Wizard Words
Monthly PTA Newsletter,March '24 Edition
Volunteer Spotlight
Thank you, Lindsay McCall !!
Last month Shining Star Fundraiser sponsored awesome cultural performance "Sankofa: The History of African- American music " and the Math and Science Night. This month's volunteer spotlight is the one who leads Shining Star Fundraiser every year - Ms. Lindsay McCall!!
Lindsay is also a WES Alumni and has two kids, Bailey (6th grade - WES alumni) and Miles (4th grade at WES). As a Cary native, she and her husband Cameron, have seen the area change a lot but the one thing that has remained the same, she says, is Washington and its stellar reputation. In her own words, " As we heard at the 100-year celebration recently, Washington has a rich history and has always been known as a safe, diverse learning environment."
Here's Lindsay presenting her volunteering experience at WES.
"I always thought as a working parent, I wouldn't have time to be part of the PTA. But a previous PTA president, who also had a full-time job, convinced me otherwise 😀. I chose to be part of Shining Star because I like the concept of a straightforward fundraiser that puts the donations directly back into Washington. It's so fun to see the kids proudly bring in their bag of coins to contribute (every little bit counts!) and seeing Mrs. Burnette with blue hair is a cool bonus! Washington holds a special place in my heart, and I am glad I have the opportunity to give back to this community.
Aside from Shining Star, I really love helping out with field day. It's such a fun day and it reminds me of my field days as a Washington student. Seeing my kids and their friends playing the games and enjoying the last few days of school is really nice. It's nice to see that the parachute is still the favorite station! :-)
My advice to new families/volunteers - Get Involved! It's so easy and there is such a variety of things to do. Everyone's skills and contributions are appreciated. It's a great way to stay informed of what's happening in your kids' life and be able to spend time with them. The Washington family is so special, and we feel so grateful to be part of it. "
Thank you for everything you did and continue to do for our school and students! If it were not for your diligent efforts in hosting and managing our only fundraiser year after year, we would not be able to host splendid events like - Math & Science Night, Teachers Appreciation Day, United Arts Council's Cultural Performances, Arts & Letters Night and the list goes on and on!!
PTA President's Message
Hello WashinGTon Families!
As we head into Spring, I am reminded of the growth and blossoming of flowers, just like our students have been growing all year! Math & Science Night was a huge success, and it was amazing to see so many students outside with their egg drop contraptions. Their creativity and hard work are a testament to all the wonderful gifts and talents at WES.
Math & Science Night is another PTA sponsored event that is funded through Shining Star Dollars and assisted by parent volunteers. We also brought more community partners back after Covid, like the NC State University Rocketry Club, to continue building our Washington community. We are slowly, but surely, building back our volunteers and programs. I share a big THANK YOU to all that helped to make this event, and others, a success.
As our school year begins to wind down, we will be thinking about the PTA budget and priorities for next year. If you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our email: wesGTpta@gmail.com. We look forward (and are excited!) to hear from you!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
Last but not the least - Happy Ramadan Kareem, Happy Holi and Happy Easter to all celebrating. We are proud to be part of a diverse community!
Sincerely,
Kim
Washington GT PTA Events -Spring Edition
Spirit Night at United Skates
WES PTA collaborated with United Skates and will be hosting a semiprivate event during their public skate session on Friday, April 12th from 6:00 PM -8:30 PM.
Guests need to let them know that they are from Washington to get discounted tickets.
Dressing up in Washington TShirts / Washington colors (Blue and Yellow) is preferred, not mandatory.
Friday, Apr 12, 2024, 06:00 PM
2901 Trawick Rd, Raleigh, NC 27604, USA
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
WES Celebrates Earth Day
Save the Date
Sunday, Apr 21, 2024, 08:00 AM
Are you a Wake County Registered Volunteer?
Field Day is coming !!!
We all love to volunteer for Field Day and our kids love to see us there!!
- To volunteer, make sure you are Registered with Wake County.
- Scroll down and click the button -"Parent and Community Volunteer Registration ". Wake County has streamlined and fastened the registration and approval process this year.
Health and Wellness Committee @WES
National Nutrition Month
March is national nutrition month! What better time to re-focus on healthy eating options and gaining more information on nutrition?! The Washington PTA’s Health and Wellness Committee is excited to promote nutrition for students! Here are 20 easy and nutritious snack options from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:
- Parfait: Layer vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt with fruit and dried cereal.
- Toast a whole grain waffle and top with yogurt and sliced fruit or smooth nut butter.
- Blend low-fat milk, frozen strawberries and a banana for thirty seconds for a delicious smoothie.
- Sandwich cut-outs: Make a sandwich on whole grain bread. Cut out your favorite shape using a big cookie cutter. Eat the fun shape and the edges, too!
- Mini-pizza: Toast a whole wheat English muffin, drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with low-fat mozzarella cheese.
- Frozen treats: Mix equal amounts of fat-free plain or flavored yogurt with 100% fruit juice, then pour into paper cups and freeze for a tasty treat.
- Quesadilla: Sprinkle shredded cheese over a corn or whole wheat tortilla; fold in half and microwave for twenty seconds. Top with salsa.
- Spread hummus on a tortilla. Top with a slice of turkey or ham, low-fat cheese and lettuce. Then roll it up.
- Stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with ricotta cheese and Granny Smith apple slices. Add a dash of cinnamon.
- Microwave a cup of tomato or vegetable soup and enjoy with whole grain crackers.
- Make a mini-sandwich with tuna or egg salad on a dinner roll.
- Microwave a small baked potato. Top with reduced-fat cheddar cheese and salsa.
- Spread celery sticks with smooth nut butter or low-fat cream cheese. Top with raisins. Enjoy your “ants on a log.”
- Dip slices of fruit or whole-grain graham crackers into low-fat vanilla pudding or yogurt.
- Inside-out sandwich: Spread mustard on a slice of deli turkey. Wrap around a sesame breadstick.
- Rocky road: Smear low-fat chocolate pudding on a whole grain graham cracker, then top with a marshmallow.
- Sprinkle cinnamon on unsweetened applesauce and enjoy with a whole grain graham cracker for a taste similar to apple pie.
- Make your own fruit roll-up by pureeing fruit and either baking it in the oven or by using a dehydrator.
- Bake homemade chewy granola bars using whole-grain oats and dried fruit.
- Whip up mini-muffins using healthy ingredients, like whole grain flours and pureed fruit.
Grade-Level Parent Initiative
The Grade-Level Parent initiative is up and running! Yayyy
Parent volunteers have been notified to contact teachers and to discuss teacher needs and how to help out! AIG teachers and special teachers will be included later this month.
Highlighted Moments from past events
Wake County PTA celebrates Reflections Arts Contestants
Reflections Art Contest WES Winners - Rida (Visual Arts), Nimishashree (Film Production) , Ava (Music Composition) and Sam (Film Production) also secured positions at County Level.
Wake County PTA celebrated all county winners on March 1st.
Here's Rida who has also won at the state level and will now be representing North Carolina state in the nationwide contest!
WES PTA Celebrates Valentines Day
PTA shared the love with WES teachers and students on Valentines Day. They brought teachers coffee & sweet treats to their rooms…And they also brought each child a little gift (not candy!) telling them how aWESome they are!
Math & Science Night
It was truly a splendid evening, buzzing with the fascination of mathematics and science! The corridors were vibrant with beaming smiles all around!!
Thanks to all parents, event volunteers and school staff who volunteered and helped us get to the finish line.
Call for Volunteers
Whether you can volunteer a couple hours at one event, have some flex time at home, or want to join a committee, we appreciate all of it. Volunteering opportunities are updated periodically on the PTA website. The quickest way to connect is to fill up the Volunteer Interest Form on our website or the one indicated below.