Papa Murphy's Fundraiser Slated for Wednesday

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I'm relieved that I can grab a take-and-bake pizza at Papa Murphy's during Discovery's Pizza Night fundraiser Wednesday instead of cooking.

Please show your support of Discovery (and take a night off from cooking) by going to one of five different Papa Murphy's in the area from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Just tell them you are from Discovery, and Papa Murphy's will donate 15% of Discovery pizza purchases to the PTA. The donation will aid Discovery's technology needs, including a projector for the gym. Be sure to invite all of your friends and families to pick up a pizza and support our school!

The participating locations are:

FAIRVIEW AVENUE

1330 E. Fairview Ave.

Meridian

CHERRY LANE

3317 W. Cherry Lane
Meridian

MERIDIAN ROAD

2723 S. Bartlett Ave.
Meridian

EAGLE ROAD

4626 N. Eagle Road
Boise

McMILLAN ROAD

3015 W. McMillan Road
Meridian

Items Still Needed for Discovery Staff Holiday Luncheon

Discovery PTA is helping to provide side dishes and desserts for the holiday staff luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 15. If you would like to make or purchase something for this event, please sign up on the link below and deliver to the school by 11 a.m. on Tuesday. This is a great way to show our staff how much we appreciate them. And the PTA appreciates all of the extra work our members and volunteers do to make Discovery such a great place!

Sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49aaa72da6f58-dec15.

Holiday Wishes: Here Are a Few of Our Teachers' Favorite Things

Looking for a gift idea for child's teacher this holiday season? Check out some of our teachers' favorite things!

Discovery PTA's Holiday Happenings

It's hard to believe the holidays are already upon us. To help parents out during this busy month, the PTA has planned a few special things to make it a little easier on you!

• Teacher Holiday Wishes: We have asked teachers what some of their favorite things are to help give parents some great ideas for a holiday gift, if you are looking for one. We will be compiling their favorite things and displaying them on the bulletin board outside the library and on this blog in early December. Check back for more details!
• PTA Meeting: The December PTA meeting at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, has been canceled. The next one will be at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5. We hope to see you in the new year!
• Popcorn Friday: If you did not pre-pay for Popcorn Fridays, please send in 50 cents with your child on Friday, Dec. 4, to enjoy a popcorn snack during the day!
• Papa Murphy's Fundraiser: We're giving you the opportunity to have a night off from cooking in December and help raise funds for Discovery's technology needs. Support Discovery by picking up take-and-bake pizzas at several Papa Murphy's locations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16. Just say you're with Discovery, and Papa Murphy's will donate 15% of those sales back to the school. Flyers will be coming home in the next two weeks with more details. It's a win-win for all!

Share a Donut and Some Art with Your Student

The PTA will host its second Discovery Donuts from 8 to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the cafeteria. This is a great opportunity for students to bring the special adult in their life to share a donut and socialize with other Discovery families.

At the same time, everyone can visit the PTA's Reflections Gallery that will be set up in the gym. This year, we received more than 50 fabulous arts entries from our students that will be on display. Students also can participate in the art, dance, and literature stations that will be set up in the gym.

We hope to see you Friday morning for this fun Discovery event!

Will Mrs. Kalinski's Class Keep the Box Tops Trophy?

Photo by Jamie Muzzana

Photo Along with a smoothie party last week, Mrs. Kalinski and her fifth-grade class were awarded Discovery's brand-new Box Tops for Education trophy (for now)!

Although the next contest is an individual one, with the four students bringing in the most Box Tops by Dec. 4 receiving free passes to JumpTime, our Box Tops coordinators will be tracking by classroom as well. We'll see if Mrs. Kalinski's class can keep the trophy through the end of 2015! You can see how the classrooms are tracking on the bulletin board outside the cafeteria.

Also, parents can enter Discovery for a chance to win 5,000 bonus Box Tops from Scott toilet paper  at https://www.boxtops4education.com/bonus-box-tops/sweepstakes/2015/scott-tube-free.

Thanks again parents for clipping and sending in those Box Tops!

Mark Your Calendars for November

As October comes to an end, we wanted to highlight a few key dates for the month of November.

Tuesday, Nov. 3: 
There will be a PTA meeting at 4:10 p.m. in the Health Room. And don't forget to vote!

Friday, Nov. 6: 
Reflections entries are due to your student's teacher or the front office.
It's also Popcorn Friday. If you haven't pre-paid for the year, send your student in with 50 cents for a popcorn snack during the day.

Friday, Nov. 13:
Discovery Donuts and Reflections Gallery. Students can bring the special adult in their lives to start the day with a delicious donut between 8 and 9 a.m. in the cafeteria. The Reflections Gallery and other arts activities will be taking place in the gym at the same time.

Thursday, Nov. 26: 
Happy Thanksgiving! The PTA is thankful for all of our members, volunteers, teachers, staff, and especially our students!

Double the Points for Labels for Education in November

The temperatures continue to dip, and that means soup season has finally arrived. If you're heating up the always popular Campbell's soup, don't forget to clip the UPC from participating Labels for Education products.

You'll find Labels for Education on many other participating products, like Pepperidge Farm Goldfish and cookies, V8 beverages, Pace salsas and picante sauces, and Bic markers and pens.

Labels for Education will be promoting a great double-up deal for schools in November. Discovery can earn an extra point for every UPS submitted next month, so please get clipping and send those UPCs in with your students before the Thanksgiving break.

All points received through the Labels for Education program will go to our four specials: computers, library, music, and PE. By clipping the labels, you'll be benefitting the entire school, not just one classroom.

Get Details on Supplemental Levy at Information Night

Election Day is quickly approaching, and many voters still have questions about the West Ada School District's supplemental levy that is on Tuesday's ballot. This supplemental levy would generate $14 million in revenue for each of the next two school years. If passed, the money would be used to keep the current number of days in the academic calendar, which is important for our students, and retain staff. 

Also, many might say that a bond for $96 million was recently approved for the school district. The revenue from that bond can only be used to build new schools and is not allowed for school operations. Be an informed voter. If you have further questions, continue attending the Supplemental Levy Information Night at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, at Siena Elementary, 2870 E. Rome Drive.

Eric Exline, director of communications for the West Ada School District, will present the proposed supplemental levy with a Q&A session to follow. This meeting is open to any and every voter in the West Ada School District. 

PTA Reflections Deadline Nearing

The deadline for entries for the PTA's Reflections program, Let Your Imagination Fly, is quickly approaching. Students have just a little over two weeks left to submit entries for this year's arts competition. The deadline is Friday, Nov. 6, and entries can be turned into teachers or the front office before or on that date. A basket for entries is in the staff lounge.

Here are just a few reminders for your students as they are putting the final touches on their entries:

• Students may enter one or more categories, but only one entry is allowed per student for each category. Only new pieces of artwork inspired by the theme may be submitted. Each entry must be the original work of one student only. Only one student may be recognized as the award recipient for each entry. Other individuals may appear in or perform a student’s work, but the work itself must be the creative product of one student.
• Please turn in the completed entry form with the piece of artwork. Remember that the written explanation of how the artwork reflects this year's theme makes up 50% of the judging. This statement is a minimum of 10 words and a maximum of 100 words. Entries will be judged on how well the student uses his or her artistic vision to portray the theme, originality, and creativity.
• If your student is entering the dance choreography, film production, music composition, photography, or literature categories, these entries can be submitted on a thumb drive or by email to your student's teacher or discoverypta@gmail.com. Please doublecheck the summary of the rules below for what lengths/formats are accepted.

If you have any questions prior to the deadline, please email discoverypta@gmail.com.

Mrs. Kalinski's 5th Grade Class Wins Box Tops Contest

Congratulations to Mrs. Kalinski's fifth-grade class for bringing in the most Box Tops for Education during the first contest this school year. According to Box Tops chairs Meghan Wilkison and Jamie Muzzana, the fifth-graders brought in 1,175 Box Tops and will celebrate their win with a smoothie party!

Runners-up were:

• Mrs. Spenner's fourth-grade class with 680 Box Tops;
• Mrs. Wright's kindergarten class with 659 Box Tops; and
• Mrs. Bonebrake's fifth-grade class with 609 Box Tops.

The first contest garnered a total of 8,473 Box Tops for Education worth $847.30. Half of the amount goes directly back to the classrooms while the PTA uses the other half for other school initiatives. That's not a bad start to get to our goal of $2,500 by the end of the school year.

The next Box Tops contest will run from Oct. 26 through Dec. 4. The four students who bring in the most Box Tops during that period will win passes to JumpTime.

Box Tops for Education, which each are worth 10 cents, can be found on many different products, including Ziploc bags, Betty Crocker baking mixes, Big G cereals, and Nature Valley granola bars. New to the Box Tops for Education family will be Annie's products. Look for Box Tops on your favorite Annie's products coming to grocery shelves soon.

PTA to Host Staff Appreciation Lunch

The PTA will be hosting a staff appreciation lunch during parent teacher conferences on Thursday, Oct. 22.

If you would like to contribute something for the luncheon, such as a salad or a fruit plate, please visit our signup sheet at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49aaa72da6f58-staff.

We appreciate any help or items you can provide!

PTA Meeting Scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 6

The Discovery PTA will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, in the Health Room.

We will be recapping The Farmstead/Kiss a Pig fundraiser, which raised $1,134.32, and will be looking ahead to activities this month and in November.

PTA members also will hear from staff on their grant applications and will then vote on the proposals.

The project grant applications received include:

• Jesssica Jensen – Summerwind Skipper Assembly: $300 for two assemblies
• Julie Drews – Kelso’s Choice Posters: $159.90 plus tax
• Julie Drews – Red Ribbon Week Prizes: $50
• 4^th Grade – Celebration Park Field Trip: $267.20

We hope to see you at tomorrow's meeting!

Video: Mr. Dudley Kisses the Pig at The Farmstead!

Thanks to everyone who came out this evening for Discovery Night at The Farmstead. We had a great crowd in attendance to see our "Kiss a Pig" winner Mr. Dudley pucker up. If you didn't make it or just want to relive the moment, here's some video from the big smooch! More photos and the total earnings from the night will come later this week ...

Fall Fun at The Farmstead

Discovery Night at The Farmstead is finally here! Come to The Farmstead on Monday evening from 4 to 9 p.m. for some family fun.

The Farmstead is offering a discounted admission of $5.25 for the evening. It includes the MAiZE, hayrides, the jumping pillow, the cow train, the corn box, the spider web, and slides. Among the activities not included in the admission are pony rides, pumpkin blaster shots, and pumpkin purchases.

And you don't want to miss our "Kiss a Pig" winner pucker up for a porker at 6:30 p.m. during the racings pigs show. We'll be announcing our winner Monday afternoon at school!

Discovery Night at The Farmstead is the PTA's biggest fall fundraiser. The Farmstead will donate $1 for every person attending from Discovery so please be sure to invite your friends and family. And thank you to everyone who sent in pennies for the Kiss a Pig competition. We raised more than $520.

The proceeds from the Kiss a Pig contest and the evening at The Farmstead will help raise funds for playground improvements and other classroom initiatives. Check out the blog on Tuesday for photos from the event.

We hope to see you Monday night at The Farmstead!

One Day Left to Vote for 'Kiss a Pig' Contest

Tomorrow is the last day for students to vote with their pennies to decide who will be coming face to face with a pig Monday night at The Farmstead! 

After Thursday's count, here are the latest "Kiss a Pig" totals:

• Mr. Dudley, principal: $149.63
• Mr. Thie, 3rd grade: $92.24
• Ms. Geis, 4th grade: $47.22
• Mr. Johnson, PE/health: $34.54
• Mrs. Davison, 1st grade: $31.03
• Mrs. Jayne, kindergarten: $21.13
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th grade: $18.14
• Mrs. Hoppe, 2nd grade: $7.06
• Mrs. Drews, school counselor: $5.29

The winner will be announced Monday afternoon, with the kissing of a pig taking place at 6:30 p.m. that evening during Discovery Night at The Farmstead!

We have already raised over $400. Thank you to all the students, parents, and staff for helping to make this fundraiser such a success! 

Mr. Dudley's Lead Continues; Two Days Left to Vote

Principal Dudley remains in the lead for the Kiss a Pig competition, but he shouldn’t be ready to pucker up just yet. Third-grade teacher Mr. Thie is starting to make a comeback. There are still two days left to vote with your pennies for one of the nine brave teachers and staff members! 

After Wednesday's count, here are the latest totals:

• Mr. Dudley, principal: $109. 81
• Mr. Thie, 3rd grade: $66.83
• Ms. Geis, 4th grade: $39.45
• Mr. Johnson, PE/health: $25.12
• Mrs. Jayne, kindergarten: $18.81
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th grade: $17.89
• Mrs. Davison, 1st grade: $11.32
• Mrs. Hoppe, 2nd grade: $7.06
• Mrs. Drews, school counselor: $5.29

The winner will be announced Monday afternoon, with the kissing of a pig taking place at 6:30 p.m. that evening during Discovery Night at The Farmstead!

Mr. Dudley Expands Lead in Kiss a Pig Competition

Principal Dudley is getting closer to smooching a swine at Discovery Night at The Farmstead with a hefty lead after the second day of students' voting with their pennies.

But the other eight brave contestants don't have to be stuck in the mud—there are still three days left for students to vote with their pennies on who they want to see kiss a pig.

Thank you to all the parents and students who have brought in change so far this week! Here are the current totals after today's count:

• Mr. Dudley, principal: $86.57
• Mr. Thie, 3rd grade: $39.66
• Ms. Geis, 4th grade: $34.84
• Mr. Johnson, PE/health: $23.77
• Mrs. Jayne, kindergarten: $17.88
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th grade: $13.81
• Mrs. Davison, 1st grade: $10.82
• Mrs. Hoppe, 2nd grade: $6.85
• Mrs. Drews, school counselor: $4.84

Don't miss this fun fall event from 4 to 9 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, at The Farmstead. The kissing of the pig will take place at 6:30 p.m.

Mr. Dudley Takes Lead in Kiss a Pig Contest

Today was the first day for students to vote with their pennies on which teacher or staff member they want to see kiss a pig at Discovery Night at The Farmstead next Monday.

After tallying the votes this morning, Mr. Dudley, Discovery's principal, is in the lead, with third-grade teacher Mr. Thie and fourth-grade teacher Ms. Geis not too far behind. But it's early in the week so you never know who's going to come face to face with a pig. Students can continue to vote each day this week with their pennies.

Here are the current totals after today's count:

• Mr. Dudley, principal: $38.55
• Mr. Thie, 3rd grade: $34.42
• Ms. Geis, 4th grade: $26.18
• Mr. Johnson, PE/health: $15.88
• Mrs. Davison, 1st grade: $8.60
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th grade: $7.29
• Mrs. Hoppe, 2nd grade: $5.59
• Mrs. Jayne, kindergarten: $2.64
• Mrs. Drews, school counselor: $2.24

The money raised from the Kiss a Pig contest will go toward playground improvements and other classroom initiatives. We will update the totals each day on the blog, and the lucky winner will be announced next Monday afternoon!

First Box Top Competition Under Way

Box Tops for Education has been a successful program for Discovery Elementary. Parents clipped and submitted 24,127 Box Tops worth a total of $2,412.70, with half of that money going directly back to the teachers for their classrooms.

The first Box Tops competition is under way this school year, and the classroom with the most Box Tops submitted by Oct. 16 will win a smoothie party!

Discovery PTA's goal this year is 25,000 Box Tops. I think we'll meet that goal and hopefully exceed it. You can see how the classrooms are stacking up on our Box Tops bulletin board outside of the cafeteria.

Be on the lookout for Box Tops on your next trip to the grocery store. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents so even submitting one or two each month during the school year will help make a difference. Look for them on Old El Paso products, Chex Mix, Progresso soup, Big G cereals, and Yoplait Go-Gurts, just to name a few. Also, check out http://www.boxtops4education.com/participating-products for a list of all the participating products.

You can send Box Tops into school on the collection sheets that were sent home on Back to School night or in a plastic bag. Just be sure to include your student's name, teacher, and grade. Get clipping!

Who Should Kiss a PIg?

In preparation for Discovery Night at The Farmstead on Monday, Sept. 28, the PTA is holding a "Kiss a Pig" contest. Students will have the chance to vote with their pennies next week on the teacher or staff member that they want to see get a swine smooch!

Flyers will be coming home at the end of this week, and students can return the baggies with their pennies (or other denominations) to cast their vote any day next week.

Thank you to all the parents who got the voting started at last week's Back to School Night. Here's where our lucky contenders stand so far:

• John Thie, 3rd Grade: $13.32
• Mike Dudley, Principal: $7
• Ashley Kalinski, 5th Grade: $6.25
• Corinne Hoppe, 2nd Grade: $4.25
• Kim Davison, 1st Grade: $2.71
• Christine Jayne, Kindergarten: $1.40
• Laura Geis, 4th Grade: $1.16
• Julie Drews, Counselor: $1
• Cory Johnson, PE/Health: $1

Check the blog each day next week for the latest totals. The winner will be announced during the afternoon of Sept. 28. The kiss will take place during the racing pigs show at 6:30 p.m. that evening at The Farmstead.

Discovery Night at The Farmstead is the PTA's biggest fall fundraiser. The event will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 28, and the discounted admission is $5.25 per person. The Farmstead will donate $1 for every person attending from Discovery so please be sure to invite your friends and family.

The proceeds from the Kiss a Pig contest and the evening at The Farmstead will help raise funds for playground improvements and other classroom initiatives.

Students Can Show Discovery Pride

Spirit Days are coming to Discovery on Friday, Sept. 11, and Friday, Sept. 25. Students and teachers are encouraged to sport their Discovery shirts or colors, which are red, white, and blue, on these days!

The PTA will have Spirit Wear available for purchase and special order at Back to School Night from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. We will have a selection of short-sleeved T-shirts available in a variety of youth and adult sizes in red, blue, black, and white for $10 ($2 extra for XXL). You also can special order long-sleeved shirts for $17 and hoodies for $27.

Fro-Yo Social at U-Swirl

Don't miss the chance to meet other Discovery families at the PTA's fundraiser night at U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt, 3319 N. Eagle Road, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 31. The self-serve frozen yogurt shop will donate 20% of all proceeds during that two-hour period to Discovery PTA!

Save the Date: Upcoming PTA Events

We hope everyone is having a great "Back to School" week! A huge thank you to all of the parents who signed up for PTA or its volunteer team, purchased Spirit Wear, prepaid for Popcorn Fridays, and provided teachers with additional classroom supplies through our Wishing Garden at last Friday's Meet and Greet. We really appreciate your support of the PTA. Your help allows us to better serve Discovery and its students.

Save the date for the following Discovery PTA events:

Discovery U-Swirl Night: Have a cold treat on a hot summer evening from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 31, at U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt, 3319 N. Eagle Road. The kids will be happy, and you'll have the chance to socialize with other Discovery families. U-Swirl will donate 20% of all yogurt purchases during this time to Discovery PTA, which we will use for school and classroom initiatives.

PTA Meeting: The first PTA meeting of the school year will be at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the Health Room. We will be discussing the year's goals and would love to have parent and teacher feedback!

Popcorn Friday: Our first Popcorn Friday of the year will be Sept. 4. Popcorn Fridays are held on the first Friday school day of the month, when the PTA will deliver bags of popcorn for students to enjoy as a snack. You can send in 50 cents with your student that day or prepay for the entire year for $4 (this pays for eight times, with one month free). If you would like to prepay, either send back the popcorn pass form or a note with your student's name, grade, and teacher with $4.

Back to School Night: Discovery will hold its Back to School Night for parents from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10.  The PTA will have its Wishing Garden set up with the remaining items teachers would like for their classrooms, and we also will be selling Spirit Wear and PTA memberships.

We hope to see you soon!

We Hope to See You at Meet and Greet

After checking out your student's classroom and meeting the new teacher at Meet and Greet at 2 p.m. Friday, we hope you'll take a moment to stop by the Discovery PTA table to say hello.

We'll have our Wishing Garden on display, where you can help teachers and staff get the supplies they need for the school year. You can pick an item you would like to donate and return to your child's teacher once school begins. 

We'll be selling prepaid passes for Popcorn Fridays for $4 per student for the entire year. This saves you from remembering to send in 50 cents on the first school day Friday of each month so that your student can enjoy an afternoon snack of popcorn. Plus, if you prepay, you get one month free.

Discovery Spirit Wear will be available for purchase and special order. We will have a selection of short-sleeved T-shirts available in a variety of youth and adult sizes in red, blue, black, and white for $10. You also can special order long-sleeved shirts for $17 and hoodies for $27.

And last, we would love to have you fill out our volunteer form and/or sign up for a PTA membership, which is $10 for an individual, $18 for a family, or $8 for staff. It's a great way to meet other parents and teachers as well as to enhance your child's education!

See you tomorrow at Meet and Greet!

Back to School Notes

Sharpening pencils, buying new backpacks, starting earlier bedtime routines ... the countdown is on for back to school.

Discovery Elementary is preparing for the start of a new school year. On Thursday, Aug. 20, parents can log into their PowerSchool accounts to find out their students' teachers. The class lists also will be posted during the annual Meet and Greet, when students and parents have the opportunity to meet their new teachers and see their new classrooms, from 2 to 3 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21. Students can bring in their school supplies at this time as well.

Discovery PTA also is gearing up for the 2015-16 school year, and we hope you take a moment to stop by our table to learn more about our volunteer work and how you can help make this school year a success! New this year will be a Wishing Garden, where parents can help teachers stock their classrooms for the essentials. Plus, you can also prepay for Popcorn Fridays and purchase Spirit Wear so don't forget your wallets.

Popcorn Fridays will be back this school year starting on Sept. 4. The PTA will sell bags of popcorn for 50 cents a piece on the first Friday school day of the month. Instead of sending in coins each month, you can prepay for the entire year for $4 per student. That pays for eight times, plus you get one month free!

And we will have an assortment of Discovery Spirit Wear available for purchase, including short-sleeved T-shirts in blue, red, white, and black for $10, and you can special order long-sleeved T-shirts and hoodies.

If you're not able to stop by, we invite you to come to the first PTA meeting of the year at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, in the Health Room to learn more about our goals for the year.

Check Out Million Minutes Photos

We all had such a great time at the Million Minutes Reading Festival at the beginning of May and are so proud of our students for that accomplishment.

To remember the fun you had, be sure to view and download images from the Dr. Seuss Photo Booth at leahsouthwickphotography.pixieset.com/discovery. The password is Million Minutes.

Take a Break with a Good Book This Summer

Many studies have shown that students lose some of their skills they learned during the school year over summer break. But instead of letting those skills get rusty, get your child reading through one of the various programs going on in the community and nationwide.

The Meridian Library District's summer reading program begins Monday, June 1.  But the official kickoff will be Friday, June 5, at Settlers Park, where you can join the Bookmobile for the first CableOne Movie Night of the summer, which will be Tangled. There will be a bounce house, face painting, and more! You can sign up for the library's summer reading program, which is done in partnership with the West Ada School District, online or on paper, and then earn prizes all summer long for reading.

Barnes & Noble has a summer reading program that is already under way. Read eight books this summer and record them in a reading journal, and you can choose a free book from the list at the store.

In addition, the National PTA and Kindle are sponsoring a Family Reading Challenge for the month of July. The challenge will encourage families to read together, be inspired, and share their experiences. You can sign up for notifications and see more information at http://ptareadingchallenge.org/.

If you know of any additional summer reading programs, please share with us in the Comments section below!

Million Minutes Challenge a Success!

The Discovery Elementary PTA Board had a theme this year to guide our goals: Dream Big, Work Hard to Make that Dream Come True, and Celebrate. This led to the Million Minutes Reading Challenge and Festival.

We set a goal for Discovery students to read 1 million minutes. We wanted to see what they could do when they dreamed big and worked hard. The students not only met the 1 million-minute goal, but they exceeded it. This school year, the students read 1,190,502 minutes!

Certificates, bracelets, coupons from Menchie's for a free 5-ounce yogurt, and bookmarks were passed out to all students last week to reward them for their hard work!

We had a fabulous time celebrating that accomplishment at the Million Minutes Reading Festival on May 1. There were lots of reading-themed activities, an "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" Walk, a Dr. Seuss photo booth, awards to the each grade level's top reader, and a special drawing that raised funds for the school. Parent and champion yo-yoer Dave Bazan and his second-grader also wowed the crowd with their skills! Thank you to Dave and the other parent volunteers who helped to make this event a success.

Also a huge thank you to our youth volunteers, teens who volunteered from the Meridian Medical Arts Charter High School, and volunteers from the Treasure Valley YMCA and Kohl's!

And we also want to thank our other supporters for helping to make our festival a success:

Castlebury Dental

Big Al's

Dick's Sporting Goods

Menchie's

ToyTown

Aquarium of Boise

Buffalo Wild Wings

Blimpie

The Blue & Orange Store

Bogus Basin

Boise Hawks

Dave & Buster's

Discovery Center of Idaho

Five Guys

Goodwood Barbecue Co.

Grimaldi's

Idaho Botanical Garden

Idaho Pizza Co.

Idaho Stampede

Idaho Steelheads

IT'SUGAR

Mathnasium

Noodle's

Olive Garden

On The Border

Panache Hair Studio & Day Spa

Papa Murphy's

Powell's Sweet Shoppe

Roaring Springs

Texas Roadhouse

U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

Wahooz Family Fun Zone

Zoo Boise

We also had a lot of support from authors and publishers, who sent us autographed books, including Laura Bingham, Victoria Kahn, Jodi Picoult, and Judith Viorst.

Join Us at the Million Minutes Reading Festival

It's finally time for the Million Minutes Reading Festival. We hope to see lots of Discovery students and families from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Some of the highlights of the night will include:

• Free reading-themed games and activities;
• "If You Give a Cat a Cupcake" Walk;
• Dr. Seuss photo booth;
• Blimpie sandwiches, chips, and drinks at "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" Cafe;
• A yo-yo show by world champion Dave Bazan at 7 p.m.;
• Awards to the top reader in each grade; and
• A special drawing with fun prize packages to raise money for playground and other classroom improvements. 

We hope to see you there!

Special Drawing Features Fun Prize Packages

The Million Minutes Reading Festival is just a few days from now, and it's going to be a great celebration for the students with games, activities, and treats that you won't want to miss.

Also part of the evening will be a special drawing that will help raise money for playground and other classroom improvements. This year, we have received enormous community support and have created 14 fun prize packages.

You can purchase tickets at the event: 1 ticket for $3, 4 for $10, or 10 for $20. Then just write your name and phone number on each ticket and drop it into the bucket of the prize package of your choosing. The drawing will be held at 7:30 p.m., and you don't have to be present to win.

A huge thank you goes out to all the local businesses, restaurants, and attractions that donated items for our drawing. And another round of applause for the children's authors who autographed books for us!

Keep Calm and Spa On:

60-minute Elemental Nature Facial, 1 free week of yoga, and some Aveda products from Panache Hair Studio & Day Spa

Autographed copy of Jodi Picoult’s “Leaving Time”

$10 Starbucks gift card

Dog Days of Summer:

2 day passes to Roaring Springs

4 rounds of mini golf at Wahooz Family Fun Zone

2 passes to Aquarium of Boise

$10 in gift certificates for U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

Game Day:

$50 Buffalo Wild Wings gift card with basket of goodies

3-foot party sub from Blimpie

BSU flag from Blue & Orange Store

BSU Brax cups

Minor League, Major Fun:

2 Boise Hawks tickets

4 Idaho Stampede tickets for 2015-16 season

4 Idaho Steelheads tickets for 2015-16 season

Family Outing:

Family pass to Aquarium of Boise

Family pass to Discovery Center of Idaho

4 passes to Zoo Boise

2 event passes to Idaho Botanical Garden

Pizza Party:

Papa Murphy’s: 2 certificates for free large one-topping pizza

Idaho Pizza Co.: 1 large two-topping pizza and 4 sodas

$50 Grimaldi’s gift card

Sweet Surprises:

IT’SUGAR gift basket

$25 Cheesecake Factory gift card

Free frozen yogurt for a year at Menchie’s (365 "First 5 oz. for free" cards, plus a color in T-shirt along with a pencil and a button)

Out to Eat:

$20 in $5 gift certificates and a free bowl of queso from On The Border

Two free entrees and other goodies from Texas Roadhouse

$30 in $10 gift certificates from Goodwood Barbecue Co.

$20 in $5 gift certificates from Five Guys

Pasta Perfection:

Tasting gift certificate worth $150 at Noodle’s

$50 in $5 gift certificates for Olive Garden

Great Outdoors:

Idaho Botanical Garden household membership for 1 year

$20 Dick’s gift certificate

Two Bogus Basin ski lift passes

Building Skills:

Free math assessment and one month of tutoring at Mathnasium

Young Architect set donated by ToyTown

Autographed copy of “Five Kingdoms” by Brandon Mull

Autographed copy of “Tuesdays at the Castle” by Jessica Day George

Color Me Silly:

Autographed copy of “Aqualicious” by Victoria Kann

Pop for Colors game donated by ToyTown

$10 ToyTown gift card

$10 in gift certificates for U-Swirl Frozen Yogurt

Crayola art supplies

Fun with Numbers:

Free math assessment and one month of tutoring at Mathnasium

7 Ate 9 math card game donated by ToyTown

Autographed copy of “Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale

Autographed copies of “Alvor” and “Wings of Light” by Laura Bingham

Just Kidding Around:

Dave & Buster’s basket with 2 $12 Power Cards, 3 free $20 of play with $20 purchase cards, and other goodies

Remote control snake donated by ToyTown

Signed copy of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney

Signed copy of “Stink and the Midnight Zombie Walk”

So please come out from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday to help support Discovery and the students!