April 2024

We are in desperate need of volunteers to fill the 2024-25 Bell PTSA Executive Board!

The only position we currently have a volunteer for is VP of DEI.
We need YOUR help to keep our PTSA going.

At minimum there are 3 positions we MUST fill in order to have an active PTSA: President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
If we do not have these positions filled by our General Membership meeting on May 15th, our PTSA will not be able to operate next school year.

What does an inactive PTSA mean for Bell?
It means all of the following programs will not exist in 2024-25.

Please take a look at the positions below and email president@agbellptsa.org, if you’d like to learn more about any of the roles.

*Time estimates are based on our current calendar of events and will fluctuate depending on time of year. Each board may decided to do less or more and hours will fluctuate accordingly.

There is no experience necessary (with the exception of basic finance knowledge for the treasurer), there are trainings and handbooks provided by WSPTA and LWSD PTSA council to assist you in taking on your new role, along with current board members happy to pass on their knowledge. Please reach out if you’d like to learn more about any of these roles.

We are still looking for 2 more volunteers to serve on the nominating committee to help elect the 2024-2025 Bell PTSA Executive Board.

The nominating committee helps interested community members connect with the current board to learn more about board positions and help to identify candidates for next year's board. The nominating committee will present their nominations for the 2024-2025 Board Election at the May general membership meeting.

If you're interested in learning more about serving on the nominating committee, email president@agbellptsa.org.

In celebration of Earth Day, the Bell PTSA is organizing a community clean-up event at Bell Elementary.

This year, our project will be a renovation of the Bus Loop Rain Garden. In recent years, this garden perished during the summer when water is scarce, so we are planning to plant new drought-resistant plants and bring the rain garden back to life. It will be so meaningful for the kids to see their plants grow and thrive over their years at Bell. We hope you and your family will join us!

Bell Community Clean-Up

Where: Bell Elementary
When: Saturday, April 20, 2024 (10am - 12pm)
What: We will spend a couple of hours replanting the rain garden near the bus loop. If we have extra time, we will do more to clean up the school campus and remove invasive species.
What to bring: If possible, bring one (or more) plant for the rain garden from the list of drought-resistant plants. If you have extra gardening tools, buckets for collecting trash, or litter grabbers, please bring them along.

Flowers

Crimson Flag (Hesperantha coccinea)
Western Columbine (Aquilegia Formosa)
Douglas Aster (Symphyotrichum subspicatum)
Wild Ginger (Asarum caudatum)
Western or Pacific Bleeding Heart (Dicentra formosa)
Giant Camas (Camassia leichtlinii)
Common Camas (Camassia quamash)
Shrubby Wallflowers (Erysimum)
Day Lily (Hemerocallis)
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
Oregon Iris (Iris tenax)
Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana)
Gayfeather (Liatris spicata)
Henderson’s Checker Mallow (Sidalcea hendersoni)

Emergents and Grasses

New Zealand Hair Sedge (Carex comens)
Slough Sledge (Carex obnupta)
New Zealand Orange Sedge (Carex Testacea)
Taper-Tipped Rush (Juncus acuminatus)
Dagger-Leaf Rush (Juncus ensifolius)
Spreading Rush (Juncus patens)
Slender Rush (Juncus tenuis)
Small-Fruited Bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus)
Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus and Acorus gramineus)
Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis)

Ferns

Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant)

Possible border plants

Yarrow (Achillea)
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Globe Thistle (Echinops)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Hardy Geranium
Sunrose (Helianthemum nummularium)
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia, Lavendula stoechas)
Lupine (Lupinus)
Turtlehead (Nothochelone nemorosa)

Committee members needed for staff appreciation week!

Our VP of Community Events and Staff Appreciation Chairs are beginning to plan for this year's Staff Appreciation Week on May 6-10. They are looking for a few more committee members to assist in planning. Duties would include helping to plan a theme, decorations, treats, lunch, and other goodies to show our educators how much we appreciate them.
If you're interested in helping on this committee, email communityevents@agbellptsa.org.

The planning for Bell PTSA’s Candyland Spring Dance is in full swing! Join us on Friday, May 17th, from 6 to 8 pm at Bell Elementary for an incredible night of dancing, games, pizza, treats, raffle prizes, and more! This event is FREE to all Bell families. Weather permitting, the event will take place outdoors. In case of rain, we'll relocate to the cafeteria and gym.

Community Members:

We're gearing up for one of our biggest events of the year and we need your help! With over 50 volunteers needed, your participation is crucial to the success of this event. Additionally, we're kindly requesting the loan of some canopies from the community. Please, click the link below to sign up for a volunteer shift and consider lending us your canopy. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Bell Bulldogs:

Got a favorite song that you're dying to dance to at our upcoming spring dance? Let us know, and we'll make sure to pass your request along to the DJ! Simply click the link below to submit your song request. Let's make this dance one to remember!

We still have space in the following classes for spring session:

Chess Club
Intro to Hockey
Mad Science
Creative Spanish with Movement
Pacers Running Club

Visit our registration portal for times and pricing info:

Registration Portal

Need-based scholarships are available. For scholarship questions, email scholarships@agbellptsa.org

Our PTSA is conducting a survey with an emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The purpose of this 10-question survey is to gain insight as to the current state of our organization related to DEI and identifying its strengths and weaknesses. Your feedback is imperative in how we operate and greatly appreciated.

Take the Survey

DEI: APRIL Holidays and Observances

along with book recommendation

(Most books found at AG Bell Library)

April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day

April 5 – Laylat al-Qadr (Muslim)

April 7 – World Health Day

April 9 – Eid-al-Fitr/End of Ramadan (Muslim)

April 12 – National Day of Silence (LGBTQ+)

April 21 – Start of Ridvan (Baha’i)

April 22 – Passover begins (Jewish)

April 22 – Earth Day

April 30 – Passover ends

Arab American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate Arab Americans throughout the past and present and recognize their invaluable contributions to our country.

Book Recommendations:

The Proudest Blue, A Story of Hijab and Family by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K. Ali
Lailah's Lunchbox "Now that she is ten, Lailah is delighted that she can fast during the month of Ramadan like her family and her friends in Abu Dhabi, but finding a way to explain to her teacher and classmates in Atlanta is a challenge until she gets some good advice from the librarian, Mrs. Scrabble."
Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet "Imaginative Omar goes through the ups and downs of starting a new school and making new friends with the help of his wonderful (and silly) Muslim family."

Autism Acceptance Month: Children with Autism are just like any other children, but have difficulty with social and communication skills, repetitive behaviors, following routines, or difficulties in school.

Book Recommendations:

The World Needs More Purple People "Penny Purple explains what a purple person is and leads readers through the steps on becoming a purple person."
Different: A Great Thing to Be "Illustrations and rhyming text introduce Macy, whose conduct and bearing point to a kinder world where differences are celebrated and embraced."
Chapter Book: A Boy Called Bat "When his veterinarian mom brings home a stray baby skunk that needs rehabilitation before it can be placed in a wild animal shelter, Bat, who has autism, resolves to prove that he is up to the challenge of caring for the skunk permanently"

Diversity Month recognizes and honors the diversity of the world around us. We celebrate to embrace and value the differences that make each person special and unique.

Book Recommendations:

I'm New Here "Three children from other countries (Somalia, Guatemala, and Korea) struggle to adjust to their new home and school in the United States."
All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Earth Month is a time to learn more about the Earth and celebrate the people, environments, and wildlife that make our planet special and unique.

Book Recommendation:

What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet "Everything you need to know about what we're doing to our environment, good and bad, from pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling. This environmental book will teach keen young ecologists about our actions affect planet Earth. "
Touch the Earth "While on the White Feather Flier, children learn to do what they can to help save the environment, including creating clean water for people to drink and taking pollution out of the ocean."
Chapter book: Hoot by Carl Hiassen "Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site"

National Volunteer Month is the month dedicated to promoting, encouraging, and celebrating volunteerism. Without volunteers donating their time to the causes they care about; most endeavors wouldn’t happen. The members of the AG BELL PTSA volunteer to bring you school activities throughout the year, such as fundraising events, enrichments classes, annual egg drop, and much more. Consider being part of the PSTA, volunteering, and/or becoming a DEI ambassador with the AG Bell PTSA at www.agbellptsa.org/volunteer

Book Recommendation: