Parkside 5-2-25

talent show/field day

Our amazing Talent Show, Picnic Lunch and Field Day is May 16th.  

• Just a reminder to submit your order for guest meals by Wednesday May 7th.  The pre-ordered meals are for non-students only (grownups, siblings, and other family members) and are available for purchase at $4 for adults and $3 for children. Students will order their lunch at school as usual, so please do not fill out the form for student meals.
• We need your help to make this year’s field day amazing. Please consider signing up to run a station!  

Field Day Sign Up

mAY 16TH SCHEDULE

Talent Show 10:30-?

Come see your students perform their special skills in the gym.  Please be prepared to sign in with your Driver’s License in the front office before the performance if your student is performing an individual act.

Picnic 11:50-1:00  

Families are invited to bring a blanket and join their Pachyderm for a picnic lunch outside! Grownups who preordered a meal can pick it up at the front of the building before heading around to the playground. Students will get their lunch through the regular hot lunch line, if they choose to have one and join you on the playground.  Trash cans will be available outside—thank you for helping keep the area clean before you leave.

Field Day 1:30-3:30

Please send your student with appropriate clothing, footwear, and water bottle!  Please apply sunscreen before school. Please do not send it with your student or apply on other students!  We are still looking for volunteers to help make Field Day EPIC by escorting classes and running stations.  

NOTEWORTHY ITEMS

Get Ready for National Walk, Roll & Bike to School Day!  Mark your calendars for  Wednesday, May 7th, as Parkside joins students across the country in celebrating National Walk, Roll & Bike to School Day! It's a fun and healthy way to promote physical activity, reduce traffic congestion, and support a cleaner environment. Whether your student walks, bikes, scoots, or rolls, we encourage everyone to participate and enjoy the fresh air on the way to school. Let’s make it a day to move together and show our school spirit!

Hand2Hand food drive starts next week (see flyer below)!  This directly benefits students in our school and community. Please provide individually wrapped, prepackaged, unopened items. These food items will be used by Hand2Hand to fill backpacks for our students in need this summer and next school year.

• Kindergarten: Popcorn
• 1st grade: Fruit Snacks
• 2nd grade: Chewy Granola Bars
• 3rd grade: Breakfast Bars
• 4th grade: Instant Oatmeal
• 5th grade: Sweet Treats (Rice Krispies)

tree legacy project

On April 22nd (Earth Day), Parkside 5^th Graders participated in a native tree planting. This was the grand finale to a year-long project of understanding the value of native plants, research, and planning. Our Outdoor Learning teacher, Mrs. Dzirbowicz, is proud to be a part of this district-wide project that is supported by Justin and Kristina Munsters (Belmont Parents) and Shaner Nursery through donations of trees and planting supplies. 

STEAM

Character Trait of the Month – Perseverance

Quote:
"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other." – Walter Elliot

Conversation Starter:
During a quiet moment, ask your child: "Was there a time today when you wanted to give up, but kept trying instead? What helped you stick with it?"
Talking about these moments helps kids recognize that perseverance isn't about never struggling—it's about continuing to try, even when things are difficult.

Tip:   Encourage perseverance by celebrating effort and persistence, not just achievements. If your child keeps working on a hard assignment, practices a new skill, or doesn’t give up after a mistake, let them know you’re proud of their determination. Sharing your own stories of perseverance—whether it was finishing a challenging project or learning something new—shows them that sticking with things is a strength we all can build.

Important Dates

• May 7 -   Walk, Bike, Roll to school day!           
• May 8 -   Valley View Family Fun Night at 3 mile project
• May 14 - Valley View Open House/PTO meeting (6:00 pm)                                                          
• May 16 - Talent Show/Family Lunch/Field Day 
• May 20 - Whitecaps Family Night
• May 23 - No School
• May 26 - Memorial Day, no school.  
• June 3 -  Parkside Community Reunion (6:00 pm-7:00 pm)
• June 5 -  PTO end of the year party, 1/2 day.
• June 6 - Last day of school, 1/2 day.  
• See full list of PKS Events and upcoming field trips on the calendar link:  Parkside Calendar 

PTO Corner

Help Us Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week!

A packet of paper and envelopes was sent home last week for students to write heartfelt letters or draw pictures for the Parkside staff. These need to be returned to the front office by May 5th! Thank you! 
Parkside PTO will be celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week May 5- 9th! Check out the link for a few opportunities to contribute to our fun week of celebrations!

Teacher Appreciation Sign-Up

Mileage Club is off to a great start! We already have six students who have done 5 miles! After week one we had 100 students on the 1 mile leaderboard. We had to switch some days due to end of year scheduling so we still need volunteers on May 8th, 14th, 15th, and the 22nd. Thank you all so much, it has been a blast to spend time with all of you and Parkside students. 

Emily Whalen, committee chair.

 Mileage Club Sign-Up