PTO Meeting Minutes
PTO Meeting - October 11th, 2007
General John Nixon Elementary School
PTO Meeting Minutes
October 11th, 2007
The meeting was called to order at 9:25am.
Approximately 30 people were in attendance.
Guest Speaker: Jan Binus, ELA Curriculum Specialist for SPS
- Jan discussed the district K-5 writing initiative (Lucy Caulkins being piloted at Nixon)
- All Nixon grade 3-5 teachers attended a conference thanks to PTO and SERF funds
- Uses a writer’s workshop approach rather than a writing prompt approach. Focus on adding detail and expanding stories. Personal narrative and nonfiction/expository writing covered.
- We are able to have this initiative due to ILAP time for teacher collaboration and training
- Feels that there have already been “fairly dramatic” results
Treasurer’s Report
- Review of FY07 budget and proposed FY08 budget
- Highlights of FY07 budget
- Additional income was from the auction
- Special project was to clean the stage curtains
- Additional expense incurred in FY07 to provide teacher gift at end of school year to prepare for following school year rather than wait until September. This timing change was also brought about because Nixon is no longer allocating funds to individual teachers so that larger grade-level and school-wide initiatives can be purchased such as guided reading.
- Highlights of FY08 proposed budget
- Streamlining fundraising to direct appeal and auction. Eliminating gift wrap, note cards, Learning Express. Tried to use a conservative estimate for this year’s fundraising efforts of $46,500.
- Expenses with significant changes from FY07:
- Aesthetics: will spend some time rearranging/reorganizing hallways and storage due to more stringent fire code regulations
- Author in residence: requesting a 3rd author
- Community service: will be purchasing bins for food pantry collection
- Craft connection: supplies need to be replenished, no longer charging parents for 3rd grade pumpkin globe project
- Educational enrichment: Hope to add a speaker for 5th grade about the human body
- Fifth grade events: PTO will now sponsor Wings of Wisdom Breakfast rather than having 4th grade parents donate items or money. Will continue to provide a yearbook as a gift to each 5th grader, but we agreed to revisit this before next year.
- General funds: Used for holiday gifts, bereavement gifts/donations, etc.
- Geography Expedition: Did not have this last year, this year’s budget includes money for printing and awards
- METCO: will do monthly playdates for METCO students with Sudbury students, PTO funds will be used to provide food. Volunteers will supervise the students.
- Principal’s fund: Joni uses to buy birthday prizes, teacher food, books ,etc. Increased amount this year to reflect monies raised from “Principal of the Day” at the auction
- School Gifts: Have already sent 3rd – 5th grade to writing conference
- School Store: Will no longer have a school store
- Science Fair: Last year’s expense was offset by a donation by one of the event co-chairs so FY08 budget includes all anticipated expenses
- Teacher’s fund: Will pay this amount each June going forward
- Special Projects: Last year we cleaned the curtains. This year’s proposal of $1,550 is to provide upgrades and training for the cafeteria PA system.
- Active Board: PTO contributed toward purchase of three activeboards so the entire 5th grade at Nixon now has a board in each class.
- 5th grade gift: Last year 5th grade donated money towards the purchase of math games. Marj Lustig suggested this year’s gift could be to replace or repair the courtyard risers.
- We currently have $66,000 of assets: $31,000 in a CD, $4,000 in a money market and $31,000 in the active checking account.
- Direct appeal
- We are revamping the letter this year, explaining the streamlined fundraising approach and the ways PTO funds are used to enrich the school. Are adding PayPal payment option and have raised the “suggested” contribution amounts.
- Approximately 40% of families donated last year, with 40% of those donating $100
- Will put a reminder on the website/link to the PayPal; Discussion on sending reminders to parents after the initial letter and posting a list of donors.
- School Supply Lists
- Discussed some of the inconsistencies across grade levels and classrooms
- Joni will talk to teachers about making lists available, perhaps on the website, early in summer, maybe with the class list mailing. General consensus of the group that we don’t mind buying consumable school supplies for our children and could make hardship scholarships available if needed. This may help in Joni’s effort to use monies to purchase more “bigger ticket items” for grade levels and school-wide initiatives. Example: first grade requested crayons from the school budget but didn’t request any parent provided supplies – feeling that teachers should request this from parents on the back-to-school lists.
- The FY08 proposed budget was brought to vote. Voted and approved.
Committee Reports
- School Gifts: Joanne Bleiler has requested a purchase of science and social studies books to be used for guided reading. These books are from National Geographic and coordinate with the science and social studies curriculum (e.g. magnets, rocks & minerals). Two sets of each book are requested for a total cost of $620. Voted and approved.
- Harlem Wizards: Game will be on November 11 at 5:00pm at L-S. School teachers will be playing basketball vs. the Wizards. Each school has been allocated 180 tickets ($8/student, $10/adult). Plan is the event will be cost neutral. Flyers to be distributed soon, first come first served. Need more teacher volunteers – John Brackett will be the coach. From Nixon, Mr. Manuel has volunteered to play.
- Community Service: Next food pantry collection will be on 10/19. Requesting two items per child, Joni will also send an e-mail blast reminder as there was low participation last month. Bins will be set-up so parents can send items in before the collection date. Grade-level items have been assigned based on the food pyramid, but these our suggestions and parents can send in what works for them.
- Literacy Night: Event to be held in February. Need another co-chair to join Mary Wessel and Carrie Lepordo. Will post a notice on the website.
Co-Presidents’ Report
- School Advisory Council
- Have an open position for one more parent to join Jamie Vandervelden and newly elected Maria Behrakis. Teacher reps are Joanne Bleiler, Megan Roth and Beth Shilalie (new)
- Council is mandated by state law, works on the School Improvement Plan. Meets once a month.
- Holly Bernene volunteered for the position. Voted and approved
- Printer Cartridge Recycling Program
- Need a volunteer to coordinate this program
- Potential to look into expanding to accept more kinds of cartridges
- Marj Lustig has volunteered to coordinate
- Art Competition
- Toby Kopman has requested a parent volunteer to coordinate this. Student can win a $5,000 grant to a Section 529 plan. A Nixon student has won in the past.
- Will post a notice on the website to ask for someone to advertise and promote this.
- Lunch/Recess Volunteers
- Meetings next week to go over rules/expectations
- All current and potential volunteers should attend one of the two sessions
Upcoming Events
- Monster Mash
- Friday, October 26
- Need many parent volunteers to work ½ hour shifts. Please sign up on the website
- Joni would like us to recognize that the teachers all appreciate all the parent time and financial support that PTO provides. However, Nixon has many new initiatives this year and many teachers are working on special committees. Please be considerate in the invitation to Monster Mash and other events this year by encouraging the teachers to attend the event, enjoy the PTO provided dinner but not explicitly expecting them to work at the events.
- Next PTO Meeting
- Mrs. Abdal-Khabir will join us to demonstrate the Active Board
- Please make suggests to Laura and Michelle for future guest speakers
The next PTO meeting will be at 7:15pm on Thursday, November 8
The meeting was adjourned at 11:15am