Thank You!!

Thank you so much to everyone who made the Holiday Gift Shop such a success this year. It was a whole lot of work but we think that the kids all had a great time shopping for gifts. The gift shop is a fun event that the kids really seem to enjoy.

Thanks also to Ed and his crew for helping us get the stage ready and lugging all those boxes of products around for us... We really do appreciate all of your help.

Reflections Due Soon!

Reflections entries are due on November 19, 2009. Make sure to fill out the green entry form before turning in your submission. The Reflections box is across from the office on the second floor. Good luck!

8th-graders' shot at elite high schools better

November 12, 2009

BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter rrossi@suntimes.com

Poring over data about eighth-graders who applied to the city's elite college preps, Chicago Public Schools officials discovered an alarming pattern.

High-scoring kids were being rejected simply because of the order in which they listed their college prep preferences.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman said a computer will assign applicants to the highest-ranked school they qualify for on their list.
(Rich Hein/Sun-Times)

"I couldn't believe it,'' schools CEO Ron Huberman said. "It's terrible.''

CPS officials said Wednesday they have decided to let any eighth-grader who applied to a college prep for fall 2010 admission re-rank their preferences to better conform with a new selection system.

Previously, some eighth-graders were listing the most competitive college preps as their top choice, forgoing their chances of getting into other schools that would have accepted them if they had ranked those schools higher, official said.

Under the new policy, Huberman said, a computer will assign applicants to the highest-ranked school they qualify for on their list.

"It's the fairest way to do it," Huberman told the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board Wednesday.

The application deadline for fall 2010 admission is Dec. 18.

Teacher Luncheon

If you would like to bring a dish for the PTA sponsored teacher luncheon on report card pick up day, please email us at oathorppta@gmail.com. Report card pick up day is Wednesday November 18th. We need side dishes and entrees. Here's your chance to show off your culinary skills and feed a hungry teacher! :)

Help Please!

We are in need of some serious help coming up... We will need volunteers Thursday night at the Fall Fun Fest (5-8pm). Friday morning we need people to help get the Mixed Bags forms ready to go out. On November 4th and 5th we will need help with the Candy Sale delivery and distribution. We will also need volunteers on report card pick up day to help at PTA sponsored tables for used gym wear and Smencils.

And in the last two weeks of November we will need MANY volunteers to help with the set up and running of the Holiday Gift Shop.

If you can help in any way please email me directly. My email is annmarieauthor@yahoo.com.

Thanks for any help...

Annmarie

Campbell's Soup Labels

We are now collecting Campbell Soup labels for the PTA. When you turn them in please only send the UPC code portion of the label to us (see sample above). This will save a lot of time for our volunteer who is running this for us. This program is a great, easy way to help our school. Thanks so much for participating!

Meeting This Tuesday!

Don't forget our next meeting is Tuesday at 8:15 am. Since this is also picture day, it might a good guess that the meeting will have to be in one of the lunchrooms... Hope to see you there!

Candy Sale update!

We can accept orders until Monday. If you want to place an order after Monday you can do it online at http://www.marketdayfundraising.com/. Our sale number is 207944. We are really close to our goal this year!! :)

Open House!

The PTA will have tables set up in the lunchroom with the following:

Discontinued gym wear.
Size samples of gym wear that can be ordered.
School supplies (bare books and tri boards).
Smencils (smelly pencils) $1.00
Candy sale sample items (this year from Market Day!)
PTA membership information, Wolves fliers, Box Top fliers, Market Day order forms. You can also turn in your membership envelope if you wish.

Hours
3:15-4:15pm for K-2
7:00-8:00pm for 3-8

See you there!!

Candy Sale!

Candy Sale information should havebeen sent home today. Students have two weeks to take orders. Please remember NO DOOR TO DOOR sales! Money and order forms are due to the school on September 30th, 2009. If you send a check or money order please make sure it is made out to "O. A. Thorp PTA". If you have any questions call the PTA voicemail number which is 312-409-4331. You can also email at oathorppta@gmail.com with questions.

Gym Wear Order Form

Click on the image to see full size. Forms should be sent home the week of September 14th. Look for catalog to be posted here soon... : )

Welcome New Students!!

Welcome to all the new students of O.A. Thorp! It was really great getting to meet you all at the orientation on Thursday. We at the PTA are looking forward to another fun filled year.

Parents please keep an eye out for the membership information flier and dues envelope that will be sent home sometime around the second or third week of school. Membership dues this year will be the same as last year. $6.00 for an individual and $10.00 for a family.

Mixed Bags Coming Soon!

Mixed Bag Designs will be sold again this Fall. They have new designs and colors, and even have a new, bigger sized bag available! Order forms will be sent home like last time... Look for sample bags on display the day of the Open House at the end of September...

Photography Contest

Click on the banner to be taken to the website with rules.

Avery Joins Box Tops for Education

Look for Box Tops coupons on over 600 Avery products!

Sniff sniff... Smencils are coming this fall!

We roll sheets of newspaper tightly around the #2 graphite writing cores until pencils of typical thickness are formed.

Then they're hardened - allowing them to be sharpened just like wood pencils.

Next, we soak them with our gourmet liquid scents (made by an award winning fragrance company).

Once they're dry, we attach the erasers and apply the stickers around them that identify which scent was infused into each Smencil.

Lastly, we put each one into its own corn-based biodegradable Freshness Tube.

Happy 4th of July!

Have a great and Happy 4th!

Check back next week for gym wear and spirit wear news!

Happy Summer!!

We hope everyone has a great summer! Check back next week for PTA news and updates.

Congrats to the Grads!

Today was an exciting day with the graduation ceremony for all the 8th graders. I had the honor of speaking at the graduation this morning. I thought the ceremony was lovely and the students were obviously bursting with pride. It was a very nice sense of community and was touching as the class met for the last time before moving on to high school.

CeCe Peniston Performs at O. A. Thorp

CeCe Peniston, National PTA Release Inspirational Song
Above Horizons is a tribute to children, parents and teachers


CHICAGO (June 2, 2009) – Honoring the billions of children and child advocates around the world, international multi-platinum recording artist and Billboard star CeCe Peniston and National PTA made PTA’s new song available for download today at www.PTAmusic.org.

To celebrate the release of the song, called Above Horizons, Peniston is performing the song live today at a Chicago Public School (O A Thorp Scholastic Academy: 6024 W Warwick).

“I’m definitely happy to be part of an organization that helps children reach their dreams. When I was younger, my parents always dared me to dream and I haven’t stopped. So this is my tribute to the families, teachers and communities who help children reach their dreams through PTA,” said Peniston.

This is the first official PTA song released from the organization’s recording label, National PTA Recordings. Peniston began recording Above Horizons when she became a National PTA Ambassador in October 2008. Since then, she’s visited with hundreds of children across the country to reinforce the importance of an arts education and pursuing your dreams. She’s also performed at the U.S. Department of Education during PTA’s Reflections Gallery opening in February this year.

PTA’s message of parent involvement and student success is captured in the chorus:

We are the shoulders you can stand on, when you reach for something higher.
These are the arms that you can count on, when your dreams have been delayed.
We are the parents, we are the teachers, you are the eagles that fly above horizons.
Young conqueror;
You’re never alone.

The release of the song coincides with National PTA’s unofficial announcement of Downloadfundraiser.com as a PTA National Member Benefits Provider, and the “category exclusive” digital music retailer for National PTA.

Ice Cream Day Monday!

Monday all students K thru 7 will receive a Dilly Bar from Dairy Queen compliments of the PTA. Yum!!

End of the Year Coffee May 27th

Join the PTA in the playground on the east side of the school on May 27th as soon as the students are inside. We will have a table with coffee, juice, and baked goods. It's our way of saying thank you so much for supporting the O. A. Thorp PTA this school year. We couldn't have been so successful without your help!

PTA Picture Contest!

Picture PTA Is Back!

Get your cameras ready: The 4th Picture PTA Photo Contest is coming your way.

Picture PTA offers all adults a chance to show off activities and events in their homes, schools, and communities and exercise their creativity. Graduation, end-of-school year events, picnics, and other outdoor fun are just around the corner. Take advantage of these picture-perfect moments to preserve your experiences and try to win gift cards and recognition.

The contest opens May 20 and runs through June 30. Details will be available shortly on PTA.org. Enter for your chance to win a $50 gift card and national acknowledgment online and in PTA publications.

Recycling Capri Sun Pouches! An Easy Fundraiser!

We are now collecting drink pouches for recycling. Please watch the video below to learn more about this program.




We will be accepting pouches from home as long as they are sent in a ZIP LOCK BAG. We will also have containers in the lunch rooms so we can collect the pouches at school as well. Pouches we collect will be made into items like pencil cases and shopping bags.

Thank you for helping us help the kids of O.A. Thorp!

Congratulations Ms. Bandolik!

Magnet Schools of America established the Magnet Principal of the Year Award in 2009. The award recognizes an outstanding school leader in each of MSA’s regions who has succeeded in providing innovative programs that promote equity, diversity, and academic excellence for students in Magnet Schools.

This Principal is acknowledged by peers for exemplary contributions made to their profession.

The awards honor a Pre‐K through K‐12 Magnet School Principal who has demonstrated excellence in the areas addressed by the selection criteria.

• Evidence of leadership in promoting equity and diversity among students and staff within the magnet school

• Evidence of leadership toward equitable academic success for all students

• Evidence of leadership in supporting the implementation and sustaining an innovative magnet program

• Evidence of leadership in district magnet community

Congratulations to our very own principal for being one of the nominated prinicpals this year!
􀂾 Kathleen P. Bandolik ~ Ole A. Thorp Scholastic Academy (K‐8) ~ Chicago Public Schools ~ Chicago, IL

Chicago Fire Department

Thanks so much to Marilyn for arranging the Chicago Fire Department to visit us at school today! The K thru 3rd graders got to go inside the CFD "Survive Alive" truck and learn all about fire safety. Students also received coloring books.

Want to volunteer for next year?

Are you interested in volunteering for a specific activity for next year? Wondering if we have any open positions that need to be filled? Please email us at oathorppta@gmail.com or call the voicemail for information. We would love to have you join us next year!

Mixed Bag Designs fundraiser

We are taking orders for bags from Mixed Bag Designs. Orders are due to the school on Wednesday next week. There are three different sized bags available for $6.00, $8.00, and $10.00 each. Please send your payment in an envelope along with the order form.

Vice President position open for next year

If you are interested in running for the VP position, please email at oathorppta@gmail.com. Next year it is going to be required that the VP chair either a fundraiser or Reflections. If you want more information please email as well.

Report Card Pick Up Next Week!

Don't forget!!

Scholastic Bookfair Coming Soon!

The PTA sponsors the Scholastic Book Fair to support our school library. We will have the fair from March 30th to April 3rd. On April 1st, report card pick up day, we will have a Book Fair Family Day. The hours for the Book Fair will be from 12 to 6pm. Please stop by and support the PTA and the school library.

We have a Scholastic homepage at : http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/publish/thorp09

Pot O Gold Cash Raffle!

The first early bird drawing will be held on March 13th, 2009. Good luck!

Click on image to see flier in a larger window.

PTA Meeting on Tuesday at 8:15am

Please join us for our next PTA meeting on Tuesday morning at 8:15am. We have a lot to discuss and plan, so we hope you can join us!

Used Gym Clothes

We are still accepting used gym clothes for our Spring Sale. Please turn in any clothes to the school office and they will make sure the PTA gets your donation. The clothes will be sold on April 1st during report card pick up times. The sale will be the same as the fall... cash only, first come, first served. Thanks for supporting the PTA and recycling your unwanted gym clothes!

Reflections entries advance to state level!

Congratulations to the eight students from Thorp that are moving on in the Reflections program! Their entries will be a part of the Illinois PTA Reflections Traveling Exhibit for one year. A list of locations will be available for the exhibit on the Illinois PTA website http://www.illinoispta.org/ throughout the year.

Awesome job!!