First General Meeting – Tuesday, October 11
We will hold our first General Meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 11 at 6PM over Zoom. We are excited to introduce this year’s board (including our newly appointed Treasurer!), and review and vote on our budget for the year. Reminder that you must be a current member to vote at the meeting.
You can find the Zoom link in the 10/5 Denman Weekly newsletter.
PTSA is looking for a Treasurer for 2022-2023
There is still ONE open position on the Denman PTSA Board: Treasurer
- Treasurer Job Duties include:
- Maintains records to track PTSA funds & financial transactions
- Prepares annual budget for adoption by the association
- Pays PTSA bills as authorized by board or association
- Prepares reports for board and PTSA general meetings and an annual financial report
- Ensures taxes and reports required by PTA bylaws, insurance or federal and state governments are completed and submitted by the due dates
Want to have a seat at the table when PTSA priorities are discussed? Please consider joining the Denman PTSA board!
→ And remember – under CA PTA rules, we are REQUIRED to fill this position, which means we will not be allowed to raise money, or even spend the money we have, if we don’t fill them. We NEED you!!
2022/23 Denman PTSA Board
PTA President: Courtney Helland
PTA Secretary: Karen Zuercher
PTA Treasurer: Open!
PTA VP Community: Emmy Huang
PTA VP of Fundraising: Catherine Homsey
PTA VP of Membership: Sapna Satagopan
PTA Volunteer Coordinator: Linda Long & Simone Sebalo
PTA Teacher Funds Chair: Gill Hirst
PTA Auditor: Cherylynn Rogers
PTA Historian: Julia Hwang
PTA Parliamentarian: Tim Weidner
Teacher Representatives: Drake Pillsbury & Tamana Hamidi
James Denman Principal: Lisa Jovick
2021-22 Board
2021/22 Denman PTA Board
PTA President :Emmy Huang
PTA Secretary : Karen Zuercher (to be appointed when new board meets)
PTA Treasurer: Kevin Rogers
PTA VP Community: Jen Wana
PTA VP of Fundraising: Catherine Homsey
PTA VP of Membership: Sapna Satagopan
PTA Volunteer Coordinator: Linda Long & Simone Sebelo
PTA Teacher Funds Chair: Gill Hirst
PTA Auditor: Candler Gibson
PTA Historian: Julia Hwang
PTA Parliamentarian: Courtney Helland
Denman PTSA Board Elections 2021-22
Want to make a difference at Denman? Join the PTSA board in one of these important positions and join a fantastic team of parents, teachers, and the principal in helping provide for the entire student body.
Feel free to nominate yourself or your friend here: https://forms.gle/4g2UtHYa6fPibLqW9
There is no commitment with a nomination.
Open Positions:
President
http://downloads.capta.org/toolkit/jd/President.pdf
- Oversees and coordinates the work of an executive board to run a PTA effectively
- Presides at PTA board and association meetings
Secretary
http://downloads.capta.org/toolkit/jd/Secretary.pdf
- Takes minutes at board and association meetings
Vice-President
http://toolkit.capta.org/job-descriptions/executive-vice-president/
- Works as the primary aide to the president
- Teacher Grants Lead (4 times a year: Sept, Nov, Jan and March)
Membership
http://downloads.capta.org/toolkit/jd/MembershipChairmen-VP-Unit.pdf
- Attract new members and retains previous members
Feel free to nominate yourself or your friend. There is no commitment with a nomination.
https://forms.gle/4g2UtHYa6fPibLqW9
For any questions about the roles, feel free to email Ryan Silvers at VPcommunity@denmanptsa.com
Community Meeting Slides & Happy Holidays
Denman Pride Fund: Make a year-end donation!
The Denman PTSA is incredibly grateful to all of our donors whose generosity this school year enabled us to support the students, teachers and staff as we all collectively adapted our way through distance learning and staying at home. With your help, we were able to support software, such as BrainPop and Padlet, Denman Pride Award Raffle prizes, books, snacks for the staff during on site days, and teacher development programs like the Winter Pathfinders Institute. We’re proud to share our progress in raising $24K towards our $38K annual goal from this amazing community, and look forward to applying these funds towards the Teacher grant cycles in the new year.
But we still need your help! Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference. We still have $2000 in matching funds available, and there is still time to make your 100% tax-deductible donation for 2020!
Questions? Email us at fundraising@denmanptsa.com. Denman PTSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax ID #90-0914298
STEAM Family Night 2020 was a success!
Thank you for attending our virtual STEAM Night! We appreciate the work of the teachers, and were blown away by the student work that was shared.
To view the program, click here

It’s #GivingTuesday! Your gift can be matched.
Today is #GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to charitable giving, and we want to remind you that the Denman Pride Fund is the easiest way to financially support our students and teachers. This year, you have the opportunity to double your impact through our Giving Tuesday Matching Grant! Donations from today going forward, up to a total of $6500, will be matched by our generous donors.
Your gift today will help provide school supplies to students, give teachers opportunities for professional development, and support the creation of new student clubs. Over the past four years, the fund has provided over $60,000 in teacher-requested grants, enriching the educational experience for all the students in our community.
P.S. When shopping this holiday season, be sure to use our shopping partner links and codes as you take advantage of Amazon deals or shop for your winter/ski gear at Sports Basement (and enjoy 10% off!). Learn more about these partners and how they give back to Denman here.
Questions? Visit DenmanPTSA.com or email us at fundraising@denmanptsa.com
Denman PTSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax ID #90-0914298
STEAM Family Night 2020
Please join us for an evening to celebrate the amazing student work from our STEAM classes and student groups. It will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students during Distance Learning.
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- Where: James Denman Middle School
- Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2020
- Time: 5:00 – 6:00 PM
- Zoom Link: Check your email, family bulletins, and Google Classrooms or ask staff for the Zoom info!
Únase a nosotros pora una noche para celebrar el increíble trabajo estudiantil de nuestras clases STEAM y grupos de estudiantes. Será una oportunidad maravillosa para celebrar a nuestros estudiantes durante el aprendizaje a distancia.
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- Donde: Escuela Intermedia James School
- Fecha: Miércoles, 9 de Diciembre, 2020
- Hora: 5:00 – 6:00 PM
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請參加我們在這個晚上,以慶祝我們STEAM課和學生團體的出色學生作業。 這將是一個在遠程學習中慶祝我們的學生的絕好機會。
- 哪裡:James Denman Middle School
- 日期:2020年12月9日,星期三
- 時間:下午5:00-6:00
Time to kick off the Denman Pride Fund!
Today we are kicking off our main fundraiser, the Denman Pride Fund! Click the yellow Donate button, and give what you can in support of our school.
– The Fundraising Team


Virtual Back to School Night – Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Please mark your calendars and join us for your students’ Grade Level time for our virtual Back to School Night.
6th Grade 5:00 – 5:40 pm
7th Grade 5:40 – 6:20 pm
8th Grade 6:20 – 7:00 pm
Zoom link is provided in the September 9th Weekly Bulletin from Principal Jovick.
First General Meeting of 2020-21, Tuesday Sept. 8 @ 5pm
We will kick off our meeting with about 20-30 minutes of PTSA business and introduce our board members to the membership. After the business part of the meeting, we will be going into grade-centered break-out rooms to discuss grade-centric ideas. 6th-grade families will get a welcome and discussion on SEL and a teacher panel on navigating middle school in our current times. 7th and 8th-grade families will get any high school enrollment updates that are known at this time. We are working on a panel of Denman alumni to let families know how their high school experience is going after Denman and any tips on what they wish they had known in middle school. Additionally, we will have an additional high school guest talking to families about math paths and sharing some resources.
Don’t forget to join the PTSA! JOIN!!
To find out more about the Denman PTSA or to donate, visit our website: http://denmanptsa.com
Welcome New and Returning Families!
Welcome to Denman, returning and incoming families!
We are about to begin a school year unlike any other, and understandably, there are still many uncertainties about what lies ahead. Let me assure you that our Denman community consists of dedicated teachers, staff, and administrators who will work together—albeit remotely, at least initially—to help make this year productive and engaging for our students. Denman administrators have been working all summer in preparation for this unprecedented situation.
We intend on building a strong virtual community, and one of the best ways to stay connected and informed is by becoming a PTSA member. Our first PTSA general meeting will be held virtually on September 8th at 5:00 pm. We will send out Zoom registration links closer to that time. Please join us! PTSA board parents will be available to answer any questions you might have as a new family to Denman.
We are excited to share with you the new PTSA membership system (Totem) that we implemented last year. To join, please use the following link.
https://jointotem.com/ca/san-francisco/james-denman-ptsa/join
Other ways you can stay connected are by liking our Facebook page and joining our email group by emailing here: DenmanCommunity+subscribe@groups.io
The Denman PTSA aims to positively impact the lives of all children and families in our community. Our current PTSA was founded in November of 2012 and has continued to grow each year. In the last couple of years, our fundraising goal has been $40,000 a year, which has been used, in part, to support the following:
- Funding our “Teacher Grants” program
- Purchasing technology for our students
- Volunteering at the school and photocopy station
- Building classroom libraries in ELA and science
- Supporting new teachers
- Funding professional development for teachers
In addition to our fundraising goals, our emphasis for 2020-21 is to grow our membership, to support the staff and teachers of Denman as they encourage our students to explore STEAM and literacy, and to continue growing this vibrant, diverse community. For more on how the PTSA supports the Denman community, take a look around our website at www.denmanptsa.com. It’s never too early or too late to make a donation, use the donate button to the right on this page to give now.
We might not know what the future holds, but we want to be ready to support in any way we can. We can make it through this together.
Warmly,
Danica Gittelman & the 2020 Denman PTSA Board
Denman PTSA President
president@denmanptsa.com
Denman Pride Fund
Dear Denman Families,
The time is NOW! For what you ask? The Denman Pride Fund starts right now!
It is the PTSA’s goal to build on Denman’s many strengths, supporting the teachers and staff who make our school a shining star among the middle schools in San Francisco. Middle school is just three short years and your donation makes a positive effect right now for your children and the community that surrounds them.
The PTSA’s support touches every aspect of school life with notably strong support in academic programming through our Teacher Grants Fund. STEAM and English Language Arts support remain a focus for the PTSA. Included is a list of the ways your donations have directly supported our school, and we will continue to highlight the different areas in which your contributions are put to work.
It is our goal this year is to raise $40,000. This amount is significant, and it’s also achievable. Together we can do this.
Consider making a personally meaningful donation to the Denman PTSA so that we can make our teacher’s and school staff’s ideas come to fruition. Unlike elementary school, there will be no auction, fun run, or other subsequent ask. We ask that you give what you can, and give now so that your children and their peers can benefit from your generosity during this 2019-20 school year, and beyond.
Donate online by clicking on our PayPal DONATE link on the right or below , or write a check to Denman PTSA. You can mail your donation to ATN: DenmanPTSA 241 Oneida Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. Your contribution is 100% tax-deductible and may be matched by your employer.
Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.Denman Middle School and the PTSA appreciates your support.
Danica Gittelman
Denman PTSA President
president@denmanptsa.com
fundraising@denmanptsa.com
YOUR DENMAN PRIDE DONATIONS AT WORK
With creative ideas and enthusiasm, teachers and staff are supporting our students via numerous Denman PTSA Teacher Grants. Here is a summary of what we funded in the 2018/19 school year.
- Literacy/ Classroom Books
Expanding classroom book options so students can pick the right book right where they are. Teachers hand-pick a broad scope of reading materials including themes around social justice, gender spectrum, empathy for differences, multi-cultural and relatable lead characters, and other thought-provoking and appealing reads for all reading levels. Executive function classroom tools and supports. Sensory supplies.
- Library
Comic Book Subscriptions to offer a wider variety of enjoyable reading options
- STEAM
STEAM Night raffle prizes; expansive Science Literacy Libraries in each science classroom; materials for STEAM-based projects including Arduino controllers and Miniature Golf at STEAM Night, Makerbot Extruders, and various supplies.
- Clubs
Lunchtime Soccer Club; Black Student Union outing; Fencing equipment
- Appreciation
Teacher & Staff Breakfast Lunch (this year) and Counselor Appreciation Week Coffee/Bagels
- Student Events/Activities
Wilderness First Aid Training (two teachers) to support the Outdoor Club and 7th grade camping trip; Athletics Awards Ceremony. Rock blockers for P.E.
- Clean-Up Days
Supplies for volunteer corps to enhance the yard and classrooms – fall and spring
- Teachers and Staff
Professional Development including lunches for monthly meetings/ trainings for new teachers; new teacher welcome $; Reading & Writing Project at Teachers College/Columbia University
- Supplies
Simple items that support students’ work: Pencils, graph paper, pencil sharpeners, white boards, classroom incentives, art materials, hands-on projects for Special Ed. Executive function support.
- Community engagement
PTSA/Community connection and communication tools. Translation services.
Tuesday November 12th at 6:30 p.m.!
Welcome!
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funding our “Teacher Funds” program
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purchasing technology for our students
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volunteering at the school and photocopy station
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renovating and maintaining the yard
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building classroom libraries in ELA and science
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Supporting new teachers
Join the PTSA today!
The Denman PTSA wishes you a warm welcome to Denman!
The Denman PTSA is rolling out a new enrollment process. Please follow the link to enroll! Enrollment is a yearly process, so even if you enrolled last year you will need to do it again. Also feel free to enroll your student.
Please join our community group to stay up to date on all the latest happenings at Denman!
Welcome Back!
The Denman PTSA wishes you a warm welcome to Denman! We will be hosting coffee for new families Monday morning from 8:30-9:30 please come say hello! We are happy to answer any questions.
The Denman PTSA is rolling out a new enrollment process. Please follow the link to enroll! Enrollment is a yearly process, so even if you enrolled last year you will need to do it again. Also feel free to enroll your student.
We look forward to meeting you and working with you to make Denman even more awesome!
Please join our yahoo group to stay up to date on all the latest happenings at Denman!
School is back is session August 19!
The PTSA welcomes returning and new families to the 2019-2020 year!
Please help yourself stay up-to-date with all things Denman and Denman PTSA by joining our yahoo group for additional communication! Use the link below to join! Click on [Join Group] after you follow the link.
Give to the Denman Pride Fund!
Thank you Denman community! We made our fundraising goals for the year! Please see below how we were able to help our community grow and thrive this year.

YOUR DENMAN PRIDE DONATIONS AT WORK!!
With creative ideas and enthusiasm, teachers and staff are supporting our students via numerous Denman PTSA Teacher Grants this ’18-’19 school year…take a look at how our students benefit!
Literacy/ Classroom Books
Expanding classroom book options so students can pick a book right where they are. Teachers hand-pick a broad scope of reading materials including themes around social justice, gender spectrum, empathy for differences, multi-cultural and relatable lead characters, and other thought-provoking and appealing reads for all reading levels.
Library
Comic Book Subscriptions to offer a wider variety of enjoyable reading options
STEAM
STEAM Night raffle prizes; expansive Science Literacy Libraries in each science classroom; materials for STEAM-based projects including Arduino controllers and Miniature Golf at STEAM Night, Makerbot Extruders, and various supplies.
Clubs
Lunchtime Soccer Club; Black Student Union outing
Appreciation
Teacher & Staff Breakfast and Counselor Appreciation Week Coffee/Bagels
Student Events/ Activities
Wilderness First Aid Training (two teachers) to support the Outdoor Club and 7thgrade camping trip; Athletics Awards Ceremony
Denman Clean-Up Days
Supplies for volunteer corps to enhance the yard and classrooms – fall and spring
Teachers and Staff
Professional Development including lunches for monthly meetings/ trainings for new teachers; new teacher welcome $; Readers/Writers Project at Teachers College in Columbia (one teacher)
Supplies
Simple items that support students’ work: Pencils, graph paper, pencil sharpeners, white boards, classroom incentives, art materials, hands-on projects for Special Ed.