PTO Meeting Minutes

PTO Meeting - January 3rd, 2008

General John Nixon Elementary School
PTO Meeting Minutes
January 3rd, 2008

 

The meeting was called to order at 9:20am

Approximately 25 people were in attendance.

 

Treasurer’s Report

• $15,315 YTD fundraising
• Direct appeal money $14,500 – our goal was $15,000.  Money still coming in and we will continue to post the request on the website.  Approximately same number of families (131) but a higher average donation ($113 up from $80 last year).
• Book fair brought in $4,100 and pictures brought in $2,500
•  Note that there is some field trip money that the PTO has fronted but will be reimbursed by the Town of Sudbury. 

 

Co-Presidents’ Report

• Direct Appeal Update
• Thanks to those who have donated so far.  Nixon PTO is very glad to have such supportive parents, as not all direct appeal efforts across town have been so successful.
• We will continue to accept donations.
• Already have done many things with the funds including the various Educational Enrichment programs, hand sanitizer to be purchased, PA system update, sent teachers to writing seminar.  Also participating in the Longfellow anniversary program which will include grade level purchase of books.
• PA System
• Have updated the system with three new microphones, a new microphone stand, a system rebalancing and system training
• Mrs. Dooley, the music teacher, has requested a way to hook-up a laptop directly to the sound system.  She has also requested having the experts come in and rearrange the sound cabinet
• The cost of the additional work is approximately $400.  Voted and approved.
• Treasurer’s Laptop
• The PTO Treasurer uses a laptop computer for the PTO’s financial information and correspondence.  The laptop recently crashed and is not able to be fixed.
• All data was appropriately backed up, so we have not lost any information
• A request was made to spend approximately $600 to purchase a new laptop computer.  It would be used to run Quicken, Excel and Word.  The computer would be passed to each new Treasurer of the PTO.
• Discussion around whether we could get a corporation to make a donation for the computer or a discount in exchange for some publicity.  Other suggestions including asking parents if they have access to an extra computer from home or work which could be donated to the PTO.
• Laura Semple Walsh will post a Thursday notice to see if a laptop may be available from the Nixon community.  She will post for two weeks.
• If no suitable laptop materializes, the PTO has conditionally voted and approved the $600 expenditure of a laptop purchase.

Committee Reports         

• Literacy Night:  February 12 from 6 – 8 pm.  Theme will be “All Roads Lead to Literacy”.  The committee has been working with Kathy Zito to determine the appropriate areas to cover.  The committee would like activity coordinators to volunteer to be in charge of the activities and games for that topic.  Please contact Mary Wessel or another co-chair to help.  The next committee meeting is on January 8 at Mary’s house.
• Science Fair:  Will be held on March 19.  Planning meetings to be held at night and in the morning on an alternating basis.  Next meeting is January 17 at 7:30pm at Nixon. Also looking for ideas on getting the kindergarteners and first graders (especially new Nixon families) involved – perhaps via an after school project meeting.
• Publicity:  Please let Tammy Koenig know if you have an event that would be appropriate to be covered by the Crier.  They have a 3 week advance notice deadline.  Ideas include educational enrichment events as all as Literacy Night and Science Fair.  We can also submit pictures afterwards; however, better coverage of the event is available if the Crier can send a reporter/photographer.
• School Gifts:  We have a $2,500 budget this year and have spent about $1,600 sending the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers to a Lucy Calkins writing training workshop.  Kathy Zito has requested purchase of 28 sets of magnetic letters for the kindergarten and first grade classrooms (4 sets per class).  Cost is $429.  Voted and approved.
• Community Service:  Next food pantry collection will be on 1/11.  Good results in December, but would like to have an average of two items per student.  Nice thank you letter from the Food Pantry coordinator posted to the website today.
• Auction Committee:  Looking for volunteers to help plan the event (March 28 at Nashawtuc)

Upcoming Meetings 

• January 23:   School Committee to meet at Nixon at 7:30pm to review the School Improvement Plan and learn about Nixon specific issues.  All are welcome to attend.
• February 7:    Next PTO meeting at 9:15am.

MCAS Results Review 

Joni prepared a comprehensive summary and analysis of Nixon’s 2007 MCAS results.  See presentation for specifics.

• Parents expressed concern about children being worried about the tests.  Perhaps less use of the word MCAS e.g. instead of telling the children that the are doing MCAS preparation call it something else.  Also some think the more the teachers told the kids “don’t worry” the more the kids thought they had something to worry about.
• Joni expressed that teachers try to strike a balance between telling the kids that the test shows the school and the teachers what they need to do better but still letting the kids know that it is important for them to do their best.

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 11:00 a.m.