A Huge Thank You to Our Community Supporters; T-shirt Sponsorships Still Available

Discovery PTA is gearing up for its second annual Walk-a-Thon, which will raise money for playground improvements. Discovery students and staff will be taking to the track during the school day on Wednesday, May 10, as part of the PTA's largest fundraiser of the school year.

We couldn't do this event without the amazing community support that we have been receiving this spring. A huge thank you to J&M Painting, Paramount Eye Care, and Fleet Feet Sports Meridian for sponsoring our Walk-a-Thon t-shirts; The PULSE Running & Fitness Shop for donating race bibs; Clif Bar & Co. for donating Clif Kid ZBars to provide a healthy snack for our students after they walk; and WinCo for making a generous donation to help our efforts.

We also have received great prizes for our top student walkers and fundraisers as well as their teachers from Big Al's, Bricks & Minifigs, Dart Warz; La Creme Frozen Yogurt, Le Peep, Meridian Lanes, Panache Hair Studio & Day Spa; Roaring Springs, Toytown, Wahooz Family Fun Zone, and Zoo Boise.

We are still looking for some additional sponsors of our Walk-a-Thon t-shirts, which students and staff will wear on the day of the event as well as on our Spirit Days, which are every Friday, and out in the community. Having logos on our shirts will bring awareness to local businesses and support Discovery at the same time. We will accept sponsors through Friday, April 14. All donations are tax-deductible. Please email discoverypta@gmail.com to get a sponsorship form or for more information.

We have two sponsorship levels to consider:

Silver Level — $100

• Logo on PTA blog and Facebook page
• Logo on banner to be displayed during the Walk-a-Thon
• Small logo on event t-shirt

Gold Level - $250

• Logo on PTA blog and Facebook page
• Logo on pledge sheet to be sent home with students
• Logo on banner to be displayed during the Walk-a-Thon
• Large logo on event t-shirt

Thank you again to everyone who has supported our second annual Walk-a-Thon! We couldn't do this amazing event without all of you. 

Local Business Support Needed for Walk-a-Thon

On Wednesday, May 10, Discovery Elementary will hold its second annual Walk-a-Thon to raise money for playground improvements. This is Discovery PTA's largest fundraising event for the 2016-17 school year and is a great time to bring our school and the community together. We are looking for local companies to sponsor t-shirts for all students and staff for this fun event.

Students and staff will wear the t-shirts on the day of the event as well as on our Spirit Days, which are every Friday, and out in the community. Having logos on our shirts will bring awareness to these local businesses and support Discovery at the same time. It's a win-win situation!

We have two sponsorship levels to consider:

Silver Level — $100

• Logo on PTA blog and Facebook page
• Logo on banner to be displayed during the Walk-a-Thon
• Small logo on event t-shirt

Gold Level - $250

• Logo on PTA blog and Facebook page
• Logo on pledge sheet to be sent home with students
• Logo on banner to be displayed during the Walk-a-Thon
• Large logo on event t-shirt

We hope you will consider sponsoring Discovery Walk-a-Thon shirts this year. All donations are tax-deductible. Please email discoverypta@gmail.com to get a sponsorship form or for more information. Payments and logos are due by Monday, April 3.

We Need Volunteers for Spring Book Fair

Spring officially starts next week, and with that comes Discovery's annual Spring Book Fair and Art Walk. Perfect timing for students to pick up some great books to read over spring break!

The Spring Book Fair, which benefits our school library, will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, March 20 and 21; 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22; and from 8:30 to 11 a.m. sharp on Thursday, March 23. The Art Walk will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and you can purchase your student's artwork for $1 as well as enjoy cookies and lemonade in the cafeteria.

Mrs. Campbell, our school librarian, is seeking help during the book fair in the mornings, at lunchtime, and at the end of the school day. We also need donations of cookies or other baked goods, homemade or store-bought. Cookies need to be delivered to the library by 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22. If you are interested in volunteering or donating cookies, please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4da5a72aaafe3-spring.

Thank you in advance for helping make this annual Discovery event a success!

Polls Open Tuesday, with West Ada Plant Facility Levy on the Ballot

The polls will be open tomorrow in Meridian, and on the ballot will be West Ada School District's plant facility levy.

If approved, it would allow the district to levy up to $16 million to maintain its buildings. Voter approval would allow the district to collect the revenue for 10 years, at which time it must be re-approved by voters. The levy needs 60% voter support to be approved.

For more information on the levy, please visit http://www.westada.org/Page/45440.

We're Halfway to Box Tops Goal

Thanks to everyone who has clipped and turned in Box Tops this school year. Discovery PTA is halfway to our goal of earning $2,500. So far, we have collected 12,500 Box Tops, earning $1,250. Half of that goes directly back to the classrooms while the PTA uses the rest for other school activities.

Congratulations to Mrs. Davison's second-grade class for submitting the most Box Tops—1,359—during the last contest.

Our current contest is now under way. The class that turns in the most Box Tops by St. Patrick's Day, March 17, will celebrate with shamrock smoothies and an extra recess. The PTA will be counting all month and will update the Box Tops bulletin board outside of the cafeteria so the students can see how their class is doing!

Sweet Donations Needed for Discovery Staff Appreciation Event

The PTA will be treating the wonderful Discovery staff and teachers to a Sweet Shop on Thursday, Feb. 9. This is just one example of how we thank the staff throughout the school year.

We are looking for donations of cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and other yummy creations. They can be homemade or store-bought. We also could use wrapped chocolates, gum, and candy to share. Staff will be able to fill a box full of treats to snack on throughout the day or take home to share with their families.

If you are interested in showing your appreciation for the staff and sharing goodies, please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c49aaa72da6f58-discovery2. The treats need to be delivered to school by 10 a.m. on Feb. 9.

Discovery to Celebrate White Ribbon Week

Next week Discovery will celebrate White Ribbon Week, five days devoted to learning how to make smart and safe choices online and with other media. This year's theme is "Let's Get Real," which will emphasize the need for real friends, conversation, and activities. These lessons are so important in today's online world, finding a balance between physical and digital experiences.

Each morning on the announcements, students will hear a specific message called a reality boost. The PTA will be hosting lunchtime activities each day to match each reality boost, and students are encouraged to participate in the dress-up days that correspond to each boost.

Here are each day's reality boosts and corresponding dress-up themes.

Monday, Feb. 6: Unplug–get active in real life; active-wear day.

Tuesday, Feb. 7: When things don't seem right online, tell a trusted adult immediately; inside-out day.

Wednesday, Feb. 8: We're crazy about being kind online; crazy sock day.

Thursday, Feb. 9: I can spy what's real or not real online; sunglasses day.

Friday, Feb. 10: We're celebrating White Ribbon awareness and making smart and safe choices online; white-out day.

You can also send photos of your students having a real-life experience or being active during the week for a slideshow that will be shown on the final day. Please send photos to slocum.melissa@westada.org by Wednesday, Feb. 8.

If you are interested in volunteering for the lunchtime activities, please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4da5a72aaafe3-discovery4.