RHEEMS ELEMENTARY

PTO MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010 at 6:30pm

  1. Call to Order – In attendance: Mrs. Havercamp (art teacher), Melissa Miller (music teacher), Tara Oltmans (Dolan, Shar, Adams), Rhonda Lloyd (Goodling, Scherer), Wendy Alspaugh (Lesoine, Miller), Barb Geiner (Bair), Kelly Carter (Horting, Dolan), Georgann Azzalina (Cook, Shar), Christin Bergeman (Elliott), Amy McEvoy (Rhodes, Adams), Daphne Sellers (Hopkirk), Michelle Schneider (Towsen), Michele Stackhouse (Simmons), Jodie Evans, Natalie Dixon, Lisa Wolfe, Brad Sterner
  2. Treasurer’s Report – Two deposits made: $33,242.25 for Wolfgang fundraiser and $655.14 for Rita’s fundraiser. Increased room parent fund from $4 per student to $8 per student. Withdraws taken to cover family picnic expenses, teacher reimbursement, bond, scholarship fund (George Mason University), three assembly deposits, student seat sacs and Rheems folders. Voted in favor of funding 8 additional chaperones for Landis Valley Museum field trip. Additional cost $12.50 per chaperone, totaling $100.
  3. Teacher’s Report – Mrs. Miller (music teacher): Students really liked Ryan and Friends assembly conducted on Monday, October 4th. She ended up teaching them the proper way to sing “You Are My Sunshine”, which was performed at the end of the assembly by three teacher volunteers. Students are enjoying their new chair pockets.
  4. Principal’s Report – Tommy Hilfiger campaign “Tommy Gives Back”: Campaign was to be run to support Rheems Elementary, but campaign fell through. High school students working at the Tommy Hilfiger store at the Hershey Outlets decided to follow through with this campaign on their own by spending their own money to supply Rheems students with necessary products. To show their appreciation, teachers at Rheems wrote thank you notes to the students. Students now want to know if they can adopt “Rheems” families at Christmas time. Mr. Sterner is to follow up on this with the students. The total number of new students this year is 27. This is higher than average. School pictures scheduled for Oct 25th. Rheems Proud/Spirit t-shirts will be purchased for new students and kindergartners. Evacuation drill being held this Friday, Oct 8th. Four undisclosed areas used for evacuation. It is okay for students to disclose spot after evacuation.
  5. Committee Reports:
  6. Yearbook –Two companies being looked at: Life Touch and Herff Jones. Life Touch black and white yearbook cost $10 (excluding tax); $13.00 (excluding tax) for color. Herff Jones color yearbook cost $11.70 (excluding tax). PTO does not have “tax exempt” status/identification, so tax will have to be paid. If 6% sales tax is added to the color yearbook cost of $11.70, the total cost equates to $12.40. Both companies offer same amount of pages. Herff Jones will allow students to create their own cover. Life Touch will not allow this. You must pick from existing cover options. Life Touch requires an 8-week minimum deadline to submit photos, and Herff Jones requires a 6-week minimum deadline to submit photos. Everyone voted in favor of going with new company, Herff Jones, and spending the extra money for color vs. black and white.
  7. Wolfgang –$33,242.25; exceeded last year’s amount of $32,601.75.
  8. Bike Rodeo –Oct 14th, rain date Oct 15th
  9. Book Fair –Oct 25th to Oct 29th. Family night to be held from 6-8PM on Tuesday night, Oct 26th. New program being implemented to earn scholastic dollars. By attending a seminar, our school will earn $25. Principal involvement also earns scholastic dollars. In addition to this, school will be raising money for Charity – Rheems Fire Dept. Scholastic will match our donation. The theme this year is “Reading Saves the Day”, and we will be celebrating heroes. The fire department was chosen in conjunction with this theme. Flyer will be going home next week to parents. Our goal is to raise $350 for the fire department. If goal is hit, local hero will appear at school – E-town Bear. 36 volunteers signed up to support this event.
  10. Box Tops for Education –3,347 box tops collected to date. Oct 21st is the first deadline. Mrs. Simmons’ class is in 1st place, Mrs. Towsen’s class is in 2nd place and Mrs. Miller’s class is in 3rd place.
  11. Community Service –Thanksgiving meal letter will be going out soon. Co-chairs for next year not chosen yet. Need a chair with children remaining at Rheems after this school year.
  12. School Directory –- Directory should be handed out next week. Being proofed now.
  13. Holiday Activities –Holiday Workshop – volunteers decreased. Need at min 32 volunteers, 16 have volunteered to date. Product already ordered. Need to determine if this workshop will be offered at Rheems next year. If it will be, a new chair needs to be trained. If not, product will need to be returned. 2nd to 5th grade main participants. Workshop to be scheduled for the week of Dec 6th.
  14. Family Fun Activities –Picnic was a success. We raised $655.14 from Rita’s fundraiser. This surpassed last year’s proceeds of $639. Another Rita’s fundraiser scheduled for May 2011. It was brought to our attention that the Hoss’s fundraiser falls on the same night as family night for the Book Fair. Due to this fact, Hoss’s night will be rescheduled. New date to be determined. Looking to pursue PJ Pizza, in addition to Brother’s Pizza. Waiting to hear if Brother’s is willing to open up their entire menu for future fundraisers.
  15. Staff Appreciation – Meal will be provided for the Teachers Thursday of conference week.
  16. Assemblies– Ryan and Friends, Comedian and Ventriloquist visited school on Monday, Oct. 4th. Surveys distributed to teachers to see how well students and teachers received assembly. Bruce Van Patter, Author and Illustrator, scheduled for Monday, November 22nd. Mark Rothstein’s World of Rope Jumping scheduled for Monday, March 14th to kick off Jump Rope for Heart Campaign. Brian Curry Magical Math Tour scheduled for Monday, May 2nd.
  1. Old Business - None
  2. New Business – Rep for Pennies for Patients asked if Rheems would be interested in running a “one day” campaign this school year. Majority voted against this due to the Jump Rope for Heart campaign and Book Fair charity fundraiser already scheduled for this year. 5th grade ski trip scheduled for Feb 17th - volunteers still needed. It was recommended that more detailed information be sent out to parents about required clearances. Some parents did not know that if they are in school database, clearances do not need to be requested again. If you do not volunteer for a whole year, new clearances will need to be requested. Lunch visitors are not required to have a TB shot. A+Plus rewards - some forms submitted without an e-mail address and first 3 letters of last name. This form needs to be updated next year explaining that both pieces of information are required in order to designate bonus card successfully.

PIE off to a rough start - copiers and white/pink sheet system not working properly. White sheets are to be used to designate not so urgent projects, and pink sheets are to be used to designate immediate/urgent projects. A more efficient system needs to be created or at minimum, the color designation needs to be reviewed with the teachers. New volunteers have signed up for this committee, so there is a learning curve.

Sunny Delight – potential fundraiser to research. (School can earn free books.)

District meeting regarding removal of spelling test – Meeting minutes, along with PowerPoint presentation to be published on school district website.

Next PTO Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 6:30pm