The BuzzzzzzzzzzNews from the Armstrong Middle School PTA

September-October 2009

Help Keep Your Kids HealthyParents are asked to continue to send tissues and hand sanitizer for

use in the AMS classrooms. Taking the right precautions each and everyschool day can help prevent your kids from passing along germs andviruses such as H1N1, better known as swine flu.

You and your children can WATCH out for the flu by:

Washing hands often with soap and water; or, when not available, an

alcohol-based gel.

Avoiding close contact with others showing signs of illness.

Tossing tissues in the trash after one use.

Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or your arm rather than your hands.

Hibernating if sick to avoid contaminating classmates.

(Flu Watch acronym courtesy of Mississippi State University)

Make Giving Simple:Support the AMS

Black and Gold FundForget cookie dough and wrap-

ping paper. Give to the AMS Blackand Gold Fund and throw that salessheet away!

In lieu of a school-wide fundraisingproject, the Armstrong PTA would likefor you to consider making a donationto this fund. A donation of $25 or moreensures that your name is placed on apermanent plaque at AMS and in thePTA newsletter.

Your contribution will be used tofund exciting projects and activities foryour children. Giving levels are:

n Gold Level — $25 to $49n Black Level — $50 to $99n Super Jacket — $100 and up

To become a part of this worth-while effort, place your donation in anenvelope, addressed to the PTA Blackand Gold Fund, and return it to schoolwith your child, or drop your donationoff at Armstrong to be placed in thePTA mailbox. You may also mail toBlack & Gold Fund, 101 Walden Way,Starkville, MS 39759.

Join PTA today and be part of a team that isworking hard to make this year a successful one atAMS. The $5 fee helps fund projects and events, bothacademic and extracurricular, which improve the lives ofour children. The PTA also works on a local and state levelto improve opportunities in our public schools. To join, simply com-plete the form below and send it back to AMS with your child, along

with payment, to: PTA, Armstrong Middle School.

Name ________________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

Phone _______________________________________________________

E-mail _______________________________________________________

Child’s Name __________________________________________________

Teacher’s Name _______________________________________________

Grade ________________________________________________________

Number of Memberships ($5 each) _________________________________

Amount Enclosed _______________________________________________

We Need You! Join the PTA!

September10 — AMS Football vs. Columbus at SHS, 4:3017 — AMS Football at Tupelo, 5:3021-25 — Fall Jacket Week21 — Jersey Day22 — Twin Day and Fall Dance, 6-8:30, patio24 — Black/Gold Day, Pep Rally and

AMS Football vs. New Hope25 — Dress Up Day30 — Student Dismissal, 12:45 p.m.

October1 — AMS Football at Louisville, 4:305-9 — Nine Weeks Exams13 — Jackets Against Cancer

Car Bash15 — AMS Football vs. West Point

at SHS, 4:3019 — Parent Conference Day,

11 a.m.-7 p.m., No School

AM

S A

ctiv

itie

s

Box Tops Add UpWhen you shop

for groceries, don’tforget to check the

products you buy for Box Topsfor Education. You can make a differ-ence just by collecting Box Tops andsending them to the PTA at Arm-strong. Participating products include:Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, JuicyJuice, Cheerios, Pillsbury, Yoplait,Ziploc, Cottonelle, and many, manymore!

Find more information online atwww.boxtops4education.com.You’ll discover products that canhelp turn box tops into cash forArmstrong.

This year’s Box Top coordinatoris Lisa Bond. If you have questionsabout collecting, please e-mail her atbondbb@yahoo.com.

Kroger Gift CardsIf you shop at Kroger

or would like to, the PTAhas Kroger gift cards

available for $5 that areloaded with $5. Armstrong PTA re-ceives 5% of all sales from use ofthese cards, and it doesn’t cost par-ents anything but taking the time toshop at Kroger. Contact Denise atdenisec@mdac.state.ms.us or callher at (662) 418-9154.

‘Believe’ in the Starkville School District“Believe” is

the theme for the2009-2010 schoolyear and the titleof a new videocreated to moti-vate and inspireteachers, students,administrators,parents and theStarkville com-munity.

The messageof the video, un-veiled duringopening convoca-tion, is simple but powerful. It uses teachers and students to appeal to each member ofthe Starkville School District and the Starkville community to believe in, lean on, re-spect and encourage one another.

“Never in our history has our faculty been measured by a three-pronged account-ability system, new assessments and a national mandate for achievement, but I trulybelieve this challenge will be met by our teachers, students, parents and community,”said Superintendent Judy Couey. “This video represents the best that we have to offer.Our greatest resources are our students and our teachers and our belief in each other.”

The video was a collaborative effort between the Starkville School District andBroadcast Media Group, a Starkville-based production company and a friend of theStarkville School District.

“The shared vision for the project is evident in the final product,” said Nicole

Thomas, public information officer. “It is a compelling video that stirs emotion, butmore than that, it spotlights who we are in the Starkville School District and what webelieve.”

“We’re very proud of this project,” said Robbie Coblentz, Broadcast MediaGroup, Inc. president. “It was fulfilling to be involved with the development of thismessage.” View the video online at www.broadcastmediagroup.com/believe/.

Russ McReynolds, DMD100 Brandon Rd., Suite E 401 East Main St.Starkville, MS 39759 Louisville, MS 39339(662) 323-8065 (662) 773-6217

www.mcreynoldsortho.com