Dear Sope Creek Families,
It seems as if the school year is flying by! We are now well into the second nine weeks of the school year. Everyone appears to be settled into the daily routines and the school procedures are firmly in place. We are having a great year, and we feel confident we are providing a rigorous and relevant education for all our students.
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I take time to reflect on all the things in my own life for which I am thankful. Among my greatest blessings is being a part of the Sope Creek community. Our children are healthy, happy, and they come to school eager to learn – every teacher’s dream! Our teachers are dedicated professionals with a passion for learning and teaching – every child’s dream! Our families are supportive and actively involved in improving the education of our children.
I want to take a moment to highlight the many wonderful things our PTA and Foundation do to enrich the education of our children. Our parent volunteers spend countless hours organizing events, such as Octoberfest, Diversity Night, or the Fun Run, which invite all our families to participate in family activities at Sope Creek. Both the PTA and Foundation volunteers plan and organize fund raisers to support and enrich our academic programs.
A large portion of the funds raised are funneled directly back to the teachers to enhance academics. Ten percent of the funds raised by the Boosterthon went to classroom teachers to spend on their students. Additionally, PTA awarded every teacher $125 to spend on their students. Each grade level is awarded an academic enhancement grant for $500 and the Specials teachers receive a total of $3500. The funds raised by the PTA go toward funding a multitude of additional activities which enhance and accelerate learning for our students, such as Art Day, in-school field trips, and visiting authors.
In addition to our PTA, we are very fortunate to also have a Foundation which raises additional funds for our school. In the past three years, they have raised funds to put Smartboard technology in every classroom, renovate our playground, and replace our gym floor. They also provide each grade level and department with grants which go directly back to the classrooms and have an immediate and positive impact on learning.
We are so very fortunate to have such supportive families, and I am enormously thankful for every child, teacher, and family at Sope Creek.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Martha Whalen
