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Originally delivered on 6/29/2025 5:12 pm

SUBJECT: Briarlake PTA 2024-2025 RECAP

2024-2025 WAS A GREAT YEAR!
Let's Recap Our Year

On behalf of the PTA Board, THANK YOU to the entire Briarlake community for another amazing school year! Thanks to our teachers, staff, and administration who work tirelessly to enrich the lives of our students. Sincerest thanks to Principal Jones, who has been instrumental in our success at Briarlake. Our school continues to achieve excellence academically, winning state and district level awards. Ms. Jones, Ms. Milliron, and the entire staff have fostered a safe and loving environment where all of our learners can achieve, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally, which will benefit them throughout their lives. 


Thank you parents and families for sharing your time, talents, financial support, and enthusiasm with our special little school. What you pour into Briarlake is felt by both students and staff. Our entire community thrives because of you. 


And a special thank you to our PTA Board and committee chairs for being the driving force behind all of our accomplishments and volunteer efforts. Together, with Foundation and PAC members, our parent leadership was able to accomplish so much this year. Special thank you to our outgoing Co-President, Angela Barnett, for her leadership and vision for Briarlake PTA, and unwavering commitment to our school this year and in her 22 years at BES!

Briarlake is a PTA School of Excellence

We are proud that your PTA continues in a long history of achieving the School of Excellence award from the National PTA. By advocating for the needs of all children, engaging with the community, and enriching the school, we all thrive at BES. 

MISCELLANEOUS PTA EVENTS & ACHEIVEMENTS
  • Summer PTA BBQ Social
  • Popsicles on the Playground for Pre-K/K
  • Open House
    • Provided free student agendas
    • Eliminated class dues
    • Provided teacher stipends of $150 per homeroom and $50 per specialist for back to school supplies and support
  • Cheers & Tears 
  • Walk and Roll to School Days (2x)
  • Read-A-Thon Kickoff - Wonder Woman Character Visit
  • Inaugural Viking Day Breakfast
  • New desk for Media Center
  • Safe Routes to School (advocated for maintenance needs)
    • replaced the missing REDUCED SPEED AHEAD sign near Chesterfield Rd.
    • reinstalled the downed DO NOT ENTER sign at the carpool exit
    • replaced pedestrian WALK and DON'T WALK bulbs (2x)
    • replaced the damaged SCHOOL ZONE flashing light near Cedar Canyon Rd.
    • installed a reflective PEDESTRIAN CROSSING sign on Lavista Rd.
PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Thank you to our VPs of Programs, Noy Hawkins and AnnElise Schmidt, for bringing magic to our events this year and introducing fun new activities!

  • Welcome Night - Ceiling Tile Painting & Ice Cream Social
  • Inaugural School-Wide Talent Show - Talents & Tales
  • Winter Dance - Party Animals
  • International Night
PTA COMMITTEES

Thank you to our Committee Chairs for their hard work on these mammoth-sized events and for their other invaluable contributions!

  • BES Fall Festival - Amber Draper & Crew (Gifted 26 wristbands to students)
  • Scholastic Book Fair - Kim McCoy & Crew (Gifted book vouchers to students in need of assistance)
  • BES 5K/Fun Run and Roll - Casey Key & Misty Whittaker
  • Artist Market - Dr. Sery & Noy Hawkins
  • Field Day - Jennifer Emery & Robin Kelley (Gifted field day shirts to students in need of assistance)
  • Volunteer Coordinator - Robin Kelley
  • Bulletin Boards - Shay Steed
  • Lost & Found - Laura Turner
PTA FUNDRAISING

Lofty goals were set by our VP of Fundraising, Bailey Coffer, (as she headed this position alone), and with the help of Sara Barta and Angela Barnett, PTA was able to fund all its 2024-2025 goals! Thank you, Briarlake Parents, for your support.

  • Business Outreach
  • Read-A-Thon
  • Book Drive
  • Spirit Wear
  • Beaver Builder Fundraiser
  • PTA Membership Drive

Thank you to our committee chairs who headed up other fundraising efforts!

  • School Box School Supply Kits - Laura Turner
  • Bucky's Boulder - Angela Barnett & Sara Barta
  • Yearbook - Kristen Anderson & Ms. Maddox
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS

Our Buildings & Grounds team has worked diligently all year to make large and small improvements all over campus. Thank you Addison Barden, Blake Thomas, and Katie Gleason for leaving a lasting mark on BES! And thank you to all the parents and neighbors who showed up to help through the year!

  • Installed a new split rail fence along Lavista Rd.
  • Repainted carpool crosswalk, parking lines, and curbs
  • Installed a new, larger BES Sponsorship Banner holder
  • Added a gaga ball pit court to our campus
  • Installed new Bucky's Boulder on campus
  • Decorated campus for Fall Festival
  • Invested in a reusable "Campus Cleanup" sign to help promote events
  • Removed the rotten bottle cap wall (new project pending)
  • Added, divided, and maintained plants/flowers/shrubs around campus
  • Constructed (with donated materials) a new storage shed on campus
  • Held campus cleanup events (4x) 
  • Treated volunteers to donuts and coffee (2x) and pizza (2x) 
  • Hosted first-ever Campus Cleanup Craft Hour - Rock Painting
  • Commissioned entryway murals
  • Purchased shade sails for playground for teachers (installation pending)
Staff Lounge Bathroom Renovation

In a joint effort, staff lounge bathrooms were scrubbed and cleaned by professions and renovated by parents, and the hallway outside was given a beautiful and inspirational lift. Thank you Laura Turner, Ashley Miller and Angela Barnett.

STAFF APPRECIATION & HOSPITALITY

Thank you to our Co-VPs of Staff Appreciation and Hospitality, Ashley Miller and Lindsey Thames, for all their hard work throughout the year to show BES staff our love and appreciation for them!

  • Back-to-School Breakfast for the teachers
  • Lunch from Fellini's for teachers during orientation
  • Welcome gifts for all new teachers and staff
  • SOUP-er November Luncheon 
  • Winter Holiday Staff Gift Campaign
  • Winter warm-up goodies (handwarmers & hot chocolate) 
  • BES toboggans & pastries given to staff during the holidays
  • Gifting for Staff appreciation days
    • National Principals Month 
    • Crosswalk Guard Appreciation Day
    • National School Counseling Week 
    • Nurse's Week 
    • Assistant Principal Day 
    • Media Specialists 
    • Custodians 
    • Bus drivers
    • Administrative Assistants
    • School Lunch Hero Day
    • Security Professional Day
  • National Teacher Appreciation Week
    • Ira lane coffee truck
    • Massages by Megan Simmons
    • Tropical Smoothie Cafe drinks
    • Tote bags and snacks
    • Taqueria El Vecino luncheon (for all staff)

Thank you to our Fantastic Fridays Committee Chair, Carolyn Baggett, for leading our FOUR luncheons for staff. And big thanks to all our BES families who contributed food and time to make these events fantastic!

COMMUNICATIONS

PTA Support of Family Engagement through Communication

  • "Padres de Briarlake" WhatsApp Group - moderated by Arelis Cortes
    • Services 27 Spanish-speaking families at Briarlake 
  • Friday Folder communications - Lauren Griffiths
    • Important handouts sent home weekly
  • Social Media and Room Parent coordination - Susan Pinson
  • Weekly PTA Newsletters - Angela Barnett & Sara Barta
  • PTA Website Management - Sara Barta
PTA SUPPORT

PTA Supports Specials, Clubs, and Academic Teams at BES #yourptadollarsatwork

  • STEM Program 
    • Story Ship Event - Aliens Alive
    • Maker's Empire Software
  • Art Program 
    • Art Supplies
    • Bloxels Software
  • Music Program
  • PE Program
  • Drama Club
  • PTA Reflections
  • Crochet Club/Cooking Club/Garden Club/Recycling Club support
  • Sagamore Hills Math Team/Tournament
  • Counselor Fund for Programs & Awards
    • Red Ribbon Week
    • Celebration of Learning
  • Child in Need Support
  • ASL Day Celebration
    • Provided lunch from Donatos Pizza and Marlow's Tavern
  • DHH Program
    • New curriculum 
  • 5th Grade Committee

PTA Green Team/Composting

  • A parent-led effort organized and implemented a school-wide composting program
  • Styrofoam trays were eliminated at BES and replaced with compostable ones
  • Students were educated about composting as part of their STEM curriculum
  • Students partnered with parent volunteers to work composting shifts during lunchtime
  • Composting supplies were purchased
  • Hosted a Ridwell Plastic Film Recycling Campaign
  • Between August 2024 - April 2025 Briarlake's composting efforts resulted in:
    • 6715 lbs of waste diverted
LOOKING AHEAD


7/26 - CAMPUS CLEANUP

7/31 - OPEN HOUSE

8/4 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

DCSD 2025-2026 CALENDAR LINK
Interested in Helping the PTA?

Thank you to our new board and committee members. We are still looking for a Co-President to shadow Sara Barta next year and take over the following year. There are also some supporting roles that still need to be filled. If you are looking for a way to get more involved, but aren't sure how you may be able to contribute, please email briarlakepta@gmail.com to learn more.

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