October 2024 Newsletter

OCTOBER 2024 NEWSLETTER

Student and Parent Directory Now Available to PTSA Members!

The Irvington District PTSA student and parent online directory is now live! Access is available to PTSA members only. Click HERE for instructions to access the directory.

Membership dues and donations help us raise nearly $40,000 towards covering programs, events and infrastructure in our schools.

Thank you for your continued support!

Purchase PTSA Membership

PTSA Grants Highlights (September 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 $18,295 to fund the following grants, submitted by our school administrators and faculty:

Dows Lane: Music Program Electric Piano and Mural - $3,980

MSS: Global Read Aloud Author Visit - $5,500

MSS: Welcoming Schools Teacher Training and Parent Learning Sessions - $6,400

IMS: School Spirit Week, Zone In Day and Pride Day Activities - $635

IHS: Bridges Program Challenge Course Field Trip - $1,780

Volunteers Needed: IHS Student Voter Registration Drive

Oct. 7 & 8 | 7:30AM to 3:00PM | IMS Atrium

Irvington High School and the PTSA are proud to host an in-school Student Voter Registration Drive. Students who are or will be 18 years old by election day (Tuesday November 5, 2024) are eligible to register, and students who are at least 16 may pre-register to vote. We’re looking for parent volunteers to assist students to register on Mon 10/7 and Tue 10/8 from 7:30am - 3pm. Volunteers will be working in partnership with students from the VIP program. For more information and to sign up, click below.

Volunteer to Assist!

SCAFLD Meet & Greet With Pupil Personnel Services

Oct. 17 | 9:00AM |

O'Hara Nature Center

Parents and guardians of students with IEPs/504s or learning/developmental differences: The PTSA Supporting Children and Families with Learning Differences (SCAFLD) Committee is pleased to host its annual meet and greet with Celia Strino and Francis Tolan from the District’s Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) team. To register for this free event and/or submit a question to the PPS team, click on the link below.

SCAFLD Parent Meet-Up

Oct. 18 | 6:30PM | Broadway Grill and Tavern

Parents and guardians of students with IEPs/504s or learning/developmental differences: In case you missed the daytime Parent Meet-Up hosted by the PTSA Supporting Children and Families with Learning Differences (SCAFLD) Committee, please join us for an evening Parent Meet Up on Fri. Oct. 18 at the Broadway Grill and Tavern, 8 South Broadway, Irvington at 6:30PM. Refreshments will be provided and drinks will be available for purchase. RSVP is requested (for headcount) but walk-ins are welcome!

RSVP Now!

PTSA General Membership Meeting

Featuring Special Guest,

Supt. Dr. Mara Ratesic

Oct 23 | 7 - 8PM | ZOOM

Every school year, the PTSA holds four general membership meetings to share updates and conduct voting on a variety of topics. Join us for our first general membership meeting of the year via ZOOM to meet the PTSA executive committee, learn about the grants we funded, and hear from our advocacy chairs.

Join Zoom Meeting | Meeting ID: 304-193-3746

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!

No Idea Whom to Contact? Here's Help!

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

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!

New Families Welcome Mixer!

Oct 29 | 6 - 8PM | Mima Vinoteca

If you recently joined the Irvington school district, the PTSA New Families Welcome Committee is here to ease your transition into the community and our schools. Please join us to meet fellow new families and PTSA representatives at our annual New Families Welcome Mixer on Tues, October 29th at 6PM at Irvington’s own, Mima Vinoteca. Click HERE to add to your calendar and reserve your spot using the link below!

Buy Tickets!

It's Homecoming Week - Get Your Spirit Wear

*BACK IN STOCK* Youth Size PJ Bottoms

Support Irvington and celebrate Homecoming week by purchasing spirit wear. Perfect for sporting events and fall picnics! Click HERE to buy Irvington’s signature Bulldog “Sweatshirt” or browse our PTSA Spirit Wear store for all our products including lots of new merchandise!

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

Shop Now

New Families Welcome Breakfasts

During the first few weeks of school, the PTSA New Families Welcome Committee organized breakfasts at Dows Lane, Main Street School and Irvington Middle School to give new families and new students a chance to meet their peers and school administrators. Thank you to co-chairs, Mara Gredick, Heather Goodman and Mavis Edme, and VP of Outreach, Pamela Haynes for coordinating these special events to help new families get acquainted with our school community!

Upcoming Events

District Wide

Oct 2: PLRD One-Hour Early Release
Oct 3 & 4: Rosh Hashanah - SCHOOL CLOSED
Oct 8: Board of Education Meeting - 7:30pm - CPR and Virtual (Zoom Link)
Oct 14: Indigenous People’s Day/Columbus Day - SCHOOL CLOSED
Oct 16: PLRD One-Hour Early Release
Oct 17: SCAFLD Meet & Greet With Pupil Personnel Services - 9am - OHara Nature Ctr (RSVP)
Oct 18: SCAFLD Parents Meet Up - 6:30pm - Broadway Grill (RSVP)
Oct 22: Board of Education Meeting - 7:30pm - CPR and Virtual (Zoom Link)
Oct 23: PTSA General Member Meeting (Link)
Nov 1: Diwali - SCHOOLS CLOSED

Dows Lane

Oct 8 & 10: Dows Lane School Photo Days
Oct 9: Dows Lane PAC Meeting (Submit a Question)
Oct 16: 1st Grade Literacy Night - Classrooms

Main Street School

Oct 8, 9 & 11: Grade 4 Field Trip to Ward Pound Ridge Reservation
Oct 16: MSS Photo Day
Oct 18: MSS PAC Meeting (Submit a Question)

Irvington Middle School

Oct 10: A Day in the Life of Hudson - Matthiessen Park - Grade 6 and Grade 8 Earth Science Students
Oct 17: IMS PAC Meeting (Submit a Question)
Oct 18: IMS Photo Day

Irvington High School