09 | Welcome CoffeePlease join us in welcoming new ATS parents and visiting with returning ATS parents while enjoying coffee or tea and a delicious assortment of breakfast items. We will be gathering in the ATS Courtyard Garden or, if it rains, in the main hallway.Friday, September 9, 2011
8:30am–9:30am ATS Courtyard Garden (It'll be in the main hallway if it rains) For additional information, contact Angela DiBenigno by email tadb1@verizon.net or at (703) 536-9465. NEW THIS YEAR: Classroom visits will take place on Wednesday, November 16, from 8:30 to 10:00 am, to coincide with National Education Week. 09 | Outdoor Lab Open HouseThis yearly activity is a great opportunity for classmates and parents to meet outside of the school setting and take advantage of the great outdoors. Open House Activities Include: Hiking, Exploring, Boating, Fishing, and a chance to check out the new Animal Lab. Just bring your own picnic lunch and drinks. Continuing the tradition, the ATS PTA will provide ingredients for s’mores (roasted marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers) to be made over a campfire. For directions and more information check out the Outdoor Lab Flyer (.pdf).Sunday, September 25, 2011
1:00 – 4:00 pm (Rain or Shine) Parent volunteers are needed to help with the boats and making s’mores. Please complete the volunteer form (.pdf) by 9/22/11 and send via backpack mail to the PTA container in the front office. For more information, contact Valerie Steenstra at 703-593-3351, or vfitzstra@gmail.com.
Outdoor Lab provides a place for environmental
education for elementary and secondary school children. The facility is staffed by Arlington teachers but maintained
by a non-profit association—The Arlington Outdoor Education
Association, Inc. (AOEA, Inc.) of Arlington County Schools. We encourages you to make a generous contribution to the AOEA, Inc. 09 | ReflectionsThis year’s theme is “Diversity Means.” ATS students are invited to show their talents, skills, interests and enter the Reflection Program. Information packets, rules, entry forms and consent forms (.pdf) have been sent home in backpack mail. All forms and submissions are due no later than 12:00 pm on October 21 to your child's teacher. Students may submit multiple entries in one or more categories.Any questions, comments or recommendations, please contact your Reflections Co-chairs, Dale Proctor (dale.proctor@klgates.com) or Lynne Mulligan (mulligan32003@yahoo.com). DeShay Williams can be reach at DeShayWilliams@verizon.net. 10 | Walk or Bike to School Day
Please join us in
walking or biking to school on Wednesday October 5th. Help us use this international event to highlight for our students, parents, and neighbors the health and environmental benefits of getting to school using MUSCLE POWER! |
Sunday January 29th, 1:00pm to 3:00pm Come enjoy an afternoon of family fun at Fort Myer Bowling Center. This year families are invited to bowl on Sunday January 29th from 1 to 3. If you have questions regarding this event please contact Cristina Alvarez at cristina.alvarez@tetratech.com. |
02 | Science and Technology Day
This fun and educational evening allows the students to display their projects for their parents and other students to see. A new and exciting feature to last year's event was the Robot Dance Contest. It is a great way to see what your children have been learning and to encourage their interests in science and technology.02 | Silent Auction
Saturday February 11th
Prepare to be HIP at the Edison Street
Lounge!!
ATS PTA SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER
NRECA, 4301 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington
Find out how you can get involved in this year’s event. Click here for Addtional Information.
04 | Math Day
Can you beat the calculator? Or get close to 1000? Last year there were some new activities and some old favorites like Farkle. Who knows what we'll be seeing this year?03 | Spring Fair
Spring Fair is one of the most enjoyable family events of the year and serves as one of the major fundraisers of the year for the ATS PTA. All of the popular games and activities such as Brainquest, Zoofari, Wet Sponge Toss, Face Painting, and Cake Walk are available each year.MONTH | ATS Run the Diner Night
Details coming soon!05 | Garden/Neighborhood Day
Details coming soon!05 | Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week
ATS Staff Appreciation Week will be held the first week of May. This is one of the most important weeks during the year when students and parents can express gratitude to staff at ATS. As many of you already know, there is a tradition at ATS for students to bring flowers and cards of appreciation to their teachers. These flowers can be from your garden, or purchased. In each classroom there will be a vase for teachers to receive and create a beautiful bouquet. This week is also a great time to show our appreciation with a flower or a note to our music, gym, art, special education teachers and staff in the front office, just to name a few.05 | Volunteer Appreciation Night
Details coming soon!06 | End-of-Year Family Night
Dinner & Dance! What a wonderful way for
the whole family to end a great year! Enjoy a Subway box dinner (this meal is optional, families may choose to
bring a picnic dinner), and then work it off! As is tradition, ATS teachers
will provide an assortment of cookies for dessert. To top the evening off, we’ll learn some new dance
movies. Arlington Traditional
School’s own Hip Hop Dance instructor, Joanne Sarreas, together with some of
her students, will teach kids (and the more adventurous parents) some great
dances. These include: The Dougie,
ChaChaSlide, Cupid Shuffle, The Macarena, Mississippi Slide, Empire State, Te
Creu, The Electric Slide, The Time
and many more. Please RSVP by Tuesday, June 7th, 2011.Friday,
June 10, 2011
6:00-8:00 p.m.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
6:00–6:55 p.m. Dinner
catered by Subway (Optional)
ATS
lawn (weather permitting) or the Multipurpose Room
6:55–7:00
p.m. Swearing
in Ceremony for 2011-2012 PTA Officers (Gym)
7:00–8:00
p.m. Sock
Hop Dance (Gym)
(Popcorn
& water will be provided during the dance)
You may wish to bring a picnic blanket to sit
on if the dinner is outside.
Spring & Fall | Enrichment
Based on a 2005 survey of parents and children, the PTA developed an extensive set of enrichment programs. Each term, students can choose from a wide array of enrichment classes, ranging from art and theatre to Spanish, yoga, and karate. These classes are held before and after school so they add to they can add to the educational experience without detracting from regularly scheduled class time. See Enrichment classes & schedule (.pdf) or Register now.MONTH | Junior Great Books
The ATS PTA sponsors the use of The Junior Great Books® program at Arlington Traditional. It is a special reading program that helps to give our children a better framework for reading comprehension, critical thinking and writing. This is done by having the children all read the same material and share their ideas and unique interpretations of this wonderful literature. By actively participating in discussion, Great Books students learn to read for meaning and to form their own interpretations.ALL YEAR ROUND | ATS Garden
Please join us for our ATS Garden BlogMONTH | Educational Grants for Teachers
The Educational Grants Program was initiated three years ago in honor of Arlington Traditional School's 25th Anniversary and is open to all teachers and staff. A total of $2,000 is set aside annually out of the PTA budget to fund these awards.Important criteria that must be met to qualify for these awards include that the proposal benefit a significant number of students at the school, support the curriculum, and not be covered by other school funds. Proposals are funded across multiple disciplines and receive particular consideration if they involve teams of teachers and/or staff (for example, all the fourth grade teachers or groups of special programs staff).