Spring Fundraiser – Cookie Dough!

If you have a student at Blaney, your child should have come home with their cookie dough order form and brochure today. The Spring Cookie Dough Fundraiser is one of our biggest fundraisers.

Funding support provided by the PTA for even the most basic items such as reading books for the classrooms, pencil sharpeners, printer ink, printer paper, Wordly WiseSaxon Phonics refill kits, replacement headphones for the computers and science lab supplies has become critical due to budget cuts at the state and local level – adjusting for inflation, state funding looks as if it will be cut back to levels similar to funding levels in the early 1970s!

If at all possible, please allow your child participate in the cookie dough fundraiser. Money and order forms are due Monday, March 21st. Additional order forms will be available in the office. A PDF version of the brochure is also available at http://blaneypta.com/cookie-dough/ (This is great if you have out of town family/friends who might like to purchase cookie dough or anyone else who might like to browse their options at their leisure!)

Things to remember when collecting and turning in your order:

  • NO TAX
  • For checks turned in with your order please remember:
    • Make payable to Blaney PTA
    • Put your child’s First & Last Name, Grade & Teacher in the memo section of all checks (even if you did not write the check)
    • Checks not honored by the bank will incur a $28 returned check charge
  • At your discretion, you may have buyers pay you directly & you can write one check for the order total
  • If at all possible, please do not send coins
  • Please be very careful when sending large amounts of money/checks with your child – put money/checks in a SEALED ENVELOPE labeled with your child’s First & Last Name, Grade & Teacher.I can not even count how many times I have had to deal with – loose checks, cash just paper-clipped … not in any type of envelope, unsealed envelopes with hundreds of dollars and loose coins, envelopes with no name or teacher, order forms without so much as a student name.
  • Double check your order totals (number of products as well as dollar totals) and be sure they match the amount of money you send
  • Please put your child’s name, teacher and YOUR daytime phone number (in case we have a question) on each order form – multiple order forms are fine, but please be sure this information is on each form as forms often get separated at some point between the time they leave your home and we begin to total the orders

If you have a very large or complicated order and would like to be present when the order is tallied & the money is counted, please contact the Fundraising Chairwoman, Robin Willoughby by emailing fundraising @ blaneypta.com or leave a message at the school (803) 438-3241 to arrange a time.

Posted in Events & Information | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Email from Dr. Frank Morgan Regarding Proposed SC House Budget

Email from Dr. Frank Morgan dated Feb. 21, 2011


Dear KCSD employees and community:

I wanted to provide an update on several critical issues being considered by the General Assembly that will have very direct impact on the funds available for education in Kershaw County and in our state next year.

As you probably know, the General Assembly’s budget development process starts with the House of Representatives. Right now, the House Ways and Means Committee is hearing testimony and considering how to structure a budget proposal that will ultimately be considered by the full House. A proposed House budget should be presented within the next 30 days.

Issues currently under consideration by the House Ways and Means Committee and the whole House of Representatives include:

  • A Base Student Cost of $1,347, which reflects the level of funding in 1987. However, once this amount is adjusted for inflation, its purchasing power would be about $486, the level of funding that existed in the early 1970s.
  • Freezing of teacher pay, elimination of step increases, and development of a merit pay plan to determine teacher pay.
  • A requirement that local funds be used to fund state-approved charter schools. Under this legislation, Kershaw County would lose between $220,000-$300,000 or the equivalent of 4-6 teachers. There is also a proposal to fund charter school students from the state budget at a much higher level than regular students are funded, at a cost of around $20 million.
  • A 50% reduction in technical assistance funds, which provide resources for schools to use to provide assistance for students who are reading below grade level.
  • Reduction in funds for school nurses.
  • A 170-day school year.
  • A reduction in graduation requirements to reduce high school teaching positions.
  • Elimination of funding for kindergarten assistants.
  • Suspension of funds that support Internet connectivity.

All of these proposals would have profound impact on our district and on K-12 education across the state. I encourage you to stay informed about what is under consideration. Contact information for our legislators, the Governor, and the State Superintendent is provided below.

Please feel free to share this information. Thank you for your continued commitment to educational excellence.

Frank Morgan, Ed.D.
KCSD Superintendent

CONTACT INFORMATION

Governor Nikki Haley
Phone: 803-734-2100
Contact Governor Haley online

Superintendent Mick Zais, State Department of Education
Phone: 803-734-8491
Email: SCSuptEd@ed.sc.gov

Kershaw County Delegation

Senator Joel Lourie – Contact Senator Lourie

Senator Vincent Sheheen – Contact Senator Sheheen

Representative Laurie Slade Funderburk – Contact Rep. Funderburk

Representative Mia Butler Garrick – Contact Rep. Garrick

Speaker Pro Tempore Jay Lucas – Contact Rep. Lucas

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Do You Shop or Search Online?


GoodSearch: You Search...We Give!
If you shop or search online, you can help the Blaney PTA, and it doesn’t cost you anything extra! In fact, it may just SAVE you money. Every time you use GoodSearch or shop online with GoodShop at 1,000 participating stores including Amazon, eBay, Target, Apple, Staples, Expedia, Wal-Mart, etc., a percentage of your purchase will be donated for free! The site also has thousands of money-saving coupons!

To make it even easier, you can install the GoodSearch toolbar or plugin for your browser!

If you’re going to be searching and shopping online anyway, why not raise money for Blaney in the process?

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

November 2010 Paws

The November 2010 Paws can be viewed at:

http://blaneypta.com/paws/November 10 Paws.pdf

Posted in Paws | Tagged | Leave a comment

October 2010 Paws

The October 2010 Paws can be viewed at:

http://blaneypta.com/paws/October2010.pdf

Posted in Paws | Tagged | Leave a comment

September 2010 Paws

The September 2010 Paws can be viewed at:

http://blaneypta.com/paws/September2010.pdf

Posted in Paws | Tagged | Leave a comment

ADHD Awareness Week – Myth #7

This is the last post exploring ADHD myths for ADHD Awareness Week, September 13 – 17, 2010. We would love to hear your comments, personal experiences & suggestions for other resources!

MYTH #7: People who have ADHD are stupid or lazy – they never amount to anything.

Truth:
Many well-known, high-achieving individuals have ADHD, including top executives such as David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways, and Paul Orfalea, founder of Kinko’s. Other well-known, high achieving people with ADHD include Terry Bradshaw (Quarterback, Super Bowl winner and NFL commentator), Howie Mandel (host of “Deal or No Deal”), James Carville (prominent political consultant and commentator), and Michael Phelps (swimmer and holder of 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian ever).

If you missed our other posts about ADHD Myths and ADHD Awareness week, you can find them at this link.

Information courtesy of ADDitude Magazine. To learn more abut ADHD and get free, downloadable & printable information, visit www.additudemag.com/resources/printables.html.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ADHD Awareness Week – Myth #6

We are continuing to explore ADHD myths for ADHD Awareness Week, September 13 – 17, 2010. We would love to hear your comments, personal experiences & suggestions for other resources!

MYTH #6: Children who take ADHD medication are more likely to abuse drugs when they become teenagers.

Truth:
Actually, it’s just the opposite. Having untreated ADHD increases the risk that an individual will abuse drugs or alcohol. Appropriate treatment reduces this risk.

The medications used to treat ADHD have been proven safe and effective over more than 50 years of use. These drugs don’t cure ADHD, but they are highly effective at easing symptoms of the disorder. The drugs do not turn kids into addicts or “zombies.”

If you missed our other posts about ADHD Myths and ADHD Awareness week, you can find them at this link.

Information courtesy of ADDitude Magazine. To learn more abut ADHD and get free, downloadable & printable information, visit www.additudemag.com/resources/printables.html.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

ADHD Awareness Week – Myth #5

We are continuing to explore ADHD myths for ADHD Awareness Week, September 13 – 17, 2010. We would love to hear your comments, personal experiences & suggestions for other resources!

MYTH #5: ADHD is the result of bad parenting.

Truth:
When a child with ADHD blurts things out or gets out of his seat in class, it’s not because he hasn’t been taught that these behaviors are wrong. It’s because he cannot control his impulses. The problem is rooted in brain chemistry, not discipline. In fact, overly strict parenting – which may involve punishing a child for things he can’t control – can actually make ADHD symptoms worse. Professional interventions, such as drug therapy, psychotherapy, and behavior modification therapy, are usually required.

If you missed our other posts about ADHD Myths and ADHD Awareness week, you can find them at this link.

Information courtesy of ADDitude Magazine. To learn more abut ADHD and get free, downloadable & printable information, visit www.additudemag.com/resources/printables.html.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ADHD Awareness Week – Myth #4

We are continuing to explore ADHD myths for ADHD Awareness Week, September 13 – 17, 2010. We would love to hear your comments, personal experiences & suggestions for other resources!

MYTH #4: ADHD affects only boys.

Truth:
Girls are just as likely to have ADHD as are boys, and gender makes no difference in the symptoms caused by the disorder. But because this myth persists, boys are more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

If you missed our other posts about ADHD Myths and ADHD Awareness week, you can find them at this link.

Information courtesy of ADDitude Magazine. To learn more abut ADHD and get free, downloadable & printable information, visit www.additudemag.com/resources/printables.html.

Posted in Articles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment