McAuliffe News

MISSION STATEMENT:  Our PTA is a not-for-profit association of parents and educators who work to enhance the educational opportunities of all McAuliffe students.  As volunteers, we are united in supporting the McAuliffe staff and the students in ways to make our school a safe and successful place for our children.

HARD COPY DISTRIBUTION OF NEWSLETTER

The Editor and publisher of this newsletter is really pushing hard for this to be the last hard copy distribution of the newsletter. Hard copy versions cost money for paper, kill trees, and take multiple hours on the copy machine. If you signed up for the newsletter at the Meet and Greet you should receive your electronic copy by Monday Sept 10th. If you do not receive your copy or you have not signed up yet, go to www.mcauliffepta.org and sign up now! We’re pretty close to getting enough families signed up to justifying halting hard copy distribution. Don't be left out.
If you don't have email, you will always be able to get a hard copy version of the newsletter at the office within 24 hrs of the publication date.

FAMILY MATH NIGHT - Sept 27

Come join us for lots of fun at Family Math Night. Math fun begins at 6:00 in the library on Sept 27th with the general PTA meeting to follow at 7:00 in the cafeteria. See you there!

	On Friday, September 21st, our Kindergarten through 2nd Graders will be rustling up for the Annual McAuliffe Bike Rodeo!  We are looking for a bunchy of rustling volunteers to help man the posts! Students will learn to ride thier bicycles or scooter through various obstacle courses and also learn "first-hane" from Highland Village Bicycle Patrol Officers about bicycle safety. We have a few good cohands, but it anin't newaly enough, as we've got too many cowboys and cowgirls to round up!  So please let us know ASAP if you can lend us a hand!  We must have at least 2-3 volunteers from every class participating for the event to run smoothly.  Morning and afternoon time slots are available.  Please email Marty Franks at mawfranks@martyfranks.com with your phone @, grade and child's teacher's name, so we can put you on the roll! It;s a ton of fun for all! Thanks!

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STUDENTS AND WELCOME BACK TO THE RETURNING STUDENTS

I hope everyone has had a great start to the new school year.  I know the PTA had some great volunteers help at the Meet and Greet to get the year started.  We are always looking for more volunteers to help in any way.  We have many exciting events this year to get the kids and parents together.  We will have a Fall Carnival and monthly Spirit Night with McDonald’s and Dominoes.  There will be several Excite Parents Night Out and many other events. The proceeds from all of these events will be used towards “Library Improvement”.  The Library needs to clean out the old books and buy new ones to replace them.  Your donation of time and/or money is greatly needed and appreciated.  The PTA also pays for many other activities on campus with the money raised.  A few of those are the buses for field trips, Drug Awareness week, class parties, fifth grade camp and many others.

Thank you for all your support.  If you have ideas or questions please email me at caymedellin@verizon.net.

Cay Medellin
PTA President

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF NORTH TEXAS ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

Communities in Schools of North Texas (CISNT) is holding their annual golf tournament to raise funds for their programs. The tournament will
be held at the Lantana Gold Club on Thurs., September 27, with a shotgun start at 8:00 am. This charity event is based on four person team best ball scramble format. Awards will be given to each member of the first, second, third, and last place teams.

Communities In Schools of North Texas is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which provides services to disadvantaged students that dramatically reduce the probability of dropping out of school. Our Annual Communities In Schools of North Texas Charity Golf Tournament helps to raise community awareness of the growing number of at-risk students in Denton and Wise counties and generates financial
support for our programs.

If you are interested in participating, follow this link the information on the LISD Council of PTAs website: http://www.lisdpta.org/ResourceFiles/2007-CIS-golf-brochure.pdf

LISD SPECIAL EDUCATION PTSA - WWW.LISD-SEPTSA.ORG

Did you know that LISD now has a PTSA especially for parents and loved ones of students who are enrolled in special education services? Unlike your school PTA, our PTSA does not have a "home campus". We serve families as well as teachers and professionals from across the district.

Our purpose is to work together with the school system to provide the best educational experience for all children with special needs, to provide a local community support group for parents and guardians of special needs children, and to be a resource of information on locally available special services.

We host Programs that educate both parents and teachers. Some topics we have had in the past or plan to have are: Financial planning, Advocating for your Child, Finding Financial Resources and Programs, Understanding the ARD process, Toilet Training, Enhancing Language Skills, Social Skills, Higher Education for Students with Disabilities, Summer Resources, Guardianship, and many more. We welcome suggestions!

For questions or to join, contact Lynda Crossan at crossanl@grandecom.net or (817) 235-3733 or Amy Turner at amy@texasturners.net (469) 293-6343.

If you have any questions, please call my home 972-317-4630

NEWS FROM CHALLENGER PUBLISHING COMPANY

Welcome Back Students, Teachers and Volunteers!!  After a fantastic summer
Let’s get ready to publish some books!

We’re planning to open our doors on September 14th.
Teachers, Look for Open House invitations
 in your mailbox this week.
Kids, if you wrote an awesome story over the summer,
Or did some cool artwork, or wrote a poem…..
Anything you think might make a great book,
Get ready to bring it in to your teacher!

Volunteers, we need you!!!  This is one of the most rewarding and fun programs our school has to offer:
Flexibility – do this on your own schedule!
Working with students – meet some of our great students!
Computer skills – brush up on yours as you use basic word processing and an easy graphics program
And each book only takes about 2 hours a week for 4 weeks.

Thanks to all the volunteers that have already contacted me.
If you think you might want to join us, please call me!
I’ll answer any questions you might have.
And if you just want to try it out,
consider doing one book with us and see how you like it.

I welcome everyone to Challenger Publishing and look forward to another incredible, creative and memorable year!
Kelly Wyant
469-293-5504

MCAULIFFE LOST & FOUND:

Junior Girl Scout Troop 206 will be servicing the McAuliffe Lost & Found this school year as a troop service project. Troop members are Eileen Wells, Lauren Faulkner, Sonia Mathews, Andi Risk, Victoria Westrup, and Lauren & Megan Merlene. Be sure to check the Lost & Found before the end of every month for your belongings. The troop will be cleaning & reorganizing the Lost & Found area weekly, and collecting all unclaimed items to donate to CCA the first Friday of every month. This will keep our Lost & Found area neat & tidy...Thanks Troop 206!

RECORD SPIRIT WEAR SALES!

Thanks to you, Spirit Wear sales are off to an amazing start! You bought more Spirit Wear in one night at Meet the Teacher than was purchased all of last year! Are we going to have a great year or what? Spirit Wear was sold out to the bare walls and orders are now being taken so you can show your Highlander pride as more Spirit Wear arrives.

To help you receive your order as soon as possible our t-shirt and hat vendors have been instructed to ship the product as soon as it is ready instead of waiting for the full order to be completed. This means you may receive pieces of your order rather than the full order in one shipment—don't be alarmed! The remainder of your order is on file and will be filled as soon as it arrives. We are working diligently to fill all of the orders and know you are eager to wear your new Spirit Wear!

Thank you so much for being so supportive of the Spirit Wear effort and all of the PTA programs!

2^ND MONDAY MCAULIFFE FAMILY MEAL NIGHT

The 2nd Monday of every month this school year the PTA is hosting McAuliffe Family Meal Night—take the night off from cooking to spend time with your family and friends while supporting the great programs at our school.

This month join us:

• McDonald's
• Corner of FM 407 and FM 2499 (same parking lot as Target)
• Monday, September 10th
• 5:00 to 9:00pm.

When you order at the counter or in the drive-thru just let the McDonald's crew know that you are there to support the McAuliffe fundraiser. McDonald's will donate 15% of the sales to McAuliffe PTA!

Thank you for supporting McAuliffe and the PTA! We can't wait to see you there!

JUST FOR GRINS HAS WHAT YOU NEED!

Do you need a quick gift for a special teacher or some adorable stationary made especially for the dancer or sports nut in your family? Maybe a game pack scribble pad to keep the peace during long car rides, a calendar for grandmother, or personalized note cards just for you?

Just for Grins has just what you need! PTA has teamed up with Just for Grins for a yearlong fundraiser to bring our McAuliffe family some of the most fantastic stationary goods you have ever seen! Visit www.JustforGrins.net and you will be hooked just like we are!

• Order online at www.JustForGrins.net
• 40% of your purchases will be donated to McAuliffe PTA!
• Your child can win great prizes based on the number of items sold!
• On the last page of your checkout type your student's name and teacher, then locate McAuliffe Elementary in the drop down menu directly below the student's name
• Share JustforGrins.net with friends and family!

Thank you for supporting McAuliffe Elementary and the PTA!

MEET AND GREET/ HOT DOG SOCIAL WAS A SUCCESS!

Yet again, McAuliffe had another great Meet and Greet / Hot Dog Social to kick off the 2007-2008 academic year.  We sold 414 meals!  That even beat last year’s record!  It was great to see the hallways bustling with parents and students all eager to meet their teacher and catch up with school friends.  Thanks to all who organized and participated in hosting this double event.  What a GREAT beginning to the upcoming year at McAuliffe Elementary!!

CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION

A special thanks goes out to the following people who planted all the great flowers and shrubs, as well as laid mulch around the McAuliffe campus.  The school looked beautiful for the first day of school. 

Thanks also to Hartwell’s Nursery who gave us a great deal on the plants we purchased.  We are very grateful.

         OR    

3RD ANNUAL BOO-HOO / YA-HOO
Sponsored by the McAuliffe PTA

Parents that were either “Boo-Hoo” ing OR  “Ya-Hoo” ing after saying goodbye to their kindergartner or first grader on the first day of school were invited to join other parents who felt the same way in the McAuliffe Library. We had some coffee, some pastries, some laughter and plenty of tissues for all.

WELCOME BACK STAFF BREAKFAST

What a fun Welcome Back Teacher/Staff Breakfast AND Birthday Party we had on the first Thursday of the school year!!  This year, the McAuliffe PTA gave each staff member a t-shirt as their birthday presents. 

The staff LOVED them and was excited to receive them at the beginning of the year; so that they could enjoy wearing them on Spirit Friday’s throughout the WHOLE year!!

POP TABS

Thank you all for participating in the collection of pop tabs.  The McAuliffe group effort resulted in over 80 pounds of tabs being donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  The class winner from spring of 2007 was Mrs. Wheeler’s third grade class.  Please continue to collect these pops tabs throughout the school year.  Pop tabs can include tabs from soda cans, vegetable and soup cans, and pet food cans. 

THANKS FOR THE BALLOONS!

Thanks to Lee Conte-Vaughn for making sure our school looked so great
on the first day of school.  The yellow balloons that decorated the
front loop caught everyone's attention and reminded us that
EXTRAORDINARY things happen here at McAuliffe!

CCA DONATION

Thank you to the Girl Scouts group who sorted and bagged twelve large bags of clothing in May.  These items were donated to CCA.

Get Involved With McAuliffe
NEEDED:
2007-2008 PTA Coordinators
Our new school year is underway and we will need help with the following:
Please check position you would like to coordinate:

Please email this information to Michelle Harris at michelle@ourdataworks.com or give it to your child’s teacher.

2007-2008 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to coordinators, we need volunteers for our PTA programs.  Please email all programs you would like to volunteer for to Michelle Harris at michelle@ourdataworks.com    
NAME: _____________________________________________
PHONE #: ____________________________________________
E MAIL:  ______________________________________________
STUDENT”S NAME: _______________________________________
·          One Time Events – consists of committees whose work revolves around a single event.
·        Ongoing Activities – consists of committees who work continues throughout the year. Many of them allow for a great deal of flexibility.