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!