Ballentine Elementary School PTA
2015-16 Welcome Packet
Welcome back, Fireflies! If you are new to Ballentine Elementary, we extend an especially big welcome
to you!
It’s going to be a fantastic year and we are excited about all the activities planned. Our goal is to offer
opportunities to support teachers, engage families, and invest in student success.
We hope you will consider supporting these efforts by volunteering for activities that interest you and by
joining the PTA. Both are great ways to stay connected to your child’s school and meet other parents. We
welcome all parents to the PTA and appreciate any time you are able to share with us.
Included in this packet:
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Key programs/activities supported by the PTA
Easy ways to support Ballentine
PTA membership form
Firefly card order form
To keep up with PTA activities, please join our email list at [email protected] and follow us on
Facebook or Twitter (search: Ballentine Elementary PTA).
Best wishes for a wonderful start to the school year!
Sincerely,
Stephanie Lake
2015-16 PTA President
[email protected]
First PTA meeting of the
school year:
Monday, July 20th
7:00 PM
Media Center
Ballentine Elementary School PTA
Key Programs and Activities
Artists in the Schools Program (Cultural Arts)
Volunteers work with teachers to choose and schedule performances and artist residencies (visual artists and
writers) to enhance student learning. This is a partnership between the United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake
County, Ballentine Elementary and the Ballentine PTA.
Communications
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Newsletter (4-6 a year)
Social Media
Website
Directory
Volunteers compile and input information provided by each student/family to put together and distribute a school
directory for each Ballentine family.
Family Engagement
Volunteers plan and implement fun-filled events to bring Ballentine families together to foster a sense of
community while supporting school initiatives and programs.
Dr. Seuss Week and Birthday Celebration
Fifth Grade Graduation and Picnic
Firefly Festival
Pumpkin Night
Other opportunities as they arise
Hospitality
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Staff Luncheons on Early Release Days
Staff Appreciation Gifts
Staff Appreciation Week
Reflections Art Program
Volunteers promote and coordinate this free national PTA arts program, which allows youth to express themselves
through a variety of arts options based around a specific theme. Entries are collected in October and submitted to
the county. A showcase featuring Ballentine’s submissions is held in conjunction with the annual Talent Show in
the spring.
Spelling Bee
Volunteers work with teachers to run grade-level and school-wide spelling bees to select a school
representative to compete in the Wake County Spelling Bee. Winner of the Wake County Spelling Bee goes on
to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC in the spring.
Talent Show
An annual must-see event for students and families! Members coordinate and implement the entry process,
auditions, dress rehearsal and show.
Fundraisers
Love them or hate them, we can’t support the school without them! We try our best to conduct
fundraisers that support Ballentine’s student-centered mission – whether it’s a “fun run” emphasizing
character education, a read-a-thon promoting literacy skills or an art fundraiser celebrating original
student works.
The following are our core fundraising activities during the year:
Fall and Spring Fundraiser
The fall fundraiser will take place in October/November. A flyer with more details will be sent home
shortly.
Firefly Cards
These popular cards offer discounts at 25+ area businesses, including Cupcake Bite, Yellow House,
Starbucks, Firehouse Subs and Moe’s, just to name a few. They are good through July 31, 2016.
Spirit Wear
A fun way to show your school spirit and raise money! Ballentine shirts are on sale at the beginning of the
school year. Order forms will go home in Monday folders. There will be two shirt styles and two colors to
choose from this year!
Spirit Nights
Join us at “to be announced” local restaurants on evenings during the year to enjoy a meal and support
Ballentine at the same time! A percentage of sales will benefit the school.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The first two Spirit Night dates are:
August 19th at Moe’s in Fuquay-Varina
October 15th at Chik-fil-A in Fuquay-Varina
Easy Ways to Support BES
The following merchants offer reward programs that help our school. If you shop at these stores or buy these
products, please consider participating. Family and friends can also participate, even if they aren’t local.
AmazonSmile
Now you can support Ballentine when shopping at Amazon! Go to smile.amazon.com to select
Ballentine PTA as your charitable organization and they will donate 0.5% of the eligible
purchase price. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know - Same products, prices, & service!
Box Tops for Education
Each Box Top is worth 10 cents for our school! Here is how it works:
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Clip the Box Tops off of your favorite products.
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Write your teacher's name on a baggie and fill it with your Box Tops.
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Drop them in the Box Tops box in the lunchroom or have your child give it to his/her
Teacher.
Campbell's Labels for Education
By saving and redeeming Campbell's product UPC's or caps from eligible products, Ballentine can
earn FREE educational merchandise, such as computers, software and library books from the
Campbell's reward catalog. Go to www.labelsforeducation.com to find out more!
Tyson Project A+
For every Tyson Project A+ label we collect, our school will receive 24 cents. Look for Tyson frozen
chicken and deli products that carry the Project A+ label. Make sure to cut the whole strip not just
the black square. You can keep these labels in the same baggie with the Box Tops and turn them in
together.
Harris Teeter
You can link your VIC card to earn money for Ballentine every time you shop. Our school
code is 4953. Link at www.harristeeter.com or at any Harris Teeter cashier. Be sure to link
to #4953 or “Ballentine Elementary.”
Kroger's E-Labels for Education
You can link your card at https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards to earn money for
Ballentine every time you shop. Or, visit the Customer Service desk to have them link it!
Lowes Foods Cart to Class
You can link your Fresh Rewards card at https://rewards.lowesfoods.com. Just enter your
rewards card number and search for “Ballentine Elementary” to link your card.
Target Take Charge of Education
Just visit target.com/tcoe, or call 1-800-316-6142 to designate “Ballentine Elementary”. Our
Target School ID is 118215. Use your Target Visa or Target Card and we receive a percentage of
the amount of each purchase.
MightyNest
A generous 15% cash back from any order goes to our school. They'll also donate an additional
$1 signup bonus if you join via the link listed on the Ballentine PTA website. No purchase is
necessary to earn the $1 signup bonus. Shop for goods for lunch, home and family any time
all year.
Office Depot's 5% Back to Schools Program
Shop at Office Depot for all of your school supplies and provide our school’s ID number 70124551. Office Depot will
award Ballentine 5% of the qualifying purchases in merchandise credit, which can be used towards FREE student
school supplies.
Thank you for your support!