December 2024 Newsletter

DECEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER

It's Giving Tuesday!

Support the Bulldog Family Fund

The PTSA Bulldog Family Fund (BFF) is gearing up to provide winter clothes and holiday baskets with food and gifts to nearly 40 students in our school district whose families are income eligible for free or reduced lunch or in temporary financial need. The BFF relies on donations from our community to fund over $30,000 in requests for clothing, testing fees, sports equipment, prom tickets, and many other items that every student needs and deserves.

By donating to the BFF today, you can help ensure that EVERY STUDENT has ACCESS to the same BASIC NECESSITIES and ACADEMIC/ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES as their peers. Thank you for supporting those in need in our school community!

Donate to the BFF Holiday Fund!

Main Street School Book Fair Fundraiser

Dec 10th to Dec 13th | MSS Gym

The PTSA MSS Book Fair fundraiser starts on Dec. 10th and we have a brand new bookseller with a curated collection for 4th and 5th graders!

Students shop with their class during the school day (see Class Shopping Schedule) so please send in cash or shop the Book Fair with your child on Wed, Dec. 11 from 3-6pm or Thu, Dec. 12 from 1-3pm and 5:15-7:30pm. We’re looking for parent volunteers to help with set-up, check-out and break-down. Sign-up here! Questions? Email Elizabeth O’Hanlon.

Cash and Credit Card only

*NO VIRTUAL WALLET OPTION *

Holiday Mixer to Welcome Newcomers!

Dec 10th | 6pm to 9pm | Mima Vinoteca

The PTSA New Families Welcome Committee is hosting a fun and festive gathering for newcomers to connect with fellow parents from the Irvington school community. Whether you’re new, want to meet new people or welcome new families, you’re invited to join!

RSVP Here!

Volunteers Needed:

Join the PTSA Nominating Committee

Looking for a short-term, but rewarding way to volunteer for the PTSA?

The PTSA Nominating Committee is looking for 4 volunteers to review applications and interview candidates for upcoming openings on the PTSA Executive Committee (2024-2026 term). The Committee, which includes 6 Executive Committee members, holds three virtual meetings starting in February, and after completing group interviews, presents a slate of nominees for a vote at the PTSA General Membership meeting in June. Click here for a detailed description of serving as a Nominating Committee member. To volunteer for the Nominating Committee, click below.

Volunteer Now!

SCAFLD Meet Ups for Parents of Neurodiverse Students

Dec. 6th | 9:30 - 11am

and Dec. 9th | 7 - 8:30pm

Ludy Cafe - Irvington

The PTSA Supporting Children and Families with Learning Differences (SCAFLD) Committee is hosting daytime and evening social meet-ups in Irvington for parents with neurodiverse children to connect, share, exchange advice, or just enjoy a cozy beverage!

RSVP requested!

RSVP Here

Holiday Shop to Give to the PTSA!

Give a little extra to the PTSA this holiday season - at no extra cost to you! Join our Shop to Give program and automatically make a donation when you shop or dine.

When you sign up for our Shop to Give program through Givebacks, you’ll power donations to the Irvington PTSA every time you shop or dine at over 25,000 participating merchants. Simply sign up, link your primary credit card for in-store offers, and add the desktop and mobile browser extensions for online offers.

A little bit goes a long way, so please consider joining Shop to Give to support the Irvington PTSA.

New Irvington Spirit Wear for Winter 2024!

Support Irvington schools and celebrate the Bulldogs by purchasing spirit wear for local pick-up! Click HERE to buy Irvington’s signature Bulldog long-sleeve T-Shirt or browse our PTSA Spirit Wear store for all our products including lots of new merchandise!

A portion of the sales support the PTSA General Fund which brings grants and programs to our schools.

Shop Now

Students Take Center Stage at 2024 PTSA MSS Talent Show!

On November 14th, PTSA volunteers partnered with MSS administrators to host the annual MSS Talent Show! The event brought together 50 students and more than 30 acts, which included dancing, singing, hula hooping, telling jokes and playing the piano, guitar, ukulele, cello and violin.

The MSS Talent Show is one of more than 40 school-based programs funded by the PTSA and organized by its parent volunteers!

Special thanks to Suzy Timmel and Kerry McGrath for their time and dedication to organize this elaborate and special community event! And thanks to all the parent and student volunteers who helped make this event a success! Click HERE for photos.

Read-a-Thon Fundraiser Successfully Raises $17,514!

Thank you to the 310 students, and their families and friends, who participated in our Readathon fundraiser! Collectively, students logged 80,396 reading minutes, with Ms. Wallace’s class leading the pack for the second year in row with 9,430 minutes logged! The Read-a-thon fundraiser benefits the PTSA General Fund which supports grants for programs, events and resources in our schools.

And a special thank you to Erin Muskat and Elizabeth O’Hanlon for organizing and managing the read-a-thon this year!

PTSA-Funded Grants - November 2024

A major focus of the Irvington PTSA is to support teacher- and administrator-driven projects/programs and provide the necessary resources for our schools. This month, we approved the following grant(s):

Dows Lane: Pottery Wheel and Student Art Display Case - $4,485.5

Your membership dues are vital to helping the PTSA enrich and support our schools, and fund grants for programs and infrastructure. Please renew your annual membership today!

PTSA members can access our online student and parent directory. Here’s how to access the directory.

Invitation to Join the PTSA Heads Up Rivertowns Committee

Heads Up Rivertowns (HUR) aims to bring awareness, education, support and advocacy to encourage a screen smart community in the current and changing age of technology.

HUR is actively seeking parent volunteers to join the committee and help build a more screen smart community! If you care about screen use by our kids, email us at headsup@irvingtonnyptsa.org to get involved.

All are welcome to our monthly HUR Committee Meeting, the third Thursday of each month. This month it is on December 19th at 7:30PM in the Ark at the Shames JCC, or join us by Zoom here.

Also, look out for our upcoming smartphone survey!

Email headsup@irvingtonnyptsa.org to join the HUR Committee.

Join the HUR Email List!

Join the Dows Lane

Birthday Book Club

Looking for a special way to mark your child’s birthday while commemorating their legacy at Dows Lane Elementary School? Join the birthday book club to donate a book labeled with your child's name to the Dows Lane library.

Join Today!

Got a Question for School Administrators? Here's How!

All parents are encouraged to utilize the Parent Advisory Council or PAC, which is a forum to anonymously raise questions/concerns or share suggestions with school administrators about topics that impact the District, the school, the grade or a class. Each school (Dows Lane, Main Street School, Irvington Middle School and Irvington High School) has its own PAC which is composed of that school’s principal and assistant principal, and the PTSA Vice Presidents (VP) and Grade Parents. This group meets monthly to discuss the questions and concerns submitted by parents, and the PTSA representatives are there to be your voice and advocate.

Submit a PAC Inquiry

No Idea Whom to Contact? Here's Help!

Also, the school district's administration, teachers and staff can always be contacted directly. The IUFSD Board of Education has created a detailed communication resource matrix to help parents and guardians identify who, how and in what sequence to raise and escalate questions and concerns.

See the IUFSD School District Communications Matrix!