Below you will find some of the hallmark events of the Mission school year. Every single one of these events requires parent volunteers. If you are interested in helping make the magic happen, email president@missionpta.org. You can also view the event calendar for upcoming events.
The day before school begins, teachers and staff invite you to campus to meet your new teacher for the school year. Keep an eye out for an email from the school regarding details, and social media posts from PTA. Students are encouraged to bring shared school classroom supplies on this day and swing by the PTA and Missionwear tables after meeting their teacher.
After drop off on the first day of school, the Mission PTA hosts an informal breakfast for parents in the multi-purpose (MP) room. Coffee, tea, and a variety of breakfast treats are provided.
A couple weeks into the school year, the school hosts three Back to School Nights — one for kindergarten families, one for 1st-3rd grades and one for 4th-6th grades. At Back to School Nights you will receive important information from your teachers about the upcoming school year and have the opportunity to sign up for various volunteer positions that are specific to your grade/classroom. While children are always welcome, this event is geared towards parents and many families leave their children at home for this night.
A week or two after school begins, the Mission PTA hosts an informal Back to School social. Families can come and meet other families and enjoy spending a few hours together at the start of the school year.
At the beginning of every school year, the Mission PTA organizes our Missionwear sale, during which families can purchase that year’s exclusive spirit wear design. The Mission community votes for their favorite design each spring at Open House, and the winning design is unveiled in August around the first week of school. Note: Each class also usually does their own grade level shirt!
The opening unit of each school year incorporates a theme that will be shared in different ways through the entire school. The subject of this unit is chosen by the teaching team and many activities are designed with the topic in mind. Whether it is art related, community based, or any other topic, each grade participates in lessons centered on that theme.
At the end of the opening unit study period (usually mid to late Sept.) the entire school participates in Centers Day where experts on Opening Unit subjects are brought in to the school and make a series of presentations to the various grade levels on some aspect of the subject. Students will move through various classrooms and outdoor centers as the day progresses.
One week after Centers Day, the Opening Unit “culminates” with each grade demonstrating what they’ve learned about the subject with an outdoor all-school Friday morning performance. This is Culmination Day. Families are invited to attend a pancake breakfast that morning before school (which is traditionally hosted by 2nd grade) and then stay to watch the show. The students will perform by grade on the blacktop, starting with Kindergarten. And if you are able, stick around until the end to see the always entertaining performance by the teachers and staff. NOTE: You will need your own chair! This is one of Mission’s “must see” events and is very well attended. So, get there early and stake out your spot to get the best vantage point.
Mission participates in National Walk to School Day every October. All Mission families are invited to join us at Mission North Park (3344 Mission Avenue in Carmichael, 95608) as we head for school at 8:00 am. CHP assigns officers to support the event and keep our students safe. The officers lead our parade of walkers and bikers as they walk down Mission Avenue towards school. Upon arrival at the school, the PTA provides light refreshments for all walkers and bike riders (regardless of whether they walked with the group or not).
A fairly new Mission “tradition” is our spring Read-a-Thon. A week long event, students are encouraged to read as many minutes as possible, and complete fun challenges. This fundraiser is a win-win for everyone as we encourage our kids and their love of books, all while raising money to support the programs of the Mission PTA. Collecting donations is entirely voluntary, and is not required to participate in the read-a-thon, or to win prizes. Each student is encouraged to read at least 20 minutes per day. Prizes will be awarded based on total minutes read and total money raised.
A Fun Run in September will transform our MIssion field into a high-energy racetrack for students with this awesome Booster school fundraiser. Students will run, dance and skip to high-energy music while being cheered on and having fun!
Every Halloween, Mission students get to come to school in costume and participate in our “Storybook Parade.” It’s always a great secret what storybook the Kindergarten teachers will represent with their costumes. They never disappoint! Every child, whether in costume or not, gets to parade around the school and be cheered by kids and parents alike. The parade begins shortly after the bell rings. Parents are encouraged to stick around after drop off to watch the parade and of course to take pictures! (New this year, we will be hosting a Mission community costume swap in late September!! Stay tuned for more details.)
Every fall, the Mission PTA hosts its annual Fall Carnival. Each grade hosts and staffs a booth–including the ever popular cake walk–and community members set up tables to showcase their wares. This is a fun, family friendly event that you don’t want to miss. There is no fee to attend, but tickets are required for most activities.
Every November, Mission students sell fresh holiday wreaths from Oregon. These high quality wreaths last for months, and will stay fresh, green and fragrant throughout the holiday season. This fundraiser is different from all other fundraisers at Mission, in that the proceeds go directly to the students to help offset their field trip expenses. Mission’s many overnight field trips can be quite expensive, and this gives students the opportunity to offset those fees.
Every year, usually in early December, Mission hosts its annual book fair. During the week of the fair, our school library transforms into a magical place where our students can explore the world of books. All proceeds go directly to support the school library. Parents are welcome to come and shop at the fair during certain predetermined times. Parents can also load their child’s “e-wallet” with money so they can independently shop the fair at recess and lunch.
Every year, Mission students get to learn more about what it takes to be an author during Author Day. Sponsored by the Mission PTA, Mission students will have the opportunity to meet the featured author(s), hear them read their works, and learn what it means to be an author. The authors also autograph books so students can take home a keepsake of this special day. Students can bring their own books from home or purchase one of our limited number of books for sale on Author Day.
Every other year (even years), the Mission PTA brings students an opportunity to participate in an all-school musical. Participation is voluntary and no interested student is turned away. Children may be actors, singers, dancers or participate in the “tech class” where they learn the art of stage production, lights, sets, costumes and sound. The 2-3 month rehearsal schedule culminates in four performances in early spring–including one all-school performance where the other students get to watch the show.
In odd years, The Mission PTA coordinates a fundraising event and auction. It is an adults-only night of food, music and fun that raises a significant portion of the PTA’s funds for the subsequent two years. Each time a theme is chosen and donations are solicited from Mission families and the surrounding community. They are then offered that night for auction or raffle. By far the most intriguing auction items are the classroom created items. Each class typically creates an amazing and memorable item that some lucky adult can bid on and bring home. Teachers also offer student experiences that can be purchased (pool and dance parties hosted by teachers, exclusive teacher-led movie trips, etc).
Every April, Mission students showcase their hard work during our annual Open House. This fun evening is a family affair. Teachers open their classrooms and display student projects, and parents, grandparents and caregivers get a peek behind the curtain to see what their students have been working on over the course of the school year. PTA usually co-hosts a pizza dinner and its annual Missionwear blowout sale at the event.
Once a month, the Mission PTA hosts a restaurant fundraiser in collaboration with local area restaurants. These events are a great excuse not to cook dinner, and Mission gets a portion of the proceeds to support PTA programs. Whether you dine in or take out, it’s always fun to see familiar faces (including teachers!) at the restaurant. Keep an eye out for the flyers that go home with your students about a week before the events!
The Mission PTA hosts free Family Fun Nights throughout the year. Past events have included movie night, scavenger hunts, bowling, bingo, and more! Keep an eye out for announcements throughout the year and plan to join us for these fun FREE family events.
