I would like to publicly thank all of the incredible people who gave so much to making this year’s JRA Soirée a success!

Sonja Dickey and Giustina Solano, who spent months soliciting for donations, tirelessly putting together hundreds of packets of information, not to mention setting up and running the entire Silent Auction Saturday night. Thanks to these women, the Silent Auction raised close to $10,000 for our school!!!

Jennifer Reeves, who not only worked with the children everyday on their class projects, but was also in charge of all the decorations that filled the room and made everything come together. Sally Williams who spent weeks making big, beautiful paper flowers for us. Galen Congdon who designed the amazing centerpieces for the tables. Chelbe Heminger and Nicole Fallon who worked with the children of JRA to create wonderful, authentic crafts and decorations for the event. Denise Gagne and Stacy Wallace who helped in so many different ways. They assembled auction paddles and filled in wherever and whenever they were needed. Dale & Kathleen Rhodes for helping with check-in. Matt McHugh & Steve Weitzel for running our Live Auction. Dave Goesel for helping create the invitations for the event. Ari Malatlian for helping us decorate and clean up after the event.

Our teachers: Susie Bulger, Meg Curulla, Darlene Naumen, Renee Garabedian; and the families of JRA: Giustina Solano, Denise Gagne, Kelly Marsh, Hillary Chojnacki, Sharon Stewart, Ari Malatlian, Jennifer Reeves, Jim Roberts, Greg Hawkins, The Nock family, and Steven Sheardown. By generously contributing their time and talent to making projects for our Live Auction, they helped us raise well over $4000!

I would also like to thank Miles Christian-Hart, Leroy Beachy and Beth Golden for donating their services and providing the wonderful entertainment for the evening.

And I can’t forget to thank the parents and friends of JRA who attended the Soirée and helped to make this event such a success with their generous donations.

Together, we have raised enough to make a real difference at the school. This money will go towards getting the new playground equipment that they need, and will also provide the teachers with many of the items that they’ve requested for their classrooms.

I cannot thank you all enough!

Sincerely,
Sharon Carole
JRA PTO President

“I’m bored!” As parents, we’ve all heard these words before! As we head into summer, here are 20 simple ways to help your little ones fight off the summer doldrums.

And to make this more fun, write the activities on slips of paper, put them in a cookie jar, and let them pick  an activity!

1. Paint
2. Ride a bike
3. Play store
4. Play dress up
5. Draw
6. Play a board game
7. Fly a kite
8. Draw with sidewalk chalk
9. Cook
10. Dance
11. Jump Rope
12. Blow bubbles
13. Craft
14. Start a rock collection
15. Make puppets
16. Sing
17. Create a board game
18. Play cards
19. Play “I Spy”
20. Hide and Seek

Of course, you can always send them to Julie Rohr Academy’s stellar summer camp!  We have an outstanding summer program for nursery through 8th grade students which provides them with wonderful, stimulating, and fun activities to make their summer a summer to remember. It’s not too late to register…call Julie Rohr Academy today for  more information!

Why, this car is automatic…It’s systematic…It’s hydromatic…Why, it’s greased lightning!!!

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen…It’s almost time for Grease! The students have been working hard and are ready to perform for you! The Friday night show is sold out, but there are still opportunities for you to see this spectacular musical!  Tickets are still available for the following performances:

• May 9th, Wednesday Evening, 6:30 pm to 10 pm
• May 10th, Thursday Matinee, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• May 10th, Thursday Evening, 6:30 pm to 10 pm

This show is going to be non-stop fun and entertainment…call 941-371-4979 today to get your tickets!

We need your RSVP's by Monday, April 30th!

Extra, extra…read all about it! The JRA PTO Soiree is fast approaching and we need your RSVP’s!

You do not want to  miss this event on Saturday, May 5th, and neither do your friends! Where else can you get a fabulous Michael’s on East dinner, live entertainment, dancing, and phenomenal bargains on ALL kinds of goods and services, for just $68 a person?

This amazing event has been carefully planned with YOU in mind! For the last several months, we have been organizing our biggest fundraiser of the year. Our children, parents, and staff have worked overtime to make an unforgettable, one-of-kind evening. Even our local businesses have shown an incredible amount of support by donating over $25,000 in fabulous packages, gift certificates, and services to this special event!

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the items to be auctioned. Hold on to your hats–they are FABULOUS!

• “A Day at the Beach” at the Ritz Carlton
• A full-year membership at the YMCA
• Over $1500 in Restaurant Gift Cards
• Over $2500 in Health & Beauty Packages
• Over $3500 in Sport & Fitness Packages
• Golfing at the Ritz, Lakewood Ranch & Meadows Country Clubs
• Over $2500 in Vacations & Timeshares
• Over $3000 in Professional Portraits

Can you believe these items? And let’s not forget all the personalized beautiful artwork our super JRA children and families have created for this event!

So, please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 5th , 6:30 pm at Michael’s On East and call JRA at 371-4979 by Monday, April 30th to secure your tickets!

And remember, free babysitting for JRA families at Julie Rohr Academy!

Saturday, April 14th, was a big day for Julie Rohr Academy! Team Julie Rohr Academy raised approximately $1500 for Relay for Life! Relay for Life is the largest non-profit fundraiser in the world and is a memorable experience for all who participate. Learn more about Relay for Life here!

Mitchell McHugh, Principal Julie Rohr McHugh’s son and cancer survivor, was the speaker for the opening exercises in Lakewood Ranch and walked the first survivor’s lap with his brother and “caregiver” Matt McHugh. It was quite a touching moment!

Mitchell was also co-captain of the JRA Relay for Life Team. Dennis Sinclair, former JRA student, now at Lakewood Ranch High School and brother to current JRA student Thomas Sinclair, was the other co-captain. The team consisted of current and past JRA students and parents. Everyone worked hard at this amazing event, which started at 3 PM Saturday and concluded at 9 AM Sunday. The team slept under the stars and had an amazing time fighting back against cancer.

Mitchell was also the guest speaker Saturday night at the Cattle Baron’s Ball at Michael’s on East. The Cattle Baron Ball is an event which also raises money for the American Cancer Society. Interestingly, Mitchell’s brother, Martin McHugh, participated in Relay for Life in Tallahassee on Friday night with his Pre-Med Fraternity. Martin’s girlfriend sang at the Relay for Life event in Tampa and JRA language arts teacher, Stephanie LaRose, sang the Star Spangled Banner at the Lakewood Ranch Event. This was certainly a group effort all the way around!

Truly emotional moments occurred at 9 PM when all the participants walked a lap lit only by the luminaries made in memory of those family member and friends lost to cancer and to honor those who survived. The JRA team made luminaries in memory of the beloved JRA teacher, Jeannette McKinney, Julie’s daughter Meghan, and Lori Camp Sinclair’s dad. There was also one made to honor Mitchell.

Julie Rohr Academy was proud and honored to be a part of Relay for Life and wants to thank everyone who helped and contributed to this memorable day…let’s continue to fight back against cancer!

Join us Saturday, May 5th for an unforgettable evening!

Are you ready for an evening of dining, dancing, and celebrating? Then you are ready for the annual JRA PTO Soiree! But this is no ordinary soiree this year… it’s a FIESTA–a Cinco De Mayo Fiesta to be exact!

Get your dancing shoes on and be ready to party at this “Nacho” Ordinary Soiree!  There will be award winning cuisine, an open bar, high-spirited auctions &  live entertainment. The Fiesta will be taking place at the unforgettable Michael’s on East on May 5th at 6:30 pm!

All of this fun is for a great reason too! All proceeds benefit the PTO, which go directly back into the school  Also, each class is making a a very special project to be auctioned at the event, and any money they raise on those projects is going directly back to their class!

Free babysitting will be provided that night at JRA for the parents of JRA students!  Tickets are $68 per person. Come on out and join the Fiesta on May 5th…RSVP by April 25th at 371-4979!

Did you know words have power? They sure do! And we believe in building powerful students with powerful vocabulary skills. Here are some ways you can boost your child’s vocabulary skills at home.

Reading to your child is just one way to improve their vocabulary skills!

Talk

The more words your child hears, the  more words he is likely to learn. So talk to your child all the time! Engage them in conversation and provide a running narrative of things you are doing. Describe things around you using very descriptive words.  These conversations lead to better vocabulary skills in your child.

Read

Reading is another way to expose your child to words. Read often and read aloud to your child! Use a lot of enthusiasm when you read.When you come to a word your child does not know, pronounce it clearly and distinctly and take time to define it for him and provide synonyms for the word. Saturate your child with language!

Make It a Game

Kids love to play games, so why not try to turn learning new words into a fun guessing game? Pick a word your child does not know and have them try to guess the meaning. Provide them with clues to help them figure it out along the way. They will enjoy playing and learning at the same time!

Studies show that  good vocabulary skills lead to stronger reading and writing skills. Take some time today and give your child’s vocabulary a boost! Remember, talk, read, and have fun with your child!

Julie Rohr Academy presents Grease!

Things are really kicking in to high gear as the students at Julie Rohr Academy prepare for their upcoming musical Grease. This is going to be a great show and you don’t want to miss it! We will be doing four performances of this fun-loving, high-energy musical at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre!

The four performance times are as follows:

• May 9th, Wednesday Evening, 6:30 pm to 10 pm
• May 10th, Thursday Matinee, 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
• May 10th, Thursday Evening, 6:30 pm to 10 pm
• May 11th, Friday Evening, 6:30 pm to 10 pm

And speaking of great musicals, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at some stellar pictures from last year’s  fabulous show, Li’l Abner!  Enjoy!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

JRA Summer Camp is the Best!

Dear Parents,

We are very excited about this year’s summer camp! Students who have completed Kindergarten through 8th grade will have summer camp in Building III and will be able to go on all field trips and participate in all camp classes. Students in Building I and Building II will have a schedule similar to the regular school year with daily classes in learning activities, art, music, DLM, PE, creative play, and weekly topics. We give them the opportunity to watch a children’s movie every afternoon during “quiet time” so they feel they are getting something “special” for summer camp too!

With the elementary and middle school students, we are going to do much more with the weekly camp classes than we have in the past. If a particular activity interests your child, the maximum benefit will be derived by attending the full week because some camp classes will build new skills each day and culminate with a final project. Please look carefully at the list when choosing weeks. Students can, of course, attend fewer than 5 days a week as well.

Registration forms are due by April 1st. We sincerely hope your child will attend. Download the registration form and information packet here!

If you have any other questions, please feel free to see us. Please tell your friends to check us out for their children to enjoy a summer of fun and learning too! The more the merrier!

Sincerely

Julie Rohr McHugh
Director

Dear JRA Parents and Business Partners,

Julie Rohr Academy would like to thank you for your support of our performing arts program.  The time has come again when we ask our parents for their support.

This year’s spring show at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre is the Broadway musical comedy, “Grease.”  This event is an incredible experience for students and is open to the community as well.  Evening performances are Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, May 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th, with a matinee on Thursday, May 8^th.   We have been able to cut the cost of the tickets nearly in half by moving to the beautiful Golden Apple.  Adult tickets are only $20 and student tickets are $10.  Menu items will be available for purchase at every table that includes dinner items, drinks, desserts, and alcoholic beverages.

One hundred and forty students from Pre-K through 8^th grade will sing, dance and act in this production.  There will also be an “adult” chorus serving as the Rydell High Reunion attendees and the “teachers” at Rydell.  We are still looking for more adult participants!  Join the fun if you can!   This show will incorporate professional sets, gorgeous costumes, and professional lighting and sound to make the show a special and memorable experience.

Even though our expenses will be less this year, we still need your help and support to cover all the expenses of the production.  We have three ways you can help us meet our goal. The first is to sell tickets.  The students do a fantastic job and we want to make sure they have a full house for every performance. PLEASE encourage family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers to come see the show and support the students.

The second is to purchase an ad for our fifty-page playbill to support a cast member or advertise a business.  Because there are pictures and biographies of the students in the show, the playbills make a fantastic keepsake and are also used when new applicants visit JRA.  Ads range from $75 for a quarter-page to $150 for a full page. Download your Ad Reservation form here.

The third is to be a sponsor of the production.  Your name or the name of your business would then appear on the “Grease” posters that are put up all over the Sarasota/Bradenton area and you/your business will be recognized on our website and in the playbill.  There are five levels of sponsorship.  They are: Diamond – anything over $1,000, Platinum – $1,000, Gold – $500, Silver – $250, and Bronze – $100. Download the Sponsorship form here.

We ask for your support to help make the production a dramatic success!

Sincerely,

Julie Rohr McHugh

Principal