Home and School Club

Last Update - August 31, 2010

Upcoming Events

Special budget meeting - September 1, 2010 @7:00 PM in the Valencia Library - Agenda
First regular Home and School clib meeting - September 14, 8:30-10:30 aM in Room 34

Mission Statement

The mission of the Valencia Elementary Home and School Club is to

fund programs, materials and resources at Valencia in order to support our teachers and enhance
the educational experience of our children
bring into closer relationship the home, school, and community;
beautify our school

Last year the Home and School Club supported this Mission by funding the following:

Swings (targeted grant money awarded specifically for the swings) $33,000
Tech support position $17,000
Document cameras for all classrooms $14,674
SPECTRA arts program $13,300
Teacher classroom supply reimbursements $7,716
Release time teacher support $6,200
Yard duty support $6,000
Administrative expenses (paper, copies, service contracts, etc…) $5,300
Principal computer replacement $1,400
Science assemblies $1,400
After school program support $1,000
School beautification/SPECTRA sculpture garden $845

This year, thanks again to the incredible support of the Valencia community and our great H&SC volunteers who last year made it possible to raise more than $80,000, we will fund the following, all in direct support of the classrooms and teachers:

Hiring of a part time Technical Support Specialist ($17,000)
Hiring of a part time Reading Specialist ($5,000)
Hiring of a part time Math Specialist ($5,000)
Hiring of a part time Yard Duty position ($5,000)
School and H&SC administrative overhead costs (paper and other school supplies, copy costs, postage, equipment service contracts, etc) ($7,100)
Teacher grants to offset out of pocket classroom expenses ($7,200)

H&SC will also continue to fund the school’s only structured Arts program (SPECTRA) ($14,000), science and community building assemblies and programs ($2,000), school beautification efforts ($500) and the school garden ($250).

H&SC members are thankful to be able to provide such a high level of support for Valencia teachers and our children, even in these lean times, all thanks to your generous support. Amazing!

Support Valencia - Volunteer for the Home and School Club

Volunteering your time is a great way to feel connected to Valencia school and be a part of your child’s learning experience. It’s also a great way to meet new people, and how we continue to be able to fund the programs and services that we provide. By volunteering to be a part of a team that coordinates a fundraiser event, you help ensure our ability to raise funds that are now necessary to maintain critical levels of teacher and classroom support. Equally as important is helping to foster a sense of community where everyone feels welcome and a part of the solution. There is no value that can be placed on being a positive role model for your child. They will notice and appreciate your involvement!

There are many ways to join in and help support the efforts of the H&SC. We have been so successful, year after year, because of our dedicated parent volunteers and the varied strengths they bring to the organization. Opportunities exist for both working and stay at home parents and YOU decide how you want to help, when you want to help and how much time you can give. Whether it’s an hour per year or an hour per day, it all adds up and makes a big difference. Please don’t simply think “someone else will do it” and then be disappointed if something does not happen. It’s up to all of us to become a part of the solution. Download the Home and School Club Volunteer Form to learn more about specific volunteer opportunities.

There is currently a critical need to fill the open positionsbelow. Contact Karin Kerber-Smith for additional information.

Vice President, Home and School Club Board of Directors
Chairperson, Harvest Festival (currently unscheduled event)
Chairperson, Family Reading Night (currently unscheduled event)

Duties of Officers

Community Events and FUNDraiser Opportunities

The H&SC Board members are aware and respectful of the limitations on all of our time. As parents, we are all busy with family, work, friends, school, sports, after school activities and more. In response, we have limited and consolidated planned school events, hoping to simplify things for families, yet still preserve the importance of fundraising and community. We are also sensitive to the volunteer difficulties that sometimes result from the H&SC assigning fundraising dinners to classes, and in response we have left fundraising options open for the grades to decide. We hope that grade level classes will still take advantage of the opportunity to raise funds towards their outdoor science class expenses and that they will build on the experience of past classes who have sponsored these fun community-building dinners.

All H&SC fundraisers were carefully chosen and are aimed at maximizing financial return and minimizing waste, consistent with our continued efforts towards “going green.” We invite you to participate, together with your children, in these fun events, or choose to Opt Out by participating in “Cash for Kids “ and simply making a 100% profit, tax-deductible donation to the H&SC. Our fundraising goal is $375/student this year. This would potentially allow us to place part time support staff in the classrooms. Wouldn’t that be great!

Valencia H&SC FUNDraiser Events

Dates	Goal	Beneficiary	Event
Sept 23-Oct 14	$25,000	General Fund	Drive for Schools Ticket Sales
Oct 11-15	$3,000	Literacy Fund	Scholastic Book Fair
April 16 (tentative)	TBD	General Fund/Arts Fund	Spring Fundraiser, tbd

Valencia H&SC Ongoing FUNdraiser Programs

Goal	Beneficiary	Program
$375/student	General Fund	“Cash for Kids” Tax Deductible Donation
$800	General Fund	“Cash for Trash” e-Waste Collection
$6,500	General Fund	eScrip Merchant Program*
$830	General Fund	BoxTops for Education*
$900	General Fund	Spiritwear, Smart Bottles
$5,500	General Fund	Skateboard decks/logo merchandise

*Wow, participation in this fundraiser is TOTALLY FREE!

Our 2010/2011 fundraising goal is to raise the equivalent of $375/student, although donations in any amount are greatly appreciated.

Valencia H&SC Community Events

Dates	Event
Sept 23	Welcome Back to School Family Dinner
unscheduled, tbd	Harvest Festival (pending a volunteer chairperson stepping forward)
unscheduled, tbd	Harvest Dinner (pending identification of a grade sponsor)
Oct 11	Family Reading Night (pending a volunteer chairperson stepping forward)
Jan 28	Movie Night
May 4	Staff Appreciation Spring Luncheon
Dec 10, other dates TBD	Science and Community-Building School Assemblies
unscheduled, tbd	Open House Dinner (pending identification of a grade sponsor)

Thank you for your support.

Please see the 2010-2011 Home and School Club Planning Calendar for complete calendar information.