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!

Thank You Discovery Families, Staff for Another Great School Year

It's hard to believe we're down to the last few days of school before summer break. Discovery PTA would like to thank all of our families and staff for another successful school year.

Through the support of our wonderful families and staff over the past several years, we are proud to announce that we are in the process of purchasing new equipment for the intermediate playground for third, fourth, and fifth grades. Through various fundraising efforts, we have raised over $16,000 to make this happen. The new playground equipment will be installed over the summer, and we will plan a special ribbon-cutting ceremony once we're back in school in August. We really couldn't have made this happen without your support!

It's been a fun school year, and we tried some new things like the spring sock hop, which was a huge success, and the pie-eating contest at The Farmstead. These events, along with Spirit Wear sales, Popcorn Fridays, Box Tops, and a couple of restaurant nights, helped bring in funds for additional school activities.

PTA board members Kim Peck, Meghan Wilkison, and Lisa Polson

Just in the past couple of weeks, the PTA has helped to fund year-end activities. We provided popsicles for Field Day; supplies for first grade's Camp Learns A Lot, for second grade's year-end Hawaiian celebration, and third grade's multiplication sundae parties; t-shirts for fourth-graders to wear to Rendezvous; and pizza for the fifth grade celebration.

We love the Discovery staff and have had fun supporting them this school year. In addition to classroom help, such as providing the Scholastic magazine for some grade levels, we provided a coffee cart at the beginning of the school year, snack carts for parent-teacher conferences and Valentine's Day, and holiday and staff appreciation lunches. Thank you to all who donated food and supplies for these events.

Thank you to all of the PTA members who helped with events this school year, and a big shout out to Michelle Hall for heading up Popcorn Fridays, Sharese Hall for her hard work on Reflections, Ashley Hillyard for spearheading Box Tops this school year, and Nicole Geibel for being our Facebook guru.

We are looking forward to working with new Principal Rhonda McDonough this upcoming school year. Please reach out to any of the board members or email discoverypta@gmail.com if you have feedback or ideas for the next school year. Stay tuned to the blog and Discovery PTA Facebook page in August for the latest updates. Also, our first meeting of the school year will be at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Have a great summer!

The Discovery PTA Board
Kim Peck, president
Lisa Polson, vice president
Meghan Wilkison, treasurer
Christine Serlin, secretary

Mr. Burrell's Third-Grade Class Triumphant in Final Box Tops Contest

The Box Tops have been counted, and Mr. Burrell's third-grade class has won the final contest of the school year in a landslide and will receive a special spring treat and the Box Tops trophy. His class brought in a whopping 779 Box Tops between March 9 and April 13. Congratulations to runners-up Mrs. Watkins' third-grade class with 398 Box Tops and Ms. McKay's first-grade class with 349 Box Tops.

Here's how the final contest shaped up:

• Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 779
• Mrs. Watkins, 3rd Grade: 398
• Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 349
• Mrs. Geary, 4th Grade: 210
• Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 190
• Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 176
• Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 155
• Mr. Runyan, 5th Grade: 149
• Mrs. Kober, 1st Grade: 145
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 126
• Mrs. Haycock, 5th Grade: 125
• Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 125
• Mrs. Briggs, 4th Grade: 122
• Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 119
• Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 118
• Mr. Thie, 5th Grade: 84
• Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 83
• Mrs. Jackson, 4th Grade: 71
• Miss Allen, PM Kindergarten: 59
• Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 51
• Mrs. Eldredge, Preschool: 33
• Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 29
• Miss Allen, AM Kindergarten: 24

Thank you to all staff, students, and families for clipping and sending in Box Tops this school year. They all add up, and we earned over $1,700—half of that goes directly back to the classrooms and the remainder to the PTA for other school activities.

Here are the final 2017-2018 school year classroom counts. A big shout out to Mr. Burrell's class for bringing in almost 2,300 Box Tops!

• Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 2,297
• Mrs. Watkins, 3rd Grade: 1,392
• Mrs. Kober, 1st Grade: 1,046
• Mrs. Geary, 4th Grade: 996
• Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 897
• Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 867
• Mrs. Jackson, 4th Grade: 859
• Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 846
• Mrs. Haycock, 5th Grade: 834
• Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 804
• Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 799
• Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 681
• Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 647
• Mr. Runyan, 5th Grade: 535
• Mrs. Briggs, 4th Grade: 532
• Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 508
• Miss Allen, AM Kindergarten: 496
• Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 481
• Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 385
• Mr. Thie, 5th Grade: 392
• Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 331
• Miss Allen, PM Kindergarten: 313
• Mrs. Eldredge, Preschool: 109
• Mrs. Trombley, Preschool: 46

Be sure to keep clipping over the summer. The PTA will kick off the 2018-2019 school year with another exciting contest!

Teachers Neck and Neck for Final Box Tops Competition

Parents and students have one week left to bring in Box Tops for the final classroom competition of the school year.

It's a tight race between Mrs. Watkins' and Mr. Burrell's third-grade classes, but don't count out Ms. McKay's and Mrs. Howard's first-grade classes. Or will a classroom come from behind to take the lead and win a special spring surprise? Make sure you submit your Box Tops by Friday, April 13. They can be on a collection sheet or in a ziplock bag. Just note your student's name, teacher, and grade.

Here's a list of the total standings:
Mrs. Watkins, 3rd Grade: 202
Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 201
Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 188
Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 141
Mrs. Morris, 4th Grade: 125
Mrs. Kalinski, 5th Grade: 121
Mrs. Kober, 1st Grade: 114
Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 108
Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 107
Mrs. Geary, 4th Grade: 104
Mr. Runyan, 5th Grade: 98
Mrs. Briggs, 4th Grade: 93
Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 89
Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 85
Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 79
Mrs. Jackson, 4th Grade: 71
Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 51
Miss Allen, PM Kindergarten: 51
Mrs. Haycock, 5th Grade: 40
Mrs. Eldredge, Preschool: 33
Mr. Thie, 5th Grade: 25
Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 9

Clip Box Tops for Final School Year Contest

The final Box Tops contest of the school year is underway. The classroom that turns in the most Box Tops for Education by Friday, April 13, will win a special spring surprise and the coveted Box Tops trophy.

The current tallies are:

• Mrs. Watkins, 3rd Grade: 140
• Mrs. Kober, 1st Grade: 114
• Mrs. Kearns, Tuition Kindergarten: 108
• Mrs. Croft, 1st Grade: 107
• Mr. Burrell, 3rd Grade: 95
• Mrs. Briggs, 4th Grade: 93
• Mrs. Howard, 1st Grade: 82
• Mrs. Jackson, 4th Grade: 71
• Ms. McKay, 1st Grade: 64
• Mrs. Maw, 2nd Grade: 64
• Miss Allen, PM Kindergarten: 51
• Ms. Jayne, 3rd Grade: 51
• Mr. Runyan, 5th Grade: 45
• Mrs. Haycock, 5th Grade: 40
• Mrs. Davison, 2nd Grade: 33
• Mrs. Eldredge, Preschool: 33
• Mr. Hawkins, 3rd Grade: 9
• Mrs. Arevalo, 2nd Grade: 6
• Mrs. Geary, 4th Grade: 1

Box Tops will be picked up from classrooms this Friday, and the bulletin board outside of the cafeteria will be updated before the final pickup on April 13, so be sure to stop by and check out how your class is doing. Each Box Top is worth 10 cents and can add up for Discovery teachers, so check your pantry and get clipping!

Bop Til You Drop at the Discovery Sock Hop

Get your saddle shoes ready for Discovery PTA's sock hop from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 6.

The event is free to attend for all Discovery families and friends, and students must have an adult present. Meridian Police Department's Kirk York, Discovery's resource officer, will be spinning tunes all night long. Students and staff can show their talent in a hula hoop contest at 7 p.m. and a limbo contest at 7:30 p.m., with prizes awarded to the winners. And to remember the night, snap your picture at the photo wall. Get dressed up or wear your regular clothes; '50s attire is optional.

Come hungry, and eat at the Discovery Diner. Get a hot dog, chips, and soda or water for $4. Popcorn, cotton candy, soda, water, and retro candy also will be available for purchase. All of the food proceeds will go toward installation of the new playground equipment on the intermediate side and spring activities. A big thank you to RC Willey for donating the hot dogs and to WinCo and Costco for gift cards for other supplies.

The PTA also is looking for help with setup, food sales, and cleanup. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4faca729a1f85-discovery.

We hope you come shake, rattle, and roll with other Discovery families this Friday night!