PTA Honors Outgoing PTA President Tressa Kabbez

PTA Monthly Meeting

6/17/13 9 am Meeting Notes

Minutes are now distributed online via PS 185 PTA Facebook group or via PS 185 PTA website (

PTA Honors Outgoing PTA President Tressa Kabbez

Jennifer Kruger

This will be the last meeting Tressa presides over after six years as PTA president.
Jen shares anecdotes in which she remembers and honors Tressa’s six years leading the PTA. The full PS 185 community benefits from Tressa’s patience, diplomacy, ideas and much more. We offer our sincere appreciation and gratitude.

Mr. Llinas

In comments directed at the students in attendance, Mr. Llinas describes the PTA president as the leader of all the parents at school. He reminds students that parents are key contributorsto their success as students. Mr. Llinas expresses his genuine appreciation for Tressa’s work over the past six years.

Thank You Ceremony

Two students from each grade, a parent representative, and Ms. Goudelias each present Tressa with a rose.
Stefania presents Tressa with a plaque commemorating her time as PTA president and a floral arrangement.
Adele presents a silver apple as a gift from the parents.

Tressa Kabbez

Tressa thanks the presenters and all parents attending. Tressa discusses the importance of community service and how important it is to her and her family.
Tressa thanks the many parents who volunteered and contributed over the past years.

Chess Awards (Jennifer Kruger)

Jen gives a brief description of this year’s chess program at PS 185.
PS 185 students have won 7 trophies in chess (so far).
A group of five chess players present Mr. Llinas with the Novice 2 trophy.
A group of three chess players present Mr. Llinas with the Novice 1 trophy.
About 14 students who won chess competitions throughout the year each received various awards.

Principal’s Report (Mr. Llinas)

Binders

Mr. Llinas is requesting that the PTA share the cost for purchasing 5-section binders for kindergarteners going into 1st graders and students that are new to the school. The binders have 5 sections and inserts. Students use the binders for the length of their time at PS 185.Students place the best of their school work in the binder. The 5th section of the binder is called the archives. They send things home to make room for new work. Students get their binders upon graduation
The binders will also be used for teacher assessment next year.
The inserts make these binders expensive.
Mr. Llinas is asking the PTA to pay for half of this cost since his budget is so limited.

Class size

1st and grade will have larger class sizes next year because the current 5 classes will be merged to 4 classes. This will also happen to either the 2nd or 3rd grades (whichever grade currently still has 5 classes).
Current kindergarten is made up of 5 classes. Next year, these students will be grouped into 4 classes for 1st grade.
1st grade classes will be in the range of 27-28 students per classroom
3rdthrough 5thgrade classrooms are in the mid-20s.
Budget constraints are forcing this change.
2 teachers will have to be excised this year. We are in danger of having to excise a 3rd teacher.
Mr. Llinas received several letters on this topic and responds to most of those emails.

Superintendent Visit

The Superintendent visited PS 185 for the Go Green bottle cap mural unveiling. The Superintendent and Councilman Gentile were very impressed. For assessing the schools, the state is overriding city assessments. The state didn’t evaluate District 20 as well as the city did. District 20 has “Red Xs”. PS 185 has all “Green Checks” and the superintendent credited PS 185 for bringing up the district 20 averages.
Thank you to parents for contributing to PS 185’s success.
Superintendant will be visiting next year.

PTA General Report (Tressa Kabbez)

As part of next year’s reorganization, there will be a new cluster focused on reading non-fiction literature and writing specifically for the ELA test. This will be worked into curriculum for the full school year.

Fundraiser for Cami

Ms. King’s daughter, Cami,has leukemia. A bone marrow donor has been found, but the transplant hasn’t happened yet. (Ms. King is the PS 185 art teacher.)
On 6/23 there is a two-part fundraiser to help this family defray the costs of treatment.
5K fundraiser race begins at 9am on pier 69. $40 to participate in the race AND the party. Children are free.
In addition, there is an after-party at St. Patrick’s auditorium. There will be a DJ, face painting, a family party. Even if you don’t race, attend the after-party fundraiser for $40 per adult.
If you can’t attend, please donate (link also posted on FB):

Schedule

Kindergarten graduationis on Wednesday.
5th grade graduation is on Thursday.
No siblings are allowed at graduations.
Last day of school, Wednesday is a half day.
Report cards can’t be given out before the last day. If you won’t be at school on the last day, send in self-addressed stamped envelope to get report card and supplies list mailed to you.

180 Tickets sold to fundraiser/Cyclones game. Tickets are going home today in backpacks, they just received the tickets.

SPENDING VOTES

VOTE TO SPEND: $500 to increase Go Green annual budget from $1000 to $1500
Passes by majority
Go Green video showcasing the building of the native garden and the creation of the bottle cap mural was shown

Summer ReadingPrograms

Notes prepared by Jessica Bodie Richards () on June17, 2013