Patterson PTA General Meeting Minutes
October 8, 2015
In Attendance: Michelle Frost, Julie Mitchell, Colleen Garrison, Dina Garabedian, Natasha Ditoro, Elizabeth Carroll, Jorie Snyder, RakheeRaveendran, Erin Sulkin, Natalie Rupert, Theresa White, Rosanne DeConto, Tanya Barnes, Holly Morlock, Erin Kocher
I.Call to Order
II.Colleen Garrison called the meeting to order at 9:35 AM
III.Approval of September, 2015 Meeting Minutes
A.Minutes filed as written, given no objections
IV.Principal's Report
A.Recap of Parent University and handouts
1.Good attendance; QR code on exit survey
B.Update on Clubs available at Patterson this year
1. Robotics club funded by IPEF is new this year, starts with 30 4th and 5th graders; Did not need to do lottery because 29 kids signed up; New reading clubs this year, both 2nd and 3rd grade; Conservation and Garden club, large group; Computer club – 1st and 2nd graders, keyboarding and typing; Flyers will go home to grade level involved; Homework club is M – R after school and is open to anyone
C.Information shared on Fall Parade and costume guidelines October 30th
1.Kids are welcome to wear costumes, reminders are: kids should be able to get on / off by selves (put on after lunch); parade starts at 2:15 and weather permitting will parade through front circle where parents can watch; If it rains, the parade route will be in gym and southern most gym door will be open; Room parents and party helpers will be allowed in LMC; a list of volunteers is needed a week before the party and if they have not signed in before stop in to school in advance so license can be run through background check system. Costume guidelines – no look alike weapons and masks should allow for clear vision; Will still parade if it is cold outside; Also you can sign your child out in the classroom for party volunteers so you can take your child with you when you leave. Carlene did the sign out lists for the PTA last year
D.PDAC update
1.A team of 5 will go to World Café on 10/29; Team will take a look at diversity as a school and make plans for culturally relevant activities throughout the year. Rakhee is the contact for new ideas
E.IPEF Marathon Update –Coming up in November; Please donate the funds stay with the district and Patterson
V.President’s Report
A.Update on next steps taken as a result of “Keep/Change/Let it Go” exercise at May PTA Meeting
1.Gave history of exercise and work that pta exec board did over the summer with the results; Adding based on the suggestions – Adult night out with possible fundraising aspects and looking at late Jan/Feb and offsite; Cultural Night – scheduled for 1/22; Movie Night – will do in spring; Fun Run looking at for fall as possible fundraiser; Will look at adding interim incentives for Box Tops; On the “let it go” our opinion is if there are still people willing to chair and volunteer for things we will keep those activities
B.Adult Social Evening –
1. Need committee members
VI.Treasurer's Report
A.See handout of current budget
B.Bank Balance given
C.Budget Highlights
1.Membership is above projection; Pics with Pete is above projection; Fall Photography is above projection
2.Expense Highlights: Paid PTA dues
D.Catalog Sales
1.Online still a little in flux but approximately $9000; paper sales are about $9000; Numbers are still in flux; Total sales will be about $20000. We will get 40-50% of these sales depending on items. This is slightly less than we were hoping for but our expectation was also based on sales from years ago which included more families. Quick review indicates that there may have only been 40 families that generated this revenue, this did not include online sales. Discussion about such low participation, maybe just 25% or less, and why and what we can do to raise this in future or what fundraiser may raise participation in future. Group did say that fundraisers where the kids are very excited and will urge their parents, repeatedly, to participate may generate higher participation. Group also discussed that this did not require a lot of volunteers so it could be continued but also combined with a fundraiser that raises excitement from kids and builds community.
E.We will file our taxes soon
VII.VP – Finance/Fund Raising
A.Fall Fundraiser Update –
1.Discussed previously
B.Fall Photography Update
1.Volunteers still needed; All spots filled and waiting list as well
C.Apparel Update
1.Boomer T has sent excel sheet of orders to Megan; We will have dollar amount details sent soon. Checking on when apparel will be in; Online sales are up all year. Boomer T link is on pta web site. Tanya Barnes noted that link given previously was wrong.
D.Cultural Night Committee Members needed
E.Box Tops
1.Are going well and we are getting a lot of donations. Rakhee will discuss with Tanya Barnes about how we can incorporate mid-year incentives. Also put a picture of the bar graph on the PTA facebook page.
F.Catalog link is on website and we can order all year.
G.Colleen will add to list serv that can continue to order from Boomer T and Charleston Wrap all year
H.Pictures with Pete – all payments are in
VIII.VP – Administrative/Service
A.Hospitality
1.Amber Sweda started a bulletin board where kids can add a thank you note plus posters will still be made
B.Parties
1.Many spots are still open. Fall – still no lead from 5S; 4L needs more volunteers; Mrs. Frost will talk to teachers to ask for helpers in these classes; Ideas for parties can be sent to Natasha to be posted on website; Nurse is finalizing snack and alternative snack;
C.Directory
1.Last week in October is scheduled date; We only have three sponsors; Map will go back in; This should be budget ahead because the ads pay for the printing and then some;
D.IPPC Report – Theresa White
1.District wide discussed getting more people to come to the PTA meetings; Brooks, which had 57 people at meeting, had night time meetings with older kids with child care provided; School board did approve refinancing bond debt which will save $5 per household; School board has saved 16.4 million in interest; Coat drive and boot drive for school district – need elementary aged boots and infant to adult coats; Dr. Sullivan discussed parcc results – not sure when we will see them, winter or later is most probable; Mrs. Frost added that we are also using CBMs to gauge our school improvement planning and we are not relying on parcc to make decisions; Newsweek standings – NV not included because not asked to send information so did not send it; Half day Kindergarten is no longer offered in the district (offered but you just come and pick your child up for second half of day); Overcrowding in some schools; Largest class is 5th grade across elementaries; Looking at overall enrollment; Looking at long term overcrowding at NV; bussing information given; Hot lunch presentation – charged sometimes a la carte vs. meal plan, must get a fruit or vegetable to count as a meal plan price; Mrs. Frost added that we serve breakfast at Patterson; They do have charts in middle schools to tell children what to select in lunch line in order to have it qualify as meal plan lunch; Also working on recycling improvements in lunch room;
IX.VP – Enrichment/Social
A.Fall Family Fun Fest
1.This is coming soon and Liz Lawrence says we really need volunteers for this (helping supervise a blow up jumpy event); There will be shifts; Volunteer for pumpkin judging; Looking to have teachers and spirit council be judges for baking contest; Email Liz Lawrence if you’d like to volunteer;
B.Reflections
1.More participation will be great; Goes until Oct. 19th
C.Walk to School Day
1.Well attended but only issue was kids who sprinted all the way to school; Approximately 200 kids participated;
D.Birthday books is going well; 11 were donated in September; 10 in October; Picture of child goes in front cover of book and on wall
E.Brown Bagger book bunch will run after holidays
X.Old Business
A.Keep Change Let it go – previously discussed in President’s report
XI.New Business
A.Tanya Barnes – Gift Mart
1.Tanya thanked the schools that support this. Patterson collects toys from Thanksgiving to early December; The toys go to children in elementary schools in 204; We are partnering with 4 schools with high need; One school has 100% of students / families that are invited to gift mart; What is unique is that the motto is to give a hand up; Toys that are collected are sorted and on gift mart day (at Fisher MS this year) a huge toy shop is set up; Parents can come in and shop for children; Can purchase a given number of toys per child and pay $2 per toy; Then, there is a gift wrap wing and can go in and wrap and if want to wrap themselves they are given tape scissors and wrap paper to bring home; the upstairs is a kid zone with child care that provides snacks, crafts, and activities; The money that is spent by each school’s gift mart participants goes right back to the school; Many schools do not have the resources to fundraise; There is also book, hat/mitten, and mentorship program that Gift Mart is providing as well; Tanya thanked the community for past participation and urged continued participation
XII.Colleen Garrison adjourned the meeting 10:57 AM.