Hi IVA Dragon Families!

Happy Valentine's Day! In this edition, you will find information for the following:

1. Love Grams for Teachers & Staff - Due Today

2. PTA Association Meeting 2/15

3. School Of Excellence Focus Program - Digital Safety

4. Founder's Day - PTA is 125 years old!

5. Reflections News

6. Special Education Community Advisory Committee

7. February Dine-Out

8. Nominating Committee News

9. School Spirit Fridays

10. Yearbook Sale

Celebrate our Teachers & Staff for Valentine's Day! Send a special Valentine's Day message to show some love for all our Teachers & Staff. Today, 2/14 is the last day to upload your student's message.

Please click here for our Love Gram Padlet

Earlier this year, IUSD Virtual Academy PTA applied for School of Excellence for our school. Digital Safety is our focus area for this program. For the month of February, we will include featured Digital Safety Guides in our Newsletter and Website. This week's guides include:

1. Parent's Guide to Educational Technology

2. Parent's Guide to Roblox

3. Parent's Guide to Cyberbullying

4. Parent's Guide to TikTok

Hope these guides are useful! Please send us your feedback: info@ivapta.org.

It’s time to celebrate Founder’s Day! Let’s start with some insight into the PTA history. The PTA is celebrating 125 years strong! According to the history recorded on the PTA website, it started in 1897 when two women, Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst founded the National Congress of parents and teachers with a mission to better the lives of children in education, health, and safety. In 1926, Selena Sloan Butler formed the National Congress of colored parents and teachers to advocate for children, especially African American children in segregated communities. It was on June 22nd, 1970, the two Congress’, signed a declaration of unification and officially became one organization. For more than 125 years, National Parent Teacher Association has worked toward bettering the lives of every child in education, health, and safety. The PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities and a strong advocate for public education. Let’s highlight that as the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the nation, the PTA has established programs and called for legislation that improves our children's lives such as: creation of kindergarten classes, child labor laws, public health service, hot and healthy lunch programs, juvenile justice system, mandatory immunization, arts in education, and school safety. Founder’s Day, February 17th, is when we celebrate the legacy and work of our founders Alice, Phoebe, and Selena and take pride in the achievements they helped start.

Let’s take this time to highlight our very own IVA Elementary PTA working behind the scenes for the betterment of our kids, putting on events, and spreading our DRACO spirit all year round. I encourage you, if time permits, not only come to our PTA virtual meetings but take an extra step and consider being part of the PTA or joining our membership in the future.

We also have a new membership challenge surrounding Founder's Day. It's our Founder's Day Membership Challenge. We are looking for 15 new membership by 3/1/22 to meet our goal. If we meet our 17 new members goal, our PTA will receive a certificate and be recognized on our California State PTA's social media.

To join, click here. Let's show our Dragon spirit!

Please join us in congratulating our Reflections Winners that had placed with Irvine Unified Council PTA! We're so proud of all our Dragons!

IUCPTA Award of Excellence Winner (advancing to Fourth District PTA):

Anderson L. - "Go green, save the Earth!"

IUCPTA Award of Merit Winners:

Ashley Y. - "I Will Change The World By Promoting Wellbeing"

Aron M. - "Daisy"

IUCPTA Honorable Mention Winners:

Samhitha S. - "I will change the world by helping the poor and needy!"

Kennedi G. - "Caged Bird"

*Our IVA PTA will be distributing awards on Wednesday. All families that submitted Reflections artwork had been notified via email.

Here's some important information from our IUSD Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC).

The IUSD Virtual Academy PTA Nominating Committee is currently looking for interested parents to serve on the 2022-2023 IUSD Virtual Academy PTA Executive Board. Open positions are as follows:

1. President
2. Treasurer
3. Secretary
   
4. Executive Vice President
5. VP Membership
6. VP Program
7. VP Fundraising
8. Financial Secretary
9. Historian
10. Auditor

Click here - Job descriptions for required positions.

Click here - Job descriptions for other positions.

We welcome any interested parents to consider joining us. Please reach out to the Nominating Committee by February 23, 2022 at: NomComm@ivapta.org

*Future board members must be a PTA member for 30 days in order to be slated.

Show your School Spirit each Friday by wearing your Spiritwear or school colors! We can't wait to see your Dragon Pride! If you'd like to share, please email us a picture at: info@ivapta.org. We'd love to see your school spirit!

Note: By emailing us your picture, parental permission is granted for PTA to share your picture on social media/website.

We are so happy to offer a yearbook this year and we're taking yearbook orders now! Please see the links below.

Click here to Buy your IVA Yearbook

Guide to Upload Portrait Photo

Guide to Setting up Treering Account

Guide to Creating Custom Pages

IVA Passcode: 101625753750925

Email yearbook questions to: yearbook@ivapta.org.
For assistance placing orders: click here or call 877-755-TREE (Monday - Friday from 6AM to 6PM ) (treering.com customer support)

We are still seeking Room Parents in some classrooms. Room Parents are essential to facilitate communication between the PTA, teacher, and families. Responsibilities include communication with the PTA and emailing PTA information/updates to your teacher and classroom parents. We will provide a quick training/tutorial. You are a key to our success!

Please click here to view the list of classrooms and Sign Up!

Help our school earn dollars! The Market Place is a great place to shop for your everyday needs or for that little something special. Shop and log your receipts to earn money for IUSD Virtual Academy PTA! Earn & Learn runs from September 1 through April 30. Plus, the school with the most dollars logged each month will earn a $250 bonus. Limit one bonus prize per school. Submit your receipts to help us earn $250 to $3,000 for our PTA. Go to: shopthemarketplace.com for a complete directory. Submit receipts on the Earn & Learn website and view program info. SHOPANDLOG.COM/TMP

EARN TRIPLE POINTS!

**Earn 15 points per dollar spent from these restaurants in February. Submit receipts by 2/28/22 to earn triple points.

Pieology Pizzeria

Famous Dave's Barbeque

Piadina

Macaroni Grill

Islands Fine Burgers and Drinks

All other store and restaurant receipts dated since 9/1/21 will earn regular points.

Thank you and Happy shopping!

5th Grade Girl's Night - Wednesday, March 2, 2022

5th Grade Guy's Night - Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Move-A-Thon - March 28 to April 1, 2022

February 15, 2022, 12 pm, Virtual

March 15, 2022, 12 pm, Virtual

April 26, 2022, 12 pm, Virtual

May 17, 2022, 12 pm, Virtual

Meetings occur on Tuesdays at 12 pm. Dates and times are subject to change.