PTSA Executive Meeting
October 17, 2016
Topic: Executive Committee Meeting
Attendance: Mary McNamara
Jennifer Polimeno
Marilyn St. John
Mariana Albert
Tracy Demmo
Kathy O’Conner
Amy Duver
Sue Klassen
Minutes:
Pumpkin Fair: There was a general discussion about the volunteer count for the pumpkin fair. About 50 more volunteers are needed but the general consensus is that there will be enough volunteers. A discussion began about different things that can be done at next year’s fair, suggestions: having kids due a skit or “flash mob”.
Dobbs Ferry Women’s Club Haunted House: Mary approached Georgia DeFalco
(HS Drama) and Serena Buschi (HS Art) for student volunteers. Amy has 5 student volunteers including her daughter. After the Pumpkin Fair, Mary will send out a more direct request for volunteers. If there are enough student volunteers, times can be broken up into smaller quantities (ex. 2 hour time slots). Advertisement cards for the Haunted House were handed out to the committee members. Mariana will post on the Springhurst bulletin board.
Mini Book Sale: The book sale is on Election Day starting at 9:00am. Volunteers are still needed to work. They are asking people to sign up for a couple hours each. Students who volunteer at the book sale can get community service hour credits. There was a discussion about flyers being distributed without being approved.
Jennifer Patillo and Suzanne Troy are running this sale. Set up will be the night before and break down will start around 7:30pm ending by 9:00pm. Volunteers are needed to help with this too.
Board of Education: Recognition week for Board of Education members starts next week. Tomorrow night (10/18) at the board meeting Mary will thank the BOE and give them water bottles & tote bags as appreciation gifts from the PTSA. She will also announce the amount the PTSA will contribute toward the enrichment programs and field trips for the year. A change from last is that the money will be given when payments are due not as a lump sum ahead of time. A suggestion was made to ask people to send thank you e-mails to BOE members.
Grant cycles: Mary will email forms to committee members for proofing then to
Dr. Brady. The grant cycle will probably be opened October 18th and run for 3 weeks. Jennifer Cronk’s grants will be held for review with this cycle’s other submissions. At the end of the 3 weeks, the grants will be forwarded to the Grant Committee members for review. In the budget, $6,000 was set aside for this year’s grants, the plan is to award $2000 per grant cycle; but the fund distribution is flexible. Grant money is not divided amongst the schools. The grants will be awarded based on their worthiness and on a first come, first serve basis. The Grant committee will meet in November. It was suggested that the committee members read the grants prior to the meeting in order to expedite the process.
Book Chats: Book Chats with Dr. Brady are held 10:30am and 7:30pm and are hosted by a school district parent in their home. Hosts are requested to provide light refreshments. Attendance is usually between 6 to 15 individuals. Participating community members are asked to read the book or book’s OpEd piece. The purpose of the “chats” is so Dr. Brady can get an idea of the community’s concerns/opinions on the topic. Mariana will create a sign-up sheet on “Volunteer Spot” so people can sign-up to host specific morning or evening chats. Amy, Sue and Jennifer volunteered to host chats. There was a general discussion on the book’s topic.
Mary informed everyone that Dr. Brady agreed to attend the February PTSA General Membership meeting to discuss the strategic planning.
Harlem Wizards: Mary and Amy will be signing the contract in the near future. A chairperson is still needed for this event. Kathy will contact Sarah Rowland to get specifics about how the event is organized and run. Sue volunteered to help with parts of the event. Lisa Bai will help put a team together to play against the Wizards. General discussion about this event being popular with the community and a decent fundraiser for the PTSA. Youth Council may be interested in co-sponsoring this event but PTSA needs to retain the profits. Mary wants to make sure the budget has a comfortable surplus when next PTSA Executive Committee takes over.
Student health and parental education: Mary received a list of speakers from
Lisa Bai.
Fundraising: DeCicco’s notified school districts that they are comparing last year’s amounts to the same time this year. As an act of good faith, they will send each district a minimum amount to match last year’s donation. There was a discussion of a card that tells you about discounts, it was suggested that this might be a better option than the coupon books as a fundraiser.
NYS PTA: A conference is being held in Sarasota Springs to talk about where the NYS PTA stands on different proposals. The region is paying for Mary to go as a delegate for our unit. She will send information on what is being voted on to the membership and request feedback for voting purposes. Any questions/notes should be sent directly to Mary.
Treasurer’s Report: Tracy handed out copies of her report. She explained we have money but at the beginning of the year the numbers are artificially good numbers because expenses have not been paid yet for the pumpkin fair, apple picking field trip, etc. As the year goes on expenses will begin to come in and be paid and the numbers will become real.
Springhurst Report:
· Health & Safety: Kathy had questions and information from Suzanne Troy. Suzanne wants to know who she should contact for hand washing and dental hygiene activities. The Fire Department activity is done. The Police Department still needs to be arranged; their topics will include bus safety, stranger danger and how to stay safe while walking. Mary suggested the language be revised in the Stomp Out Bullying program. The program should not be a once and done but continuous. Suzanne and Kathy should reach out to Lisa Doty for help with these programs.
· Family Math Night: Rivertown Parents may want to do a joint event. The consensus was that Springhurst should still have its own Family Math Night because parents really find it helpful. The PTSA will sponsor the refreshments for Springhurst’s math night.
· Foil Rescue blankets: There was discussion about whether all schools/teachers should have these blankets or just Springhurst. No decision was made.
· CSA (Community Supported Agriculture): Julie Fischer wants the PTSA to request that Springhurst become a drop off delivery site for a CSA. There was general discussion but the overall feeling was that the PTSA should not become involved and Julie or a representative of the CSA should approach Lisa Doty with the request.
· Picture Day: Volunteers are needed at Springhurst. Kathy made up time slots rather than have people volunteer for the whole day.
· Building Bridges: Volunteers are being approached.
· Halloween: Dr. Brady said there will be no clown costumes or masks worn at Springhurst’s parade.
MS Report:
· Picture Day: The middle school’s Picture Day seemed to go fine.
· IB: An IB visit is scheduled for this week in the Middle School. Jennifer is on the committee. Patrick Mussolini and Jennifer Hickey will host a coffee chat in November to update parents on the MYP program.
· Homework: The amount of 8th grade homework has been a hot button for parents. Teachers acknowledged the problem at Back to School Night. The question is how is it beneficial to students or families. Jennifer will address it with Patrick at their next meeting.
HS Report:
· IB Program: John Falino wants to get more IB activities into the school; he feels we don’t do enough – we need to invite more speakers, need to take advantage of the city and encourage students to be more involved in things that apply to the IB program. There was a discussion about the need to have education and application.
Communications Report: Parents concerned about the Lyme condition and the deer population around Springhurst.
Additional Business:
· Topics for the General Membership meeting were discussed. Plan is to ask what the community feels is important for the PTSA to focus on and the direction fundraising should take.
· Mary is suggested adding an amendment to our bylaws changing our quorum number from 16 to 10. This will be voted on at the February meeting.
· Parent that moved from another IB school district said that there is a lack of opportunities for new high school and middle school parents to feel welcomed or become part of the community. Mary will contact Shannon who is the Board of Education’s PTSA liaison.
· PTSA is 17 members shy of hitting our yearly goal for membership. The $25 business memberships were explained again and people were encouraged to suggest a membership to local businesses.
Meeting was ended.