PUE Friday Newsletter 12/5/2025

PUE Families,

Welcome to our new format for the weekly newsletter.  We are no longer utilizing the website Smore, so you can see all newsletter info through the email or via the link to our website you receive via text message.  Please note there will not be a newsletter next week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.  

 

New Updates

 

• Thanksgiving Holiday

There is no school for staff or students 11/26-11/28.

 

• Teacher and Instructional Assistant of the Year

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Alyson Bandi, 1st Grade Track 2.  

And congratulations to our Instructional Assistant of the Year, Ms. Emalee Benge, CCK Track 4.  

Both of these educators are rockstars and we are so proud to have them as a part of the PUE community.  

 

• PUE Holiday Giving Tree - Opportunity To GIVE Holiday Gifts to PUE Students

The holidays are quickly approaching, and our school is preparing to support families through our Annual PUE Giving Tree.

If you would like to sign up to give a gift(s), please click the sign-up sheet below to view available slots and sign up for the gift(s) you would like to purchase. Please do not sign up for more than 5 slots! You may also stop by the main office to sign up. All gifts must be wrapped and labeled and dropped off to the main office by December 2nd.  Please contact Mrs. Bratt, School Counselor, if you have any questions: (919) 870-4230 ext. 20417 cbratt@wcpss.net

PUE Giving Tree - Sign Up to GIVE Gifts

Reminders

 

• Next Tennis Time and Chess Time After-school Classes

The next round of Tennis Time and Chess Time will begin January 27th. Checkout the flyer or the website for more information on how to sign-up.

 

• Veterans Day Concert and Hero Wall

We will be having another Veterans Day/Patriotic student performances this year that features 3rd graders and our Chorus.

The next one will be for Tracks 1 and 3, on Monday, November 24 at 11:20.

While this concert is mainly for Grade 3 and Chorus families, friends and family who served or are serving in any branch of the Military are welcome to join us and be recognized during our Military medley!

As we approach Veterans Day, November 11, I ask that any family that has Veterans (living, deceased, retired) and also folks actively serving, please share a photo and short bio about them for us to post for our “Hero Wall” in our school lobby.

Below is a link to a form you can print and use as your guide. All bios will be returned, so please be sure to have your name on the back. You may want to make a photocopy of any pictures you’d like to share and send those instead of originals. Feel free to color your submission! Please try to return your “bio” to me ( Ms. DePasquale) by Nov. 1.

My Hero

We are also having a Food Drive during this time and encourage you to bring in your canned goods when you attend the concert! Click on this link for information: 2025-2026 PUE Food Drive

 

 

PTA Updates

 

• Chipotle Spirit Night

Calling all burrito lovers! Foil your dinner plans and stop by the Chipotle at  9504 Strickland Rd in Raleigh for our fundraiser onThursday, December 04 from 4:00pm - 8:00pm. We're raising money to support Pleasant Union Elementary, so just download a flyer from the link below or mention the fundraiser at checkout and they'll donate 25% of the proceeds to the cause!

Click here for more details.

 

• Leto Tae Kwon Do + Pleasant Union PTA = Spirit Month!

During October & November, Pleasant Union Families can try a FREE Tae Kwon Do class at Leto TKD — and when they join, 100% of their first month’s tuition will go right back to the PUE PTA!

 Build confidence, focus, and discipline.  Support your school at the same time.

Leto Tae Kwon Do Academy-  Offer valid through end of November

www.letotkd.com/puetrial

 

• Spirit Rock

Rent the PUE Spirit Rock- share birthday messages, congratulations, and celebrations in a fun way while supporting passive fundraising for our school. Rental is $35 for one week. Please make sure you follow the instructions carefully. 

1) Check to see if your date is available on Sign-Ups here. 

2) Make your payment within 24 hours and make sure you read the fine print instructions here. 

 

• Teacher Appreciation and Support

We are continuing the teacher lounge support this year. The PUE teachers and staff work hard to create the amazing community and learning environment for our students. To show our gratitude, the PTA has created a wishlist of items to stock our teachers' lounge. Click here (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/22SN59U2K2721?ref_=wl_share) if you would like to donate. Thank you to all of the families who have already donated! We appreciate your contributions!

 

• Membership

If you would like to get involved with the PTA, you can join us here ($10 individual, $20 family membership).

 

• Donation Links

Harris Teeter-link your VIC card online with PUE 

Lowes- link your Lowes Food Fresh Rewards card with PUE 

Giveback in MemberHub gives amazing deals that donate back to PUE

 

• Social Media

Like and follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

PUE PTA Website

Important Upcoming Dates

 

11/24- Tr. 1/3 Veterans Day Concert

11/26-11/28- Thanksgiving Holiday- No school for staff or students

12/5- Track-out Day- Tr. 1

12/8- Track-in Day- Tr. 2

12/19- Track-out Day- Tr. 4

12/22-1/2- Winter Holiday- No School for Students

1/5/26- Track-in Day- Tr. 1

Hello PUE Families,

A special note that this will be the last school newsletter posted on the Smore website. Due to a change in policy from the county, we cannot continue to use the website as a host for our newsletters. This means that the formating for the newsletter will change. You will still receive an email and text message with all of the information, as well as it being posted on our website.

 

Next Tuesday, 11/18, we will be holding a special fundraiser at McDonalds at 8305 Creedmoor Rd from 4:30pm-7:30pm. PUE staff will be working the drive-thru line and a portion of all sales gets donated to our awesome PTA. Please come grab dinner and see your teachers in action.

 

The holidays are quickly approaching, and our school is preparing to support families through our Annual PUE Giving Tree. If you would like to sign up to give a gift(s), please click the sign-up sheet to view available slots and sign up for the gift(s) you would like to purchase. Please do not sign up for more than 5 slots! You may also stop by the main office to sign up. All gifts must be wrapped and labeled and dropped off to the main office by December 2nd.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Giving Tree Information
• Veterans Day Hero Wall Info
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

We hope everyone has enjoyed the nice fall weather that we've had this past week. As students start wearing more coats, please remember to check-in with your child each day to ensure they are keeping track of their jackets. We often have huge amounts of winter wear that ends up in the lost and found and is never collected.

 

A reminder for tracks 1 and 3 that their Fall Picture Day is on Wednesday, Oct. 8th.

 

We’re so excited—Panther Dash registration is officially open, and we’re off to a strong start! Make sure to register your student so they can receive a lollipop and Panther Dash bracelet on Kickoff Day.

This year’s fundraiser is extra special because it’s run entirely by PUE PTA parent volunteers—100% of the proceeds stay right here at Pleasant Union! No third-party vendors, just Panther pride supporting our school.

Important Dates for Tracks 1, 2, and 3:

• Thursday, October 9 – Kickoff Day + Spirit Theme: Favorite Book Character Day

• Friday, October 10 – Spirit Theme: Pajama Day

Let’s make it a fun way to wrap up the week while raising important funds for our school! Register today at PantherDash.com

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Panther Dash Info
• Kidz Art Info
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

Happy track-out day for track 4. This marks the official end to the first quarter of the 25-26 school year. We will see track 4 again on Monday, 10/20. Track 1, we are happy to have you return to us on Monday, 9/29.

 

KidzArt drawing classes Session 2 will start on Oct 30 (Track 3 starts Nov 18). Every week is a new project and returning students are welcome, as art projects do not repeat. Classes meet on Thursdays at 4-5 pm in the Art Room for K-5th grades students. Your child will bring home a finished artwork that he/she will be proud of each week! For more info contact Chen the owner at cjiang@kidzart.com. To register please visit www.northraleigh.kidzart.com.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• New KidzArt Session
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

A reminder that next Friday is a track-out day for Tr. 4. We hope you have a great break and we will see you back at school on Monday, 10/20. We look forward to having Tr. 1 return to school on Monday, 9/29.

 

For our 5th grade parents, a reminder that next Wednesday, 9/24 at 5pm is our Chaperone Meeting for the DC Field Trip chaperones. All parents are welcome to attend, but much of the information will be regarding chaperone duties. You can attend in-person or virtually; the link is here.

 

Starting Monday, September 15, 2025, Pleasant Union is launching a centralized absence/attendance email address. ALL parents are to email their child’s absence reason to: Attendance531@wcpss.net. The student’s first and last name, child’s track, and teacher must be included in the email. For a medical-related appointment during school hours, the dated doctor or appt note is necessary to be counted as an excused tardy. A doctor’s note is also necessary for 3 consecutive days of absences due to illness. Absences will only be excused when proper documentation is received by the attendance office within 48 hours of the student's return to school. For more info on attendance, read School Board Policy 4400: Attendance.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Chorus Information
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate our wonderful IAs for Instructional Appreciation Day! We are so appreciative of all they do to make PUE a special place to work and learn.

 

Starting Monday, September 15, 2025, Pleasant Union is launching a centralized absence/attendance email address. ALL parents are to email their child’s absence reason to: Attendance531@wcpss.net. The student’s first and last name, child’s track, and teacher must be included in the email. For a medical-related appointment during school hours, the dated doctor or appt note is necessary to be counted as an excused tardy. A doctor’s note is also necessary for 3 consecutive days of absences due to illness. Absences will only be excused when proper documentation is received by the attendance office within 48 hours of the student's return to school. For more info on attendance, read School Board Policy 4400: Attendance.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Chorus Information
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

Happy track-in day for our Tr. 2 families! We hope you had a great return to school today. Enjoy your well-deserved track-out Tr. 1. We will see you back at school on 9/29.

 

Don't forget that next Friday, 9/12 is Instructional Assistant Appreciation Day. Please join us in celebrating our wonderful IAs and all they do to support our school. We genuinely could not do it without them!

 

For those who missed it, the WCPSS board of education officially approved the motion to transition PUE to a track-4 only school calendar in the school year 2027-2028 (2 years from now). While this does not have immediate impacts, we want to ensure that all families have plenty of notice prior to the change. More information will be distributed as we get closer to the transition.

 

Finally, please join us this Sunday, 9/7 from 1pm-2pm, as our PTA hosts a play date and general membership meeting. Kona Ice will be present and we will have yard games and sidewalk chalk out for our families. The PTA meeting will be very quick, but crucial as we approve the budget for the 25-26 school year.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Chorus Information
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

It's hard to believe that we have already made it to the end of August! A reminder that Monday, 9/1 is the Labor Day holiday, so there is no school for staff or students. We hope everyone is able to enjoy the 3-day weekend!

 

Next Thursday, 9/4 is a track-out day for Tr. 1 and the end of their first 9 weeks. We hope you have a great track-out and look forward to seeing you return on Monday, 9/29. We look forward to Tr. 2 returning next Friday, 9/5.

 

As a reminder, the Board of Education is considering a calendar change for PUE starting in the 2027-28 school year. The Board of Education will vote on the proposed calendar conversion on Sep. 2, 2025. The meeting will be livestreamed on the WCPSS YouTube channel. We appreciate all who participated in the July virtual information sessions that the county hosted. These sessions provided families with an opportunity to ask questions, learn more about the calendar change process, and provide input. If you were unable to attend, you can now watch a recording (Pleasant Union Info Session – July 29) Recordings and presentation materials are available at: wcpss.net/calendarconversion. Thank you for staying informed and for being part of this important conversation about the future of PUE.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Chorus Information
• After School Activities Available
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall

Hello PUE Families,

We have had an exciting week at PUE. For those who have not heard, Ms. McNeill, our assistant principal was named a finalist for WCPSS Assistant Principal of the Year! She is one of five APs in the county to be selected for this honor, out of over 400 assistant principals. We are so proud and grateful to have such an amazing support here at PUE!

 

As a reminder, next Monday, 8/25 is the first day of school for traditional calendar schools. This means you will likely notice an increase in traffic, so please plan accordingly. For those who use the bus, please be aware that bus times will likely shift some. Please make sure you have the Here Comes the Bus app downloaded so that you can track where your child's bus is live.

 

A couple of highlights in this newsletter and the upcoming week:

• Chorus Information
• After School Activities Available
• PTA Updates including how to join the PTA (click here).
• Important upcoming dates.

 

Please make sure to read through for more details and additional items. Have a great weekend!

 

-Mr. Tunstall