Hello Falcon Families!
Thank you to all that joined us at our PTA meeting on Monday! Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, October 15 on Zoom. The invite will be sent out later this month.
In this newsletter you'll find:
- Upcoming events at Franklin, including the Walkathon, a family bike ride, a special assembly with Brazilian drumming, and the Book Fair
- AUSD's Jewish Roundtable Information
- Community Events — Hispanic Heritage Festival
- How to Volunteer at Franklin
- Konstella Tips
UPCOMING EVENTS AT FRANKLIN
The fun at Franklin Elementary does not stop, and next couple of months will be filled with great activities. Here's a sneak peek of what we have in store:
DEI's Kick-Off Meeting — September 18, 5–7pm
We’re excited to invite you to our DEI Committee's Kickoff event! What is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee at Franklin? We promote the values of belonging and providing equitable opportunities for student success and well-being. We both joyfully celebrate our differences and support our community in doing the difficult work associated with dismantling dominant narratives. Everyone is welcome and has a place here!
Where: Franklin Park
Who: Franklin friends, DEI Committee, allies, and anyone!
When: Wednesday, September 18th, 5-7 PM
What: We will provide pizza, napkins, plates, cutlery, and cups! Please consider bringing a side or dessert to share. No nuts please.
Why: To foster an inclusive environment where everyone’s voice is heard. This kickoff meeting is a chance for us to unite, share our ideas, and set the stage for the DEI initiatives we’ll champion in the coming months.We’ll brainstorm, share experiences, and lay the groundwork for our future efforts.
Join us for a chill, ~5 mile ride around the island. We'll push off from Boardsports on Shore Line Drive and will cap off the ride with ice cream at Franklin Park. Stay tuned for details.
Special Assembly — Monday, September 30th
Join us on Monday 9/30 for a fun celebration as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. We will host Abel Damasceno, who will be sharing some Brazilian culture and music with the students. This will be a quick Monday morning assembly from 8:20am - 8:50am. Parents are welcome to stay and watch as well!
Pop & Walk — Franklin’s 9th Annual Walkathon! — Friday, October 4th
The Walkathon is a fun event for both students and families. We encourage you to come cheer the kids on as they walk laps around Franklin Park. Our Walkathon Planning Committee could use more Parent Volunteers, please signup on Konstella. Our next planning meeting is tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 12 after school drop-off at the Franklin Park Picnic Tables.
To register your student(s) for the Walkathon and pick t-shirt sizes, please sign up at Get Movin’ Fundraising. More information about the Walkathon will be coming soon in a separate email.
The Walkathon is one of our PTA's biggest fundraising events of the year! Our Walkathon goal is to raise $40,000 (a little more than $140/student). Some of the things that this year's PTA budget include:
- $137,914 for Support Staff Specialists
- $31,600 for Teacher and Staff Supplies, Curriculum, and Technology
- $20,000 for Field Trip Buses
- $9,450 for Community Events
- And so much more!
The PTA's budget for the school year comes directly from family donations and event sponsors from the Walkathon and other upcoming fundraisers. This year our annual goal is to raise at least $500 per student for the year. (We have budgeted to spend about $900 per student for this school year.) We know that not every family can donate that much, but we urge the families who can donate generously to please consider doing so! All contributions are welcome and much appreciated! If you want to learn more about the PTA's budget and the decision making process that goes into it, please join us at our next PTA meeting on October 15!
The Franklin Book Fair — October 21–26 📚
Mark your calendars! Save your pennies! This year's Book Fair vendor is Literati. The Literati Book Fair will be at Franklin Elementary October 21-26, 2024. The Book Fair is Franklin's main source of funding for the Media Center. Last year, our gross sales of $12,611.91 resulted in a credit of over $6,300 that was used for new books, equipment, and supplies. Aside from raising money, the Book Fair also ensures that every student goes home with a book. In 2023, we put over 1,500 books in students and teachers hands! Details coming in the October newsletter.
AUSD Jewish Roundtable
Did you know that AUSD offers a space for Alameda Jewish students and families? Please join parents, staff, teachers and community members every third Wednesday of each month on zoom. Next meeting September 18th at 7pm. Please email Jewish-Roundtable+subscribe@googlegroups.com with subject line “subscribe” to join the google group.
Community Events
'Round the World/Hispanic Heritage Festival is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 21st from 12-5pm at Chochenyo Park. A free family-friendly festival celebrating Latin culture, featuring local artists and headliner, Colombian singer/songwriter Chika Di!
How to Volunteer 🙋♂️
Volunteers are a big part of what make our school so special. Not sure where to start? Go to the Committees section on Konstella, and join a group that interests you. We're also still looking for the following leads:
- Legislative & Advocacy Chair — Join the PTA board and fill this important role! The Board meets online about once a month
- Ability Awareness Lead — The PTA has kits with instructions and projects for each grade level.
- Rock and Roll Lead — During the city-wide Walk and Roll to School week, coordinate incentives for classrooms that have the most participation
Keep an eye out on Konstella for event signups—Walkathon, Book Fair and Spooktacular help will be needed soon!
Don't forget to register with AUSD if you plan to chaperone a field trip, or want to be an on-going volunteer at the school.
Have an idea for our school that you don't see represented? Email volunteer@franklinpta.org and let us know.
Konstella Tip of the Month! 
Did you know that you can sync the PTA's calendar with your own? Never miss an event this year! From your desktop, go to Calendar View, and click on "sync to my calendar" on the top right corner of the month.
Got Any Bright Ideas or Questions?
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.org
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.org