5.21.14 PTA Meeting Minutes

PTA Meeting 5/21/14
8:30am

PTA Welcome

UFT Report: Mr. Michael reports that the teachers have a tentative contract. There will be a vote on 5/28/14 to ratify.

Parent Coordinator Report:
The choral concert has been moved to June 12 instead of May 30

Principal’s Report:
Mr. Artie reports the following:
-The doors in cafeteria are being changed which will allow improved access to safety.
-Boy’s bathroom off cafeteria will be altered. The urinals will be lowered in July to make it easier to use for the smaller children.
-Bathroom over staircase C will be upgraded and will be in use for the next school year.
-Boys and girls will have separate stalls in remaining bathrooms.
-Under new teachers’ contract, there will be changes in the length of the school day. This may change next year -will know more when the teacher’s contract is finalized. School Day may change to 8:20 drop off, 2:40 pick up. Details to follow once known.
-ASD site will add 2 classes

Budget Votes:
1) Dance Floor: $16,050 requested for remaining balance needed to install safe flooring.

2) Visiting Author Program to be run by Multimedia teachers Ms. Grace and Ms. Aida, assisted by parent Nina Crews. Visiting authors require stipends, thus $1000 annual budget line item requested. The grades will be broken into groups ensuring each grade gets at least one visit per year.

3) Garden proposal: $2000 grant was applied for by the Garden Committee Chair, Denise Maher, and awarded earlier this year by GrowNYC. Additional funding is requested from PTA to complete build up and irrigation. Request is $500 for this fiscal year and $1500 for next school year; amount to be revisited next year to determine annual line item amount/request. The garden has already been integrated to early childhood science and the school curriculum. Pre-K, K and 1st grade have their own beds and have been planting; upper grade science has used it in classroom already. The children from the ASD site will also be involved during summer school.

5th grade graduation:
-The budget was reduced last year from $3000 to $1000 based on committee recommendations.
-This year’s committee realized it wasn’t enough and requested the adjustment to $2000 be made.
-The funds pay for 5th grade graduation activities, such as a day at aviator sports and the 5th grade dance.
-If all the money isn’t used, it will roll over into PTA general fund.
-5th grade parents are being asked for $40 per child.

Votes for all above proposals passed by majority vote.

PTA Executive Board Nominations:
Samantha Cassidy, Nominating Committee Chair, collected all volunteer candidate names for next year’s PTA executive board. Nominations were read aloud and last call for nominations given. Paper ballot will go home next week for school-wide vote.

School Leadership Team Election:
SLT consists of 7 parent members and 7 teacher members. There will be four parent openings for next school year. Call for candidates will go out in early June, followed by paper ballot for school-wide vote.

Meeting Adjourned 9:45 AM