Forest Avenue Home & School Association
Meeting Minutes
October 7, 2015
FAS Multipurpose Room
Officers in Attendance: Tara Arnett, Pamela Linden, Rebecca Keszkowski, Elizabeth Nuttycombe, Cheryl Bendel
Apologies: Jennifer Loeb
Principal: Matthew Murphy
Board of Ed: Tracey St. Auburn
Teachers: Mrs. Blazier
Call to Order - Tara Arnett, President, 7:04 pm
Principal’s Report - Matthew Murphy:
• Week of Respect: The week of respect includes many activities including an assembly with a character skit by teachers, daily announcements, and school counseling lessons in the classrooms.
• Staffing: Two open positions. Ms. Conte, a 1st grade instructional aide, accepted a new position in another school district and was released from her contract. This open position is currently being filled by substitutes, but a replacement has been hired, pending contract release. The other open position is an aide for Kindergarten; the aide will be placed strategically to float into the various classes for major academic instructional time.
• Air conditioners: Received all of the air conditioner units; all are working. The units will have dedicated lines running to them for safety reasons.
• Teachers: The teachers are currently collecting baseline information regarding students; teachers are developing student growth objectives goals. To allow the teachers more individual time with the students, the school has utilized additional substitutes during this time.
• Class Trips: Grade 1 is scheduled to go to Turtle Back Zoo; Grade 2 will go to a farm. Student medical needs require a school nurse to be both in the school and on the field trip.
• Detective Medico: The Detective visited the school to speak with the students about walking and biking safety, stranger danger, and trustworthy adults. The police will visit the school to go over Halloween safety in October.
• Red Ribbon Week: Red ribbon week is a drug free theme, but last year there was some concern about the appropriateness about the topic of drugs, so the theme will focus on making good choices; character committee will participate in the assembly; the municipal alliance contributes funds.
• Parent Conferences: Currently being scheduled by the teachers.
Board of Education Report - Tracey St. Auburn:
• 1st BOE meeting: The first BOE meeting was held Sept. 21; BOE discussed interim principal at high school; Tim Liddy was approved as the interim principal; there are 2 candidates remaining for the final position and hopefully a final decision will be made within a few weeks.
• Sustainability: There was a presentation by some high school students regarding sustainable schools and making good environmental choices in schools.
• Space Issues: The BOE is aware of space crunch and is looking at a number of short and long term options; hoping that the aide in Kindergarten will help in the short-term.
• Goals for Year: BOE is considering a number of goals including a long term look at the facilities (the facilities presentation is up on the website), timing of teaching of world language (not taught until Ridgewood, looking into ways to introduce earlier), language arts portfolio all the way through school, technology (maximizing effective use of technology district wide), alternative programs.
• Next Meeting: The next meeting is scheduled for October 19 at 8pm.
• Math Night: The district math night will be held October 21 (6, 7, 8th grader math discussion)
Teachers’ Report - Mrs. Blazier:
• Kindergarten: New “Wonders” program is currently focusing on new friends, letters / sounds. Homework commenced this week. Fire safety month - fire truck visit this week.
• 1st Grade: Zoo class trip and later there will be another trip to MSU to watch Charlotte’s Web. Conducting a unit on animals currently.
• 2nd Grade: Wonders program is in full swing: there was a stretched schedule to ensure that everyone understood the topics (1 week of information covered in a 2 week period). 2nd graders are using the laptops, writing fall poetry, and participating in the farm field trip.
• Music: The patriotic unit is underway with a new song and a science experiment regarding pennies and how copper turns blue.
• Thank You: Teachers appreciated the donation cards from FAHSA for school supplies.
FAHSA President’s Report - Tara Arnett:
• Fundraisers: 3 fundraisers already complete, with each earning more money than last year.
◦ Book Fair: (Helen Benson) Merchandizing and holding near Back To School Night helped with the fundraiser’s success. Raised $11,600 and change (22% more than year before). FAHSA makes 25% of the total (or 50% in scholastic dollars). Discussion took place regarding cash vs scholastic dollars; consensus was that real dollars was the better choice, no one opposed.
◦ Mums: Will be delivered on Friday, gross sales approximately $1500.
◦ Photos: (Tonigail Gruber) The fundraiser was successful, with $10K + gross; the benefit to FAHSA is different if paid by check (20%) or credit (15%). Discussed communicating the difference in future years so parents could potentially choose to pay by check. The event should benefit FAHSA approximately $2,000.
• Fall Family Photos: Benefits district scholarship fund, not directly Forest Avenue School. Information communicated.
• Innisbrook: Due: Fundraiser is going well; large percentage of money raised benefits FAHSA.
• Daytime Meeting: Daytime meetings are traditionally held in November and March to allow for parents who may not be able to make an evening meeting to attend a daytime meeting. Will announce time soon.
Treasurer’s Report - Cheryl Bendel
• There is an unencumbered balance of approximately $3,500, without the Book Fair monies.
• Pam Linden estimates that there will be $6000K from Discovery.
• Deposit for Multi-Purpose Room designer and for school sign.
Committee Reports
• Discovery Update: (Pam Linden, Rebecca Keskowski) 184 children are participating in 16 classes. Additionally 48 second graders are participating in keyboarding (another class in spring for those unable to participate in fall offering).
• Parents Night: (Michelle Militello) Event will take place next Friday, October 16.
• Festival of Jack O’lanterns - (Nicki Peach) This is the 10th annual event, to be held November 29, with a rain date of November 30. Request that families carve pumpkin at home and drop off by 4 pm. Event to take place at 6 pm, with 2nd grade promotion bake sale.
• Author visit (Edie Brennan) - On November 13, the author of Little Eliot Big City will conduct an visiting author session (‘bonus session’ - there will still be a spring visiting author).
• Thanksgiving Food Drive (Marylou Cabrera) - During November 16 - 18, the school will host the Thanksgiving Food Drive, where the ‘store’ will be set up so that each class can help pack meals for those in need. Mrs. Riley speaks to each class about good nutrition. Families are asked to donate food. More information regarding donation and volunteering to follow. Trader Joes donated 100 reusable bags.
• Enrichment (VOTE): (Amy Meyers) The enrichment committee discussed the lineup of events to be conducted this school year. The list considered teacher and parent feedback; it aims to balance enrichment (adds to curriculum) and enhancement (new concepts not in curriculum). Request for $4K for the enrichment activities (additional costs include extra second grade class). Motion for $4K for enrichment made by Duval Graham; second by Cara Conomos. All in favor, no objections.
• Learning Garden Update: (Amy Meyers) On Oct 28 at 3pm, there will be Halloween crafts in the Learning Garden, which will be used to decorate for the pumpkin walk / Festival of Jack O’ Lanterns. On Nov. 15 at 10 am (rain date Nov. 22) the annual fall cleanup will take place. Since there are more classes, the school needs more raised beds; shrubs also need to be removed. The committee requests volunteers to assist with the cleanup. Food will be provided.
• Box Tops & Scrip: (Cathy Walters) Box Tops will be collected on October 16; competition between the classes will take place wherein the class that wins can decide the prize: extra recess or movie. The Shoparoo app is ready; Stop and Shop registration can result in a portion of the sales being donated to the school; more info to follow.
• Scrip (Megan) - Great way to earn free money for the school; school receives between 3%-10%, generally 5%. Benefits entire school district (not just Forest Ave). Good for holidays, teacher appreciation week, birthday gifts, grocery shopping, etc.
Approval of September 2015 Minutes. Amy Meyers motioned to approve; Marylou Cabrera seconded the motion. No objections.
Meeting Adjourned.