Chesterbrook PTA Friday Digest

The Friday Digest National PTA Logo

Pertinent Points for the Week Ahead
from the Chesterbrook PTA

Vol.2, No.4

September 17, 2010

I hope everyone is settling in to the school routine and sorting out all those new schedules. Don't forget Back to School Night next Tuesday. The specialists will be available in their rooms beginning at 6:30. Please come back to the gym at 7 for the schoolwide program. PTA Bylaws require a general membership vote on the audit report and budget. You can review the budget on our website and ask me any questions prior to the meeting.

Again, we are asking every family to please update their website accounts with their current teachers. This saves a substantial amount of time and work in preparing the Family Directory. Visit www.chesterbrook.org to do so: click on My Account on the left, then Edit along the top, then click on Child 1, etc., for each child, then select the new teacher from the menu. Don't forget to click Save!

There is lots to do at the beginning of the year -- read below for other important news and to-dos.

See you at Back to School Night,
Laurie Plishker
PTA President

To Do This Week

Register for After School Programs

The PTA offers after school art, chess, drama, FLEX foreign language, Girls on the Run (GOTR), and yoga. Registration is open. Note that Yoga for K-2 and Chess Club are full; waitlists are available on the website. For more information on each program, please visit our website. There are links to the flyers that were included in the Back to School Folders.

The Girls on the Run lottery registration is run through the GOTR organization and will begin Saturday, September 18 at www.gotrnova.org.

Sell Great American!

You received information about our new catalog fundraiser this fall, Great American, in your Thursday envelopes. Don't forget to fill our your postcards and bring back to school on Monday. And start showing your families the wide variety of items in the catalogs. All orders, online and paper, are due September 29.Thanks to Judy Williams for getting us started!

Order Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5, The Ugly Truth

For those of you with Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans, you'll be happy to hear that the fifth book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid #5: The Ugly Truth, will be releasing on November 9. But you won't need to race around town to track down a copy. All you have to do is pre-order your copy now, and it will be hand-delivered to your child at school on November 9. Proceeds from the sale will provide needed funds to enhance our school library.

Wimpy Kid

If you would like to place a pre-order, please fill out the form and return it with a check to your child's teacher by October 14, 2010. All the previous Wimpy Kid titles will be available at Chesterbrook's Book Fair October 25 - November 1. Mark your calendars!

Register for Website Account and Join PTA

Please log-in to our and update your account with any contact information changes and your new teachers. If you do not have an account yet, visit the PTA website to create one. Profile information forms the basis of the paper directory as well, and having it accurate now means the directory can be produced and distributed even earlier!

Then go to Chipmunk Avenue on the PTA website to pay your dues (you can do this in the same order as when you buy school supply kits). Why? Members get a free Family Directory (nonmember price is $8) and are already supporting our many enrichment programs the PTA delivers! Last year we achieved 100% percent membership -- let's try to match it.

Work on Reflections Entry Reflections logo

A flyer went out in this week's Thursday Envelope about the PTA Reflections Program, a student competition in the areas of photography, literature, visual arts, musical composition, dance choreography and film/video production. All Chesterbrook ES students who submit a Reflections Program entry will receive recognition for their work. For more information, contact Kristin Cabral. Thanks Kristin for organizing our Reflections program this year!

(Re)Designate Grocery Cards

We must associate grocery loyalty rewards cards annually. These programs give money directly to Chesterbrook -- without going through the PTA -- based on the amount of revenue generated from customers who have redesignated their rewards card to Chesterbrook ES. There are a number of September bonuses for early sign-ups, so follow the link to redesignate your Giant, Safeway, and Harris Teeter cards HERE.

In addition, Chesterbrook recently received a check from Target for over $500 due to just 18 families' use of Target cards. Thanks to those familes! Since its inception we've received nearly $5000! Click here to learn more about Target's program and to sign up for a Visa or check card with Target.

Re-Load MyLunchMoney.com

Have you ever seen this sticker? When your child comes home with one, it means his or her lunch account is running low. You can avoid this by signing up with mylunchmoney.com and setting an automatic reload point. For a small fee, they will reload the lunch account in any amount. Through the website, you can also review what your child has purchased in the past week. You can sign up even if you have already paid in the cafeteria--it will just get added to your child's account. Note: if a student forgets a lunch and has no money in his or her account, the cafeteria staff put the lunch on the PTA account and the family is notified to reimburse the PTA.

Donate Gently Used School Supplies for the Needy

And since you've bought new school supplies, perhaps you have some gently used (or even new) supplies you don't need. Once again, Ann-Marie Turnage is collecting supplies to be sent to needy families in Nicaragua through the Peaceworks Foundation. Please tear out any used notebook pages and place school all supplies in the marked box outside the library. Contact Ann-Marie with questions.

Did You Know?

Did you know that Fairfax County made a number of changes to the foods and beverages offered in the cafeteria?

Expansion of the selection of fresh fruits and vegetables and provide seasonal, locally-grown produce.
Expansion of current whole-grain bread and cereal options to include whole-grain pretzels and bagels.
Increase in options for beans and other fiber-rich foods by adding garbanzo and black beans to chef salad recipes and making the hummus biteable a daily option.
Continue to work to reduce added sugar and sodium. Table salt will no longer be available and no salt is added in food production.
While FCPS had requested elimination of high-fructose corn syrup in chocolate milk, the dairy providing milk to the school system was unable to do so. As a result, chocolate milk will not be offered in elementary schools this year.

See the FCPS Press Release. In the coming months the PTA's newly expanded Health, Safety, Wellness, and Nutrition Committee will be adding new focus to these issues in our school.

Looking Ahead

September 20 September 21, 7 pm September 29 October 7 October 14 October 15	Great American Reach Out Booklet due Back to School Night Great American online and paper orders due Fall Picture Day Wimpy Kid orders due Reflections submissions due