Mrs. Ruiz’s Class Gives Thanks to the Troops

In honor of Thanksgiving Day, Mrs. Ruiz’s 4th grade class wanted to express  gratitude to the soldiers for their service.  So they sent a letter home to parents indicating the items most requested by the soldiers.  Items on the list included food and familiar snacks, toiletries, entertainment items like batteries, even dog food for the working dogs and pets.

They had a remarkable amount of donations sent in, enough to fill 16 boxes! Parents also chipped in to raise the shipment fee of $175. In addition, the students each designed and wrote their own Thank You cards to go with the donations.

I’m sure you’ll agree Mrs. Ruiz’s class is a shining example of the spirit of giving!

If you’d like to know more about how to give to the troops, check out the resources below.

• Suggested Donation List
• Giving Programs for Groups
• Givetothetroops.org

The US post office charges a flat fee of $10.95 per box (12x12x5.5).

Special thanks to La Mariposa parent, Carolyn Slaughter, for sharing this story with us.  If there is something special your child’s class is doing, please send your story and pictures to our Pawprint Editor.

Blood Bus Drives To La Mariposa

Statistics show that 25 percent or more of us will require blood at least once in our lifetime.  Whole blood donation can help as many as three people per year.–MayoClinic.org

Last Tuesday, United Blood Services held its first blood drive at La Mariposa.  

Tigers Socked The 100th Day of School (In a Good Way)

By Pam MacCallum, La Mariposa PTA 100^th Day Coordinator

La Mariposa’s sock drive for the 100^th day of school on February 15^th was a huge success!  With everyone’s help, we donated a total of 1458 new pairs of various sizes and colors of socks to Child Protective Services of Ventura County.  They are extremely thankful.

We have been donating socks since 2005.  With your help, we have provided socks to thousands of needy children in Ventura County.  

Be A Hero, Donate Blood at La Mariposa

The United Blood Services will be at La Mariposa on April 9th.  Be a hero and sign-up for La Mariposa’s on-campus Blood Drive by clicking here or calling (805) 654-8014. Please use sponsor code 8902 when making an appointment. Please note, you must not have donated blood in the previous 8 weeks (since Feb. 12th.)

Why Donate Blood? 

From http://www.aabb.org

A blood donation truly is a “gift of life” that a healthy individual can give to others in their community who are sick or injured. In one hour’s time, a person can donate one unit of blood that can be separated into four individual components that could help save multiple lives.  

Tigers Donate Nearly 1000 Pounds of Food

By Michelle Fisher, Food Drive Chair

“Think of giving not as a duty, but as a privilege.”   –John D Rockefeller

In December, La Mariposa held its annual Stuff-A-Bus Food Drive as part of a district-wide event organized by the Las Colinas ASB.  As a school, we donated 995 pounds of food to Food SHARE!  Your generosity is appreciated by the thousands who benefit from Food SHARE programs.  As Ventura County’s regional food bank, Food SHARE distributes millions of pounds of donated food to Ventura County residents throughout the year via 150 food pantries run by churches, temples, civic organizations and community groups.  As of December 2012, FOOD Share is assisting 74,500 hungry friends each month.  If you would like to learn more about Food SHARE, please visit their website at www.foodshare.com. 

The food drive hosted by the school is about much more than just collecting food.  It provides an opportunity for us to set an example for our children and teach them that caring for our neighbors and serving those in need builds a stronger community.  Thank you again for your generosity!

Ways to Love Sandy Hook

Simple Things Your Family can do to help

Angel Babies for Newtown via ACHS ASB

Have your family or group make a quick angel to be sent. They do not have to be fancy or perfect works of art, it’s just the thought and the love that we want to express. We would like to have them in the mail on Thursday December 20th.  Get details…

Make & Send Snowflakes to Welcome Students to a Winter Wonderland

When school resumes for Sandy Hook, it will be in a new building. Parent-volunteers are working to ensure that the students are welcomed back by a winter wonderland with the entire school decorated with as many unique snowflakes as possible. We encourage senders to be as creative as possible, remembering that no two snowflakes are alike. Please make and send snowflakes by January 12, 2013 to the Connecticut PTSA address at the bottom of this page.

Sky High: LM Students Jump Rope For Fun!

Each year La Mariposa students participate in the Annual “Jump Rope For Heart” campaign.  This year students raised $1708 in donations for the American Heart Association.  Along with jumping until their “heart’s content” we had a jump off to see which student in each grade could jump the longest.

• First Grade Winner:  Kylie in Mrs. Richards class
• Second Grade Winner:  Janelle in Mrs. Angeli’s class
• Third Grade Winner:  Karolina in Mrs. Culp’s class
• Fourth Grade Winner:  Santi in Mrs. Wallace’s class
• Fifth Grade Winner:  Victoria in Mrs. Hudacko’s class

Our overall longest jumper was fifth grader Olivia F. from Miss Hughes’s class.  She jumped for four minutes and two seconds, phew!

Special thanks goes out to fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Pearson, and PTA Parent, Diana Goodson, for organizing this year’s event.  

100th Day of School: Stocking Socks for Social Services

by Maryann Ketchum

La Mariposa’s sock fundraiser for the 100^th day of school on February 13^th was a huge success!  With everyone’s help, we donated a total of 1803 new pair of socks to Child Protective Services of Ventura County.  They are extremely thankful.  We donated a variety of sizes and color.

We have been donating socks since 2005, and with your help, we have placed socks on many children in Ventura County.  The generosity of our students really shows.

Learn more about how La Mariposa shares.

 

Special thanks to Mrs. Sadowsky and the LM Leadership kids for counting all those socks…and a HUGE thanks to Maryann Ketchum who has led this annual event since 2005.  

4300 Pounds Stuff Bus

Each holiday season Las Colinas Middle School ASB spearheads a district-wide food drive to benefit Food Share.  This annual event has come to be known as the Stuff-a-Bus Food Drive.  Las Colinas Principal (and former LMS Principal) Pam Gonzales sent the following message to our families:

I just wanted to thank your school

communities on behalf of the Las Colinas ASB for your wonderful support of our Stuff-a-bus project this year.  Through the generous support of your school communities, the “Stuffed Bus” carried over 4300 pounds of food to Food Share.  Food Share was very appreciative of the contribution by all of the schools who participated.

A special thank you also goes out to PTA volunteer Michelle Fisher and all her happy helpers for coordinating the event at La Mariposa.