February 2021 General PTA Meeting Minutes

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PTA of PS 372 February General Meeting Minutes

Thursday, February 25, 2021

This meeting was held remotely on Zoom.

Welcome – Michelle Dobson & Liza Gouger, PTA Co-Presidents

  • Thank you for taking the time to be with us this evening. We are happy to see so many of you here on Zoom to join us for this meeting tonight.

Updates from Ms. Rosa Amato, Principal & Ms. Bridget Nash (AP)

  • We had many folks testing positive over February break so we have had some uneasy times these last few weeks. Thank you for your patience and understanding; please remember to thank your kids’ teachers!
  • Summer school will happen for D75 students. No info yet on whether it will be hybrid, remote or a combination. Information will come to you as soon as we receive it. 
  • We are still working on 5 day per week programming for students with special needs, ELL, and students in temporary housing. Next week we will be welcoming some kindergarteners in these groups. From these priority groups, we have already welcomed PreK and 3rd, and next is 4th. Thank you to parents and guardians for being flexible about moving their kids to another class when there is a spot open. Priority group students in 1st and 2nd grade are not doable at the present time, but we will continue to work with the district on space concerns for 1st, 2nd and 5th. 
  • We are looking at opening up another section of fifth grade. Fifth grade parents will receive an invite soon to a community meeting to discuss the option of adding a fourth section of fifth grade.

Update from Mr. Frank Ammirata, AP

  • We received funding to support the AIS program which will allow us to provide academic support after school. We hired 8 teachers divided equally between math and ELA. 
  • All grades, groups of 3-5, will be meeting M-Th.
  • These programs will begin soon.
  • We have been able to provide additional support on remote days to students who need support in Fundations. 

Update from Ms. Bridget (COVID update)

  • We had multiple (4) positive cases 
    • 3 from Carroll random testing
    • 1 from Adelphi random testing
  • No clear link between any of the cases, so school building had to close for 10 days. This was right before break so we didn’t close since we were closed anyway. 
  • One child who tested positive – their bus driver and matron also tested positive.
  • Best way to get up-to-date covid-related information is to make sure your myschools account is set up so you get the daily dashboard report.
  • Thank you to all families, we now have 100% participation in consent forms turned in. 
  • Consent forms for COVID testing are mandatory in order for children to attend school. Parents may not revoke consent once submitted.

Updates from Ms. Yvette Agas-Bautz, Parent Coordinator

  • Thank you to 5th grade families for submitting MS applications which were due 2/23. You will get notifications in spring. If you are applying to any private middle schools please let us know so we can get information to them as soon as possible.
  • Pre-K applications opening online (MySchools.nyc)
  • If there are any siblings turning four years old this year, go onto the myschools account, rank 372 as #1. Deadline is April 7.
  • Middle School admissions process – all info is on MySchools.nyc
  • NYC Schools Account https://mystudent.nyc/
    • Please activate this and if you haven’t done it yet, let Yvette know.
    • On your mystudent account is a lot of important information about attendance, grades, covid testing, etc.
  • Parent/Teacher conferences March 10 & 11 online
    • Teachers will send out sign up details.
    • March 10 is a full day of school with conferences in the evening.
    • March 11 is a half day with conferences in the afternoon.
  • 5th grade yearbook is underway – 5th parents please send your ads in by 2/26/21
  • If you need an example of what a congrats ad looks like, ask Yvette
  • You can email Yvette at yvette.agasbautz@ps372.net with any questions.

Budget Report – Tania Ahmed, PTA Co-Treasurer

  • Direct Appeal 2020-2021 is our primary fundraiser this year
  • Other major fundraisers are restricted by COVID-19
  • Direct giving is the easiest way to support the PTA
  • We have received over $22,000 in donations to support our school so far
  • Our goal is $35,000 by July
  • Please keep donating to Readathon – we have raised $7,000 so far
  • Please keep buying school gear! We have so far raised about $1,000 in gear sales, and we want to raise $3,000 for the year

Virtual Book Fair – Liza

  • The virtual book fair is ending February 28th!
  • Order online at communitybookstore.net code PS372 – you still have time!
  • Easy to search for books or browse their recommendations
  • 3 choices for delivery:
    • pickup at store 
    • ship to home 
    • deliver to school (either site)
  • Check out our recommended list of books for each grade at Carroll & and for the Adelphi St. site, as well as books from the bookstore’s own newsletter on inclusions.org
  • The PTA will receive 20% of Book Fair purchases.

Virtual Readathon – Merideth Finn-Beers & Brad Eichmann

  • Student Participation is soaring!
    • So far, PS372 students have read over 153,000 minutes! That’s amazing.
    • One class has 100% participation so far, and many others are close. Help your class aim high and sign into your dashboard to get credit for your reading time.
  • Sponsors are supporting our students!
    • No fundraising is required to participate in Read-a-thon nor to receive badges, certificates, or prizes. 
    • So far we have raised $8,447!
    • Our fundraising goal is $16,000, so if you can, please reach out to friends and family to request their support for our children’s love of reading and our school. We are on track to hit this goal as long as all pledges come in.
  • Cool Stuff about Ready, Set, Read!
    • Every participant in our Readathon will receive a certificate, at least one virtual badge, and be entered into a drawing(s) to win a gift certificate(s) to Community Bookstore. Certificates will be emailed over this coming weekend to students. Make sure students open the certificate with the SOUND ON to hear a cute little tune!
    • Students will be awarded virtual badges to showcase milestone minutes read (1 minute, 125 minutes, 250 minutes, 500 minutes, 1000 minutes)
    • Students reaching milestone minutes are entered into drawings to win gift certificates to Community Bookstore (total of five raffles)
    • The class with the most participation in each grade will help Ms. Jackie choose book titles for our school library
    • Classes with 100% participation will receive a prize (we are working on it!)
    • Have a question about Read-A-Thon? Please email Meredith or Brad through inclusions.org

Picture Day – Michelle

  • Pictures will be taken in tents in the yard (45 degrees or higher), or if weather is poor, in the gymnasium.
  • All outdoor picture backgrounds will be white.
  • 3 dates:
    • Carroll St. Group A – Tuesday, March 16th 
    • Carroll St. Group B – Friday, March 19th 
    • Adelphi St. – all students – Monday, March 15th
  • 5th grade parents – Stomping Ground does not provide caps and gowns. The portrait photos taken on picture day of 5th graders will be the ones used in the yearbook. If you want your child in a cap and gown for picture day, please bring your own. If you need more information about where to order a cap and gown, please contact Michelle or Liza.
  • Remote students – Picture days will be March 20th – 26th. You will have the choice to send in a photo, or you can use an online app to “meet” with a photographer for a private photo shoot! (This option may also be used for in-person students who missed picture day).
  • Sibling photos will be available on a case-by-case basis keeping safety protocols in place.
  • Ordering will be handled online and deliveries will be direct to home address.
  • More details to come next week.

Upcoming Events

  • 2021 Gala Night — April 16th
    • No auction this year
    • Stay tuned for more details in weeks to come
  • March Movement Madness
    • Work out your Spring fever in special active classes
    • Watch for details – join in virtual/online classes  
  • Roots & Community (on Zoom!)
    • Planning is beginning now to move this popular event online this year
    • If you’ve hosted a table in prior years, you’ll be contacted to see if you are interested in participating  
    • Each country will have its own breakout room with activities
    • If you have an idea for a new table, contact Mr. Frank at frank.ammirata@ps372.net 

School Garden

  • Help us get our school garden back in shape! If you have a green thumb, or are interested in helping restart the school garden, please email garden@ps372pta.org. All participation will be outdoors!

Thank Yous

  • Thanks to our community for supporting each other. 
  • Thanks to Merideth Finn-Beers & Brad Eichmann for Co-chairing the Readathon Committee and bringing it online. The new dashboards are great!
  • Thanks to our families for supporting the school through the Book Fair.
  • Thanks to Stomping Ground for working out a way to safely do Picture Day this year for all our students.

Announcements

  • The next PTA Meeting is scheduled for March 25th, 2021. 

Submitted by Mimi Stauber-Levy

PS 372 PTA Recording Secretary

2/25/2021