Lowell PTA Newsletter January 2024

 

Lowell PTA Newsletter January 2024

Happy New Year to our Lowell families!


Hopefully, everyone has been able to get back into the swing of things after winter break. There is quite

a bit of information to get through, so thank you for taking the time to read what is new this month.


The Afterschool Enrichment programs begin this week, and there are a lot of programs to choose from.


Our monthly PTA meeting will be changing location. The Saint James Presbyterian church on 14th ST. has

offered to host our meetings through the chilly winter weather. Dr. Baker will be present for the

meeting this month, to go over upcoming levies and answer questions.


We are extremely excited to have The Pacific Science Center bring their science on wheels program to

Lowell on January 24th. The day will start with an all-school assembly, there will be onsite science

exhibits for students to visit and presentations in the classroom. We are looking for volunteers to help

aid with the exhibits. Sign up if you can and come join the fun!

Upcoming Events

January:

February:

Current Volunteer Opportunities

PTA Social/Meeting

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell#/


Pacific Science Center, Science on Wheels January 24th

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-47089499-science#/


Enrichment Volunteers

WE ARE ALSO STILL LOOKING FOR 2 PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS SESSION! *There are also special

scholarship opportunities for one student in these programs -- whose parent who can attend every

session as the second supervising adult for the program:

BAAY Improv (Mondays)

Martial Arts (Tuesdays)

Please contact PTA Enrichment if you are a volunteer chaperone and interested in these scholarships

that will cover the full cost of the program for your child.


PTA Executive Board open positions

We are currently looking to fill two PTA Executive board positions: the role of PTA President and PTA

Secretary. The Positions are a two-year commitment and begin this coming June 2024. For more

information email president@lowellschoolpta.org.


The PTA directs fundraising efforts, distributes funds, plans, and hosts events and programs, and helps

foster the school community. It is a wonderful way to meet other Lowell Labs while making a positive

impact on our students!


Block Party Volunteers

Finally, we are looking for a few volunteers to take on the role of organizing the end of year block party.

The block party is scheduled for the late afternoon/evening of Thursday June 6th, 2024. Please reach out

via email to president@lowellschoolpta.org


After School Enrichment

See 6crickets and off-site links below for more information!


New offerings: Karate (run by BOOM! Elite Martial Arts, who were at Lowell several years ago). Legos

and Chess (Chess for older grades only this time); PLUS 3rd-5th grade Choir with Ms. Katz returns to

Lowell!


Continuing programs: Art and Spanish, both led by WWU students, as well as hip hop dance and yoga

(with yoga split into two different age groups), and an improv theater program run by BAAY. Yoga for

both age groups will meet on Wednesdays. The older grades will do arts and crafts while the younger

ones do yoga; after the younger ones dismiss at 3:30, the older group will do yoga. And yoga will have a

Taylor Swift theme in Winter! Off-site programs in Winter all have separate registration systems and

timing 􀍴 Adventure Quest picks up at Lowell and continues through the year, Wild Whatcom continues

to bus from Lowell to Fairhaven park on Tuesdays, and Bellingham Coding and Robotics will now pick up

from Lowell two days a week (Mondays and Wednesdays) to their new location on Meridian near

Cornwall Park (starting in January)!


Full Winter enrichment schedule, on-site and off-site programs:

The PTA offers scholarships for on-site programs. Please contact our counselor, Ms. Raymond, for more information on scholarships. Registration and more information for all on-site programs is through

6crickets, click here for the Lowell portal.


More program information will also be available soon on the PTA web site.

For Adventure Quest information and registration here (Winter Information coming soon!).

For Wild Whatcom (Jan 15-March 28) information and registration here.

For Bellingham Coding and Robotics information and registration here.


Books for Bedtime

Join us for a cozy evening of stories from the comfort of your home

Date: Wednesday February 9th

Time: 6-7 pm

*Event starts at 6:15pm but log on early to enjoy some music and wave hi to your friends*

Zoom link to access event:

https://bellinghamschools.zoom.us/j/5238648599?pwd=OXU3Ym0xelZndjNQNHYvM2JFd1dOUT09

Meeting ID: 523 864 8599

Passcode: BookLove

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."-Dr. Seuss


Lowell PTA

The PTA communicates with families monthly via emails and meetings. Please email us with questions,

concerns, or ideas at president@lowellschoolpta.org

Lowell PTA Newsletter December 2023


Happy December to all our Lowell Families: 

As 2023 comes to close at Lowell Elementary we want to thank all the staff, students, volunteers and of course all our families for the wonderful first half of the school year. We have had so many successful events and more to come in the new year we will keep you posted. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page for all our upcoming reminders.  

We put on our first ever Game and Pizza night! We had several card games for our families to learn and play, and we provided Little Caesars Pizza which was a hit! We will be adding Game night to our PTA sponsored activities for years to come. Also thank you to Silver Reef for donating playing cards.  

The clothing drive was a success! Thank you to all that donated.  

We want to bring attention to the lost and found. It would be helpful to manage lost items if we can have students first and last name is written in sharpie on tags of their jackets and sweatshirts. There are so many sweatshirts, coats, and hats. Please stop in and check for any lost items. It is located right inside the front doors at the 15th Street entrance. We are planning to donate all the lost and found after next Friday December 15th.  

Our Enrichment team is getting everything set up for the winter enrichment class offerings. There will be a preview email coming out the week of December 11th. Please keep an eye on your inbox for that email. 

PTA Meeting 

January 19 @ St James Presbyterian Church 910 14th St @ 8am . Dr. Baker will be making an appearance as he will be visiting Lowell that day as part of his Listening and Learning Tour.

Volunteer Opportunities 

IMPORTANT NOTE: All volunteers at Lowell must complete volunteer paperwork through the district. Click this link to register as a volunteer: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org) 

Lost and Found Volunteer  

We would like someone who is willing to organize and manage the clothes in our Lost and Found. We need a volunteer to check for names and take items to appropriate student's classes.  

Common Threads Volunteer  

We are looking for a parent coordinator to work with the Common Threads staff. The staff would like to arrange a work party to clean up our garden and put soil in the garden beds.  

Recess and Cafeteria Volunteers 

There is still availability for recess and cafeteria volunteers. The PTA has set up a schedule for volunteers to be at school during the school day and help support the staff and students. Volunteer slots are open with the goal of having a consistent person in the assigned slot throughout the school year.  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10SgglNGMGH_S_8gvgc_6kTa-oZkna2w8oc4dNYpMfOc/edit#gid=0 

https://bellingham.wistia.com/medias/h0b18nkwid 

Lowell PTA Newsletter November 2023

 

Happy November to all our Lowell Families: 

Our Move-A-Thon fundraiser was a success! Our goal was $25,000 and we brought in $25,270! We want to give a special thank you to all the support we received throughout the fundraising process. Everyone's participation helped make this event a success. We are excited about how we will be able to support our students, staff and community with the funds raised. 

The board is hard at work coordinating with the Lowell Staff, finalizing the events calendar for the remainder of the year. We have plenty of opportunities for volunteers coming up. 

We would like to encourage a new wave of parents to join some of our event committees to transition the processes to keep the flow of our events running smoothly, as some of our long-standing committee volunteers move on. We have a list here of the committees and openings.  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell1#/

 

It has come to our attention that the Lowell staff and students could really use some extra support during the day at recess and lunchtime. The PTA is working on supporting the school and setting up an ongoing schedule of volunteers to be at school during the school day and help support the staff and students. Volunteer slots will be set up with the goal of having a consistent person in the assigned slot throughout the school year. All volunteers are required to complete a volunteer application with the district. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: All volunteers at Lowell must complete volunteer paperwork through the district. Click this link to register as a volunteer: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org)

 

Upcoming Events November: 


Lowell PTA

 

The PTA communicates with families monthly via emails and meetings. Please email us with questions, concerns, or ideas at president@lowellschoolpta.org
  
 Parent Square: Please make sure you have this app downloaded on your phone and that you set the notifications to “instant.” This way you will receive school notifications in real time. The other choice is “digest” and that sends all non-time sensitive posts once a day in the evening with all posts from that day. 

 Stay up to date by following the Lowell PTA Facebook page.

PTA Membership: Use this link to become a Member of the Lowell PTA. It costs $8 and does not require you to volunteer, but allows you to become a voting member of the PTA. If cost is an issue, please email our treasurer at treasurer@lowellschoolpta.org

PTA Social/Meeting 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell#/

 

Dine out for Lowell

Ovn pizza will be donating 15% of sales on Tuesday November 21st to Lowell PTA. Please print out the following flyer that needs to be presented to the restaurant. 


Clothing Drive

We will be having a clothing drive to replenish the current supply of clothing we have on hand for those who find themselves in need during the school day. Please bring any gently used clothing to the drop off located in the office the week of November 27th –December 1st.

 

District PTA Equity Fund

 

Have you heard about the district PTA equity fund? Did you know Lowell participates in the fund? Have you wondered why we are participating?

 

Elementary PTAs throughout the district agreed to participate in an equity fund to work towards the goal of ensuring all elementary students have access to the same opportunities. To achieve this goal all the elementary PTAs in our district have committed to donating 10% of funds raised through the PTA. These funds are then pooled and distributed based on the number of students per school receiving free or reduced lunches.

Below is the 2022-2023 equity donations and distributions per school. Lowell donated $2,500 and received $1,796.26 back, resulting in a net contribution to other school PTAs of $704.

This data is a great representation of the needs represented amongst our elementary schools. If you do not include title 1 schools (Cordata, Roosevelt, Carl Cozier, Alderwood and Birchwood) who receive additional state funding, you will see that Lowell has the third highest number of students receiving free or reduced lunches in the district. Why is this important? It highlights that the need of our school community is great and participation in the equity fund and family’s involvement in fundraising efforts allows for the ability for the entire Lowell community to participate in amazing opportunities that are supported directly by the PTA and the funds you help raise!

 

For 2023-2024 Lowell will be donating $2,500 (10% of our $25,000 fundraising goal).

Lowell PTA Newsletter October 2023

 

Dear Lowell Families:
 On behalf of the PTA Executive Team, we want to thank everyone who took part in the Chomp and Shop event. Special thanks to our local businesses Village Books, OVN, Sweet Bellingham, and Fairhaven Village Tacos. 

Upcoming Events
 October: 

 

Current Volunteer Opportunities

PTA Social/Meeting
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell#/

Move-a-thon
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-44538089-move

We are still looking for room parents for many of our classrooms.

Each year, we look for one volunteer from each classroom to be the “room parent.” This is a fantastic way to be more involved and get to know your child's class community with interaction between families and your classroom teacher.  If you are interested, please email either one of our room parent coordinators: Kim Lynn kimlynn99@hotmail.com or Kylan Karp kylan.karp@gmail.com
IMPORTANT NOTE: All volunteers at Lowell must complete volunteer paperwork through the district. Click this link to register as a volunteer: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org)
   

 

Lowell PTA 

The PTA communicates with families monthly via emails and meetings. Please email us with questions, concerns, or ideas at president@lowellschoolpta.org
  
 Parent Square: Please make sure you have this app downloaded on your phone and that you set the notifications to “instant.” This way you will receive school notifications in real time. The other choice is “digest” and that sends all non-time sensitive posts once a day in the evening with all posts from that day. 

 Stay up to date by following the Lowell PTA Facebook page.

PTA Membership: Use this link to become a Member of the Lowell PTA. It costs $8 and does not require you to volunteer, but allows you to become a voting member of the PTA. If cost is an issue, please email our treasurer at treasurer@lowellschoolpta.org

 

Movie Night            
 Please join us for an under the sea movie night! We will be watching The Little Mermaid this coming Friday October 6th at 6:30 - 9:30pm. Grab your blankets, pillows and stuffies and get ready for a fun movie night hosted by the PTA in the Lowell Elementary Cafeteria.

Children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times. No drop offs.

 

Buzz Book  

The Buzz Book is available digitally, the download is available now and can be found in the October Newsletter posted by Principal Korn. Here is the link to October's newsletter. https://www.smore.com/4fxy6

Paper copies will be available upon request in the office. 

 

Move-A-Thon: October 18th

It’s time for our annual Move-A-Thon event! 

What: Students have a fun day dressing in their class color and making as many laps as they can around the playground track!

When: 

Why: To raise fun and funds that support student activities like, field trips, school assemblies, science fairs, art & music programs, memory books and teacher grants! If we meet our goal of $25,000 ($100/ student), we’ll have a reward of popsicles and an extra recess with your buddy’s class. 

How: Students request donations from friends, family, neighbors before the event. Sponsors can pay per lap or a flat rate. Visit https://app.99pledges.com/fund/lowellpta2023 and search for your child’s name for a custom link. All online sponsorships will be automatically collected after the event - no need to collect it yourself! Paper packets are available, please request from your child’s teacher. 

Who: We need your help! Please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-44538089-move to sign up to help with set up, clean up, counting laps and cheering the kids on! 

Day of details: 

The kids LOVE this event, and it supports fun activities for them year round. Thank you for your support in making it all happen. See you there! 


Lowell PTA Newsletter September 2023


Dear Lowell Families:

On behalf of the PTA Executive Team, welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!

It was so nice to see an amazing turn out from parents at our meet and greet last month.  Our PTA is working hard to get back into the swing of things and planning for a fun and exciting school year. We are looking forward to reconnecting with you, meeting new families, and supporting our Lowell community.

Our first PTA meeting will be Friday September 15th at 8am in the covered area. Please join us for coffee and donuts and meet other families, your executive PTA team, and learn about our school’s upcoming events. We will also be voting in our new co-vice presidents.

This year’s Executive Team includes:

The PTA communicates with families monthly via emails and meetings. Please email us with questions, concerns, or ideas at president@lowellschoolpta.org

 

Parent Square: Please make sure you have this app downloaded on your phone and that you set the notifications to “instant”. This way you will receive school notifications in real time. The other option is “digest” and that sends all non-time sensitive posts once a day in the evening with all posts from that day. 

 

 Lowell PTA Meeting Schedule

Meetings are typically held at 8am on the 3rd Friday of each month in the covered area outside the gym. They are a great way to meet other families, learn about upcoming events, and find ways to get involved at the school.  

 

PTA Meetings for the 2023-2024 School Year:


 September 15

October 20

November 17

January 19

February 26

March 22

April 19

May 10


Upcoming events

 September:

 

October: 

Current Volunteer Opportunities

PTA Social/Meeting Refreshments (help by bringing coffee/donuts to the meeting)

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell#/

 

PTA Event Committee Chairs – Current volunteer needs

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4FAEAF28A0FB6-lowell1#/

Stay Connected:  Lowell PTA Website and Facebook Page, Student Directory, and how to Join the PTA

Lowell PTA Website: Use the menu on the website to find PTA-related info, tools, and opportunities to participate.

 Stay up to date by following the Lowell PTA Facebook page.

 

Buzz Book (Student Directory):  This is a great way to be able to connect with other Lowell families. If you do not want your information shared in the student directory, you can fill out an opt-out form online through the skyward platform. This directory will be distributed digitally in the fall. Paper copies will be available upon request. Please opt out by Friday September 15, or your information will be in the directory. 

 

PTA Membership: Use this link to become a Member of the Lowell PTA. It costs $8 and does not require you to volunteer, but allows you to become a voting member of the PTA. 

 

Volunteers

Our PTA can’t operate without family participation. Dedicated parents, teachers, staff, and generous volunteers help make Lowell an environment where students can learn and grow.  There are lots of ways – big and small – that you can contribute to the Lowell community. Attending a PTA Meeting is a great start to learning how you can volunteer at Lowell. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  All volunteers at Lowell must complete volunteer paperwork through the district.  Click this link to register as a volunteer: Volunteer Program – Bellingham Public Schools (bellinghamschools.org)

  

Room Parents

Each year, we look for one volunteer from each classroom to be the “room parent”. This is a great way to be more involved and get to know your child's class community with interaction between families and your classroom teacher.  If you are interested, please email either one of our room parent coordinators: Kim Lynn kimlynn99@hotmail.com or Kylan Karp kylan.karp@gmail.com


 Roles of the room parent:

-Organize class/parent socials and meet and greets

-Organize teacher gifts at holidays and birthdays (kids making cards, pictures,

picking/bringing a flower to make a bouquet).

-Recruit and coordinate volunteers for classroom support, school events, and

field trips.

-Send out reminders and/or sign-up sheets about events, activities, field trips,

etc.

-Keep an up-to-date list of contact information for all parents (this is usually already compiled in the Buzz Book) 

-Help the committee chair during teacher appreciation week.

-Help with communication between the PTA, teachers, and parents.

 

Move-a-thon: October 18th

It’s our school’s biggest fundraiser! Our goal is to raise $25,000 this year. We will be using an online platform again this year for pledges/donations. More information on this event will be coming soon.

 

We need VOLUNTEERS to help with this big event.  A sign-up genius will be sent out soon; please consider volunteering as it’s an exciting event to be involved in at Lowell. 

Shop and Support your School

Lowell Merchandise: Here is the link to purchase Lowell branded merchandise. There are sizes for kids and adults. The store is open until October 1st.  


Fred Meyer Rewards Card: Link your Fred Meyer Rewards card to Lowell PTA and every time you shop, you will be giving back to your kids! Directions can be found here: https://www.fredmeyer.com/i/community/community-rewards


Box Tops: If you buy brands like Annies, Ziplock, Cheerios, or Nature Valley, you will find the Box Top logo on the packaging for those items. Previously, you would cut those logos out and mail them in for donations to your school, but most Box Tops have gone digital recently. The best way to fundraise using Box Tops now is to download the free app on your phone and scan your shopping receipts within the app. It will determine whether you purchased any qualifying items and donate to Lowell if you did. To find the free app and directions go to https://www.boxtops4education.com