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2011-2012 Patton PTA Frequently Asked Questions
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Click a link below to jump to the area where you would like more information
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What can I expect on Meet The Teacher Night?
Meet the Teacher Night (AKA "Open House") is typically the Friday before the first day of school. This year it will be on 8/19/11. Classes are posted at exactly 4:00 pm when the doors open, but you are welcome to come anytime between 4:00 and 5:30 pm. Once you find out who your child's teacher is, you can meet them in the classroom. Your child will get a feel for what their class will look like and where they will sit, meet some classmates and drop off school supplies. It is a wonderful way to help ease the transition from summer to a new school year. As a bonus, you will be able to buy the new school T-shirt, sign up to join the PTA and pre purchase a yearbook.
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Back to School Night
Back to School Night gives you the chance to meet your child's teacher once the year gets started. You will sit in your child's seat and listen to their teacher explain how the class runs, what you child will be learning and what the year will bring. As a bonus you get to visit with the teacher and classmate parents.
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Why Join PTA?
A voice in your childs education!
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a grassroots organization made up of parents, teachers, students and administrators who have a special interest in children, families and schools.
The Patton PTA helps strengthen our school community by bringing together parents, teachers, and students. Through your membership dues and fundraising, the PTA supports programs for students and parents. Throughout the year the PTA sponsors events like carnival, arts day, and track and field days. Your membership in the Patton PTA gives you a voice in how our fundraising dollars are spent. The PTA also offers you many opportunities to exercise your talents, meet other parents and teachers, and discuss issues that affect your child’s education.
The annual dues are $8 per person and include membership not only to the Patton PTA, but also the Texas PTA and National PTA. Membership is open to parents, grandparents or any family member that wants to be involved in a child’s educational experience. PTA membership is as diverse as Texas is in cultures, education levels and parenting skills. By joining a PTA, a member automatically becomes part of the largest child-advocacy organization in the state — over 630,000 strong across Texas.
Studies have proven that membership in PTA provides your child and other children around you with a greater chance of achieving in school. As a PTA member, you are more likely to be an informed, involved parent. More than ever, it is important for parents to learn ways to keep children safe, trouble free and involved in school. PTA is the best place to gain that knowledge.
To learn more about the Texas PTA Check out www.txpta.org/about.html
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The Patton PTA is more then just a fundraising machine.
Our motto is what have we done for the kids today? We can break down our services into 3 categories...
- Student Support
In a way, everything we do benefits all Patton students, but some of our major efforts are Art's Day and educational performances, Carnival, Track and Field Day, After School programs like Destination Imagination, Math Pentathalon, Read Naturally, Directory, Marquee, Landscaping, Library, T-shirts and Yearbooks
- Teacher Support
We support teachers in many different ways: teacher reimbursements and scholarworkshop, classroom support with Workshop and room parents, and other support with Hospitality and Project and Goals.
- Parent Support
Genreal PTA meetings give parents a say in where fundraising money is spent and a connection to the school so they can be a part of their child's education. Landscaping projects support school pride. Strong communication through the Newletter and Website, Kinder playdates, school supplies and free social gathers also build families.
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Why does it cost $8.00 to join the PTA?
Your $8.00 gets split up in to 3 portions. $2.25 goes to the National PTA, $2.25 goes to the Tx PTA and $3.50 goes to the the Patton PTA. The combined $4.50 contribution to the National and Texas PTAs provides our PTA with ongoing support, our 501(c)(3) non-profit status and guidelinesand guidelines that help us succeed. Your $3.50 for our PTA goes directly towards Patton to help with our yearly income goals.
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When are the PTA Meetings?
We have 5 general meetings scheduled from 6:30 to 7:30pm this year: 9/13/11, 11/01/11, 3/06/11, 4/17/11 and 5/15/11
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- Executive Board - The board consists of parents from the General Membership who have taken on extra responsibilities, most often by leading a committee.
- Officers - These are elected members that organize the Patton PTA as a whole.
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What is considered an absence from school?
When your child is absent from school due to illness, medical appointments, religious/holy days, funerals of family members, or naturalization ceremonies, please write a note with the child's name, date of absence, and reason for absence. You may have your child bring it to the office, or to the teacher or Click Here to send in an absence note through this website.
The absence will be excused if the reason meets the criteria above. Please be aware that family trips or vacations are not considered excused absences.
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Where does the PTA Money go?
Fundraising money gets distributed to many areas.
- Teacher Reimbursements – Teachers spend $400 on average for their own money each year on their classes. The PTA reimburses Patton teachers $125 for out-of-pocket expenses. In addition, each teacher gets a budget ($125 in 2011-2012) to purchase items for their classroom instruction ($6500 total).
- Scholarships – Teachers can apply for financial support in the form of a scholarship for their continuing education. Four scholarships each year are awarded to students who previously attended Patton Elementary.
- Arts Day -The PTA spends around $4000 for educational programs in the Arts. We have sponsered performances about African drums and dance, by Lucas Miller, the singing zoologist, and many others.
- Project and Goals – This committee takes requests from the teachers and administration and approves funds for immediate needs. See our End of Year Review for the 10-11 school year of where the money was spent. We will spend $15,000 for teachers requests.
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