PTA News
Pajama Day and Movie Night: Inside Out
Send your kids to school in their PJs tomorrow, February 19th. Students may join in on the fun by wearing their pajamas or other clothing inside out. Families may make an optional donation to support the PTA and compete to win an end of year class pizza party.
Front running classes include:
- 1st - Ms. Witz
- 2nd - Ms. Musacchio
- 3rd - Ms. Rotolo
Skate Night
Hot Skates will open just for Westowne families and friends on Thursday, February 25th, from 6:00 - 9:00. The cost is $6 to skate or $2 to watch. This evening is not a fundraiser. Thanks to Westowne parent, Carey Berlin, for setting up this event!
Box Tops
Our next submission to Box Tops for Education will be made at the end of the month. Please send in any Box Tops, including Bonus Box Tops, by next Friday, February 26th, for counting, bundling, packing up, and mailing off. All Box Tops submitted now will be credited in our April check. Thank you to all the participating families for helping us raise cash for our school!
Book Fair & Literature Night
The PTA sponsored Scholastic Book Fair runs March 16th - 18th. Every student will get a shopping trip during that week. See the book fair Volunteer Spot to sign up to help.
And then--think globally, learn locally and celebrate our diversity from both near and far. Please mark your calendars for our annual multicultural literature night on Friday, March 18th, from 6:00 - 9:00. Volunteers are needed for this literacy promotion event.
- Pizza & Concessions (5th grade parents) – Help set up and sell concessions. Proceeds benefit the 5th Grade Committee.
- Stories & Crafts – Help out in the classrooms with stories and crafts for the parents and kids. Last year we had African folk tales, Chesapeake Bay stories, the Brothers Grimm, and more. Help us learn about each other and the world.
- Membership & Spirit Wear – Help the PTA sell memberships and spirit wear.
- Scholastic Book Fair – Help run the shop so that parents and kids can shop for themselves and for their teachers. Help pack up the shop at the end. See Volunteer Spot to sign up to help with the book fair.
- Set up & Clean up
Maryland PTA Scholarship
The Maryland PTA offers scholarships at a minimum of $500 to high school seniors who plan to pursue a career in education in the schools of Maryland. Applications are due March 18, 2016. See the file below.

scholarshipapplicationmdpta2016-alex.doc |
Recycling Center
The latest addition to Westowne's recycling center is nylon tights and pantyhose. No Nonsense has launched the first recycling program for nylon fabrics, and we are excited to participate. If you have tights, pantyhose, or knee highs to discard, please place them in the labeled bin in our ever-growing recycling center. We'll ship them off for recycling, and they could be turned into items such as park benches and playground equipment!
Some of the other items we collect in our recycling center keep Westowne green while raising funds. Collect these items in your home and office, and then bring them to school so they can be recycled.
- Ink Cartridges
- Dental Items: Toothpaste tubes, floss boxes, and toothbrushes
- Plastic Writing Instruments: pens, markers, highlighters, plastic pencils
- Juice Pouches
- Hair care packaging: shampoo/conditioner bottles & caps, hair gel/paste tubes, jars & caps, hair spray bottles & triggers
- Skin care packaging: face soap dispensers & tubes, body wash containers, soap tubes & dispensers, face/body/hand lotion dispensers, bottles, jars & tubes, shaving foam tubes (no cans)
- Cosmetic packaging: lipstick/balm/gloss tubes & cases, mascara tubes, eye shadow/bronzer cases, foundation packaging & bottles, powder cases, eyeliner cases & pencils, eye shadow tubes, concealer tubes & sticks, and lip liner pencils
Community News
Read Across Maryland
March is Read Across Maryland month. Maryland public school students in grades K-12 may enter the “Take the 30/30 Reading Challenge” sponsored by the Maryland State Education Association. Students must log 30 minutes of reading time for 30 days in the month of March to be eligible. Completed forms should be mailed or emailed to MSEA. Please do not send them into school. Entries must be postmarked by 4:45 p.m. on April 8th. Participants could win a iPad mini or an Amazon.com gift card.