Things sure are different this year, but I hope that you are starting to feel reconnected to one another through school.
As the PTA, we want to be a resource for you. Are you having trouble connecting to class? Do you want to meet up virtually with other adults from your kiddo’s class? Is SeeSaw confusing? Any questions you have are probably shared by many others.
I miss the opportunity to check in with other families after drop off and during pickup. Email is not an ideal substitute for this, but we want you to know you can reach out to any of the PTA board members with your questions and concerns. You can find a complete list of contact info at the bottom of our homepage.
We will hold our first virtual meeting on October 13. A meeting link will be emailed out to our member list from last year, as well as posted on the James John PTA FaceBook page and a message will be sent through Remind, too.
We are really excited about one of our most recent projects. With PTA funding and the hard work of our Green Team, we are bringing Grow Portland to our school this year. Grow Portland will harvest fresh produce from our very own garden, which will be included in the PPS provided food packs. These are distributed for free at James John every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-5pm. The first harvest will be the week of October 5! Grow Portland will also provide curriculum for our students including activity handouts with the PPS food packs, virtual tours and digital lessons for SeeSaw.
As we move through fall and into winter, our biggest hope is that every James John student will be able to regain the sense of belonging we want to nurture through our school community. It’s a challenge, but we’re up for it! Again, I encourage you to send any one of us an email with something that sparks your imagination or if you just need a sympathetic ear. We are here for you and for our teachers, too.
Please take a moment to review the attached PTA membership form. It does not require payment, because our annual membership fee is on a sliding scale. Being a member does not mean you have to volunteer or attend meetings, and you can attend meetings or volunteer even if you are not a member. Members do receive email updates, which are a good way to keep up with news and events. Members can also vote on important decisions like the budget. We encourage you to join the PTA without feeling overwhelmed by commitment. We hope you can find the right fit for you and your family! If you want to submit your membership form, please drop it off at school or send back in the mail. The front office is open on Mondays and Thursdays, or you can slip through the letter slot any day.
Go Lions!
Marge Heffernan
James John PTA Co-President
James John PTA 