Goshen Creek Elementary celebrates PTA for fundraising work
SPRINGTOWN — On Thursday, March 6, Goshen Creek Elementary students had the time of their lives at the “Best Day Ever” PTA celebration. The festivities were in celebration of all the hard work Goshen Creek Elementary’s Parent Teacher Association put in this year to raise money for a new outdoor learning center and to bring in special guests for students.
Goshen Creek Principal Wendy Ashley said the PTA partnered with “Next Level,” formerly “STEP IT UP,” which is an experience-based fundraiser for schools to help take their fundraisers to the next level.
“Best Day Ever is technically the celebration or reward event from the POP fundraiser,” Ashley said. “This year, our PTA held the spring fundraiser for the campus. The Best Day Ever is a day of fun where grade levels rotate through the activity zone that includes bounce houses and other activities.” Ashley said Goshen Creek also brought in the Creature Teacher experience and Dr. Rebekah Hartfield to read to students.
“We strive to make every day the best and used the opportunity to bring in other guests that included Dr. Ballard and Creature Teacher to present about dental hygiene, a guest author that also brought her books and some main characters — goats — for students to experience, as well having extended reading opportunities for Dr. Seuss Read Across America Week,” Ashley said.
Another fun activity students got to participate in was story time with baby goats with the guest author and veterinarian, Dr. Rebekah Hartfield.
“Creature Teacher gave an amazing presentation on dental health and gave all students and staff a goodies sack to take home,” Ashley said. “Rebekah Hartfield spoke about her journey to be an author and a vet. She brought goats, also the main character of one of her books. This week we also had a Dr. Seuss-themed Open House that included a reading restaurant that was themed “Oh the Places You Go!” to which students had the opportunity to have a little creative play and fun with reading books to their loved ones. After they read, they then had the opportunity to make and take a fun math game to take home.”
Ashley said parents and students also had the opportunity to visit a special corner.
“Lastly, our students and parents visited the Choose Love Booth that is our district social/emotional curriculum that helps equips students with tools to be a good friend, help regulate and be in control of their feelings and actions, as well as a foundational practice at Goshen,” Ashley said.
Ashley proudly states that work and fun cohesively go together.
“At Goshen, we believe that hard work can be fun and it pays off,” Ashley said. “We believe that each day can be the best day ever and making each moment count is the small goal that can move mountains toward student success.”
OUTDOOR LEARNING CENTER: Back in the fall, the Goshen Creek PTA decided to contribute toward the school’s goal of creating an outdoor learning center.
“Goshen used a portion of our fall fundraiser to create the outdoor learning center with the vision in mind to create a place that students and teachers can use for outdoor learning or other activities,” Ashley said. “This area has also given us the opportunity to have an area to celebrate students’ work and excellent behavior to have the opportunity to have lunch with a loved one. Goshen’s amazing PTA is contributing towards the completion of this area with the addition of four more tables and umbrellas.”
Dr. Rebekah Hartfield is a veterinarian and an author who wrote books like“Stewart the Goat.”
Students at Goshen Creek Elementary enjoy the bounce houses.
The new outdoor learning center at Goshen Creek Elementary.
