Seth Paine PTO Meeting Minutes - Draft
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
7:00 pm in the LMC
1. Meeting called to order at 7:02 pm – Beth Slaughter
Welcomed everyone.
2. Roll Call taken from sign in sheet - Debbie Theys-Dice
Present: Baltes, Bertrand, Bibb, Kopp, Malin, Middlebrook, Miller, Mirock, Roben, Shapiro, Short,
Slaughter, Theys-Dice, Washburn
3. Approval of Past Minutes – Debbie Theys-Dice
Motion to Approve October 5, 2011 minutes was made by: Cindy Malin
Seconded by: Debbie Miller
4. President's Report – Beth Slaughter
Thank you to Cathy Kehrmann and Carmel Pfeiffer and the many volunteers who helped with Freaky
Friday/Spooky Saturday.
Thank you to Jennifer Haidu for coordinating Red Ribbon Week. She was able to get McDonald’s to
donate the apples that were handed out. Jennifer created a binder to pass along to whomever will chair this
next year. Additionally, looking to coordinate consistency among all the elementary schools during RRW
week 2012.
Information from the PTO President's Meeting:
-The voting for drug testing at the high school is going to take place at the 11/17 Board of Education
Meeting, but based on the last meeting it looks as if the testing is not going to pass.
-The Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) committee is looking for people to help discuss the air quality in the
schools. Please let Beth know if you are interested in serving in this capacity.
-Lisa Warren (MSS) is working on having a uniform school supply list and supplier for all the schools.
-Discussed fundraiser activities at the various schools to see what everyone is doing and what works and
what doesn't. Also, discussed a no stress fundraiser and the best way to incorporate that into what we
currently do. Some suggestions were to always give people the option to just send a check in rather than
placing an order. If we elected a total (no other fundraising) no stress fundraiser we would need to estimate
a cost per student to ask each family to donate to cover the costs of the events the PTO offers. Sherri
Roben mentioned a school necklace fundraiser, she knows someone who has this business and there is no
up front cost, and can make up to $5 per necklace. If Square 1 Art is done next year the thought is to
consider offering it as an after school enrichment. There were mixed feelings about the self portrait, some
liked it and others would rather have had their student choose topic to draw. All liked the lesson in Art
Class surrounding the activity.
-Beth shared that the other schools provide many opportunities to opt out of the email inclusion in their
version of the Buzz Book. Those schools that have done advertising are moving away from that option,
so we don't plan on moving in the direction. Mr. Shapiro mentioned that other schools charge a minimal
fee for their book, but it was discussed we didn't want to move in that direction.
- Beth started a discussion around the room parent money that is collected at the beginning of the year.
She mentioned that maybe it should be collected thru the PTO. Room parents would receive
reimbursement from PTO for expenses. This would give each classroom a set amount, proposed at $125
per class. The sentiment among those present was that they didn't feel it was necessary for the PTO to
handle the money. Any money brought in for their class should stay in their class and not be used to help
equalize between the classes. The idea was mentioned because Beth has heard that there are some people
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that would like to room parent but do not want to volunteer because of the extra monetary cost that they
feel they would have to contribute to the party.
-Beth suggested changing the constitution in Section V Committee Coordinators and Chairpersons from
Covering various areas of need for each year as decided by elected officers. To
Covering various areas of need for a year term but not to exceed three consecutive years in the same
position as decided by elected officers. Discussion followed about this change and how this would help
bring new people in to be involved and help bring fresh ideas to different areas.
Motion was made to complete this change by: Carol Bibb
Seconded by Debbie Miller
As a Thank You for all of your hard work volunteering the PTO will be sponsoring a Holiday Party
Wednesday December 7th at Oregano's.
5. Principal's Report – Cameron Shapiro
Report Cards and Conferences—Report cards went home today. If you did not receive this from your child, please
check their backpacks. Conferences will be taking place this week Thursday 11/10 from 2-7 and next Thursday
11/17 from 4-8. If you were unable to schedule/attend a conference, please feel free to contact your child’s teacher to
try and coordinate a time to meet.
Charity Bash—We are planning on doing the Elementary school volleyball tournament again this year. It will take place
at MSS on Monday, December 5th starting at 6:00PM. We will need a volunteer or two to help with concessions. The
charity is the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. More details will come soon
(As a note since this meeting was held, the date was changed to Nov. 28th)
New Bulletin Board—Caught Reading? Take a look. Each month a different grade will be showcased.
November days off from School
11/10—Early Release 12:50
11/11—No School-Veteran’s Day
11/23-11/25—No School-Thanksgiving break
6. Treasurer's Report – Rita Washburn
Rita went thru the income/expenses as of 10/31/11 that have changed. Highlights are: Fun Fair shows an
expense that was paid from last years event that was somehow missed last year, Freaky Fri/Spooky Sat
came in close to budget, 50th Birthday Bash and Revolutionary War Day came in under budget. Next year
will discuss lowering the budget for Revolutionary War as the last 2 years it has been under budget due to
food being donated by PeaPod. Reading Challenge expense of ordering the T-shirts is showing in the
budget.
Rita mentioned that any event that uses a cash box needs to get the money from the PTO and not supply
their own.
7. Teachers' Report – Mary Beth Mirock
Thank you for the Scholastic Dollars for all the teachers to buy books and supplies for the classes, they and
the children as so happy. She shared and passed around some Thank You cards that were made by the kids.
Beth explained that the book fair has the option of giving us our profits in money or Scholastic Dollars or
any combination. When you take your profits in Scholastic Dollars they give you more. So from last years
book fairs the profits were taken in money and Scholastic Dollars and each teacher got a specified amount
of Scholastic Dollars to spend this year.
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8. Freaky Friday/Spooky Saturday – noone present, was discussed a little during the Treasurer's report.
9. Cultural Arts – Colleen Bertrand
Face to Face Productions is scheduled to come perform on Wednesday December 21st. They will perform
the show Writing Royally. There will be a 9am performance for K-2nd and a 10am performance for 3rd –
5th. The PM Kindergarteners are welcome to come in and parents are also welcome to watch as well. As a
thank you the teachers get this hour to away from their classes so we will need parent volunteers to help
supervise the children.
Ocean Adventures will be coming April 5th to present the Great Barrier Reef at 12:45pm for K-2nd and
1:45pm for 3rd – 5th. The AM Kindergarteners and any parents are welcome to attend this event.
Looking to schedule Dome Theater for January or February.
10. Family Events – Colleen Bertrand
Sonic Restaurant Night netted $111.63.
We will be having a restaurant night at McDonalds on 12/8 from 4-8pm, a flier is needed and will be sent
home to the Youngest and Only. Two more restaurant nights are scheduled 3/8 and 5/10, but depending
how this one goes we may or may not do the next ones.
Looking into setting up a Wolves game on a Sunday afternoon.
11. Innisbrook Fundraiser - no report submitted
12. Square One Art – no report submitted, but discussed this in the President's report
13. Book Fair – Beth Slaughter
Date of the Book fair is 11/15-18th. The theme is space and beyond. Will be having a Bagels and Books
Event Friday morning, 8:35 - 10am to purchase any last minute items or Christmas gifts. Starbucks is
donating the coffee and PTO will be purchasing the bagels.
14. Taft Fundraising – Debbie Theys-Dice via an email from Pam Smith
The Taft-y apples were a huge success. We made $718.32 which is more than either of the last two years.
The kids should be so proud of themselves. Popsicles/smencils continue to go well. In Oct we earned
$195.14. We still have a ways to go to meet our goal, but are making good progress. Next Thursday 11/17
there will be a bake sale from 1:30-6:30 during the conferences and book sale. Please stop by and pick up a
special dessert for your family.
Regarding movie night, the Taft fundraising team determined that there is too much going on in December
and will be doing it late January early February. We are hoping for a Hackney's night before the end of the
year.
15. Reading Challenge – Cindy Malin
Seth Paine continues to lead in the contest at the Ela library and all is going well. Working on getting the
Moodle up and running.
16. Your Trash/Our Treasure – Rita Washburn
The next collection date is November 18th. Continue to keep sending in all of the box tops, labels and so
on.
17. Red Ribbon Week – no report submitted, However, was discussed a little in President's report
Need a Chair for this event next year.
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18. Holiday Gift Shop – Cindy Malin
This event will not take place this year. A brainstorming meeting will be held to discuss bringing this event
back for next school year.
19. Old Business: The Contract from Entertainment Book was received so we need to decide if we are going to
do that fundraiser or not. Carie Bachman has stated that she will help run it with someone else.
20. New Business:
21. Adjournment
Motion to Adjourn: Susan Short
Seconded: Kara Baltes
Motion Carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20pm.
Next Gathering is Wednesday December 7th at 7pm at Oregano's for the Holiday Party.
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