Announcing the Great Strides Project co-ordinated by the Ms. Hamer, an HMS Physical Education teacher. Here is what Donna Hamer has to say about the project: Each year 200,000 children are born with club foot - or
club feet if it affects both feet. The World Health Organization calls it the most disabling deformity in the world today because not only is it incredibly painful, but the children in the poorer countries become isolated from their peers because they can't attend school. Yet for as little as $250 a child, and in a matter of about 4 weeks this condition can be totally overturned and the child will have a normal leg/foot! The procedure used was developed by Dr. Ignacio Ponsetti who is 95 and still training doctors to do this procedure in his clinics in over 44 countries. The doctors donate their time and talent to train local medical students to learn the procedure. It is a series of casts that the child wears for about a month.
So we are asking our students, teachers, secretsaries, administrators etc. to get involved in The Great Strides Project. Students are to pick up a pledge sheet from the gym during their PE class or available by clicking here -
GreatStridesPledgeForm.pdf. They take it home and ask family and friends (we don't want them soliciting money door to door) if they might consider sponsoring them to walk a marathon - 26.2 miles! If the family chooses to do so - they will pledge a certain amount of money per mile and multiply it by 26.2. Thus a $1 per mile pledge would be a donation of $26.20. But any amount will be gratefully accepted - it can be a general donation, it doesn't have to be a pledge for money per mile.
Checks are made out to Hammarskjold SAF. When the student returns the pledge sheet to their PE teacher they will receive a pedometer which they place on their waistband and off they go! They can wear the pedometer during the school day, at the mall, on a
family outing, wherever and whenever they want until they reach 26.2 miles. When they return the pedometer, I will give them back their pledge sheet so they can collect the money pledged and hopefully we will help many children actually be able to WALK! Of course, the students can bring in the money with their pledge sheets if that is easier - they don't have to wait to walk the marathon before the money is turned in."
We have some amazing stuff going on in the art department - we are planning to have a huge
paper mache globe on display that the kids can "mark" with finger paint as they complete their marathons. We are doing this in tandom with a school in
Iowa - they are walking North to South and we are walking South to North. When we reach the equator we will have a special sort of "play day" at school. It is a good time of year for our children to reflect on all the fun and exciting stuff that happens during the respective winter holidays and to try and imagine not being able to walk and enjoy the fun stuff we all do and take for granted. It is also a way of getting them to understand that every person on Earth has the POWER to do good for another, we CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!! And we can do a good thing without receiving a reward - just because it feels Good to help another person." Please help with the Great Stides project.
The Special Education PTA (SEPTA) IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE DIVERSITYWEAR. Attached is an order form - SEPTADiversityWear.pdf. PRICES ARE YOUTH LARGE – ADULT X-L $10.00, 2X$11.00 AND 3x $12.00.
The HMS Media Center is collecting old printer toners. For each toner collected, the Media Center will receive $3 for use towards future book purchases.
The HMS PTA is still offering the KidStuff coupon book for sale . You can order by clicking here:
KidstuffFlyer09-10.pdf. Each book is $25 and your family earns one FREE book for every 5 books you sell. Please make all checks payable to "HMS PTA" and enclose the order form in an envelope labeled HMS PTA.
The PTA operates the school store at HMS. The store is open during lunch most Tuesdays and Thursdays. Most of the school supplies are available for purchase including supplies as the cycle classes change. Tote bags will be for sale for $5 each (nonrefundable). We need regular volunteers to man the store during lunch periods from 10:30-12:30 on Tuesday and Thursdays from October - December. Please email Liz Bondi @
ebondi3@aol.com or click on the E-mail link above if you are available to volunteer.
Please see the Tote Bag Information page for a special announcement from Mr. Gaskell regarding tote bags.
Please join and support the PTA - the membership form is available on the Download Forms page. Dues are $10 per family
. HMSMembershipEnvelope09-10.pdf.
Please support the HMS PTA and check out our PTA Fundraisers by viewing the Fundraisers pages. Simplified Scrip Gift Cards and Box Tops for Educations are great fundraisers for the HMS PTA and helps you easily shop for any occasion - even everyday supermarket shopping.
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