PTO Meeting – April 23, 2015
Attendance: Michelle Capobianco, Lorraine O’Sullivan, Cindy Ayres, Denise Giugliano, Sofia Zachariadis,
Lori Nimmo, Olivia Buatsi, Dr. Melnick, Rachael Wedlock, Faiza Pastula, Lauren Ditrapani, Rachel Gold,
Beatrice Galati, Lisa Colletti, Claudine Gallo, Tina Speranza, Lisa Viscovich, Lisa Lonigro, Meghan Shedlick
I.
II.
III.
Pledge of Allegiance
Vote to Accept Minutes -Approved
Presentation of 2015-16 PTO Board Slate – Lauren Ditrapani presented the Slate
Co- Presidents – Cindy Ayres & Jane Launer
Co-VP – Elizabeth Yiachos
Treasurer – Sofia Zachariadis
Recording Secretary – Claudine Gallo
Corresponding Secretary – Lisa Colletti
IV.
Budget Presentation – Dr. Melnick. Vote is May 19. Increase of 1.8% maintains everything
we already have and adds extra sections for fourth and fifth grade next year. We have a non
contested board election, but we still need everyone to vote. Toni Labbate and Herman
Berliner will be running. There will be additional sets of iPads for teachers to use as class
sets. We are below the legal tax levy limit set by the state, and board is pleased with that.
TRS contribution decreased this year. LIPA – there will be no impact on taxes for years
2015-16. We are not sure about 2016-17. Real property law 1803 is designed to protect
residents of NYC and Nassau stating that there can’t be more than a 5% shift in tax burden.
1803a says no more than 1%. It gives residents a chance to adjust over time. LIPA is
claiming that 1803 does not apply b/c they demolished the plant . Legislators don’t agree,
and are fighting for residents. On May 19th we will also vote for proposition #2 – permission
to use money from Capital reserve fund to repave MS parking lot. No increase in taxes for
this project. The money is already in this fund for necessary repairs and improvements.
Opt out – County wide there was about 40% opt out rate. Opt out seems to be a white
middle class movement. State has said that the only thing a teacher can be evaluated on is
state test, and observations, one of which is by someone outside the building who does not
know the teacher. State Ed will determine percentage of observations and test. For non 4-8
grade teachers, state will provide criteria for evaluating. Growth scores will effect teacher
evaluation. Local state senators and assemblymen Mike Montessano, Ed Mangano, Carl
Marcellino, have agreed - we have the right to call , send letters to make change. Tests are
one snapshot within a three dimensional view of students’ growth. State has taken away
local control. All schools will be on a watch list (possibly failing) because we did not have
95% of our kids take it. Tests were never designed to test teacher ability. With new state
mandates and guidelines, teachers are not going to be able to be creative.
V.
VI.
After School Program – Spring/Summer Session has filled up nicely. Acceptance/
confirmation letters have gone home. Check your sheet for start date, and please notify
child’s teacher with a change in plan for dismissal.
Nutrition Committee –There was a tasting day on April 21st, whole wheat pasta with pesto
sauce. 260 students loved it, 47 didn’t. Fifth grade Nutrition ambassadors took surveys to
students for what they want to see on the menu – bbq chicken, deli bar or grab and go
salad. BBQ chicken won the vote.
VII.
Teacher’s Lounge – purchased new chairs, couches, new microwaves, new toaster ovens
for the faculty room.
VIII.
Past Events
a. Strummin’ and Drummin’ – performed for K-2. Students enjoyed a wonderful musical
show.
b. Yoga Rocks – students have enjoyed doing Yoga.
c. Reading Celebration
d. Patricia Polacco
IX.
X.
Upcoming Events
a. Harlem Wizards – Today is the last day to purchase tickets at $15 at dismissal or up until
6pm online. Tomorrow tickets will be $20 at the door.
b. Kindergarten Registration committee sign up – At Orientation visits we will have sheets
available for incoming parents to volunteer on committees for next year.
c. Earth Day – We decided to distribute Go Green water bottles to all students.
d. Spring Concert – May 6th – After the concert, there will be a reception in the cafeteria in
honor of Ms. Kislin’s retirement.
e. Tennis Appreciation Day – Thursday May 7th at 4:30 for elementary school staff at
Equinox. Reception and free class.
f. The Brain Game – May 8th – Students will participate in a game show type game in a
team building activity.
g. Staff Appreciation Luncheon – May 21st
h. Tenure Dinner – May 28th at Cedar Creek. Gotta and Canscela are getting tenure.
Treasurer’s Report –
We paid $330 for teacher’s jerseys for the Harlem Wizards ($15 PER JERSEY)
We paid babysitting for parent teacher conference day totaling $315 for three babysitters
We bought two new refrigerators one for the faculty room and the pto refrigerator in the
cafeteria which cost $1,098.20
Floral bouquets for the variety show cost $127.50
We paid Patricia Polacco $1,728.80 for book orders and $609.83 for travel expenses
We ordered sofas for the faculty room which have not been delivered yet total was $2.005
We purchased new chairs, 2 new microwaves and 2 new toaster ovens for the faculty room
totaling $1,627.28
We paid the accountant $800 for the tax return
We received our homecoming reimbursement of $1,500
We ordered 425 green BPA free water bottles to provide every student with on May 1st for
earth day totaling $505.75
We purchased a new camcorder/tripod/battery and memory card to video school and PTO
events totaling $254.13
XI.
Principal’s Report
Report Card Survey – Please check your email and complete the survey on the new report
card.
Thank you to Lorraine for representing concerns to the Board for extra class sections.
Human Foosball Court will get started this weekend.
We distribute mints/jolly ranchers during tests to help stimulate the kids and get through
the 90 minutes. All children whether they take the test or not will get a candy. Opt out kids
go to another room to read – some of the 5th graders were allowed to go on their iPad on
RaZKids to read or do assignments on ESpark.
XII.
Teacher’s Report –
In Kindergarten we:
- Finished our all-about writing unit and have started our persuasive writing study. The
children are writing letters to convince parents and family members of things such as why
they should have a pet.
- Finished our math unit on numbers to 100 and are now in chapter 9 - Comparing Sets. The
children are comparing numbers to determine which is greater and by how much.
- Started our bread study! The children are very excited to take part in this interdisciplinary
unit that involves reading, writing, speaking, math, science and social studies. We have
discussed different types of bread and begun to take a closer look at one of the main
ingredients in bread, wheat!
- Are learning to "stay strong" when we come to the hard parts in books. As the children
read new and more challenging texts they are learning strategies to use when they
encounter new and difficult words.
First Grade - In Science, the children are looking forward to learning all about organisms.
From planting seeds to hatching ducklings, children will learn the differences between living
and nonliving things.
- Taking our homes and shelters unit to the next level, first-graders have learned that there
are too many animals that are homeless in our community and throughout the world. Last
month, the children visited the North Shore animal league to visit the animals and to learn
about what happens to homeless pets in our community and what we can do to help.
Together we are working to find homes for these pets by raising awareness and finding ways
to donate supplies to the shelter. First graders will work together to create posters to
promote awareness in our school and speak at the Harlem Wizards event at the end of April,
to create awareness and help homeless animals find their Fur-ever home. A table for
donations will be set up at the Wizards games where community members can bring
donations to support this mission.
Second Grade - Finishing up Poetry unit
- Continuing to work on building comprehension as readers
- Scientists exploring changes in states of matter
- Learning how to read an analog clock and track elapsed time
Third Grade- has begun their interdisciplinary unit about Countries Around the World.
- has finished their Mystery Unit of Study and is beginning their Biography and Poetry Units.
- will be beginning their Units of Geometry
- are continuing their study of Rocks and Minerals.
Fourth Grade - In math we just finished up some great review centers and are preparing for the state
assessments next week.
- In writing we have been working on essay writing and nonfiction revolutionary war writing
- In writing we are very excited to be starting some April poetry writing
- In reading we will be introducing the children to book clubs and the children will be
jumping into text that they can really learn to develop conversations about.
- In social studies the children are currently publishing revolutionary war information books
- we are excited to be starting our immigration unit.
Fifth Grade - We studied the effects of pollution on our ecocolumns. We are using those understandings
to begin a study of the Chesapeake Bay. We are reviewing the years' math in preparation for
the state test next week. We are wrapping up our fantasy study.
- The 5th grade Mock Trial Team competed at Dowling College on Friday, March 27th. Both
the prosecution and defense teams won verdicts! In addition, both teams won on
performance against middle school competitors! Congratulations to this hard-working,
talented group of boys and girls!
> Strummin' and Drummin' visited GH on March 26th to perform for our younger students.
Students in grades K-2 enjoyed an exciting, fun-filled musical program.
> Members of the Community Service Club are planning our Relay for Life fundraising event
and will begin collecting donations within the next week or so. Please consider donating to
this essential life-saving cause!
> The spring session of Garden Club has begun. Students in grades 4 and 5 have been hard
at work doing a spring clean-up of the garden. We have plans for a new vegetable garden
and will expand our flower and herb gardens.
> Newsletter Club will begin meeting again and is opening its doors to 4th grade members.
We will publish one more issue this year.
> The GH spring concert is on Wed. May 6th at 9:15 AM for the students and at 7:30 PM for
the parents. Both concerts are held in the high school theater. The concert attire is black
bottoms, white shirt or blouse and dress shoes. The students are very excited to play for
their parents.