Exploris PTO News

1/4 MM: Welcome to 2021

  • Lottery Deadline: Feb 4
  • News from the PTO President
  • PTO Meeting this Thursday, Jan 7
  • Food distribution- volunteers needed
  • Spiritwear is here!
  • THANK YOU- Teacher winter gifts
  • Panera pickup volunteers needed
  • Calendar

socialicon1- Please help spread the word about Exploris!  January is our last opportunity to promote the lottery enrollment for next year. The deadline is Feb 4th.  Do you know of families that may be interested in applying to Exploris?  Please tell them about: 

Go to Exploris.org to complete the simple application

https://www.exploris.org/2020-2021-admissions/

2 – It’s a new year!, new challenges, new opportunities. To be honest, the transition to 2021 was not nearly as exciting as it usually is. I feel stuck in Groundhog Day, little variation, little interaction, and I’m even changing jobs.  I haven’t seen my oldest child in over a year, and I miss all the faces of all the great families and friends I’ve made at Exploris. While so many people are making resolutions this year, I sometimes feel that we have all grown and adapted so much in 2020 that putting any extra pressure is just more than I personally can handle. So in this New Year I am looking back at all the things I have become grateful for. I’m grateful for the roof over my head and the job that feeds my family which so many people don’t have right now. I am grateful that I am a part of a community that is constantly looking for ways to stay bonded and together. And most importantly, I sit here tonight and I am grateful for my children, I am grateful for your children and all the children that are part of the Exploris Family.  Over the last year their whole little worlds have been turned upside down. Our children’s resilience and positive attitudes inspire me every day.  We do not need to be worried about how the challenges of this last year are going to set them back, these challenges are making each and everyone of them stronger everyday.  I see it in my own children and in everyone of yours. They are learning how to overcome obstacles, find creative solutions to problems, and be self sufficient.  I’m looking forward to 2021, to the opportunity to be as strong and flexible as our children have shown us they can be.  I hope this year brings each and everyone of you joy and peace, and I hope you will all take a moment to hug your children and tell them how proud you are of their strength and dedication over this last year. And, if you would, tell them I’m proud of them too. Happy New Year Everyone!    
-Angelean Hendrix, Exploris PTO President

ptoheader3- PTO Meeting this Thursday, January 7 on Zoom. Join us! 

Topic:  Exploris PTO monthly Meeting

Time: Jan 7, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

        Every month on the First Thu, until Jun 3, 2021, 6 occurrence(s)

  •         Jan 7, 2021 06:00 PM
  •         Feb 4, 2021 06:00 PM
  •         Mar 4, 2021 06:00 PM
  •         Apr 1, 2021 06:00 PM
  •         May 6, 2021 06:00 PM
  •         Jun 3, 2021 06:00 PM

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0sde-srj0jEtywhCV-pXCapydzYjAzgkpl/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGhrzksHtSTuRGPRpx5BYjoM-jziCFEj7dEixfGNW1DWiD3JvtGKIt1McLX

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89126406988

IMG_11414-  Good news!  Exploris is partnering with Ligon and Moore Square middle schools, in conjunction with Interfaith Food Shuttle, to provide food boxes every week at Chavis Park to families in need.  For our first event in December we provided 20 families boxes, delivered 8 additional boxes to Exploris families, and 34 to families from Hunter Elementary.  (pictured here.) This is truly a community effort that we are really excited to be a part of. 

Exploris PTO will be providing volunteers to help distribute the prepackaged boxes and backpack buddies.  Distribution will happen at Chavis from 2-4:30 on Fridays through January for now.  Recipients are asked to fill out a short form so that we can keep in contact with them about future events.

It would be nice to have at least 1, preferably 2, representatives from Exploris at each event. For privacy reasons, we do ask that students do not participate, thank you for your understanding.

Sign up genius link below. Thank you and happy New Year!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080d48aca92ea13-food  

5- Spiritwear is here!  If you ordered Exploris spiritwear, please look for an email from PTO Treasurer Lynn Hildreth or feel free to contact her at pto-treasurer@exploris.org.  She is also working on a pickup option at school, which will be announced soon. 

6-THANK YOU for your gifts to our teachers! The PTO winter thanks collection in December was a big success. We collected $10,000 and were able to give all of our Exploris faculty members a generous holiday gift.  We’ll have another gift pool at the end of the school year. For more info visit: https://explorispto.org/parent-info/winter-end-of-year-thanks-faqs/

7-Want to help give back to the community and support our school? Sign up for Panera Bread Pick-Up. Each sign-up occurs at 7:55 pm on Sunday evenings at the Glenwood Panera. The following morning you drop off at Shepard’s Table Soup Kitchen before 11:00 am. The soup kitchen now more than ever relies on our donation. For more information and to sign up: Panera Bread Pick-Up

calendar20-218– Calendar

  • Monday, Jan 18 – MLK Holiday
  • Thursday, Feb 4 PTO Meeting 6:00 PM
  • Monday, February 15 – Teacher Workday – Portfolio Conferences//Digital Learning Day
  • Friday, February 19 – Teacher Workday – Professional Development
  • Thursday, Mar 4 PTO Meeting 6:00 PM
  • Thursday, March 11 – End of Second Trimester
  • Friday, March 12 – Teacher Workday
  • Monday, March 15 – Teacher Workday//Digital Learning Day
  • Thursday, Apr 1 PTO Meeting 6:00 PM
  • Spring Break – Friday, March 26 (3:15pm) – Tuesday, April 6 (8am)
  • Monday, April 5 – Teacher Workday
  • Thursday,  May 6 PTO Meeting 6:00 PM
  • Thursday, May 13  and Friday, May 14 – Teacher Workdays//Digital Learning Days//Passage portfolios (8th grade)
  • Monday, May 31- Memorial Day Holiday
  • Thursday, Jun 3 PTO Meeting 6:00 PM
  • Friday, June 11 – 8th grade Graduation (10:30 am), early dismissal
  • Friday, June 11 – End of Third Trimester, last day of school

Thanks for reading the “Monday Minute”- the Exploris PTO blog post.

If you would like to submit information, please email your text (copy ready), photos, and links to Dana Deaton at news@explorispto.org by 9pm Sunday. 

Online Shopping? Please choose Exploris!
When you shop at https://smile.amazon.com/, you’ll find the same prices, selection and shopping as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to Exploris.  Both Exploris and Exploris PTO have accounts so feel free to select either. Be sure to download the Amazon Smile app as well and don’t forget to let family and friends know they can help us, too!  Program information can be found here:  http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ch/about