Giving Campaign Participation

As you know, the Annual Campaign (now referred to as the “Giving Campaign”), is critical to our schools.  This year, the Giving Campaign committee is seeking 100% participation from our parent Boards at whatever level you can afford.

To this end, I am asking that you make a contribution to the Giving Campaign by the end of October. While the official “ask” is $1,200 per family, please give what you can afford.  That can be $10 a month or $5,000.  Every dollar helps.

As a reminder as to how important Giving campaign is, a fact that struck me recently is that it contributes more each year to support the Piedmont schools than Emergency Measure E does… wow!   All the money that goes to the Giving Campaign comes back to BPO.  In turn, it funds all that BPO supports:  our art, music, math, science and computer teachers, our library and our assemblies, to name a few things.  If you would to see exactly what BPO (and thus the Giving Campaign) funds, please let me know and I’d be happy to forward our budget to you.

Please also consider supporting the Giving Campaign with your time.  Again, these are easy ways to help and they are fun as well!  There are multiple ways to participate:

• There will be phone banks the evenings of October 27th and November 4th
• You can help distribute lawn signs on Nov 9th or pick them up on Nov 20th
• Talk up the Annual Campaign at local events!  Think soccer games, Halloween parties, etc.

Again, we are the leadership of Beach and thus I am asking you to play a key role in supporting our schools.  If you have any questions or want to volunteer your time, please contact our Giving Campaign chairs Terry London (terry@wfl.net) or Joe Loduca (jloduca@pacbell.net).

Many thanks,

Laura

It’s Time to Register for After-School Enrichment!

We have loads of exciting After-School Enrichment (ASE) classes offered at Beach during the fall semester. It’s a great way to have fun, learn something new, make friends and, of course, support Beach. And, this year, the Beach Parent Organization is pleased to offer ASE classes to all Beach students (including Havens kindergartners) and Havens early reader first and second graders. Please join in the fun!

For more information and to register for classes, please download the ASE brochure and ASE registration form. But hurry! Registration runs from August 26th to September 4th, and students will be enrolled on a first come, first served basis. If you have any questions about ASE, please contact Teresa Stricker at stricker_teresa@yahoo.com or 653-6562.

Welcome from the Beach Parents Organization!

On behalf of the Beach Parents Organization (BPO) Board, I would like to welcome you and your family to the 2009-2010 school year at Beach Elementary.  The BPO is a group of parent volunteers who support Beach by running programs and raising funds for our school.  We meet each month (see schedule below), and I encourage all Beach and Havens kindergarten parents to come and participate in these informative discussions.

During the online registration process, you were asked to join the BPO and sign up for volunteer activities at Beach (but don’t worry, it’s still not too late to do either!).  By joining BPO not only do you get a directory, but your membership dues help to fund the curricular and enrichment programs that are paid for by the BPO.  These include our science and math specialists, the library and our art programs.  If you have not yet joined BPO but wish to do so, please pick up a form in the Beach School office or contact Mark Tellegen at tellegen@pacbell.net.

Volunteers are essential to many of the activities at Beach – and with the wide variety of volunteer positions available, there is something to fit everyone’s schedule and style!  Involvement can take place in the classroom by being a room parent or helping with class projects and field trips.  You can also participate in school-wide programs from Hot Lunch to the Book Fair to volunteering time in the library.  District-wide opportunities include involvement with the Annual Campaign, Harvest Festival, and the Spring Fling Auction.  Support groups such as PAINTS, CHIME, PRAISE and the Green committee are additional ways to get involved.

Please join us at the Welcome Coffee on the first day of school, August 26^th from 8:30 am to 9:45 am in the Auditorium.  This is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends, meet new people, sign up for groups and volunteer opportunities (everything listed above and more) and confirm your directory information.

We also plan on continuing the tradition of grade-level Parent Socials this fall – a great way to meet and socialize with parents who have children in the same grades at Beach.  These dates will be coordinated by room parents once school begins, and then announced in the Wednesday News.

I look forward to working with you in the coming school year as we support the efforts of our administration and teachers, all of whom make Beach Elementary such a special place for our children.  If you have any questions about the Beach Parents Organization, you can contact me at 654-4610 or laura_katter@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

Laura Katter
BPO President 2009/2010

2009-10 BPO Meeting Schedule – MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
All Meetings 7:00 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room
Mon Sept 14	Mon Feb 1
Mon Oct 5	Mon Mar 1
Mon Nov 2	Mon Mar 29
Mon Dec 7	Mon May 3
Mon Jan 11	Mon Jun 7