Minutes

Allendale ElementaryPTO Minutes

Ocotober 13, 2015

The meeting was called to order by Alicia Coutureat 6:30.

In attendance

Alexis Arico, Jessica Bazinet, Brooke Bencivenga,Karen Burgess, Heather Caesar, Alicia Couture, Colleen Devine, Judy Dobson,Cristina Duhamel, Shelly Frieri, Melissa Hurley, Lin Jamros, Brenda Kelley, Nancy Knauth, Ashley Malumphy, Peter Marchetti, Lori Moran, Caryn Potash, Amy Raynor, AnneRiello, Steve Rogers, Holly Soules, Andrea Tatro, Kerri Timoney, Karen Williams

President’s Report

  • Alicia welcomed everyone.
  • Objectives of PTO are listed on the agenda.
  • Bylaws –
  • Amend Article 4 ($5 membership donation) by removing “may become a member upon payment of dues.” All teachers and parents are members and should be able to vote. June’s meeting is held at Zucco’sto close out the end of year and we buy pizza and salad with the $5 dues. If we remove this clause, anyone who attends the June meeting can pay $5 for the meal. Motion to approve by Brooke seconded by Kerri.
  • Amend Article 5 on meetings to state “held regularly” instead of monthly. Colleen motion to approve, Karen 2nd.
  • Will start listing roles on agenda because nominations come up quickly.

Vice President’s Report

  • We really need a Vice President as this position is currently vacant.Description of duties are listed on the agenda.

Treasurer’s Report

  • Due to lack of participation from fundraiser, nervous about next year. We have money this year, but afraid for next year. Would like to re-examine budget for this year. Reviewed each line item.
  • Could we do a dining to donate to make money for the 5th grade shirts? We can make money on activities if we charge a small fee. We made money on holiday bazaar. We have a $400 budget for the book fair. Money made from the book fair gets us the Scholastic News; we have $740 left in funds from last year. There are plans for three reading challengesthis year and the committee will keep the prizes minimal. Battle of the Books will happen. Executive Board money is usually for teacher stuff. Field trips have a $4,000 budget.

Requests

  • 4th grade for Mahawie and Colonial; both in March. Maybe dining to donate to help supplement Colonial trip or charge for that trip. Alicia motion to approv; Shelly 2nd.
  • 2nd grade to Charlotte’s Web for $206. Alicia motion to approve, Caryn 2nd.
  • 3rd grade to decide what trip - Christmas Carol or Charlotte’s web. Alicia motion to approve, Raynor 2nd.
  • 1st grade and 2nd grade would like Ty Allen Jackson to come in for a reduced cost of $200 for both grades. He would read his stories and talk about the writing process and publishing. He was going to donate some of his book for our library. Ten of our students are in his book. Both grades have $100 in their budget or could take out of summer reading challenge. Alicia motioned to approve to take out of Reading Challenge budget; Mrs.Knauth 2nd.
  • Mrs. Hyman looking to buy one large loom for grades K-5 for her classroom for $300. Would come out of educational misc. expense. Table request until more info on how it’s going to be used. P.S. after contacting Mrs. Hyman, the Executive Board feels this would be a good purchase.
  • 5th grade is working on a field trip plan.
  • Mrs. Barnes requested $109 for books purchased this summer.
  • Would like to do more coupons for next year instead of spending money on gifts for PBS. Hopefully we would only need a $200 budget instead of $1000 budget.

Secretary’s Report

  • If you have anything you’d like listed on the PTO calendar, please let us know by the 25th of each month.
  • Kerri will take your June $5 for Zucco’s pizza.

Committee Reports

  • Programs – Chair is Heather Caesar
  • Welcome back outdoor movie night was successful. Will do Polar Express movie in December.
  • First float meeting was last Weds. Will meet again tomorrow night and will stick to Weds. nights at 5:30. We have a 48’ trailer and thetheme will be Lion King. Looking for volunteers to help out. Have a storage unit in Ashuelot Park. For our float to win a prize it has to be a Halloween theme. Scene in Lion King is in the Boneyard; could name our float Allendale Pride’s Boneyard. The students are learning two songs in music. We will be offering trick-or-treat at 5:00 p.m. here and then pizza (Pittsfield Co-op would supply). Have to leave the school at 6:00 p.m. PTO would buy treats for trick-or-treat. Would limit trick-or-treat to people participating in parade. Had about 80 people last year participate.
  • Fundraising – Co-Chairs are Brooke Bencivenga and Karen Williams
  • Our fall fundraiser,ABC Discount cards,didn’t do well. We made about $500 and only had 25% participation. Still have cards available to sell. The question now is what to do next? We normally bring in around $10k from a fundraiser. Brooke and Karen passed around a drafted letter explaining how important it is to raise funds that they would like to send home with students. Mrs. Soule’s class won the pizza party for having the highest percentage participate.
  • Planning on doing a couple of Dining to Donate events. The first one will be on Nov. 10th at 99 Restaurant. Brooke was told that the most they’ve ever seen from doing a dining to donate is $500. Brochures regarding this have to be handed out before the event. We are not allowed to solicit outside 99.
  • Talked about other options such as:
  • Paint and sip - could do at a studio and would hold 60 people. DECCEMBER 11th for $35.00.
  • Yearly raffles
  • Charging for activities and/or charging for field trips.
  • Selling merchandise – Mrs. Bazinet is working with two vendors for Allendale wear; shirts, sweatshirts, hats, et..
  • Walk-a-thon or run for Spring/May.
  • Send any fundraiser ideas you may have to the PTO e-mail.
  • BoxTops(Shelly) made $525 for the fall submission. Shelly will submit these throughout the year, but we only get a check in the fall and spring. Labels of Education – not sure what to do with. Kerri will check with Lisa to see what has been done in the past.
  • After School Programs (Colleen and Alicia)
  • Homework Helpwill start Nov. 2ndand will run until Christmas break for grades 2-5 National Honor Society from PHS and THS will do this.
  • Berkshire Theatre – only had 6 interested but needed 13 to run this program
  • Lego Program – will be for threeweeks starting Oct. 28th – Thanksgiving recess (Veterans’ Day falls on a Weds. this year so that’s why it’s only three weeks instead of four)
  • Berkshire Museum will be coming back to do an afterschool program in two sets. 1st and 2nd grade will start in Jan.
  • Art Program – Mrs. Hyman will offer a program on Tues. for almost the full school year(Nov. 11th thru April vacation). She will have ashowcase when program ends. This will be offered to 4th-5th grades.
  • Brenda mentioned a nutritionist will offer a program in Jan. for grades 3 and up to make nutritious snacks. A staff person will need to be around for this though.
  • Book Fair – Will be held in Nov. during Parent/Teacher conferences. Cristina is chairing this. Will be a monster theme this year. Need volunteers for Friday during the day. Believe we have enough volunteers for set up and Thurs. Will be sending home a volunteer sheet soon.
  • 5th Grade – Co-Chairs Colleen and Cristina
  • Permissions slips – only missing 6! Will pick out cover for yearbook next. Beginning of year will be soliciting for pictures.

Teachers’ Report

  • Room parent – what is the purpose? Basically the room parent reiterates everything that comes home about what is going on but with a personal touch since it’s a classmate’s parent/guardian.

Principal’s Report

  • School year started off great.
  • School Council is this Thurs. at 6 p.m.
  • Tomorrow night is Allendale’s presentation to the School Committee.
  • There was a chef in school that made orange chicken today. The purpose of this is to encourage children to try different things.
  • Looking into getting into the elementary chapter of the National Honor Society.
  • Thank you all for coming.

Open Forum

  • Peter Marchettihas started the conversation about our track needing repair.
  • Pittsfield Co-op opened 15 accounts from grades 3-5. Working with 3rd grade teachers now and will be back on the 28th for a classroom presentation. Will be collecting money on Tuesdays starting next week. Will also be here 6-7 on Parent/Teachernight and 1-3:30 on Fri. for Parent/Teacher afternoon.
  • Peter introduced Steve Rogers, branch manager, at the bank. One of them will attend every PTO meeting.

Thank you all for coming!

Next Meeting

Tuesday,December 8at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. No meeting in November.

Submitted by Kerri Timoney –Oct. 14, 2015

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