President's Pen: March 2010

Holton families –

Here’s hoping all of you made the most of the snow days, and here’s hoping (at least I’m hoping) that the snow is a thing of the past! Holton PTA has a had a busy couple of months.

The snow didn’t put a damper on our Parents Dance. We had a good group turn out on Jan. 30 for an evening of fun, food, and dancing. The committee did a great job of pulling it all off despite the snow. Many of us walked, while some braved driving.

While the Parents Dance offered a night out for adults, the Unity Dance was all about FAMILY fun. We had a packed house on February 19. Mardis Gras was the theme, and the vegetarian jambalaya was sold out in 20 minutes! There was dancing, face painting, a cake walk, silent auction, and of course, lots of yummy food to eat!

Looking toward March, the Holton 5K is right around the corner. Register before March 1 to be guaranteed a t-shirt. On-line registration is available at www.raceit.com (use keyword: Holton) Volunteers are also needed to help make this event a success. We will not be having our traditional “Family Festival” after the race this year. Instead, we will include the “Family Festival” in our end of the year picnic – this year celebrating Holton’s 10 year anniversary!

PTA Enrichments are in full swing – with classes that include jewelry making, Smart Board, soccer, double dutch, and much, much more! Please keep and eye out for the cookie dough fundraiser coming home soon. All proceeds help to support events and activities that benefit our students, such as the Enrichment Programs.

Our next General PTA meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:30pm. This will be an important meeting as we need to vote on revisions to our PTA Bylaws. Please plan to join us. Copies of the revisions are available in the school office if you would like to look over them in advance of the vote.

Finally, as you know, our schools are facing some serious budget cuts. I encourage everyone to stay informed concerning this important matter. A successful rally was organized last Sunday – Feb. 21 at the State Capitol. Thanks to everyone who helped organize and attended the rally. Another rally is scheduled for this Saturday. Here is some information off the Virginia PTA website:

Join Virginia PTA and our partners in the Virginia Education Coalition this Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on the Capitol Square Grounds for a grassroots rally sponsored by the Virginia Education Association in support of K-12 Education Funding. We hope this rally will send a message to legislators that we are standing up for Public Education. If passed, these budget cuts will affect all public school students, employees and families; we must not sit back and keep quiet concerning the future of our children. Please help us to spread the word by forwarding this alert to everyone you know who is interested in the future of Virginia. Everyone is encouraged to attend!

• What: Stand Up For Education Rally
• When: Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 11am-noon
• Where: Capitol Grounds Richmond, Virginia

-Amy Holtz

President's Pen: November 2009

School is now in full swing, and the PTA has been busy with many special projects and activities. Our PTA Enrichment Programs have begun. Many children are taking advantage of these special “classes,” enjoying activities such as scrapbooking, digital photography, and volleyball (just to name a few).

Special thanks goes out to Ms. Hull for all of her work in helping to make our Enrichment Program run smoothly, and to our teachers and volunteers. I also want to thank all of the families who helped out with our Teacher Dinner during Parent /Teacher Conferences and who have participated in our fund-raisers.

Many came out for Qdoba Night on October 1, enjoying some great food and fun with Holton friends. (Our next Qdoba Night is scheduled for November 5).

The coupon book fundraiser was also a great success. Together we raised over $4700. Our Great American Sale is currently underway. Don’t forget - orders are due by November 2!

A Capri-Sun recycling program has been started at Holton. Children who pack their lunch are encouraged to put their empty drink pouches in one of the special bins located in the cafeteria instead of in the trash. Parent Liza Forness helped to get this program started, and is busy each day collecting, rinsing, and packing the empty packages so that they can be recycled. Please encourage your children to put their pouches in these bins, and let them know that when they do, they are helping to save our environment!

October 30 is a big day of fun for our students. It is the annual Membership Dance, which features music and dancing during the school day. Many family members and teachers have already joined the PTA. Dues are only $7.00, but they go a long way towards strengthening our school! Thanks so much for your support.

The Book Fair is coming! It runs the week of November 9-13 in the Media Center, and lots of hands are needed to make our Book Fair a success. Students have the opportunity to visit the Book Fair both during the school day and after school.

Our next general PTA meeting will take place on Tuesday night, November 10, at 6:30, and the Book Fair will be open that night as well.

Another exciting event taking place in November is Holton’s Fall Festival, sponsored by our Garden Committee. Bring your family and friends out on November 14 from 2-4, enjoy an afternoon of fun activities and see what our students are growing in their garden. More information is included in the November newsletter that will come home with your child.

Special thanks to the Ginter Park Residence Association for presenting the Holton PTA with a grant that is being used to sponsor this event. Grants were given to the PTA’s of four north side schools – Holton, Ginter Park, Henderson, and John Marshall - as part of Ginter Park’s Centennial Celebration.

Happy November!
Amy Holtz, PTA President

President's Pen: September 2009

On behalf of the Linwood Holton PTA, I want to welcome you to the 2009-2010 school year! I hope that these first few weeks of school have gone smoothly for your family. We are so fortunate to have an amazing group of creative teachers and a dedicated staff here at Holton. You can rest assured that your beautiful children are in good hands as they arrive at school each day!

As you get into the routine of the new school year, I would like to ask you to take a few minutes and consider joining the PTA. The purposes of the Holton PTA are in common with those of the Virginia PTA and the National PTA. We seek to promote the welfare of children and youth and to bring into closer relation the home and the school. It is our desire that parents, teachers, and staff may cooperate in the education of our children. We all benefit by supporting our PTA, especially our children!

There are many ways to support the efforts of the PTA and get involved. Our Board meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 in the Media Center. Anyone is welcome to come to a Board meeting! You can take advantage of volunteer opportunities, become a room parent, and support fund-raising efforts. You can become a member of the PTA for only $7.00, and these dues help support our PTA events and enrichments for our children. We encourage everyone to join – parents, grandparents, even students!

We have some wonderful things planned for this year. Many of these efforts and activities will be presented at Back to School Night. Information will be coming home soon about our PTA Enrichment Programs (also known as our After School Programs). Theatre IV will present The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and students will also enjoy a time of dancing and fun at the Membership Dance on Oct. 30 during the school day. The PTA also sponsors a Scholastic Book Fair in the fall and the spring. The Holton Garden Project is underway, and there are plans to build an outdoor classroom.

Please feel free to contact me at holtonPTA@gmail.com if you have any questions about the PTA.

Amy Holtz
PTA President