Looking for a unique gift for family and friends for birthdays or upcoming holidays? The SJLES PTA, Mrs. Peddicord and Ms. Skyles are here to help! Original Works is an art-based fundraising company who will transform your child’s artwork into products you can share or gift to family and friends. The money raised from this program goes primarily to the SJLES Art Department. This extra funding allows Mrs. Peddicord and Ms. Skyles to purchase additional materials that further enrich our SJLES art program and support our school-wide art displays as well as our annual Night of the Arts. 

Please keep an eye out for a packet coming home this week with everything you’ll need to create masterpieces with your child’s work. It will be due back to the school on Wednesday, October 30th.

The SJLES PTA’s FREE Trunk-or-Treat is coming up on Saturday, October 26th from 3-5pm! WE NEED your trunks and one volunteer to hand out candy!  Trunks must arrive between 2:00 pm – 2:20 pm.  We will not allow cars to drive through after 2:30pm for safety.  We are also having carnival games this year, so please sign up if you would like to host a game or provide one for the event.  If you would like to donate to the Goodies Fund, please follow this link to the Givebacks store. Thank you all who help us make this event one to remember for the kids!

Please sign up to decorate a trunk here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4BAFAA2DA3F9C16-51546494-trunk

National Walk and Roll to School Day is coming up Wednesday October 2nd! Students can walk to school, from school, or both to earn a charm! Be sure to enter through the school’s rear entrance. PTA volunteers will be outside to distribute a charm to every student who participates. If you are only able to walk home from school, after your walk contact Liz Petrella at petrella.liz@gmail.com or Beverly Weber at Bevy.lynn@gmail.com with your child’s name and homeroom teacher, and we will make sure students receive their charms. Click here for details: Walk to School Day Details

We are collecting children’s gently used or new coats of all sizes. sure that everyone stays warm this winter! Please bring in your new or gently used CLEAN coats anytime between now and October 4th.  Coats will be brought to The Howard County Multiservice Center at: 9900 Washington Blvd Suite 1 Laurel, MD 20723. There will be a box directly outside the front office where your coats can be placed. Please contact Contact Melanie Eitelman (703)795-1771 with any questions.

If you are in need of a donated coat, the event to pickup is: October 19, 10am-Noon

Location: The North Laurel Community Center:9411 Whiskey Bottom Rd. Laurel, MD 20723

The Jaguar Spirit Wear Online Store is now open! Click here to place your order. Check out our tees, hoodies, and more available in both youth and adult sizes. The deadline for orders is Sunday October, 6th. Orders will be delivered to SJLES and sent home with your student(s) in early November. Please note, items are custom, so there are no refunds, returns, or exchanges. If you have any questions please contact: SJLES.Spiritwear@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you at our first school-wide event, the Back to School Picnic! There is no cost to attend and all are invited! Bring your own picnic dinner and we’ll provide the musical entertainment!

Our first PTA meeting of the year will be held IN-PERSON on Wednesday 9/4 @ 6:30 PM in the school’s Media Center! Pop in to meet this year’s Board and see what we have in store for this year! If you’ve never attended a PTA meeting before, this is a great way to get a look inside what’s going on SJLES and connect with other parents. Hope to see you there!

Welcome to a new school year (almost)! Every week you’ll receive an email from the PTA with updates on how you and your Jaguars can get involved at SJLES this year. The PTA is a nonprofit organization run by parent volunteers. The goal of everything we do is to help support SJLES teachers and staff, provide fun and enriching experiences for the kids, and to build a sense of community among parents. Becoming a member of the PTA means that you are donating to help enhance the school experience for all of the students. There is never any obligation to volunteer!

The PTA funds school-wide assemblies, family fun events, teacher appreciation activities, teacher-requested classroom supplies, and so much more. Without a PTA these events would not be possible.  Visit our online Membership site to make your tax-deductible donation. 

All membership dues and donations go directly into funding school-wide assemblies, family fun events, teacher appreciation activities, and to buy items needed by the teachers for their classrooms.Thank you so much – your support makes it all happen!

It’s amazing how fast this went! We at the PTA Board are so very proud of how our school community gathered, participated, and engaged in all our activities this year. We were successful in both raising funds and raising fun! This has been a trying year for school families and so thank you so much for continuing to make the PTA a part of your family’s life.

Here’s a run down of what we did together:

• Funded PTA member teachers and staff for various classroom and student needs
• Hosted at least one fun event for students and families each month through the school year
• Funded 4 school-wide cultural arts assemblies for all students to enjoy
• Field Day treats – Snowball to all students and staff
• Free Class T-shirt to all 5th Graders, plus funds for end-of-year pool party
• Sponsored an author visit and book discussion for all students to learn about writing and authorship
• Sponsored a self-published book for Second Grade authors
• Provided meals and treats monthly for more than 100 teachers and staff members
• Supplied coffee and creamer for the staff lounge and tissues for every classroom all year long
• Gifted each staff member a fantastic SJLES umbrella
• Coordinated, set up, and staffed the Book Fair
• Coordinated and produced the yearbook
• Provided prizes for the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program to fill the Spot-O-Gram store
• Collected more than 40 coats, scarves, hats, and gloves for the coat drive

As you can see, the PTA is an important support for SJLES and the benefits to the students and staff are immensely impactful.

My child is moving on to middle school, and I’m moving along too! I’ll be the president of the Patapsco Middle School PTA so I look forward to working with many of you all again. I know the 2024-2025 PTA Board will be fantastic and look forward to working with them as well!

2024-2025 SJLES PTA Board:

• Julie Slater – President
• Christian Buzzerd – Vice President
• Claire Mathews – Treasurer
• Sarah Day – Corresponding Secretary

(If anyone is interested in learning about joining this team as another Vice President, as PTA Council of Howard County Representatives, or as Recording Secretary, reach out to SJLES.PTAmail@gmail.com)

A very special thank you to all our volunteers throughout the year, especially those who helped with year-long committees, event planning, and event management. We could not have this wonderful community without you!

Jaguar Pride!

Katie Brewer, PTA President