English Landing PTA News
March 2017
Chris's Corner
Welcome Spring! Well, at least the month that has Spring Break, 'spring'-ing ahead for Daylight Savings on March 12, and (hopefully) some more 'spring'-like weather like we have already experienced! At PTA, we will be 'spring'-ing into our activities this month as we head toward the end of our school year. First, I would like to take a moment and thank all the parents and staff for all three of our classroom parties for the grade levels this year. What wonderful times the students have had! And PTA could not do all of this without volunteers like you - who plan, donate time and supplies, and run our parties. We have a few more activities to be involved in this year, so don't hesitate to jump right in if you haven't (or had) had the opportunity to volunteer yet.
This month, we have our PTA meeting on Monday, March 6 at 11am in the Flexible Classroom. We will be conducting some important business in this meeting - voting in our Executive Board for next year and approving our PTA By-Laws, as is required every 3 years. We also have to opportunity to hear from our superintendent, Dr. Jeanette Cowherd, about the No Tax Increase Bond Issue present on the April 4 ballot. She has an in-depth presentation that is not to be missed! There will also be time for her to answer questions that you have concerning this issue. This is definitely a meeting you won't want to miss! Go here http://englishlanding.parkhill.k12.mo.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=551269&pageId=28381052 to learn more.
Still to come are our PTA Science Fair, STEM Family Night, and Staff Appreciation Week. Look for more information to come soon on these activities. We also have several committee chairperson positions that will be available for next year. If you are interested in becoming more involved, please let me know. And, of course, you won't want to miss the Tenth Annual English Landing Student and Staff Basketball Game on Thursday, March 16 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm in the Lakeview Middle School gym. This is a fun night for everyone! Come to check out our staff and students showing off their shooting prowess as well as support a great cause by participating in the Silent Auction and Grade Level Flat-Bid Items. Details can be found at: http://englishlanding.parkhill.k12.mo.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=551269&pageId=28553699.
Have a great month!
Chris Albani
PTA President
Next PTA Meeting
Monday, Mar 6, 2017, 11:00 AM
English Landing Flex Classroom
Staff Wish Tree
The English Landing PTA is asking our Eagle families to help our English Landing teachers stock up for spring with the essential items and supplies they need in their classrooms between now and the end of the school year.
Participation is easy. Each grade-level classroom, specials teacher and other EL staff have created wish lists with the items they need the most. Just scroll through the list below to find your child's teacher and choose the items you would like to donate. Items can be brought to the classroom directly by your child or can be brought to the office labeled for the teacher they are intended for. We are asking that all items be donated by Friday, March 10th.
Don't forget to check out the lists from the specials teachers, counselors, office staff and other important EL members that your child sees every week, too.
Thank you, in advance, for your generosity.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090F44A5AD2EA3F49-english1
For more information, contact Angela Ensminger at angelaensminger@gmail.com
Science Fair - April 5th
For more information, all things science fair can be found at: www.englishlanding.oursciencefair.com
A MINION Reason to Love Volunteering at the EL Science Fair - April 5th
Our science fair cannot exist without the help of volunteers. Please consider sharing an hour (or even 30 minutes!) of your time to judge projects on Wednesday, April 5. Each project you judge will be judged by at least two other judges, so, not only is it easy and fun, but it is also NO pressure! Come, see some great projects, and discover a MINION reasons to love science!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409054FA4AD2DA75-aminion
For more information, contact Shawna Mazeitis at mazeitis@gmail.com or Jeanne Goodin at avocadonose@hotmail.com.
Staff Appreciation Week will be May 1-5
Staff Appreciation Week will be held the week of May 1-5. The theme will be Star Wars. Each grade level will be responsible for a meal during this week. Watch for a detailed email in April to sign up to donate food or a gift card so we can celebrate our STAR staff!
We are currently looking for Star Wars items for decorations, specifically the kid sized darth vader/storm trooper. If anyone has one we can borrow during the staff appreciation week or any other star wars item, please email Carolyn Arnold at tigergrad00@yahoo.com or Amie Wilson at amie71408@gmail.com
If anyone would like to volunteer to help with staff appreciation, please email Carolyn or Amie.
Friendship Parties - Thank You!
"Thank You!" to everyone who helped with the Friendship Parties on February 14th.
These parties would not be possible without help and donations from parents like you. Thanks for everything you did to make this an enjoyable event for the kids. The parties were a big hit!
If you have any questions, please contact Susan Moore at susmoore28@gmail.com.
Repeated (But Important!) Information
No Tax Increase Bond Issue (April 4, 2017)
No-Tax-Increase Bond Issue:
Schools in the Park Hill School District are getting crowded.
Many families move to our community just to send their children to our schools, and this means we need to keep up with our growing enrollment.
For several years, we have been planning ahead to deal with this growth. We got feedback from the community, including students, staff and parents, to help the Park Hill Board of Education develop an enrollment-based long-range facility plan. The community told us that it was important to have enough classroom space in our schools, to maintain our existing buildings, to keep class sizes low and to have simple feeder patterns.
The long-range facility plan we created with all this feedback has enrollment targets. Since our enrollment continues to grow and hit those targets, we installed mobile classrooms at several schools this year. However, our community told us they do not want us to use these as long-term solutions to our crowding.
So, in keeping with the next step of our plan, as we hit our enrollment targets, the Board of Education decided to place a no-tax-increase bond issue question on the April 4, 2017 ballot. Voters will decide whether to take on an additional $110 million in debt to pay for facilities to accommodate our growth, including
- A new elementary school
- A new middle school
- A high school innovation studio
- A district warehouse and support services facility to support our classrooms and maintain our facilities
- Improvements to existing facilities
If economic conditions leave enough proceeds from the bond issue, we would also
- Build a transportation center, which could save us money on busing
- Pay for maintenance projects in our existing facilities
It is possible to pay for these projects with no tax increase because of our Board’s careful money management and good financial stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Thanks to good financial management by the district, Park Hill is in a position to ask for a bond without raising taxes. This is a result of aggressively paying off existing debts and refinancing for better rates. Local commercial and residential growth has also helped by expanding the local tax base. Because of these factors, we have room in our state-set debt limit to take on additional debt with no tax increase. We will continue to carefully monitor our debt and interest rates in order to save taxpayer dollars.
Thanks to their conservative budgeting, we have enough room in our debt service levy to issue bonds to cover the cost of these new schools and projects with no tax increase.
For more information about Park Hill’s no-tax-increase bond issue, please visit the district’s website at http://www.parkhill.k12.mo.us/.
Paid for by the Park Hill School District – Superintendent Dr. Jeanette Cowherd
Variety Show
Variety show act previews will be held Wednesday, April 5th and Friday, April 7th from 1:15pm-3:15pm in the English Landing lunchroom. Dress rehearsal will be Thursday, April 20th, from 4pm-6pm in the Park Hill South theater.
For more information, contact Sheri Thomson at sthomson3@kc.rr.com.
Upcoming Popcorn Fridays
For more information, contact Kathleen Threadgill at kathleendt@att.net.
Invitation for 5th Grade Parents to Attend Plaza Middle School PTA Meeting
BoxTops for Education
Keep clipping those BoxTops! We are always collecting BoxTops, which can be turned into funds for our school. Did you know about the Box Tops for Education Bonus App? You can find more information about the bonus app here: http://boxtops4education.com/bonusapp
For questions about BoxTops, please contact Lilah Hall at lilah.hall2011@yahoo.com.
Join PTA
Click here for the membership form, or contact Brandy Colson at brandy@blcolson.com or Shawna Mazeitis at mazeitis@gmail.com for more information.
PTA Reimbursement Forms
English Landing PTA Executive Board 2016-2017
President
Chris Albani - christinealbani@sbcglobal.net
Vice-President Membership
Brandy Colson - brandy@blcolson.com
Shawna Mazeitis - mazeitis@gmail.com
Vice-President Volunteers
Kathleen Threadgill - kathleendt@att.net
Vice-President Fundraising
Lisa Darnell - darnellx3@yahoo.com
Treasurer
Ginger Gimple - thegimples@hotmail.com
Recording/Corresponding Secretary
Theresa Fitzpatrick - theresa.fitzpatrick@gmail.com
Principal
Kerry Roe - roek@parkhill.k12.mo.us
PTA Committee Chairs/Leaders
Book Fair: Brooke Crosby - brooke.crosby@hotmail.com
Box Tops: Lilah Hall - lilah.hall2011@yahoo.com
Clothing Center: Nicole Francis - nfrancis7913@gmail.com
Family Fun Night:
Lauren Jeppson - lpjeppson@gmail.com
Julie Durant
FEED: Sarah Andrews - sandrews9@mac.com
Hospitality:
Amy Anderson - amyanderson5@gmail.com
Cassidy Nelson - cassidy13.mcbride@gmail.com
Popcorn Friday: Kathleen Threadgill - kathleendt@att.net
Reflections: Jessica Johnson - jessi.rose.johnson@gmail.com
Room Parties: Susan Moore - susmoore28@gmail.com
School Supplies: Katie Burgess - katieeburgess@gmail.com
Science Fair Co-Chairs:
Jeanne Goodin - avocadonose@hotmail.com
Shawna Mazeitis - mazeitis@gmail.com
Staff Appreciation Week Co-Chairs:
Carolyn Arnold - tigergrad00@yahoo.com
Amie Wilson - amie71408@gmail.com
Student Directory: Crista Cochran - cristacochran@gmail.com
Teacher Wish Tree: Angela Ensminger - angelaensminger@gmail.com
Variety Show: Sherri Thomson - sthomson3@kc.rr.com
Yearbook Co-Chairs:
Scott Taylor - stayloris@mac.com
Kathleen Threadgill - kathleendt@att.net
If you are interested in leading an open committee please contact Chris Albani at christinealbani@sbcglobal.net or Kathleen Threadgill at kathleendt@att.net.
We Love Our Business Members
Ottis Family Chiropractic - Dr. Jason Ottis
Haven 360 - Abbey Thomas, Vice President
Rivalry Run - Abbey Thomas
Water Street Family Counseling - Heidi Tolnai
Edward Jones - Erica Gabrick
Keller Williams - Kate Payne
Seymour Insights - Brent Seymour
DiPasquale and Moore - Jason B. Moore
Platte Valley Bank
Keen Wealth Advisors - Bill Keen
Please be sure to thank these business members for supporting our English Landing Eagles!