February Newsletter

Hello again and Happy 2008! I hope you all had a super winter break full of fun and smiles. I know we all like to make resolutions during this time of year and PTSA is no different. We resolve to stay involved! PTSA is more than fundraising. Being active in PTSA is truly a way for us to all work as a team to make sure that the children here at Cram are not simply meeting the standards set for them, but exceeding them.

Because of the strong parent involvement at our school, PTSA will be providing new computers for our school site this year. It is only through the combined effort of staff, parents, and students that PTSA can make these improvements to Cram.

With the New Year with comes a new PTSA Board, starting in July. Please consider being a part of the Board next year. I found it to be a very rewarding experience.

Some of our open positions include:
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Treasurer

If you feel that you could serve in one of these positions, please contact me so that our nominating committee can begin the nominating process. You are needed!

May the New Year bring all that you hope for and more!

Jennifer Janiskee, President Cram PTSA
jenjan5@adelphia.net
863-9443

Redlands Council PTA honored the following Cram students at the Reflections awards night on January 28th:

Certificates of Participation:
Joely Kostiuk
Garrett Branstetter
Kaitlin Kamiyama
Alexandria Lugo
Victoria Chung
Jeremy Blanch
Awards of Merit:
Alison Kelley-Hubbard
Charles Austria
Adam Smith
Amber Garcia
Alexis Scott
Ferris Singleton, Jr.
Madeline Tuff
Timothy Mason
Awards of Excellence: (move on to 5th District PTA county judging):
Claire Kovensky (Literature)
Michelle Yi (Visual Arts)
Ryan Smith (Film/Video)
Colin Copeland (Film/Video)
Daysia Cornish (Music)
Alexis Scott (Music)

Cram was well represented in the awards! Thank you to all of these students for their efforts! See pictures on the back page!

Dear Parents,

I hope that you are all aware that we now have a new phone number. It is (909) 307-2460. Also, we all have a voicemail system now. You can call and leave a message for me, office staff, or your child’s teacher. If it is a message that must get to your child before the end of the day, please call the office. Some teachers are only picking up messages before school and after school.

I also wanted to make you aware that schools are facing large budget cuts. We at Cram have two budgets, a Categorical budget and a general budget. I recently received the projected categorical budget for Cram for next year, and it is showing approximately a $30,000.00 budget cut. I have not received our general budget projection yet, but I expect that to show a dramatic cut as well. I am telling you this because I want you to be prepared for program cuts. We will be relying even more now, than ever before, on our parents and PTA to provide us additional financial support. Many of our PTA board members are completing their two-year term and we need some new volunteers that are willing to work as hard as they have. If you have some extra time that you can give, we desperately need your support.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Cinq-Mars, Principal


The Limo Brunch was a hit! 109 children were eligible - quite a turnout! Breakfast burritos, fruit and juice were served and everyone had a limo ride. Great job on selling at least 30 items for the fall Pacific Fundraiser! Thank you to all the families who participated.

SEND IN ALL THOSE PLASTIC BAGS! RECYCLE! Collection boxes are in the school office for plastic bags. Each 60- gallon bag of plastic bags earns $5 from the Wal-Mart Kids Recycle program for Cram Elementary and keeps all those bags out of our landfills! Last date to turn in bags for this years' contest will be March 21. REDUCE! RECYCLE! REUSE!

EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS
There are easy ways you can support Cram students:

Boxtops for Education / Campbell’s Labels- Help Cram earn free merchandise this year by clipping Box Tops and Campbell’s labels. Turn them in to your child’s teacher.
Albertson’s- Sign up for a community card to contribute 2.5% of every purchase to Cram.
Ink Cartridges / Laser Jet Cartridges- Drop your used ink and laser jet cartridges in the box located by the drinking fountain in the MU Room. Please put in a plastic bag to avoid leaks.
Stater Brother’s Gift Cards
Krikorian Tickets