PTO Meeting Minutes

PTO Meeting - September 12th, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 9:25am.

Approximately 30 people were in attendance.

A lot of new families to Nixon this year – approximately 35 new with kindergarteners and 10 other families new to the school.
A few new meeting procedures this year

No report as still closing the books as of 8/31
Please turn in expenses ASAP for last fiscal year
In October meeting, we will be reviewing last year’s final numbers and voting on the budget for this fiscal year

Monster Mash: Friday October 26; website will be up soon; many volunteers needed
Hospitality: Have already had the back to school teacher luncheon, kindergarten orientation and new family orientation. Baked goods needed for back to school night – please let a committee member know if you can donate something
School Gifts: Kathy Zito has requested funds to send 6 teachers (2 each from grades 3, 4 and 5) to an Intermediate Writing Workshop to be held at the end of September. Cost is $169 per teacher for a total of $1,014. Budget for the year for school gifts is $2,500 and is mostly used for requests by Kathy Zito. This seminar is particularly timely because it focuses on the Lucy Caulkins writing program newly implemented at Nixon and because it is offered so early in the school year; therefore it will help the teachers plan and teach with the program throughout the school year. SERF had previously granted monies for the rest of the teachers from grades 3 – 5 to attend this seminar, so if approved the entire teaching staff for these grades will be able to attend. Voted and approved.
Yearbook/DVD: Remember to take photos and submit to the committee. Must be a high resolution setting on your camera. JPEG format preferred.
Library Committee: Still need volunteers in many classes (e.g. Booth, Manuel, Roth, all of 5th grade). Please contact Cheryl Davin or Susan Johnson if you can cover a shift.

Co-Presidents’ Report

Same format as last year – PTO tables will be in cafeteria; Principal, PTO and SERF will speak in the gym; then parents will meet with individual classroom teachers. Please let Laura know if your committee needs a table – currently table for directory, yearbook/DVD and Nixon gear. Contact Stacey for a cash box.
Fundraising Initiative announcement – PTO will announce that fundraisers will be limited to the auction and direct appeal. This is based on parent feedback that there were too many small fundraisers (gift wrap, note cards, Learning express). Will still look into option of on-line gift wrap sale through Innisbrook or perhaps Sally Foster
Community Service announcement – PTO will announce that community service will be more focused this year. Food pantry will be the primary initiative and hope to get the kids more involved (charting the results, understanding the impact in their local community). Still will be a monthly collection but can bring food in throughout the month. Will relate to nutrition and hunger; tie into Read to Feed, etc.

Activboards: Nixon PTO and SPS district have shared the cost of purchasing three Activboards/computers. Now all four 5th grade teachers have the boards (Mrs. A-K had piloted last year). Teachers can now work together on lesson plans, etc. This is a big initiative district wide. Cost to the PTO was approximately $7,500 (approved in June).
PA System: Looking at improving the PA system in the cafeteria. Based on preliminary assessment it is more of a training issue than an equipment issue.

Almost all committees are full except David Block has requested additional help on the website.
Teacher reps this year are Bobbi Benson and Sue Choquette

Would like to have one volunteer each day for one hour to help fulfill teacher copy requests. Perhaps when volunteers are at Nixon for lunch/recess or library duty they could stay longer/come earlier.
Need someone to coordinate this: Jennifer Carney has agreed to do this.

Will vote next week at back to school night. Applications were due this week – if still interested can still apply.

Eula Walsh is Nixon’s new Part-time Assistant Principal. Will be there approximately 2 ½ days per week (once Joni Jay returns to her regular schedule). She has been in SPS since 1971 as a teacher in various grades and most recently at Curtis as a 7th grade house administrator. She was also President of the teacher’s association.
Her focus at Nixon will be the evaluation and assessment of teachers. Bobbi Benson will continue as Lead Teacher focusing on discipline and buses. Joanne Bleiler will continue as Lead Teacher focusing on scheduling.
New ACCESS program at Nixon includes 5 students. 1 teacher; 1 clinician and 3 assistants. The students are assigned to a regular classroom teacher and aides are in the class. This is a district wide program not an out-of-district program.

Tracie Nathin led discussion to review the proposed bylaws originally presented to the PTO during the a meeting in June. They were revised last in the early 1990’s. She has brought them up to date, especially with the use of technology now that most information is posted to the website. Also, have added a Co-Treasurer position – will work like the Co-President position with overlapping terms. Adoption of new bylaws was Voted and Approved.

Harlem Wizards: District wide event for elementary schools. The Wizards will play a team of teachers (4- 6 from each school). Game to be held at the L-S gym on Sunday November 11. Plan is to have the team come into school and meet the kids before the game – will look into timing of visit to see if can accommodate a.m. and p.m. kindergarten students. The PTOs are looking into fundraising component of this event.

The next PTO meeting will be at 9:15am on Thursday, October 11.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:20am.