Discovery PTA's Latest Scoop

Welcome back to school, Discovery families. We hope you all had a great summer and are ready to kick off a great school year. Discovery PTA is already hard at work getting the year off to a good start. Here is some of the latest news:

• New meeting time: PTA meetings will move to the first Monday of each month. The first meeting will be at 4:10 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, in the Health Room.
• Big changes for Box Tops:  Box Tops for Education is moving into the digital world. When you purchase products that have the Box Top logo on them, you can scan your receipt into the state-of-the-art app within 14 days, instantly adding directly to the school's earnings. But Box Tops for Education will still accept all clipped Box Tops, as long as they are not expired. The classroom that brings in the most Box Tops by Oct. 18 will win an extra recess and a snack. And if the school can raise $1,000 in Box Tops by the end of the year through clipped Box Tops and through the app, all students will get to celebrate with frozen treats.
• Show Discovery pride: The PTA will be selling Spirit Wear at the start of the school year. You can send back in an order form or stop by the PTA table at Back to School Night on Thursday, Sept. 5. The shirts come in navy or maroon, with basic tees at $11 and performance tees at $13. Navy hoodies also are for sale for $28. Students are encouraged to wear their Discovery shirts or school colors the first Friday of each month for Spirit Days. Starting in October, the PTA will randomly select classrooms and give a prize to each student sporting Discovery wear or colors.
• Popcorn Fridays: Again this school year, students have the option of getting an afternoon snack of popcorn on the first Friday school day of each month. The first Popcorn Friday of the school year will be Sept. 6. The form will be in your PTA packet that you'll get on the first day of school. It's $6 for the entire school year, or 75 cents each month. 

Also, save the date:

• Discovery Night at Sonic Drive-In, 5 to 8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 9. Take care of dinner and help support Discovery. Come to Sonic at 4936 Linder Road, and show the flyer (coming home in early September with your student and also via email) when you make your purchase; 50% of proceeds will be donated to Discovery PTA.
• Discovery Night at The Farmstead, 4 to 9 p.m., Monday, Sept. 30, with kiss a pig at 6:30 p.m. Have some family fall fun at the new Farmstead location in Kuna. 

Final Box Tops Contest Ends Friday

We are already at the final Box Tops contest for the school year. The classroom that turns in the most Box Tops by Friday, April 26, will win a special frozen treat!

Mr. Runyan's third-grade class has a large lead right now, with 205 Box Tops clipped, followed by Mrs. Haycock's fifth-grade class with 133 Box Tops, Ms. McKay's first-grade class with 120,  and Mrs. Davison's second-grade class with 100.

Here's how the rest of the classes rank:

• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 88
• Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 74
• Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 70
• Mrs. Eck, PM Kindergarten: 64
• Mrs. Briggs, 4th Grade: 71
• Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 70
• Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 50
• Mrs. Bell, 4th Grade: 49
• Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 42
• Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 29
• Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 28
• Mr. Thie, 5th Grade: 26
• Mrs. Kober, 4th Grade: 20
• Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 11
• Mrs. Thayer, 5th Grade: 9
• Mrs. Eck, AM Kindergarten: 7
• Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 3

But several days remain, so keep clipping and sending those Box Tops in. Any classroom could still win at this point!

Celebrate the Decades at Discovery's Spring Dance

The Decades Dance is finally here. Come dance the night away from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday with other Discovery families. Officer York will be spinning tunes from all the decades, and students and staff can win prizes for the best costumes.

Food will be available for purchase in the cafeteria. Get a hot dog (courtesy of RC Willey), chips, and a soda or water for $4, or stop by our candy bar. The Arial family also will be selling multiple flavors of cotton candy.

We are still looking for volunteers to help out with two shifts. If you can help out during one of the shifts, please sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4da5a72aaafe3-decades.

While the dance is free to attend, it is the PTA's major fundraiser of the school year. We will be raffling off a giant stuffed sloth that was donated by Principal McDonough. Raffle tickets will be $1 a piece.

We also will have a silent auction that will close at 7:45 p.m. and have some great baskets to share. This we couldn't have done without the support of our community (and from some far away).

A big thank you to our local supporters:

• Albertsons Market Street
• Aquarium of Boise
• AR Workshop
• Ballet Idaho
• Banbury Golf Course
• Bogus Basin
• Boise Hawks
• Cascade Raft & Kayak
• Chandlers
• Code Ninjas
• Crane Creek Country Club
• Dance Arts Academy
• Dutch Bros
• Eureka
• The First Tee of Idaho
• Goodwood Barbecue Co.
• Goody's
• Grinkers
• The Grove Hotel
• Hotel 43
• Idaho Botanical Garden
• Idaho Shakespeare Festival
• Idaho Steelheads
• Jakers
• JumpTime
• La Creme Frozen Yogurt
• Leah Southwick Photography
• Le Paint
• Liz Donerkiel - the Beauty Bomber (Younique)
• Meridian Lanes
• Morrison Center
• Old Idaho Penitentiary
• Opera Idaho
• Panache Hair Studio & Day Spa
• Paramount Eye Care and Dr. Luke Randall
• Roaring Springs
• Shadow Valley Golf Club
• STEMfinity
• Wahooz
• Warhawk Air Museum
• World Center for Birds of Prey
• Zoo Boise

And a shout out to those afar:

• American Girl
• Aquarium of the Pacific
• Silverwood Theme Park
• Triple Play Family Fun Park
• Wheel of Fortune

Support Discovery at Sockeye Grill on Wednesday

Celebrate the first day of spring and support Discovery Elementary by coming out to Sockeye Grill & Brewery from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Sockeye will donate 10% of all sales to Discovery PTA during the event. And here's a bonus for students, Discovery staff will be on hand to help host and serve.

Mrs. Thayer's Class Wins Box Tops Contest

Congratulations to Mrs. Thayer's class for bringing in the most Box Tops for the latest classroom competition. The fifth-grade class took the lead at the last minute, bringing in 312 Box Tops and winning a smoothie party.

A big thank you to all the family and staff who brought in Box Tops. Here are the final tallies for the contest. A new classroom contest will begin after Spring Break so keep clipping!

• Mrs. Thayer, 5th Grade: 312
• Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 187
• Mrs. Kober, 4th Grade: 177
• Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 156
• Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 139
• Mrs. Eck, AM Kindergarten: 125
• Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 119
• Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 118
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 112
• Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 86
• Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 82
• Mr. Runyan, 3rd Grade: 72
• Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 68
• Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 60
• Mrs. Bell, 4th Grade: 54
• Mrs. Kearns, All-Day Kindergarten: 41
• Mrs. Eck, PM Kindergarten: 33
• Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 32

Box Tops, each worth 10 cents, are a great way for teachers to earn extra money for classroom supplies and activities. Teachers receive half of the amount of the Box Tops submitted for their classroom, while the other half goes to the PTA for schoolwide activities. For a list of participating products, visit https://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products.

PTA Coming Events in March

Spring had been in the air, and now I'm not so sure. But regardless of the weather, Discovery PTA has some great events planned for March and April!

1. Popcorn Friday is this Friday, March 1. If you are available, we would love to have you join us at 8:45 a.m. to bag popcorn in the cafeteria. It's a fun time to socialize with other Discovery parents.

2. The next PTA meeting will be at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5. We are starting to look for officers and committee chairs for the 2019-2020 school year. Please let us know if you're interested in learning more!

3. The Spring Book Fair and Art Walk will be Monday-Thursday, March 11-14. Mrs. Campbell is looking for some volunteers to assist students and their families. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up at 2019 Spring Book Fair Volunteers.

2019 Spring Book Fair Volunteers The Spring Book Fair and Art Walk is coming up, March 11-14, and school librarian Mrs. Campbell has several shif...

4. The front office is seeking a volunteer to assist with class pictures on Wednesday, March 13, from about 9:10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Please let the front office know if you're interested in helping out.

5. We have scheduled our next restaurant night at Sockeye Brewery, 12542 W. Fairview Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Discovery staff members will help serve for tips, and we'll also receive a 10% donation of total sales from the restaurant that evening.

6. Save the date for the Decades Dance: Since last year's sock hop was such a success, the PTA will be hosting a Decades Dance on Friday, April 12. There will be music by Officer York, food for purchase, and a silent auction (we've received so many great items so far, like American Girl dolls, a family photography package, white water rafting, and restaurant gift cards). Please let us know if you have any services or items to donate for the silent auction or would like to be involved in the planning of the event.

Close Race for February Box Tops Competition

The February Box Tops competition is heating up, with five classrooms in a tight race. The deadline to bring in Box Tops is Monday, Feb. 25, so it could still be anyone's game! The classroom that brings in the most will win a smoothie party in March.

Here's how the tallies stand so far:

Mrs. Kober, 4th Grade: 161
Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 145
Mrs. Thayer, 5th Grade: 141
Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 139
Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 139
Mrs. Eck, AM Kindergarten: 123
Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 119
Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 110
Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 88
Mr. Runyan, 3rd Grade: 72
Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 62
Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 60
Ms. Bell, 4th Grade: 54
Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 45
Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 39
Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 37
Mrs. Eck, PM Kindergarten: 33
Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 32

Remember, all Box Tops for the February competition must be turned in on Monday. Be sure to put your child's teacher's name and grade on the sheet or baggie!

PTA Coming Events

January has gone by so fast, but I for one am looking forward to spring. Here are some reminders for February as well as some upcoming spring events. 

1. Popcorn Friday is this Friday, Feb. 1. If you are available, we would love to have you join us at 8:45 a.m. to bag popcorn in the cafeteria. It's a fun time to socialize with other Discovery parents.

2. The next PTA meeting will be at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 5. We will be discussing staff appreciation week in May, if you have ideas to share. We also will be reviewing any staff grant applications submitted at this meeting. 

3. Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to show our appreciation for our teachers and staff members. The PTA will be putting together a snack bar, with build-your-own trail mix ingredients, healthy snacks, and some decadent treats. Here's the link to the donations we are seeking. Please drop off by 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 14. We appreciate any donations you can provide! Discovery Valentine Staff Snacks

Discovery Valentine Staff Snacks Let's spoil our Discovery staff members this Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, with a a trail mix bar, healthy snacks, a...

4. The next Box Tops competition is underway. The classroom that brings in the most Box Tops by Feb. 25 will win a smoothie party in March. 

5. We have scheduled our next restaurant night at Sockeye Brewery, 12542 W. Fairview Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20. Discovery staff members will help serve for tips, and we'll also receive a 10% donation of total sales from the restaurant that evening.

6. Save the date for the Decades Dance. Since last year's sock hop was such a success, the PTA will be hosting a Decades Dance on Friday, April 12. There will be music by Officer York, food for purchase, and a silent auction. Please let us know if you have any services or items to donate for the silent auction or would like to be involved in the planning of the event.

We also are always looking for new ideas for events and activities. If you can't attend the PTA meeting to share your suggestions, please reach out via the blog, Facebook page, or emailing discoverypta@gmail.com.