Archived PTA Updates 

2025 May/June

           Hello Families, we have made it to the final stretch of the school year!

May kicks off with our last Family Lunch Day of the year on Friday May 2nd, we look forward to seeing so many people coming to enjoy this tradition and even more next school year.

May 5th through 9th is Teacher & Staff Appreciation week and we are so excited to be celebrating our amazing staff at Thomas Kelly Elementary. The week will be filled with lots of goodies, and ends with an all staff luncheon. You may have seen posters on the windows/walls around campus, which serve as our big Thank You cards to our staff. If you can, stop by and leave a few kind words.

This year we are doing Field Day a little different, and bringing you the School Year Send-Off. The School Year Send-Off will consist of several simple but fun outdoor games and activities as well as the PTA serving the students a sweet summer treat. Each class is looking for at least three volunteers to help supervise, please contact your child’s teacher to sign up. There will also be a separate flyer coming out this week. The dates for this event are May 27th for Transitional Kindergarten through 2nd Grade, and May 28th for Third Grade through Fifth Grade.

Our final PTA Association meeting will be held on May 28th at 6:30pm on campus. This meeting is a great opportunity to vote on our upcoming officers for our 2025/2026 Executive Board, and discussing our budget for next year. You can also meet our current Board members who have been working tirelessly to bring you all of the fun events for the year. We will be open for suggestions for our next campus improvement project as well, which in previous years provided security cameras for the school, and new reference books for the library. The PTA would love to have your input on what is important for our school. Refreshments will be provided, and children are welcome, we hope to see you there!

Come check out our schools Talent Show on May 29th. Students have been working so hard practicing their routines to preform for everyone. You do not want to miss this! See flyer for more details.

Since the end of the school year is so close, this will be our last newsletter of the year!

Some important dates we have for June:

First, on June 6th we will have our Kona Ice truck available for purchase after school for a cool treat.

Next, June 9th will be the 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony; please see teachers for more details.

Kindergarten is also doing things a little differently from the traditional ceremony this year, though it will depend on what class your child is in. You may contact your child’s teacher for more information on what they have planned.

Finally, the last day of school is June 10th, and dismissal is at 12:55pm.

I would like to extend my deepest thanks for allowing me to be your PTA President this school year. I have truly enjoyed spending my time with this community, and giving our children some memorable experiences. We do have a full committee for the next school year but do not let that discourage you from participating in our association meetings and volunteer opportunities, we always need volunteers. You can reach out to me directly at any time during the year at Thomaskellypta@gmail.com, with questions, comments or concerns.

Thank You Thomas Kelly Eagles, have an amazing summer!!
Kind Regards,
Bianca Gruell

2025 April

                                               Happy Spring Everyone!
What a month March was! Starting off strong with the Read-a-Thon fundraiser, this fundraiser has once again proved to be our biggest fundraiser of the year, earning upwards of $5000! Thank you so much to everyone who donated, or helped support their child in learning the importance of reading, way to go TK Families! In the past the PTA has used these opportunities to sponsor a campus improvement project, like purchasing cameras for school security, and sponsoring the library to purchase almost $6000 worth of books. We are hoping to find an important use for this years funds, so if you have any suggestions on a project that would greatly improve our school (not grade specific) please email thomaskellypta@gmail.com. Without you and your families, we would not be able to fund such amazing projects!

Last month we also had the great pleasure of hosting the 501’s Legion Star Wars group for the conclusion of Read Across America Week! All of the kids and staff had such an exciting day meeting the characters and listening to their stories.

March also held our Family Lunch, Spring Fling Dance, and Coffee with Costa. All of these events were a such a success, but we definitely would love to see even more families coming out to join us!

This month is not as busy, but we are getting prepared for the rapidly approaching end of the year. First up we have Open House, which features the 5th grade Exhibition Presentations, as well as an Art Show. PTA has secured food trucks that will be available from 5:00pm through 7:00pm incase you need to grab a bite to eat, or a sweet treat for the evening.

Spring Break is April 14th-18th this year, and Spring Pictures will be on Tuesday, April 22nd.

In our previous newsletter we announced our Cultural Festival was in the works and set for Saturday, May 17th at 11am. There are flyers available at the bulletin board if you did not receive one, and also a QR code to access the digital version, which is also translated. This event is centered around the diverse culture of the families at our school, so it simply can not happen without YOU! So far we have not had any inquiries about securing a spot for the festival, so if we do not get enough sign ups by April 21st, we will unfortunately have to cancel the event. Please email us at thomaskellypta@gmail.com for any questions, or to sign up.

We had more attendance at our March PTA Association meeting than we have had all year, and we are so thankful! Even with the added attendance, we still have key roles to fill for our next school year! If any position interests you, you may request it, but the following positions are available now; Secretary, Treasurer, Fundraiser, Membership, and Parliamentarian. Without the key roles, the PTA is unable to continue, so please, reach out to see what position could work for you, and be more involved in your childs’ school experience. The PTA is a welcoming community of parents, as well as grandparents and school staff. That’s right, grandparents can be on the PTA board as well, so if there’s any grandparents who would like to be more active at our school, please join us!

The PTA works so very hard year round to ensure that our school is a wonderful place to be. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me (Bianca) or Kaitlin (VP Communications) with any and all questions, at thomaskellypta@gmail.com, that goes directly to us.

Have an AMAZING spring!
Bianca Gruell
2024/2025 PTA President

2025 March 

                                          Happy March TK Families! Spring is coming!
The month of February was full of love with the growing popularity of the candy grams! Our students and family members really enjoyed sending notes and treats to one another, and reviewing their sweet surprises. I think we may have found a new school tradition for the month!

February concluded with the start of our Read-a-Thon fundraiser, one of the largest PTA fundraisers for our school. With funds generated from the read-a-thon, the PTA hopes to sponsor another campus improvement project. Last year we were able to sponsor the library, and Mrs. Erika, our librarian, was able to purchase some much needed non-fiction books, as well as books in the home languages of our students. If you haven’t already, create your child’s profile, even if you are not able to donate, your child can still earn awesome prizes for logging their time spent reading.

We all know how truly important reading is for the developing mind, which leads us to the very exciting Read Across America week, from March 3rd through the 7th! Our amazing teacher/parent/PTA Member Tiffany Hart has organized a week of expressive spirit dress up days, as well as surprise guest readers for the school. Additional information on spirit week theme days can be found on the flyer, available at our PTA bulletin board.

As the week comes to an end, we celebrate with our Family Lunch Day, Friday March 7th. Some important things to remember; meal start times vary by grade, food can not be delivered to the school, and if you are taking your child home with you after lunch, you MUST check them out with the office staff! Any family member is welcome to attend family lunch with your child.

*Please note, Tuesday March 11th through Friday March 14th, dismissal for all students is at 12:10pm. Followed by No School on Friday the 21st, and Monday the 24th. *

On March 26th, we will be hosting our PTA Association meeting at 6:30pm on campus. All parents, guardians, teachers/staff, and community members are welcome. Remember, you do not need to be a PTA member to attend, we encourage you to participate in thought exchange, bring your ideas or questions, and meet the team behind the events we all enjoy. Refreshments will be served, children are welcome, and a zoom option is available upon request.

Finally, our Spring Fling Dance will be held on Friday, March 28th from 5:00 pm to 6:30pm. This is a terrific opportunity to spend time with your kids, listening to great music and practicing those dance moves.

We are still actively looking for members to fill our committee and board positions for the next school year. Don’t be intimidated, it is always a group effort. The March Association meeting is the perfect time and place to get more information, we would love to see you there!

Happy Spring to all, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns to thomaskellypta@gmail.com, or to me directly.

Kind Regards,
Bianca Gruell
PTA President 2024/2025 School Year

2025 February 

Hello Thomas Kelly Families!
We wrapped up the very short month of January with our first Family Picnic Day of the new year. We were not going to let a little rain ruin our picnic! It was so great to see so many families still come out to enjoy lunch together. If you were not able to make it, don’t worry, our next family picnic day is scheduled for March 7th, so mark your calendars.
  Happy February! We begin this month with our Valentines Day Candy Gram sales. We got this suggestion from a parent and we thought it would be such a fun way share a little love amongst our school community. If you haven’t received an order form in your child’s folder, you can pick one up at the PTA bulletin board located just inside the front office. Once finished you may turn it in to your child’s teacher. We ask that all candy gram orders be submitted by Friday February 7th.This month we also have Presidents Week, where there will be no school from the 17th through the 21st.
  After we return from break we will start our Read-A-Thon Fundraiser! This has been an exciting fundraiser for the students to participate in as they compete for fun prizes by raising money and logging their reading minutes. This year our read-a-thon will continue into March where we will have a fun themed spirit week for Read Across America. More information will be released about Read Across America, including spirit day flyer, as we get closer to March.
  PTA is actively looking for new executive board members for our 2025/2026 school year! Do not be intimidated by the title, each role varies from minimal to more extensive involvement, but you are never in it alone. We would love to fill these positions so that we can continue our momentum of a strong and active PTA. If you are interested, please contact us with any questions. I can be reached at thomaskellypta@gmail.com, or I am frequently available on campus most days.

Looking forward to continuing to bring you exciting and meaningful events.
Sincerely,
Bianca Gruell
2024/2025 Pta President

2025 January 

Welcome Back TK Families!

We hope you all had a wonderful winter break, and very happy holidays! Last month we hosted our first Family Dance of the year, which turned out amazing with great music, and even some yummy food for sale. We also had our Holiday Caroling, led by our Principal Mr. Costa. There were only a few people who attended but they were mighty and cheerful, and enjoyed sharing the holiday spirit.

With the new year comes new events! Thomas Kelly PTA is organizing our very first Cultural Festival! We are in the beginning stages of planning and an official flyer will be available soon, but we are so excited to bring this special event to our school and celebrate the diversity we have in our community.

Also, please note there is no school on Monday the 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

January 29th we will have our PTA Association meeting at 6:30pm on campus. This meeting is open to everyone, and we encourage your attendance. This is a great chance to meet your PTA Board, those of us who work hard to bring you all of the fun experiences! You also have an opportunity to share your thoughts, ideas, questions or concerns with our open forum. Remember, all of the events would not be possible without volunteers, so come on out and see how you can get involved.

Our next Family Picnic day will be on Friday January 31st, you will find the lunch schedule on our full newsletter page online, which can be accessed by QR code below.

Spring is coming, and we just can’t wait to share what we have in store. Stay Tuned!

Best Regards,

Bianca Gruell

PTA President 2024/2025

2024 December

Hello Thomas Kelly Families!

As November comes to a close, we prepare for an even shorter month in December! We want to start by saying thank you for all the support for Kelly Karnival! We want to thank all the parents, family, and teacher volunteers! We also received the news, that afternoon, from our Principal Costa that Thomas Kelly Elementary won Best Public School in Carmichael for the second year in a row! Its such a magnificent honor to hold that title, way to go Thomas Kelly staff, students and families!

Although we have just a short few weeks in December, that isn’t going to stop us from having some winter fun!To kick off the month we will have our Book Fair, beginning on Monday December 2nd, and going through Friday the 6th. Students and families can come by the library after school Monday-Thursday and on Friday between 5pm and 6pm during our Family Dance!

Yes we are hosting our first dance of the year! Our Winter Family Dance will take place Friday the 6th at 5:00 pm. This is a free event for all families, but food and drinks will be available for purchase as well. Break out your dancing shoes and meet us on the dance floor!

Our next event in December is the Neighborhood Holiday Caroling! Each year attendees gather in front of the school at 5pm and walk the neighborhood adjacent to our school and sing Christmas Carols. We’ll have some hot cocoa, but don’t forget the gloves!

The Bridges After School Program would also like to share that there are several spots* available for FREE after school care. Yes, you heard correctly, free! The Bridges programs’ fees have been waived for this school year, and they need to meet their enrollment qualification to keep their funding. So if you are looking for a few hours of childcare for after school, please contact the Bridges Program coordinator Misty Middleton at 916-671-4697 or via email misty.middleton@sanjuan.edu. *while availability lasts.

Thank you for staying up to date on all things PTA. Your participation in our events helps us build connections as a community, and strengthen your bonds with our children and their educators. Whether you have an abundance of time, or just a little, feel free to reach out and connect with us for ways you can volunteer. Our next association meeting will be held on January 29th, at 6:30pm, it is open to all. We invite you to meet your PTA Board, share your thoughts or ideas and enjoy refreshments.

Warmest Regards,

Your PTA President, Bianca Gruell

2024 November

Hello and Happy Fall Thomas Kelly Families!

Each month just keeps getting better and better! October was action packed, with another movie night, which was Disney’s Coco, and although we had some technical difficulties, the evening was a great success! With Red Ribbon week underway, we are enjoying seeing all of our students creativity showing through each spirit day. Our kids are really getting the message about making positive and healthy choices for their bodies and minds!

November will seem a little short due to our many non-school days but don’t let that stop you from having fun! Our first event this month is the Kelly Karnival, which takes place on Saturday November 2nd, here at Thomas Kelly from 12pm-3pm. Bring the whole family out to have an afternoon of games, food, crafts and FUN! That’s right, even grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins can come enjoy this family event!

Next we have our Family Picnic Day, on Friday November 8th. Come have lunch with your child, or if you have more than one, you are welcome to stay for each of their lunch periods. Remember, food may not be delivered to the school but you may bring anything with you. Lunch period start times can be found on the event flyer on our Facebook page, or the PTA bulletin board in the front office.

Another Coffee with Costa morning is scheduled for Friday the 22nd, at 9am, in the Staff Development Room. Parents and caregivers are invited to come have coffee and conversation with our Principal Mr. Costa and bring your questions or concerns. Your PTA President will also be there if you have any PTA related questions, comments or concerns. Coffee, and pastries will be provided.

November ends with our holiday break from the 25th through the 29th. School resumes on December 2nd. Also note, there is no school on 11th and the 15th.

Our very first December event will be a Family Holiday Dance on Friday, the 6th, so Save the Date. More information to come!

Thank you all for keeping our school safe, and helping to strengthen this community. We hope we continue to see more and more of our families at future events. As always, don’t be shy, if you see me around, come chat!

Warmest Fall Wishes,

Your PTA President, Bianca Gruell

2024 October

September was such an eventful month! Our first movie night of the year boasted our largest turn out yet! It was amazing to see so many families come out to enjoy fresh popcorn, Kona Ice, and many laughs together. I loved hearing the children in the crowd all belting out the song Better Place by *NSYNC in unison.

Family Picnic Day this month was also a big hit, and we got a lot of positive feedback on the amount of families that were able to participate in this event. We are planning for our next picnic day to be November 8th, so we hope you can make it.

The Kona Ice Truck will be on site on Thursday, October 3rd for purchase after school, dismissal is at 2:05pm and there is no school the following day, Friday October 4th. Come get a sweet treat before the long weekend.

Next up will be our second movie night where we will be showing an October favorite film, Disney’s Coco! Please arrive at 6pm to find the perfect spot, and the movie will begin at 6:30pm or when the sun goes down. Don’t forget a blanket!

We have our first Family Dine Out! Come grab lunch or dinner at Panda Express, and support our school in the process! It’s a win-win!

Details: Saturday October 19th, PTA will be hosting a Family Dine Out Fundraiser at the Panda Express located at 5871 Sunrise Blvd in Citrus Heights. There will be a separate flyer available with all the information to follow. You may order online, or in person, and remember to mention Thomas Kelly so we get credit!

Rounding out the month we have Red Ribbon Spirit Week, beginning on the 28th. We have an exciting week planned, full of fun ways to dress up including costume day on Halloween. Look out for our flyer later this month which will provide all the details and ideas for fun ways to express yourself.

Finally, our Kelly Karnival will be happening on Saturday, November 2nd, from 12:00-3:00 pm.

Wristbands for all of the games will be available for presale before and after school on select dates, as well as at the door the day of. Food will be available for additional fee.

We still need volunteers for set-up, clean up, and game stations! There will be a sign up sheet that goes around shortly for those that want to donate their time (by running a game station) or monetary (by purchasing from our wish list)

We are happy to announce that this year, the Chili Cook-off; which will be held at the Kelly Karnival, will be free to enter! The prize is to be determined, but it will not disappoint. To enter the Chili Cookoff, please fill out an entry form, (which will be available on our website, or via the bulletin board), and see official instructions. Chili tasting tickets will be just $1 and available for purchase on the day of the event. We are looking forward to the diversity in recipes from all of our different cultures here in this community!

So many exciting things to look forward to coming up, as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out, or stop and chat if you see me around!

Sincerely,

Bianca Gruell, PTA President

2024 September

What an amazing start to the new school year! We had a huge turn out at our popsicle meet and greet, where families got to meet their teachers and purchase spirit wear for Friday, Spirit Days. The cameras that were approved and purchased last year were installed before the first day and are up and running to keep our children and school safe. Our first PTA executive board meeting, as well as our PTA Association meeting were successful, where we began planning for our much anticipated Kelly Karnival, with Chili Cook-Off! So dust off those family recipe books and get your best chili going to enter the contest and win cool prizes.

We are so happy and appreciative to see many more parents, and caregivers taking a more active role in their students experiences, by participating in our association meeting. These meetings are held three times per year, and tentatively scheduled for January 29th and March 26th.

The real fun begins this month as we bring you our first Family Movie Night, which is scheduled for Friday, September 13th at 7pm. The movie will be Trolls: Band Together, and it will start at 7:30 or when the sun goes down. Bring blankets, chairs, snacks, anything to make you comfortable! Our beloved Kona Ice truck will be available for purchases that evening.

Next up is our first Family Picnic Day, which will be on the following Friday, September 20th. If you are new here, our family picnic days are a day where you and your loved ones get to come to the school during your child’s lunch period and enjoy a meal with them! Many of the students look forward to this event, where they can show off their families to their friends. If you can’t make it this time, don’t worry, we will have many more opportunities for family fun time, and our next family picnic is tentatively set for November 8th.

September also holds our fall Picture Day, which will be on September 16th, with picture makeup day the following month. PTA will also be holding our annual membership drive this month, so look out for more information coming soon.

Our first Coffee with Costa event will be taking place this month, on Friday September 27th at 9am in the Staff Development Room. This is a chance for you to meet our principal, Josh Costa, if you haven’t yet, and bring up any issues that have arose, any questions you may have about procedures at the school, or just to build a generally positive relationship with the leaders at this great school.

Be sure to come check out our new PTA bulletin board, located just inside the front office. Here you will find copies of our newsletters, membership forms, information about our current/upcoming fundraisers, important dates, and communication information. Basically, this bulletin board will serve as a hub for PTA information, in conjunction with our multiple electronic communication points.

As always, if you have any questions, send us an email at thomaskellypta@gmail.com, or if you see me around, don’t hesitate to come up and chat!

Kind Regards from your PTA President, Bianca Gruell

2024 August 

Hello Thomas Kelly Families! 

We are so excited for the 2024-2025 school year to start. This year also marks the 65th year of Thomas Kelly Elementary School and PTA! We successfully recruited an almost full committee and we are ready to combine our creativity and create some memorable events.

We look forward to giving you more movie nights, family picnic days, Kelly Carnival (with Chili Cook-off), family dances, holiday caroling and more! We are also introducing new events including Coffee with Costa, which will be an opportunity to meet with our Principal, Josh Costa, to discuss any issues or concerns, and answer any questions. The school also plans to have some on-campus experiences, in place of field trips, which can be difficult to facilitate.

Keep an eye out for our monthly newsletters, which will be sent home once per month, as well as accessible through our PTA website and Facebook page. As always, if you have any questions, you may contact us directly at thomaskellypta@gmail.com.

From all of us at Thomas Kelly PTA, have an AMAZING day!

June 18, 2024

Have a great summer! Annual PTA membership sign ups will start after July 1, 2024 for school year 2024-2025. 

See our Facebook page for the latest announcements. Also check Thomas Kelly Elementary School's district website link is at https://kelly.sanjuan.edu/ including the "get involved" page at https://kelly.sanjuan.edu/connect/get-involved.

April 2, 2024

Looking to get more involved in Thomas Kelly PTA leadership but unsure how? 

Try PTA Spring training!

We are especially seeking a fiscally minded PTA leader-in-training! As an incentive to self-select into a fiscal role, PTA is offering you a no-cost gym membership certificate to a local In-Shape Family Fitness (formally CalFit). This 3-month gym membership certificate was generously donated to help us announce and fill key roles next year. It's yours to enjoy if you train to become a new fiscal PTA leader.

Now through the end of the school year, a spring training phase will give you the chance to gain the hands-on experience that will help you decide which role fits you best (e.g. auditing, dues collection, budgeting, filing taxes, e-shop, etc) for School Year 2024/2025. 

Anyone from the Thomas Kelly Community can be a PTA Leader including parents/guardians, grandparents, aunties, uncles, adult siblings, school staff, neighbors and community stakeholders. 

Contact Sandy Navarro, PTA Treasurer 2023/2024 (& Ian’s Mom/3rd grade/Sanchez) or find me at the last PTA Association meeting @6:30pm wed 4/3/2023. 

Jan 26, 2024

Family Picnic Day - Come have lunch with your child on Friday, Feb 16th, weather permitting.

Box Tops - Please consider helping raise funds passively for Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA by downloading the Box Tops App and scanning in your receipts.  Specify us, 'Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA', to benefit from your purchases of BoxTop eligible items. 

• Since December 2023, $27.80 was raised for school year JUN 2023 - JUN 2024!

We don't even have an official Box Tops Coordinator pulling in that $27.80. Imagine how effective you could be taking on this volunteer-from-home fundraiser role for us??? Mentorship is available if you are willing to be the go-to BoxTops lead to help fund PTA activities. Contact Sandy Navarro.

See's Candy Sales - Keep an eye out for our See's Candy Yum Rasier Shop to be announced as a live link (Spring 2024). This is a passive fundraiser. That means, you use our link to shop, your purchase is directly shipped to you, and a donation check is directly written to PTA. 

Read A thon starts on Monday, March 4th, 2024. Don't miss out on the fun and prizes. 🏆 Please sign your student up and be sure to share the link with your family and friends.

Who are we? Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA (that's our full legal name) is a non-profit charitable trust formed around the same time the school was originally opened in the 1960's. As an offical PTA public charity, we fall under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) which means we can accept charitable donations in our name and, generally, are not required to pay State and Federal taxes. But....we are required to file taxes -- which means record keeping, forms & receipts consistent with our by-laws is very important to make it easy for the Treasurer and auditing volunteers dealing with it. We use that money in benefit of Thomas Kelly students, teachers, and campus. PTA 3rd District of California https://www.3rdpta.org is our primary point of contact. Within "3rd District", we are CA Unit ID #501. If a Thomas Kelly PTA leader (an elected or appointed trusted adult from our community such as parent, grandparent or school staff) doesn't know where to start, they can look up the website and email of 3rd District leaders. It's the first place to snag the latest forms, check the due date calendar and to submit official documents. PTA Leaders can call on 3rd District if we lack capacity or have questions that can't be answered by Thomas Kelly PTA Leadership. There is important resources also at California State PTA website https://capta.org/ and National PTA website https://www.pta.org/. For example, Teacher Appreciation Week is organized this year as "Teachers Drive the Future for Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, 2024" on the National PTA website. As you can see from their page, it's often unnecessary to develop big new ideas and material from scratch. And often the Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA has a budget item spelled to execute such a meaningful effort like 'Teacher Appreciation Week'. Unfortunally we often lack capacity of volunteers to execute such events.  Not-So-Subtle-Hint: We currently lack a lead volunteer to sort out the details of a catered lunch and help get the word out to families that "Teachers Drive the Future" that week in May 6-10, 2024. We do have budget funds for you if you want to lead or co-lead this upcoming effort. Please notify us if you are inspired to fill the role; mentorship is available. 

For the most current info - join the Facebook group PTA Administers for it's current students & teachers: "Thomas Kelly Eagle News". 

Nov 28, 2023

It's #GivingTuesday. Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA is tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Please consider sharing our donation web page within your network circle. Some employers even plan out tax deductible charitable donations and you, as the employee, simply need to recommend us. 

• Short-term, we seek donations for the Giving Tree/Holiday Food Basket/Food Closet activities happening over the holidays. 

• As a generational project, we seek funds to start an Arboretum Restoration. 

• A general donation supports all the great PTA programs and activities throughout the year that strengthen our community, support our teachers and enrich our student's lives. 

Join us on Friday, December 15th, for an old fashioned neighborhood caroling party! 

Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA Newsletter

2023 Sep 27

Family Picnic Day! Come have lunch with your child on Friday, Oct 20th.

The 2023-2024 Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA membership drive runs October 3, 2023 through October 26, 2023. 

Our first Halloween Costume and Spirit Gear Drive got underway on September 22nd. Now you can donate your gently used costumes or Thomas Kelly Eagles shirts/sweatshirts so they can bring joy (and candy) to a different child. The donation box is at the school office by the door. Need a costume this year? Want to rock your Thomas Kelly spirit with a shirt? Please contact the PTA at thomaskellypta@gmail.com or call/text your awesome PTA leader Patrick Dunkerly at (323) 244-3539. 

Red Ribbon Week starts Monday October 23. 

It's tamale time! Order a dozen tamales ($25) no later than November 1, 2023 and help our 5th graders go to camp. They can be eaten right away or frozen to be served over the holidays.  Order forms have been sent home with students or you can talk to Kelly in the office. Tamale order pick up day is Thursday Nov 16, 2023 from 3pm-4:30pm.

Kelly Karnival is on Saturday, November 4th, 2023.

Did you know Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA is a charitable organization? Yes, since TK PTA inception in 1960, this PTA files annually with State of California Attorney General as a charitable organization, pays insurance, files tax returns, has bylaws, etc. Our volunteer elected board members get the boring stuff done so your PTA can fiscally operate as a legit PTA unit to support your school. We've been slowly adding digital operations to use in tandem with good old fashioned paper. For example, members can join PTA on the JoinTotem membership portal, buy a t-shirt at our Square Shop, or order a school Year Book (ID: 1138224). We are very happy to announce we can now take an e-donation from our new DONATION PAGE! We know it may sound silly that we are just now getting to that part, but seriously, this work takes research, time and persistence among our elected all-volunteer leaders. If you are tech savvy or a quick learner, please consider becoming a PTA leader to contribute to our efforts to fully embrace the digital age. We are in the process of securing the domain name ThomasKellyPTA.org and a team-based Google Workspace. What do the volunteer board members get in return? It's unique to each volunteer. PTA leaders can build career skills, develop friendships, and feel more in touch with their child's school experience. You get the satisfaction knowing you are volunteering with a local Parent Teacher Associations (PTA). Local PTAs are instrumental in establishing programs and services to improve children’s lives.

2023 Aug 02

It's 'Welcome Baaaaack' time for Thomas Kelly families! School starts Aug 10th, 2023. PTA will be reconvening shortly. 

We hope you'll be a part of the 2023/2024 PTA efforts to organize activities at your school and deepen the Thomas Kelly Eagle's Spirt within your community. 

Here's a few ways you could start to engage with your PTA at Thomas Kelly: 

• check our Facebook page for the latest announcements, 

• become a PTA member, attend meetings & vote,

• take on a leadership role or be mentored into leadership within our tiny but mighty PTA crew,

• thank a PTA leader when you see one in action, 

• purchase School Spirit Gear for your child to wear on Fridays,

• come say, 'hi' to a PTA  representative at the Popsicle Meet and Greet on Aug 8th at 11-11:30AM on campus when you come meet your teacher, 

• enjoy a family movie night on Friday Sept 8th

• purchase a Kona Ice for sale after school Friday, Aug 18th or Sept 22.

• PTA Association Meeting

• save the date for a Family Dance Sept 22nd.

• remember to email quality photos for the yearbook to Erika tkyearbook@gmail.com throughout the year---including of first day of school pictures!!!

Bookmark this page and check back for updates. 

Please attend our first PTA Association Meeting on Wed, Sept 6 6:30pm on campus.

2023 May 24

Good News Thomas Kelly families!

Thanks to those who stepped up to volunteer, PTA can host Field Day 2023 for the second year in a row on Friday June 2nd. We have enough volunteer commitments to meet the minimum need of one parent per station. Check out the Field Day Page for the schedule.  

___

2023 February 17

Hello TK families! 

February membership drive is underway. If you are a member, please fill out the orange form to make sure your child's teacher counts you towards the class competition for a pizza party. If you have been thinking about joining but haven't yet, this is the time. You will have a chance to win one of the gift cards drawn during the month and also help your child's class win a pizza party. As of February 15, 2023, we are currently a 76 member strong PTA. 

Monthly Family lunch day is Friday 2/17/2023. Check the webpage for your child's lunch start time. 

No school for President's Week Feb 20- Feb 24.

Minimum Days scheduled March 7- March 10 with a 12:10 pm dismissal time  for Parent Conferences.  Monday, March 6 is a regular school day, with dismissal at 3:25 pm.

Glow with the Flow! A Family Dance Glow Party is scheduled in the MP room from 6 to 8 pm on March 24th. This a free family event and all students must be accompanied by an adult to attend this event. The fourth grade class will be selling food and drinks to raise money for their 5th grade Alliance Redwoods camp trip. Fourth grade parents/families will be asked to donate their time to set up, break down and donate the needed foods to sell at the dance (hot dogs, buns, condiments, nacho cheese, chips, beverages). Please watch for an email and flier coming soon!

School is out of session on Monday March 20th.

The next PTA meeting is March 29th at 7pm. All are welcome to attend. The PTA Executive Board is in need of new leaders next year. Interested a Lead PTA role? Contact us via email or fill out the PTA form printed out on orange paper and sent home with your child during the PTA membership drive.

See’s Candy PTA fundraiser is coming in March. Check back; our PTA storefront will open soon. //canceled due to low participation and tiny PTA crew//

If you have photos for the yearbook, please send them to tkyearbook@gmail.com . Erika Stewart, our school librarian, is our PTA volunteer leading the yearbook project. Thank you!

Bookmark this page and check back for updates. 

2023 January (Newsletter #1)

Feb, 2023 Family Dance had to be postponed. Please thank Tiffany for stepping up to serve as lead event coordinator for a Spring Dance. You may reach out to her directly if you would like to help. 

Jan 25, Wed, is the PTA Association Meeting 7:00pm-8:30pm on Campus in the staff development room. 

Family Dine is at Roma's on Friday January 27th. 

____

2022 December (Newsletter #2)

We hope you are having a wonderful holiday season filled with food, friendship and warmth. 

The last day of school before Winter Break is Thursday December 22nd; classes resume Tuesday January 10. Campus is closed Friday December 23rd through Monday January 9th. 

Holiday Caroling is scheduled for Friday, Dec 16, 2022. Meet on campus at 5:30pm in the MP room. 

Family Picnic Day will also be on Friday, Dec 16, 2022. Kiddos simply love it when you come eat lunch with them and their classmates. Being inclusive during this time helps kiddos build friendships. Bring your lunch and sign in at the cafeteria gate before joining your student on the third Friday of every month for lunch. 

Please note that all Friday's are Spirit Day. Wear green to school.

Giving Tree Tags are ready to be picked. See Kelly in the office. Gifts must be wrapped and delivered back to her by Dec 19.

Our Fall See’s Candy fundraiser ran throughout November 2022 just concluded. Thank you to all that ordered candy. It will be shipped directly to you. You helped raise over $300 for PTA. If you missed this Yum-Raiser, check our events page for a Spring See’s candy storefront to be announced in March.

TK kiddos showed spirit by wearing daily themed outfits such as pajama day for the ‘Follow Your Dreams’ day and formal wear on ‘Stay Classy’ day for the annual Say No To Drugs campaign “Celebrate Life; Live Drug Free” themed Red Ribbon Spirit Week the week of October 24.

Our first post-pandemic Kelly Karnival was a mind blowing success. We sold out every-single-wrist-band!!! Wow!!! Volunteers really came through ahead of time and at the very last minute to make it happen. Thank you! A very special thank you for the early vision last summer and perseverance of our two bravest PTA Leaders: Brandy Harris-Hodnett and James Hodnett. 

If you have any feedback to make next year’s Kelly Karnival happen, we need you to get involved in PTA planning meetings throughout the year. The next PTA Association Meeting is scheduled for Jan 25 - 7:00pm on Campus in the MP room (or library). A ZOOM option maybe added upon request to Principal Costa. 

PTA Volunteers Needed: The PTA is still looking for a few solid volunteers to mentor into our vacant positions on the Executive Board - training and support is available! We are such a tiny crew, your participation is sure to make a mighty impact.

If you have photos for the yearbook, please send them to Erika Stewart. Erika is our PTA volunteer leading the yearbook project. Thank you!

Don’t forget to bookmark the public TK PTA website and subscribe to our closed Facebook Page to keep up-to-date.

Happy Holiday! Stay Warm and Be Safe.

___

2022 December (Newsletter #1)

Salo’s Taqueria for Family Dine Out Day is December 3. This Saturday! Hit the EASY Button on your Saturday ***anytime all day 10am to 8pm *** by eating at Salo’s, a new local taqueria. This family-owned business was kind enough to pledge to donate 15% of sales among Thomas Kelly Supporters (use Code TK15DEC22) who dine anytime this Saturday from 10am to 8pm. Please share the information from our Facebook event or website announcement with your local family and friends and remind them to use code TK15DEC22 on Saturday only. They do not have a website; A menu is posted to our website. Call in an order ahead or walk in. 

Upcoming Family Dine Outs are expected to be Roma's Pizza (January) and Smashburger (February). Dates and details will be announced soon. Please send us location nominations for Springtime 2023 dine outs. ___

2022 October Update #2 (Newsletter)

Happy October Thomas Kelly Families! Starting this month, the PTA will partner with the Thomas Kelly staff in getting out an electronic newsletter to all families! Take a few minutes and check out the latest news! And don’t forget to bookmark this website and our Facebook Page for up-to-date information!

Kelly Karnival is Baaaaaacccccckkkkkkk!

Kelly Karnival is scheduled for Friday, 10/28/22 from 5 to 8 PM. We are so excited to bring this fun event back! The Kelly Karnival is an annual tradition where Thomas Kelly students, dressed in full Halloween costumes, play fun games for prizes and candy! However, we can’t pull off a great event without your help! If you haven’t already, please sign up for a 30-minute volunteer window by clicking here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040e48afab2ca2f94-kelly. Simply look for your teacher’s name or a game you’d like to help with, and sign up for a 30-minute volunteer time. Do you have more than 30 minutes to give; we’ll take it! Sign up for as many slots as you can give us!!! Don’t have time to volunteer, but would still like to help? We need pop-up tents (lend us yours by clicking the SignUp Genius link), candy donations (can be dropped at the front office anytime), and goodies for the Cake Walk (contact Kelly Simmons for more information on the Cake Walk: kelly.simmons@sanjuan.edu)!

To participate in games, all students/children must have a wristband. You can purchase wristbands by sending back cash or check with the order form that went home in homework packets last week OR you can purchase a wristband online before 10/21 for just $10 for all-you-can-play games! After 10/21/22, prices will go up to $15 and wristbands can be purchased at the Karnival.

Are you a 5th grade family? You should have also received an email from Mrs. Hess and Mr. G asking for donations of Gatorade, water and chips. The 5th grade will be hosting a snack bar during Kelly Karnival, proceeds from which will go to support the Alliance Redwood field trip. These donations can be dropped off with either teacher.

Email the PTA with questions: ThomasKellyPTA@gmail.com.

October is PTA Membership Drive Month! Become a member of Thomas Kelly PTA and let your voice be heard! Membership is just $10 (please note there is a $1.00 processing fee added to online enrollments via totem) and your dues go toward supporting both our local PTA, as well as the State and National PTA. Your dues also allow you to vote on important issues at the PTA Association meetings, which are held in August, January and March of each school year. You can join by clicking on the membership portal link here: https://jointotem.com/ca/carmichael/thomas-kelly-

elementary-pta. Everyone who becomes a PTA member not only gets to vote at the January and March Association meetings but you will also be entered into a drawing to win one of three free wristbands to Kelly Karnival!

Red Ribbon Spirit Week: Monday, October 24, 2022 launches the annual Say No To Drugs campaign at school campuses across the US, also known as Red Ribbon Week. This year’s theme is Celebrate Life; Live Drug Free. This year’s dress up days will be:

• Monday: Follow Your Dreams, Don’t Do Drugs! (wear PJs)

• Tuesday: Team Up Against Drugs! (wear sports T-shirts/jerseys)

• Wednesday: Stay Classy; Don’t Do Drugs! (wear your finest outfit)

• Thursday: Don’t be Despicable, Stay Away From Drugs (wear a yellow top and blue bottoms)

• Friday: We are Red-y to be Drug Free (wear red)

Family Picnic Day & Family Dine Out: Our next Family Picnic Day will be Friday, October 21, 2022 and our next Family Dine Out will be Tuesday November 8 at Mark & Monica’s Pizza; flyers/information will be posted soon.

Read-A-Thon Was a Success!!! Thank you to all those students and families who participated in Thomas Kelly’s annual Read-A-Thon! We raised over $5,000 for the PTA and our students read nearly 30,000 minutes over the course of October. If you helped raised money in addition to logging minutes on the online platform, then your student earned money (Rat Bucks) that can be spent on prizes. Remember to spend your “Rat Bucks” by October 22, 2022. Students who met minimum reading levels will receive a Super Reader certificate and will be entered into a drawing to receive one of several gift certificates to the Scholastic Book Fair happening in November. Top readers in each grade will also celebrate with a pizza party!

See’s Candy Fundraiser Coming Soon: Are you reading for a holiday candy fix? We’ve got your back! In November we’ll send out information about our holiday See’s Candy fundraiser, which will run through December 2.

Spirit Gear Is Available! The PTA just got our newest batch of T-shirts and Sweatshirts

in! Check out our online store and order yours today: https://thomas-kelly-elementary-

pta.square.site/.

Support Thomas Kelly Elementary: Did you know that your Amazon purchases can support our school? AmazonSmile is a program that donates .5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to your charity of choice. All you need to do is start shopping at smile.amazon.com and choose Thomas Kelly Elementary PTA as your designated organization – it’s as easy as 1-2-3! Families raised over $260 last school year simply by using the AmazonSmile site when conducting their purchases!

PTA Volunteers Needed: The PTA is still looking for a few volunteers to fill our vacant positions on the Executive Board - training and support is available!

2022 October Updates (#1)

It’s officially Fall and do you know what that means? Nothing really, it’s still 90 degrees here in the Sacramento area!! BUT - what we can look forward to is once again having the Kelly Karnival in person! And we can’t make it happen without your help! Teachers will be sending out communication around needed volunteers. Check out our Kelly Karnival page for information about how to sign-up for a volunteer time slot and to buy wristbands for your students.

We also want to take an opportunity to thank all the families for participating in September’s Read-A-Thon. We are still tallying all the minutes read, but we can share that we raised over $4,000 for the school! Well done to you and well done to your readers.  More information coming shortly about read-a-thon prize winners.

We will be holding our annual PTA membership drive during the month of October. Please join and help us grow our membership. We will hold a drawing for all members in our database each week for three weeks in October for a free child's Kelly Karnival bracelet that provides access to all Karnival booth games ($10 value). We are currently  43 members strong which means that is currently a 1 in 43 chance. Our Goal is a 90 member strong PTA total for the School Year 2022-2023. Please check out our update page to see progress.

Upcoming dates and current events are routinely updated to our Current Events Page. Here are some:

Sept 30 -

• Read-a-Thon last day. 

• Camp Out themed family night on campus 7:30pm to 9:30pm to celebrate literacy.

• Friday Spirit Day

Oct 3 - Non-instructional Day (No School)

Oct 4 - Tuesday Family Dine Out fundraiser at Panda Express.

Oct 7 -Friday Spirit Day

Oct 14 -Fridays Spirit Day

Oct 21  -

• Family Picnic Day: Join your child at lunch.

• Friday Spirit Day

Oct 24 - 28 - Red Ribbon Week

Oct 25 - Picture Day Re-Take Day. Order on mylifetouch.com

Oct 28 -Friday Spirit Day

Oct 28 - Kelly Karnival is set for a Friday.  Use the digital sign up to volunteer!

 ___

2022 Oct Membership drive 

For our October 2022 membership drive, our goal is to increase adoption of our ‘all digital’ membership and its annual auto-renewal feature using the JoinTotem PTA Portal. We hope to grow to a modest 90-member strong PTA this school year. We are currently at just 43 active members as of 9/30/2022.

As incentive to act now, you will be immediately entered into a random drawing for a Kelly Karnival kid’s carnival game bracelet ($10 value) if you are fully registered digitally by our 5 pm deadline each Friday for the first three weeks in October. The cutoffs are Oct 7, Oct 14, Oct 21 5pm each Friday. We will contact you using your registration information if you are picked, so please be sure to update your PTA membership information from last year and include your child(ren)’s name & current teacher name.

If you have already joined in support of PTA, Thank you! 

 ___

2022 August Update #2

On August 26th we will host a Movie Night at 7:30pm with no-cost popcorn on campus. Bring the family, snacks, a blanket and/or lawn chairs to see  Minions: The Rise of Gru (PG).

Starting Thursday Sept 1st, we will do Read-a-thon again this year! Our Read-a-thon starts Thursday September 1, 2022. About one week before our Read-a-thon starts, we will send home instructions on how to activate your reader's personal page or simply go to our Read-a-thon page. 

Upcoming dates and current events:

Sept 1 - Read-A-Thon Daily Reading Challenge Begins

Sept 2 - Fridays are Spirit Day: wear Thomas Kelly green to school.

Sept 5 - Labor Day Holiday; no school

Sept 6 - Family Dine Out at Chipotle from 4 to 8pm at 5040 Auburn Blvd, Ste A Sacramento, CA 95841. Use online code ZWWWM6F when ordering online or show the flyer. If you have a local restaurant in mind that you would like to see added to Family Dine Out rotation, please let us know at thomaskellypta@gmail.com.

Sept 7 - First PTA Association Meeting was rescheduled due to extreme heat in alignment with recommendations from the California Department of Public Health and Sacramento County Public Health, and in an effort to avoid being impacted by rolling blackouts.

Sept 9 - Fridays are Spirit Day: wear Thomas Kelly green to school.

Sept 12 - 

• Picture Day Monday. Order on mylifetouch.com picture Day Id: EVTXDSW6P.  

• Rescheduled PTA Association Meeting 7-8:30pm in the MP room. 

Sept 16 - 

• Friday Spirit Day. Wear Thomas Kelly green to school.

• Family Picnic Days return in modified form for the first time since the 2020 pandemic. Come eat lunch with your student. Bring a sack lunch at your child's designated lunch time.  In years past, PTA would coordinate this more formally with food options for parent's to purchase; however we lack capacity to host the event in any form. If you missed this one, mark your calendar for the next one. We plan to continue this event in a no-host modified manor on the third Friday of every month.

Sept 23 - Fridays are Spirit Day: wear Thomas Kelly green to school.

Sept 30 - 

• Read-a-Thon last day.  Finish logging in your reading time. We will hold a "Camp Out" themed family night on campus 7:30pm to 9:30pm to celebrate literacy.  

• Friday Spirit Day. Wear Thomas Kelly green to school.

Kelly Carnival is set for Friday October 28, 2022. All the great Carnival games stored in the PTA shed are dusted off and ready for volunteers to help make this happen. It's been two long years since we last organized one. It's always been a memorable fall event for teachers, families, neighbors and staff. 

___

August 2022 Update #1

Welcome back Thomas Kelly Elementary staff, families & friends. Please re-join Thomas Kelly PTA as an official member for the new school year 2022/2023 using the all digital Membership Portal to show your support for PTA volunteers. 

Generally, school hours are 8:55-3:25 M, T, W & F. Early dismissal at 2:05 on Thursdays. Here are a few important dates from our Current Events Calendar:

Aug 9 - Popsicle Meet & Greet is from 11-11:30

Aug 11 - First day of school; early dismissal at 1:10pm. 

Aug 12- Kona Shaved Ice Truck will be at Thomas Kelly after school Friday Aug 12th. Purchase your Kona ice cup(s) from the window of the truck & choose your own  flavors.  

Aug 18 - Back to school night.

Aug 19 - Early dismissal at 1:10pm. Fridays are Spirit Day: wear Thomas Kelly green to school. 

Aug 26 - Movie night. Spirit Day: wear Thomas Kelly green.

Fall Planning:

• A Read-a-Thon month planning is in the works for September 2022. Last year was an amazing success. 

• A Kelly Carnival is tentatively set for Friday October 28, 2022. PTA planning needs to start now but we are running pretty thin on volunteers. Please reach out to get involved if you'd like to see the carnival return. Due to pandemic restrictions, it's been two long years since we last organized one. It's always been a memorable fall event for teachers, families, neighbors and staff. Our tiny but mighty crew got started by dusting off the cobwebs on all our great Carnival games stored in the PTA shed.

Do you have a knack for digital communication or art? PTA needs one or more go-to volunteers to help get the word out about events and projects throughout the year. Please reach out if you think you are a good fit to help craft PTA messages (logos, writing, proofreading, graphic design, web design, social media management, posters, etc). Your role can be hands-on like crafting a hallway bulletin board, or web-based remote communications like adjusting a logo. Email us (thomaskellypta@gmail.com) if you or someone you know may be a good fit to volunteer now and again. 

May 2022 Update

Hello TK Families & Friends;

Rounding out our Teacher & Staff appreciation week, the PTA has arranged for the Kona Ice Truck to be at Thomas Kelly after school May 6th. Enjoy a sweet and cool treat as you head into your weekend!

Here are a few important dates on our Current Events Calendar:

May 18 - Family Dine Out at Texas Roadhouse. A flyer was sent home in homework packets.

May 30 - NO SCHOOL

June 3 - Field Day

June 7 - Last Day of School

If you are interested in joining the PTA for next school year, please email us! We're looking forward to bringing back all our regularly scheduled events, and we need 4-5 individuals to help get those events back on track.  

Thank you,

TKPTA

___

March/April 2022 Update

Greetings Thomas Kelly families. Here is your Thomas Kelly Parent Teacher Association (PTA) latest news. 

PTA Association General Meeting was 3/29/2022: It was the last PTA Association general meeting of the year, but the FIRST to be held in-person in two years. We also made Zoom attendance an option for our members. A few members attended but unfortunately not enough to meet quorum and vote on anything. This is the second General Meeting in a row we did not meet quorum. 

PTA Leadership Roles Go Unfilled: We are in need of new member participants to take on the unfilled PTA leadership rolls—VP of Communications, VP of Fundraising, Hospitality Committee Chair, most notably. Even if you don’t have time for an official PTA elected leadership role, you may join us at the monthly PTA Leadership meetings (which are different than the quarterly General Meetings) to get a feel for PTA and perhaps take on less official roles to support the current crew.

Book Fair week: Hopefully you saw the Book Fair flyer that came home in homework folders.  You can purchase books online from March 25 thru April 7 here: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/thomaskellyelementaryschool . Want to visit the fair this week? You can also check out the fair in the MP room and pick up a book during the following times: Monday thru Thursday: 3:10 to 4:30 PM & Friday: 3:10 to 6:00 PM

Shriner’s Hospital Fundraiser: Many of you may recall that in years past, Thomas Kelly PTA organized a coin drive for Shriner’s Children’s Hospital. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and coin shortages alike, the coin drive ran into logistical challenges this year. Instead, we have created an online fundraiser that will run for the month of April. Check out our online fundraising page here: https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/fundraiser/3640513 .

Family Dine Outs:  Coming up is Leatherby's Family Creamery, Mark & Monica’s Pizza and Texas Roadhouse. See our Current Events for dates & details.  Let your friends, neighbors, and relatives know when it’s time to take the night off from cooking & dishes and go support the PTA. It's a win-win. Our PTA Family Dine Out events are organized in partnership with a local business, approximately monthly. A business agrees ahead of time to donate a portion of the sale from the event to Thomas Kelly PTA. Typically, you’ll need to show a flyer or mention Thomas Kelly PTA by name when you go during the specified date/time to be sure your purchase will go towards a PTA donation. If you have a local restaurant in mind that you would like to see added to Family Dine Out rotation, please let us know at thomaskellypta@gmail.com.

___

January 2022 Update

Greetings Thomas Kelly families. Here is your Thomas Kelly Parent Teacher Association (PTA) news for January.

Hello Thomas Kelly families!  

Family Dine Out: January Family Dine Out is at Old Spaghetti Factory. Do you need a break from holiday cooking? Order online and eat in from the Old Spaghetti Factory on Watt & Arden anytime between Tuesday, January 18 and Thursday, January 20 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated back to Thomas Kelly. A flyer will be sent home in homework packets, is also attached to the email, and will be uploaded to the Thomas Kelly Facebook page.

PTA Association Meeting: Please join us for the second PTA meeting of the year, scheduled for next Tuesday, January 18 at 7pm via zoom (rescheduled due to Covid to January 26, 2022).  A zoom link will be made available on the Thomas Kelly Facebook page one day before the meeting (www.facebook.com/groups/thomaskellypta) and emailed the day of the meeting. These association meetings are for ALL Thomas Kelly parents and families, regardless of membership, and are held three times a year (August, January, and March).  They focus on topics that need full parent discussion and input, such as setting annual program agendas and budgets and creating a more interactive process for identifying and electing parents to the PTA. There is specifically time set aside on each agenda to hear from parents about concerns and ideas that they feel may impact a successful and inclusive academic environment.  While you do not have to be a member to attend the meetings, you do need to be a member to vote. You can sign up for $10 online at this link: https://jointotem.com/ca/carmichael/thomas-kelly-elementary-pta .

In Memory of The Montano Family: As many of you know, we lost a Thomas Kelly family over the Thanksgiving break, including 4th grader Marianna and Kindergartener, Antonio. Thank you for the donation received in honor of the family; it was used towards the purchase of a bench that is currently being built and will be installed on campus towards the end of January on the hill near the playground. We’ll share more information on Facebook soon. Please email ThomasKellyPTA@gmail.com if you have questions.

No School: There is no school on Monday, January 17 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Please also note that there will be no school the week of February 21st.

___

December 2021 Update

Good Morning, Thomas Kelly families;

See’s Candy Fundraiser: You have just a few days left to order your See’s Candy from the Thomas Kelly candy fundraiser: https://www.yumraising.com/secure/thomaskep_thomas_kelly_pta19/candy! Order some sweet treats and gifts this holiday season all while raising funds for the school! The fundraiser closes this Friday, December 3rd.

In Memory, The Montano Family: As many of you know, we lost a Thomas Kelly family over the Thanksgiving break, including 4th grader Marianna and Kindergartener, Antonio. Over the next several weeks, the PTA will be working to install a bench on campus in their memory. Much like the friendship bench, we hope it becomes a place where children can come together to fondly remember their classmates, and perhaps over time, become a place of friendship and peace. If you can help with either a donation or with installation; we would greatly appreciate the help. Please email ThomasKellyPTA@gmail.com if you can pitch in.

School Closures: Winter Break will be from Monday, December 20 thru Monday, January 3. Classes begin again on Tuesday, January 4.  There is also no school on Monday, January 17.

January 2022 Family Dine Out: Need a break from holiday cooking and baking? Join us at a family dine out at the Spaghetti Factory on Watt & Arden! You can pick any night between Tuesday, January 11 and Thursday, January 13 to have dinner and a portion of the proceeds will be donated back to Thomas Kelly! A flyer will be sent home in homework packets as we get closer to the event.

January 18, 2022 PTA Association Meeting: Save the Date for our next PTA Association meeting on Tuesday, January 18 at 7:00 PM.  We’ll be discussing the event calendar for the remainder of the school year. A zoom link will be emailed the morning of the event AND will be posted on the PTA Facebook page. 

PTA Volunteers Needed: We are still looking for volunteers to help with communications and fundraising. If you are interested, please email us.

___

October 2021 Update

Good Morning, Thomas Kelly families.  Read on for important news and information!

October is PTA Membership Drive Month!

Become a PTA member for the 2021/2022 school year! Like all things, the pandemic has negatively affected our membership, but you can help us grow! Our goal is to become at least 90 members strong, and we are just over half way there (almost 60). You can join by clicking on the Totem membership portal link here: https://jointotem.com/ca/carmichael/thomas-kelly-elementary-pta. Everyone who becomes a PTA member not only gets to vote at the January and March Association meetings, but will also be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card to any Paesanos Restaurant location (Midtown, Davis or Elk Grove).

Read-A-Thon ends tomorrow!!!

Thomas Kelly students having been going gangbusters on reading! Online minutes tracked (or reading done at home) is already more than 20,000 minutes and nearly $8,000 has been raised to support the school! Way to go Thomas Kelly Students! Today is the last day to get some reading in!! If you are tracking your student’s reading time online, please be sure to enter all the minutes on the reading portal ASAP. Students who have raised money also have until next Friday (7 days) to pick prizes from the online read-a-thon store. Students who meet minimum reading levels will receive a Super Reader certificate and will be entered into a drawing for one of several gift certificates to the Scholastic Book Fair happening in November. Top readers in each grade will also celebrate with a pizza party!

Limited COVID-19 Testing Available at Thomas Kelly

Mr. Costa, Thomas Kelly Principal, is a trained SJUSD COVID-19 tester and often supports SJUSD testing efforts weekly at various school sites. This is a courtesy notice that because of this capacity, Mr. Costa is also able to test a limited number of students each morning before school if needed. Please check in with the front office if you need this service.

Red Ribbon Week

Monday, October 25 launches the annual Say No To Drugs campaign at school campuses across the US, also known as Red Ribbon Week. This year’s theme is Drug Free Looks Like Me, and the children will be encouraged to write about or draw pictures that speak to the theme. Every day children can earn stickers for participating in Dress Up Days, which are as follows:

• Monday, We are RED-y to be Drug Free (wear red day)

• Tuesday: Sports Rule, Drugs Droll (wear sports T-shirts/jerseys day)

• Wednesday: Blackout Drugs (wear all black day)

• Thursday: Follow Your Dreams, Don’t Do Drugs (pajama day)

• Friday: Hocus Pocus Don’t Lose Focus, Don’t Do Drugs (Halloween Costume day)

Family Dine Out

A big THANK YOU to everyone who joined us at Leatherby’s last week at the Family Dine Out. Our next dine out will be November 9 at Panda Express on Sunrise. 

February 2021 Update

So far, 2021 doesn't feel much different than 2020!  However, we're doing our best to move forward, and part of that is already thinking about the 2021/2022 school year. If you have an interest in either reviewing our PTA Board volunteer positions for next year, or perhaps serving in one of the roles, please email ThomasKellyPTA@gmail.com and let us know. Check out the Events tab for more information.

Also be on the lookout for your chance to buy some Spring See's Candy - our newest online fundraiser will run from mid-February to mid-March.  More information will be in the Events tab when it's available.

Stay Informed! Don't forget to sign up for the Thomas Kelly PTA listserv; simply email us at ThomasKellyPTA@gmail.com and ask to be added!  If you haven't already, you can also join us on the TKPTA Facebook page (Thomas Kelly Eagle News - Current Students) to connect with staff and families.