PTA Support

Last year I began a photo club and opened it to 10 5th and 6th graders. It filled up and the kids had a blast. PTA agreed to sponsor the entire club, which was about $350 for cameras and purchasing and developing film. I decided to run this club again and have even been asked by several students when it would take place. So, yet again I went to PTA to ask for their financial support. I emailed the President asking her to add me to the agenda and was preparing to give a speech on why they should put up the money for my club again this year. I was amazed when I learend they already had me on the bill for $250 in the event I decided I wanted to have another photo club. They also said that if I needed $300 it wouldn't be a problem. This is pretty cool, I must say. I haven't really had any dealings with other PTA's but mine is pretty amazing. They are all for extra arts and any programs that will add to the quality of their student's education.
With this money I have planned out the photo club schedule. We will be taking pictures of textures and learning about composition the first week. We will also be learning about some of my favorite texture photographers like Margaret Bourke-White. The second week we will be making a photo documentary. The third week students will make cyanotypes using sun print paper. I even have enough funds to purchase a kit for them that they may take home. I thought this would be a fun project to introduce alternative photography, which I have been doing a bit of myself lately. The fourth and last week we will be making photo collages from all of the sub prime photos and looking at artists who do this as well. On the last session I purchase ice cream and toppings for sundaes, which the kids loved last year. I'm pretty excited about the whole club and every week it seems I have even more kids ask when the photo club will be. Can't get any better than that!

Book Fair Bucks

My school as a Winter and a Spring Book Fair. I found this out a few weeks ago when one of the mom's emailed me asking if I could decorate for this event. ..

It was a winter theme... and they needed penguins and polar bears.

;)

So- since she is a member of the PTA ( where I get most of my budget) - I said I would be happy to help....

One day after school after hanging another installation of Polar Bears with some theme like " Fall into a new book"- I asked the media specialist if there was a discount for teachers on books at the fair. This is when I found out about book bucks- Parents donate money for teachers to purchase books.

This morning I looked in my mail box to find 268$ book dollars!

Amazing.

Like most elementary art teachers I use a lot of children's literature to teach art lessons.

I purchased a lot of cool stuff- even bought a few items just for me.

One of my fav purchases was Zen Shorts. - One of those books I kept seeing at Barnes and NOble but never bought!

Very exciting! Definitely one of those days that makes it OK to work on a cart. ;)