Chesterbrook PTA Friday Digest

The Friday Digest National PTA Logo

Pertinent Points for the Week Ahead
from the Chesterbrook PTA

Vol.2, No.15

January 14, 2011

A few thank yous to start:

Julia Nelson and the entire auction team have been working hard to get our biggest fundraiser off the ground. We're a little down in donations from last year. See below for how you can help.
Trisha Downey and Kim Johnson have planned some exciting updates and changes to our Fun Fair event March 12, including some new food options and whole area for younger kids. Look for details coming soon.
Dana Renz has been working tirelessly on our new PTA website. We expect the rollout in February...just in time for SummerQuest registration.

There's a rumor afoot that in addition to improvements to our outdoor track, the PTA can also contribute to the upgrade of our gym floor (and if your kids have been sliding around on it during basketball like mine have, you'll know why!). It's all true! These improvements increase our overall fundraising efforts. We are hoping to share the costs with other groups that use the gym. There is alot going on in the coming weeks, and it's not all fundraising, so let's get right to it...

To Do This Week

Make a Yummy Lunch

Whole Foods of Tysons will be hosting a demonstration for Chesterbrook
parents/kids on Thursday, January 20 at 5 pm and again at 6:30 pm. Chef Matt Finarelli, a local & organic chef will present creative and tasty lunchbox ideas that will appeal to kids and the busy parents who feed them. Chef Matt will show you how to make some of his biggest lunchbox hits in a fun and kid-friendly way, and he will make sure samples are available to taste. We'll have recipe handouts too!

ON THE MENU:
-Farfalle Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Peppers and Mozzarella
-Homemade Hummus and Buttermilk Ranch Dressing with Veggie Dippers
-Fruit and Yogurt Dipping Sauce with Fresh Fruit Dippers
-Black Bean and Rice Tortilla Wraps

This event is free and very popular, so we are holding two sessions - the first at 5:00 PM is already oversubscribed, but the second at 6:30 PM is open for sign-ups. Whole Foods al-la-carte buffet dinner available for purchase afterwards.

To sign-up please email Claire.Montaut@WholeFoods.com, or feel free to call Claire at 703-448-1600. For more information, see our beautiful flyer that the folks at Whole Foods helped produce. See you at Whole Foods Tysons at 7511 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church.

Support Full Day Kindergarten

Over the last 2 months a groundswell of support has grown for implementing full day kindergarten in the remaining 37 schools (of 139 elementary schools) in Fairfax County. Fairfax for Full Day Kindergarten--comprising parents, administrators, and teachers--has a website, Facebook page, has met with School Board members and County Supervisors, has secured major press coverage for an informational summit next week, and has even ensured a bill will be introduced in the Virginia legislature. These people mean business! Please contact Jennifer Barrett or Nancy Trainer for more information or to get involved. You can still:

Sign up to speak at the Budget hearing on Jan 24, or at least come to show support.
Attend the informational summit "Full Day Kindergarten for Everyone: Equity in Education" on January 18, 7 pm at the City of Fairfax Library, 10360 North Street, Fairfax, 22030
Sign the petition.

Sign Up for Before- and After-School Activities

Sign-ups for before- and after-school activities began before the break and are still open on the PTA website afterschool activities page. The following classes are still available:

Art Outreach, grades K-6, Mondays, 2:05 pm, 1/24 - 5/2, $190.
Beginning Drama, grades 3-6, Mondays, 1 - 2 pm, 1/24 - 5/2, $83.
Fitness Warriors, grades 3-4, Wednesdays, 7:30 - 8:15 am, 1/19 - 3/23, $68.
Yoga, grades 3-6, Thursdays, 3:25 - 4:25 pm, 1/13 - 3/17, $110.

Note that yoga has begun, but you can still participate in the grades 3-6 class (K-2 is full)! Also, Fitness Warriors begins this coming week--you won't want to miss out on any of it!

We have changed our Emergency Form procedures. Please complete this Emergency Form and submit to the school office prior to the first day of class. Submission of the form does not constitute enrollment.