October 30, 2009
Membership Update
We currently have 296 members. PTA membership cards will be sent out soon. As a member of Rancho PTA, you are automatically a member of the California and National PTAs. Thanks to every parent and teacher who has joined PTA.
Beautification Update
Special thanks to the kids and teachers at ESS for the exceptional artwork they made for the Harvest Carnival! Thanks to every class who made a scarecrow. They look awesome!
November is bulb-planting time! Join us on Saturday November 21 from 1-3 PM and get your hands dirty! Parents and kids will have fun planting daffodil bulbs on campus.
If you’d like to donate daffodil bulbs or any other bulbs, there is a box labeled DAFFODILS in the hallway near the library. Ideas and suggestions are always appreciated! Please email Tammi Schnapp @ uncrn@aol.com.
Harvest Carnival and Walk-A-Thon
We would like to express our utmost thanks to all of the Rancho parents and student volunteers that made our Harvest Carnival and Walk-a-Thon a resounding success (not to mention a whole lot of fun)!!! This event could not have happened without all of your hard work. THANK YOU! We would also like to give a special Rancho thank you to Anna Stanley, Julie Clark and Melissa Schaible for their leadership and dedication to making this the best Harvest Carnival and Walk-a-Thon possible.
October 16, 2009
5TH Grade Jamba Juice Fundraiser
Jamba Juice will be returning to Rancho every Wednesday in October selling 8 oz. smoothies for $2.00. Come out and support our 5th grade class of 2009/2010 and help them raise funds for the Outdoor Education Science Camp in March. The events will be at 1:30 PM at the outside tables by the multipurpose room. Quantities are limited so don’t delay!
Corporate Donation Matching
What is Corporate Matching? A program sponsored by many companies that “match” your donations to non-profit organizations like the Rancho Las Positas PTA. Some companies even provide grants to schools.
What companies match? Cisco, Chevron, Clorox, Oracle, Sony, Travelers Insurance, Genentech, Federated/Macy’s, RBC Dain Rauscher, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Cingular, Microsoft, Yahoo, Aetna, Washington Mutual and more. If in doubt contact your Human Resources department or go to http://www.hepdevelopment.com/utxa/gift_matching_se.cfm and type in your employer.
Why do it? Corporate Matching doubles the value of your donation to the Rancho Las Positas PTA. For example, your donation of $250 becomes a $500 donation!
How do I get my donation matched? Ask your Human Resources Department if they have a Charitable Matching Gift program and/or grant program for elementary schools. If "yes", obtain a Matching Gift Form (many can be obtained on-line) and complete your portion.
Welcome Parliamentarian Nicole Lestochi
We would like to extend a warm welcome and thank you to Nicole Lestochi who stepped up and made herself available to serve as the PTA Board Parliamentarian for the upcoming year.
October 2, 2009
Box Tops
Rancho Parents: Please continue to send in your Box Tops and Campbell soup labels. So far this year we have already collected $264 in Box Tops! The money earned from the Box Tops is funding the STAR reading program that is used in our Computer lab, so those labels are very important! We are collecting points with the soup labels to earn school supplies from Campbell's. Another Box Top collection sheet will be sent out soon. If you do not have a collection sheet, you can always send in your Box Tops in a plastic baggie with your child’s full name and teacher on it. The child in each grade with the most Box Tops collected this year will earn a Target gift card, and the classroom with the most Box Tops collected will earn a pizza party! So keep those labels coming!
Carnival and Walk-A-Thon News
Help is still needed for Rancho Carnival on Saturday, October 24. The Carnival begins at 10 a.m. ends at 3 p.m. You should be receiving a memo from your game booth coordinator for your class soon. Your representative will be asking you to volunteer for an hour on your class game booth. If you are able to do this, it would be very helpful! The more people who sign up, the shorter the shifts can be! We encourage your student to volunteer with you. Teens/Tweens are welcome, and can get a letter for credit if they need one. If you class doesn't have a coordinator, please consider doing this yourself! You are not required to be at the event if you are unable to do so, and it only takes a couple hours of coordination at the most. Your class will also probably be donating to a class basket to raffle at the event. Help with these will be needed as well! Also needed are donations of gently loved or new toys/games/stuffed animals for our prize booth. The recycled items, which are one of a kind in our prize booth, are always the first to go! Clean out those closets before the holidays, donate those items your children got 2 of on their last birthday and you never got around to exchanging! Got a box of back up gifts that everyone has outgrown? The PTA will put them to good use! A donation box will be available in the office. Questions? Email Anna Stanley at kingswest@comcast.net. Thank you!
4th Annual Rancho Walkathon: How many laps can you do?? Come out on October 24th for the Harvest Festival and plan to walk one hour in the Walkathon to see how many laps you can do. Look for sponsorship forms that are being sent home via your teacher then ask family and friends to sponsor you. The top three students who raise the most money win special prizes. The top class gets a pizza party and everyone who walks gets a special charm. The walking starts at 10am. This is a fun and exciting Rancho tradition so don't miss it.
Back by popular demand are the cake contest and baked goods booth, as well as the pumpkin contest. Watch for upcoming flyers with details.
Help Help Help is always needed in every aspect of this event. If you have extra time to spend, we can use it! Set up (starting at 7:30 a.m.), clean up, baked goods, prize booth, ticket sales, food booth, walk-a-thon counters, and game booths that don't have enough volunteers will be shut down! It takes a small army to make this event happen, and many hands make light work!
PTA Membership Update
We currently have 263 members! Our goal is 100% membership. PTA membership is a NO OBLIGATION show of support for Rancho PTA and the programs we sponsor students. Membership is $5.00 per adult. If you know of anyone else who would like to join, tell them it is never too late! Forms are always available in office or you can email Tammi Schnapp at uncrn@aol.com.
Beautification Update
Thanks to the kids at ESS for their wonderful artwork for the Rancho Round Up and Back to School! Special thanks to Jenny Hydrick for her work with the Rancho Bulletin Board. The Bulletin Board is packed with Raccoon information! CHECK IT OUT! It will soon be daffodil planting time (Nov./Dec.). Over 400 were planted last year…our goal is to plant MORE this year! If you’d like to donate daffodil bulbs, there is a box labeled daffodils in the office hallway. If you have ideas/suggestions for projects please email Tammi Schnapp at uncrn@aol.com.
