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2005 – 2006 Reagan High School PTA: For several years now Ronald Reagan High School PTA has promoted the Remarkable Rattler program. Our objective for the Remarkable Rattler is to honor students, teachers, administration, and/or staff that: • Excel beyond normal expectations. • Exhibit a positive attitude and motivate others. • Exhibit pride in our school and our campus. • Show respect for others. • Exhibit high moral character. Nominations are reviewed each month by the PTA committee, and winners are honored at our PTA Executive Board meeting with a PTA pin, award certificate and gift certificate. We also publish the “RR” winner(s) on our school message board, school announcements, Reagan Review and our local newsletter, Welcome Home. Over the past few years, we have recognized over 60 Remarkable Rattlers! Hardy Oak Elementary PTA: At the first PTA meeting of the year, Hardy Oak students presented a fashion show using costumes that had been created in previous years for class activities. Each grade had one or two teachers who explained the subject and the activity. For example, second graders modeled their pioneer costumes and first graders dressed as waiters from reading restaurant. In addition, each grade modeled school spirit shirts and carried spirit sticks. (Each Friday one class per grade is awarded the spirit stick, which is passed around throughout the year). The principal narrated a special segment with two groups of 5th grade students, who dressed as either the “what to wear” or “what not to wear” at Hardy Oak. It was a very creative way to explain the dress code. Because Hardy Oak has many new families this year, the goal was to show some of the “costumes” they may need to have. It was also a nice ice breaker for all families. The programs VP, Sherry Heideman, met with the lead teacher of each grade to determine which subjects they’d like to highlight. Then she had to find the costumes from previous years. Each classroom had 3 to 4 “models” and parents’ permission was needed for them to participate in the show. The show began after the business portion of our meeting that night. It started with kindergarten and ended with the 5th grade’s “what not to wear” skit. It was a great program with over 100 people in attendance, which is incredible for an early September PTA meeting. Huebner Elementary PTA: In November, just before Thanksgiving break, the Huebner PTA Hospitality Committee hosted an event for dads called “Brown Bag Turkey Talk” during lunch.


 
 
 
 
 
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Each child was given a brown bag filled with a grade appropriate activity and a sheet filled with “turkey talk” including trivia and fun facts. The activities included one or more of the following; build-a-turkey stickers, crossword puzzles, word searches, Mad Libs, bookmarks, pencils, and stamps. PTA volunteers gathered ahead of the event to stuff the bags and on the days of the event greeted the dads and passed out activity bags. The dads and children ate lunch and talked turkey. It was quite pleasant to find the cafeteria was as calm as it has ever been. Dellview Elementary PTA: Dellview Dolphins Going the Extra Mile During the holiday season, many of our wonderful elementary schools provide a winter/holiday shop where the children bring money from home and can purchase inexpensive gifts for family and friends. This is a huge thrill for the children to buy a gift on their own that they can wrap and give to their family. Dellview took this one step further. After input from the school counselor and the family specialist, several students were identified as being in a low income financial situation. These children were invited to come to the workshop and the PTA contributed funds to pay the expense. We would like to recognize Dellview Elementary; their Principal, Mrs. Ivonna Gonzales; and their PTA President, Mary Goldstein, for going the extra mile to make sure that all the children could participate in this event and help them have a happier holiday. Harmony Hills Elementary PTA: Three energetic members of the Harmony Hills PTA have started new after-school clubs for the children, which, taking into account the already established Chess Club, results in there being three PTA sponsored after-school programs available. Gabriella Scott and Lucy Gwozdz have brought an art program that meets monthly. Lucy has worked as an art teacher and brings wonderful ideas to expand the children’s talents. The artwork from this club is displayed in the hallways for all to see. LeeAnn Murray has started a writing club called YAC (Young Author’s Club) which meets weekly. LeeAnn has students from 2nd to 5th grades in attendance and each week they have a different theme or style of writing they address. Their literature has been published in the school newsletter. Both programs were overflowing with applicants, which demonstrate a hunger for more artistic activities by our students. We congratulate these women on the successes of their programs and thank them for giving of themselves for the children. Hidden Forest Elementary PTA: After realizing that many of Hidden Forest PTA chairmen would be “graduating” when their children went to middle school, the executive board needed to


 
 
 
 
 
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find and train new chairmen. In order to encourage involvement on the board for those volunteers who had never held a position in PTA and for parents of younger students, Hidden Forest PTA developed a “shadow” program to help find new leaders They found that parents wanted to volunteer, but were hesitant to jump in to a chairmanship and head up a program. Their solution was a “shadowing” program for new executive board members to work with program chairmen for the whole school year. The chairman receives extra help and the “shadower” receives instruction in order to take over the chairmanship the following school year. Everyone has benefited. The board is more inclusive and full of hardworking parents who feel needed and comfortable carrying out their roles.

2006-2007 East Terrill Hills Elementary PTA: East Terrill Hills had their Fall Festival that included a Health Fair for the general public and their community. The event had blood pressure checks, insurance information for seniors, and free Ident-A-Kid for students. Their parent liaison worked diligently with the PTA to get this activity off and running. It was very successful and the parents were extremely grateful. Oak Meadow Elementary PTA: Oak Meadow has a service group on campus also called SOC, Students on Campus, which helps 5th graders understand the relevance between what they’re learning in school and how they’ll use these skills for the rest of their lives. The interested students complete an application, attend training, keep a service record, and volunteer during school at least 30 minutes every week. The opportunities include peace kids, buddies, managers, office assistants, teacher assistants, watt watchers, library assistants, public relations, and safety patrols. Since the program began 2 years ago, only one child has opted not to participate. Eisenhower Middle School PTA: Eisenhower organized “Ike’s Big Day” on October 14th, President Eisenhower’s birthday. The event included three races, a pep rally with student organizations from Eisenhower and Churchill, and a luncheon catered by Grady’s Bar-B-Q. Everyone was also treated to birthday cake and fruit while the Eisenhower band played “Happy Birthday.” United States army vehicles were displayed and a dunking booth entertained students. They even accomplished the goals of promoting fitness and building school spirit.


 
 
 
 
 
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Serna Elementary PTA: Five hundred Serna students and 30 parent volunteers participated in the first ever Serna Artfest in March of 2006. The goal was to introduce art to students and the community as a vital part of the education of our students. The students, from pre-K through fifth, participated in art lessons of their choice. Thanks to the efforts of Mrs. Clark, the Serna PTA, and the teachers and staff of Serna, in one day 500 students made over 500 pieces of artwork that were displayed and discussed in a revolving art show at Serna. Several were chosen as entries into the district-wide Young Masters Art Show. The program increased the community’s understanding of the importance of art education, and allowed the Serna students to try their hands at many different art projects and techniques that they may have never considered. As a result of the success of the initial Artfest, the PTA was asked to hold the event each year. Regency Place Elementary PTA: For the past two years, the Regency Place PTA has made an effort to encourage all students to read by making a variety of books available for purchase at the school’s spirit shop. Books have been donated by the Red Balloon, Half Price Books, and from PTA members’ personal collections. The books are then sold for twenty-five cents each. The Regency Place PTA has also issued “Regency Bucks,” which are given to faculty and staff members to pass on to students who they feel deserve an extra incentive. The coupons are good for one free book, or twenty-five cents off of any spirit shop purchase. Interestingly enough, most coupons are turned in for books. Rachel Alvarez is the chairman of the Regency Place Spirit Shop this year. Bradley Middle School PTA: In April, plant identification markers were added to Bradley’s wildscape project. The signs are a part of a joint effort between the PTA and student council designed to beautify the front of Bradley while educating the community on plants best suited to our region. Botanical information was provided by a PTA parent, and a Bradley science teacher made the signs. Parents, local residents, and even delivery men have stopped to comment on their garden and to let them know they have used the information provided by the campus for projects throughout the community. Redland Oaks Elementary PTA hosted an Art Night art night in honor of “PTA Take Your Family to School Week.” The art night encouraged families to come and participate in 7 different art mediums. The students and their parents did hands on art projects involving clay, wire bead sculptures, wax resist, watercolor and quilting squares. Also on display were various art projects from grades K-5. Students in grades 2-5 have art lessons once a month taught by parents who follow an art curriculum developed by qualified art instructors. Spotlight award ribbons were presented to Principal, Dr. Mary Longloy; PTA President, Pam Stevenson; and PTA Member, Elizabeth Flumming.


 
 
 
 
 
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Stone Oak Elementary PTA hosted a “Run for Cover” event held at McAllister Park. There were 314 participants. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of skin cancer and to raise funds for sunshade structures to cover playgrounds. The official starter and emcee was Dr. Tom Mayes, Professor and Chairman at the University of Texas Health Science Center Department of Pediatrics. The HEB Buddy was there for the children. The University of Incarnate Word Men’s and Women’s soccer teams volunteered at water stops and directed traffic. The PTA raised $28,000. Award ribbons were presented to Principal, Terry Chidgey; PTA President, DeAnn Nealy; and Chairpersons, Kathleen Schenker and Chrystal Payne. Bush Middle School PTA: The Principal and Assistant Principals were paying out of their pockets for lunches for students who had no money in their lunch account or forgot their lunch and couldn’t get a hold of their parents. This situation was mentioned to one of the PTA volunteers and “Bush Bags” were created. Each week a PTA parent signs up to provide lunches with non-perishable healthy food items. If a student finds themselves without a lunch, they know to come to the front office for a “Bush Bag.” A full stomach helps feed the mind. Award ribbons were presented to Principal, Randy Hoyer; PTA President, Cheryl Bridges; and Chairperson, Tina Magness.

2007-2008 Coker Elementary PTA: Recycling Rangers is a recycling program, which includes the students and parent volunteers. In this program the children volunteer their extra time at lunch under the supervision of a volunteer parent to collect all plastics associated with their daily lunches, including the plastic milk bottles. These recycled items are then taken home by the parent volunteer to be placed in recycle bins. The students also collect the paper recycling from the classrooms. Wilderness Oak Elementary PTA: On October 19th, the teachers and staff surprised 675 students and parents with their "talents" at its First Annual Staff Talent Show. Principals Jane Jensen, Jeffery Owens, and Harold Massey dressed as Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson and held court on stage "judging" each act. Grade level and specials participants did everything from skits to songs and even threw in a puppet act called "Who's 'Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" using the mascot uniform from East Terrill Hills Elementary School. The purpose of this event was twofold. We hoped to raise additional funds for our playground cover project, but mostly wanted to bring a sense of community to a school that is already big on togetherness! A


 
 
 
 
 
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can soda and water bottle drive the previous week helped stocked the concessions while allowing the PTA to spend less than $100 in order to prepare for the event. The PTA board members graciously donated candy bars and slim Jim boxes from Costco in order to provide a variety of snacks for individuals to choose from. The school popcorn machine was used and with donated popcorn from NICO, each ticket came with a free bag of popcorn. The PTA board members filled the time between each act by handing out door prizes that consisted of spirit items and fundraising samples. After an evening filled with smiles and laughter and a few sticky floors, the Talent Show was deemed a HUGE success. Spirit merchandise sales reached almost $500 while ticket sales and concessions raised $2500. Bradley Middle School PTA: Many school parents may not understand what a PTA Life Membership or Extended Service or National PTA Life Achievement Award is all about? In an effort to reach out and include more Bradley parents and faculty in the nomination process for Bradley Life Membership Awardees, The Bradley Life Membership chair, Karyn Wagner, created a PTA Life Membership brochure. It is a colorful, tri-fold brochure to be placed in the Bradley school office and given to all Bradley faculty and staff members. It explains what the memberships are and why they are such an honor. It includes space to write a nomination and the reason for the nomination. The brochure includes the names of past Bradley recipients. This 2007-08 project only required paper and some computer knowledge. The result is an eyecatching, easy to understand brochure that will help Bradley PTA honor those who provide outstanding service to youth. Encino Park Elementary PTA implemented a new program in November that has proven a huge success. The program is called Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) and was created by the National Center for Fathering. It focuses on prevention of violence in our nation’s schools by using the positive influence of fathers and father-figures for a two-fold purpose: (1) to provide an unobtrusive presence in the schools and (2) to be a positive and active role-model for students at their school. The goal is to have these men spend at least one day a year at the school to be an extra set of eyes and ears, to get a glimpse of students’ every day world, and gain a greater awareness of the positive impact that they can have on their students’ lives (academics, selfesteem, social behavior). When a Watch DOG arrives on campus at 7:45 in the morning, he is greeted by a staff member and given a schedule for the day. At that time he is photographed with his child(ren) and given a T-shirt identifying him as Watch DOG. The children are given a T-shirt that reads “My Hero is a Watch D.O.G.” that they wear for the day and the photo is posted on a large bulletin board in the foyer of the school. Fathers participate in all kinds of scheduled activities from tutoring, playing games in PE, reading to students in the library, joining the kids at recess, and helping students in


 
 
 
 
 
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the cafeteria, as well as touring the campus each hour to act as an extra set of eyes and ears for the administration by reporting any problems that may arise. The program began with a Pizza and Information night that was attended by more than 400 dads and children. That night every spot on the calendar was taken and we had to increase the available days by allowing for more than one Watch D.O.G. per day. We had hoped for 2 or 3 participants per week and were so surprised at the level of participation. Now, more and more fathers are calling to try to get into the program because their children love the Watch D.O.G.S. and want their own father to be there too. The administration has been an essential part of the success of this program. Colleen Bohrmann and her staff welcomed the idea from the beginning and have worked so hard each day to make the Watch D.O.G.S. feel welcome and needed. The feedback has been inspiring. This is such a special program that we hope other PTAs will check it out and adopt it for their own schools Northwoods Elementary PTA began a program called "Monday Mail" which is a weekly newsletter that originated as a paper edition. The first edition included an email address that allowed parents to request their edition to be delivered via email. Not only does this help reduce the amount of paper being used but also assures the information is getting to the parents. Lopez Middle School PTA held its 1st Annual Multicultural Affair on Tuesday, March 11th. This annual event celebrates the diversity in our schools and in our community. The evening was filled with dance performances from Capoeira Brazilian Martial Art, Reagan High School Platinum Steppers, Hardy Oak Elementary Fifth Grade Multicultural Dancers and the African Lambada Dance Troupe. Our Lopez Middle School jazz band blew us away with their renditions of several blues and jazz musical performances. Our parents, Life Science students, teachers and friends prepared cultural delights for our International Food Sampling that tickled our tastes buds. We enjoyed foods from Nigeria, Asia, Europe, India, Mexico, and Germany just to name a few. Our parents and teachers also provided beautiful display items from all around the world to educate us on many cultures. The Art students made and displayed beautiful cultural art pieces specifically for this event. Truly a community event, we invited the surrounding schools to attend our Multicultural Affair. Our neighbors and friends sponsored the rental of cultural costumes that our students from NJHS, PALS and Student Council wore that evening. Many parents also dressed in their cultural attire, adding to the essence of the evening. Dr. Richard Middleton honored us by attending the Multicultural Affair, and was spotted bobbing his head to the cultural rhythms, and enjoying the different ethnic foods. As side conversations about ones cultural heritage were being shared that evening by the students and their parents, we knew that the Multicultural Affair has served its purpose… to encourage pride and educate others in our many cultures.


 
 
 
 
 
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Canyon Ridge Elementary PTA: The week of February 11th - 15th is National Random Acts of Kindness Week and Canyon Ridge Elementary School PTA has started an initiative to “Show us Your Kindness!” The CRPTA has developed a week of activities for the students to show their kindness toward each other, their families and friends. Monday, February 11th will begin with each student receiving a Coyote Kindness Bracelet that will encourage them to think of someone else each time they look at their bracelet. They will also tally their “acts of kindness” during the week and each student will turn in their game card tallies and 300 students will receive free kids meals just for thinking of others and doing “kind” deeds. “We think this is a great way of putting their core virtues into action,” said Deana Abiassi, CRPTA president, “and we really wanted to highlight this national initiative and bring the “kindness matters” theme to our school.” On Tuesday, students are being asked to Be Kind to Others and bring socks that will be donated to our sister school. Wednesday, is Make a New Friend Day with an emphasis on “It All Starts With A Smile!”: Thursday is Valenkindness Day at Canyon Ridge and all students are asked to send a special note to their teacher in addition to other Valentine’s Day activities. And, Friday is Respect Other People’s Feelings Day. The Committee Chairs, Theresa Travis and Amy Seidel are excited about the activities that are being planned for the week and hopeful that these coordinated efforts will bring a routine of Random Acts of Kindness to the student’s daily lives for the rest of their lives.

2008-2009 Roan Forest Elementary PTA: In an attempt to incorporate Fitness into our Fundraising, Roan Forest has started the Trailblazer Trek. This was in conjunction with our Red Ribbon program in Oct. The children received a “well-rounded” lesson on drugs, alcohol and how to stay healthy through good eating and exercise. The children got pledges either per lap or a flat donation, and then on the day of the walkathon, they walked for 55 minutes. Each teacher walked with their class to help raise money for the school. After two years, this fundraiser allowed us to purchase shade canopies for our playgrounds. The top three money raisers were rewarded with prizes, and all the children received a participation award. All children participated, even if they didn’t secure any donations – it was a great way to promote fitness as well as raise money for our school. Harmony Hills Elementary PTA: On February 16, 2009, Harmony Hills held a Block Walk to recruit volunteers and mentors from the community. The idea came from a Leadership Retreat held by the Harmony Hills staff. Lead by Principal Alan Rochkus and his leadership team which consisted of the following faculty and staff members. Gwen Zaborowski, Grace Perez, Kelli Drash, Tamara Mayo, Crissy Pena, Joel Luther, Barbara McClain, Kathryn Hoelscher, Katie


 
 
 
 
 
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Wilson, Pam LaCombe, Maria Inez Saenz, Maribel Lacey, Shawn Timlin and Carrie Denoncour. IBC Bank employees, the Total Source and The Harmony Hills Home Owners Association all participated in the Block Walk. They went door to door passing out brochures and flyers to the community about volunteering and mentoring at Harmony Hills. This was effort to increase involvement within the Harmony Hills community. It was a complete success! Tejeda Middle School PTA: This year Frank Tejeda Middle School began another fabulous "club", titled The Get Fit Club and the turnout has been phenomenal. We have more than 100 kids who take part in the club meetings. These club meetings are always on the Tejeda Track, on Wednesday mornings at 7:30am. They are very physical. We meet twice a month and workout together on the track before school. Our club members are taking the initiative to get up early on days we meet, and are at school by 7:30 to work out!!! How great is that? It is a tremendous feeling as an educator and sponsor to see more than 100 kids working out and getting energized. All this before school even starts. At any given meeting, we run the track for at least a mile, and the run the bleachers.The kid's favorite is "Push ups with the Principal." We are currently working on running/walking our 25 miles for the Get Fit with Bruce Bowen and HEB healthy family challenge. This is a marathon that you do mile by mile and we complete 25 by the end of February and then meet Bruce Bowen on March 28th at the AT&T center to run and complete the last mile of the marathon. The Timberwolves are really excited and have stepped up to meet this challenge. Our goal is to promote fitness not only with our students but the students are encouraged to bring a teacher or parent to our meetings as well. In addition, we'd like to get the community working out. We want people to be fitness minded and stay healthy.

Encino Park Elementary PTA: On Monday, November 17th Encino Park PTA sponsored a flu immunization clinic at the school. The clinic was held from 3 to 7 pm in a conference room. The clinic was open to the public and school families. 75 people were immunized. 40 had the flu mist nasal immunization and 35 had the shot. Each immunization was $30 and the PTA received a portion of the immunization price. The clinic is a new program from FLU BUSTERS and PTA. FLU BUSTERS supplied everything we needed to do the clinic: nurse, immunizations and safe disposal system for used items. Parents were very grateful for the convenience of receiving their family’s immunizations at the school. Since our FLU Buster Clinic I learned that this is not the first time that PTA has been involved in vaccinating children. PTA was an instrumental arm in the vaccinations to prevent Polio. Hidden Forest Elementary PTA hosts Disability Awareness Days. Candy Reyes, a Community Advocate and Hidden Forest PTA Mom, is a great asset to our community. As a


 
 
 
 
 
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parent of a Special Needs child, Candy understands the needs from both the child and the parent’s perspective. She’s dedicated to advancing the educational experience of the Special Needs children and she helps navigate the parents through the public school system while connecting the families to the local resources that can best support them. As the Chairperson of the Special Needs program at Hidden Forest, Candy organized a two-day event to create awareness of the various challenges that Special Needs children face on a daily basis. Gordon Hartman from the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation was the keynote speaker and he introduced the concept of a new Special Needs Park in the works for September 2009. A one-of-a- kind, 106-acre sports complex specifically designed to fit the needs of those with cognitive or physical disabilities. Representatives from local organizations generously volunteered their time to provide hands-on activities related to physical impairments and learning disabilities. For example, Lighthouse for the Blind taught the children how to use a walking stick, Leader Dogs for the Blind explained the usefulness of a Seeing-Eye Dog and allowed a “petting” session, Kinetic Kids allowed the children to experience a wheelchair and Mutual Enrichment through Learning and Discovery taught sign language. Fort Sam Houston(EFMP) conducted tactile sensory activities for students to touch, feel, and smell. Federation for Families-through Center for Health Care Service introduced activities to increase mental health awareness. RFB&D learning through listening demonstrated different learning technology and Learning Rx, Inc. challenged the children with activities related to academic learning disabilities. Overall, it was a great educational opportunity for our Hidden Forest Falcons. The interaction held the children’s interest and there was a lot of excitement in the air as they transitioned from booth to booth. Many thanks to both Candy Reyes and Gordon Hartman for their work at Hidden Forest and their commitment to the Special Needs community! To learn more about the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation and the Special Needs Park, visit www.hartmansa.org.

Hardy Oak PTA: When considering this year’s fundraising events, the Hardy Oak PTA went the extra distance for their membership. After listening to feedback from parents and staff regarding the time, effort, and trouble of catalog fundraisers, the Hardy Oak PTA tried something completely new to their school: Greenback Night. They decided to make their first Regular PTA Meeting all about the students, including a slideshow presentation of “What Our Hornets did over the Summer,” a pizza dinner, and the Greenback Campaign. The Fundraising Committee was busy over the summer, collecting photos from Hardy Oak families and compiling them into a fabulous slideshow. The evening of the meeting, the cafeteria was decorated with green balloons and play money adorned the tables. Everyone who attended the meeting enjoyed pizza dinner, partially donated by Papa John’s Pizza and Double Dave’s Pizza. The Greenback Campaign process and goals were presented to the membership.


 
 
 
 
 
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Then everyone sat back and enjoyed the pizza as they watched their friends on their summer vacations on the big screen. The response to this program has been beyond excellent. The Hardy Oak PTA has received very positive feedback about multiple facets of the Greenback Night: 1. Parents are thrilled to be able to write a tax deductible check, all of which goes to the PTA for student programs, and not have to sell any catalog items. 2. Everyone loved seeing the slideshow presentation; there have even been requests for another one after the winter break! 3. As of today, the Hardy Oak PTA has met our Greenback Goal. The Hardy Oak PTA is very excited that they were able to introduce a new fundraiser, generate such a positive response, and combine it with a fun-filled, family event for their students and membership. Wilderness Oak Elementary PTA hosted its first ever "Family Night" in late October. The festivities included a catered Italian meal and a posh art gallery with all of the art donated from the Wilderness Oak students. Parents participated in an informative math course catered to adults while the students engaged in fun math activities and games. This was one night of the year when the Wilderness Oak cafeteria was transformed into an Italian Cafe. The tables were covered in red paper and adorned with crayons so that families could "doodle" while they dined on their noodles. Some 650 people pre-paid for the meal catered by HEB and many more purchased the night of the event. The WOW wolf mascot was on hand to give out hugs and even served some spaghetti. The two gymnasiums were decorated with approximately 1200 works of art created by each and every child on the campus. Parents were able to peruse the gallery and make a donation to the PTA by "purchasing" their child's matted and labeled art. Hobby Lobby help supply 350 frames which sold out in the first hour of the event. After dinner and the art sale, Parents attended an instructional math course taught by each grade level team. Parents were able to ask questions about math vocabulary and inquire about how they could better help their child at home. PTA President Kym Pharris said "We wanted to have an event that brought our Wilderness Oak Community together as families. It was nice to see families dining together while the children were so proud to show off their art work and felt good to know that they were helping their school raise money. The math information given to the parents was invaluable and will certainly help them when overseeing their child's homework. It was a great night!"


 
 
 
 
 
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Bradley M.S. PTA conducted the 2nd Annual "Put a Coat by the Door" Coat Drive for our sister school Ed White MS. Our Community Outreach chairman, Audrey Wilson spearheaded the event and was supported by the generous Bradley MS Community of parents and educators. This event took place the week of November 10th, 2008, and was publicized using fliers, posters and emails communicating the event. Our goal was to collect coats of all sizes as a donation to our sister school Ed White MS. Through the dedicated efforts of Audrey Wilson and a fantastic job communicating our efforts and making drop-offs easy for the Bradley community by allowing parents to drop off donations in the drive through lane of the school. Audrey and her volunteers braved unseasonably cold mornings with smiles on their faces taking donations from cars and providing huge collection boxes accessible throughout the campus. Over 100 coats were collected and given to Ed White MS. This was less than last year's donation of 300 coats, but was very much appreciated by the administration at Ed White. Roosevelt H.S. PTSA won first place honors at the Windcrest Welcome Event in October. The parent group was among more than twenty others at this activity. Their top award was for theme presentation and knowledge of information that they shared with more than one hundred fifty newcomers, residents and business at the quarterly Windcrest function. The Windcrest Proud Welcome Reception is a quarterly social event that the Windcrest community hosts to welcome new residents and businesses. At these themed gatherings, groups, organizations, churches, and businesses have an opportunity to display information and educate attendees on their services. The Windcrest Proud Committee and event attendees choose a winner at each event based on theme decorations, and knowledge and presentation of information. Roosevelt PTSA attended our first event in October 2008. We won. Our participants included: President Gwen Wilson, members Theresa Grant and Sherry Walker and students, Shanise Wilson and Rachel Walker. 
 



 
 
 
 
 
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2009-2010 Canyon Ridge Elementary PTA: Last year, the School Spirit chairperson developed the Spirit Stick Program. A Spirit Stick is a small custom embroidered patch that students earn, collect, and display on a lanyard, key ring, or backpack. Each Friday, teachers are asked to count the number of students wearing Canyon Ridge spirit shirts and submit their results to the front office by 10 AM. The classes with the highest percentage of students in spirit shirts from each grade level wins the weekly Spirit Award. Winning classes are given a sign to hang outside their classroom door for the following week and class names are listed on a poster at the front entry to the school. Each student from each winning class earns a Spirit Stick, which he or she keeps. These Spirit Stick patches are collectible and valuable, as they must be earned and cannot be purchased. The success of this program has enabled its expansion. Now, Spirit Stick incentives include other PTA-sponsored programs, such as membership drives, sister-school collection efforts, Red Ribbon Week celebrations, Random Acts of Kindness Week, environmental awareness issues, attendance and volunteer awards, and birthday celebrations. At a mere $.15 each, Spirit Sticks promote school spirit and participation, encourage students to wear school spirit shirts, and provide meaningful extrinsic rewards with lasting value, all year long.

Churchill High School PTA’s ADEPT committee partnered with Winner’s Circle, STAN Counselor Beth Fox, WOAI TV, and Kiolbassa to organize a tailgate party at Heroes Stadium before the Churchill-Reagan football game on September 24. The Churchill band, cheerleaders and 300 students attended the event, which was broadcast live on WOAI. Kiolbassa donated water and sausages. Activities included bean bag throwing and trivia contests. The event provided an alcohol- and drug-free activity for students and increased school spirit. Encino Park Elementary PTA: One of the goals of the Encino Park Elementary PTA has been to increase awareness of the activities that are brought to the school by PTA, and encourage membership and participation. The executive officers put together a brief video outlining the activities that the Encino Park local PTA bring to the school and showed it during their Back to School night. Their membership per student percentage is up, and parents are more aware of what the PTA does and how to join PTA.


 
 
 
 
 
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Cibolo Green Elementary PTA organized the school’s participation in the “International Walk to School” event on October 6, 2010 at 7:00AM. The program joins schools around the world to walk or ride bicycles to school in order to enhance health of kids, improve air quality and environment and to create safer routes. The 250 participants included students, parents, teachers and PTA volunteers. Principal Dr. Gonzales and Assistant Principal Mrs. Fischer each led a group from different neighborhoods. Both groups carried a big banner to make the walk look like a grand parade. Each student that participated received a Cibolo Green Frequent Walker Card to attach to their backpacks and will be given one punch on their card every time they walk or bike to school. Once their card is full they will receive a prize! The CGPTA “Champions of the Environment” committee organized the event, made the banners and will monitor and continue to promote the walking/biking to school. The CGPTA Watch D.O.G.S. committee helped all of the participants to be safe en-route to school.

The Redland Oaks PTA hosted a parent education class on “Food and Fitness Matter; Raising Healthy, Active Kids” at the school on November 10th during the lunch hour. Parents could order a box lunch or bring their own lunch to the presentation. Parents discussed the alarming fact that this generation of children may be the first to have a shorter lifespan, than that of previous generations, due to lack of activity and diets high in fat. The conversations then focused on solutions vital to our children’s health. The presenter, Mrs. Heather Ashwell-Hair, and her presentation was sponsored by Texas PTA and focused on the following:  The causes of the dramatic increase in overweight kids.  Health problems posed by the childhood obesity epidemic.  Practical tips for parents to improve nutrition and fitness at home.  Profiles of schools that found ways to serve healthier food and to increase physical activity, and  Inspiration for parents to work with their school for change. Parents can look forward to more parent education opportunities co-sponsored by the school and PTA. Free “Common Sense Parenting” classes are being offered, both during the day and in the evenings, through Boys Town of Texas. The classes run 8 weeks and include all materials. The curriculum assists parents with maintaining strong relationships with their children; addressing problem behaviors, and development of communication and parenting skills that help parents raise responsible, caring children.


 
 
 
 
 
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Hardy Oak PTA hosted its first-ever Family Fitness Night on January 20th. Sue Bernstein, Healthy Lifestyles Chairperson, showcased fitness stations lead by PE teachers and local professionals, BMI and blood pressure checks, samples of healthy foods, many healthy lifestylerelated businesses and a drawing with great prizes. To promote the event, we used posters; eblasts, a showcase display, and students wore fitness clothes to school the day of the event. More than 500 people attended Family Fitness Night and we plan to make it an annual event. Northwood Elementary PTA: Our gym is the result of the 1997 Bond Election and we wanted to express our thanks. More importantly, we want our gym and outdoor blacktop to be a place for the community to stay fit and healthy. We partnered with the City of San Antonio through the Mayor's Council on Fitness which gave us a grant of $1,000 for our Gym Celebration and Dedication. The theme of the evening was "Hats of to Health and Fitness." We were honored to have several speakers and special guests attend, including Dr. Middleton, the Associate Superintendents, Councilman John Clamp, Randy Bristow and Marie Ferdinand-Harris, from the Mayor's Council on Fitness and former Silver Stars player spoke about the importance of exercise in your life. Also, each family was able to fill out a Fitness Pledge stating they would try to eat healthier and incorporate physical activity into their daily routine. For every family that submitted a Fitness Pledge, they received a goodie bag filled with jump ropes, water bottles, coupons to the Spectrum, free oatmeal at McDonald's and tips on eating healthy. We were happy to have the MacArthur Cheerleaders and Drum-line kick-off the fun-filled evening with a pre-program pep rally! They really set the mood and the elementary students were really excited to have these high school students at their school. They were great role models for our students and demonstrated different ways to stay physically fit. During the program, our coach had everybody doing fun and simple exercises showing how easy it is to incorporate fitness into your day. One of the highlights of the evening was having our parents, children and all guests (including Dr. Middleton) participating in the activity with Coach. In addition, students from each grade level demonstrated how the new equipment will be utilized during their gym classes. After the program, we had a reception that included healthy treats, such as bottled and sparking water, fruit and 100 calorie snack packs. We had many volunteers participate that included parents and community representatives who were new to volunteering for PTA! The Celebration brought out close to 400 people, which is exciting considering we have approximately 460 students in our school. It was a fantastic celebration of fitness and fun for all!


 
 
 
 
 
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2010-2011 Coker ES is certified as a Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation as of 2010. The road to certification for Coker began nine years ago when their initial drought friendly gardens were planted in the front of the school. The initial planning, planting and upkeep of the gardens have been headed up by Michelle O’Ferrall, her family and the Landscape Committee of the Coker PTA. In 2005, a pond was built on the Coker campus as an Eagle Scout project by Tucker Howe, a former Coker Cub. The pond satisfies the certification requirements to provide water for wildlife, a butterfly garden and the outdoor classroom portion for the school’s certification. The Coker PTA continued their pursuit of having a “greener” school and community and planted 35 native trees. Lastly, all 800 plus students visit the pond and participate in pond lessons led by parent volunteers. The pond lessons, created and lead by Alisa Strandmo, are the final component to Coker’s Certification as a Wildlife Habitat and a treasured time for the students.

The Hidden Forest PTA awards teachers EXCEL grants, “minigrants” for educational programs or supplies for their classrooms. Teachers and other staff members are encouraged to complete a one-page application describing what they need and how many students would benefit. The EXCEL committee, made up of parents from each grade level, decide which applications will receive funding based on the number of students who will benefit, among other criteria. The grant program, now in its second year, has distributed $19,771 for use directly in the classroom, with the latest grant cycle ending in February 2011. We believe the program demonstrates to teachers that the PTA is committed to funding their ideas, especially in these belt-tightening financial times.

The Roan Forest PTA and Principal Dr. Alcala organized a Valentine’s Celebration for the student’s and families on Friday, February 11th. The Celebration consisted of classroom parties, grade level socials and a silent auction. This was their first time to offer class parties and grade level socials. PTA volunteers transformed the gymnasium into a Valentine’s themed dance venue. One of the staff members served as the DJ for the event. This program welcomed parents to join their


 
 
 
 
 
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children for the class celebrations, grade level socials and silent auction. The best part of the day was watching the children’s faces as they entered the gymnasium, realizing that the DJ was a staff member. The children, parents, and teachers danced to the fun and energetic music in the gym encouraging them to be healthy. The event was very successful!

The Tuscany Heights PTA organized an event that included a Kids’ Fun Run and a chip timed 5K. Over 650 runners participated in this inaugural event. The event took place on Saturday, February 26 and was open to the community as well as the school. During the event, there was a Health Fair with vendors who provided health information and free health screenings. In addition, participants were able to learn more about the sponsors and their products/services at their sponsor tables. This event built unity and promoted a positive and healthy lifestyle within the Tuscany Heights community.


 
 
 
 
 
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2011-2012 A great dad at Canyon Ridge saw the need to recruit more dad volunteers for our campus and he's had a great response to our "Just One Day" campaign. He set up a banner in the front of school to help advertise the new initiative and also set up an information table at our Meet the Teacher nights. A sign up sheet was sent home in the Welcome Packets and he's had a great response to his request for dads to volunteer JUST ONE DAY. In fact, just this past week of school -- our FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL -- we had more dads on our campus helping out then we've ever seen before. Amazing! Brad Hicks and his wife Adrian are passionate about being involved in their child's education considering both of them work full time and still find time to be on campus helping out shows you how much they care. We are very lucky t have parents like this! I can't wait to tell you just how many dads he's recruited … flyers get returned daily and it is so fun to see those yellow slips of paper in our PTA mailbox! Attached are some of the advertisements he used to spread the word about his JUST ONE DAY campaign. We're hoping to print yellow T-shirts with a similar style for the dads who help out -- we're still pinching ourselves that this really worked!