Oct/Nov 2003 Leif Ericson Elementary PTA Newsletter Vol XXXIV #1 A California Distinguished School Leif Ericson Elementary School 11174 Westonhill Drive San Diego, CA 92126 Phone: (858) 271-0505 Principal: Linette da Rosa PTA President: Carrie Casey Welcome to all new and returning families. The PTA Board worked hard over the summer break to get ready for the school year. I would like to thank all of them and their families too! We hope your family has enjoyed our programs so far. Do you know what the PTA has to offer? The National PTA is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the United States. A not-for-profit association of parents, educators, students, and other citizens active in their schools and communities, PTA is a leader in reminding our nation of its obligations to children. The purposes of PTA are: To promote the welfare of the children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship. To raise the standards of home life. To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth. To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth. To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education. There are several great programs available through the National and California State PTA. I encourage all of you to check out the National PTA website http://www.pta.org and the California State PTA website http://www.capta.org. You will be impressed! We would like to offer a lot to our children this year. The more volunteers we have the more we can offer. If you are interested in volunteering, please call me at (858)693-8042 or via email at carrie@ericsonpta.com. We are looking for some dedicated volunteers to chair some events. Volunteers that are able to assist with projects are also a great asset. You allow the rest of us to get some sleep! If you would like to help out in any way, please contact me. Our membership campaign was very successful. We actually doubled last year’s membership. Our PTA Unit consists of over 500 members and still growing. It is not too late to join. Did you know grandparents, extended family members and people in our community can join our PTA Unit? Please invite your family members to join our Unit. Every voice, every child, every vote matters. Lastly, I remind all of you to invest in your children today. We all balance work, school, errands, sport practices and lessons that have us on the go. Take time to enjoy a family dinner together and laugh, dance and sing with your children. Carrie Casey President