Greetings Park Hill Families:
The Holidays are upon us, and we want to take this time to ensure all of our families are cared for and supported through the coming weeks. As we have done in the past, we are embarking on our annual "Holiday Gift Card Drive" for those in need. Details include:
* The office is collecting gift cards to Safeway, King Soopers, Walmart, and Target
* We are asking for gift cards in increments of $20 or $30
* All gifts are anonymous
* All recipients are anonymous
If you are a family who could use some extra support this holiday season, or know of a family in need, please confidentially contact me or the office team for further assistance. We are here to support you and any family in need.
Thank you, and Happy Holidays,
Ken Burdette,
Principal
Last Chance!! Share "WARM FUZZIES" This Holiday Season
Our 4th and 5th graders' Care Committee are pairing with a foundation called Lovewell who serves our unhoused friends on Colfax. We will be collecting gloves, wool socks, beanies, hand warmers, and blankets. We ask that these are preferably in adult sizes and are either New or very lightly used.
We will be collecting items through Tuesday, December 5. If it is easier for you to donate in a faster way, we have also set up an Amazon Wishlist that will have these items sent directly to the school. The link for the wishlist is here. Thanks for all the donations we have collected to date!
Equity Corner
‘Kids Can’t Read’: The Revolt That Is Taking On the Education Establishment
Add to your calendars - Monday Dec 4th (4pm) - Join us for our next Black Excellence Meeting (in person and virtual options)
The Panther Players Present: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Down, down, down the rabbit hole…. follow Alice on their zany, weird, and marvelous adventures in Wonderland with the likes of the White Rabbit, Caterpillar, Hatter, Cheshire Cat, and the royalty court of Hearts and more! Join Park Hill Elementary’s inaugural Panther Player’s production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Wednesday, December 6th at 6:30PM. Doors open at 6:00PM.
Tickets are free and can be reserved here:
Mindfulness at Park Hill
This week we are focusing on becoming aware of how we feel when we are treated badly or witness others being treated unkindly and what we can do about it. This video includes coping strategies, visualization techniques and methods to be kind and caring as well as manage bullying with strength.
As a supplement to the in-person sessions, you can watch the video "Mindfulness on the Playground” with them. You can access the entire video library HERE. Teachers, please participate! This exercise is as much for you as your students. Research has shown that when the teachers practice the mindfulness exercises, the students are more likely to be open to giving it a try. The benefits of Mindfulness are many including a calm classroom, more focused students, less anxiety and better performance with regards to tests. People who practice mindfulness find they are more kind and generous to their fellow humans. If you have questions or suggestions, reach out to me at SustainableThree@gmail.com or #303-898-9496. ~"Miss Liz"
Liz Rutledge
Enrichment Reminder
Many of the enrichments are wrapping up this upcoming week or have already wrapped up. Please double check the enrichment schedules or contact the office if you have questions about when your student’s enrichment ends.
Middle School Tours
Bill Roberts K-8 school Denver Green School -(720)424-7480
PTSA
WHY? This is the major fundraiser for Park Hill Elementary and directly supports our school’s ability to have paraprofessionals, intervention support staff, and our nurse and mental health teams. Overall, it helps close the per-student budget gap for PHE.
This week’s asks: (note, these are also if you agree to the images being used at our auction and possibly our yearbook).Submit to THIS FOLDER or email Auction@parkhillptsa.com
Submit a short video of your child(ren) answering these questions: “What is Prom?” “How would you ask someone to Prom?” “What do you do at a dance?” and “What is your favorite thing about Park Hill Elementary?”
Submit pictures of school events: i.e. Movie Night, Girls On The Run, Field Trips, Halloween, etc.
AND… Your PROM PHOTO! Submit and be entered into a chance to arrive at OUR prom in a limo! Get those photos’ from your parents’ mantles and send them to nmanahan@yahoo.com
Does anyone have a contact at a local brewery, distributor or distillery? Contact our auction chairs and check out the website:
Book Fair Update!
We’re excited to share that we'll be partnering with The Bookies for an online book fair this year! The Book Fair will take place from Dec 8th - Dec 17th, and books can be purchased in person at the Bookies brick and mortar AND online through their website. You’ll have opportunities to purchase for yourself, for gifts, and even to purchase books off teacher wishlists! Anything purchased during that sale week using our special code (PHE2023) will be credited to the school, and 15% of sales will come back to PHE. Links to the Park Hill fair will be sent home with kiddos next week, and will be in the Dec 8th Details on how to purchase will be in the NEXT Panther Pages. For now, check out The Bookies to start your own list. www.thebookies.com
Teacher Holiday Gifting
It’s that time of year again, winter break gift collection time! If you’ve been a member of the PHE community for a while, you have certainly experienced various iterations of this process. This year, we are hoping to streamline gift giving and collection, so it will look slightly different. Please remember, contributing to this collection is 100% optional - not required. If you do choose to contribute, please know that your contribution will remain anonymous and that the gift will be presented from the entire class, regardless of contribution amount. Also, if you prefer to give teachers or staff something on your own, you can. Additionally, your class will have the opportunity to remember one of our specials/support teams.
A letter outlining how to gift, as well as a school list of favorites for individual gifting, should be coming to you today.
2023 - 2024 PTSA Calendar
Dec 8-17: Book Fair; The Bookies
Dec 11th: PTSA Meeting, School Library, 5:30 pm
Dec 15th: Coffee with Ken, 8:20, School cafeteria
Feb 23rd 2024: The Park Hill Elementary School Auction!
April 26th: Super Mega Awesome Dance Party!