Hickory PTA Roundup

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Hello Hickory Hound Families!

December is sure to fly by with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We only have 3 weeks of school in December, but our Hounds will be busy!

This year the Hickory PTA will celebrate Giving Tuesday on December 3rd. We will be collecting Direct Donations in front of campus before and after school. Donations of $26 or more will receive a special spirit stick, along with other thank-you incentives.

The Book Fair is coming to Hickory in December and it’s always a magical time for our Hounds! We invite all families to shop for a good cause after school when the Book Fair is open to parents and families.

We’re also looking forward to hosting our second Family Night of the school year. Family Reading Night will take place in the cafeteria from 5:30-6:30 pm on Thursday, December 12th. There will be crafts, games, and evening shopping hours at the Book Fair. BARK Therapy Dogs will be on campus for students to read to them. After the event, please stay for our Association Meeting which is open to all families.

Your students will wrap up 2024 with classroom festivities before we all head home for some much deserved rest. I wish you all quiet moments, strong coffee, and joyful memories this holiday season!

With gratitude,

Amy Brownstone

December 3, 2024: Giving Tuesday

December 9-13, 2024: Book Fair

December 12, 2024: Family Reading Night

December 23, 2024-January 3, 2025: No School

January 24, 2025: Winter Fair

Thank you to our Hickory Hound families that have made their 2024 Direct Donations. We’ve raised $10,203 of our $22,000 goal. Your donations ensure we have enough funds to support all of our programs as we head into 2025. Please consider making a donation today at https://www.hickorypta.net/donations

How can you make your donation? The easiest way to make your donation is by visiting hickorypta.net/donations and clicking on the yellow “Donate Now” button. If you prefer to donate by check, you can drop one off in the front office. Please make all checks payable to Hickory PTA.

How can your donation have more of an impact? Employers may match donations dollar for dollar! Check with your employer or HR department to see if they offer a donation matching program. All matching donations should be issued to Hickory PTA. Please email fundraising@hickorypta.net for our Tax ID.

How can my business support Hickory? This year all corporate donations will be recognized with every Direct Donation social media post and our November, December, and January Hickory PTA newsletter. Let the Hickory community know your business supports our Hounds!

Yearbooks are now ON SALE! The price is just $20 and will remain so until Jan. 13, 2025 (when it will go up to $24). Don’t forget and don’t fret - just purchase one today! You can also upload photos for a chance to be featured in the yearbook. Currently collecting photos for: Back to School, Movie Night, Skechers Walk, Halloween, H.O.U.N.D. Awards, Restaurant Fundraisers, and more! Contact Sunny at yearbook@hickorypta.net for questions.

BUY NOW: https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/HickoryPTAYearbook

The 2024 Book Fair is coming to the Hickory library from Monday December 9th- Friday December 13th! Make sure to set up your student's eWallets, or send them with cash on their regularly scheduled library day in order for them to shop!

We will also be hosting after school shopping hours open to all on each of the days, as well as a special evening shopping hour on Thursday 12/12/24 from 5:30-6:30pm. Please check out the book fair site HERE for more details and information. We can’t wait to see you there!

The Hickory Girl Scouts Troops 1201 & 70505 are excited to collaborate with the Hickory PTA for our 2024 holiday food drive! This event will take place on 12/12/24 - the Girl Scouts will be accepting donations at the kinder gate, main gate, and park gates in the morning before school, as well as after school. Please bring your donations to any of the three locations in exchange for free tokens to Wawa Claw (a local claw machine arcade!). All donated items will be given to Food for Kids - a food pantry by The Volunteer Center in Torrance. For specific information on donation requests, please visit the list HERE.

Happy Holidays Hounds! What better way to shop the holidays than loading up your closet with school spirit! The Hickory Spiritwear store is excited to announce the opening of our first ever “Online Pop-Up Store!”

Check us out at hickorypta.net/store and snag new merch for the whole family! Go Hounds!

Save the date for the Hickory PTA’s main family and community event of the year! The Winter Fair will take place on January 24, 2025 from 4:30-7:30pm and feature midway games, food trucks, exhibits, entertainment, craft contests, silent auction and more!

Can you help us make this event unforgettable? Email events@hickorypta.net if you can contribute to any of the following:

• Join the Winter Fair Planning Committee

• Donate prizes to our Silent Auction fundraiser

• Sign up your student or group to perform their talent at the fair

• Volunteer to set up, clean up, or help during the event

• Host an educational table in our exhibit area

• Help judge the crafts contest

Every year Hickory PTA honors and recognizes individuals for their outstanding service to our community. We are currently accepting nominations for Honorary Service Awards. You can submit your nominations here: https://forms.gle/fV3CTKHfLmDgJJGM6 or by emailing HSA@hickorypta.net.

Congratulations to all the 2024 Hickory PTA Reflections contest winners! We had our biggest contest yet, with 112 entries in all 6 categories of art: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts.

1st place winners' entries were sent to the Torrance Council of PTAs, to be judged against winners from all other Torrance elementary schools. 1st and 2nd place winners will receive a trophy, a certificate, and a ribbon. 3rd place winners (Honorable Mentions) and all other participants will receive a certificate and a ribbon. Winners will be honored at an award ceremony during assembly on Friday, December 13th.

VIEW WINNERS HERE: https://www.hickorypta.net/reflections

Thank you to the library volunteers! The library is currently on a break as we host the book fair! We will resume regular library hours in January.

Thank you to our amazing docents and parent volunteers. Our program couldn't do it without your help. We appreciate you all very much ❤️

All Hickory PTA programs rely on volunteers for planning and executing. The following committees are looking for volunteers to serve:

Nomination Committee: This committee will seek candidates to serve on the Hickory PTA Executive Board for the 2025-2026 school year. The committee will be elected at the December 2024 Association Meeting.

Winter Fair Committee: The Hickory Carnival/Festival is one of our largest community events for students, families, and neighbors. We need multiple volunteers for various subcommittees, including games/prizes, entertainment, silent auction/raffle, food trucks, and arts & crafts. This committee has begun planning, but there’s still room for more committee members!

Please email volunteers@hickorypta.net for more information. Thank you for considering volunteering!

As we approach the holidays what better way to spread the joy this holiday season while making a difference in raising money for Hickory PTA with custom holiday cards and goods from Minted! Every purchase made you will receive 20% off and 15% will go back to Hickory PTA. Please be sure to use the unique code FUNDRAISEHICKORYPTA.

Our PTA is now 334 Members strong! Let's keep the momentum going and get us closer to our goal of 425 members. Joining the PTA is a small but meaningful way to not only support the Hickory PTA, but also all of the programs we fund for the school.

Remember, becoming a member does not mean you are obligated to volunteer, it just means you support our school. So become a member and encourage grandparents, aunts, uncles, and local business and neighbors to join the Hickory PTA today! https://jointotem.com/ca/torrance/hickory-pta

We welcome any amount of time and effort that you have to offer! Our school events, programs and activities would not be possible without our amazing volunteers.

Please fill out this volunteer interest form and email Hickory PTA Volunteer coordinator at volunteers@hickorypta.net if you have any questions.

Support Hickory just by shopping at Ralph's supermarket! Enroll in Ralph's Community Contribution program and automatically donate every time you shop.

1. Visit https://www.ralphs.com/i/community/community-contribution-program

2. Search for Hickory PTA or find "Hickory Elementary School PTA" (organization number: VF854).

3. Make sure to press Save or Enroll... It's that easy!

Note: This newsletter does not replace official Hickory or district news. Please make sure you're signed up for email notifications in PowerSchool so you don't miss out on TUSD emails or messages from our Principal, Mrs. Leach.

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