The 2023-2024 WRE PTA Disbursements Committee met numerous times over the past few months to gather and review input from both parents and staff in regards to disbursing funds raised from the very successful November 2022 WRE Auction. Many thanks to Meredith Neff and her auction committee for doing such an outstanding job for the THIRD year in a row. Thank you to the Disbursements Committee: Sarah Hefton (President), Melissa Chapman (1st VP-Aide), Gloria Savatsky (Treasurer), Kim Elliott (4th VP), Meredith Neff (Auction VP), Mandy Collins and Lindsay Evans (Incoming Auction Chairs) and Melissa Duffield (Chair) for all your time and consideration as we make the recommendation to our PTA general membership. Also, a huge thank you to Principal Stevens along with the staff for their input and guidance. A big thank you to parents for sending recommendations and ideas throughout this process. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please contact Melissa Duffield at melissaduffield@sbcglobal.net.

 

One For All Fund $30,000 will go toward paying for each student to attend field trips like the PTA One for All Fund has done for the previous 5 years. This money will cover field trip entrance fees and any other curriculum related costs. This money will also cover recorders for 4th graders and any new students in 5th-6th in addition to the skating curriculum in PE for upper-level grades. Additionally, PTA provides $50 for each 5th grade student that attends Sky Ranch.

 

Math and Reading Specialists $60,000 will be allocated to continue to provide a part-time Math Specialist and part-time Reading Specialist at WRE. These content specialists are master-level teachers who work with the WRE Instructional Coach to assist and coach grade level teachers with planning, instructional practice, content, curriculum, and classroom environment. They also work with students on specific skills in small groups to help bring them up to grade level performance or to provide enrichment opportunities.

 

Garden Specialist $36,000 will go toward providing a part-time Garden Specialist for year two in the WRE Learning Garden. The Garden Specialist will plan and teach lessons to all grade levels in the WRE Learning Garden and/or STEM Lab. This person will manage the garden’s maintenance to ensure that it remains an excellent learning environment, organize community/parent volunteer opportunities in the garden, and provide ongoing enrichment to our science program. The Garden Specialist will also manage the WRE STEM Lab, including keeping track of inventory and storage, maintaining and organizing the lab schedule, and ensuring that all classrooms get to utilize this learning space.

 

Primary Specialist $30,000 will be allocated to provide a part-time Primary Specialist at WRE. The Primary Specialist is a master-level teacher who will work specifically with PreK through 1st grade teachers and students. This specialist works with WRE primary teachers by assisting with lesson planning, modeling lessons, classroom management, supporting the classroom environment, and planning for special grade level events and activities. The Primary Specialist will also work with small groups of students to help bring them up to grade level performance or to provide enrichment opportunities as needed.

 

Staff Classroom Supplies - $400/Staff Member $27,000 will be allocated to help teachers pay for classroom supplies throughout the year. This is a highly requested recommendation each year and we gladly set aside these funds to ease the burden of teachers paying out of pocket for supplies.

 

Instructional Fund $6,500 will be allocated to the Instructional Fund. These dollars will be used to purchase materials, manipulatives, books, and items that enhance, enrich, or support classroom and small group instruction. These materials are requested for shared use by WRE teachers and are managed by the Instructional Coach in the Literacy Library where teachers can check them out to use in their classrooms. Examples of how this money has been used in past years include: class or small group sets of books, math manipulatives (such as counters, clocks, base ten blocks), classroom games (such as Bananagrams and Scrabble), materials for classroom centers, and phonics kits.

 

Garden Phase 2 Implementation $6,050 was raised at the auction to help fund ongoing improvements to the WRE Learning Garden. Phase 2 is already underway with a new garden design that is more functional and sustainable for our garden to grow long-term. These funds will be used to complete the plans for Garden Phase 2, including the installation of a water harvesting system, purchase of new outdoor learning supplies, and growing plants new to the WRE Learning Garden, including fruit trees, perennials, and various vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

 

Subs during Parent/Teacher Conferences $5,000 will go toward providing subs during parent/teacher conferences. In previous years, PTA paid for two conference day subs. Next school year, one of the conference days will be a student holiday, allowing teachers to meet with parents without needed a substitute in their classroom.

 

WRE Care Closet $5,000 will be allocated to maintaining a campus clothes closet and food pantry with a new name! We spent a considerable amount getting the Care Closet up and running last year and now we are using these funds to keep the Closet stocked and ready.

 

STEM Programming $5,000 will be allocated to STEM Programming to support and enrich curriculum and instruction in science and technology at WRE. These funds also provide “STEM Lab Field Trips” where classes come to the STEM Lab to learn from various outside organizations and programs, such as the Perot Museum, Dallas Arboretum, and Mad Science.

 

Portion of Auction Funds Donated to LHJH $5,600 of our auction proceeds will be donated to Lake Highlands Junior High to assist their PTA programs.

 

Teacher & Staff Development $5,000 will go toward teacher and staff development. As teachers attend conferences or continuing education programs, PTA would like to ease the financial burden. In order for a teacher or staff member to receive these funds, they will apply for “Teacher Development Grants” through the PTA.

 

Scholarships $4,000 is allocated for 2 scholarships given to 2024 graduating seniors (former WRE students). We are currently reviewing applications and the recipients and winners will be announced in May at the Senior Awards Ceremony at LHHS and announced in the Seahawker. The two scholarships are in memory and honor of Austin Silva and Julian Kampfshulte.

 

Pay It Forward 4th & 6th Grade Art $3,920 will go to the 4th grade and 6th grade funds. The grade levels use these funds for field trip buses and 6th grade specifically uses it to pay for all the 6th grade activities leading up to and including graduation.

 

School Supplies Assistance There is an increasing need each year for school supplies for the first day of school for many WRE students. This fund of $3,000 will allow the PTA to purchase extra school supply kits so that each child in the classroom has a pack on the first day.

 

Grade Level Subscriptions $2,500 will allow grade levels to purchase and share subscriptions to programs that support and enrich curriculum and instruction. These engaging programs include student favorites like Flocabulary and the live learning game show GIMKit, as well as Brain Pop Jr. and Generation Genius.

 

Grade Level Chair Scholarship $2,500 will go to recognize the additional time/work of our Grade Level Chairs. This money will go to 10 Chairs (one per grade including PreK, Specials and SPED).

 

STEM Lab The WRE STEM Lab is up and running and continues to be transformed into a great space for students to participate in engaging and innovative science instruction. $2,000 will be allocated toward new purchases for science supplies and equipment, including STEM activities aligned with the curriculum, materials requested by teachers for science lessons, and restocking consumable supplies as needed.

 

Principal’s Perks $2,000 will be allocated for the WRE admin team to use for student and staff incentives, treats, and prizes. The admin team will use these dollars to purchase prizes like games, toys, and stickers that students can earn throughout the year. For students, this also funds the monthly rewards given school-wide in the character bucks or PBIS program. The WRE admin team also uses this money to purchase prizes (like classroom supplies and self-care items) and treats (like breakfast or snacks) for teachers at staff development sessions, staff meetings, and during the staff’s back to school week in August.

 

Garden Supplies & Maintenance $1,000 has been allocated for WRE Garden needs over the course of the school year. Examples of garden needs are mulch, garden tools, compost, etc.

 

Special Education Supplies $1,000 will go toward our special education programs to provide supplies and fill any gaps in this program. This “scholarship” has been given to the department since 2017 and is in memory and honor of Griffin Shaw.

 

This recommendation will be up for a vote at the May 5th PTA General Meeting at 8am.