WRE PTA 2026-2027 

Recommended PTA Disbursements

 

Over the past three months, the WRE PTA Disbursements Committee has been gathering and reviewing input from both parents and staff in regards to disbursing funds raised from the very successful November 2025 WRE Auction. We are excited to share our recommendations, and the PTA will vote on these disbursements at our last PTA on Friday, May 8th.  

 

Many thanks to Kate Bonn, Tara Versfelt, and their auction committee for doing such an outstanding job. Thank you to the Disbursements Committee: Genna Thomas (President), Gloria Savatsky (1st VP-Aide), Sarah Wagner (Treasurer), Casey Daly (4th VP), Kate Bonn & Tara Versfelt (Auction VP), and Bethany Williamson (member-at-large) and Lindsay Evans (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 and Instructional Coach, Grace Hanchey, along with the staff for their input and guidance. We greatly appreciate all of the parents who sent recommendations and ideas throughout this process. Thank you also to the generous WRE community for donating these funds to our school. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please contact Lindsay Evans at wredisbursements@gmail.com.

 

Instructional Support Staff 

$80,000 will be allocated to staffing instructional support teachers who will focus  specifically on reading language arts and math curriculum and instruction. These  content specialists are master-level teachers who work with the WRE leadership team to assist and coach teachers with planning, mentor new teachers, instructional practice, content, curriculum, and classroom environment. These instructional  specialists also work with students on specific skills in small groups to help bring them  up to grade level performance or to provide enrichment opportunities.  

  

Raise the Paddle 

With support from the Auction’s Raise the Paddle efforts, $100,000 was raised to enhance a portion of our playground with a shaded turf area that will add shade for recess, after-school pick up, etc.  The sidewalk near the basketball courts toward the fence will be extended to meet ADA guidelines and allow easier traffic flow during school pick up. Additionally, the southwest side of the building will be turfed to provide a clean and dry sport court and give our littlest learners a safe place to line up for pick up each day. 

 

Tutors 

$40,000 will be allocated to continue to provide academic tutors at WRE. Academic tutors work with students on specific skills in small intervention groups to help bring them up to grade level performance or to provide enrichment opportunities as  needed. 

 

 Grow Garden Grow Program 

$40,000 will go toward the WRE Learning Garden. Grow Garden Grow, back for a second year at WRE, is a school garden support organization dedicated to helping schools  establish, maintain, and integrate gardens into their curriculum. This program offers hands-on, experiential learning through garden-based lessons that align with TEKS  standards and reinforce skills in science, math, language arts, social studies, and  health. Through student instruction, garden consultation, professional development and community engagement, Grow Garden Grow has enhanced our garden program and will continue to flourish for a second year!  

 

Enrichment/STEM Specialist 

$30,000 will be allocated toward a part-time Enrichment/STEM Specialist at WRE. This  staff member will work with all teachers and students at WRE to provide meaningful  enrichment opportunities and enhance our STEM lab and programming. This specialist  will work directly with teachers in planning engaging lesson plans, teach STEM lessons  in our lab, and meet with small groups of students to provide higher-level academic  enrichment opportunities. This teacher will 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.

 

Staff Wish List - $400/Staff Member  

$30,000 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. 

 

One For All Fund  

$25,000 will go toward paying for every student to attend field trips like the PTA One for All Fund has done for the previous 8 years. This money will cover field trip entrance fees and any other curriculum related costs.  

 

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 $15,000 will allow the PTA to purchase school supply kits so that each child in the classroom has a pack on the first day.  

 

Seahawk Share Donation  

$12,000 will be donated to our neighboring feeder schools. We will be donating  $3,000 to Lake Highlands Middle School, $3,000 for Fresh Fruit Fridays (which  provides fruit for students at LHHS), $2,000 to the Lake Highlands High School PTA (to help fund AP testing), $1,000 to Stults Road Elementary, $1,000 to Aikin Elementary, $1,000 to Skyview Elementary and $1,000 to Forest Lane Academy.   

 

Classroom Instructional Fund  

$10,000 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 WRE instructional coach. 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), butterfly habitats for  classrooms, classroom games (such as Bananagrams and Scrabble), materials for  classroom centers, and phonics kits.  

 

WRE Care Closet  

$10,000 will be allocated to maintaining a campus clothes closet and food pantry. These funds are used to support our WRE community families with clothing, food assistance and additional school-related needs.  

 

Staff Team Building  

The heart of WRE are the 115 staff members that teach, serve and help our 900+  students. $8,000 will be used for staff team building event(s) to further develop the WRE teamwork culture.

 

One Book, One School Program  

One Book, One School is a school-wide reading initiative designed to bring the entire White Rock Elementary school community together through the shared experience of  everyone reading the same book. The goal of the program is to foster a love of reading, encourage empathy and kindness, and build a sense of unity among students,  teachers, and families. $8,000 will cover the cost of the book for each student and special activities throughout the school year. In spring of 2026, each student was gifted the age appropriate version of the book, Wonder, during our kindness week as part of 2025-2026 disbursements. 

 

DLC - Sensory Room and Training

$7,500 has been allocated to support our DLC students by enhancing the school’s sensory room and providing professional development for all WRE teachers focused on inclusion, empathy and kindness, bridging the gap between DLC and general education.  Upgrading the sensory space ensures students have access to a safe, supportive environment that meets a variety of sensory and emotional needs, helping them better regulate and engage in learning.  This funding reflects our commitment to meeting diverse student needs and fostering a compassionate school community. 

 

One for All Grade Level T-Shirts

Each year we allocate funds to provide grade level T-shirts for all students to ensure inclusivity, safety, and school spirit during group events such as field trips and field day.  The allocation of $7,000 for T-shirts, supports a cohesive school community while enhancing both students' experience and event safety. 

 

Grow Garden Grow Supplies

$6,000 will be used to cover the cost of continued maintenance and supplies for Grow Garden Grow lessons. As our garden continues to thrive, we want to make sure it is well maintained and our children have the supplies required. 

 

Teacher Led After School Clubs

$6,000 will be allocated to provide stipends for teachers who lead after-school clubs in recognition of their time, effort, and commitment beyond regular school hours. 

 

Teacher and Staff Professional Development  

$5,000 will be used toward teacher and staff continuing education and professional  development. This includes professional development opportunities for the entire  staff, as well as individual opportunities for teachers to attend.  

 

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. 

 

UIL Coaches Stipend

$5,000 will go to the 10 teachers who go above and beyond training and leading our UIL teams for competition. 

 

Inline Skating

$4,500 is allocated to the inline skating program that 3rd - 5th grade students participate in as part of their PE class curriculum. 

 

WRE/ High School Scholarships  

$4,000 is allocated for 2 scholarships given to 2026 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.  

 

Book Vending Machine

$3,000 is allocated to support the purchase of a book vending machine that will be used as a positive incentive for students. This initiative encourages a love of reading by allowing students to earn books as rewards for achievements such as positive behavior, academic effort, and participation. Providing books as incentives promotes literacy, builds excitement around reading, and allows students to grow their personal libraries at home. This investment supports both educational development and student motivation in a meaningful and engaging way.

 

Student Team Building Program 

$3,000 will be spent to launch a new school-wide initiative called the House System —  a proven team-building model designed to strengthen community across all grade  levels. Through the House System, students will be grouped into multi-grade teams  ("Houses") where they will earn points for positive behavior, teamwork, leadership,  and school pride. The goal is to create stronger cross-grade relationships, promote a  positive school culture, and build a deep sense of belonging. The money will be used to fund the initial launch, which will cover House System materials, prizes and  incentives for students, assemblies to build excitement, and professional development  to ensure a strong, lasting implementation.

 

Art Smocks

$3,000 will help stock each art class and lower age classes with reusable art smocks to help foster creativity while protecting clothing. 

 

Grade Level Chair Scholarship  

$2,500 will go to recognize the additional time/work of our Grade Level Teacher Chairs. This money will go to 9 Chairs (one per grade including PreK, Specials and SPED). 

 

Music Department

$1,500 will be allocated to our Music Department to add an additional riser to the stage for programs, pay for Recorders, and decorations for music programs throughout the year. 

 

Art Department  

$1,000 will go towards the needs and supplies that the Art Department has throughout the year. 

 

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.