CEPO Meeting
Tuesday, August 19th, 2014
@ Amy’s house
Welcome & Introductions
Attendees: Kris Cardille, Amy Grundtner, Janelle Timko, Sara Neibergall, Torrie Crider, Kathy Kaiser, Kelly
Border, Michelle Koch,
Treasurer’s Report – Amy Grundtner
 Allocated Funds: Total is $15,000.
 Funds Available: $20,936 available in June; about $8600 now after purchasing iPads and bussing
payments.
Site Council Update – Kelly Border and Michelle Koch – Next meeting August 29th
Principal’s Report – Kathy Kaiser
 Report on pages 3-4
Committees, Fundraisers, and Events
 Friday Folders – snafu with the making of our nice ones and we have purchased temporary ones for
use until they are ready.
 Ice Cream Social – Kris and Amy
o The Board will cover the CEPO table.
o A stamp will be used to ensure people only get one treats.
 Box Tops & Country Hearth Loaves 4 Learning – Anne Ballard
o What should our goal be this year? We made about $3600 in 2013-2014.
o Alternate ideas for the prize for the top earning classroom each month – let the teacher choose!
 Popcorn party
 Extra recess
 Lunch with the class in the cafeteria
 Extra story time
o Need to promote the new program
 MOA Nickelodeon Universe wristbands – Janelle Timko
o Planning a sales push before break in October
 Cougar Spiritwear – Michelle Koch
o Would like to look into getting other stuff – umbrellas, coffee mugs, etc.
 School Supplies – Kelly Border
o Distributing them tomorrow! 38 were sold this year.
Old Business:
 Fundraising Committee? (tabled for next time)
o Idea: Have a drawing for all the volunteers who participate at an event for some prize. Maybe a
cumulative drawing for a big prize at the end of the year.
 Playground – Kathy Kaiser
o Painting: After discussing how the playground is used, it was decided to let the peaceful
playground lines fade. The foursquare and basketball court lines will be done but the rest will be
put on hold. The parking lot company will be doing the work.
o Equipment: The district is not willing to fund it at this time. The space by CTE with the pea
gravel has drainage issues so an engineer would need to look at it. Mayor Dave Bartholomew
is willing to help provide expertise so we can make this successful.
 We decided to have this be our goal for fundraising this year.
 CEPO Bylaws to be made available on the website – Janelle Timko
o Janelle to review and see if we think updates are needed.
New Business:
 Ideas to entice people to attend monthly meetings:
o Have food/beverages at all meetings – possibly.
o Have a drawing for a $5 gift card to Dunn Brothers or Target or something at each meeting. Thinking this is not going to be effective.
Promote on Parent Orientation night. All board members should be there. – Agreed
Personal touch – call Kindergarten and first grade parents to tell them what it is about and
encourage them to get involved. – Possibly
o Video: A high school group may be willing to put this together. Thinking pictures and facts
about CEPO, with a song and encouragement to come to meetings and volunteer. Highlight
successes – smartboards, iPads, etc. – Want to do this, somehow!
Handouts to be updated – Janelle – will update based on finalized fundraising list (below).
o CEPO Overview
o Board Contacts and Meeting Schedule
o Welcome Packet
o Event Summary
o Calendar of Events
o Volunteer Opportunities: Put it in the orientation folder!
All School Picture
o Panoramic picture
o Available for purchase – it’s optional!
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New Fundraising Ideas:
 The Stroll – Will keep it and really promote the playground equipment. Then if the amount raised is still
flat or not significantly different, then we can reconsider it again. Chair is Michelle and others will help.
Theme: would like it to be play related. Sept. 24th
 Oct. 23 – Mad Science (Kris and Amy)
 Nov. 6 – Bingo Night (Janelle)
 Dec. 11 – Craft Night & Open Gym (Open Chairs -2)
 Jan. TBD – Talent Show (Kelly and open co-chair)
 Feb. 27 – Spaghetti dinner (Janelle, Torrie, Sara, Michelle) Honors students to help? Kohls?
 Mar. 27 – Movie Night (Open Chairs -2)
 Apr. 24 - Family Fun Night/Carnival (Open Chairs – will talk to the team from last year)
 May 15 – Fifth Grade Party (Kris and Amy)
 DATES are somewhat tentative!
 Would like to know how many volunteers for each event. Kelly drafted a list.
Upcoming Events:
 School is starting!
Next Meeting: September 9th, 2014 at 6:30 PM in the CTE Library; special guest: Superintendent Dietz
CEPO PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
August 19, 2014
Ice Cream Social/Open House
 Hoping CEPO will again fund the ice cream from Schwan’s
 Event is Thursday, August 28, from 4:00-5:45 p.m. For consistency purposes, the timeframe of 4:005:45 for the event is the same at all 5 elementary schools in our district (although the date might vary).
 Student Council students will serve as our ambassadors, stationed at several entrances. They will
distribute a self-guided tour handout to each family including a school map with a checklist of important
places to visit during their visit as they wish. Families are not obligated to visit all stations, but that is
our hope so that parents can become familiarized with all areas of our wonderful school.
Levy Vote Coming… Superintendent Dietz and/or a District Office Representative would like to attend one of
our CEPO meetings this fall (either our September or October meeting) to share a bit of information about this
November’s levy vote question.
This year begins a new “snacks law” developed by the MN Dept. of Education: As the school year gets
underway, we’d like to bring you up to date on a critical element of the efforts to promote a healthy school
environment. Effective July 1, 2014, there are new requirements for all foods sold in school outside of the meal
programs. These are practical, science-based standards for foods sold TO STUDENTS ONLY in vending
machines, school stores, a la carte lines, and any fundraising event held in school during school
hours. We want your help to make the healthy choice the easy choice for students. This law does not include
snacks that are provided free to children, or fundraising events held outside of school hours. This law does not
include food sold to adults. Also, teachers understand that any “party funds” that they receive from parents at
the start of the school year cannot be used to purchase snacks for the classroom UNLESS the snacks are on the
MN Dept. of Education’s “Smart Snacks” list. (see handout)
The new Smart Snacks nutrition standards will affect many groups and organizations on the school campus and
in the school community, including the food service department, school administrators, sports teams, student
clubs and others involved in food sales for fund raising purposes.
CTE Class Sizes and Teachers as of 8/ /14
K
Joan Anderson, Stephanie Brovold, Sara Neibergall, Julie Steffensmeier
1
Katie Guthmueller, Chris Land, Michelle Thompson
2
Casey Molitor, Troy Nickel, Kristina Thom
3
Laura Alonzi (Andersen), Becky Dibble, Megan Fritz
4
Thomas Fields, Robyn Hendrickson, Greg McCready
5
Mark Magnuson, Sharon Peltier, John Riley
MN Reading and MN Math Corps Tutors
For the 2014-15 school year, we have again been awarded two full-time tutors to support K-3 struggling readers
and one half-time tutor to support gr. 4-5 students struggling in math.
Upcoming Events
August 19 (T)
9:00-10:00 am School Patrol Training in CTE library for 5th grade patrols,
Officer Andrea Hunt, Officer Wiens and Terry Korst (supervisor)
August 27 (W)
5:00-6:00 p.m. CTE Kindergarten Parent Orientation held in
individual K rooms
August 28 (Th)
4:00-5:45 Ice Cream Social and K-5 Open House
August 29 (F)
8:30-9:30 a.m. Site Council Meeting in CTE conference room
September 1 (M)
No school-Labor Day
September 2 (Tu)
School begins for gr. 1-5
September 3 (W)
School Begins for Kindergarten
September 9 (T)
Parent Portal and Schoology Parent/Guardian training for Parents
in the CTE computer labs, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
CEPO meeting in CTE library 6:30 p.m.
September 10 (W)
Fall Picture Day
September 11 (Th)
9:30 School Patrol Induction Ceremony in Little Theater
(audience is restricted to 5th graders, their teachers, and parents of
School Patrols)
September 11 (Th)
Gr. 1 Parent Orientation
September 16 (T)
5-6 p.m. Gr. 2 Parent Orientation
6-7 p.m. Gr. 4 Parent Orientation
September 18 (Th)
5-6 p.m. Gr. 3 Parent Orientation
6-7 p.m. Gr. 5 Parent Orientation
September 23-24
Hearing and Vision Screening for all students in grades 1, 3, and 5
??? September 24 (W)
TBD: 1:45-3:00 pm Centennial Stroll (backup date = Oct.1)