Reflections

Reflections, a program sponsored each year by the National PTA, encourages our children to explore their artistic side and celebrates their creativity.
Through the program, students are invited to submit original works of art. Every child receives recognition for his or her entry, and some may advance through judging at the school, district and regional levels to be included in the Illinois PTA’s traveling Reflections exhibition and earn an award from the National PTA.
Like every PTA program, Reflections is powered by volunteers. If you’re interested in fostering children’s creativity, please consider helping with the program or heading up the Reflections committee.
Rachel Jackson, who has chaired our Reflections program for the past few years, is stepping down. We want to thank her for her service. She has done a fantastic job.
The Reflections chair would oversee the Brookdale PTA’s efforts to encourage students to participate as well as the collection, judging and recognition of entries.
Creating art is a valuable learning process. Artistic exploration and expression enhance a child's intellectual, social and technical skills. When children express themselves through words, pictures, music, photography and other art forms, they grow intellectually. They learn to analyze their thoughts, feelings and ideas; learn to look at things, people and experiences in a fresh and exciting way; and become more interested in the ideas and works of others.
For more information on the program, please visit the district's website.
The program takes place in the fall, so if you are interested in being on next year's committee, please contact incoming Vice President Judy Nagel-Conley at jln0522@aol.com or (630) 428-9717.
Thank you for considering this opportunity! Parents, teachers, and community members all play a critical role in fostering the creative expression of our children.

Crunching the numbers

When the PTA meets on Friday, May 21, the membership will have the opportunity to discuss and vote on the budget for the 2010-11 school year.
If the topic sounds a little dry, think of it this way: The budget will guide the PTA's spending for the coming year, determining the types of assemblies we sponsor, the extracurricular activities we provide, the support we give our teachers and students in the classroom. This is your chance to have a say.
The Executive Board, working with Principal LeCrone, already has proposed a 2010-11 budget that is posted at school. You'll also find the budget, some comparisons to the current year and explanations of changes on the PTA Budget page on this site.
Take a look, think it over and let us know what you think on Friday.

The next time we meet

Even if you’re active in your child’s classroom, maybe you haven’t checked out a PTA meeting. Maybe Thursday evenings aren’t convenient for you, or maybe the idea of walking into a formal board meeting is a touch intimidating.
May’s meeting will be a bit different.
The PTA will meet at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 21, on the stage between the gym and multipurpose room. And with the meeting just before the Volunteer Appreciation Tea, you're sure to find someone you know from a class party or field trip.
The exec board would love to see some new faces and hear some new voices as the membership makes decisions that will guide the PTA into the 2010-11 school year.
At best, you’ll get a better idea of how the PTA works and the kinds of things we do to enhance the education of Brookdale students. At worst, you’ll be at school in time to get a good seat for the tea. You can’t lose.