President’s Message #
Dear Abingdon Friends and Families,
Cheers to a new year! Building community and enriching the lives — especially the emotional well being — of our students through our volunteer work is instrumental. We’re excited for our PTA achievements and continue to support our community in challenging times and celebratory milestones. That said, we remain appreciative of the care and kindness that our volunteers, Abingdon staff, donors, and benefactors tirelessly provide to help our children succeed in school.
With over a dozen languages spoken by families at Abingdon, we support engaging friends and neighbors within our culturally and beautifully diverse school community. I am thankful for the opportunity to participate in APS’s Family and Community Engagement (FACE) working group to update their Policy and Implementation Plan (PIP) and advocate for multilingual communication to ensure that all families can become effective partners to support their students. I am also appreciative of our district PTA — Arlington County Council of PTAs (CCPTA) — to help Abingdon with our collective advocacy efforts.
You may be interested to know that the Abingdon PTA is partnering with one of our neighborhood civic associations — the Fairlington Citizens Association — to sponsor a MLK Day of Service Garden Workday at the Abingdon Community Garden. A guest reader will provide a storytime to kids in attendance to honor Dr. King’s leadership with the civil rights movement and the importance of building community through volunteer service.
There are multiple ways to stay engaged and connected with us as we continue advocating for our Cardinals: Facebook, Twitter, www.abingdonpta.org, and WhatsApp groups. Reach out at [email protected] if you have any questions or comments to share with us. Thank you for supporting and inspiring our Abingdon flock.
Gratefully,
Sharon Burd
P.S. To learn more about Abingdon’s history, including a parent handbook from 1957, visit www.abingdonpta.org/history.
📅 Save the Dates #
- Tuesday, January 10, 2023: PTA General Membership Meeting (7 pm - 8 pm)
- Thursday, January 12, 2023: Classroom Snack Pantry Distribution (2:30 pm - 4 pm)
- Friday, January 13, 2023: Registration opens up for after school Cardinal Chinese Club (12 pm)
- Monday, January 16, 2023: No School (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- Monday, January 16, 2023: MLK Abingdon Community Garden Cleanup (10 am - 12 pm)
- Tuesday, January 17, 2023: Winter After-School Enrichment Classes Begin
- Thursday, January 19, 2023: Classroom Snack Pantry Distribution (2:30 pm - 4 pm)
- Friday, January 20, 2023: Abingdon Coffee Chat with Parents of 3rd and 4th grade students (8 am - 9 am)
- Wednesday, January 25, 2023: Abingdon Winter Concert 5th Grade (6:00 pm - 7:45 pm)
- Thursday, January 26, 2023: Classroom Snack Pantry Distribution (2:30 pm - 4 pm)
- Thursday, January 26, 2023: Abingdon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Meeting (3:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Room 220)
- Thursday, January 26, 2023: Abingdon Winter Concert 4th Grade (6:00 pm - 7:45 pm)
- Monday, January 30, 2023: No School (Grade Preparation Day)
Note: View and subscribe to the PTA calendar on our website here.
👋 PTA General Membership Virtual Meeting on Tuesday, January 10 #
Who: Teachers, Parents, Guardians, Students, Community Members
What: January General Membership Virtual Meeting
Where:
For security reasons, we do not share Zoom meeting codes on our website. Please subscribe to the email edition of our newsletter to make sure you receive PTA meeting codes.
When: Tuesday, January 10th, 2023, 7:00 PM EST
Why: We will have a Q&A with Principal Horak, and discuss opportunities to engage with the Abingdon Community. Additionally, Abingdon’s counseling team will provide a brief overview of how they help students achieve academic success, develop an understanding of career opportunities, and develop social emotional skills in response to issues they face.
The meeting agenda is available here: https://www.abingdonpta.org/agendas/2023-01-10. Live Spanish translation will be provided.
⛸️ Ice Skating Night #
Abingdon PTA invites students & families to enjoy an evening of free ice skating. In order to know if families can skate with their Abingdon students at this free event, please RSVP @ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfydGoTkuV0MkyGvvYBAE4cvqknOScNe9WxzJj8XJUogxBBwQ/viewform
NOTE: The date has been changed from February 9 to February 16.
🕊 Counseling Corner #
Abingdon’s mental health team is helping to inspire students to be knowledgeable, responsible, healthy and compassionate citizens. For resources and information regarding how to access basic needs and county resources, mental health resources for children/adults, behavior support, & social emotional support (grief, mindfulness, etc.), visit https://abingdon.apsva.us/counseling/ or reach out to Abingdon counselors with any questions or concerns.
🥨 Support the Classroom Snack Pantry #
Volunteers are needed every Thursday from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm for Abingdon’s classroom snack pantry. Sign up here: www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c4aacab2aaaff2-abingdon1#/.
🧧 Lunar New Year Celebration #
Join us for a Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, January 28th, as we welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
🐲 Register for Cardinal Chinese Club #
The PTA is launching an after school Cardinal Chinese Club on Fridays. Students will learn conversational phrases, how to write simplified characters, songs, and more. Students in kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to register. Financial assistance will be available. If you have any questions, reach out to Sharon Burd at [email protected].
✏️ Abingdon’s Winter Assessment Date #
Beginning in 2022 - 2023, students in grades 3rd - 8th take the Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) in fall and winter. The purpose of these assessments is to measure student growth and progress in reading and mathematics content standards. Previously, last school year the test was only administered in the fall.
💰 Abingdon PTA Staff Grants #
The staff grant program has been awarded for the fall season. We are thankful for the grant requests we receive from Abingdon staff that details how we can use our resources and leverage the community to meet the needs of our student population. To apply for the next round of Abingdon PTA Staff Grants (the Winter Grant Deadline is January 17), visit: https://www.abingdonpta.org/grants.
☝ Reminders: #
- Dogs are not permitted on school grounds.
- Stop by the Lost & Found outside in front of the school to pick up your item(s). Labeled items have been returned to the student’s classroom by a volunteer.
🛍️ Abingdon PTA Gift Store #
If you are interested in purchasing any of the following items, reach out to [email protected]. All proceeds support the Abingdon PTA Budget.
- Abingdon Car Magnets $5
- Abingdon Baseball Cap $15
- Abingdon Water bottle $15
- 2022-2023 Abingdon Yearbook $20
- Abingdon Holographic Sticker $5
- Abingdon Vinyl Sticker $5
🫶 Volunteer with Us #
Please complete the PTA’s volunteer form so that we can learn more about your interests, skills, and availability. We would love to match you with a volunteer opportunity or an ongoing role that works for you. Additionally, APS requires that all parents volunteering in the building complete an APS Volunteer Application; submit the application if you have not already done so this year or last school year. To initiate the process, complete the English or Spanish application, and email [email protected]. More info here.
Sign up for our volunteer opportunities:
- Translators — We are looking for volunteers who could translate PTA flyers in the following languages: Mongolian, Amharic, and Arabic. Please contact [email protected] if you can assist with this effort.
- School Garden — To receive updates about garden volunteer opportunities, please sign up here.
- PTA Diversity Coordinator — The PTA is looking for a Diversity Coordinator to collaborate with Abingdon’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and Abingdon’s Bilingual Family Liaison. If you are interested, please contact [email protected].
- Copy Volunteer — We are looking for an additional copy volunteer to assist with copying and distributing black & white flyers to classroom teachers mailboxes on Monday morning (in preparation for Tuesday folder backpack mail). If you are eager to assist, reach out to [email protected].
- Lost & Found Coordinators — We hope to have a tidy Lost & Found where our Cardinals can easily search for their lost belongings. If you would like to assist in this endeavor, reach out to [email protected].
- Mascot Repair Volunteer — Looking for a skilled volunteer who can latch hook some loose feathers on the Cardinal mascot’s wing. If you are interested, please contact [email protected].
💞 Call for Donations #
🧦 Abingdon Clothing Drive: We are collecting CLEAN WEARABLE unwanted clothing to stock our “Extras Closet” for students who may need clothing/personal items during the school day. Please drop off all donations in the front lobby of Abingdon Elementary or contact Megan Miller for pick-up at [email protected].
💸 Passive Fundraising #
🧥 Mabel’s Labels Fundraiser. Help your warm coats and sweatshirts come home each day! Get labels through our Mabel’s Labels Fundraiser and support your Abingdon PTA!
📦 AmazonSmile. When you sign up here and shop on https://smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% to Abingdon PTA. Friends, families, and neighbors are also invited to sign up too!
🛒 Grocery Rebates. Link your Harris Teeter VIC card to Abingdon Elementary (5748). Friends, families, and neighbors are also invited to link their VIC card to Abingdon as well. Sign up here: https://www.abingdonpta.org/fundraising/#harris-teeter
🥞 Box Tops. Do you eat Cheerios or Go-GURT? Help us fundraise with BoxTops for Education. More info here: https://www.abingdonpta.org/fundraising/#box-tops-for-education
⛺ SEPTA Summer Camps & Activities Fair #
Arlington Special Education PTA (SEPTA) is hosting a FREE Summer Activities Fair to help you plan for Summer 2023! Come learn about options for summer learning and adventure. SEPTA invites vendors from near and far – day camps and sleep-away camps, social skills, or outdoor adventure. There is something for every child.
- When: Sat, February 4, 2023, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM EST
- Where: Walter Reed Recreation Center – 2909 16th Street South, Arlington, VA 22204
Activities for the kids and refreshments will be provided.
RSVP Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-activity-fair-2023-tickets-482571754107
More information: https://www.arlingtonsepta.org/event/septa-summer-activity-fair/
🙏 Thank you! ¡Gracias! አመሰግናለሁ! Баярлалаа! شكرًا لك ! #
We are impressed with the generosity and selflessness of our volunteers and supporters.
- A heartfelt thank you to our friends and neighbors for gifting sixty $25 Target gift cards to our 40 Abingdon families to support parents over the holiday season. Your kindness is truly appreciated.
- Many thanks to Yorktown High School student Thomas for planning, prepping, and fundraising for Abingdon’s new garden shed. Additionally, thank you to Thomas and his friends for removing the garden dirt pile over the weekend in preparation for leveling the ground.
- Thank you to Harris Teeter - and the 124 customers who have their VIC card linked to Abingdon - for generously supporting the Abingdon PTA.
- We remain thankful to our dedicated snack pantry volunteers who assist with replenishing classroom snack pantry bins every week.
- We appreciate our friends at Tuckahoe Elementary who are generously collecting additional kids’ coats and winter accessories for our Cardinals.
- We are appreciative of the generous Virginia SRTS Program QuickStart Mini-grant to help support our Abingdon students.
✨ Abingdon Cardinal visits the peaceful school garden to see the zinnia flowers. #
