Volume 7, Issue 17

Cheatham Chatter #YouArePTA Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Each grade level will be recognized at the January 13 assembly

Monday, January 16

Tuesday, January 10

Thursday, January 12

Tuesday, January 24

Charger Celebration Perot Truck at Cheatham

@ 4 and 5 p.m.

By MaryJane Barnes

School Counselor

We look forward to having

our end of the first semester

Charger Celebration on Janu-

ary 13. We invite all parents to the

grade-level Charger Celebra-

tions as we recognize all stu-

dents and their accomplish-

ments for the first semester. Please contact Mrs. Jennifer

Flatt by email, jenni-

fer_flatt@allenisd.org, before

January 11 to RSVP. If you or your guests have not

visited Cheatham this school

year, please have your driver’s

license on hand so that Mrs.

Flatt can scan it into our sys-

tem. Parents and visitors must still

check in, so please enter

through the front door of the

building rather than the side

doors by the gym.

Friday, January 6

See page 4 for more information

PTA General Meeting

@ 7 p.m.

Parent Education presents

“Media Madness”

following the PTA meeting

WatchDOG Spring Sign-Up

and Donuts

@ 7:30 a.m.

Miss Nelson’s

birthday

Friday, January 13

First Semester

Charger Celebration

Mrs. Stephan’s

birthday celebration

See page 1 for more information

NO SCHOOL

Friday, January 20

Ms. Potts’s

birthday celebration

Family Fitness Night

@ 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Mrs. Weir’s birthday

Austin Parent Meeting

@ 5:30 p.m.

Start Time End Time Grade Location

9:30 10:00 KG cafeteria

8:30 9:00 6 gym

9:30 10:00 5 gym

10:30 11:00 3 gym

12:00 12:30 1 gym

1:00 1:30 2 gym

1:45 2:15 4 gym

Building a Student Haven

By Allison Hargraves

VP Programs

At 7:55am, the li-

brary is already a bustling

place. As morning announcements

finish up and the library be-

gins to settle into its day, stu-

dents begin to trickle in to

visit this special place in the

school. Although Cheatham’s library

has always been a good place

to find a book, it has become

so much more in the past two

and a half years under Mrs.

Gamble’s care. One of the newest innovations (continues on page 4)

Additions expand Cheatham’s library with many more learning tools

Cheatham Chatter Page 2

Helping to Paint the Future Volunteer Neelam Kishnani helps at Cheatham as more than just ArtSparks Coordinator

By Rachel Maygren

Chatter Editor

Managing dozens of parent

volunteers in the supplemental

art program is no small feat — but it’s

one Neelam Kishnani happily accom-

plishes monthly, in addition to other vol-

unteer contributions. All told, Kishnani estimates that she

spends 8+ hours each week between

ArtSparks, copy room and more. “I love to devote my time to help our

kids take advantage of additional oppor-

tunities provided by the school PTA. I

believe volunteering helps support

teachers who teach and care for our chil-

dren all day long,” Kishnani said. All those opportunities provided by PTA

need parent volunteers to make them

run, she said. Kishnani is exactly the kind of person to

realize the importance of parental in-

volvement, said VP of Programs Allison

Hargraves.

“Neelam has

a sincere pas-

sion,” Har-

graves said.

“She orches-

trates daunt-

ing tasks …

with patience and persistence.” Kishnani and her husband have two boys

in 6th and 2nd grades. They also host her

niece, a sophomore at Allen High

School. She and her husband grew up in

New York, moving to Allen in 2013.

returns next week, but there is more than one way to see your student’s name in the Chatter. With the new semester, students can submit articles to the Chatter and see their name and picture in print. If your student has an idea or class/school event they think is worth writing about, contact Rachel Maygren at

cheathamcommunications@gmail.com for more information. On the

Blacktop

Box Top Winner First-grader Douglas Purcell wins Box Top Challenge

By Brenda Obermeyer

Corporate Sponsorship

First-grader Douglas Purcell

brought

in the most Box

Tops in the

most recent Box

Top Challenge. For 20 years

now, Box Tops

has helped com-

munities put

cash back into schools, without spending

money that we aren't already spending. Box Tops for Education was started by

General Mills in 1996 and has been a

huge success allowing schools to

earn cash to buy the things they

need, like books, computers, playground

equipment and more. You can help earn money for Cheatham

by clipping the Box Tops off of products

already have in your pantry.

You can make a Box Tops collection

box and leave it at your work, church or

community center. Once you are ready to turn in your Box

Tops simply place them in a baggie and

return them to school with your child's

name and teacher labeled or written

somewhere in or on the baggie. The money raised helps fund events

such as the Spelling Bee, Destination

Imagination, playground equipment and

much more.

By Kathleen Villano

Destination Imagination Chair

December was a busy month

for everyone with Christmas shopping

and parties to attend, but it was a crucial

month for DI teams. Teams have seven more weeks left until

the NEXT Regional Tournament. Teams

are finalizing and finishing their scripts

and have started working on their props

and costumes. Some teams attended the winter work-

shop last December to learn different

skills needed to help them during the

tournament — such as scriptwrit-

ing, acting, learning about different ma-

terials used for props and costumes, and

tips for instant challenges.

Cheatham

has four

teams com-

peting in the

competitive

level. There

are five Ris-

ing Star teams. All teams are working

hard to completing the solution for their

chosen challenge.

Destination Imagination Nearing the finish line

Cheatham Chatter Page 3

Did you know Cheatham Press published 130 manuscripts last school year. This year’s deadline for Cheatham Press is January 17. Can

we beat that number?

By Tasha Young

President

Happy New Year, Chargers! I

hope you had a wonderful and

relaxing Winter Break filled with love,

joy, and treasured moments with your

friends and family. It’s hard to believe that 2016 is over and

2017 is here and sitting on the doorstep

like a present with a shiny bow and

sparkly paper ready to be unwrapped.

But before you rip off all the paper and

see what’s inside 2017, I want to remind

you of the all gifts you gave 750+ stu-

dents in 2016 as a PTA. August 2016

Installed 4 new pieces of Cheatham

playground equipment

Hosted two incoming kindergarten

popsicle play dates

Delivered 500+ supply kits

Facilitated class shirts for all stu-

dents

Funded class shirts for all staff

Coordinated school sprit wear

Funded Boohoo/Yahoo breakfast for

parents

Provided back-to-school lunch for

staff

Launched on-line directory

Launched monthly snack cart for

staff

Launched monthly birthday gifts for

staff

Funded youth protection program

September 2016

Funded Kids First Program and Sup-

plies

Launched WatchDOGS program and

funded pizza party

Launched Reflections program

Launched Destination Imagination

program

Launched Cheatham Press program

Launched ArtSparks program

Launched Math Club

Launched Book It program

Hosted PTA newcomer meeting

Funded bagels for breakfast for staff/

teachers

Launched No Fuss Campaign

Hosted Cheatham Chow Down

October 2016

Coordinated Walk to School Day

and funded prizes

Funded and Hosted Love & Logic

parent program

Funded and Hosted Fort Worth Chil-

dren’s Opera

Coordinated Book Fair and donated

all profits to Cheatham Library

Funded staff snacks and drinks for

parent/teacher conferences

Awarded $3,000 in grants to teachers

to utilize in their classrooms

November 2016

Launched Eat the Rainbow and col-

lected candy

Funded Veteran’s Day staff break-

fast

Hosted Perot Museum Tech Truck

Achieved 100% PTA Membership

December 2016

Coordinated and funded Spelling

Bee

Coordinated PTA cookie exchange

for staff

Provided Perot program for 6th grade

Provided Perot program for 4th grade

Purchased GaGa Ball Pit for

Cheatham playground

Purchased Soccer Goals for

Cheatham playground I am so grateful to each one of you for

your contribution to the success of

Cheatham students and teachers in 2016.

And it’s not over yet. The PTA still has

a lot planned for your kids in 2017 such

as more hands on Perot programs, Multi-

Cultural Week, a Dallas Zoo Assembly,

Family Fitness Night and so much more.

Here’s to peace, joy, and fulfillment in

2017! #YouArePTA

President’s Corner Wrapping Up 2016

Did You Know?

Shaping the Future Fifth-grade teacher Jenna Boyte is all about the children

By Rachel Maygren

VP Hospitality

Drawn to teaching five years

ago, Jenna Boyte wanted to impact those

that held our future in their hands. But Boyte always worked with children

— from stay-at-home mom to children’s

minister — she started at Cheatham

when her middle child started kindergar-

ten.

“I feel a calling to help provide a strong

foundation for the future world leaders

in my classroom. … I have the opportu-

nity to impact hundreds of lives each

year and possibly change the course of a

child’s life through education,” Boyte

said. In December, Boyte celebrated her 20th

anniversary with her husband. They

have three chil-

dren — an 8th

grader, 5th

grader and kin-

dergartener. Her favorite

pastimes in-

clude sports,

reading and her

dog.

Go Green Turn it Off Artificial lighting accounts for 44

percent of electricity use in office buildings.

Make it a habit to turn off the lights when

you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or

more. Same goes for electronics; switch off

power strips and unplug electrical devices

when you're not using them.

(continued from page 1)

in libraries around the country

are called Makerspaces —

“creative, DIY spaces where

people can gather to create, in-

vent, and learn.” Such a space is

growing in the library. Multiple stations are set up

where students can work to-

gether or independently. The sta-

tions include Osmos (a hands-on

technology system that allows

students to interact with an iPad

using real world materials),

iPads, PowerClix (geometric,

magnetic building pieces), keva

planks (wooden blocks that can

be built) and Legos. There are

also games, puzzles, and stations

to create bookmarks and kind-

ness links. The main attraction, however,

remains the books. This year alone — in part thanks

to proceeds from Book Fair sales

— 545 books have been added to

the library. Another change this year was the

addition of a junior fiction sec-

tion. This area houses books for

those students in their early

years of chapter book reading. Once students find the perfect

book, they can cozy up with a

reading buddy (stuffed animal)

in any of the chairs or bean bags

throughout the library. The heart of the library is the

people. Mrs. Gamble and Mrs.

Feeney work tirelessly to pro-

vide the best experience possible

for the students. Mrs. Gamble can be found read-

ing to a class of kindergarteners,

helping with 6th-grade recharge,

educating staff on technology

resources or searching out the

best, new books to order. But

what she is very often found do-

ing is helping individual students

find a book they will love.

To-Do List

Don’t forget

— extended

Library Hours

every

Thursday.

We hope

to see you

then!

If your stu-

dent comes

home with-

out a jacket, water

bottle, book, shoe

or any other essen-

tial item — make

sure they check the

Lost and Found.

All items are do-

nated at the end of

the grading period.

Find out

what’s for hot

lunch before they

buy — click here

for information.

Cheatham Chatter Page 4

Beverly Cheatham Elementary School

1501 Hopewell Drive, Allen, TX 75013 Ph: (972) 396-3016 Fax: (972) 396-3035

Web: allenisd.org/cheathames Twitter: Follow@CheathamElem

Principal: Stephanie Logan PTA President: Tasha Young The Cheatham Chatter is published by the Cheatham PTA in support of the PTA’s mission to be a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for the

education and well-being of every child. Send submissions by 5 pm on Wednesday prior to publication: cheathamcommunications@gmail.com. Content may be used on the PTA website and/or in the newsletter.

Content will be edited for space/clarity.

www.txpta.org www.allenisd.org/cheathames

Don’t forget

Family Fit-

ness Night

coming up on Janu-

ary 20. Lots of

great vendors and

prizes will be

there! See the at-

tachments for more

information.

The Perot Museum’s TECH truck is coming back to Cheatham on Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Whether you missed it

the first time or want to come back for more, sign-up to tinker, engineer, create and hack with us.

The Perot Museum staff will have stations set up in the cafe-teria for the K-6th grade students to explore science

Remember to sign up if you and your children would like to

attend (as space is limited) www.SignUpGenius.com/

go/70A0445ADAB2BA13-perot1

Media Madness Parent Education presents

By Angela Foster

Parent Education

Did you know that today’s kids

are exposed to an average of 7 hours of

“screen time” every day? And by age

12, three quarters of all children have

their own mobile phone and social me-

dia account? Learn about all of the opportunities and

challenges involving today’s new media

and how we can keep ourselves, and our

children, safe, smart and responsible. Join us for Media Madness on January

10 immediately following our PTA

meeting.

Seven Chargers were selected to sing in the 2016-2017

Allen District Honor Choir. The Honor Choir is a select

choir of 5th and 6th grade students from the Allen public

schools. .

The Honor Choir Concert is Thursday evening, Febru-

ary 16th

at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at

Allen High School.

Standing: Neha Neerukonda, Elisabeth Bergere, Christian Mathews, Rishi Sahoo Seated: Navya Pup-pala, Helen McGurk, Abigail Finley

Friday, January 20, 2017

5:30 – 7:30 pm

Cheatham Elementary School

FAMILY. FUN. FITNESS.

Cheatham’s Family Fitness night is fast-approaching! Be sure to start

2017 off right and join us for an evening of healthy fun for the entire

family. There will be loads of interactive games, activities, and

demonstrations. Local health and fitness experts will be

demonstrating everything from dance to pilates to boxing. Medical

City Children’s Hospital will be offering cooking lessons, there will be

an obstacle course created by an American Ninja Warrior finalist, the

Watch Dog dads will have a push-up contest, and much, much more.

Yummy and healthy eats will be available for purchase. And if that’s

not enough, there will be tons of awesome prizes for adults and

children, including a grand prize weekend getaway for the family to

Great Wolf Lodge.

So come on down, bring your family, and get INSPIRED!

Registration Information

Parental Consent/Waivers The undersigned parent/guardian agrees that participation is voluntary & waives all rights/claims for damages against AISD and the

AHS Cheerleader Booster Club for any injuries/damages. In case of emergency, AISD may seek immediate medical attention.

Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________________ Date: _____________________

The undersigned parent/guardian authorizes photograph and/or video documentation to be taken of their child. These photographs

and/or videos may be used in the media to promote AISD, the AHS Cheerleader Booster Club, and/or the Little Eagle Cheer Camp.

Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________________ Date: _____________________

Student’s Name: ____________________________________________________ Allergies: ________Yes ______No

Gender: _________ F _________M Grade: __________ School: __________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Name(s): _________________________________________________________________________

E-Mail: _____________________________________________________ Camp: ________ Cheer _________Mascot

Address: ________________________________________________ City/State/Zip: ___________________________

Payment Method: __________Check __________ Online through Eventbrite.com search Allen Eagle Cheer Camp $38

Cell Phone #: _________________________________ Home Phone #: _____________________________________

T-Shirt Size: _________ YL ____________YM ___________YL ___________AS _________AM ___________AL

Future Eagles are invited to join the AHS Spirit athletes for a fun-filled Camp!

DATE: January 28, 2017 TIME: 9:00AM-12:00PM LOCATION: Lowery Freshman Center

AGES: K-6th Grade COST: $35 pre-register/$38 on Eventbrite ($40 at the door) Registration: 8:30-9:00 am Pep Rally For Parents: 11:45-12:00PM

Campers will learn proper technique and pep rally material, receive a t-shirt, and access to secure photo site!

Please print and complete registration, mail document and payment to: Anne Davis

AHS Cheerleader Booster Club 862 Falcon Trace Drive, Allen, TX 75013

ahscheercamp@gmail.com (for questions) Please make all checks payable to AHS Cheerleader Booster Club

IMPORTANT: Registration and Payment are due by Friday, January 13, 2017! If needed, additional forms may be found at www.ahs-cheer.com