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Originally delivered on 10/24/2017 7:04 am

SUBJECT: Castle Courier Vol. 16, No. 6


 

Volume XVI, Issue 6 - October 24, 2017


We did it! Our first direct donation campaign was a huge success. Thank you to everyone who donated! Our budget is fully funded. In fact, we achieved our top goal and will be purchasing a Gaga Ball pit for our students to enjoy throughout the school year. I can’t thank you enough for your generosity.

One of the programs that benefits from our fundraiser is the PTA Faculty/Staff Grant program. We are in the process of reviewing requests from our teachers who apply for items/services to enhance the students learning experience. In the past, the PTA has granted requests for field trips, books for classroom libraries, ukuleles for music, and technology for running club, to name a few. Stay tuned for the award announcements in November.

This week is Red Ribbon week at the Castle. The theme for the week is “Your Future is Key: So Stay Drug Free.” We have a lot of fun activities planned intertwined with teaching students to make healthy decisions. Today, your student will be making a pledge to stay drug free. I encourage you to use the parent talking points and discuss what that means to them.

Finally, I want to thank each of you who took the time to take our survey for the National PTA School of Excellence award. We have a remarkable PTA. I am so proud to be a part of a community that truly is dedicated to empowering our children. Our Excellence committee will be reviewing the results of the survey and share our learnings with you soon. If you want to learn more about the award, please visit the National PTA page (https://www.pta.org/home/programs/National-PTA-School-of-Excellence) or contact me directly.

Don’t forget that this Friday (October 27) is an early release day. Enjoy this fall season! And as always, please reach out to me with any questions or suggestions.

Truly,
Nina Samuel
CHEPTA President 2017-19

CALENDAR AND UPCOMING EVENTS

October is National Principals Month
#ThankAPrincipal

 

Spirit Night @ PIE
Monday, November 6th
4pm-close

 



November PTA Meeting
Tuesday, November 14th
6:30pm

PROGRAMS AND REMINDERS

PTA Logo

WE NEED YOUR HELP!  We have extended the deadline for you to respond to the National PTA survey.  The new deadline is FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27. 

CHE PTA has applied for the distinction to be a National PTA School of Excellence, which grows partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of all students. However, we can not do it without your participation and feedback.  Please take 5 - 10 minutes to share your experience at the Castle.

Dragon Awards, sponsored by CHE PTA, is a program recognizing our students’ achievements. It encourages students to strive for excellence by motivating them to be involved in extra-curricular activities. Participation in such activities stimulates learning on a variety of levels. This program allows EVERY student to earn at least (1) recognition pin.

Throughout the school year your student will have an opportunity to participate in a variety of offerings, depending on their grade level. Students who successfully fulfill the requirements of each program will receive recognition for their participation.

At the end of the school year all of our students and parents are invited to attend a grade-level assembly. At this assembly, pins are given to the students in recognition of their achievements throughout the year. Students are encouraged to collect their pins to display on special recognition days.

A list of the programs that are included in the Dragon Awards, along with a brief description of each, can be found on our Dragons Awards webpage. Dragons Awards webpage.

Please contact Michelle Reeck at michellereeck@yahoo.com or 972-214-9815 or  with any questions regarding these programs.

 

Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week is happening now! See the daily activities schedule on our RRW webpage


 


 

Yearbook Title Page Contest

Don't forget to turn in your Yearbook Title Page entry! Entries must be submitted before Friday, 10/27 at 8am


 


        

The 8 Expectations hang prominently in Mrs. Rainwater’s 1st Grade Classroom

Through the Great Expectations program, CHE educators help our students achieve excellence and build character by guiding them to adhere to the 8 Expectations:

  1. We will value one another as unique and special individuals.
  2. We will not laugh at or make fun of a person's mistakes 
nor use sarcasm or putdowns.
  3. We will use good manners, saying "please," "thank you," 
and "excuse me" and allow others to go first.
  4. We will cheer each other to success.
  5. We will help one another whenever possible.
  6. We will recognize every effort and applaud it.
  7. We will encourage each other to do our best.
  8. We will practice virtuous living, using the Life Principles.

For more information on Great Expectations, please visit greatexpectations.org.

SERVICE AND SUPPORT

      

This year we were excited to try a different way of fundraising.  We listened to input from our wonderful parents and decided to try a no-nonsense way of raising money. I’m proud to say that it was a huge success.  We set some big goals and we crushed them because of all your generous donations and support.  We thank our students, our faculty, our volunteers, but most importantly we thank all the parents.

HERE’S A RECAP OF EVERYTHING WE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER:

Goal #1: $26,000 to fully fund our approved budget and allow the PTA to continue sponsoring programs such as Science Night, Family Game Night, Cultural Night, Reflections, Red Ribbon Week (Drug Awareness), Student Programs, Teacher Grants and others. 

Goal #2: $29,000 gave the Top Contributors from each grade permission to silly string Mrs. Taylor & Mr. Johnson!

Goal #3: $31,000 allowed the PTA to purchase a GaGa Ball Pit for the school!

Thanks to you we raised a grand total of $32,419! 

Congratulations to our first graders who won a popcorn party for having the highest participation. Ms. Taylor and Ms. Weaver's classes tied for closest to 100% participation!  Both first grade classes won an Ice Cream Sundae Party, which was so much fun!  

Two families tied for the “Top Contributor” award. They will be honored for their generous contributions with a new street sign outside of the school. The circle drive will be named for the Agarwal family from November 2017- February 2018 and for the Bright family (Stuart and Heidi), from March-June 2018.

We hope that everyone found this new approach to be less time consuming and less headaches than previous fundraising efforts. We must also emphasize that your donations given to this campaign have a much bigger impact on our PTA because 100% of the proceeds stays with our school.

Thanks again to everyone who made this an enjoyable and successful experience!

Holly Paniagua
“One-And-Done” Fundraiser Chairman

3rd Grade Study Hall

The 3rd grade teachers are trying something new and need our help at Study Hall during lunch. We will need 1 volunteer everyday to make this successful. Please volunteer!

 

HHS Silver Wings Parents' Night Out

Saturday, November 11 @ 6pm-9:30pm in the Hebron High School Gym.  Register at hebronsilverwings.org

 

Library Helpers Needed

Please sign up here if you can share some of your time to help shelving books in our school library.  The times are flexible, and you can come however long you're available.

THE FUN STUFF a.k.a. "Why We're All Here"

Kinder: Adam Kalman, 1st: Megan Nguyen, 2nd: Sloan Lawly,
3rd: Tessa Steele, 4th: Riley Bell, 5th: Jait Mukkamalla

  

Mr. Johnson and I would like to nominate Ms. Laura Sulak to be the Teacher of the Month for October. Ms. Sulak is new to “The Castle” this year and is starting our STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) program. Her enthusiasm and love in this area shows in her teaching, organization, and lesson development. Students are engaged, being creative, and problem solving real life situations while in her classroom. From marshmallow towers, Lego building challenges, boat building to solar ovens. Students are having FUN while learning and participating in these activities. She has also extended a hand to parents to help her create many of the activities. Ms. Sulak quickly and professionally jumped into creating a program for over 640 students. Thanks Ms. Sulak for being a great addition to the Castle Hills family. We appreciate you!

  1. My hero is my mom because she has been through so much and she is always there for me.
  2. If I could live anywhere, it would be on a sunny beach!
  3. Walt Disney World
  4. If I could change anything about myself, it would be to be more outgoing around others.
  5. It really makes me sad when students talk while I am talking!
  6. It motivates me to come to work every day and see all the smiling faces come into my classroom eager to learn.
  7. My favorite thing about my career is the ability to make a difference in so many lives.
  8. My proudest accomplishment is establishing a career I love and feeling successful at it!
  9. I love to read! My favorite novel is The Da Vinci Code. My favorite children's chapter book is Bud, Not Buddy, and my favorite picture book is Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.
  10. What makes me laugh is my students, who have a wonderful sense of humor.

                      

With my parents and boyfriend at Walt Disney World             Miss Sulak in 1st Grade  

Thank you to The Cooper Agency, a Farmers Insurance Agency, for awarding the CHE Faculty of the Month $100 in classroom supplies and any other of their Favorite Things

 

 

My name is Charlotte Stubing. Everyone calls me Cha Cha. I am in third grade and this is my first year at Castle Hills Elementary. I like third grade and I'm going to have a lot of new friends!

My homeroom teacher is Ms Eason and she is really nice. I am writing about the check writing campaign. Instead of selling stuff, we just asked for money. Now I don't have to sell anything!

I really wanted a gaga pit! I am excited! We had two gaga pits at camp and it was so fun! The last time I played, I got five people out. Because we raised enough money, we get to silly string the principals. The best thing about silly stringing people is that they look kind of funny when you silly string them. It's just like at my old school when we got to duct tape the principal and the co-principal. I really want to silly string Ms. Taylor. Silly stringing girls is more fun than silly stringing boys.

 



Castle Hills PTA
1025 Holy Grail Drive
Lewisville, TX 75056