November
2003
PTA Executive Board
Allia
Matta, Co-Pres.
718-353-9190
Linda
Osborne, Co-Pres.
212-924-1797
Barbara
Somlo, Co-VP
212-255-4921
Deborah
Traussi, Co-VP
212-268-0292
Pam
Winberry, Corresp. Sec.
212-977-9857
Didi
Re, Recording Sec.
212-675-1088
Anna
Matos, Treasurer
212-627-7298
Lucia
Santiago, Financial Sec.
212-691-6058
Members at Large
Delia
Acosta 212-243-9254
Andrea
DiFiore 212-366-4621
Kathy
Ellman 646-336-8649
Anne
Finkelstein 212-242-6706
Martha
Gallo 212-736-3974
Ann
O’Dell 212-268-8106
Gil
Santiago 212-691-6058
Your kids’ school needs you to
VOLUNTEER!
Contact
Stephen McGill
Parent
Coordinator
Room
101C
347-563-5095
Mark Your Calendar!
Nov. 11 ~ School
closed (Veterans Day)
Nov. 12 ~ PTA
meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 18, 19
~ Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 27, 28 ~ School
closed (Thanksgiving)
Dec. 5, 6 ~ B&N Book
Fair
Dec. 6 ~ House Tours
Benefit
Dec. 10 ~ PTA
meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 24 – Jan. 2 ~
School closed
Congratulations on the Fall Festival
Thank you everyone who contributed
to the best Fall Festival/Fiesta de Otono! The children had a great time on the
hayride, the haunted house, the games and activities, and much more. The food, face
painting, and band were wonderful, the rummage and book sales were huge, and we raised $5,345.95 for the school.
Ali Hoffman,
Chair, Fall Festival
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents and
Families of Our PS 11 Children,
Lateness is still a
big concern and issue for me. We need the children sitting in their seats or on
the rug by 8:25 a.m. The school doors open at 7:45 a.m. You have a window of 30
minutes (7:15-8:15am) to bring your child. If you aim for 8:20 a.m. you are
bound to be late more often than not. We are starting the day at 8:30 and
sometimes 8:35! This means a loss of 10 minutes a day, 50 minutes a week, and
2,000 minutes a year. That adds up to 40 periods or almost 6 days of
instruction! Please be on time. We need your total support. Also, too
often, I see parents
talking to teachers upon arrival. I understand that at times a quick message
may need to be passed on, but this does keep the teachers from beginning their
day. We have a great deal we want to accomplish for each and every child.
Please help us by being here a few minutes earlier.
Have
a wonderful Thanksgiving and thanks for all your support.
Sincerely,
Francis
Del Monaco, Principal
Greetings, Everyone!
from the PTA Co-Presidents
This
year is moving so quickly we can hardly believe that it is already November. In
the last month the PTA has received wonderful support from parents. We have
received back many volunteer forms indicating that people are willing to help. We
have also increased the Annual Fund by close to $5,000.00. This is phenomenal
support in only a few months and we hope that you will continue to support the
school in any way you can. We are also very
proud of the Fall Festival. Many, many thanks to Ali Hoffman and all the other
wonderful people who helped make this event such a success. Linda and I were on
the scene working tables and hopping from place to place to offer assistance. I
was even able to rope my teenage boys into helping with the haunted house,
which cost me dearly. The most wonderful thing is that not only did the
children have a great time, but we raised over $5,300.00. As we look toward
holiday celebrations to come, we would like you to know that we appreciate your
continued support and that all of this effort makes PS 11 a great place for our
children.
Until next
month,
Allia Matta and
Linda Osborne
News from . . .
Parent Coordinator Stephen McGill
On
Nov. 5, we completed the last of 3 school tours for Fall 2004 admissions. Each
group had 50 or more enthusiastic parents, who got a glimpse of the diverse
community of learners here at PS 11. PTA board members Barbara Somlo and Pam
Winberry with co-president Linda Osborne made a list of the top 10 reasons to send your child to PS11.
It’s an amazing short list of things that make PS11 wonderful and unique. If
you are interested in having a copy, please stop by my office. Many of us walked
away from this experience with a renewed commitment and sense of pride about
the PS 11 community.
I would like to thank all the parents
who volunteered as tour guides, the teachers and students who allowed us into
their classrooms, and especially Sharon Golub, who provided the entertainment. Applications
for 2004 Pre-K and Gifted Kindergarten Programs are available in the school
office.
Thanks to Kinko’s at 24th St. and
7th Ave. for donating the printing of our newsletter –
212-929-2679.
” Help
Wanted!
A
new PS 11 Parents Handbook is in the
works. Do you have any editorial or organizational experience you could lend to
this important project? If so, please contact me as soon as you can at [email protected]
or 212-924-1797. Thanks!
Linda Osborne
Easy Ways to Turn Your Everyday Spending into
$$$ for PS 11
ƒBring in
labels from Campbell’s and General Mills products (please trim them) and drop
them in the large Campbell’s Soup container in the lunchroom. Last year General
Mills sent us $111.50. We have over 600 points from Campbell’s that can be
exchanged for school supplies.
ƒSign up for a
Target Guest Card or Target Visa (at Target stores or www.target.com) and
designate our school. A percentage of what you spend is donated to the school.
Target has sent us checks adding up to $272.00.
ƒSign up for
the Verizon Extra Credit for Schools program: If you have Verizon long distance
(or switch to it), just call 1-877-927-3348 or go to www.verizon.com/ extracredit
and ask to have your credits assigned to PS 11, William Harris School. Your
monthly bills will reflect the points. Verizon is a new program as of this
year.
Thank you, Marion Lederer, for making all of the above
happen for PS 11!
ƒDo your
holiday shopping at Barnes and Noble Fri. and Sat., Dec. 5 and 6, with coupons
obtainable at school. B&N will donate a percentage of our spending and 2 PS
11 classes will be reading their own writing on Friday at 10 a.m. in the store!
Watch for flyers after Thanksgiving.
H House Tour Benefit C
Mark
your calendars! Make sure to be in town on
Sat., Dec. 6 for the 3rd Annual Chelsea Holiday House Tour,
to benefit PS 11. Help out and be a tour guide for the event (no special expertise
required!) or purchase a ticket and take the tour yourself.
Tell all your friends! Call Kathy
Ellman at 917-848-6280 to help solicit advertising for the brochure (prices
start at $250);
call Deborah Donenfeld at 212-675-4420 to sign up to be a guide; or call
212-496-4520 to reserve tickets.