Click on the above image for more photos from the school carnival.

April 17, 2025 — The annual Shirley Hills Carnival is the highlight of the PTA calendar for a reason—and once again, it was an amazing evening! The hallways were filled with laughter, the clinking of prize tokens, and smiling faces sporting the telltale "wounds" from the ever-popular Emergency Room attraction.

Beyond the fun, the carnival is also the school’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and the committee is thrilled to report that the event raised over $30,000!

An event of this scale takes an incredible amount of planning and effort. From food and games to attractions and logistics, it truly takes a village. “We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the school staff, families, and community members who contributed their time, talents, and treasures,” said PTA chairperson Andrew Reinitz.

“A very special thank you goes out to the small but mighty group of volunteers who shouldered the bulk of the work,” Reinitz continued. “Your countless hours over the past few months made this event possible, and we are so grateful for your dedication.”

One of the most popular new additions this year was the teacher slot machine—which brought big smiles all around! The committee hopes the amazing Shirley Hills staff will be up for participating again next year, as the committee is already dreaming up even more fun ideas.

“We had an amazing carnival evening and raised a great deal of money for our PTA to put back into Shirley Hills,” said Principal Scott Eidsness. “As principal, it is honestly so rewarding to see students, families, past students, grandparents, and community members all coming together in our building to have so much fun together. We are blessed with such a great community that shows such wonderful support for its schools.”