DOUGLAS DRAGONEER

September 15 - 28
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A: Sept. 24
Art Night: Oct. 1
Dragon Fire: Oct. 1-9
Clothing Drive: Oct. 9-10

A NOTE FROM PRINCIPAL BURNS

Welcome to the Best School Year Ever!
We are ALL IN! That is the mindset that the Douglas Staff is bringing to the 2015-16 school year. We
are focused and purposeful about all aspects of our work. There have been changes to increase
student engagement, student achievement and our sense of community. We have set ourselves up
for success with a new schedule, collaboration work spaces and a creative approach to all that we do.
We could not be ALL IN without the support of all community stakeholders, and we are appreciative
of all you do to ensure our success. This is going to the Best School Year Ever!
ALL IN,
Principal Burns

SPIRIT NIGHT
What better way to kick off the new school year than with spirit night?! These events are typically held
at local restaurants, and a portion of the proceeds is donated to our school. We try to hold a few spirit
nights at different locations throughout the year. Here are details about our first spirit night of the new
school year:
Chick-Fil-A at North Hills
Thursday, September 24, 4-8 p.m.

DRAGON FIRE FUNDRAISER: OCTOBER 1-9!!

Are you ready to get those fires blazing???? Let's light a fire by supporting our school with donations
for Dragon Fire!!
(A note to our new families: Dragon Fire is the schools annual fall fundraiser. This is a terrific (and
easy) way to support Douglas. It's as simple as writing a check or sending some loose change to
school with your child. Any contribution is appreciated and no amount is too small! This is also a great
opportunity to engage our students in supporting their school. The class that raises the most money
will win a prize.)
Be on the lookout for more details about Dragon Fire in the upcoming week!!

NEEDED: USED CHILDREN'S CLOTHING AND PARENT VOLUNTEERS!!

Douglas will be having a Clothing Exchange on Saturday, October 10, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. We will
be accepting used children's clothing (all sizes) and offering them to all Douglas families at no cost.
We hope that all families can benefit from this, but we need parent help!
We need:

Parents to donate clothes (can be dropped off in carpool the week of 10/5 or in the front office)
Parent volunteer(s) to sort clothing on 10/9 (2:00-4:00 p.m.)
Parent volunteer(s) to help Saturday, 10/10

Please contact the School Counselor, Kelli Williams, if you are interested in volunteering on 10/9 or
10/10. She can be reached at kwilliams7@wcpss.net or 919-881-4897.

A NOTE FROM MRS. ZELASKY

4th and 5th graders will be using their recorders in music class. They need to bring them to every
music class so we can create beautiful music!

COMMUNITY GARDEN NEWS

You may have noticed the Douglas Community Garden getting a facelift! Thanks to a grant from The
Whole Kids Foundation (of Whole Foods), we have been re-building and re-imagining its possibilities.
The Douglas staff are busy hauling new dirt and planting fall veggies to get it started (go teachers!) watch the garden for progress and growth in the coming weeks!
Meanwhile, we hope to create a great "garden community" in addition to a great community garden.
How you (students and parents) can help now:

Cheer on your teachers! Tell them how great the garden is looking and thank them for their
hard work (Seriously. They wheelbarrowed soil across campus in heat and humidity!)
Ask them which garden box is theirs and what they have growing. Check the progress and
share what you notice.

Join the Garden Club (for students. More information coming).

Join the Green Dragons Committee (for parents and students. Contact
skye.engstrom@gmail.com).
Offer to help or volunteer in other ways (also contact Skye).

DOUGLAS ART NIGHT FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS

Join our school community for Art Night on Thursday, October 1st!
4:45 5:45 Lucky Dogs food truck will be selling hotdogs for all parents, students and staff who are
hungry for a yummy treat.
5:45 6:00 Parents and students register for Art Night.
6:00 7:30 Parents and students participate in and enjoy Art Night activities.

SCHOOL STORE
What is the school store: A small store run by the PTA; Located in the hallway across from the
Media Center; Where kids can spend between $0.05 and $1.00 to get supplies or something fun for
school.
When is it open: Fridays from 8:45 to 9:10 am (starting 9/25/15).
What do we sell: Pens, Pencils, Pencil Lead, Sharpeners, Erasers, Pencil Grippers, Highlighters
(often scented), Notepads, Bookmarks, Rulers, Etc. The selection varies throughout the year and
includes some seasonal things.
Want to help: If you are interested in volunteering to run the store, please be on the lookout for a
sign up coming out soon. If you have any questions, contact Derrick
Weaver: derrickgweaver@gmail.com or 919-673-7526.

CULTURE CORNER
How do you say, autumn in Spanish? You say, otoo!

CONNECT WITH DOUGLAS PTA ONLINE

Join us on social media to see all the awesome things happening at Douglas!
Twitter: @PTADouglasES
Facebook: facebook.com/DouglasElemPTA