October Volunteer Opportunities

The PTA is gearing up for a busy October, and we are looking for volunteers as well as donations for parent-teacher conferences. We know everyone is busy, but we really appreciate any help you can provide this month. Your support helps the PTA better serve our students and staff!

1. Discovery Dashers: Thanks to the parents who helped count laps last week for Discovery Dashers! Mrs. Jensen will continue to need volunteers to help track running and walking laps from 2:30 to 2:45 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Fourth- and fifth-graders will be on the track on Mondays and Thursdays, while first-, second-, and third-graders will do their laps on Tuesdays and Fridays. E-mail jensen.jessica@westada.org if you're able to volunteer.

2. Walk to School Day: Wednesday, Oct. 10, is our annual walk-to-school day. We need help passing out milk and some other goodies to students as they arrive to school. If you're walking to school with your student, stop by to help us fuel up the kids! 

3. Popcorn Friday: Friday, Oct. 12, is Popcorn Friday. The PTA bags popcorn at 9 a.m. in the cafeteria that morning. If you have any extra time, please stop by to help scoop popcorn and socialize with other Discovery families.

4.  Staff Snacks and Dinner: Parent-teacher conferences are coming up at the end of the month. The PTA will be organizing a snack cart for Wednesday, Oct. 24, and a late-afternoon dinner on Thursday, Oct. 25, for our staff. We have sign-up sheets for both, if you are interested in donating food or supplies.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b4da5a72aaafe3-parentteacher

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4DA5A72AAAFE3-staff

We appreciate all of your support!

One Week Left for Box Tops Classroom Contest

Thanks Discovery families for clipping and sending in Box Tops for the first classroom competition of the school year. The classroom that brings in the most Box Tops by Friday, Oct. 12, will win an extra recess and snacks to go with it.

Mrs. Kalinski's fifth-grade class continues to be in the lead with 535 Box Tops, closely followed by Mr. Burrell's third-grade class with 510 Box Tops. But don't count out Ms. Jayne's third-grade class yet with 350 Box Tops and Mrs. Davison's second-grade class with 331 Box Tops. And who knows what teachers might be holding back until the deadline!

Here's a tally of the latest totals:

Mrs. Kalinski, 5th: 535
Mr. Burrell, 3rd: 510
Ms. Jayne, 3rd: 350
Mrs. Davison, 2nd: 331
Ms. Thayer, 5th: 283
Mr. Hawkins, 3rd: 244
Mr. Runyan, 3rd: 243
Mrs. Maw, 2nd: 204
Mrs. Eck, A.M. K: 201
Mrs. Croft, 1st: 178
Mrs. Howard, 1st: 151
Mrs. Kober, 4th: 138
Mrs. Morris, 4th: 125
Ms. McKay, 1st: 116
Miss Bell, 4th: 114
Mrs. Briggs, 4th: 106
Mrs. Kearns, Tuition K: 95
Mrs. Eck, P.M. K: 93
Mrs. Haycock, 5th: 92
Mr. Thie, 5th: 30
Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd: 9

Spirit Wear Orders Due Wednesday

Discovery will have special Spirit Days the first Friday of school each month, where students can wear school colors (maroon and navy) or their Discovery shirts. This year, the PTA has basic or performance tees available in maroon and navy and hoodies in navy with a brand-new logo. Orders are going in this week so we have the tees and hoodies back by the first Spirit Day in October!

If you would like to purchase Spirit Wear, please send the order form back into your child's teacher by Wednesday, Sept. 26, with cash or check made out to Discovery PTA.

Classroom Box Tops Contest Announced

The first Box Tops contest of the school year is underway. The classroom that brings in the most Box Tops by Friday, Oct. 12, will win an extra recess complete with snacks. So start clipping those Box Tops and sending them in to your teachers in a ziplock bag or on a Box Tops collection sheet. Be sure to include the student's name, teacher's name, and grade.

Each Box Top is worth 10 cents, and they benefit individual classrooms as well as PTA schoolwide activities. Once we get our first counts of the school year, the PTA will update the bulletin board next to the cafeteria with the latest classroom totals!

Show Your Discovery Pride with New Spirit Wear

To help students celebrate their school pride, Discovery PTA has a fresh new Spirit Wear design featuring the mustang that will be available for special order starting on Back to School Night, Sept. 11, through Wednesday, Sept. 26.

Available for order will be short-sleeved basic tees and performance tees in youth and adult sizes in both maroon and navy for $11 and $13, respectively, and hoodies in youth and adult sizes in navy for $28.

Stop by the PTA table on Back to School Night to place your special order. In addition, you can shop our vintage Spirit Wear stock at discounted prices! We accept cash, checks, and credit cards. You can also take an order form and send back in by the due date with cash or check made out to Discovery PTA.

Students are encouraged to show their pride by wearing Spirit Wear, school colors (maroon and navy), or the special theme typically on the first Friday of each month: Oct. 12, Nov. 2, Dec. 7, Jan. 11, Feb. 1, March 1, April 5, and May 3. Spirit Days also coincide with the PTA's Popcorn Fridays. Students can purchase a popcorn pass or pay 75 cents to have a tasty popcorn treat on Spirit Day Fridays. You can still sign up for the popcorn pass for $5.25 for the remainder of the school year.

PTA Cuts Ribbon for New Playground Equipment

What a way to start off the new school year! This week, Discovery families and staff joined the PTA board (from left, treasurer Kim Peck, president Lisa Polson, secretary Christine Serlin, and vice president Meghan Wilkison) to cut the ribbon for the new playground equipment on the intermediate side. It also was a great opportunity for families to meet new principal Rhonda McDonough. Be sure to check out the new equipment the next time you're at school. We couldn't have done it without all of your donations and support!

Join Discovery for Playground Ribbon-Cutting Aug. 14

Join Discovery PTA to celebrate the new playground equipment on the intermediate side and meet new principal Rhonda McDonough from 10 to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 14. The ribbon-cutting will take place on the playground in back of the school.

After several years of walk-a-thons, Brax cup sales, donations to the West Ada Foundation, a sock hop, and other fundraising, we were able to purchase the new equipment at the end of the last school year and have it installed over the summer. We couldn't have done it without all of the support from Discovery staff, students, and families. Thank you so much, and we hope you come up and celebrate this huge achievement!