SOA PTSA

We've made it to summertime!

If you are vacationing, safe and happy travels to you!

If you are working, may you get the breaks you need!

If you are staycationing, use this page/thread to connect with other SOA families and watch for upcoming events.
-
Congratulations to everyone -- you did it!

Send a message to learn more

Down to just needing ONE last position filled for the SOA PTSA Board for 2026-28 — the MERCH COORDINATOR!

It’s a manageable position that keeps track of SOA school merch inventory, orders that might come in, and helping coordinate for selling at the 2-3 PTSA events throughout the school year. There’s a mobile storage cabinet kept at the school, so you aren’t keeping everything at your house or having to drag it back and forth from anywhere.

We have a really fun time, with minimal in-person meetings, plenty of communication, and tons of support from each other and the school admin and staff. Please consider becoming a part of this special chance to be on the SOA PTSA Board for 2026-2028. We'd love to get started helping make the transition, as positions will begin July 1, 2026. (Summer is LOW KEY, don't worry -- it's just when the "new year" begins.)

We have a meeting coming up via Zoom next week, and are happy to send an invite to those interested in learning more about this volunteer spot! Pls comment yes or DM your email for a meeting invite or to just dive right in and say YES!

media2.giphy.com

Thank you, Mr. Martin, for sharing the experience you helped make possible for the students:

"English 4 seniors from Charleston County School of the Arts had an extraordinary day learning inside the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture — exploring historic archives, memoir, and Gullah Geechee foodways in a place where history, education, and community meet.

This experience was made possible through the National Council of Teachers of English Anne Frank Award for Teaching Memoir (with support from Penguin Random House and the Anne Frank Fonds Basel), and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity it created for our students.

Thank you to Tamara Butler and the amazing Avery staff for welcoming our students so generously, to KJ Kearney for sharing the cultural history behind Black Food Fridays, and to Chef Reggie Miller for preparing a memorable Gullah-inspired meal that helped students literally taste the history we were learning about.

I’m also thankful to the Charleston County School of the Arts PTSA for contributing support and to the College of Charleston communications team for helping tell the story of this partnership. Days like this remind students that archives are not just about the past — they are about understanding who we are and who we can become.

Read more here in an article by the College of Charleston in The College Today."

https://today.charleston.edu/2026/03/13/national-grant-gullah-geechee-foodways-archives/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQmTgVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeZ2PhwnaXgwYboI3AmxD_Eh1VP9cwIoUolOrAm0Wx0jdcWTg-zAYJBrqyFiw_aem_r0hJdNPfxS_qhiEpsnMCMA

👋 hey teachers 👋 check out this funding opportunity for your bright ideas to enhance learning and student experiences in your class room. Charleston County School District Education Foundation is making this possible. Apply for funding by end of day 4/3/26.

Last night, the CCSD Education Foundation held its inaugural Board of Directors meeting, and our new board wasted no time! As one of their very first acts, the board voted unanimously to approve a $25,000 Bright Ideas Microgrant cycle, putting immediate support directly into the hands of our district's educators and students.

The Bright Ideas Microgrant application is now open to all CCSD educators, K–12.

Awards of $500 or $1,000 are available for innovative, student-centered classroom projects.

To apply: → Visit ccsdeducationfoundation.org → Complete the online application → Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026

We are so grateful to our founding board for their vision, their commitment, and their immediate action on behalf of Charleston County's students and educators. We are just getting started!

Getting grant requests from teachers and other SOA admin or staff is one of our favorite things to vote on -- APPROVED! Let us know how we may help fund an educational experience by making sure your child's teacher is aware of this opportunity!

While we have your attention . . . (we do, right?) . . . the SOA PTSA will be in need of TWO BOARD positions to be filled for the upcoming school year (& the following year).

PLEASE DM or COMMENT if you are interested in learning more about or taking on either of these Board roles:

Treasurer
(That's currently ME, and I am happy to help train you, show you the ropes, and explain how much fun it is helping show the teachers how PTSA funding can help supplement their teaching experiences. Our documentation and process is well-organized, and easy to transition and manage. We use QuickBooks online, if that info helps your decision.)

Merchandise Coordinator
This position helps with the small variety of SOA merch that the PTSA sells online or at 2-3 events during the school year. Mostly a very calm spot on the Board, with those few high-energy times where the merch coordinator makes sure supply is ready, orders are smooth (recognized and delivered), and maintains records as needed throughout the year.

We have a wonderful time throughout the year, with minimal in-person meetings, plenty of communication, and tons of support from each other and the school admin and staff. Please consider becoming a part of this special chance to be on the SOA PTSA Board for 2026-2028. We'd love to get started helping make the transition, as positions will begin July 1, 2026.

Thank you!

media1.tenor.co

It's been too long since we've posted! Hope your 2026 is rolling along smoothly, and now we're already into February!

If you are an SOA teacher, or know of one that could use help for school materials, a trip, etc., please share this link for requesting a mini-grant from the SOA PTSA. We LOVE helping out our SOA family, and want to make sure all parents and teachers are aware of this resource.

THANK YOU FOR PASSING IT ALONG!

PTSA SOA Faculty Mini-Grant [2025-26] This mini-grant application is for SOA Certified Instructional Staff (teachers, School Counselors, Teacher Librarians, Instructional Coaches, and Student Interventionists.) Recipients must be current members of the PTSA, and it's only $5 for a faculty member to join! Grants are distributed on a firs...

Thanks to so many new members, we completed the National PTA's October membership challenge! THANK YOU ALL for being such stellar supporters of the school, students, teachers, and administrators!

Thank you for coming out to the social event at Holy City tonight! Great to meet everyone and enjoy some yummy food.