleep at night and up in the morning, keeping track of library books and PE days, reading to them, feeding them, clothing them, loving them – The Greatest Support of All.

Wow! What a list!! And there were certainly more activities than are listed here. Thank you, all of you, for your bountiful generosity! Maplewood parents are renowned for supporting our wonderful school, and these pages make it clear - we have a lot to celebrate and each of you should feel very proud of your contribution. Congratulation to all!!! Lisa Sloan, PTA President