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DMS PTA News May 2021

PTA MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Our May volunteers of the month are a special group of parents who have poured their hearts into Downing for many years. They are leaders, party planners, fund-raisers and most of all the givers of their time and talents. We salute the following board members for a strong finish and wish them the best as they rise to high school with their 8th graders:

Cyndi Little, Jennifer Tipton, Wendy Pickett, Nicki Henry

 

OFFICIAL DOWNING PTA BOARD 2021-22 & OPENINGS

The Downing Middle School PTA would like to announce its 2021-22 Executive Board
as approved at our April General Meeting:

President, Tish Raymond
Secretary, Elizabeth Cline
Treasurer, Dawn Mansfield 
Vice President, Ways and Means, Bevin Jacobs
Vice President, Membership, Beth Currey
Parliamentarian, Liz Bose
 
We have several open board slots for the 2021-22 school year, including:  
 
• Hospitality (2-4 spots) – coordinate monthly Teacher Appreciation goodies
• Community Outreach (2 spots) – coordinate weekly LOVEPACs food donations + clothing/holiday and yearbook needs with DMS counselors for Downing students. 
• Arts in Education (1 spot) – promote, collect and judge Reflections entries (occurs in the fall).
• Web site (1-2 spots) – update PTA website, currently being redesigned for easy layperson use.
 
Text President Tish Raymond at 713-855-2359 if you are interested in volunteering!   

 

MEMBERSHIP AWARDS

As we reflect on this most unusual year, yes, this past year got off to a rocky start, but the students, teachers, administration and parents, pivoted.  And then pivoted again.  Though some storm clouds remain, there is definitely a clearing ahead! Despite the many challenges (like never being able to see each other in person!), your PTA worked hard to grow our DMS membership and to give a voice to our students, parents and teachers. 
 
We are happy to announce Downing Middle School earned several PTA Awards for the 2020-2021 calendar year: The Golden Apple Award (100% of faculty as members), The Student Membership Award (at least 25 student members, which we far surpassed!) and the MARS Membership Award (50 men as members).  It was also just announced Downing earned the GOLD Voice for Every Child Award, Texas PTA’s most prestigious membership award.
 
So a HUGE Thank You to YOU for supporting your children’s school this year and we look forward to serving the needs of all our Downing students, parents and staff next year!

 

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Thanks to the active participation and generosity of our PTA membership and community, we were able to make several donations to enhance Downing’s educational opportunities for all students, including:
 
      • Patio heaters, sees starter kits & shelving for the future Downing STEM greenhouse
      • Craft supplies galore for Mrs. Bell’s classes
      • Batteries for Mrs. Hardwick’s tubers
      • Lawn darts for the PALS class
      • Scholastic Scope Kits for ELAR students (all grades)

DOWNING MS PTA SCHOLARSHIP

Congratulation to Downing Alumnae HANNAH SPEAR, winner of the 2020-21 Downing MS PTA $500 Scholarship, administered by the Lewisville Education Foundation. We are proud to recognize a former Downing student each year and help with higher-education expenses. 

 

DOWNING DINE OUT


Costa Vida Dine-Out Nite is coming for Taco Tuesday on May 4th, from 4-9pm! Come out and celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day early while supporting your Downing Middle School PTA.

 

HOSPITALITY

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 3-7 and our Hospitality Crew has lots of fun in store for Downing Teachers and Staff!
 
Monday — Chick-Fil-A Breakfast 
Tuesday — Lonestar Popcorn Snack Bag with Bottled Soda 
Wednesday — Cinco de Mayo catered Taco Lunch Box
Thursday —Dessert Day (including Buttermilk Sky Pies)
Friday — Gift Card Day with Sonic Drinks
Thank you to all our Downing Community members who contributed gift cards and drinks to put the exclamation mark on our Teacher Appreciation Week!
 
 
AMAZON SMILE

Shop at Amazon and generate donations for Downing Middle School PTA.
Click HERE to get started.  


DMS PTA News April 2021

We blinked and Spring Break is over and Easter is almost here!  Despite all the (so very many) distractions and challenges we have had this year, you and your kids are doing an incredible job!  And our Downing teachers and staff?  They are INCREDIBLE!  Thanks to each and every one of you, families, students and teachers, who show up every day and give it your best!

 
The PTA is always looking for additional ways to support our students and staff and your PTA membership is one way we can do that.  If you are new to Downing or have had “Join the PTA” on your list for a while, we would love for your support!  Just click HERE. 
And as always, we thank you for supporting your Downing PTA!

 

DOWNING DINE OUT DATES

Come join us for a very special Downing Middle School PTA “Dine-Out” fundraiser on Wednesday, April 7th! One Stop Nutrition in Highland Village right next to LA Fitness has AMAZING nutritional shakes, custom made-to-order! Not only do they make some of the best shakes around, but their knowledgeable staff can help you with all your nutrition needs. Stop by ANY TIME during open hours (8am – 8pm) on April 7th and mention Downing Middle School PTA when you check out. One Stop Nutrition will generously donate a portion of the sales to support the students and staff at Downing!


Costa Vida Dine-Out Nite is coming for Taco Tuesday on May 4th, from 5-9pm! Come out and celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day early while supporting your Downing Middle School PTA. Keep an eye out for the flyer coming soon!

HOSPITALITY

Our fabulous DMS teachers & staff were recently treated to Smoothie King as we wish them a smooth last 9 weeks with our students!

Get ready for Major League Baseball Opening Day! Our DMS Hospitality Crew & Staff have a yearly tradition of celebrating Opening Day with favorite ballpark inspired foods. This year we will deliver Cane’s four packs, chips and a fun ballpark inspired treat on April 1st.
Go DMS and Go Rangers!

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up, May 3rd-7th. We are in the process of planning a fun week for our amazing DMS staff.  Please be on the lookout in late April for ways you can help contribute and make TAW a huge success.

BOX TOPS

We need your help earning cash for Downing Middle School with Box Tops!  DMS has earned $142, well below our goal for the year…..  
Right now you can refer-a-friend and when they scan their first receipt, you’ll BOTH earn 20 Bonus Box Tops for DMS!  
SEE PRODUCTS & LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOX TOPS APP HERE.  
 
YEARBOOK

Have you ordered your Downing Yearbook?
No? Not Sure?
Go to www.balfour.com
Questions? mickk@lisd.net
 
AMAZON SMILE

Shop at Amazon and generate donations for Downing Middle School PTA.
Click HERE to get started.  

PTA Member of the Month

April’s PTA member of the month, Dawn Mansfield, brings a depth of accounting expertise to the treasurer position that makes the whole organization better. Some PTA jobs allow you to “fake it until you make it.” Treasurer is not that job. Dawn brings a calm, collected perspective to the PTA’s books. Her vast experience and practical outlook have been indispensable. This year has created so many question marks, financial and otherwise. Dawn has calculated and recalculated budgets, forecasts and plans. Her expertise has helped calm a choppy year! We are grateful for her leadership and dedication to Downing Middle School. 

Downing PTA Board 2021-22 Openings

The Downing PTA will be following Texas PTA pandemic-year guidelines to extend the role of our current Executive Board through the 2021-22, which eliminates the need for elections this spring. 

We do have several open positions and are looking for volunteers willing to help!
 
Positions include:
• Hospitality/Teacher Appreciation (2 spots) — organize monthly events (goody bags, lunches, drinks, etc.) to celebrate Downing teachers and staff.
• Community Service — (2 spots) — coordinate with counselors to arrange for LovePACs and food/personal-care items to be available to Downing students in need (on-going commitment). 
• Website — update our website with current information. (Separate from Social-Media; ongoing commitment, most busy in the late summer)
• Arts in Education — promote, collect and judge Reflections entries (occurs in the fall). 
 
We are holding off on filling all our in-person-event positions until we have a better idea of what LISD will allow on-campus during the 2021-22 school year. If you are interested in helping with a Social, Color Run, or Hoop It Up,
email HERE for more information. 

Official Notice:  Update PTA By-Laws and Standing Rules

The Texas PTA requires every local PTA to update its By-laws and Standing Rules every three years. Our Parliamentarian Nicki Henry assembled a committee and has proposed updates to our current By-laws and Standing Rules to reflect our current operations. We will be discussing and voting on those changes at the General Meeting on May 18 at noon. This will serve as our official notice of these proceedings.

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DMS PTA News March 2021

PTA MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Downing is a true community school nestled within the DFW metroplex. Our school is small, tight-knit, and draws from the nearby surrounding area, making the Diamondbacks a family. March’s Volunteer of the Month, Liz Bose, takes little credit, but makes an oversized impact as our Community Service Representative, making sure Diamondbacks in need have food, toiletries and clothing so they are prepared to do their best work in school. 

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