September is Voter Education Month

September is Voter Education Month: Are you registered to vote?
Did you know only an estimated 50 percent of NTPS parents are registered to vote and of those only about 1/3 actually do? As part of our ongoing annual effort to educate our community about the importance of voting, the district will once again be encouraging citizens to register and have voter registration forms and information available at schools and district buildings.

"Teaching students to be good citizens is one of our most important responsibilities," said Asst. Supt. Shawn Lewis. "Voting is one responsibility of being a good citizen - and we know that if parents vote and model informed voting practices with their students, those students are more likely to be informed voters when they grow up." Meadows and Aspire parent Melissa Tomlinson has offered several volunteer voter registration training nights already. Those materials are available on line at www.nthurston.k12.wa.us/vote.
Remember: Your Vote Counts!

To register online or for more information go to: http://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/en/voterinformation/Pages/RegistertoVote.aspx.

Upcoming election dates: November 3, 2009 and February 9, 2010.

From NTPS Success Weekly page

School Board decision highlights

Board Highlights - August 18

The School Board (3-0) adopted the 2009-10 budget last month, which includes a $4.8 million reduction to its $122 million general budget. Cuts ranged from eight administrative or supervisory positions to reduced elementary teacher librarian hours and raising athletic fees and lunch prices.

Other highlights included:

• All-Day kindergarten opportunity coming for Title 1 schools: District plans to allocate federal stimulus money (about $500,000) for Title 1 schools through six extended day kindergarten programs to start in October in an effort to give students at higher poverty schools extra help and support. The schools are: Chambers Prairie, Lacey, Lydia Hawk, Meadows, Mountain View and Pleasant Glade.
• Special education will also receive about $2.8 million in federal stimulus money over the next two years to develop an assessment and intervention system to help students be more academically successful and socially competent.
• NTPS receives $2.3 million student support grant: The district was awarded a $ 2.3 million 21st Century Community Learning Center grant from OSPI - one of only 18 grants awarded statewide. The grant, written by Dr. Maddy De Give, Executive Director of Student and Staff Support, will provide Nisqually Middle School and four elementary schools (Lydia Hawk, Meadows, Mountain View, and Pleasant Glade) a total of $465,000 per year to target 420 students in need of additional supports to achieve academic success and social competence. Programs will range from parent engagement programs to innovative academic enrichment opportunities.
• School Board meetings moved to Tuesday nights: The Board announced its decision to move its regular twice monthly meetings to Tuesday nights (originally on Mondays). The first board meeting of the month will be held at the District Office but the second one will be at an NTPS school . "We hope this will help get more community members into our schools and engaged in student success," said Board President Aaron Owada.

From NTPS Success Weekly page

New Superintendent helps kick off school year

September 11, 2009

Under the leadership of new Supt. Raj Manhas , North Thurston Public Schools kicked off the school year with more than 13,000 students in its 21 schools - including the new Chambers Prairie Elementary and Aspire Middle School for the Performing Arts .

During a tour of several schools on the first day, Mr. Manhas told students that "you can do anything you want to someday," and "we (himself, teachers and the principal) work for YOU -- to help you be successful and learn." In return, the students -- quite in awe of the tall, smiling stranger with an interesting accent -- excitedly shared their love of "math," "a percussion class," and "Disney princess lunchboxes."

Manhas also praised staff for their dedication to students in the classroom, P.E., the lunchroom and playground. "Together we are going to make this district one of the best in the state and the nation," he said, noting how even those schools with challenging demographics and high poverty have had great success in student achievement through collaboration, cooperation and a passion for the students. "As long as we keep students at the center of every decision, we can accomplish anything!"

From NTPS Success Weekly page

September 2009 newsletter published

Thanks to an enterprising and timely Tara-Lyn Poole (newsletter editor extraordinaire!), here is the link to the September 2009 newsletter, in time for the first week of school! If you have any desire to work with Tara-Lyn on the newsletter this year, she is looking for helpers and apprentices. Contact her here.

Hope to see you at the 1st PTA meeting on Tuesday the 15th. More info here.

Mt. View PTA Calendar

November Bazaar - sign up now!

Dear Potential Mt. View Bazaar Vendor,

We are excited to be organizing another Mt. View PTA Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, November 21^st from 10am to 4pm. If our calculations are correct, this is our 31^st Anniversary and we plan to make this a great event.

As always our spaces are 7 ½ feet, 10 feet & 15 feet. All spaces are 6 feet deep. Some of those will be corner spaces. Therefore, our spaces may be reorganized a bit again if you have been a vendor in the past. If you have any special needs and/or requests that do not fit on the form (click here), please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate. Those may be requests of needing an outlet, wall area, corner space etc.

Mt. View does not provide tables but will provide two folding chairs per booth. Again, please see me for special requests from the prior year.

Please note that the prices increase was in effect last year going forward.

As always, we are asking each exhibitor to donate an item to our PTA raffle as an additional fundraiser. Tickets will be sold throughout the day for $1 each. Any item that you donate is greatly appreciated. 100% proceeds go directly to the Mt. View PTA to help fund programs, materials, objects needed for our school and students. Please bring your item to the PTA booth on the day of the bazaar.

As always I will try to arrange pre-setup the night before from 4-6 p.m. only. The gym will be secured at all times. Please do not bring valuables as we are not responsible for items left unattended.

I look forward to your response and hope that you can make it to our Annual Holiday Bazaar. Please call me with any questions and/or concerns.

Sincerely,

Tara-Lyn Poole

Bazaar Coordinator

Phone/Message: (360) 455-0357

Email: poole98503@msn.com

Do you have your supply list?!

If you haven't already gotten your supply list, click here for the 2009-2010 school supply list for Mountain View Elementary! It's hard to believe that school starts in less than a month, eh?

Check back soon for more information about Open House and Beautification Day!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, whether you miss the recent heat wave or are thankful for the return of "normal" W/WA temperatures!

- Brian Morgan
Mountain View PTA President

Message from Superintendent Raj Manhas

July 2009

Greetings!

It is with great excitement and optimism that I begin my service here in North Thurston Public Schools as your new Superintendent. Already, the staff and community have made me feel incredibly welcome and I am confident that together, we can continue to improve student learning and achievement for all our students.

When people ask me what attracted me to North Thurston after working in the state's largest school system in Seattle, I note the collaboration amongst staff and community; the progress that has been made in student achievement; and the rich diversity amongst the student body. Not to mention Lacey is a beautiful and welcoming place to live.

I feel honored to work for a district with so many inspiring teachers who believe, like I do, that all children can succeed if given the encouragement and opportunities they deserve. I am confident that if our intentions are authentic, and if we continually put children at the center of each decision we make, this community can help ensure that every child in North Thurston Public Schools has everything they need to succeed in academics and in life! Whether it's a backpack of school supplies or more Advanced Placement opportunities, we must identify what each student needs to be more fully engaged and inspired to learn.

Finally, I make this pledge to ask the tough questions about how we can improve our schools. We need to honestly figure out where we are lacking then take the necessary steps of action to improve both ourselves and our school system. I plan to engage parents and the community through open and honest discussions about our progress and challenges. I have learned through experience that transparency is a key component of success if we are to be true partners in the education of our children.

Ultimately, it is my deepest hope to inspire us to become the best public school system we can be. Our children are the world's ultimate resource - let's give them the support and tools they need to be successful in a diverse and ever changing world.

Humbly,

Raj Manhas

June meeting minutes posted

Here are the minutes from the final PTA meeting of 2008-2009. Thanks very much to Shawn Smith for filling in as Secretary and for Tara-Lyn Poole for playing host for the BBQ meeting.

Happy summer!

Stay tuned throughout the summer for updates, news and dates for your fall calendar.

PTA Suggestion Box online

If you have comments, suggestions or questions about Mt. View PTA or just PTA in general, please let us know!

You can reach us at MtViewPTA@hotmail.com

All emails will receive a personal response within 48 hours.

Thanks very much!
Mt. View PTA
Brian Morgan - President