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John Swett Elementary School PTA

November Newsletter

John SwettElementary School PTANovember Newsletter

President's Message President's Message

From the President

Hello to my favorite roadrunners!
As we creep up into some cooler weather I hope you are able to find some time to pause and enjoy the crisp air. As family life starts ramping up, our PTA events are ramping down a smidge to provide some balance to our community life.
As I was getting my hair cut the other day, my stylist asked me, "I want to get involved, but I'm not a crafty, creative thinking type. What do people who stink at PTA type things do? I don't even know where to start at my kids' school!" And I realized that you might be feeling the same way and wondering the same thing.
What I told her is: There is a spot for everyone. If you haven't been involved in PTA it can be hard to see past the overwhelming roles (that you have no interest in filling, and that is ok) to see the people behind the scenes who are just as much a part of making this machine run. Sometimes it just means reaching out and letting us know a little more about yourself, and the people who are in deep can easily find a good starting point for you! Email me or fill out this form. It isn't a commitment, just an inquiry.
I am so thankful that so many of us are invested in making JSE a magical place. I love that we are already seeing the fruit of a community coming together for the good of our kids. October was great! I expect no less from November :) Much gratitude for all of YOU!

Courtnie Jensen
president@jsepta.com

October PTA Activities Recap October PTA Activities Recap

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πŸŽƒ We Had Spooky Fun In October! 🧑 πŸ–€

Following the tremendous success of our Fun Run, which raised an impressive $76,581.20 in total school profit, our Roadrunner community continued to show its spirit and come together in support of JSE!

Families, students and the community joined forces to help build our school’s Odysseus themed float for the Alhambra High School Homecoming Parade down Main Street. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed their time and creativity, with a special shout-out to the dedicated committee who brought the float to life!

Our community came together once again to make JSE’s first official Carnoween fundraiser a spooky, magical success! From creative, funny, and frightfully good costumes to exciting games, sweet treats, and plenty of Halloween scares, the evening was full of fun and frights!

A huge thank you to all our volunteers who helped make the event possible, and an extra special thank you to the Carnoween committee for their countless hours of planning, coordination, and hard work. These events are a wonderful reminder of what makes the JSE community so special. We couldn’t do it without you, Roadrunners!

We also saw and celebrated Latinx Heritage with Leyendas de Duende – Magical Tales of Latin America, a bilingual performance that celebrated Latinx and Hispanic heritage, folklore, and mythology. This was one of two assemblies by Boxtail Theater Company, brought to us by our awesome Cultural Committee!

It's never too late to JOIN:

https://jointotem.com/ca/martinez/john-swett-elementary-pta

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Walk N Roll

Walk N Roll Halloween Special Charms for all participants who walk, roll or carpool to school on Wednesday October 28th. Reminder it’s never too late to register, find our school page at www.walknrolltoschool.org and use your students four digit number on their Walk N Roll tag to register your distance and mode of travel. Have fun and keep track of the impact you are having in our community!

Help do you part to reduce traffic, improve the environment, and provide our children with a safe and active childhood, plus you get to hang out with a really awesome group of parents.

Contact walknroll@jsepta.com to join our crew!

Sign Up Here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0449A9A72BA3FAC16-62317129-walk#/

Get Inspired:

https://youtu.be/d6M5LyTK_kA?si=ZX8T55U34bb2D9vT

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Easy Fundraising Opportunity

πŸͺ™πŸ’™ 4th Grade Penny Drive! πŸ’›πŸͺ™

It’s time to dig into those piggy banks and help support our 4th graders! πŸŽ‰

Throughout the month of November, bring in your pennies, coins, or dollar bills to help raise money for the 4th Grade Overnight Field Trip to Coloma! πŸ•οΈπŸŒ²

Every coin counts, and your support helps make this special experience possible for our students. πŸ’™πŸ’›

πŸ† And there’s a little friendly competition!
The winning grade level will take home the GRAND PRIZE! πŸŽ‰

So start collecting those coins and let’s see which grade can bring in the most!

Let’s go Roadrunners! πŸ¦πŸ’™πŸ’›

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πŸ§œβ€β™€οΈπŸŽ­ Missoula Is Coming Back to JSE! πŸŽ­πŸ§œβ€β™€οΈ

We’re excited to announce that Missoula Children’s Theatre will be returning this February with The Little Mermaid! 🌊🐚✨

We’re looking for a couple of generous JSE families who would be willing to host the TWO directors during the week of the play.

🏠 Housing Dates:
Sunday, January 31 – Sunday, February 7, 2027

Hosting is a wonderful way to support this special experience for our students! πŸ’™πŸ’›

Interested in hosting?
Please reach out to:
πŸ“§ missoula@jsepta.com

What does hosting involve?

Hosts are simply asked to provide:

  • πŸ›οΈ A private room with a door
  • 🚿 Access to a bathroom
  • 🧊 Access to a refrigerator

Hosts are NOT responsible for providing meals or feeding the director.

The hosting families will get up to 4 FREE tickets to each show (Friday and Saturday) plus reserved seating for those 4 tickets AND a saved parking spot. 🎫

More information will be shared as we get closer to the event.


Thank you for helping us make Missoula possible for our Roadrunners! πŸ’™πŸ’›πŸŽ­

Family Movie Night Family Movie Night

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Save The Date - Friday December 11th @ 6pm

Get ready to snuggle up for a cozy night of holiday fun at John Swett Elementary! Join us on Friday, December 11th, at 6:00 PM for a special family movie night featuring the holiday favorite Elf! πŸ§πŸ’š

Bring the whole family and get comfortable for a fun-filled evening with Buddy the Elf! Whether you're a longtime fan or watching this Christmas classic for the first time, it's the perfect opportunity to relax, share some laughs, and enjoy time together with our JSE community.

🧣 Get cozy! Bring your favorite blankets, pillows, and lawn chairs so you can settle in and enjoy the show in comfort. Feel free to wear your favorite holiday pajamas or festive gear to make the evening even more fun! πŸŽ…βœ¨

πŸ“… When: Friday, December 11th
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM
πŸ“ Where: John Swett Elementary (JSE)
πŸŽ₯ Featured Movie: Elf


✨ More details coming soon β€” we can't wait to see you there! πŸΏπŸŽ„

Food Drive Food Drive

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Join us in making a difference!

November 9–18

Let’s come together as a school community to help those in need! During our food drive, we invite all Roadrunner families to donate non-perishable food items to support the Contra Costa Food Bank or Contra Costa County!

πŸ₯« Most-Needed Items

  • Peanut butter

  • Canned tuna

  • Rice

  • Pasta

  • Whole-grain cereals

  • Canned vegetables

  • Canned fruit

  • Canned soup

  • Non-perishable, ready-to-eat meals (such as ravioli and chili)

🚫 NO GLASS CONTAINERS, PLEASE!

πŸ“¦ Where to Donate

  • Students: Drop off donations in the collection bins inside the school entrance.

  • Parents: Donations may be dropped off in the school office.

Every donation counts! Thank you for helping our Roadrunner community spread kindness, support local families, and make a differenceβ€”one can at a time! πŸ’™πŸ’›

Spring Family Event Spring Family Event

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Dance, Derby Cars, Dodgeball, Bingo???

JSE PTA and The Family Engagement Chair is looking for a team of people, or a lead to help throw a spring family event! In the past, we've had dances with different themes, but this event isn't limited to being a dance! Some ideas are derby car making and racing (which has been a hit before), dodgeball, create a cardboard car and do a "drive in" movie, Bingo, silly olympics, or minute to win it. Are you excited about creating more memories with the community members that share our school? This is a great entry level volunteer position with lots of support! Grab a friend and sign up or sign up and make a friend.

Teacher Treats Teacher Treats

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Our teachers are the backbone of our school, lets shower them with treats

Let's show the JSE staff some LOVE by providing them with treats / snacks once per month

in 2026-27! Please review the available slots at Signup Genius and click to sign up. Healthy

snacks like fruit, yogurt, granola, carrots, celery, hummus, bubbly waters, etc. are

welcomed!

You can drop off your snack with Lori Martin in the office on your assigned day.

We're so fortunate to have such amazing teachers and staff!!! If you have any questions,

please reach out to Tamra, at teachertreats@jsepta.com

Let's go Roadrunners!
Sign Up Here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4CADA628ABFECE9-64302379-teacher#/

Stay Up to Date: Social Media Stay Up to Date: Social Media

Make sure to follow our official PTA Social Media Channels and make sure to check the website if you have questions about who to contact or when an event takes place.
Follow us on Instagram!
Follow us on Facebook!

Multicultural Events Multicultural Events

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πŸŒŽπŸ’™πŸ’› Celebrate Our JSE Community! πŸ’›πŸ’™πŸŒŽ

Do you love celebrating the vibrant and multicultural community that makes John Swett so special? We’d love for you to join the PTA Cultural Events Committee!

There are lots of ways to get involvedβ€”whether you’d like to help plan a celebration, share a special tradition or cultural experience, or simply lend a hand on the day of an event. Every contribution helps us create meaningful opportunities for our students and families to learn, connect, and celebrate one another. πŸ’™πŸ’›

Your time is flexible! We can work with your schedule and offer both remote and in-person volunteer opportunities.

Want to be part of the fun? We’d love to have you!

πŸ“§ Contact us: culturalevents@jsepta.com

Let’s celebrate what makes our JSE community unique! πŸŒŽπŸŽ‰πŸ’™πŸ’›

PTA Meeting Nov 17th @ 7pm PTA Meeting Nov 17th @ 7pm

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Join Us!

Our mission is to build a connected, inclusive JSE community where every child and family feels supported, valued, and empowered. We do this by fostering meaningful relationships, advocating for equity, taking action to meet community needs, and raising funds that enhance opportunities for all students.

We lead with belonging, collaboration, listening, and accountability because we believe lasting impact begins with a community that works together.
But why should you come? First of all, as a member of this community, you are valued. And while new places (and sometimes old places) can be intimidating or carry negative connotations,
this is THE first hand place for information. Events, budgets, voting for leadership. Our PTA brings SO much to the JSE community, but it also TAKES a community. This is where your voice is best heard. Attendance to our meetings is NOT a commitment to volunteer or to be roped in. But we do hope you find inspiration to find a place you are excited to support and plug into.

Mark your Calendar Mark your Calendar

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Don't Forget!

  • 11/1 Daylight Savings
  • 11/11 No School
  • 11/9 - 11/18 Food Drive
  • 11/17 PTA Meeting
  • 11/23 - 11/27 Thanksgiving Break No School
  • 12/11 Family Movie Night


Checking out our online calendar is also a great way to stay up to date on what is going on!

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John Swett Elementary PTA

Follow us on Instagram: jseptaroadrunners

or facebook: John Swett PTA Facebook Page



Email: president@jsepta.com
Website: www.jsepta.com

Communications: communications@jsepta.com

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