Today is a day off for students and teachers because it is Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday established 27 years ago as a national day of service. This day was established to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, and to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.  Dr. King is remembered as a husband, father, friend, and fierce advocate for the betterment of all people. Honor his memory by organizing, volunteering, and spreading the word. 

This year, Plano ISD planned its 35th annual tribute event celebrating the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the diverse Plano ISD community with the theme:  Together We Honor the Past, Inspire the Present and Change the Future. This event has been postponed and now will be held as a virtual celebration at a date still to be determined. It will include highlights from the winners of the student writing contest, the Diversity Leadership Award nominees and winners, top artwork selected from the student art contest, and more.

Our next General Assembly Meeting will also now be virtual. Please mark your calendars and join us at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 25th for a virtual SMS PTA General Assembly Meeting and Coffee with Ms. Kinnard.  Please sign up in advance for this meeting HERE;  login information, an Agenda, and other information will be sent out the night before. We will be voting on budget amendments and electing a Nominating Committee.  Please consider serving on this very important committee that will be vetting and selecting candidates for your SMS PTA Executive Board for the 2022-23 school year, and email me if you are interested.  Thank you! 

Michele Rohleder, 

SMS PTA President

Tuesday, January 18 - 11:30am.

This is the first official event of the newly forming Texas SHAC network. TX Action for Healthy Kids is asking state leaders to participate on a panel to discuss the importance of SHACs, the challenges SHACs are facing and how we can better support SHACs moving forward. Register to attend at: Join us Jan 18 at 11:30 am for our School Health Advisory Council Town Hall Event! Zoom link will be sent the week prior. Survey (surveymonkey.com).

We need you to be part of the 2022-23 Nominating Committee!  

At our General Assembly Meeting on January 25th, we will be electing a Nominating Committee consisting of five members and two alternates. The Nominating Committee will be selecting officers to lead your SMS PTA next year.

To learn more about the importance of being on the Nominating Committee, any interested PTA member can sign up for the virtual PTA Power Hour: Nominating Committee on Tuesday, January 11th at 7:00 pm, hosted by PISD Council of PTAs.  The link to register is:  https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwof-itqz4tH9w9V0c-aBofu8ZyNUycHT_m 

If you would like to be part of our Nominating Committee, please contact me at president@smspta.org

Donations for our "Shop Local" basket to be donated to SKI Plano for their annual auction are still being accepted!  Please contact me at president@smspta.org if you own a local business and have a gift certificate or item to donate. 

Michele Rohleder, 

SMS PTA President

Saturday, January 15, 10am-12pm

Live Green in Plano hosts monthly waterways cleanups in the winter.  Kick off 2022 by cleaning up the creek along Legacy Trail near Dalrock Drive. Register here.

Want to organize your own litter cleanup instead? Request supplies at least a week in advance.

Today is the first day of the Spring Semester -- half-way through the 2021-22 school year!  We hope that your students had a wonderful winter break and are ready to start the semester rested and healthy.  

In the interests of keeping our school community as healthy and safe as possible, your PTA Board has made the difficult decision to cancel the Winter Social that was planned for Friday, January 14th.  In the past week or so, Covid cases have increased daily, locally and throughout Texas and the United States, and the prospect of gathering together 100s of students plus volunteers for a party in less than 10 days does not seem advisable under these circumstances.  We will continue to plan events for this year, hoping that the Omicron strain will pass quickly and that it will be safe to hold in-person events for our students later in the semester.   

Nominating Committee -- In April, we will elect new PTA officers for the 2022-23 school year.  Last year, due to Covid, Texas PTA rules allowed us to roll-over our board without an election.  This year, we are back to the normal rules, and we need your help!  At our January 25th General Assembly Meeting, the membership will be voting on a nominating committee consisting of 5 members and 2 alternatives.  The nominating committee will meet in the coming months to choose a slate of officers to be presented and voted on at the April 20th General Assembly meeting.  If you are interested in being on the nominating committee, please contact me ASAP at president@smspta.org. 

SKI Plano -- Schimelpfenig PTA is donating a basket to be auctioned off at the SKI Plano event on February 5, 2022.  Our basket theme is "Shop Local".  If you own and/or operate a local company and would like to donate an item or gift certificate to include in the basket, please send an email to me at president@smspta.org.

Thank you for your help and understanding throughout what continue to be challenging circumstances!  

Michele Rohleder, 

SMS PTA President