Newsletter 01/12/2026

We’re excited to spotlight another PTA member! In upcoming newsletters, PTA board members will share why they got involved and what the PTA has meant to them. With several board positions opening next year, we hope these stories inspire you to get involved. Whether you have a little time or a lot, there’s a place for everyone in our school community.

Meet Laura Schwab, Fundraising Chair

My name is Laura Schwab, and I’m a parent to a 2nd grader (Banyan) and a 5th grader (Haven) at BCS. I joined the PTA when my oldest started first grade, initially as a Member at Large, simply observing, learning, and getting a better sense of how our school community worked. Attending meetings helped me understand what happens behind the scenes and inspired me to support our neighborhood public school alongside other dedicated parents and staff.

Over time, I realized that many of the programs my family values most exist because a small group of parents consistently step up. I wanted to be one of them. When a vacant Board position opened, I took on the role of Fundraising Chair. While initially intimidating, the Board’s support, especially from our President, Marie Westom, helped me grow and better understand the purpose and impact of PTA fundraising.

As I wrap up my time as Fundraising Chair, I want to sincerely thank all the volunteers and donors who make our PTA's work possible, as well as our incredible fundraising program leads: Christina Kirby, Ashleigh Hatchel, Sara Hallvik, and Chris Perkins with the Outdoor Spaces team. With district funding stretched thin, our school is incredibly fortunate to have such a collaborative and committed PTA.

I’m happy to mentor anyone interested in taking on fundraising next year. It’s a great way to get involved and make a meaningful impact. In challenging times, I truly believe that action, big or small, is the antidote to despair. When we show up, our community shines brighter.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

General PTA Meeting Tonight at 7 pm
*TONIGHT*

The next PTA General Meeting will be held in the school library (or via Zoom) on Monday, January 12. All community members are invited to join! Check out the Meeting Agenda to see what will be discussed this month and get access to the meeting via Zoom.

LEARN MORE

Elijah and the Sacred Song Auditions
*NEW*

The Beverly Cleary Theatre Department is excited to announce that we will be collaborating with Brian Parham and the Rock Dojo to premiere Brian's award-winning rock musical, Elijah and the Sacred Song.

This family-friendly epic adventure features siblings Elijah and Destiny, who live in a dystopian future and train in martial arts to defeat the ancient god of metal music, Ahriman. When Elijah discovers a magical music book, he realizes that metal music, not martial arts, holds the key to defeating Ahriman. After Destiny accidentally summons Ahriman, the Lord of Destruction scatters the book’s fragments across his many worlds of terror. The siblings embark on a thrilling journey to recover the magical book, battle Ahriman, and save their world.

Auditions are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday - January 12, 13, and 15. Signups are happening this week! See Mr. Tabshy for more information.

Middle School Dance | January 30
*NEW*

We are so excited to announce that the Middle Schoolers have voted, and the theme for the first dance of the year is Winter Wonderland!!!

The dance will be on Friday, January 30, from 7:00 - 8:30 pm at BCS.

Our Middle School Dance committee (made up of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders) is working hard on plans and decorations for the dance. They are making tons of snowflakes out of white, silver, and blue paper. Anyone of any age is welcome to make paper snowflakes at home and drop them off at the school office; we will put them to good use for decorating. The more snowflakes, the better!!!

There will be pizza, snacks, and drinks for sale (cash only).

Tickets are $5 each (cash only) and will be sold on January 28, 29, and 30 before and after school. Students must have a signed permission slip to purchase a ticket. Just a reminder that students can leave the dance early, but they will not be allowed to re-enter. A chaperone will need to call the student's parent to confirm that it's okay for the student to leave before the end of the dance.

As always, none of this would be possible without our amazing parent volunteers! If you are interested in helping with decorations, set-up, clean-up, and/or chaperoning the night of the event, please reach out to korwren@gmail.com. 

Blazers Night | Order Deadline 1/23/2026

Join us for an exciting night of basketball in support of Beverly Cleary School. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit the BCS PTA. This is a fantastic opportunity to show your school spirit while enjoying the game with friends, family, and fellow members of the school community.

BUY TICKETS

Volunteers Needed for OBOB | 2/21/2026

We’re looking for volunteers to support our Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) event on February 21! OBOB is a fun and engaging day for our students, and it wouldn’t be possible without the help of our amazing community.

There are a variety of roles available, and signing up early helps us plan and ensure the day runs smoothly. Whether you can help for a short shift or the whole event, your support makes a big difference.

Sign up early to secure a spot and help make OBOB a success! More details and the sign-up link are available below.

Thank you for supporting our readers and teams!

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP

Host a Heritage Night Booth

On Thursday, February 26, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm, the PTA will host Heritage Night, a time for families to come together to share their culture with our school community. Sign up to host a booth to share your family’s heritage through pictures, artifacts, music, art, games, and food. Booths are meant to be simple, fun, and easy to put together. Interested? Complete the form below by January 30. Contact Dawn Isaacs at dawnmarieisaacs@gmail.com with any questions.

BOOTH SIGN UP FORM

Middle School Spookarama Night Needs Lead Volunteers!

Planning for the 2026–2027 Middle School Spookarama Night is beginning, and we need your help to make it happen!

Middle School Night is a beloved part of the two-evening Spookarama tradition, offering a fun, safe, and spooky celebration just for our 6th- to 8th-grade students. To continue hosting this event, we must secure five lead volunteers to partner with the elementary Spookarama team and share planning responsibilities. We are seeking Leads for the following roles:

• Head Lead / Event Coordinator: Oversee overall planning, logistics, and volunteer coordination.
• Food Lead: Coordinate pizza, snacks, and beverages.
• Games Lead: Oversee the coordination of parents to run activities such as Minute-to-Win-It games and other favorites.
• Decorations Lead: Oversee décor planning and setup in collaboration with the elementary design team.
• Treat Trot Lead: Organize the “Musical Scares: Treat Trot.”

Why this matters
To move forward with Middle School Night for 2026–2027, we must have all five lead volunteers confirmed by May 2026. If these positions are not filled, we will not be able to host a middle school Spookarama event next year.

Time Commitment
These roles involve light planning throughout the school year, coordination with the established elementary Spookarama team, and helping recruit/support volunteers as the event gets closer.

Interested? Have questions? Please reach out to spookarama@beverlyclearyschool.org to volunteer or learn more. Your leadership can help keep this tradition alive - thank you for supporting our middle school community!

Newsletter Submissions

Do you have anything you'd like included in the newsletter or on socials? Please complete the BCS PTA Communications Request Form (linked below) by Thursday to have your content in the Monday newsletter of the following week. Please note that we will include only information directly related to school- or PTA-sponsored events. Questions? Email communications@beverlyclearyschool.org.

REQUEST FORM