Hello Franklin Families,
Happy March and happy Women’s History Month! In this newsletter we’ll cover:
- The Spring Auction
- Open PTA Executive Board Positions for 2025/26
- March PTA Meeting
- Star Wars Day at Oracle Park
- February Highlights
DEI Meeting on March 11, 12:00-1:00pm
Please join us for our monthly virtual DEI meeting. We'll discuss topics that are relevant to the education and the well-being of our Franklin students, families, and our wider Alameda community. This is a space where participants are welcome to bring their ideas and full selves, and where kindness, equitable participation and respect will be practiced.
Everyone is welcome to participate. Please join us via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89718441745?pwd=e5gcr9ZDblfHSY1USlZMyVJCx87BTF.1
You can also join the DEI committee here.
Out & About Bookmobile on Friday, March 14
The Out & About Bookshop will be on campus March 14. From 7:45am- 8:20am there will be onsite shopping available. Families can also purchase books online for the whole week. https://bookshop.org/shop/outandaboutbookshop 30% of proceeds go back to school library.
More info coming soon!
PTA Meeting on Tuesday, March 18, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
This month's meeting will be in-person in the Media Center. Special guest Jennifer Radakovich from Rhythmix Cultural Works will be here to talk about all the wonderful things that Rhythmix has going on, including the amazing low or no cost programs they offer for the community. After the presentation, we'll dive into our regular meeting with a big discussion on the budget for next school year. Look for the meeting invite and agenda that will be sent over Konstella soon.
Disco Cowboy Fundraiser on Saturday 3/29, 6:00pm – 10:00pm🕺🤠
Early bird tickets to the biggest party of the year and now on sale!
Our Spring Auction is the PTA’s largest fundraiser, and pays for field trip buses, classroom supplies, the Art Docent program, Reading & Math interventions, and much more!
- Snag your reduced price ticket (prices go up on March 7!) here
- Secure childcare here
- Donate items here
Even if you can't make it to the party, you can still participate in the online auction. Stay tuned for details. email fundraising@franklinpta.org with any questions.
Star Wars Day at Oracle Park
Gather you (Millennium) falcons and join us for Star Wars Day at Oracle Park.
Visit https://fevo-enterprise.com/
Paden Pride Palooza on Sunday, March 23, 10:00 am – 1:00pm 🏳️🌈
Join other families from across Alameda to celebrate at Paden's Pride Palooza with arts & crafts, games, face painting and food trucks! Thank you Paden Elementary for the invite!
PTA Executive Board Positions for 2025/26 🙋♂️
Many thanks to the the Nominating Committee as they continue to search for folks to serve on the PTA Executive Board next year. No experience is necessary, just a desire to help our school community! All board positions are open for nominees, but the ones that we don't yet have a commitment for next year are—
Vice President (transitions to President the following year)
Recording Secretary (takes notes during meetings)
Communications Chair (drafts and coordinates emails, runs Konstella)
Hospitality Chair (Teacher Appreciation Week, Back to School Social, etc)
Fundraising Chair (Oversees all fundraisers and works with Walkathon/Auction Chairs)
Historian (Keeps track of volunteer hours)
Please reach out to the Nominating Committee Chair, Hazel Archer, hazelannearcher@gmail.com if you would like more information about being on the 2025/26 PTA Board. 
Franklin's Go Green Team — New Volunteer Opportunity! ♻️🌲
Are you interested in areas including: zero waste & reusables, Green Schoolyards (more trees please!), gardens, climate in classrooms (remember that September heatwave?), and overall increased focus on climate & environmental literacy in curriculum? Our PTA is looking to start a Go Green Team at Franklin. Several other elementary schools in Alameda currently have active Go Green teams and we can connect you with them to help get a program up & running quickly at our school. Join our committee here, or email ask@franklinpta.org with any questions.
February Highlights:
February was a jam-packed month with Black History Month and Lunar New Year! Here’s how we celebrated:
Heritage Night
THANK YOU to all the volunteers and families that attended our Heritage Night Festival last month. Special thanks to Evaly Long, Tyler Fuentes, and Emily Lin for organizing the event, and to Manny Lieras for the special performance!
Assembly
This past Friday we had local musicians Joseph “Ozzy” Osborne and Marque Cass perform "Harmony and Heritage: A Black History Month Celebration" that commemorates Black poets, composers, songwriters, as well as culturally relevant musical history of the Black community and its leaders. Thank you for donating to our PTA so that we can continue to fund assemblies like this at our school!
Whether you’re a seasoned Franklin parent or are new to our community (welcome!) we want to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to any PTA Exec Board member, or email ask@franklinpta.org.
Still Hankering for More PTA Content? We Got You Covered!
- The Franklin Elementary PTA's website
- Franklin Elementary School PTA Facebook Page
- Franklin Falcons of Alameda Facebook Page (this is private group managed by the school office staff- you must request to join)
In gratitude and appreciation,
Your Franklin Elementary PTA
2024–2025 Franklin PTA Executive Board:
Karen Reuel — President president@franklinpta.org
Ann Miyashiro — Vice President ann_m@franklinpta.
Chelsea Guillen — Membership/Volunteer Chair membership@franklinpta.org
Brittany Lasky — Fundraising Chair fundraising@franklinpta.org
Naomi Weisenberg — Hospitality Chair
Steve Perez — Communications Chair communications@franklinpta.org
Michael Cianfrani — Recording Secretary
Ben Montgomery — Treasurer
Nick Parker — Financial Secretary
Aly Karnath — Financial Reviewer
Jen Gross — Historian
Grace Lee — Parliamentarian
Tyler Fuentes — DEI Chair
Laura Kingston — Art Docent Chair artdocent@franklinpta.