Programs & Events
Garden Gate PTA sponsors and organizes over 20 programs and events, all made possible by your generous monetary contributions and time invested by parent volunteers.
Below is a brief overview of the various programs we support.
Enrichment Programs
To provide a well-rounded curriculum for our students, the PTA sponsors year-long programs like Art and Music lessons, Project Cornerstone and Library.
Art and Music
The Art and Music programs are partly paid for by the PTA and are run by qualified teachers from CSMA (Community School of Music and Arts). Learn more about the program here.
Project Cornerstone
This is a year-round program where trained parent volunteers come in to the classroom and help students gain social and citizenship skills by reading a book, having discussions and activities to reinforce the concepts learned. Learn more about Project Cornerstone here.
Computer Lab & Library Support
The PTA sponsors books for the library and additional computers & software needed for the school.
Grants
The PTA provides individual teacher grants which goes directly to every classroom to enrich student learning. The PTA also budgets for critical school staff like classroom aide and librarian. Click here to expand.
Classroom grants
This goes directly into the classroom to purchase supplemental materials and supplies that are not in the school budget. Typically this money is used to buy books, classroom supplies, subscriptions to educational websites, etc.
School Staff
PTA supplements the wages of critical staff positions such as classroom aide and librarian.
House Program and Celebrations
To encourage school spirit, PTA supports many House programs and celebrations throughout the year.
Educational Events
The PTA organizes a variety of events to enrich student experiences outside of school hours. This includes Reflections Art contest, Science Night, Book Exchange, Literacy Night, International Night, and many others.
Reflections Art Contest
Through the National PTA's Reflections Program, all students create their original works of art given a student-selected theme. The different art categories are Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts. Learn more about the program here.
STEAM Night
The school will provide a fun night of exploration and provide some hands-on learning in STEAM activities.
Literacy Night
Literacy Night is generally held on the same evening as Book Exchange Night. While students are not at the book exchange, they can roam with their families from classroom to classroom, enjoying many fun literacy activities such as poetry puzzles, word bingo, jump rope poetry, board games and much more.
International Night
International Night is an evening event where groups of students present a dance or host a informational table from different countries. Students learn something unique about each country's culture, history or customs. Each presentation is approximately 5 minutes. Previous presenters at Garden Gate have been parents, friends and people from our community.
Assemblies & Author Visits
Social Events
The PTA hosts several events to increase community engagement. Some of them are Fall Festival, Book Exchange, Family Movie Night, Staff appreciation, etc.
1st Day of School: Welcome Back Breakfast
This is our opportunity to welcome parents/guardians on their first day at Garden Gate. We have on hand PTA program experts to answer any questions parents may have in regards to volunteering, how the programs supplement the school curriculum and the impact it has made to the students year over year.
Coffee with the Principal
These are opportunities where the Principal shares the year's plan of curriculum, programs, school activities, and events with parents. There is a presentation followed by time for questions. This event is for parents only.
Scholastic Book Fairs
The Scholastic book fairs are held to raise funds to support classroom non-fiction textbooks, as well as, new books for the library. This event is held twice a year: generally during Fall and Spring.
Ice-Cream Social
This event happens on an evening at the same time with the Fall Book Fair. This is an opportunity for families to meet each other and enjoy delicious ice-cream. What can be more fun than an evening of ice-cream and books!
Fall Celebration
Each year, we celebrate the fall season by hosting an after school event where students and their families enjoy free games and activities. Activities include, but not limited to face painting, pumpkin relay, art & crafts, beanbag toss, relay races and much more. Sale of pumpkins and homemade baked goods are also available.
Book Exchange Night
Students bring gently used books to the Library in exchange for tickets. At Book Exchange Night, students then select books and check out in exchange for the tickets. The Librarian hosts the event with PTA support.
Staff Appreciation Days
Teachers and school support staff such as teacher aides, school secretaries, the librarian, nurse, guidance counselors, cafeteria staff, and custodians play a significant role in our children's lives and education. In order to honor and recognize the teachers and staff for their contributions, the room representatives work closely with the parents and students to celebrate this special week with their teacher and staff. PTA also hosts little treats for the teachers and staff on behalf of the parents at Garden Gate.
Movie Night
Movie Night is an evening event where families can see a kid-friendly movie at school. Pizzas, snacks and water are available for purchase, so there's no need to worry about dinner that day.