PTA February/March News Updates

Mon, 02/18/2019 - 5:57pm

Box Tops Update (updated on 3/1/19) 

Please consider taking a few minutes to enter online contests at www.btfe.com – there are two contests right now ranging from $500 to $1,000 in prizes for schools. Let’s try to win even more for FRES! Thank you so much to second grader Noelle Warner’s family for winning $2,000 for FRES via a Weis Markets Box Tops for Education online contest in January. The Warner family has shown us that it is possible to win! A FRES spring Box Tops contest will be announced soon, due on 4/30/19. Please keep turning in Box Tops; any submitted after the last contest in October will be counted toward the spring contest. A collection sheet recently went home; you can also submit via baggies or envelopes with child’s name, grade, and teacher’s name. And if you earn Box Tops via the Box Tops app, please email psulauren@yahoo.com so we can make note for contests. Thank you for your support!

Culture Fest

What an amazing event!! The PTA's Culture Fest Committee (a collaboration between the PTA and FRES administrators and teachers) worked for months to plan this fantastic event last Friday evening. We had 28 different countries being represented by over 40 families sharing their cultures through food, music, and activities with our FRES community filling up the cafeteria!

Our very own media teacher Mrs. Edmondson emceed! Students were given passports and collected “stamps” as they learned about different countries and cultures for an opportunity to earn a homework pass. There were fun crafts, including making Dia de Muertos masks, and activities, such as henna decorations!

We closed the evening in the gym with a Diversity Fashion Parade for all children to participate in, with the song “We are the World” highlighting our both our diversity and unity.

We were fortunate to have special guests, Area Superintendent Marcy Leonard, Board of Education Member Jen Mallo, Board of Education Member Sabina Taj, and District 3 Councilwoman Christiana Rigby’s District Aide Felix Facchine, making time to meet our wonderful FRES community! We’ve made quite an impression on them all!

Thank you to all the families who contributed and donated, FRES staff and administrators for constant help, and all the volunteers for their time! Special thanks to Meara Hartzer who worked especially hard to help pull off the evening. Looking forward to next year’s Culture Fest!

 

Cinnabon

We will be selling packs of 6 Cinnabons for $15 each. Place your pre-order between February 25th and March 15th. All orders and money will be due the 15th of March. Checks should be payable to FRES PTA. Contact Jessica at fundraising@frespta.org or 443-370-4823. You will be able to pick up your Cinnabons March 18th after school.

Watch Dogs

Calling all dads, grandfathers, uncles, older brothers, or other male role models! The Watch DOGS committee will be hosting a "Dad and Child ice cream social" Feb 27 from 6:30-7:30. Children and their dads or male role models are invited to attend. This is a celebration of dads who have already served and an information session for those who are interested and want to learn more. There will be a quick training, an opportunity for more sign ups and t-shirts will be sold/ordered. Mark your calendars and hope to see you then.

Variety Show

The show date is scheduled for Thursday, March 14!

 

Have You Joined the PTA?

There’s still time to join the PTA! PTA membership is annual and needs to be renewed each year, so don't forget to sign up again. You can join online at http://www.frespta.org/membership/. Or, you can visit our membership page to download a paper form, complete it and return it to school with a check or cash. Membership is tax deductible!

 

Box Tops

Box Tops Check and Upcoming Spring Contest In December, FRES received a check for $1,065.70 from Box Tops for Education for all of the Box Tops submitted in 2018. These funds will be used directly by the school (not a PTA fundraiser). Please keep clipping! We will have a spring contest, to be announced next month, including another collection sheet. You can also help FRES by “e-clipping” via the Box Tops app! Download the app, see the deals offered, take a photo of your receipt after purchase...and FRES can score big $! If you do this, please submit a note in with your traditional Box Tops (with your child’s name, grade, and teacher) listing how many you earned on the app so we can include the e-total in our spring contest! Or drop a note to psulauren@yahoo.com. Thank you for your support!

Don’t forget Harris Teeter - Grocery Rewards!

FRES participates in Harris Teeter’s Together in Education program to help raise funds for our school. It’s easy and it’s FREE. Simply give the cashier our code, 7900, and your VIC card when you check out, and your card will be linked for the entire school year. That’s it! You only have to link your VIC card once each school year. Once your card is linked, FRES will receive percentage of your Harris Teeter brand (Harris Teeter, H.T. Traders, Harris Teeter Organics, HT Farmers Market, and purchases in the HT Pharmacy) purchases credited back to our account. This program does not interfere with your VIC savings or cost you any money! Please link your VIC card to our account code next time you are shopping at Harris Teeter if you haven't already done so this school year! Thank you for your support.

 

Coca-Cola Rewards

My Coke Rewards for Schools program will donate cash to FRES for Coke points, found inside cartons of 12 packs and on the lids of bottles of Coke products. You can enter codes yourself and donated to Forest Ridge at https://us.coca-cola.com/give/ or you can send them in to the school and we will enter it for you. Thank you for your support.