PTO Meeting Minutes

PTO Meeting - March 10th, 2008

General John Nixon Elementary School
PTO Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2008

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:00pm.  Approximately 10 people were in attendance.

 

Treasurer’s Report

• Stacey distributed this month’s report.  Not much change from last month.

 

Co-President’s Report

• Lunch/Recess Volunteers
• Schedule is on-line.  Still need lots of coverage, especially for 4th and 5th grade
• Food Pantry
• Next collection is this Friday, March 14
• We have learned that the wife of the Sudbury food pantry directory, Pat Mullen, recently passed away.  Nixon PTO will make a $25 donation to the Goodnow Library in her name.  Voted and approved.
• Laptop for Treasurer
• Received one response to the posting.  Stacey will follow up to see if it meets our needs.  If not, will purchase a laptop per our prior vote.
• Science Fair
• Next Wednesday March 19
• Need scientists and bake sale volunteers
• Fundraising/Auction Dinner
• Have sold 140 tickets so far.  220 is the capacity.  Invitations were mailed out.
• Online auction component this year for parents who cannot come to the event.  Bidding begins on March 14 and closes before the dinner.  A few of the items available online will go to live at the dinner.

 

Upcoming Meetings

• April 10:  Meeting to be held at 9:15am in Mrs. A-K’s room to demo the ActiveBoard.

 

Guest Speaker:  Dr. John Brackett – Superintendent of Sudbury Public Schools; Also School Committee Representatives Jeff Beeler and Rich Robison

• Dr. Brackett is here to explain the upcoming ballot questions/town meeting budget approriations, specifically as they relate to Sudbury Public Schools.
• There will be two questions on the March 31 ballot.  Question 1A is for a $1.8m override; Question 1B is for a $2.8m override.
• If you are for the $2.8m override you should vote YES on BOTH questions
• If you are for the $1.8m override but not the $2.8m, vote YES to 1A and NO to 1B
• If you are not for any override, vote NO on BOTH questions.
• Feeling that the ballot is confusing and residents need to be informed on how it works.  Note also that even if one of the overrides passes at the election, it would still need to pass at the April 7 town meeting which appropriates the budget.
• Without an override, the SPS budget reflects about $200k less for FY09 than for FY97 due to health care cost increases and free cash decreases which exceed the increase in the property tax revenue even with the 2.5% increase.
• SPS needs approximately 4 – 5% more each year just to provide the same services
• Without an override, Dr. Brackett reviewed the likely items to be cut.  This includes 7.5 elementary classroom teachers, all Genesis (1st grade) and Kindergarten assistants, 2 middle school classroom teachers, 3 middle school co-curricular teachers, 2 district curriculum specialists and several admin and maintenance personnel.  It would also eliminate activity stipends (math clubs, middle school athletics), eliminate Curtis late budgets and cut budgets to professional development, supplies, technology and transportation.  In particular, the technology cuts would not allow for any new equipment or any replacement of things that may break during the year.  At Nixon this would include loss of administrative support (e.g. assistant principal and/or lead teachers) and two classroom teachers.
• Under the reduced override scenario, 4.5 elementary classroom teachers would be cut (one at Nixon), 2 middle school classroom teachers, 1 district curriculum specialist and 1.5 co-curricular teachers.  It would reduce custodial, professional development, supplies and the late buses.