Beginning Monday, March 18 until Thursday, April 18, all around Olive, students and teachers will be collecting used markers that are ready to be discarded for the Crayola ColorCycle marker recycling program (https://www.crayola.com/colorcycle.aspx). Please help support our efforts by sending your kids in with any used markers you may have around the house – eve non-Crayola brands! Highlighters and dry erase markers can also be included. Drop-off boxes will be located around the school for your child to deposit the markers.

STEAM Night is coming!!!

This long anticipated event is finally just weeks away. Come ready to explore Newton’s laws, see how our Fire and Police use math everyday and how every company in the community needs some form of STEAM to do their jobs! Architects, therapists, doctors, inventors and more, we have plenty to share with all of you!

This is a FAMILY hands-on interactive event!!

Want to help volunteer? Sign up here.

Anxiety Parent Presentation- Preteen/Teen Anxiety is reaching epidemic proportions in our area, impacting nearly every student at some level! South PTA is proud to host Jennifer Zielinski, M.A, N.C.C, L.C.P.C. from F.A.I.R. Counseling, Inc. (Families and Adolescents In Recovery) who will give a Free Parent Presentation on Preteen/Teen Anxiety- Thursday, April 11th at 7:00 p.m. in South Middle School’s Multi-Purpose Room. Learn about hidden signs of anxiety, coping tips, and treatment options, as well as ask questions from the floor. Presentation will be primarily geared towards parents of 5th-8th graders. See flyer for details.

This FREE event is open to all 5th through 8th grade PARENTS in D25.
Please contact sms.pta.presidents@gmail.com with any questions.

The Earth Fair volunteer sign up form is live on Sign Up Genius now: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040f4bacaa2aa13-olive

You do not have to be an Ecology Club member to assist with the Earth Fair. There will be exciting earth-conscious games and activities, outside vendors and giveaways. Please sign up today. Earth Fair is Tuesday, April 16th from 6:30-8:00 pm. Thanks in advance for you help. The kids are excited!

Contact Regan Sonnabend or Yeulanda Degala with any questions.

Please join us on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 7 p.m. in the OMS LMC for our PTA meeting. We will have a “Bring Your Best Ideas” initiative in which we encourage our membership (you) to share new ideas for committees, programs, events or whatever you feel would be a great addition for OMS PTA! Please submit your idea through the Parent Voices Form, and we will add it to the agenda.
Parent Voices Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcT7nbAeyJBrp3qh43v68SwN5cgdyQcAMBXCOJYziihl36-Q/viewform

Thank you, and hope to see you there! If you have any questions, please contact olivepta@gmail.com

Come join other Olive parents at a wine tasting social event at Vintages Wine Shop! It will be on Thursday, April 11th from 6-8PM. It will be a great way to socialize and meet new people at Olive. The cost of the event is $10 and it includes: a wine tasting and appetizers. You can use this link to pay online with a small processing fee: https://oliveschoolnightout.eventbrite.com (password is ‘Olive’) or you can print out this form and pay via check with no processing fee. We hope you can join us!

Please contact Becky Hany or Stacey Esposito with any questions.

The Thomas Middle School PTA Nominations Committee needs your input.

Do you know someone who would be interested in having a position on the TMS PTA Board?

Is it you?

We are filling the positions of Co-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Fill out the nomination form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6xe1UPanpb8kYcvv_GqxNY9p1aRGt1QNh6dQkZU03Our_dQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2sAP4KDwW8mwA6Qc-220B0qNaHISbu9N7-PD5qJKoDh_9W46MChEbPqWo

The PTA is partnering with the school to help reduce the overflowing amount of items in the lost and found, and to help reunite items with owners. There are many sweatshirts, shirts and jackets are resting on the lost and found hooks, as well as water bottles, hats and gloves. A PTA volunteer has graciously offered to take some photos and try to help parents/guardians find missing items.

For items missing, please fill out the form below.
Link to Google Form: https://goo.gl/forms/FoRdG714JXyYxXyZ2

For specific questions regarding items, please contact our Lost and Found PTA Volunteer, Alice Dahl at (847) 632-9934 or drdahl1998@yahoo.com

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact olivepta@gmail.com.

South PTA Officer Nominations are OPEN- Do you want to make a difference at the local level? Please consider volunteering and putting your skills to work for a noble cause – Your Child and South Middle School. We are currently seeking nominees for SMS PTA Executive Committee Officer Positions- President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Qualified individuals must have a current 5th, 6th, or 7th grader Please see form for details.

Subscribe to South PTA Website: www.southpta.org Follow/Like South PTA On Facebook: (South Middle School PTA) Questions? Email sms.pta.presidents@gmail.com

On Thursday February 28th, OMS students were delighted by songs and stories from around the world presented by the Chicago Folklore Ensemble as part of our PTA Cultural Arts Program. Each tale explored respecting the environment and living in harmony with its flora and fauna while introducing students to traditional music from Nigeria, Thailand, India, and the Amazon Rainforest.

Register today for the 8th Annual ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge! Walk or run with friends and neighbors who are coming together to support the ABC/25 Foundation. All proceeds are returned directly to the schools via teacher grants for innovative teaching methods and materials.

Early registration perks by 3/22/19 include a $5 discount on entry fee, guaranteed race t-shirt and the option to have your race packet delivered to our school. Race day is Saturday, April 13th – register now: https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=CY2V1H7

If your family is experiencing financial difficulties, the race fee for the student(s) will be covered by a generous donor in our community. Interested families can contact our Race Directors at abc25challenge@gmail.com for a code to utilize on the registration page.

Save the date for a wine tasting social event at Vintages Wine Shop on Thursday, April 11th. It will be a great way to socialize and meet new people at Olive. Details will be coming soon.

It’s time to mark your calendars for our Annual Book Fair! Give the gift of reading to a student or teacher.

If you have a little time to volunteer for this event, please contact Nicole at nicole.crissie@gmail.com. There are spots available in the day for event prep and in the evening during the fair.

Attention all 5th grade parents! Thomas Middle School is having their spring spirit wear sale. All orders can be placed online at www.HeadsUpApparel.com.

The sale will run March 1 – 15. Please contact Brett Hackmann at bretthackmann@gmail.com if you have any questions.

The Box Tops have been collected, clipped and counted….Olive-Mary Stitt collected just over 2,500 Box Tops! That’s $250 for our school!

The winning homerooms are Ms. Musich’s 2-3 with 529 Box Tops turned in and Mrs. Kusiciel’s 4-4 with 396 Box Tops turned in!

This school year we have made about $750 for Olive…just by cutting a label off of products that we use everyday…SOOOO EASY!

Please continue clipping and saving, and even recruit your family, friends and neighbors to clip too. We have 8 months til our next challenge so start saving today. I think we can double what we made this year…if anyone can, OLIVE us can!

Also, a great big thank you to all of the clipping and counting volunteers! I truly appreciate all of your time and effort.

Thank you!

Our PTA Executive Committee has a few open positions for the 2019/2020 school year. We need you! Before you jump on board, you may be curious about these roles and for what each position is responsible. We are here to help! Our outgoing Exec Committee members have made personal videos to give you a glimpse into what their position entails. Check out the videos in the link below to see if the position might be a good fit for you or someone you know! Contact olivepta@gmail.com with any questions.

Link to videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKIe1Q3P4tkZPydOoKS7H0A

Link to nomination form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDsHeECvHi7J7XTeiZy0U_NfKU6PTpC4cAP8uEuLutEFuXDQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1

Calling all Owls and their families: Ecology Club is excited to announce that Earth Fair will be on April 16 this year, from 6:30PM-8:00PM. As always, we’ll have lots of fun games including the ever-popular Trash to Treasure, crafts and a chance to meet folks from local organizations that are committed to our eco-friendly cause.

This event is open to the community so feel free to spread the word to friends and neighbors.

Join us for a night of fun!

Please read the introduction and description below, and reach out to OMS PTA at olivepta@gmail.com if you are interested in working on one of these committees.

We have had an interest and request for the development of a committee that could help new first grade families transition into OMS with ease. Believe it or not, OMS has a large population of first graders that attended another school in the area for kindergarten, so these students and families are coming to the school brand new. We would like to start a committee that could help these kids and families get to know each other and the community, so they feel right at home when starting school.

Mentoring/First Grade:

• In early April/May, committee should meet to discuss play date dates for June, July, and August and work with OMS office staff to reach out to incoming first grade families.
• Establish an email list from the interest form completed by the parents. Communicate with incoming first grade families reminding them about upcoming play dates and offer to answer any questions that they might have.
• Coordinate approximately 3-4 play dates.
• Write an article for the Twig

Please read the introduction and description below, and reach out to OMS PTA at olivepta@gmail.com if you are interested in working on one of these committees.

OMS is a welcoming school, with a diverse population of students and families from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and cultures. We would like to celebrate our diversity and have a committee in place to reflect and support our efforts to be cognizant of diversity and inclusion. There is already a Diversity and Inclusion Initiative through the National PTA, so we will follow the guidelines and standards set forth as our road map as we develop this committee.

Diversity Committee:
• As a member of the National PTA, the Diversity Committee will follow the guidelines set forth in the National PTA Diversity and Inclusion Policy.¹
• Work to support the diverse needs of the community and differences that distinguish people, including, but not limited to, gender, race/ethnicity, mental, emotional, psychological and physical disabilities; learning styles; geographic residence; languages used; cultural heritage; and educational level.²
• Address inclusion by reaching out to people, engaging them in ways that address their needs and perspectives, and encouraging all families to become actively involved in PTA activities and membership.²
• Write articles for the Twig promoting the Diversity Committee.

¹More information on the National PTA Diversity and Inclusion Policy can be found here: https://www.pta.org/home/run-your-pta/Diversity-Inclusion-Toolkit/leadership-tips-and-tools/National-PTA-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Policy

²https://www.pta.org/home/run-your-pta/Diversity-Inclusion-Toolkit/leadership-tips-and-tools/Diversity-and-Inclusion-Initiatives-Frequently-Asked-Questions

Save the Date: 2nd & 3rd Grade Activity Night is Thursday, March 7 (6:30-7:30pm), featuring a fun scientist who will perform entertaining experiments during his show “Getting Excited about Science”. More info here: https://getscience.net

The event is free and no pre-registration is required. Students need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Unfortunately, due to size limitations siblings are not permitted, so please plan accordingly.

The Arlington Heights Council of PTAs has created TWO different scholarships that provide opportunities for and graduating senior students. Below are the links for each of the scholarship applications. Please note, all applications are due on or before March 3, 2019 at 11:59 PM.

SD25 Achievement Scholarship Application (Application is for graduating high school seniors)

SD25 Power of Courage Scholarship Application (Application is for graduating high school seniors)

This scholarship is open to any student who spent 3 years in a District 25 school, with a minimum 3.0 (on a 5.0 scale) who plans on attending a post-secondary school as a full or part time student. Applications are reviewed anonymously and recipients are selected on the basis of efforts in the classroom, school and community involvement.

If you have any questions, please email Ann Williams.

Contact us

AHPTACouncil@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/AHCPTA/
http://www.ILPTA-D37.org
http://www.IllinoisPTA.org
http://www.PTA.org

Committee Chair Open Positions
Do you have a special talent? Or do you have an interest in one of the committees at OMS? Well, we need you! We are currently filling open positions for Committee Chairs. Each committee requires at least two co-chairs to lead the committee. The current number needed is indicated in parenthesis by each title. Take a look a the list below, and if something catches your eye, check out the Procedure Guide at the bottom of the post to get a detailed description of the committee and position. If you are interested in a specific committee or have any questions, please email olivepta@gmail.com and let us know!

Conference Dinner (1)

Ecology Club (1)

First Aid for Little People (1)

Hospitality (1)

Liaison – Thomas (1)

Liaison – South (1)

New Family Mentoring (2)

Owl Way (1)

Scholarship (1)

School Supplies (1)

Trivia Night (3)

World of Work (2)

Procedure Guide Link: https://omspta.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/2018procedureguide.pdf

The World of Work program provides our 5th grade students an opportunity for ‘real world’ work experience through partnerships with local businesses. We are looking for a few more volunteers to chaperone this event. You do not have to have a child in 5th grade to chaperone!

Email olivepta@gmail.com if interested!

Rescheduled Dates From Polar Vortex
Due to the severe weather conditions last week, the PTA, in conjunction with OMS Administration, unfortunately had to cancel a few events. Below are the next dates and/or rescheduled dates for the following events:

• Chess Club – Tuesday, February 19, 3:45 p.m.
• Art Club – Tuesday, February 26, 3:45 p.m.
• STEAM Night – Wednesday, April 3, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Mark your calendars for our PTA’s Council Celebration of all SD25 Students who participated in the “Heroes Around Me” Reflections Art Program!

You are invited to join us on Wednesday, February 6th, at Windsor Elementary School in the Commons to celebrate creativity and recognize local students!

Please RSVP via the following link – https://goo.gl/forms/nTfPsiSy92jH94RP2

We look forward to seeing everyone on Feb 6th at 7 p.m.  Please note, artwork will be on display and certificates will be handed out starting at 7:15 p.m. Students are welcome to take their artwork home with them at the end of the evening.

As part of our Everybody Counts initiative, The Owl Way Committee has invited U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey medalist Brody Roybal to share his story with students. Brody’s positivity, kindness, talent and perseverance are sure to be inspirational! Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and of course: admire those Paralympic medals Brody won with the U.S.Paralympic Sled Hockey Team in Sochi (2014) and PyeongChang (2018).

We are looking for an individual (or individuals) to help sort, organize and help find homes for the overflowing lost and found. The school has asked for our assistance to help these lost items find their home. Ideally we would have someone now (February) get started to decrease the overflow, and then again someone near the end of the year (May) prior to school ending for the summer.

Let us know and send an email to olivepta@gmail.com if you think you (and maybe a friend or two) are interested in helping our lost items become found!

Excess funds suggestions are accepted now until April 5. Complete the form here!

Hi, I’m Molly Siegel, an Olive parent and fitness and health enthusiast. I am a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. I am known for my positivity and growth mindset. I love working with people and encouraging my clients and group class participants to live their best lives.

I’m looking forward to sharing my fitness story and sharing my forever growing knowledge about health and all things fitness. I’ll share tips that have helped me throughout the years and offer recommendations of programs, books and podcasts that I find inspirational. Please come with questions!

PTA meeting is Thursday, February 7th, in the OMS Commons. Meeting starts at 7 p.m. and speaker presentation follows general business meeting. All are welcome. Please feel free to email olivepta@gmail.com with questions.

No receipt is too small! If you are holding onto receipts for your committee activities, don’t wait! Get reimbursed today. You can submit receipts and check request forms to olivetreasurer@gmail.com, put them in the PTA mailbox or bring them to the February PTA meeting.