A Note from the SCHSA President: A Great Big Thank You!

Visit the “Shamona Creek Sharks – Parent Forum” on Facebook to see or to share more photos from the party.

Dear Shamona Creek Families,

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to every one of you who were able to join us at our Back to School Family Fun night!  We could not have asked for a better night:  great weather, rockin’ music, delicious water ice, and a school yard filled with families!

So…WHO WON THE RAFFLES?  That’s what you really want to know, right?  Well…without further adieu…

Congratulations Lauren White – you can pick up your Spirit Wear shirt in the main office.

Congratulations Manisha Jaie – what will you buy at Target with your $10 gift card?  You can pick that up in the main office.

Congratulations Erik Thelander – grab your iPod, because you’ll want to add some tunes to it with your $10 iTunes gift card.  

 

I’d like to send a few additional THANK YOUs to the following:

Kim Lenhart & Jennifer Faust – our Family Fun & Social Events Committee Coordinators.  Together, with their committee, they came up with this great idea to have just a fun, casual night for our families.  Thanks for all of your efforts to make it happen…and with such success.

Sports Clips, Exton – I saw a line at that wheel for much of the night.  Thank you for taking the time to join us and share your fun game with our community. Please consider supporting Sports Clips, Exton for your next hair cut – you can find them right over there by Ron’s at 60 East Uwchlan Avenue.

DJ Shawn Sephas – Not only did I see a few kids shakin’ their tail feather, but I am pretty sure I spotted a handful of grown ups getting their groove on too. Thanks for providing such a fun atmosphere for our event.

Rita’s Water Ice of Eagleview – I think we may have found the way to the hearts of our Shamona families…that line did not seem to let up all night long! Apparently our Sharks love them some water ice!  Which flavor did you try?
Thank you to Rita’s Water Ice of Eagleview…after that haircut at Sports Clips, Exton, be sure to swing by Rita’s Water Ice of Eagleview for your favorite cool treat!  You can find them next to Wellington Book Store in Eagleview.  Yum. Yum.

The parent volunteers & executive board of the SCHSA – Thank you to each one of you for your time and efforts in continuing to support the efforts of the SCHSA.

I hope you and your families enjoyed your evening at Shamona Creek and we can’t wait to see you at our next event or around school.  As always…if you have any questions or would like to know more about the SCHSA, please do not hesitate to ask.

With much gratitude,
Kathryn Gute, SCHSA President

Tonight is the night! Family Fun Back-to-School Night

Here’s what’s on board this month.

We are looking forward to a great night tonight. The students are especially looking forward to a night out to play with friends. We hope you all can join us for the Family Fun Back-to-School Night festivities. This is the first of several family events planned for the school year as FUN-raisers. It is a night to relax, catch up with old friends and meet new Shamona Creek families, while supporting the school through the purchase of Rita’s Water Ice and Spirit Wear.

In addition, SCHSA volunteers will be there to help people sign up for the various Rebates and E-Z Money opportunities, to answer questions about the Voluntary Donation, to talk about more opportunities to volunteer, and to introduce more parents to our website, the school’s FB page and the Shamona Creek Sharks – Parent Forum.

See you tonight between 5:30 and 7:30 pm!

Remember, there is no longer any need to “create your own parking space,” especially on the grass. Extra parking is available at the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center … how nice is that?

Helping is E-Z: Giant A+ School Rewards Program

The Home & School Association has set up several super-easy ways that all families and extended families can support the school by just shopping, as we are all prone to do. Check out the “Help Shamona” section of our website for all details.

Today, we are featuring the GIANT A+ School Rewards Program.

Between October 5, 2014 and March 21, 2015, our school community has the opportunity to earn cash through GIANT A+ School Rewards Program.

Simply log on to www.giantfoodstores.com/aplus and select CUSTOMER REGISTRATION to register online using your BONUSCARD. Shamona Creek’s ID number is 03952. If you do not know your 11-digit BONUSCARD number, call Giant at 1-888-814-4268 and select OPTION #2. You can track earnings online when you create an account at www.giantfoodstores.com.

The SCHSA, as a non-profit organization, encourages our families to participate in a number of programs offered in the community that give back to our organization.  Here are the others E-Z ways you can help this year:

• Amazon Smile
• Target Red Card
• Box Tops for Education
• Campbell’s Labels

Please contact Shannon Gallagher or Melissa Bell if you have any questions or if you would like to volunteer with the Rebates and E-Z Money committee.

Happening Today: Downingtown Fall Fest

Photo by Town Dish

Downingtown Borough will be hosting its annual Fall Fest today, September 28, from 12 noon to 4 pm.

(Route 30 between Green Street and Wallace Avenue will be closed while the festivities take place.)

Happening Today: Medication Collection Drop Off

The Downingtown Area School District Safe Homes volunteers will host a Medication Collection Drop Off today at the Downingtown Police Station between 10 am and 2 pm. This is the opportunity to bring your unused or expired medications for safe disposal. The featured flyer also lists a variety of locations that accept medications daily.

Safe Homes is a district-wide initiative with the goal of helping families and friends have positive conversations about difficult topics.

The Shamona Creek parent representative for Safe Homes is  Tara Haarlander.

New DASD ‘Safe Homes’ initiative encourages positive family conversations

Safe Homes is a district-wide initiative with the goal of helping families and friends have positive conversations about what can sometimes be difficult topics, including but not limited to:

• the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD)
• antisocial behaviors such as stealing, bullying, and fighting
• firearm safety
• unsafe sex or promiscuity.

Safe Homes was developed by the PA Liquor Control Board’s Alcohol Education Department and has been distributed all over the state for the last fifteen years.  This is the first year that the Downingtown Communities that Care (CTC) is implementing this program (for more info on the CTC, please see www.dtownctc.org).  The goal is to address certain high priority risk factors that have been​​ identified by the PA Youth (PAY) Survey, which is given to 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders every other year.  The theory is that if we can work together to send our kids clear messages about the dangers of risky behavior, we can make Downingtown a safer and more supportive place for our kids to learn and grow in.

Please look for pizza-themed handouts in your kids’ backpacks for great tips on better communication. Families who eat dinner together at least 5 times a week lower their children’s risk of engaging in hazardous behavior by 33%…so order some pizza, make a salad, turn of the TV, and Start Talking!

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UPCOMING: Used Medication Drop Off – Saturday, September 27 @ 10 am-2 pm :: Downingtown Police Station

Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal. Medication Drop-off Flyer

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The Downingtown Communities that Care (CTC) also has a Facebook page.

The Shamona Creek volunteer for Safe Homes is  Tara Haarlander.

RSVP Reminder: Family Fun Back-to-School Night

Just because summer has ended doesn’t mean the party is over. We are continuing the fun right into the fall with a return-to-school reunion. We hope you can join us next Tuesday evening at our first social event of the year. All students and parents are invited and encouraged to attend.

Shamona Creek Home & School Association presents the Family Fun Back to School Night as a fun-raiser, friend-raiser and fund-raiser. Participating in the planned activities below is an easy way to support the school and the SCHSA planned projects.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 @ 5:30-7:30 PM : RSVP Online >

There is no cost to attend the event, but an RSVP is requested for planning purposes.

What to expect:

• Rita’s Water Ice* – $1.25 per water ice
• Spirit Wear* – Stop by and check out this year’s spirit wear items.  You may also place an order!!
• Music – Enjoy our DJ, who will be there to play your favorite songs.
• Stop by the SCHSA table to learn more on how you can volunteer, earn free money for our school and ask questions.

*Proceeds generated will be used for upcoming school initiatives, such as assemblies, teacher appreciation, field trip transportation expenses, etc.

HANG THIS REMINDER FLYER ON YOUR FRIDGE > SC Family Fun Back to School Night 2014

Rain Date is October 2.

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Questions?  Contact Kim Lenhart (cakesmadebykim@yahoo.com) or Jennifer Faust (faust31@verizon.net)

It’s not easy to ask for a donation … but here goes

The SCHSA is facing a big, big challenge this year, but one that we are enthusiastically ready to tackle. In order to provide the same level of support to the school that we have over the past few years, we have a goal to raise $30,000. Our school community has grown this year, and naturally so will our expenses. That said, we are asking all our families for help.

Based on parent feedback, we are trying a new tactic to funding our Home & School Association commitments. Instead of multiple sales-type fundraisers (cookie dough, Market Day, etc.) like we’ve done in past years, we are asking for a single, voluntary donation from each family to fund the entire school year (student assemblies, field trip transportation, and teacher classroom expenses, etc.)

We have calculated that with a one-time donation from our 453 families ($25 per child or $40 per family or ANY amount you choose), we can cover a majority of our costs and keep the fundraising opportunities focused on FUN-raising events, such as the Family Fun Back-to-School Night on September 30. This different approach will allow our families to enjoy being social in support of the school community, without feeling obligated to buy or sell five or six times throughout the school year.

To make your voluntary contribution, please print the HSA Voluntary Donation 2014 form and return the bottom portion to the school (attn: SCHSA Treasurer) before September 30.

The SCHSA thanks parents in advance for their consideration and generosity. If anyone has questions, please email Lena Elguindi, SCHSA Treasurer, at lelguindi@gmail.com.

3 Things You Need to Know about the Online Student Directory

Last Friday, 362 of our 453 families received the link after registering their children in the 2014-2015 SCHSA student directory. The email with the link to access the online student directory was sent only to parents who provided their contact information to our “MySchoolAnywhere” system during the first few weeks of school.

Here’s what you need to know.

1. The online directory was made possible in part to the generosity of  Monkey Fish Toys. We are thankful for their support, and encourage all families to shop at this unique, local toy store, which is located at 264 Eagleview Boulevard. Plus, they recently opened a second store in West Chester. Check them out online.

2. The directory only contains the contact information of families who added themselves. Not all families did this, so not all homeroom rosters or grade lists are complete. Teachers have complete lists, if needed.

3. If you didn’t add your family in the early weeks of school, do not fret. Follow this link HERE for instructions on how to add your contact information. If or when you add yourself, you must contact Nancy Repko afterward to receive the access information.

If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Repko.

It’s time to go! The SCHSA meeting is about to begin

If you leave your house right … now, you’ll be able to get to the school in time for the first Home & School Association meeting of the school year. All parents are welcome! The meeting, which will take place in the multipurpose room, will start at 7 pm and last about one hour.

We hope to see you all there in a few minutes!