Minutes

Bancroft P.T.O. Meeting

Monday February 9, 2015

Principal’s Update – Erin Glynn:

Thursday is Portfolio night. Come see your kids progress and work. Teachers and Students are preparing. 4:30-7 6:00 3rd Grade Music and 6:30 4th Grade Music presentations. No School for students Friday or Monday

  • Community Partnership School
    We have worked hard on an application to become a Community Partnership School. Some ambiguity and risk taking (IB Principal's). New Superintendent support decisions being made by Teachers and Parents at sites (schools). Our schools are very different, and district wide decisions are not always right for each location. CPS allows for schools to make decisions aside from District mandates. 4 Schools are moving through the process Johnson, Ramsey, Folwell and us. This could help us do IB curriculum more fully; District mandates Focused Instruction (content specific units), where PYP is very integrated. These do not work together. Would like our school to go to trimesters rather than quarters. So we may have different schedules than other schools (same start/end and large vacations, but different staff days). Collaboration. Making sure teachers get enough planning time. Teachers are meeting 55 minutes twice a week. Would hope for larger breaks from class for teachers to work together to plan. Looking at more staffing to assist this. Global Teams. Lot's to be worked out, but staff is excited to be able to differentiate our school.

Early October design committee with the staff and input from parents from site counsel.

Did not look for or get support for additional time in the school day – More movement (recess and gym). And look into strengthening our after school program.

Discussion of how budget is worked and how much autonomy we have over the budget. Our Spanish program has expanded, looking to see if we can build that more. Have to look at our data, proficiencies, but more focused on growth (no matter where children start). How do we measure success: Problem solving skills. Having projects and learning how to create them (5th grade exhibition).

  • Spring Break Academy Monday-Thrusday and Friday is a field trip again. 8-2. 4 hours academic and 2 hours of science (Gems and Gise – wind turbines STEM). Even if student is not specifically invited, they can sign up. Look for application at Portfolio night.
  • PYP summer school site. Bancroft, Whittier and Hall.
  • Family night in April if it works out. Same night as PTO. Kevin Arnold, Media specialist. Internet safety presentation. Also, PBS provided ideas for technologies for kids.
  • Survey
    Feedback from Coffee Tea and IB. Portfolio night Survey. Community partnership schools etc. etc.

Plant Sale – Liz Brophey:

  • Staying with similar plants as last year. Looking at 4 different perennials, looking for input on the shade perennials. Date for final order is earlier than thought, but we are going to keep the same schedule, just have a little less time to tally. Should be OK.
  • Stacy Lambrecht – See Treasury Report

Gems and Gise – T-shirts:

Request for PTO to cover cost of T-Shirts. Approved. Exhibition for Spring (May 2nd). Energy electricity and electronics. Older kids will have choices and projects.

Start thinking of PTO Board Nominations for next year.

Next meeting Monday, March 9th

PTO Board Members

Liz Brophey – President

Sara Jensen – Vice President

Stacy Lambrect – Treasurer

Dolly Fair-Holton – Secretary

TBD – Communications Chair

TBD – Events Chair