• Please mail in your ballot by February 14 (Valentine's Day).
• For more information about the capital levy, please click HERE.
• To schedule a tour of any of our schools, please contact the Public Information Office at 253.298.3087 or email.
  

I’m retired and have a lot of free time and my 92 y/o aunt got me started knitting when I visited her this past August.  I would like to start sending hats (about 50 or so at a time) so by the time you start your 12 Days, you should have enough hats for all the children in your school (or if needed, dispense them out earlier).  If this would be okay with you, it would warm my heart to know I could help in a small way."

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From an Ellen Show viewer in Tacoma, Washington:

Want to help out in 2012? Donate Now:

We are very, very excited to announce that James Sales Elementary will be featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on January 5 at 4:00 p.m. PST on channel 5 (link to video will be posted once it is available). Students and staff learned yesterday that James Sales Elementary will receive $100,000 from the Ellen DeGeneres Show and Target Corporation as recognition of the school’s awesome 12 Days of Hope program. Ellen DeGeneres heard about the students and staff of James Sales Elementary through an online written submission that Principal Kristen Schroeder sent in after watching Ellen's 12 Days of Giveaways.

Principal Schroeder has decided that the best way to decide how the $100,000 gets spent is to engage a decision-making process that includes the students, parents and staff of the school.

James Sales' 12 Days of Hope is a program developed by Principal Schroeder, with the help of staff at the school, aimed to express unconditional love and unconditional giving to students in a way that supports positive reinforcement and compels the 400+ kindergarten through 5th graders to develop a greater understanding and appreciation for the practice of giving and receiving of themselves. For the past two years, on each of the 12 days preceding holiday break, students receive a different surprise each day. Starting on December 5th and proceeding through December 20th, every student of the school received socks, velvet fuzzy color posters, a pomegranate, shirts with college/university logos on them, gloves, hats, grab bags, pajama wearing day, craft day, brand new coats, games day, and ornaments.

"It has been so heartwarming to see these students -- some of whom do not have a whole lot themselves -- giving to others as part of our 12 Days of Hope. On craft day, students volunteered to donate their crafts and ornaments to the children and families currently being cared for at Children's Hospital in Seattle. We see first-hand that 12 Days of Hope has inspired and compelled our students to be generous givers as they are receivers," said Principal Kristen Schroeder.

Each day in celebrating their day of hope, the students recite a cheer that was crafted by the staff of James Sales Elementary:

We are smart!

We work hard!

We are thankful!

We are exceptional!

We are loved!

The students and staff of James Sales Elementary would like to publicly thank all of the individuals, organizations and businesses that contributed to 2011's 12 Days of Hope (in no particular order):

Donna Hollenback

PLU, Office of Admissions

Portland State University, Office of Admissions

Imagine Learning, Andrew and Lisa

Carrol at JCPenney's

Kristi Austin LaCrosse

Austin and Jamie Love

Cindy Jones

Tyler Pratt

Jennifer Fendrick

Paula Dawson and Family

Leinweber Family

Joni Mariman (bag with play dough, pencils, erasers, marshmallow snowman, etc.)

Julie and Dave Steffenson (play dough for my class)

Chris Anderson (Portland State college gear)

Lauralee Hagen (PLU buttons, pens, megaphones)

Jessica Winer and Office of Admission (PLU t-shirts, pens, tote bags, etc.)

Tina Taylor (toothbrushes)

Paula Murdock ($20 to use for gloves/hats)

BJ and Leah Stockton and family

Evette and Bruce Bierman

Andra Odegaard

Susan Templin

Carrie and Trevor Carlson and mom

Carol                                                                                                                        

Rollie Moore

Lindquist family

Jennifer Lesner’s mom and friends in Spokane (Mrs. Jeffries)

Elizabeth Lewis, Operation Warm, Inc.  (coats)

Pam Lubbesmeyer

Georgia and Terrance Coale

Dianne Water’s son and brother

Mark Lovin

Ann and Will Gillon

Marty Outlaw

Pierce County Health Department, Judy Olsen and Etta

Michelle Peacock, Ebay

The Green family

Janet Ocasio, SPI

Carre Avary and the Keithley MS Staff

Christian van Blommestein (Jack Nadel International)

Debbie Agergel (Jack Nadel International)

Craig Nadel (Jack Nadel International)

Scott Pelon (Mega Brand Warehouse)

Jim Bolinger (Mega Brand Warehouse)

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable grant

Umpqua Bank

Shirley Chung

Parkland Baptist Church Food Bank

Barb Mondloch and family

Dawn Gambrell-Walker, Jack Nadel International

Principal Schroeder and her staff are already busy preparing to accommodate the many needs of their students in 2012. They are accepting donations of money or items.

Donate Online Now:

Donate Cash or Check By Mail:

Make Checks Payable: "Franklin Pierce Foundation & James Sales Elementary"

c/o Franklin Pierce Foundation

315 129th St South

Tacoma, WA 98444

Donate Items By Mail or Drop-Off:

View James Sales' WISH LIST

James Sales Elementary

c/o Franklin Pierce Foundation

315 129th St South

Tacoma, WA 98444

Donations to Franklin Pierce Foundation are tax-deductible.

Collage of the film crew working with students for the taping on January 5.