After an unprecedented year-plus of challenges, welcome back to school! For all new and returning students, we are hopeful that the coming school year will provide a needed reset and restore a needed sense of normalcy for parents and students. This year’s Parent-TeacherAssociation (PTA) board President and Vice-President, Penny Huang and Denise Dekker, are parents to 7th graders, both former Peralta Elementary students, who missed the first year of in-person middle school due to the pandemic. We understand the loss that Covid has wrung from all of our lives and are invested in restoring the connections, rituals, and equity that we value at Claremont Middle School.
As we return, you may wonder, what can I do to help? Glad you asked!
Fundraising
Like most organizations, we need cash. A primary purpose of the PTA’s function is too fundraise and this is one impactful way to support our school. A donation of ANY amount is very much appreciated and every dollar counts! For families that can afford to pay more, we ask that you please consider a $1000 annual donation. Contributions can be automated to give at a regular monthly amount. Additionally, check if your company has a matching gifts program to amplify your impact! Click here to contribute now!
What we do with our funds:
Bolster Claremont’s academic excellence, safety, extra-curricular activities, equity, and inclusion programs
Provide in-class support personnel to minimize the impact of large class sizes and help teachers with supplies and enrichment programs
Fund Athletics, Restorative Justice, Community Building, Science, Art, Music,Technology (Media), Library (and more).
Get Involved
Join the PTA, attend meetings, or consider volunteering! General PTA meetings are open to all and will be held on the first Thursday of September, October, February and May. Our first general PTA meeting of the year will be: 5:30pm, Thursday, Sep 2, 2021. Stay tuned to a Zoom link that we’ll send out in advance of that meeting!
If you’re interested in volunteering regularly, or for a one-off project, please reach out; we’d love to hear from you. The PTA depends on parent input to improve our systems and engagement; after more than a year of distance learning, we need your help and ideas to (safely) re-establish these connections. Events are also listed on our website:
PTA Auction (we need volunteers!)
Pancake Breakfast
Ride for a Reason
Taste of Temescal
Stay in-the-loop
There are many different channels offered to get the most information:
Get the CMS Knightline newsletter emailed to you. (Sign up your caregivers and extended family too.) Look for the subscription box on the website or click here.
Download the ParentSquare app
Check your email for communications from your grade level reps:
6th grade: iemckenney@gmail.com (Ingrid McKenney)
7th grade: jjbrimmer@yahoo.com (Jenna Brimmer)
8th grade: iemckenney@gmail.com (Ingrid McKenney)
Engage with your amazing, talented PTA board:
President: Penny Huang ptapresident@claremontms.org
Executive Vice President: Denise Dekker
Treasurer: Danny Kramer treasurer@claremontms.org
Secretary: Julie Liu & Grace Kim
VPs of Fundraising: Sharon Flor & Ryann Cheung fundraising@claremontms.org
VP of Communications: Wendy Taubler news@claremontms.org
VP of Events: Elaina Garvin Briant
Financial Secretary: Laura Mytels
Historian: Amy Golden
Parliamentarian: Jennifer Daskal
As parents, caregivers, and guardians, your support ensures that CMS will thrive. Additionally, your involvement means that parents will continue to be an integral part of shaping our kids’ school experience. Join us!
Best,
Penny Huang, President
Denise Dekker, Executive Vice President