The main function of the PTA is to support growth and learning through a wide range of activities, from kindergarten cultural arts to 5th grade graduation. We achieve this goal through both schoolwide programs and individual teacher grants. Various fund-raising activities are planned toraise money so that we can enrich the learning experience at Murray. Some of the activities are once a year events, while others continue thrroughout the course of the school year.

Events

The Fall 2009 Bake Sale was held on October 22nd during Visiting Day. Parents bake and sell treats at this popular event. For more information or to Co-Chair this event next year, contact Lynn Zerbib.

The Book Fair will be held from November 16th through 19th in the small gym. More information is available in the Book Fair section of this site. Contact Carrie Tucker or Danielle Linkas if you’d like to help out.

Winter Whirl, the only “parents-only” event of the year, will be held on January 30, 2010. It is one of our biggest fund raisers and a lot of fun too! We need volunteers to help solicit items for auction and to sell tickets. For the first time, you’ll also be able to buy tickets online later this year. Contact Yvette Hammel for more information.

Spring Fair will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2010. Every family can be part of this fun-filled day on the Murray large playground. Enjoy the games, rides, crafts, carnival food, a photo booth, prize booth and much more! We need volunteers to Co-Chair several major booths at this event. Contact Lori Dente for more information. Please get involved by helping out with any (or all!) of the following:

• Donate Used Books Clean out your bookshelves over Spring Break: bring your gently used adult, children’s, fiction and non-fiction books of all kinds to the collection boxes outside the main office. Any questions? Contact: Maggie Rosen or call 833-7023.
• Contribute Basket Raffle Items Help make our ever-popular Basket Raffle the biggest success ever by donating new, unused items to fill eight (maybe more!) different theme baskets! You can donate items to ANY basket in the boxes near the library. Details on specific basket themes to follow. Contact: Jen Nabi or call 833-2916.
• Decorate a Cake Create a colorful, icing-covered, candy-festooned, kid–friendly cake for the perennial favorite Cake Walk (store bought cakes are okay too). Drop off the day before the Fair, Friday, May 7th, between 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the small lunchroom. Details of course will follow. Contact: Lee Garrett or call 630-0024.
• Bake Goodies Make delicious homemade goodies like the ever-popular cupcake, as well as Rice Krispie treats, breads, cakes and pies for the Country Kitchen Booth. The perfect place to get desserts for Mother’s Day or snacks for the kids. Drop off on Friday, May 7th, between 2:30-4:00 p.m. in the small lunchroom. Contact: Gina Fonti or call 630-1199.
• For more information on the Spring Fair contact Lori Dente, Melissa Demasi or Tara Pisani.

Show your Murray School Spirit by purchasing NEW Murray Merchandise. Contact Jen Nabi or Shari Levine for more information on how to pre-order this great fashionable new merchandise. The pre-order form is under the Forms section of this site.

Continuous activities

BoxTops for Education is a well-known and long-established program. Simply collect the boxtop symbols from breakfast cereal packets, yogurt packages, paper goods and all these other brands. Each Box Top earns our PTA 10¢. Doesn’t sound like a lot? Consider this:

• 25 Box Tops collected per child at Murray = $1800
• 50 Box Tops collected per child at Murray = $3600

Please put your box tops in the collection box outside the main office. They are welcome at all times, although we have submission deadlines at the end of October and the end of February. If you have questions, please contact Ellen Howse. You can also sign up to receive their newsletter and other offers.

Stop and Shop has launched its “A Plus” program. Simply sign up once, and nominate our school as your choice for your frequent shopper card number. Every dollar you spend will increase our share of Stop and Shop’s monthly donation to schools.

To enroll your Stop and Shop card in the program:

1. Start by going to www.stopandshop.com to create an account and register your shopper card. Click on the “Sign up today” link under the Sign In section in the upper right-hand corner of the page and follow the instructions. You will need to enter all 13 digits of the bar code on the back of your card, including the numbers to the far left and the far right of the bars. NOTE: if your card was previously registered online, go straight to step #2.
2. Then click on the Our Stores tab and go to the A+ page
3. Click on the Register Your Card button under “Join the Program”
4. Designate our school by going to NY-Larchmont under “Find a School ID# to select” and then click the button for Murray Avenue School. You should see a message on your screen confirming that your information has been submitted

NOTE: You must complete all four steps in order for Murray to get credit for your purchases. Also, you don't have to be a Murray parent (or live in Larchmont) to support our school, so please ask your family and friends who live near a Stop & Shop store to sign up and select Murray. If you have questions or would like help registering, please contact Ellen Howse or call 917-446-9396.

More ideas - let us know.