East Shore Middle School PTA

Welcome to the
East Shore Middle School PTA Website.

September 15, 2009

Dear East Shore Community,

For those who don’t know me, my name is Michele Olsson, and I am president of the ESMS PTA.  This year, I am joined by Laura Caporusso, Dave DeLuke, Sylvia Hazard, and Kim Gerlander and our teacher representative is Mrs. Donna Wasilewski.  Melissa Wunder, Lori Marrone and Lori Minowa represent our school at PTA Council and also serve on the board.  We would like to welcome you to the East Shore Community and extend the invitation to each and everyone of you to find a way to help out and be a part of East Shore during the coming year.  I want to dispel any rumors that East Shore doesn’t want parents involved.  That is a myth – we do need your involvement, and your help,  and so do your children.  While your children are taking their next step towards independence, they like to know that you’re around for them.  When they see that you take an active role in their education, they, in turn, take their studies and their participation in their school more seriously.

PTA offers involvement behind the scenes, during the evening, or during the day – whatever is best for you.  If your interests are in academia – there are opportunities in the library, for the fixer-upper there is school beautification, for the dramatic there is Drama club.  We have hospitality, marketplace, skate night, night at the Sound Tigers and end of year picnic to name a few of the social activities.  We also need help with Shop Rite dollars and box tops for education for those who only have free time outside the school hours.  If every parent was involved for three hours of the school year, the volunteer hours would be in excess of 3000 hours, think of the community that time could build. 

This year I am excited to announce that Cindy Dobie is taking on the Reflections Program at East Shore.  Reflections “engages more than half a million students in the arts each year.” The theme this year is:  “Beauty is…”  Students interpret what the theme means to them through photography, dance, art, or music.  Look for information about the kick-off in October.  Please sign up if you are interested in helping Cindy with the program.

In order to support the programs such as year-end picnic, 8^th grade dinner dance, Drama club, fine arts programs, school beautification and supplemental educational activities at East Shore, the children participate in fundraisers during the year.  We like to keep them to a minimum, at the same time providing families with fundraisers that they are willing to support.  In lieu of the magazine fundraiser that we have done for the past several years, this year we have enlisted Fundtime as our major money earner on the year.  These packets were sent home the first day of school and we are looking to wrap up our sales at the end of this week.  Any student having 30 items sold or $300 worth of sales will get an opportunity to take a turn in the “cash box. “  They will stand in the clear box with the cash swirling around them, and what they can grab, they get to keep.  There have also been drawings for itune gift cards.  Please be sure to have them turn in their orders this week.   For those of you who have asked, there are some magazines listed in the middle of the catalog, and you can still renew through the fundraiser.  Yankee candle and dessert fundraisers will be going home in October to be delivered for the holidays.

Also, we have planned a family event at Rita’s in West Haven for Wednesday, September 30^th from noon to 9pm.  Come enjoy an Italian ice with your kids, and socialize with your friends and theirs. Ms Williams and I, along with some others will be there to scoop ice for you and your kids.  We appreciate your support of all the student activities.

Finally, I’d like to ask you to notice the changes in the cafeteria, Media Center, and the new curtains on the stage, and over the next few weeks there will be changes to the front foyer.  While some of these positive changes have been made from PTA Funds, more importantly, parents and teachers have come together to see that this building gets the changes that it so desperately needs.  We will continue to push for building improvements that have been planned and encourage you to be an advocate for the school whenever you can be.  It is, after all, for the children that we make these efforts.

We look forward to getting to know you over the coming year.