Young@Heart, September 2, 2018
Dear O.C. Taylor Parents,
Congratulations to our fabulous PTA on their recent award (see below). If you have not yet joined our OCT PTA, please do so now by going to joinPTA.org. We want to beat last year's numbers! Ask grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends to join as well! We would not be the BEST school we are without our PTA support.
This is a LONG Tiger Time News. We are sharing many of our processes to help you and our school function efficiently. Please take time to read and follow our systems. Take note especially of our School Car Line Etiquette Procedures, as this daily parental task is one that seems to incite the most frustration. You can help all of us by following the campus plan.
To the BEST of days,
Principal Young
Stay Connected at O. C. Taylor Elementary School
We have a number of ways to keep in touch with our school. Be sure to read, subscribe to and join these resources to get all the latest news.
Facebook: If you’re a Facebook member be sure to join the O.C. Taylor Elementary Facebook Group to get updates in your feed. This group is meant to provide another way to get news and updates.
Website: The school’s website has the latest news, updates, and calendars, as well as general information about the school, resources for parents, volunteer opportunity information, event information and ways to donate.
Twitter: We regularly post events and upcoming news on Twitter. Follow me on Twitter: @OCTYoung and follow our hashtag #OCT4U.
Volunteer Background Check Required Each Year
Please read the PTA section about volunteering at the bottom of this newsletter. We sincerely appreciate the investment of your time as a volunteer! Whether it is just volunteering with your child's classroom, our field day, or in any capacity in connection with our partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters, you must complete the following Volunteer Background Authorization form online. Click here to see the district website.
For the protection of students and staff, all volunteer applicants must read the Volunteer Handbook and are asked to complete the online form authorizing the district to obtain a criminal history background check. All volunteers are required to reapply each year.
To avoid a delay in processing your online volunteer background check application, note the most common volunteer errors when completing the form:
- not using the proper date format of mm/dd/yyyy
Incorrect Date of Birth: 11-3-70
Correct Date of Birth: 11/03/1970 - if providing a maiden name, it should not be hyphenated
Incorrect Maiden Name: Smith-Garcia
Correct Last Name: Garcia
Correct Maiden Name: Smith - if providing a maiden name, it should not include first name in the same text box
Incorrect Maiden Name: Jennifer Farris Stevens
Correct First Name: Jennifer
Correct Last Name: Stevens
Correct Maiden Name: Farris
The school district pays for the actual background check. Due to the large number of applicants, we will not notify you of your volunteer status. To get your status, check with your school office for this information before you volunteer.
Picking Up Your Child Early
If you find a need to pick up your child from school before the 2:55 dismissal time, please note students will not be released for early sign out after 2:30 p.m. unless there is an emergency. Please make arrangements to pick your child up prior to 2:30 p.m. if necessary.
Curriculum Night Presentation
Join the PTA!
Thank you to all our parents and staff that joined the PTA already! We truly appreciate your support!
If you did not join the PTA at Meet the Teacher, we encourage you to do so. The annual dues are only $7.50 per membership. That's the lowest price in town for PTA memberships and its the BEST, in my opinion! Membership in the PTA allows you to improve the education and opportunities for our students. When you join the PTA, you become a member of the Texas PTA and you will receive a copy of our 2018-2019 Paw Prints student directory! This valuable directory contains classroom lists, phone numbers, addresses and other vital information you will use all year! To join the PTA its so simple, visit http://www.joinPTA.org.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Liz Payne- VP Memberships scottlizpayne@yahoo.com
Walk to School Day Friday September 7
Please Join Us for our first Walk/Bike to school day On Friday, September the 7th to show our support for a greener environment and a healthier body by encouraging students, parents and teachers to walk to school wherever possible.
Need a safe route to walk to school? Meet up with the “walking school bus” Adult Volunteers will be present to walk with the students as a group. Drop off at 7:10 am and departure is at 7:20 am. We have 2 locations:
1. Compass Center parking lot (southeast corner of Hall Johnson and Pool Rd.)
2. Colleyville Senior Center Parking lot (2512 Glade Road)
Questions? Want To volunteer? Please contact Florencia Razeto for more information.
(469) 618-9695
O.C. Taylor PTA Invites You to Support GRACE!
Hello O.C. Taylor Families:
My name is Dawn Hall and I will be your Community Service Liaison this year for the PTA. We have several wonderful community projects for our 2018-2019 school year to help serve those in need. Out first project and one that is ongoing throughout the school year will be the GRACE FOOD DRIVE.
GRACE is a non-profit relief agency that provides food, clothing, and other emergency assistance to people who are in need. GRACE demonstrates compassion for those less fortunate by providing assistance to families in crisis and offering guidance towards self sufficiency. Did you know that GRACE serves close to 700 families each month? In fact, most of their clients have young children, as do we, so it is easy to imagine how important our donations are to these families.
In the past, O.C. Taylor has donated cereal boxes to help stock their pantry; however, this year we will be donating a variety of different items that are needed the most. Each month, we will assign a different grade level an item or two and ask them for donations. Donation baskets will be in the hallway just outside the classroom doors. It is our goal to collect at least one item for every student in that grade. The Grade that comes closest to or succeeds meeting this goal will receive a special treat at the end of the school year.
SEPTEMBER is: FIFTH GRADE
ITEMS IN NEED: Canned Tuna and/or Mayonnaise
Collection baskets will be outside the 5th Grade Classrooms beginning September 4th for the duration of the month. Please consider picking up an extra can of tuna and some mayo on your next grocery store visit. Thank you for your help and support in serving our community! Questions? Concerns?
Please contact: Dawn Hall at ddahall74@gmail.com
OCT Dads' Club
Dads, come join us for another exciting year!
Important Dates for Dads Club:
Thursday, September 27th - Dads Club meeting and social
Saturday, September 29th - Dads Club Golf Tournament.
Sign up for the Dads Club email list here. Like Our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @OCTDadsClub
Homeroom Parents Needed
Homeroom Parents Needed
All Homeroom Parent Forms are due Wednesday, September 5th. If multiple volunteers from the same class are received, a random drawing will happen on Thursday September 6th to determine the HRPs. You will be notified via email. Our HRP orientation will be Monday, September 10th at 9:30 am at OCT.
Please follow this LINK to the Homeroom Parent Form.
Many volunteers are still needed!
Thank you!
Allison Wendler
HRP Coordinator
REFLECTIONS 2018 - 2019
Students! Parents! Teachers! Reflections is a PTA-sponsored program encouraging creativity, ingenuity, and artistic expression!
Deadline for your submissions: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 3 pm.
For now, think about how to incorporate this theme, Heroes Around Me, into your artistic submission. Your art must be done 100% by the student, and one family member of each student must be a member of our PTA---GREAT INCENTIVE TO JOIN PTA, Folks!
ART CATEGORIES & LINKS TO RULES:
General Rules English | Spanish
Dance Choreography English | Spanish
Film Production English | Spanish
Music Composition English | Spanish
Special Artist Rules English | Spanish
Link to TEXAS PTA REFLECTION'S PAGE: https://www.txpta.org/reflections-participation
I am also looking for a parent-volunteer or two to help collect art in late October.
THIS IS A FUN & EASY VOLUNTEER JOB!
WE HOPE YOUR PARTICIPATE! Last year, O.C. Taylor had (9) submissions, and 3 received Awards of Merit and were recognized by the Texas PTA in Austin! This year, let's DOUBLE THAT! PARTICIPATE! CREATE! AND REPRESENT YOUR SCHOOL.
You could have the chance of going to State or Nationals!
Questions? Concerns? Contact Laurie H. Ackermann, PTA Volunteer and OC Taylor Parent:Laurietamar@gmail.com
Box Tops and Amazon Smile
This year, we will be increasing donations to the OC Taylor PTA thru Box Tops for Education and Amazon Smile! It's a simple way to donate to our school! Here's how you can help:
#1 - Clip out Box Tops for Education and place them on the Box Top collection sheet or in a Ziploc bag. Be sure to place your child's grade level on the bag or collection sheet! We will be counting box tops for our Racing to Recess Challenge. The grade level with the highest level of Box Tops each semester will earn an extra recess and Popsicle party! Now thru September 10th, you can earn bonus Box Tops valued at $5 for our school by purchasing 5 Box Top items at Walmart and scanning your receipt with the Box Tops App! Currently 3rd and 4th grade are in the lead!
Become a Volunteer!
Thank you to everyone who has completed the volunteer interest form. We are excited to meet you and work with you this year! If your form got lost between school and home, please just email me that you are interested and I will e-mail you a form. PLEASE REMEMBER: In order to volunteer at the school, YOU MUST complete the steps below:
1) Complete the District's Volunteer Background Check Application for the 2018-2019 school year. Also, please read and sign the Volunteer Handbook included in the link as well. As a reminder, all volunteers are required to reapply each year.
2) Complete the PTA Committee Interest form so we can contact you when volunteer opportunities arise that you may be interested in.
3) If you are new to O.C. Taylor, or have not had the opportunity to volunteer in the past, you will need to attend one of our Volunteer Orientation sessions. These sessions will review the policies and procedures to follow when volunteering, and more information about the PTA at our school.
ORIENTATION WILL BE HELD:
Tuesday, Sept. 11th, 2018 – 9:00 AM (in Cafeteria)
Tuesday, Sept. 11th, 2018 – 6:30 PM (in Library)
I look forward to meeting you at one of these Volunteer Orientations. If you are unable to attend at these times, please contact me at JHBU99@aol.com
Sincerely,
Jill Tate
4th VP – Volunteer Coordinator
Jill Tate
