Our First Year

We were heartened by the mind-blowing support for our first ever Walkathon. An assembly was hosted to explain to the kids how a walkathon works, as none of them had ever experienced one before. The kids still probably don’t understand what any of it means, but at least they had a blast at a HUGE school-wide 6-7 themed event with all their friends! This is what it’s all about: having fun together and building school spirit. Endless gratitude to our community and our Fundraising Chair for organizing an entire Walkathon in just a few short weeks to raise over $20,000! We reveled in the joy on our kids’ faces and were moved by how much the teachers’ spirits were lifted. This money means a great deal to a lot of folks who have had to do so much with so little for far too long.

Our Holiday Grams fundraiser was also a wild success. The initial thought was that only a few hundred would be sold (if we were lucky). In the end, our parent volunteers sorted and helped Santa surprise every student by visiting each class room to deliver over 1,000 grams!! The holiday spirit of warmth, joy, generosity, and goodwill was on full display as we witnessed so many families, friends, and staff all wanting to spread some extra cheer across the whole campus this season.

The beloved P.E. Coach Logan only had an annual budget of $400 to serve more than 500 elementary students. That's *less than* $1 per person. He knew best how each kid enjoys play, so we consulted with him and dedicated more than $1,000 to purchasing new P.E. and recess play equipment. Kids now have additional rainbow hula hoops, jump ropes, 4-square balls, a floor hockey set, and even a Gagaball pit to PLAY! Let the games begin!

With the funds raised we brought our first fun assembly to the school. This high-energy performance featured motivational themes on respect, anti-bullying, and perseverance. Many schools in neighboring San Jose school districts as well as across the state have raved about this program and it was very exciting for our kids to share in this great experience.  We all took a collective sigh of relief when the BMX biker landed his backward jump over our school Principal.

Science Camp was an annual spring tradition for all Painter 5th graders up until 2020. PTA had an ambitious goal in 2026 to bring this opportunity back for our students and we’re thrilled with its success. Our efforts will help pave the way for ALL future 5th graders to participate in this amazing annual tradition for Bay Area kids. Nothing compares to a week away from your family to attend sleep-away camp with your classmates. There is so much new knowledge to gain. The experience also promotes independence and builds confidence before heading into middle school.

We share with you some thank you letters from students (click to enlarge.)

For the annual School Spring Dance, PTA funds brought an abundance of decorations to drench the cafeteria in yellow! We also brought in a photobooth to capture the memories celebrating friendship, a balloon arch, temporary tattoos, glow sticks, and even staged balloon drops! Kids went wild with excitement and parents took to the dance floor to cupid shuffle alongside their kids’ teachers. Through dancing, moving to the same beat, and smiling together, we got to usher in Spring with a little extra spring in our steps.

As all PTAs do, we wanted to show our deepest appreciation to the teachers and staff by updating their lounge. The redesign cleared clutter, equipped the space with new organization systems, more kitchenware, luxurious velvet seating, and brought in more functional and colorful pieces of furniture to create a much needed space for rest, respite, and some re-energization. We all know how important it is to take care of the people who take care of our children.