Week 1 - Aug 7th - PTA Newsletter

Dear Sulphur Springs Parents and Guardians,

We hope you're as excited as we are to kick off the new school year! As we gear up for the upcoming school year, the Sulphur Springs PTA is excited to share some important updates and upcoming events. We look forward to another fantastic year of collaboration and community building! Please bear with us, this will probably be our longest newsletter due to the magnitude of information we have to share with everyone after coming back from two glorious months of summer break. Make no mistake, our PTA has been working all summer to ensure we start the school year with the ball already rolling.

Ways to Connect with SSPTA:
Facebook ‐ https://www.facebook.com/sscspta
Instagram ‐ @sulphur_springs_pta/
SSPTA Website – www.sspta.org
Email – President@sspta.org    

Here's everything you need to know:
Important August Dates

  • 08/07 – 10:00am – Class Assignments Available on Aeries Parent Portal
  • 08/10 – Welcome Back to School   
        o 8:40am – School Starts
        o 9:00am to 10:30am – Meet the Principal/Welcome Coffee & PTA Meeting
  • 08/15 – Welcome Back BBQ ‐ 5:30pm Gates Open
  • 08/24 – Back to School Night 
        o 12:45pm Release ‐ Minimum Day
        o 4:45pm ‐ Volunteer Training w/ Ms Palacios and the PTA
        o Session 1 6:00pm to 6:30pm – 1st Classroom             
        o Session 2 6:30pm to 7:00pm – 2nd Classroom
  • 08/25 – Recycling Valet Drop Off 


Table of Contents
1. Class Assignments (08/07)
2. Meet the Principal/Welcome Coffee and 1st PTA Meeting (08/10)
3. Valet Line Guidelines
4. Welcome Back BBQ (08/15)
5. Volunteer Opportunities
6. Back to School Night (08/24)
7. PTA Membership Drive
8. Save the Date: Mustang Roundup (10/07)
9. Meet your SSPTA 2023‐24 Board
10. Stay Connected


1. Class Assignments – 08/07 @10:00 am. 
As a reminder, your student’s teacher assignment will be available on the Aeries Parent Portal (Aeries Parent Portal). A teacher assignment list will not be made available at school on the first day back. If you are unable to access your Aeries Parent Portal, contact the front office at 661‐252‐2725. 

 

2. Meet the Principal/Welcome Coffee and 1st PTA Meeting

  • Date: August 10, 2023
  • Time: 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
  • Location: Multipurpose Room (MPR)
  • Parking: Available across the street

We invite all parents and guardians to join us for a "Meet the Principal" event and a warm "Welcome Coffee" on the first day of school. Starting at 8:30 AM, you can gather in the Multipurpose Room (MPR) for refreshments and an opportunity to chat with other parents and school staff.

At 9:00 AM, our esteemed Principal, Ms. Katie Palacios, will provide a short presentation outlining guidelines, expectations, and some of the exciting highlights planned for the upcoming school year. It's a great chance to learn more about what's in store for our students and how we can collectively support their education.

Following the principal's presentation, we will hold our first PTA meeting of the school year. We encourage all parents to participate and be part of the discussion about upcoming PTA events, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and ways we can enhance our children's learning experiences.

3. Valet Line Guidelines 

We’ve heard there will be changes to the drop‐off and pick‐up routes, a different system from previous years. Please be on the lookout for detailed information about this from Ms. Palacios.  It will help all of us get in and out quickly and safely if we can all read and follow the instructions given. (And remember to leave plenty of time, especially on the first few days. Traffic will get backed up.)  

 

4. Welcome Back BBQ ‐ 08/15 @5:30pm

We are thrilled to invite you all to our much‐anticipated "Welcome Back BBQ‐Potluck" event! Mark your calendars for August 15th and join us from 5:30pm to 7:30pm outside the Multipurpose Room (MPR) for an evening filled with fun, food, and a fantastic opportunity to reunite with old acquaintances while making new ones.  

We can't wait to welcome you all at this joyous event, where we will celebrate the start of a new school year with laughter, friendship, and scrumptious food. It's the perfect opportunity to reconnect after a refreshing summer break and set the stage for a fantastic academic year ahead.

What to Expect:
      A. Delicious Hot Dogs: The SSPTA will be generously providing tasty hot dogs for all our guests.  
      B. Potluck Delights: We invite everyone to participate in the potluck style for side dishes, drinks, and desserts.

Please bring a dish based on the first letter of your student's last name to ensure a variety of delectable treats.  
  • A‐H ‐ Side Dish
  • I‐M ‐ Salad
  • N‐S ‐ Dessert
  • T‐Z ‐ Drinks

Let's see what culinary surprises each family brings to the table!

C. Cake Walk: Support our PTA and enjoy a fun event with delicious prizes.  If you would like to donate a cake, please contact Karen Fidaleo at kafidaleo@gmail.com.  Tickets to participate will be available on the night of the event.  Be sure to treat yourself to some sweet goodies while supporting our kick‐off event of the year!

D. Books, Games, & Puzzles Swap Extravaganza: Calling all bookworms, gamers, and puzzle aficionados! We will have a designated table outside the Multipurpose Room (MPR) for a fantastic book, game, and puzzle swap. Bring any of these items that have been gathering dust on your shelves or your students’ favorites that they'd love to share with their peers. This exchange of treasures will surely spark engaging conversations and create a bond over shared experiences.

5. Volunteer Opportunities

Are you looking to get involved in the school community? The PTA offers various volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Whether you have a few hours to spare or can commit to a regular schedule, your help is invaluable in making a difference. Look out for the sign‐up sheets during SSPTA Welcome Back BBQ Night or, better yet, complete our Volunteer Interest Form coming home in your student’s First Day Packets.

At Back to School Night (8/24), there will be a volunteer training held with Ms. Palacios and the PTA at 4:45pm in the Multipurpose Room (MPR); please join us if you can. For anyone planning to volunteer on campus (or to chaperone on field trips) this year, this training is mandatory. You can attend the training in person at Back to School Night, or online training will be available, for those unable to attend in person.

6. Back to School Night – 08/24 

We are thrilled to invite you to the school’s annual "Back to School Night" on August 24th, please note the date has changed from August 31st. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to meet their children's teachers, explore the classrooms, and gain insights into the curriculum and classroom expectations.  
  • Volunteer Training with Ms. Palacios and the PTA in the MPR – 4:45pm
  • Title 1 Meeting in the MPR – 5:30pm
  • First Session in the Classroom – 6:00pm to 6:30pm ·
  • Second Session in the Classroom – 6:30pm to 7:00pm

7. PTA Membership Drive 

The PTA plays a vital role in supporting our school, and we encourage every parent to become a member. By joining the PTA, you actively contribute to enriching the educational experience of our students and supporting various school programs. Membership details and registration forms will be sent home in your students “First Day Packets”, during the first few days of school, or you can register online at Join SSPTA ‐ Become a Member.

8. Save the Date: Mustang Roundup – 10/07 

Mark your calendars for our much‐anticipated, adults‐only "Mustang Roundup" on October 7th from 6:00pm‐ 10:00pm, being held at River’s End in Canyon Country. This is SSPTA’s largest fundraiser of the year, and it allows us to fund most of the programs we provide for all students at our school. Our success at this event also determines how much additional fundraising SSPTA must perform throughout the year to continue to provide amazing programs, activities, and school support.  

It will be an evening filled with delicious BBQ food, a live band, a live and silent auction, and time to spend with current friends (and to make new ones)—all in the name of raising money for our students and school.

Our event co‐chairs Victoria Skornia (victoria.skornia@gmail.com) and Jennifer Salinas (jennifermsalinas@gmail.com) have been hard at work over the summer break to ensure SSPTA brings you a fantastic event, with a new twist (if you’ve attended before). Be on the lookout for flyers and social media postings during the first week of school. We will be having a pre‐sale ticket run; be sure to grab those early to save some money!  
  • SSPTA is looking for donations for the live and silent auction: any kind of product, service, or experience that you, or someone you know, would be willing to contribute to this event. If you have a donation in mind, please contact our co‐chairs Victoria Skornia or Jennifer Salinas and they will arrange a pickup, or other details.
  • We are also looking for volunteers to help solicit and pick up donations, to set up the day of the event, and to help during the event with the raffle(s), auctions, check in, and cleanup. If you can give a little, or a lot, of time to this impactful event, please contact Victoria Skornia or Jennifer Salinas.
  • Many may wonder where – and what – is Rivers End. Rivers End is located at 13130 Soledad Canyon Rd. It was originally an RV park but has since grown into an amazing outdoor event space, one that is truly beautiful and captures the essence of our local community, surrounded by trees, a creek, a pub serving food, non‐alcoholic drinks, and beer—and it’s within about 5 minutes from our school!  


9.   Meet your SSPTA 2023‐24 Board 
  •  President – Jessica Coleman
  • Vice President – Victoria Skornia
  • Treasurer – Deering Viola
  • Secretary – Daynabelle Anderson
  • Auditor – Azi Dzhuguryan
  • Historian – Yuka Kawaski
  • Parliamentarian – Karen Fidaleo
  • Membership – Heidi Wiglitton
  • Communications – Jennifer Salinas

We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead, filled with growth, learning, and community spirit. Your involvement and support are what make Sulphur Springs Community School a remarkable place for our children.  We look forward to seeing you at all our events and to hearing your ideas and helping you bring them to life!

10.  Stay Connected 

Stay updated with the latest SSPTA news by following our social media pages, visiting the SSPTA website, and signing the Communications Opt‐In Form (coming home in your student’s “First Day Packet”). Very soon, SSPTA will be moving to a new communications platform, allowing us to send you information that will be more user friendly and better tailored to what you care about most. Filling out your communications opt‐in form will help us to ensure you are transitioned over to our new platform seamlessly. If you need assistance with anything communications related, please contact SSPTA 2023‐24 Communications Chair, Jennifer Salinas (jennifermsalinas@gmail.com).   

Ways to Connect with SSPTA:
Facebook ‐ https://www.facebook.com/sscspta
Instagram ‐ @sulphur_springs_pta/
SSPTA Website – www.sspta.org
Email – President@sspta.org    

Additionally, make sure the school has your correct contact information in order to receive important updates from them (and occasionally us) via ParentSquare, email, or text message. We are looking forward to seeing you all in a few days! Best Regards, Jennifer Salinas, SSPTA 2023‐24 Communications Chair jennifermsalinas@gmail.com