GWPTA September Work Session Minutes

We had a great work session last Thursday! Below are the minutes, but just a reminder that the minutes of every GWPTA meeting are posted on our website.

I've taken the liberty of highlighting some volunteer opportunities! You can sign up to volunteer for a committee here (if you want to know more about each committee, more information will appear if you click on it), and you can sign up to deliver pizza here. 

September Work Session: September 10, 2026

• Public Comment- none

• Principal’s Update

• Total enrollment 395 (+ 45 from last year), 356 (K-5, +49 from last year)

1. The school was projected at 360 over the summer, will probably need 1-2 more teachers (not necessarily classroom teachers, people who support teachers/classrooms)

2. Expect to grow more in the next 3-5 months

3. We have a lot of new staff!

4. 2025-2026 Data Release: Letter Grade 71(B)

• Summer Update

• Teacher, Staff, & Parent Feedback- link to powerpoint presentation

1. Ended last year with a survey to parents and teachers

2. Teacher/staff survey:

1. Teachers/staff would like to be more engaged with PTA. This year we:

1. Changed work session times to 3PM and 5:30PM alternating

2. PTA executive board members met with teachers prior to school to go over what the PTA does, how to access funds, etc

2. Teachers were less satisfied with teacher/staff appreciation last year, Elena said we will talk about this later in the meeting

3. Community survey: slide of results of survey shared

4. Connections to the Community: most clicks to survey came from listserv and canvassing flyer

• Canva and Signups

1. PTA has a free pro account on Canva to help make flyers

2. PTA paid for a Signup.com account

1. Room parents and teachers can use

• Budget- we made it, we passed it at the Back to School Bash

• Welcome Packet

1. Welcome from principal, welcome from PTA, how do you sign up for student supports, calendar

1. Dorothy’s ideas: more concrete info- when does school start/end/early release, drop off procedures, what to do when you kid is sick, what does Primary/Lower El/Upper El mean

• Treasurer’s Review

• Budget-to-Actual overview (high-level) 86K in, 92K out, 43K as of July 1

1. Increase in expenses is mainly due to backpack buddy needs

2. Fiscal year is July-June

3. Community has responded really well to backpack buddy need

4. Every year, the budget allots $250/classroom

1. Teachers/IA can buy items, then turn in receipts for reimbursement

2. IAs work with teacher if there is something that want to budget

3. New reimbursement process- reimbursement request on PTA website

• SPNI requests:

1. Ultimate Frisbee Pennies

1. $750 requested for 25 pennies, $30 each

2. Ultimate Club (GWUC) wore borrowed reversible pennies last year, important to differentiate the club participants from aftercare participants. GWUC would like to buy their own pennies this once to use each year.

3. Discussion over whether a cheaper option can be found and if it can be discussed later since it is so early in the year

4. Tabled for next meeting

• Upcoming Events

• Tuesday, Sept 15 Dine out Timber and Locoshop Ice Cream

• Thursday Sept 17th & 24th: Family Curriculum Nights

• PTA providing pizza

1. Need volunteers to pick up pizzas from Costco (2 each night)

• Room parents are coordinating sides, treats, drinks, cutlery, plates, napkins (no cupcakes if going to be hot)

• Not planning on providing dinner for teachers

• Friday, September (9) 25: Watts St Baptist Church book giveaway

• Friday, October 9: Q1 Coffee with the Principal

• Thursday, October 15: TBD Family Event

• Committees have started meeting, will be planning in the next week or 2

• Need parent volunteers to be on the afterschool event committee

1. January is predetermined culture fair, other ones need parent input

• Committees : Board voted on each committee chair. 

*Note, each committee head is considered part of the PTA board and can vote on all decisions (including SPNI requests and budget changes) until the end of the year.

• Equity & Advocacy: Brigid Flaherty voted as chair

• Last year- started by doing a survey for parents/teachers top priorities to inform direction moving forward

1. Got 40 surveys last year, hoping to get more this year!

• Property and income tax caps

1. Statewide effort to get votes to vote “no”

2. Canvases, window signs, ways to join the Watts team

• Family Involvement (Room Parents): Katie Olinger voted as chair

• Room parents are going well- created new materials that will be evolved throughout the year

• For teachers/staff- if you have feedback, talk to Katie

• We do have fewer rooms with multiple room parents this year

1. “If there is push back on giving more to room parents, it’s to make sure room parents aren’t spread too thin” - Katie

2. EC classrooms do not have room parents yet

• Teacher & Staff Appreciation: Nicole Varnado voted as chair

• Will collaborate closely with Katie

• Principal Jenn, Mrs. Musawwir, Mrs. Watson, Elena, Nicole, and Katie O met to come up with a draft for ideas for teacher/staff appreciation

1. Some kind of appreciation each month - link to slide

2. Trying to appreciate everyone in the school, not as much differentiation

1. “Every staff is an educator” – Principal Jenn

2. The PTA got feedback that some wanted more differentiation during appreciation last year, but that is not the direction that the committee has decided to go this year -Elena

3. Last year push to make gifts more equitable; this year we want to make sure it is personal - Elena

3. Idea for restaurants/businesses to donate to help with teacher/staff appreciation

• Fundraising: Katherine Woodell and Mark Wooddell voted as co chairs

• Fall PTA Annual Fund

1. Trying to not do as many separate campaigns

2. Oct 5: 6 weeks long

1. Spirit week leading up to family event in October

3. Last year over 100 giving units, ½ were first time donors

1. Average gift size of $270

• Want to take a look at how business are involved with our fundraising

1. Get more business involved other than just dineouts

2. Potentially as donors to backpack buddies versus all of PTA, including monetary and food donations

• Backpack buddy update: current 25 enrolled, but more enrollees every day

1. Current budget ($40K) plan for 100 kids

• Communications: Laura Zasoski voted as chair

• 2 other parents have indicated interest in helping

• Audit: Zachary Ezor, Lara Ezor, Ashley McKinstry all voted in

• At Large Members: Diana, Fabiola, and Ivana voted as at large members

• Duties: try to come to all PTA meetings, are not expected to run committees

• Discussion Topics

• Clubs

1. Girls on the Run- has a relationship with DPS, so they just need to talk with Principal Jenn

 Not addressed at this meeting due to time:

• Carnival: TBD – 4 people indicated interest

• Grounds: Spencer McKinstry – are you going to have a co-chair? 

• See separate email – 4 people indicated interest in helping

• Are we doing a grounds day in September?  With Watts St Baptist church?

• Clubs process discussion

PTA Working Session - Thursday at 3PM

Our first PTA Working Session will be this Thursday in the Media Center at 3pm.  Everyone is invited to attend - especially if you see something on the agenda that interests you!

Childcare will be provided 

Agenda

Public Comment

Principal’s Update

Summer Update

Treasurer’s Review

• Budget-to-Actual overview (high-level)

• SPNI requests:

  • Ultimate Frisbee Pennies

Upcoming Events

• Tuesday Sept 15: Dine-Out at Timber w/ Special Guest Locopops!

• Thursday Sept 17th & 24th: Family Curriculum Nights

• Friday, September (9) 25: Watts St Baptist Church book giveaway

• Friday, October 9: Q1 Coffee with the Principal

• Thursday, October 15: Family Event

• Discussion: getting parents to help plan afterschool events

Committees : We need to vote in our committee heads this year.  Note, each committee head is considered part of the PTA board and can vote on all decisions until the end of the year. After he vote, each committee will give a brief update on their upcoming work

• Equity & Advocacy: Brigid Flaherty (See separate email of 3 other interested parties)

• Family Involvement (Room Parents): Katie Olinger

• Teacher & Staff Appreciation: Nicole Varnado

• Fundraising: Co-Chairs Katherine Woodell and Mark Wooddell (Last year we decided dine-out and T-Shirt Sales are subcommittees of these. Is Dorothy OK being dine-out coordinator?)

• Grounds: Spencer McKinstry – are you going to have a co-chair? (See separate email – 4 people indicated interest in helping. Are we doing a grounds day in September?  With Watts St Baptist church?)

• Communications: Laura Zasoski (See separate email – 2 other parents have indicated interest in helping)

• Audit: Zachary Ezor, Lara Ezor, Ashley McKinstry

• Carnival: TBD – 4 people indicated interest

• At Large Members: TBD – will have names by Thursday

Discussion Topics

• Clubs process this year

• Girls on the Run

• Established vs. new clubs

September Dine Out: Pizza & Pints Give Back Night at Timber Pizza

Skip cooking and support our school at the same time! Join us at Timber Pizza Co. on Tuesday, September 15 from 4-9 pm for a special Give Back Night with Timber Pizza Co. and LocoPops.

Stop by or call in an order from Timber (501 Washington St) anytime between 4-9 pm, and 15% of sales will be donated back to our school! LocoPops will also be on-site selling discounted pints of ice cream, with 15% of pint sales donated as well.

No preorder or special code is needed, and you don't have to mention the school when ordering. Come grab pizza, stock up on ice cream, and enjoy!

Noche solidaria «Pizza & Pints»:

¡Olvídate de cocinar y apoya a nuestra escuela al mismo tiempo! Acompáñanos en Timber Pizza Co. el martes 15 de septiembre, de 16:00 a 21:00 horas, en una noche solidaria especial junto a Timber Pizza Co. y LocoPops.

Pásate por el local o haz tu pedido a Timber (501 Washington St) en cualquier momento entre las 16:00 y las 21:00 horas, ¡y el 15 % de las ventas se donará a nuestra escuela! LocoPops también estará presente vendiendo envases de helado a precio reducido, y también donará el 15 % de esas ventas.

No hace falta hacer pedidos por adelantado ni usar códigos especiales, y tampoco es necesario mencionar a la escuela al hacer el pedido. ¡Ven a disfrutar de una pizza, compra helado y pásalo bien!

Backpack Buddies KICKOFF! Help Us Feed George Watts Students This Year 🎒🍎

We are excited to kick off another year of our Backpack Buddies program! 

What Backpack Buddies Does

Backpack Buddies, a program of the George Watts PTA, provides shelf-safe, nutritional weekend food packages to current Watts students facing food insecurity at home. Entirely donation-driven and volunteer-run, Backpack Buddies ensures Watts students have consistent access to food over the weekend and holiday breaks.

How You Can Help

Every donation to Backpack Buddies goes directly toward food costs — each weekend bag costs about $6 to fill.

• $250 Sponsor: A gift of $250 fully covers one child for all of their weekend bags for the entire school year!

• Set Up a Monthly Gift: Set up a small monthly recurring donation to provide steady, reliable support for our students all year long. $25/month will fully cover a child for a year.

• Celebrate for a Cause: Turn a birthday, anniversary, or special event into a fundraiser! Ask friends and family to donate to Backpack Buddies instead of giving gifts. 

• Spread the Word: Share this campaign with family, neighbors, friends, and local businesses who want to make a tangible impact on food insecurity here in Durham.

We are so grateful for your big hearts, your generosity, and your commitment to our students. Together, we can bridge the weekend hunger gap and make sure every kid at George Watts has the fuel they need to thrive this year! You can find the link to our givebacks page HERE.

Share your voice - Family Curriculum Nights!

We made it to September! (Though it still feels like July)

We have our Family Curriculum Nights coming up on Sept 17 and 24.  Historically, these have been planned by teachers & staff - but this year we are adding parent input.  Have you thought about joining the after school events committee?

Please fill out this form if you are interested in helping our teachers and staff plan fun events throughout the year: https://tally.so/r/obZgoM 

There are lots of other exciting ways you can help the school with an hour or two of your time this year, so please check it out and sign up today!

Here's the sign up again: https://tally.so/r/obZgoM Feel free to put "Other" if you are happy to help wherever.

Let the good times roll

Being back on Watts campus has felt SO GOOD.  The energy of the teachers, staff, and students has been contagious these past few days.

We need your help to keep the good times going - sign up to volunteer!

Volunteer Interest Form (more information on each role in the form)

Areas we still need help:

• Communication: Help create a social presence for Watts and/or manage our community communications

• Carnival Planning: Follow the playbook (and add your own style!) to help organize the annual carnival (2-4 people needed to organize)

• Teacher and Staff Appreciation: Organize various appreciation events for teachers and staff

• Afterschool Events: Work with our teachers to plan family afterschool events (Culture Night? A Dance? Movie Night? Roller Skating? Help decide and plan!)

• T-Shirt Sales Coordinator: Manage our annual T-shirt sale 

Many hands make light work. Sign up now, give a few hours of your time this year, and be part of what makes this community so great!

Let's Kick Off the Year Together: Join Us at the Back-to-School Bash!

Mark your calendars, Watts families—our Back-to-School Bash is happening Wednesday, August 19, from 5:30-7 PM at the George Watts Playground! Whether you're a returning family or brand new to our school, this night has something for everyone. Here are three reasons you won't want to miss it.

1. Get to Know Watts

There's no better way to feel at home at George Watts than to jump right in! At the Bash, you can:

• Enjoy Popsicles with the Principal and say hi to Principal Jenn

• Blow some bubbles and let the kids loose on the playground

• Swing by the New Student Welcome table if you're joining our community for the first time

• Support a great cause at the George Watts T-Shirt Swap—donate your gently loved, too-small classic Watts tees, or grab a "new-to-you" shirt for free! (Can't make it? No worries—shirts will also be available at Meet the Teacher.)

It's the perfect low-key evening to reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and remember why we love this school.

2. Get to Know the PTA

This isn't just a party—it's also the first General Meeting of the George Watts PTA! Come find out how the PTA supports our school and how you can be part of it:

• Visit the PTA Info Station to learn about upcoming events and programs

• Help us finalize our budget for the year as we kick things off together

• Share your feedback and priorities so the PTA can best serve our students and families

• Discover simple, fun ways to get involved—every bit of help makes a difference

Your voice matters, and this is the easiest way to make sure it's heard right from the start of the year.

3. Get Excited!

New year, new pencils, new energy! Get in the spirit by checking your teacher's school supply list and consider grabbing an extra item or two to donate at the Bash. We're collecting:

• Full-size backpacks (big enough for a full-size folder)

• Pencils (not mechanical)

• Wide-ruled composition notebooks

• Skinny dry erase markers

• 2-pocket folders with prongs (plastic preferred)

• Glue sticks

• Boxes of crayons

• Boxes of markers

• Spiral notebooks

• Scissors

• Headphones

Every donated item helps make sure every Watts student starts the year ready to learn.

So bring the whole family, wear your walking shoes (there's a playground calling your name!), and come celebrate the start of an amazing year. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

August Dine-Out: Jeni's Ice Creams

We have our first dine out event in just a few weeks: 

Monday, August 31 @ 2:30-5:30PM
Jeni's Ice Creams 
908 W. Main Street, Durham

For those new to the community, dine out events occur about once a month as a way to fundraise for the George Watts PTA.  Jeni's is donating 25% of ALL sales from 2:30-5:30PM on Monday, August 31 to the PTA. The more of the community we get in to buy ice cream, the more funds we get to support our school! So invite a friend and maybe say yes when your kid begs for 3 scoops.

Save the Date: September 15 is dine-out with Timber and LocoPops

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants we should reach out to this year? Email dorothykimelscott@gmail.com with ideas!

Backpack Buddies Update: Help us hit the ground running!

As we get ready for the new school year with an expanding need for Backpack Buddy support in our student population, we wanted to share a few ways to help the program other than donating money.

1. Water bottles: we are hoping to provide free, reusable water bottles to every kid that needs one this year. Does your company have extra marketing water bottles lying around that they would be willing to donate? We have a goal of 100 water bottles, and getting 10 donations of 10 bottles would get us there. Do you have a contact at a company or local university? Let dorothykimelscott@gmail.com know!

2. Storage: in order to make the small storage room at school work for the growing needs of the students, we are in need of some organizational help. Do you have a clothing rack or set of counter shelves you'd be willing to donate? Let emiliemariemorgan@gmail.com know!

3. Clothing: we are going to have a clothing drive in the fall, so consider keeping your kids clothes (and jackets and shoes) that they've grown out of and donating to the school. We are especially hopeful for donations of larger sizes of children's clothes!

 Thanks!

The Backpack Buddy Team

Results are In! Feedback from End of Year Outreach

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback to the PTA last month! Through an End-of-Year Community Feedback Survey, Teacher and Staff Survey, Room-Parent Survey, and Teacher and Staff Focus Group, the PTA gathered feedback to learn, improve, and plan for next year. The results are in — and they’re helping the PTA’s executive board shape plans for 2026-27.

Across all groups, the top priorities for the PTA are clear: direct support for students and families and appreciation for teachers and staff. Community respondents highlighted the value of enrichment activities like field trips and clubs, while teachers and staff prioritized supporting family engagement in the Watts Community.

These findings are shaping concrete changes for next year:

• More ways to get involved: We are proposing alternating monthly PTA work sessions between 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM to accommodate more teachers and parents. We are also working to have childcare available during sessions.

• Clearer, more transparent budgeting and fundraising: The PTA will vote on its budget at the beginning of the year and plan on raising money on a preannounced schedule, letting you know exactly where your donations are going.

• Expanded student support: As our student population changes after Growing Together, so do our students’ needs. We are planning to expand the Backpack Buddy program and have already begun brainstorming more efficient ways to run it with help from the broader community. If you have ideas or want to get involved, email Emilie (emiliemariemorgan@gmail.com).

• Meaningful teacher and staff appreciation: We want appreciation to feel personal—for every teacher and every staff member. We are returning ownership of teacher appreciation gifts back to room parents.

• Clear Room Parent Expectations: We are working on a Room Parent Expectation guide and will have it finalized by Meet the Teacher.

• More of what you love: You asked for the Carnival, Wheels, Movie Night, and more clubs— Yes! These events are community favorites, and we’d love to see them grow. However, we do need your help to make that happen!

Want to dig in deeper? Here’s everything we heard — and how the PTA is considering it.

GWPTA End of the Year Survey

As the school year wraps up, please share your feedback on the PTA end of the year survey! It's super short, I promise!

https://tally.so/r/RGbOK9

Candidates Running for PTA Officer Positions

I hope you are planning on coming out to the Watts playground on June 4th from 530-630 where we will celebrate the past year at George Watts with popsicles, bubbles, and lots of fun.

We will also be electing a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer for next year.  Per NCPTA members must be notified of the election and the nominating committee's slate before the election takes place.  So here is who is running:

President 

• Elena Snavely: My name is Elena Snavely.  I have two kids at Watts - Leila (2nd) and Isabel (K).  I have been the PTA president for the past year where my focus has been making sure that all of our students have what they need to be successful and keeping our amazing teachers and staff at Watts happy.  I love this community and believe that schools are one of the most important places where we can come together to make each other's lives better. I would be honored to continue working alongside our families, teachers, and staff to help Watts thrive.

Vice President

• Emilie Morgan: Emilie Morgan is a proud mom of two children at George Watts Elementary—Ezme in 1st grade and Jacob in Pre-K. For the past two years, she has had the privilege of serving as the PTA Secretary and facilitating the school’s Backpack Buddies program. In addition to her involvement at George Watts, Emilie serves on the Trinity Park Neighborhood Association (TPNA) board, driven by a deep commitment to fostering a close, beneficial relationship between our school and the surrounding community. As she looks ahead, Emilie’s core priorities are focused on supporting our dedicated teachers, further advocating for the students in our school who experience food insecurity, and expanding on the PTA's efforts to encourage more George Watts families to get involved with our organization. 

Secretary (CO-chairs are allowed!)

• Amanda Watson: I have been a Public School Teacher for 23 years and have spent 19 of those at Watts.  I have served in many roles within the PTA and on SIT and was at one time a Watts parent as well. I look forward to bringing the Teacher voice as well as the Parent perspective to the decisions made by PTA. 

• Dorothy Kimel-Scott: I'm a Durham native and proud DPS graduate. We've been members of the George Watts community since 2021 and I am excited to become more involved in the PTA next year, working to support all students. As a physical therapist, I think my daily health care documentation has prepared me for taking great minutes at work sessions!

Treasurer 

• Sam Kimball: A proud father, Carolina fan, and CPA, Sam's oldest daughter is in Pre-K at Watts.  He is excited to bring his experience in finance, consulting, and nonprofit leadership to the PTA.

Rainbow Party - June 6, 10:00-12:00, GWM playground

Hello Watts community,

Please join us for our annual Rainbow Party on Saturday, June 6, 10:00-12:00 on the GWM playground (see below). All are welcome!

In peace,

Rainbow Club

PTA Meeting and POPSICLES ON THE PLAYGROUND - June 4th

Last Blast Popsicles

On June 4th from 530-630 we will have our final PTA General meeting to elect a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer for next year. 

ALSO POPSICLES for kids and adults - and some celebrating the amazing year we had at George Watts.  

Thursday June 4th from 530-630

We need a PTA Secretary Candidate

Can you come to a monthly PTA meeting, take notes, and put them on our website?

(would you also like to get to know our teachers and staff better, support our school, and be a voice in decisions?)

Email me! elena.snavely@gmail.com and run for Secretary!

We can't have a PTA without one!

Last Day of School is a FULL DAY

You read that right - June 10th is both the last day of school, a field day, and a full day (NOT early release)

Watts Teacher Appreciation Week Events!

We’re looking forward to celebrating Watts Teacher Appreciation Week from May 18–22 and recognizing the incredible faculty and staff who make our school so special. The PTA has planned a week of events to show our gratitude:

• Monday, 5/18: Personal appreciation day! Recognize members of the Watts staff in a personal way that feels best to your child and your family. This could look like a handwritten note, an illustration, a picked flower, etc.

• Tuesday, 5/19: Sweet Treat Bar, provided by Watts families!  We need bags of candy, chocolate, and other treats. Please consider signing up to donate a sweet treat! Deliver donations to the sweet treat bar by 8AM on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, 5/20: Watts staff catered lunch, provided by the PTA!

• Thursday, 5/21: Watts staff happy hour, provided by the PTA!

• Friday, 5/22: Coffee and breakfast cart, provided by the school!

If it's helpful, here's the Watts staff favorite things list gathered earlier this year.

Gift Cards

Thank you to all who donated gift cards! Together, we reached our goal, and every Watts staff member will be able to draw two cards next week.

There’s truly no such thing as too much appreciation, so please feel free to celebrate in your own way as well!

May Dine Out- Timber Pizza Co

It's May! Our last George Watts PTA dine out is at Timber- a new arrival to the neighborhood. Eat some great pizza and support our school's PTA!

Timber Pizza Co

Tuesday, May 12, 4PM-close

In person and online orders | No code needed

Watts Teacher Appreciation Week is May 18-22!

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming! We look forward to recognizing everyone who makes George Watts Montessori a great place to go to school. We'll be celebrating May 18-22* this year. More details on daily events are coming soon.

This year, instead of traditional class gifts, we’re introducing the Watts Teachers and Staff Gift Card Drawing. We hope this approach will make it easier for families to contribute while helping recognize all teachers and staff more equitably, an idea that came directly from our school community. (For context, in past years, gift amounts and types have varied widely, and that can be/feel unfair.)   

We are collecting gift card donations May 4–15 in the school’s front office. Teachers and staff will draw gift cards throughout Teacher Appreciation Week. A few guidelines:

• Individual gift cards should be for at least $10. 

• Write the gift card amount on the card/holder. 

• Purchase gift cards from the businesses of your choice, including grocery stores, restaurants, shops, etc.

• Donate multiple gift cards, if you're able! 

We look forward to showing our appreciation to everyone working at Watts in this fun and festive way! Please contact us off-list if you have any questions, and please stay tuned for more details on our plans for each day of Teacher Appreciation Week.

With thanks,

Ashley McKinstry and Caroline Dorfman, PTA Family Involvement Co-Chairs

National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-8. Given the many school events happening in late April and early May, we chose to delay the Watts Teacher Appreciation Week until May 18-22.

Get ready: the Spring Carnival & GaGa Ball Tournament is almost here!

Saturday · 11 am – 2 pm

Free Games · All Are Welcome

The George Watts Spring Carnival is one of our school's most beloved traditions — a few hours of games, music, food, and community that bring families, students, and neighbors together every year. This Saturday, we're doing it bigger and better than ever, and we couldn't be more excited to share what's in store.

What to expect

Join us on the school grounds this Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm for free carnival games, activity stations, live musical acts, and the much-anticipated GaGa Ball Tournament. Every student who wears their wristband (distributed this week!) will receive three free food item tickets — that's gourmet popcorn from The Mad Popper and more, on the house. Additional food tickets are available for $1 each.

And yes — there's a raffle with some seriously impressive prizes (more on those below).

A carnival made possible by our community

None of this would be possible without the extraordinary generosity of our local business sponsors. Their contributions are covering carnival infrastructure, games, and activity stations — meaning all games are free for families to enjoy. Please take a moment to learn about these wonderful businesses and show them some love!

Event Sustainer Sponsors

• Marie Austin Realty 
  A longtime neighbor and George Watts family and volunteer, Marie Austin Realty has been making Trinity Park a wonderful place for residents and the school to call home for three generations. 

• Adam Dickinson Realty Group
  A multi-year sponsor of the spring carnival and photo booth, Adam's commitment to building community has enlarged the joy and accessibility of this anchoring George Watts experience.

Signature Sponsor

• Durham Central Bark
  A newcomer to the local business scene, Durham Central Bark is contributing a raffle prize in addition to their financial sponsorship, and working with the school to bring safe dog interaction training to students.

Spirit Sponsors

• The Mad Popper
  A former elementary school teacher, owner Andrea's generosity is making it possible for gourmet popcorn to be our carnival staple food.

• Design Bank
  Co-owners Craven and John are all about creating spaces that people love inhabiting. They're excited to support our students and families in deepening connections.

• Excel Wipers (who would like to direct you here!)
  A multi-year carnival sponsor with family ties to George Watts, Excel Wipers has a special heart for expanding awareness around our furry community members in need of homes. 

Incredible raffle prizes up for grabs

Our raffle lineup is stacked this year — and donations are still welcome!

• Durham Central Bark — Spa Day for your pup
  Full groom, face scrub, nail trim & teeth brushing — over $70 value

• Virge Yoga — Six-month unlimited membership
  A $715 value — the gift of wellness all summer long

• Museum of Life and Science — 4-day passes
  A $96 value — perfect for a family adventure

A few things to know before you go

The Tobacco Road Relay will be crossing Main St. south of the school on Saturday. Roads directly adjacent to George Watts are not affected, but it's worth checking the race route ahead of time to plan your arrival.

Volunteers are still needed, especially from 12:30–2 pm — sign-ups are open! And if you can swing by the gym on Friday after school to help sort prizes and games, the carnival team would love an extra pair of hands.

Watts for May Day! Plug in + Childcare Support for May Day

This post is to continue building the Watts involvement in May Day--which is happening next Friday, May 1st. NCAE is leading it, and many organizations are involved, plus PTAs all over the state.

On May 1st, parents and teachers from all across NC will gather in Raleigh to make it clear to the North Carolina General Assembly that our kids come first, that public education matters, that schools deserve real investment — not more cuts.

To show your support or get involved in May Day's Kids Over Corporations, the sign up form is here.

North Carolina may rank first in business but is nearly last for teacher pay and per pupil spending — that's not ok. When money goes to corporate tax cuts or private school vouchers, it’s our kids who lose out — fewer supports, fewer opportunities, and more pressure on families to fill the gaps.

To show your support or get involved in May Day's Kids Over Corporations, the sign up form is here.

There's a good chance the school district will close on that day--but we are working to get camps open and find ways to support families that need help that day with childcare. Two camps will open for enrollment right now, and we're working on getting more!

Camps available on May Day:

Courtney Potter--she will add a link for May Day camp

Soccer Camp on Maryland Ave--they will open if district is closed

**Please sign the form if you need childcare support that day or can give support that day** As more registration links for camps happen, we will share.

Once you fill out the form, we will give you all the info you need for whatever you sign up for. 

Sincerely,

Watts Advocacy Committee (Brigid, Paige, Andrew + Annie)

P.S. Article on May Day:

News and Observer Article on May Day

Tickets for Teachers

Watts Community - former DPS board chair Matt Sears has asked to share the below.  RootEd in DPS launched the Tickets for Teachers program and many of our staff stand to benefit from that work (we've already had Watts teachers sign up in the first few days).  Please see the note below regarding their one-time fundraiser to launch the program.  Since the fundraiser will last only one week, there is some urgency to share it.

Friends/neighbors,

Last month we launched the Tickets for Teachers program which allows community members to easily donate their unused event tickets directly to Durham Public Schools educators and support staff for a well-deserved night out. In just one week we had 500 teachers/staff sign up and gave away 15 sets of tickets to DPAC and other venues, demonstrating incredible community support for our schools.  Can you donate financially TODAY to our ONE-TIME, one-week fundraiser to unlock hundreds more Tickets for Teachers?

Durham loves its educators! Since launching Tickets for Teachers, the community has stepped up incredibly, donating seats to DPAC, the Durham Bulls, and the Hurricanes. The supply of community goodwill is huge, and the demand from our thousands of DPS teachers, bus drivers, and support staff is even bigger.

But connecting a generous donor's ticket—especially a last-minute cancellation—with the right educator at the right school takes time. Right now, doing this manually limits how many educators we can serve. To ensure no donated ticket ever goes to waste, we need to upgrade our engine.

We are raising funds to build the permanent infrastructure of Tickets for Teachers. Your financial donation in 2026 directly funds:

• A Custom Tech Platform: Building an automated matching tool that instantly pairs ticket donations (even with only hours of notice!) to the specific preferences of Durham Public Schools staff.

• Marketing & Outreach: Expanding our reach to secure more private and corporate donors, season ticket holders, and venue partnerships, drastically increasing the volume of tickets coming into the system.

• Seamless Operations: Funding the initial day-to-day management needed to process hundreds—and eventually thousands—of tickets a year efficiently.

Funding our operations is the ultimate multiplier. A one-time, financial gift to build our tech tool doesn't just send one teacher to a game—it builds the automated, sustainable system that will send thousands of educators to events for years to come. It allows us to scale our impact to every single school in Durham.

Invest in the infrastructure of appreciation. Donate today to help us build the technology and operations that will scale Tickets for Teachers, ensuring every DPS educator gets the night out they deserve.

Can you make a tax-deductible contribution?

• $35 - Equivalent to 2 movie tickets to the Carolina Theater. Will help us notify all of Durham about Tickets for Teachers.

• $70 - Equivalent to 2 tickets and food/beverage at Durham Bulls. Will allow us to seek unique ticket experiences from regional partners like Carowinds, Busch Gardens, etc.

• $250 - Equivalent to a family of 4 attending a Carolina Hurricanes game w/ parking, food/beverage. Will keep Tickets for Teachers on-call for last-minute ticket matching.

• $1,000 - Equivalent to a family of 4 attending a Carolina Panthers game w/ parking, food/beverage. Will help develop our tech tool to automate ticket matching in 2026.

Thank you for your generous support of our Durham Public Schools teachers and staff!

Matt, Chief Connector at RootEd in DPS, Founder of Tickets for Teachers