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Shamrock Fund

The PMNA Shamrock Fund was created in the Spring/Summer of 2005 to provide a means for neighbors to donate money or time in support of Shamrock Gardens Elementary School projects.

Without an organized PTA and with the majority of students coming from low-income families, Shamrock lacks the financial and volunteer support other CMS schools enjoy. Donations will help provide funding for extra school supplies, book fairs, tutoring, and after school events/parties.

Whether you are a student, teacher, parent or just a local home owner, the PMNA appreciates the fact that everyone benefits from healthy, happy and successful area schools. So give today!

Current Project - 2006 End of Grade Event

Thanks to everyone who helped out with our Shamrock Gardens project this spring. It was a great success. We used the money we raised to purchase incentives for students to focus on the End-of-Grade tests, and to sponsor a year-end celebration.

The incentives became the focus of a wonderful assembly, in which the younger students cheered on the upper grades. The celebration was a lot of fun as well. The obstacle course we rented was a huge hit. Thanks especially to Kathy Thomas, Patricia Connolly, Charlie Marquardt, Jennifer Barbour, John Brien, Grace Chang and Carol Sawyer, for volunteer help.

The Shamrock staff was very pleased with how seriously the students approached their tests. As the Observer recently noted, Shamrock's reading scores were among the most improved in the city. The staff is looking to build on that success next year.

-- Pamela Grundy

Angela Beavers at Shamrock also sent this note:

Dear Plaza/Midwood Neighborhood Association,

On behalf of Communities In Schools and Shamrock Gardens Elementary School, I want to express our appreciation for your willingness to support our efforts in “making a difference for each child.”  Thank you all for the generous donation of $800.00 to purchase End Of Grade attendance incentives and the obstacle course rental for our end of the year celebration. A huge thank you all of the volunteers who helped make the end of the year celebration a huge success. We really enjoyed meeting you all and hope you plan to visit with us again.

It is always a pleasure to know there are so many caring individuals that are willing to support our youth. Your support helps connect our students to the community, helps them stay in school, and gives them hope for their futures. Again, thank you!

Sincerely,

Angela Beavers
Communities In Schools
Shamrock Gardens Elementary School

Tutoring / Mentoring Students

Shamrock is always looking for people to work with students who need extra help. Many people give one hour a week to tutoring a student. Others drop in for lunch once a month, or correspond with children as pen pals.  More

How to Donate

Just give online or send a check made out to "PMNA", P.O. Box 9394, Charlotte, NC 28299-9394.  Note on your check that it is for the Shamrock Fund.

Thanks for Past Donations

Here's a note from Shamrock Parent/Family Advocate Cassandra Buchanan thanking Plaza Midwood residents for donating money to the school's 2005 Fall Scholastic Book Fair:

          On behalf of our Shamrock Gardens Family I'd like to thank the Plaza Midwood Association for their continued support. Our Scholastic Book Fair was a big success and generated over $1,300 for our school budget. So many of you sent in money to help children purchase books that had no other means to do so and I only wish you could have been here to see the look on their faces and the comments they made when they realized the book that they dreamed of purchasing was really going to become their book! Thank you for over $250 in donations!!! 

          We appreciate your kindness and I personally never hesitate to brag about what a great community partner the Plaza-Midwood Association is!

Sincerely,
Cassandra Buchanan

Team Members

• Cassandra Buchanan (CMS Family Advocate)
• Martha Catt
• Philip Chang
• Pamela Grundy
• Pamela Murray
• Kathlen Thomas (PMNA Board Liaison)