According to PTO Today, parent-teacher organizations are increasingly providing the much-needed funds to procure items that schools are lacking but cannot afford on their own. And, while the general consensus is that these items should be purchased with public funds, the simple truth is that the public funds aren’t always available.

The National PTA reports that these funds are consistently becoming less available. The organization conducted a February 2004 poll and found that 79 percent of parents reported that they are being asked to help pay for items that traditionally have been covered by school budgets. While community-based fundraising for schools is not a new phenomenon, due to increasing budget cuts parent groups are now playing a more central role in providing schools with the resources they need.

In fact, one area in which schools’ needs are being met by parent organizations is in the area of standardized test-preparation. The federally mandated No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) established that all states conduct annual assessments for every public school child in grades three through eight. Unfortunately, this leaves schools with the burden of paying for preparing their students for these annual assessments. 

In response, several PTO’s and PTA’s interested in improving standardized test scores have been instrumental in procuring high-quality test-preparation products for their sponsored schools. Sleek Corporation’s Incredible Tutor™ has proven to be a popular choice for several parent groups concerned about providing their sponsored schools with one of the best test-prep solutions on the market.

[FOR MORE INFORMATION on Incredible Tutor™ titles available for your campus, please visit www.sleek.com]

Leona Jones from Huntsville, Texas told us that she has fond memories of this pie:

"My grandma used to make this for us grandkids and it would be gone lickedy-split."

Ingredients:
6 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, toss apples with lemon juice (this helps keep them from getting brown).

2. Mix together granulated sugar, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Add this mixture to the apples and toss until the apples are coated.

3. Prepare the pastry dough (see that part of the recipe below) then divide it in half. Make each half into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the balls of dough into a 12-inch circle. Take this circle and carefully put it into a 9-inch pie dish.

4. Put the apple mixture into the pie dish.  Dot with butter or margarine, then even up the dough with the edges of the pie dish.

5. Get the top crust ready by rolling out the other ball of dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully, take this circle of dough and place it on top of the pie, sealing the edges.

6. After you seal the edges, take a fork and press down all along the edges of the pie. Then, cut about 6 "vent" slits in the top a couple inches apart from one another.

7. To keep the edges from getting too brown, cover the edges of the pie with foil.

8. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

9. Remove foil.

10. Bake for 20-25 minutes more or until the top is golden brown.

11. To make this really old-fashioned, serve with a piece of cheddar cheese melted on top!

To make the pastry dough:
1. Stir together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

2. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2/3 cup shortening until pieces are pea size.

3. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon cold water at a time, until all the dough is moistened (6 to 8 tablespoons of water total).

Mara Kelly, our Senior Account Specialist, is our featured employee for this issue of Sleek eNews.    
 
What is your favorite part about what you do at Sleek Software?
 
I like the variety of my job. Because this is a family atmosphere, where we wear lots of "hats," you never know what you’ll be doing each day! I like the spontaneous nature of our office culture.

What do you like most about Incredible Tutor™, the product that you sell?
 
I really like our Warm Fuzzies and how we use them to motivate students. I’ve even given trainings to teachers where they laugh and like the sound effects and exclaim, “I’m brainy!”
 
What do you do in your spare time?
 
I play on "over-30" outdoor and indoor women’s soccer teams (to give you an idea how old I am!). You’ll find me playing a game twice a week. I absolutely love it! I joined a "low-key" co-ed indoor team in my late twenties. I had never played an organized sport in my life before this time. Now I’m hooked and I recommend it to anyone.
 
What do you think is one of the greatest challenges facing our young people today?
 
One of the greatest challenges I think for young people in this country is not succumbing to the pressures of society and media. The cruel and horrible “reality” type of shows that are on today sadden me to see entertainment in the form of people being cruel to each other. In addition, I notice advertising pushing the need for speed and intensity, from a tripleshot venti mocha to Red Bull. Personally, I find that the moments when I slow down, take a deep breath, and realize that the birds are singing outside my window are some of the most cherished moments that I experience—especially when its nature’s beauty revealed.