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 2011 Bake Sale will be held on Wednesday, November 16th from 8:30 AM until 4:00 PM.  This is a popular fundraising event for all.  For more information or to volunteer the day of the sale please contact Kirstie Joseph, Bonnie Kraner, Ann Shin or Donna Indellicate.

The Book Fair will be held from November 14th through 17th in the small gym. More information will be available in the Book Fair section of this site. For more information please contact the Book Fair Co-Chairs: Julie Leonard, Ellen Caldor, Clare Mcintyre, Pam Flatow, Alex Bohn, Julie Rogoff.

Purchase your Winter Gala tickets online with PayPal. This year's festive event is Friday, February 10th from 7:30pm to 11pm at Whitby Castle in Rye. Your $50 ticket price includes an evening of dinner, drinks, entertainment and fundraising activities. There will be plenty of auction items to impress your valentine this year. Stylish attire is unlimited, but space isn’t—DON’T WAIT TO GET YOUR TICKETS!  Step out for a fun parents' evening to support our school!

Can’t attend on February 10th? Look for special sponsorship and pre-auction bidding opportunities in your invitation envelope in January.

The Gala Committee still has plenty of room for more members to create a fun and successful evening. Join us!

Contact Amy Hagar, Michelle Johnson, Lauren Magel or Bill Ryan.

The auction catalog is now avaialble here.

Spring Fair will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012. 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 could use your help in a number of ways:

1. 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 in the weeks leading up to the Spring Fair.
   
   
2. Contribute Basket Raffle Items - Help make our ever-popular Basket Raffle the biggest success ever by donating new, unused items to fill different theme baskets! You can donate items to ANY basket in the boxes near the library. Details on specific basket themes will be available closer to May 12.
   
   
3. Decorate a Cake - Create a colorful, icing-covered, candy-festooned, kid–friendly cake for the perennial favorite Cake Walk. Store bought cakes are welcome too. Drop off cakes the Friday before the Spring Fair, after school, in the small lunchroom.
   
   
4. Bake Goodies - Make delicious homemade goodies like cupcakes, Rice Krispie treats, breads, cakes and pies for the Country Kitchen bake sale booth. The perfect place to get desserts for Mother’s Day or snacks for the kids. Drop off baked goods the Friday before the Spring Fair, after school, in the small lunchroom.

For more information on the Spring Fair contact Yvette Hammel, Tara Pisani, Lee Wipper or Karen Loga.

Show your Murray School Spirit by purchasing NEW Murray Merchandise. Contact Jill Godin or Jessica Ettinger or visit the spirit wear page to see merchandise images and place your order.

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 (our id number is 07277). 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.