Paw Prints

Chehalis Oct. 2013 PTA 4.6.5 Opportunities to Help

What in the World is Chehalis PTA?
By Sarah Chapman Mittge Who: Chehalis PTA members are a part of a local partnership between teachers, administrators, parents, guardians, friends and family of students going to school in the Chehalis School District. With membership, one becomes a part of the local, state and national branches of the PTA. -School Helping Hands Closets -Daddy/Daughter Dances -Mother/Son Nights Out -Touch-a-Truck -Playground Equipment -Prizes for Family Fun Nights -Field Trips -Monetary Awards for Teacher Written Grant Projects -Family Movie Nights -Teacher Appreciation -Library Books -Comfort Backpacks for Emergency Situations

Volunteers forPopcorn Friday-Volunteers will be FridayWhat: Our mission is to help ensure children are asked to pop and bag popcorn safe, healthy, and well-educated. We use events, on Friday mornings for two advocacy, membership, outreach, and other resources to accomplish our mission. Chehalis PTA hours or to sell popcorn for one half hour on Friday 4.6.5 uses membership fees, fundraiser profits and volunteers to sponsor events like the following for afternoons. Proceeds from students in our district: popcorn sales will benefit the special needs program at -Student Incentives and Awards Olympic Elementary. If interested, please contact -AR Bead Shop Amber Palmer, 360.266.7773.
-Santa Shoppe -Representation of Relevant Legislative Issues

When/Where: Chehalis PTA 4.6.5 meets the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm in Olympic Elementary Schools library. Why: Each person who becomes a member of the Chehalis PTA makes the partnership between community and school stronger. This bond allows us to work toward making the lives of each Chehalis student safer, healthier, and richer with diverse learning opportunities. How: The first step is to become a member of the Chehalis PTA. Please fill out the bottom portion of this newsletter and return it, along with your dues, to your childs school. Every member and every child matters.

Helping Hands Seeks Contributions- Each of Chehaliss Elementary Schools has a PTA sponsored Helping Hands closet that houses clothes for students in need due to financial difficulties or accidents at school. Currently, Helping Hands is in need of new or gently worn shoes in between sizes and new, packaged girls panties M-XL. Please contact April Cole, 360-740-8035 Colefox1@aol.com if you are able to make a donation.

Your membership makes a difference in the life of a child and at our schools! If you have not yet become a member of the Chehalis PTA 4.6.5 and would like to, return this portion and your dues to your childs school.
Your Name: Second name: Mailing address: Phone: Email 1: Student 1 Name: School 1: Cell Phone: Email 2: Student 2 Name: School 2:

Single Membership- $10 Joint Membership-$18 Single Star Membership-$25 Joint Star Membership-$33 Student Membership-$8
The Chehalis School District does not sponsor this event and the District assumes no responsibility for it. In consideration of the privilege to distribute materials, the Chehalis School District shall be held harmless from any cause of action filed in court or administrative tribunal arising out of distribution of these materials, including cost, attorneys fees and judgements or awards.

PTA Officers:
President: Amber Palmer 360-266-7773 Am.ray.palmer@gmail.com VP-Cascade: Dee Velazquez 360-880-0060 Dwanvelazquez@gmail.com VP-Bennett/Fundraising: Katie Hinkley 360-269-9502 Katie.hinkley@yahoo.com VP-Olympic: Tara Farmer 253-948-2544 Taraj.farmer@yahoo.com Secretary: Cindy Iverson 360-269-4465 Ivercin@msn.com

Keep in Touch:
Facebook- Chehalis PTA 4.6.5 Local PTA- New website coming soon! Washington State PTA- www.wastatepta.org National PTA- www.pta.org Chehalis School District- www.chehalis.k12.wa.us

Treasurer: Brook Mueller 360-740-6196 Sbmueller02@msn.com

Calendar
Membership: Dana Shoaf 360-304-9759 Drobertsiren@hotmail.com Newsletter: Sarah Mittge 360-266-0568 Smittge@gmail.com Helping Hands/Fundraising: April Cole 360-740-8035 Colefox1@aol.com Staff Appreciation: Jodi Comisky 360-740-1917 Mjcomisky@gmail.com

October 8, 6:30 pm @Olympic Elementary Schools Library-Monthly PTA Board Meeting. All parents and teachers welcome! October 8- Cascade, R.E. Bennett fundraiser kick-off.

Not Your Typical Brown Bag Lunch: Tips for Packing an Earth Friendlier Lunch By Sarah Chapman Mittge It was during our sons first grade year that they began to appear. Sad, crumpled brown bags that reeked of browning apples and pb&js. Even better, when I reached inside there were always the paper bags little cousins: a handful of plastic sandwich bags, one still holding the crusts of the sandwich I had packed that morning. And then the question, What am I supposed to do with all this waste? Initially, I thought I could wash the baggies and reuse the smell-infused paper bag. But it all seemed like a big hassle and with three kids, work and the busy life three kids and work brings. Who had time to wash a plastic sandwich bag? But each time I threw the bags away I felt guilty. If exposed to the sun, it would take one of those bags 10-100 years to decompose; its chemical residue lasts even longer! Now, our son is in third grade, his sisters in kindergarten and by starting with a few simple supplies I am able to pack them healthy, eco-friendly lunches. 1. Purchase, or make, a reusable lunch box or bag. There are so many affordable options for insulated lunch boxes. Make sure your child can handle the zippers and that the inside can be easily cleaned or wiped out. Purchasing a couple freezable cold packs at the same time might be a good idea so food will maintain a safe temperature until lunchtime. (In a pinch, though, Ive resorted to throwing an OtterPop in to keep lunch meat cold.) 2. Dont buy sandwich and snack baggies. Use reusable food storage containers. One of the reasons why I felt guilty using plastic baggies was knowing that I was packing my childrens food in plastic that could leach chemicals into their food. If you must do plastic, look for BPA- and phthalates-free options. GLAD brand, silicone cupcake containers and other handy storage containers for sandwiches and snacks are all possibilities. I like sturdy made-in-USA glass mason jars because they can be used for food or drinks, come in a variety of sizes, are dishwasher safe and are sturdy enough that I dont really worry about them breaking like other glass containers. 3. Use reusable utensils instead of plastic. Talk about savings! I drop in a fork and spoon from my silverware drawer and dont have to remember to buy plastic cutlery at the store and because the kids arent throwing as much away, I rarely loose anything to the trash can. 4. Pack a cloth napkin instead of paper. An old t-shirt cut into squares is the perfect napkin for mustard-covered fingers and mouths. 5. Nix the juice boxes and opt for a reusable, BPA/phthalates-free water bottle or thermos for juice or water. Many juice boxes are not 100% juice. They also have dyes and additives that are not necessary for little bodies to ingest. Juice is a nice treat, but what elementary school students need to fight off germs is clean water. 6. Buy snack foods in bulk, make your own, or best of all pack simple, unprocessed fruits, veggies, and nuts. Individually packaged snack foods have a ton of unhealthy additives and unnecessary packaging. Grapes, carrots, fresh apple slices, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, yogurt and home-made trail mix are all just as tasty to your child and are packed with brain-boosting, immune supporting nutrients. If you have a spare hour on Saturdays or Sundays consider baking banana bread, oatmeal cookies or muffins as healthier options for your child than packaged goodies. Baking is also a wonderful way to connect with your child and apply math concepts at home. Eco-friendly lunches can be a cost-effective, healthy way to model principles of stewardship for the earth and our bodies. . . and you dont have to deal with ole Smelly-Bag and his plastic bag cousins! Sources and Additional Resources: www.100daysofrealfood.com sustainableliving.uconn.edu/articles/lunches www.rd.com/food/recipes-cooking/ecofriendly-tips-for-backtoschool-lunches-and-transportation/ www.medicinenet.com www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/wondering-what-to-pack-for-school-lunches