Bowie 101

PTA Tips for a great school year

  • Create a login for the Bowie PTA Website and update your Family Information to receive the Mustang Link eNews.
  • Join the PTA (The only way to have access to the school directory)
  • Follow up on Facebook: Bowie PTA News (RISD) and on Instagram: Bowie_PTA
  • Purchase Spirit Wear Online (Wear your Bowie spirit wear every Friday!)
  • Purchase the Yearbook Online. (sold at a later date this year)
  • Get involved by volunteering!
  • Report all volunteer hours. This helps the Bowie PTA maintain our tax-exempt status. Log your hours at the front office or email to volunteers@jamesbowiepta.org        Report Hours Here
  • All Volunteers must have a background check EVERY YEAR. Visit https://risd.voly.org/ to create a voly account and complete the required training and background check. 

 

BOWIE-ISMs: A Guide to Understanding the Bowie Lingo
For New (and Existing!) Parents

 

  • AR: “Accelerated Reader” is a PTA - Sponsored reading incentive program available to students in all grades, culminating in an awards ceremony in which prizes are awarded to the top readers.
  • Annual Auction:  Held in the spring, the Bowie PTA holds an auction and party for parents, teachers and staff to raise funds for PTA programs and events.
  • Pride Awards: Given at the end of every nine weeks. Teachers will contact parents the week prior to let them know if their student is receiving one.
  • Book Fair: Scholastic books available for sale in the library to students, parents and staff.  Fairs are held in the Fall and Spring.  There is also a BOGO sale during the last week of school.  All book fairs are PTA-funded, and go to support the Bowie library.
  • “Bowie Reads” Week:  During the last week of school before the winter holiday, Bowie promotes and celebrates reading for fun with different activities, such as dress-up days, bookmark contests, etc.  The librarian also passes out winter reading logs for the kids to use during the winter break. When they return them in January, the librarian draws prize winners to reward students for their extra reading over vacation.
  • Bowie Pride Tickets: Each year, Bowie has a program for recognition of excellence in citizenship and behavior.  When recognized, students are given tickets, and are then entered in a weekly drawing for prizes.
  • Bowie Field Day: Annual field day held in the spring!  This is a major event and volunteer/class chaperones are always needed!
  • Class Parties: Room parents plan individual parties for each class for the winter holiday, Valentine’s Day, and the end-of-school pizza party. 
  • Clothes Closet: RISD Council of PTA’s clothing donation program.  This is a wonderful program for which you can donate your used clothing or your time to help RISD students in need “shop” in the Clothes Closet for new clothes.  You can sign up to volunteer on the Bowie website or bring your donated clothing items to the Bowie front office.
  • Career Day:  Held during second semester,  the day focuses on encouraging children to create goals for both higher education and careers of interest. Parent speakers are invited to come and talk to students about their professional careers.
  • Dad’s Invasion: A special event for dads and special guests come to have lunch with students in the cafeteria.  Come to the school during your child’s regular lunch time.
  • DI: “Destination Imagination”: Interested students in any grade form a team to work on solving academic problems logically and creatively in a district-wide competition.
  • Fall Festival: A carnival sponsored by the PTA held in the fall on Bowie premises with games, bounce houses, slides, music and food.  It’s fun for all ages and there are many opportunities for parent and older kid volunteers.
  • Grade-level Coordinator:  Each grade has one coordinator that communicated with teachers and coordinates with Room Parents related to classroom needs and parties.
  • Grandparents' Day:  This special event is held in the fall. Invite your grandparents, or dear elderly friend to have breakfast with your student.
  • Veteran’s Day:  Invite your veteran family members or dear friends to have lunch with you at school during your student’s regular lunch time.
  • Hug Zone: After the first day of school, please hug your Mustang at the door. There are plenty of staff lining the halls to make sure your student arrives at their class.
  • Kindergarten Round-Up:  Incoming Bowie kindergartners visit Bowie in the Spring to meet some future classmates and visit a kindergarten classroom and teacher, while mom and dad receive important registration information and tour the school. * Please note that the classroom and teacher your student visits may not be the same as the one assigned to your student in the fall.
  • Mustang Link:  This is the PTA Newsletter published on a weekly basis and sent out via email.  To receive this newsletter in your inbox, visit www.jamesbowiepta.org, click on "My Bowie Profile" then click on the tab that says "Subscriptions."  Make sure the drop-down box says "Subscribed" next to the Mustang Link.
  • Mustang of the Week:  Students who have been recognized for outstanding qualities may be selected as Mustang of the Week, and be honored with their name on the school marquee.
  • Outdoor Learning Center (OLC):  The pavilion located adjacent to the basketball court and playground.
  • Open House: Held in March, parents are invited to the school to view their student’s work in the both the classroom and in specials.
  • Classroom Close Up: This is held right after school gets started. Parents come to school for a PTA meeting and then get to go to their child’s classroom to learn from their child’s teacher about the school year. Plan ahead and get your babysitter lined up.
  • Patriot Day: On September 11, wear red, white, and blue to honor the memory of September 11, 2001.
  • SchoolCafe: Please download the SchoolCafe app to upload money and monitor your child's lunch account.
  • PIN:  Each student has a PIN which they punch in when they want to purchase lunch.
  • PTA: An important part of Bowie’s continued success! The PTA is responsible for and/or helps with most of the Bowie programs and events.  Please sign up to volunteer or donate at www.jamesbowiepta.org.  See also Bowie PTA 101 handout.
  • GT: RISD’s gifted and talented program available for K-6 and is housed at Bowie.  Applications for kindergartners go out in October and qualified students will be tested in January. This application and testing schedule is different for 1-6.  Classes are once a week during regular school hours.  Once accepted, the student will no longer need to be tested and will remain in GT through grade six.  However, if not accepted, the student is able to retest the following year.
  • Red Ribbon Week:  Red Ribbon Week is a national tribute to drug and alcohol awareness, and takes place in the fall.  Peer mediators visit and students show support with silly outfits throughout the week. The PTA funds an assembly during the week with a different performer each year.
  • Room Parents: Each classroom is assigned 1-2 room parent(s) to work alongside the Grade-Level Coordinator and teachers to meet the needs of the classroom.  This parent will help plan and execute the 3-4 class parties each year and send emails to parents about volunteer needs for.
  • School Supply Sale:  Parents can buy school supplies by grade level conveniently online beginning in April - May or the following school year. At Teacher Sneak Peek, your child’s school supplies will be waiting at their desk! 
  • Sky Ranch: A two night, science-based camp available to 5th grade students during the 2nd semester.  Financial assistance is available on an as-needed basis.
  • Teacher Sneak Peek:  Typically held the Friday before school starts.  Students will have received their teacher assignments that week and are able to meet their teacher, visit their classroom, tour the school once again, and pick up your pre-ordered Spirit Wear and School Supplies. Pre-order at www.JamesBowiePTA.org
  • Family Movie Night: Held in September for all Bowie students, staff, and parents.
  • Spirit Day:  Every Friday, wear your Mustang Spirit Wear or anything red and blue to show your Bowie pride!  The classroom with the highest participation will win the spirit trophy for that week.
  • Spirit Wear: Purchase your awesome Bowie Spirit Wear online April - July at www.JamesBowiePTA.org. Spirit Wear is available until it runs out!
  • Summer Reading Program:  Reading logs are filled out during the summer keeping track of the number of pages a student reads.  These logs are turned in the first week of school and an awards assembly is held rewarding the top readers in each grade.  Also, a school-wide “Pop Party” is held in the fall with popsicles and pop music, celebrating ALL of the summer readers who have turned in their reading logs! For emerging readers, parents can log books they read to their students for credit.
  • Teacher Appreciation Week:  Held during the first full week in May, during this week our PTA Hospitality Committee showers love and appreciation onto our amazing teachers through lunches, treats, surprise goodies, etc. Your PTA membership helps fund this program.
  • www.jamesbowiepta.org:  Our awesome website!  Visit us here for all things Bowie PTA.  Join the PTA, sign up to volunteer, provide information for the directory, view the Mustang link or calendar, purchase spirit wear, yearbooks and school supplies, etc.
  • xPlore!: This is the districts after school program for elementary students from kindergarten until the student has completed 6th grade.  xPlore! begins on the first day of school and operates on the same calendar as the district.  Visit https://schools.risd.org/xplor e for more information and registration links.