Happy (almost) Halloween!
To celebrate our staff — and thank them in advance for showing up on the most sugary of all holidays — please consider sending in some treat bag supplies for the Douglas Hospitality Committee to use.
Please send donations to the front office by Friday, Oct. 25.
Thank you!
Hot off the press! Our-biweekly school newsletter is packed with news, announcements, events, requests for supplies/support, you name it. Check out the Oct. 3 issue of the Dragoneer here. Happy reading!
Location: Douglas Media Center
Date: September 19, 2019
Time: 6:30 p.m.
I. Call to Order
Meeting called to order by Morgan Blue, VP Membership, at 6:35 p.m.
II. Open Issues
2019-20 budget was distributed for review by membership
III. President’s Overview
a) PTA Membership. Your $12 allows you to have a voice on a national level with advocacy for schools, and at Douglas, we want to give every child a voice. Membership dollars, on a local level, go toward cultural arts programming, STEAM supplies, teacher grants, hospitality for our teachers, technology, etc. The News & Observer highlighted water issues and elevated levels of lead in many Wake County schools recently. The PTA was ahead of the curve and made budget arrangements to have seven of our water fountains retrofitted with water bottle fillers and filters this year. We’ve received our approval form from the county.
Beginning of the year special education training was fully funded by the PTA for the staff. We are also paying for the Positivity Project this year. Parents may be hearing about the Positivity Project from their students and teachers.
b) Dragonfire is happening this week! 100% of proceeds go to the PTA and we’ve made donating as convenient as possible with cash, checks and online options. Students are also participating in a coin war this week. The winning classroom will be awarded a day with Mr. Burns as their teacher.
Dragonfire is the only Douglas campaign where all of your donation stays at school. Every other fundraiser splits donations with another organization; book fair, Boosterthon, spirit nights etc… Giving to Dragonfire ensures that your dollars stay here. Please stop by the amphitheater on your way out and take a look at our fundraising focus for this year. Vision boards are hanging in the hall and you can see the essentially blank slate we have to work with.
Another financial focus for the year is a new Angel Fund for the cafeteria. The PTA will make sure that all baby dragons leave the cafeteria with full bellies, regardless of their MySchoolBucks account balance.
c) We do have some volunteer openings that we’ll be highlighting in the next Dragoneer. Most of our committee chairs are full, with just a few exceptions. If you did not receive a copy of the Dragoneer, please let a board member know or email dragoneer.dpta@gmail.com.
d) We have set all of the general meetings for this school year. All of our meetings will coincide with evening school events, and we’ll alternate before and after times. Since this meeting in particular is so well attended, we’ll monitor the future success of attendance and times. Please mark your calendars for the following. Our next meetings will coordinate with Family Nights and will be committee-update focused.
i) November 13, 7 p.m.
ii) March 26, 5 p.m.
iii) May 6, 7 p.m.
IV. Principal’s Update
Mr. Burns thanked parents for making the choice to attend our school. Wake County families have so many choices with regards educational experiences, he appreciates that Douglas is still the preferred school for so many. He thanked the PTA for the support in a great start to the year. Class sizes are good considering that we have added so many additional classes this year. The staff benefitted greatly from the special education training in August. The school is grateful for the collaboration and ideas the PTA brings to the table each year. He encouraged participation.
V. Foundation Update
Jason Cunningham introduced himself as President of the Douglas Foundation. The Foundation was created two years ago to fund staff position and bridge the gap between government funding and student needs. The Foundation fully funded the STEAM position last year and will again this year. This position aligns well with our magnet theme.
The Foundation is in a position this year to extend additional positions, so be on the lookout for an announcement soon regarding a new staff member or members.
VI. Membership Vote
The proposed 2019-20 PTS budget was passed.
VII. Adjournment at 6:55 p.m.
From Spirit Nights to Dragonfire, there are a lot of events happening this fall at Douglas! We’ll update our Events page as more activities are added. You can also keep an eye on the calendar in the sidebar (to the right) and check out the school website calendar for these and other school events.
Wondering why it’s important to join the Douglas PTA? Not sure why your single membership matters? Here are a few reasons:
The National PTA aims to “make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.” We are dedicated to creating the kind of school community where children can thrive and teachers and administrators can do their best work.
People are often reluctant to participate because they’re afraid they’ll get pulled into a black hole of never-ending time commitment. That won’t happen here.
We all have a common bond. We care about creating the best possible educational experiences for our children.
These days, schools are asked to do more with less. Our help is needed more than ever to fill the gaps.
The work we do covers a broad spectrum. We encourage creative ideas, and we’re thrilled to have people take on tasks that meet their skills and interests.
It’s seeing the bright light of learning sparkle in a child’s eye. It’s seeing the smile that shows a child feels a little more comfortable in a learning environment. There are lots of rewards, both big and small, for those who get involved.
Just by paying your $12 membership fee, you can make a difference. Both your dues and any donations you choose to make are 100% tax deductible. We appreciate any support you are able to give.
Join today!
Sign up online or download our membership form and return it with your check made out to “Douglas PTA” in your child’s folder.
Carpool doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience! Help keep the carpool line running smoothly — and safely — by following the policies and procedures laid out in this Carpool Guide provided by the school. And hey, maybe you’ll have as much fun in carpool as James Cordon and Bruno Mars.
douglaspta.com 