This year’s toy drive will support the organization, Believe in Tomorrow.

Their Mission: To provide exceptional hospital and respite housing services to critically ill children and their families. 

• Hospital Housing: provides overnight accommodations, free of charge, to families of children receiving critical care treatment at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
• Respite Housing: provides families with the opportunity to escape from the stressful routine of medical treatments at a relaxing mountain or beach location.

Where: There will be two cardboard boxes outside the front office with signs attached. 

When: November 18th-December 18th. I will drop the donations off by December 20th. 

Wish List: NEW and UNWRAPPED Toys (young children through teens), Games/Activities for Teenagers, Coloring Books for all ages (small children and adults), Playing cards and Card Games, Board Games and Puzzles, Activity Books for all ages, Crayons.

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!