October PTA Meeting – 10/10/18

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The PTA held its regular meeting on Oct. 10 in the cafeteria.

Welcome – Jessica and Merideth – PTA Co-Presidents

Parent Coordinator Announcements – Yvette

  • Upcoming events- Character Day (Oct 29), Picture Day (ICT Oct 30/6:1:1 Nov 2), Parent Teacher Conferences (Nov 15), Election Day (Nov 6) & Veterans Day (Nov 12)
  • More information about the new middle school admission process will be forthcoming
  • 4th and 5th grade families can log on to their school’s account to see student’s state test scores. Reach out to Yvette for more info.

School Announcements – Ms. Bridget

  • Middle School visits and tours have started
  • Some parents are having trouble accessing their children’s accounts online, we’re looking into this and hope to have a fix for you soon
  • Principal’s Wish List – discretionary money for school needs not covered in DOE budgets
    • Leveled Literacy Kits in classrooms now
      • made a huge difference last year during trial
    • Safety upgrade for front stairs
      • getting non-slip strips to make stairs safer when wet.
    • PTA voted to allocate $10K this year for the Wish List

Upcoming Events – Jessica and Merideth

  • Lice Check
    • Please submit your permission forms
    • Very important to catch outbreaks early, as it is very contagious.
  • Pizza Friday – starting this Friday – first session lasts 15 weeks – volunteer to distribute pizza
  • Costume/Clothing Swap – Oct 12th starting at 5:30pm on Gym stage
  • Movie Night – Oct 12th in Gym
    • Bring blankets, chairs, picnics and enjoy the movie – showing RIO (rated G)
    • PTA will be selling pizza ($2/slice), lemonade ($1/cup), and popcorn ($1/serving)
  • School Picture Day – Oct. 30th (ASD site) and Nov. 2nd at (6:1:1 site)
    • Stomping Ground – new photographer this year
    • Non-traditional photographers – children in motion – at least 5 poses to choose from
    • Need volunteers to keep kids organized, comb hair, etc.
    • Photos will be delivered by holidays
    • All communications about photos will happen by email
  • Roots & Community – Saturday Nov. 3rd from 5:30pm – 8pm
    • Free event – Explore the cultural communities of our school
    • 17 groups organized tables last year: China, Dominican Rep., Ireland, Japan,…
    • Want to expand with new groups too – step up with any ideas for tables
  • Music Program – for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade students
    • Learn to play an instrument – flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, or percussion
    • Inexpensive program run by great teachers from Brooklyn Conservatory of Music
  • School Teams? – contact Rafael if interested in helping organize parent run teams
    • Considering soccer and baseball teams to play against other schools for fun

Treasurer’s Report – Desiree

  • Important things to know are things we fund and how we fundraise to support school
  • Things we fund
    • Mini-grants to every teacher, specialist, and therapist working at the school
    • Activities for students and many other programs to enhance school curriculums
    • New technology for students: iPads and computers
    • Improvements to school where not covered by DOE
  • Fundraisers – strong support needed to fund all projects
    • Pizza Friday
    • Annual Appeal – don’t forget corporate matching can be a big help
    • Auction & Gala
    • Readathon

Committees – Opportunities to get involved in big or small ways

  • Wellness Committee – Paula Szuchman
    • Started last year with a $2,000 grant
    • Organized meditation classes for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades before Tests began
    • Held Wellness Fair last Spring – activities and classes focused on wellness
  • Social Committee – Meredith Singer-Crew, chair
    • Annual Camping Trip
    • Events in Community – perhaps an Ice Skating Trip this Winter
  • Auction/Gala Committee – party is April 5th, 2019
    • A lot of opportunities to help out, don’t need to commit large amounts of time
    • Soliciting donations, picking up donations, planning party, etc.
  • Communications – Sarah Graham- chair
    • Work on website, Konstella, and social media
    • Need volunteers to write pieces, maintain website, take photos of events, design graphics for school events, etc.
    • Knowledge of WordPress a plus
  • Tech Committee – Joe Peng & Mr. Doug, chairs
    • Addresses larger tech infrastructure issues like payment systems and tech hardware
  • Diversity Committee – Adam Strum & Rafael Gomez Luna, chairs
    • Promoting diversity measures throughout our community
    • Funding outreach to communities in District 15 to promote our school
  • Garden Committee – Lindsay Ackroyd & Penny Mailander, chairs
    • Maintains and develops our school garden
  • School Gear Committee
    • ordering, maintaining & delivering school gear at school events and via website
  • Grant Writing and Fundraising
    • Help write grant proposals and work on corporate donations
  • Graphic Design
    • Work on graphics for PTA events – posters, flyers, logos, etc.

Attendees: 28