MS PSA Meeting Minutes

October 2, 2014

9:30 a.m.

In Attendance:

Mary Lynn Dugan / Denise Duerksen / Jennifer Lowe / Beth Farbacher
Stephanie Weinberg / Mindy Kristofic / Tom Naughton / Allison Bashe
Paula Bonvenuto / Lisa Hartman / Michele Luellen / Michelle Hall
Gabby Garretson / Cathy Freyvogel / Lisa Curry / Mary Folmer
Michelle Hall / Dr. Kristofic / Miss Bogosta
Vivian O. Akosah / Kelley Holland / Beth Leonard

A. General Information

1. Call to order, President’s ReportMary Lynn Dugan

Thank you for coming, as an update, magazine sales are way down, Mary will elaborate further. We are seeking alternative fundraising ideas. If you can help contribute ideas, please email any of us on the Board.

The directories are being produced and are due in mid-October.

Please participate in the Giant Eagle and Target programs that benefit our school.

Q-Member: Is there a way to give the kids an incentive to have their parents sign up for these programs?

We can talk about this and other ideas as ways to raise money.

2. Vice Presidents’ ReportDenise Duerksen

Picture Day went smoothly, and there will be a make-up day announced soon.

Spirit Wear was delivered yesterday, but we will run another sale beginning in November for Holiday delivery.

`VP-Jenn Lowe

We have identified a new fundraiser utilizing Amazon.com. If you go into the site by clicking the Smile program on the main webpage, you can designate our school PSA to receive 5% of all purchases made. Please give it a try, it’s an easy way to raise funds.

3. Secretary’s ReportStephanie Weinberg

Can someone motion to approve the September 6th 2014 Meeting Minutes which are posted on the website? Motion by Mary Folmer, approved by Jenn Lowe.

4. Treasurer’s ReportBeth Farbacher

We have a check in from Target for $1200. Spirit wear sales were down; so far we have earned $130 when the budget for the year is $600. Hopefully the next sale will bring us up.

B. Recognition of Members and Visitors

1. Detective Scott Rick, Northern Regional Police Department

We have been very busy lately. We have seen a surge in new home burglaries. People posing as construction workers are taking appliances and materials from newly constructed homes; there have been 14 in our jurisdiction alone. If you see anything suspicious at all, for example, construction workers entering a property at night or removing appliances, please contact the police department.

These crimes are all drug related.

We have seen a huge amount of white collar crimes. Retail theft, cyber theft, gift card fraud. We are all relying upon plastic. We have a local case where a criminal put $30,000 in charges on a couple’s credit card for purchases in two different states.

Lock your cars at night, do not leave your belongings in your cars. It’s an easy way to steal. Most of these crimes are performed by transients.

Do not speak to solicitors without permits; call 911 if they are suspicious.

Make sure your credit card has insurance on it.

Watch the ATM machines for “skimmers,” devices attached that take your card information without your knowledge.

Beware of con artists, who especially prey upon elderly people.

The middle school has been fortunately quiet. There was a bomb threat and we are in the process of investigating. We conduct walkarounds at different points during the day.

Last year, we saw some sexting issues. It is a crime.

Follow your kids on Instagram and Facebook. Let them know that images do not go away from kik and snapchat. Know what’s going on electronically.

E-Cigarettes are being modified with drugs. People are putting marijuana in them.

Prescription pills are getting out of homes. They are in the schools; especially the high school. Hide or count your pills.

Heroin is still a problem here, but thankfully not with the students. A number of graduates have overdosed and died from it.

Kids are, however, coming to football games intoxicated. Water bottles are filled with vodka. The first day of school, two girls were arrested for underaged drinking.

Stay aware. The more input we (the police) get from the community, the better we can do our jobs.

2. Mrs. Censi, Mrs. Mulleigh PRHS Guidance Anti Bullying Committee

We are looking to host a spring time event, a Girls Night Out themed “Healthy Lifestyle.”

Watch for more information, it would be for 7th and 8th grade girls and their mothers or other women in their lives. There will be a keynote speaker and we would like to ask for $1,000 from the PSA to offset the cost. Funds would be returned if there is money left over. Contact us if you have questions.

3. Dr. Kristofic, PRMS Principal

We had our kick off assembly for the Olweus Bullying Program yesterday. There are four steps we are asking students to do this year: Avoid, Find a Friend, Report, and Act Confident. We are forming a parent committee on bullying also. For more information, please contact Miss Bogosta.

C. Special Committee Reports

1. Magazine Sale Fundraiser, Mary Folmer, PSA Committee Chair

Unfortunately, we have seen a significant drop in magazine sales at this point. If we don’t recuperate these funds, we are going to have to scale back our programs for the kids. We have advertised to the parents and the kids to the best of our capabilities, but we still are seeing the decrease. We need to research alternative methods of fundraising for the future.

2. Box Tops, Denise Duerksen, Board Representative

Gabby Garretson has kindly stepped up to head our Box Tops Committee. Thank you, Gabby!

Please attend our next meeting, Friday November14th, 2014 in the Spirit Room, featuring Dr. Brian Miller, Superintendent of Pine Richland School District.

Thank you for attending!