Tuesday, May 5, is Flower Day.  Please have students bring each of their teachers, and the Grady staff who help our students, a flower to say “thank you for helping us bloom.”  The flowers can be hand-made, store bought or picked from your garden (vases are unnecessary as most teachers and staff already have them).   Please help shower our teachers and staff in flowers so we can show them just how much they mean to us. 

It is not too late to drop a gift card off in the front office for the all-day give-away of gift cards and gift items on Wednesday.  Please consider donating a gift card or other gift item of any amount to be given away on Wednesday.  To have your child’s name announced when the item is given away, please include a note on the item.  Please deliver gift cards and items to the front office today, tomorrow and Wednesday morning.  Think of the hard work that teachers do in planning lessons, grading papers, communicating with parents and educating and inspiring our children, and it’s easy to realize just how much they deserve to be appreciated.  This is our one-week opportunity to show teachers and staff that we acknowledge and appreciate their effort and commitment, so let’s make it count. 

Also, please consider donating a 1.5 hour block or more of time to the Grady Spring Book Fair.  Book Fair sales take place from May 13 to May 20, and there are volunteer spots from May 12 (set up) until May 20.  We need parents to help children select books, organize books and work the cash register.  A complete schedule of volunteer opportunities is available by clicking here:  Book Fair Volunteers.  You can sign up for your spot just by clicking on it.  It is a simple, easy, 1-step way to volunteer.  For any Book Fair questions, please contact Mr. Tsourakis at [email protected].

The Grady Elementary PTA Nominating Committee is seeking volunteers for board and committee positions for the 2015-2016 school year.  Specifically sought is a Fundraising person to manage the Fall Fundraiser and Tiger Trek and an Events person to plan and execute events at the school.   We also need a Social Chair to plan evenings out and social events for our general membership.  We need a Dad’s Club Chair to organize events specifically for fathers of Grady students.  If you have an interest in one of these roles, or want to talk about customizing a role for yourself based on your talents, please reply by email or write to the Nominating Committee, care of Kris House, at[email protected].

The Grady Elementary Spring Musical featuring the play, How to Be a Pirate: In Seven Easy Songs, is coming up on May 13, from 5 pm to 7:30 pm.  In addition to the fantastic student performances, Grady PTA has lined up food trucks, vendors, and a number of silent auction and raffle items, the list of which can be found here:  Spring Musical.  

Grady Elementary congratulates new Chief of Police for the City of Tampa, Eric Ward.   Chief Ward is the husband of first grade teacher, Mrs. Ward.  Chief Ward came by the school on Friday and was recognized with a hand-painted banner congratulating him on his achievement.  To see a pictures of Chief Ward, Mrs. Ward and her class, as well as a picture of Mrs. Dosal, Mr. Campbell and Chief Ward, with the banner, please click here:   TPD Chief Ward Visits Grady Elementary.

Monday is the first day of Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.  It is a week during which we express our gratitude to the teachers and staff who help our children bloom.  Thanks to your donations to the Grady PTA, our children's teachers and staff will enjoy coffee, tea and treats tomorrow morning.  This is one of the many nice things you do for our school through your membership in the PTA.  

It’s not too late to bring gift cards, or other wonderful items into the office for the all-day Teacher and Staff Give-Away on Wednesday.  If you want your child’s name announced as the item is given away, please put your child’s name on a note attached to the gift card or item.  Please bring gift cards and items to the front office Monday, Tuesday or on Wednesday morning at the latest.  Thank you for these great gifts that the teachers and staff will love.

For more information about Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, click here:  http://gradytigers.org/2015/4/teacher-appreciation-week-may. 

The Spring Book Fair is coming soon to Grady Elementary and Volunteers are needed to assist from the afternoon of May 12 (set up) all the way to the end of the day on May 20.  There will be a special night time event during the Spring Musical on May 13, and we will need many volunteers for that evening.  To volunteer for a block of time, please click here to see the available times and dates:  http://gradytigers.org/2015-bookfair-volunteers. The volunteer time blocks are set up in mostly 1.5-hour increments, but if you can only volunteer for a portion of the selected period, please note it in the comments.  If you have any questions about the Book Fair, please email Mr. Tsourakis at [email protected]. 

Parents of Fifth Graders, Coleman PTSA has provided us with 3 helpful documents you may want to read.  Please click here to see more information: http://gradytigers.org/2015/4/coleman-information-for-fifth-grade-parents.

Dear Members of the Grady Elementary Community,

Construction of the new Grady Elementary perimeter fence has started!   Thus far, workers have replaced much of the fence on Church Avenue.  The new fence looks fantastic and is made of steel, so it is not only more beautiful, but also more secure than our prior fence.  We are so excited to finally see the results of the hard work of so many parents, teachers, staff, volunteers and administrators.  When this phase of fence construction is complete, both the north end around the front of the school and the east end along Church Avenue will have a beautiful, strong black painted steel fence. 

Now is a great time to sponsor a fence panel.  If you sponsor a panel now, your dedication plaque – a 4" X 8" plaque with an inscription of up to three lines, 20 characters per line – will be permanently placed on a brand-new fence panel on the north or east side of the school.  You’ll be able to walk by your dedication plaque and enjoy your inscription, and the inscriptions of other Grady families, for years to come.  The tax-deductible money you spend, $250 per panel dedication, will help fund the completion of the remainder of the fence.   To sponsor a fence panel online using any credit card, please click here: Sponsor A Fence Panel, for our Cisco-certified secure online portal.  To print the Sponsor a Fence Panel form and return it to the school with a check for $250 per panel, please click here: Paper Sponsor A Panel Form.  To see pictures of the fence construction, please click here: Fence Construction Photo Gallery.  Please order your fence panel today so that we can include your inscription in our upcoming plaque order.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is taking place from May 4-8.  This year, we are saying to our teachers and staff, “Thank You For Helping Us Bloom.”  We will have a different event each day and we need your help to make it special!  For more information, and a list of events, please click here: Teacher Appreciation Week.  Consider “appreciating” your child’s teacher by organizing parents to sponsor a fence panel in the teacher’s name.

Grady’s Chess Team competed in the Mitchell Gran Prix this weekend.  The tournament is a two-part event, but Grady has ended the first stage in an excellent position.  To see the Chess Club Team members, and see more information about the event standings, please click here: Chess Team at Gran Prix.  The second stage of the chess tournament takes place on May 17, and any Grady student may join our Chess Team to help our school.  Students who wish to wear a Grady Chess Team Shirt can order one by clicking here:  Chess Team Shirt Order Form.

We hope you are excited about the beautiful new fence that will enhance the security and attractiveness of our school.  Please consider sponsoring a panel today.

Sincerely,

Grady Elementary PTA  

Work is beginning on the new Grady Perimeter Fence.  The hedges have been cut back and concrete to hold the fence posts is being poured.  We hope to have a completed fence in the next few weeks!  For any questions about the new Grady Perimeter Fence, please contact VP of Outreach, Kris House, at [email protected].

To purchase a fence panel that comes with a dedication plaque to honor your family or student, please use our secure online system and click here: Purchase a Panel.  Our CISCO-certified secure payment portal accepts all credit cards.

To see a photo gallery of the fence construction thus far, please click here: Fence Construction Pictures