Let’s Stick Together (just not ‘together’)
Dear Dolphin Families,
As we all navigate the implications of school closure and social distancing, we continue to support each other as well as our students. PTA is organizing ways to stick together without being literally “together.”
Give Help/Get Help
So many of our families have asked how they can help others in our community. Other families have specific needs that aren’t met by county programs. This spreadsheet is a space where our SLES families can ask for and offer support.
Click here for the spreadsheet. You can make a private request here: https://tinyurl.com/
(The spreadsheet is accessible to anyone who has the link. Please use good judgment and respect others’ privacy. If you prefer to offer/ask for support outside the spreadsheet, contact info@slpta.org or Mr. Morris KMorris@fcps.edu or 703-619-3605.)
Learning Together
We are all eager to keep students engaged in learning and connected to their peers. For now, we can use the PTA Facebook Group to share resources and activities.
Many parents and teachers are already sharing things (use/search the topic “Learning Resources” for these items).
Starting Monday, we’ll be posting “Daily Challenges-” stuff your kids can do at home and share their results with each other on the FB page. Also, stay tuned for “Chick Cam” as the annual SLES chick and duck hatching goes virtual.
Mindfulness
We can all use some techniques to help us stay centered. Parents from the Mindfulness and Movement team will be offering daily opportunities for our kids to practice mindfulness, similar to what they have been doing in morning meetings. And at least once a week, they’ll post something for parents, too! Again, this will start out on the SLES PTA Facebook group, under the “Mindfulness” topic.
School supply donation
If you have extra school supplies you can donate to families trying to learn at home, please drop them off at the school on Monday March 16 between 8am and 12pm. Useful items include colored, white and lined paper, markers, crayons or colored pencils, scissors, glue sticks, craft items, etc.
Other ways you can help
The “Together, Not Together” team could always use your ideas! In particular, we would love someone who is knowledgeable about YouTube (or other shared platforms) so that we can expand beyond Facebook.
Please also make an effort to spread the word and encourage anyone not currently part of the Facebook group to join, or refer them to the PTA webpage.
We’re making this up as we go, so thoughtful, constructive feedback is very welcome! Please reach out with your comments, questions, suggestions to president@slpta.org, or call me at 202-210-7808.
Sincerely,
Megan Gottemoeller and the PTA Board
Wynne Kelch
Chrissy Kopple
Lindsey Lee
Melissa Edwards
Sandy Hodgkinson
Stephanie Stuckey
Spring Fling 2020 is Postponed until Friday April 24th 6-8pm
Visit the Spring Fling page to pre-order your tickets and Chick-fil-A dinners.
And don’t forget to reserve your volunteer spot for the event! Please consider giving 30-45 minutes of your time to help make this fun and exciting event happen. Secure your spot now!
PTA Mission
The Stratford Landing PTA supports students, families, teachers and staff so we can all participate fully in an enriching educational experience for our children. We do this through a range of programs areas and activities, including:
Investment: The PTA invests in activities, infrastructure and materials that expand and enrich our children’s education, that help ensure every student is ready and able to participate fully in the school experience, and that help build a supportive, connected community. Click here to see what we fund and why.
Funding: The PTA Funds field trips, community building events, assemblies, the Discovery Garden, classroom technology, playground upgrades, the Care & Share program, teacher and staff appreciation, volunteer appreciation, library funding, Field Day, and the safety patrol program.
Fundraising: PTA fund-raisers are entirely volunteer-run and Stratford Landing retains 100% of the proceeds. Our signature events – Rock and Run and Spring Fling- intentionally involve students and classes in supporting their school while having a fun, bonding time!
Community Engagement and Parent Support: The PTA has several initiatives to support our wide school community, including the Military Families Support Group, and the Inclusion and Advocacy Group, for families in the IEP/504 process and all diverse learners. This year, the PTA is partnering with the administration to develop broader community engagement, help actualize the One Fairfax initiative, and support the Equity Action Team. We organize opportunities for parents to learn and connect with each other on important topics, through speakers at PTA meetings and other activities.
Teacher and Staff Appreciation and Training: Our school community depends on our high-quality teachers and staff, and we do everything we can to help them be great and feel great! We coordinate parent-provided lunches and snacks for teacher workdays, offer funding for special training, start the year with special funding for grade-level needs, and end it with Teacher and Staff Appreciation Weeks where every member of our SLES faculty is celebrated for the role they play in our children’s education.
Communication and Facilitation: The PTA helps to keep parents up-to-date on issues that affect our school and community, and to engage productively with processes and events that affect our students, teachers/staff, and families.
Care & Share: We work with the school Guidance Counselors to identify families that require assistance such as back to school supplies, Thanksgiving dinner, holiday gifts, clothing, and after school programs.
Teacher & Volunteer Training and Development: The PTA provides funding and guidance to help teachers pay for and locate outside training and development opportunities to enhance their performance in the classroom. In addition we provide the opportunity for volunteers to attend training to better provide assistance in the classrooms.
Military Family Support Group: We provide military families a place to connect and offer support to new military families entering Stratford Landing. We are an all inclusive group to all active, retired, reserve, deceased military families or anyone that has an interest in the purpose of our group. We help our school observe military focused events, like Veterans Day and Month of the Military Child and organize a farewell dinner for our outgoing military families. We also work to help ease the transition stress for the military child. Quarterly meeting information will be communicated via the PTA website and FB page.
Email slesmilitary@gmail.com or visit the Military Group page for more information.
The PTA coordinates many other activities within Stratford Landing such as coordination of Room Parents, stuffing of Wednesday folders, and coordination of appreciation activities.
PTA Bylaws
See the SLES PTA Bylaws here.