The window to fill out our School of Excellence Survey is closing!

Please help us on our path to earn the School of Excellence designation for Schimelpfenig MS by taking a few minutes to answer the questions on the Google Form found here:  

https://forms.gle/JsXACSYySfJa9R678

Join our Schimelpfenig counselor, Shealine Burks, on Monday, November 15th, at 7:00 p.m. for a virtual program, What Are Out Children Doing With Their Electronic Devices? 

1. Donate to the PTA online!

Your generous TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation will fund programs, social events, and classroom materials for students as well as SMS staff wish list items.  

We thank you in advance for your contributions!

Please visit here to donate online!

2. You just keep shopping – let these stores do the donating for you!

Visit our Fundraising Page here for more information.

Link your Kroger or Tom Thumb rewards cards to Schimelpfenig to help our school raise money. The stores will donate a percentage back to the school help show their support for the local communities.

• Kroger Community Rewards Program
• Tom Thumb Good Neighbor Program  
• Office Depot
• Box Tops
• Amazon Smile – Same products and prices as Amazon.  Their foundation matches a percentage of your purchases to donate to nonprofits like our school!  So easy and you are helping by shopping.

3. The World Wear project is offering an extra $100 if we fill our bin with 2,500 pounds or more of clothes and other small items in the month of November.  Great time to go through your child(ren)'s clothes, gather those items that no longer fit, and bring them to the World Wear bin in the Schimelpfenig parking lot!  

Advocacy News

• During each congressional session, PTA chooses priorities to ensure that every child has access to a fair and equitable education. To learn more about National PTA’s Five Public Policy Priorities for the 117th Congress, read more here. 

• In late October, the White House released its updated recommendations for infrastructure funding within The Build Back Better Act. The recommendations dedicate federal funding to a variety of programs, including Universal Pre-K, teacher training, childcare, community violence prevention, and child nutrition, but unfortunately do not dedicate any federal funds towards school infrastructure. Negotiations are still ongoing, and National PTA will continue to monitor and encourage Congress to invest in school infrastructure. 

Expectation of Civility Statement

• National PTA recognizes that we can only achieve our mission through ongoing conversation, collaboration, and partnership with other interested parties within the education system. These partnerships are critical to ensuring that our association’s mission and priorities are meaningfully advanced at the local, state, and national level.  To encourage respectful collaboration, the Board of Directors recently passed an Expectations of Civility position statement. Also make sure to check out other position statements on the website.

In the latest Notes from the Backpack podcast, "Raising Children Who Change The World," the hosts chat with author and founder of 1000 Black Girl Books, Marley Dias, and her mom, Dr. Janice Johnson Dias, an educator and author.   Listen now.

• The school board recently voted to accept the 2022-2023 School Calendar. Please click here to see the calendar.

• For parents of 8th graders: Academy Programs information, including links to pre-register for two virtual meetings this week, can be found here: https://www.pisd.edu/academyprograms

This year is the centennial commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Located at Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb was initially dedicated by the Army on Armistice Day, November 11, 1921, with the burial of an unknown service member from World War I. Over the past century, additional unknowns have been buried at the Tomb, and the site has become a people’s memorial that inspires reflection on service, valor, sacrifice and mourning. The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th, starting precisely at 11:00 a.m. EST with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns.  

*Each year, the Veterans Day National Committee publishes a commemorative Veterans Day poster.  This year, the winning poster was created by artist Matt Tavares from Maine.

Drive through and drop off items from 8:30 a.m. to noon in the Chase Oaks Church parking lot at 281 Legacy Drive (enter from Chase Oaks Boulevard.)  Information about what you can recycle and donate is available here:  Texas Recycles Day (plano.gov)

Texas PTA offers a $1000 senior scholarship and up to $500 faculty scholarships every year to PTA members. The application period opens on September 15 and ends November 15.  For details on how to apply and a link to the application (starting September 15th) go to:  Faculty & Student Scholarships - Texas PTA - every child. one voice. (txpta.org). 

With your help, Schimelpfenig PTA earned the Head Start Award -- 75% of last year's membership by the end of August!  Help us to win the Three-Year High Award -- show more than 100% of last year's membership by November 30th!  We currently have 528 members and our goal is 600 members, one more than last year. Grandparents and other family members can join as Community Members and students can join, too, to support your Schimelpfenig PTA! 

November is Healthy Lifestyles Month.  Try Texas PTA's Healthy@Home Idea Sheet bingo to practice healthy habits with your family.  The bingo sheet is available here.

 
November is Children's Grief Awareness Month. Register for a webinar on November 10th at 2 p.m. EST entitled The Power of Partnership: A Conversation with National PTA and First Book to discuss the value of partnership, the importance of community, and exciting new resources and support for the childhood bereavement field as part of PTA's Healthy Minds initiative.

Webinar Registration - Zoom

The new Parent Education Engagement Program (PEEP) is committed to engaging families in the education of their children and building capacity in all PISD schools to implement family engagement strategies and activities designed to achieve the district and student academic achievement goals.  Workshop classes are offered Monday through Thursday in-person and virtually. Click here to access PEEP classes, information, and registration.

 Election Day is Tuesday, November 2nd.  Early Voting began on October 18 and continues through October 29 on eight Texas Constitutional Amendments.  For more information on this election, click here:  Election Information (collincountytx.gov)