BMS Station PTO Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2013
Attendees: Joanne Robbins, President; Jennifer Lekai, 1st Vice President; Jeanine Stark, Treasurer; Gwen Cieslak, Secretary;
Dr. Craig Winkelman, Principal; Kathy Hempel, Teacher Representative
Kelly Apostolopoulos, Jeri Broderick, Leah Collister-Lazzari, Barbara Harris, Megan Zastawny
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Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 9:15 a.m.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the September 10, 2013 PTO meeting were presented. Motion
to approve was made by Gwen Cieslak and seconded by Jeri Broderick.
Treasurer’s Report: Jeanine Stark
a. Presented 2013-14 budget
b. Outstanding return credit for school supply packs expected shortly.
c. Motion to approve budget made by Jeanine Stark and seconded by Jeri Broderick.
Principal’s Report: Dr. Craig Winkelman
a. Outdoor fitness equipment successfully installed; installing mulch for safety.
b. Parent-Teacher conferences to take place 10/28. It is not possible to accommodate all individual
conferences during this time; parents welcome to initiate conferences with teachers outside of
specific conference date.
c. Netbook proxy-server error resolved; patch sent out to all student Netbooks. Google Apps
successfully installed on 6th grade computers, allowing students off-line access. Rolling out to 7th
and 8th grades.
d. Project Horsepower continues to move forward; aiming to have all participating families
connected by December.
e. Considering a Google Docs education session for parents; would be led by Kathy Hempel.
f. Behavior System – teaching kids what is expected rather than just having consequences, and
recognizing good behavior; receiving positive feedback.
g. Executive Functioning Program – 6th grade teachers report positive benefits of program, major
difference in student organization. Program has now moved to 7 th grade.
h. After School Programs
 Independent Self-Select (M,T,Th) – Students may study or complete homework in library
after school. Bus transportation at 4:15 p.m.
 Prime Time (Thurs) – Guided program; adult volunteers from local engineering company
assist kids with homework/studies.
 Peer Helpers (M,T) – Students who have gone through 2-session training available to
assist classmates.
 Success (M,F) – Teachers available to assist students with organization, review of
planner; more tutorial in nature.
Teacher Representative’s Report: Kathy Hempel
a. Barrington Giving Day – Looking for donation of sports tickets to auction for fundraiser; students
to use funds to purchase toys to distribute. Also collecting Jewel stamps during Advisory classes
to purchase dishes to donate. Donation information to be included in next newsletter.
President’s Report: Joann Robbins
a. Ecology & Grounds – no report
b. Fine Arts – no report
c. Hospitality – no report
d. PALS – Program underway, request for volunteers went out; 6th grade kick-off 10/10.
e. Staff Appreciation – Planning a meal during conferences; requesting donations through Signup
Genius.
1st Vice President Fundraising – Jennifer Lekai
a. Book Fair – no report
b. No Stress – B. Harris putting together letter with details from wish list; to be included with
conference letter. Highlighting option to donate online along with classroom fees.
c. School Packs – Meeting with counselors to revise program for next year.
d. Spirit Wear – Completed; working to secure a few missing pieces.
8. 2nd Vice President of Programs – Cindy Lenart
a. Eighth Grade Year End – no report
b. Eighth Grade Video – no report
c. Eighth Grade T-Shirt – students voted on designs, winner announced Thursday. T-shirt sales to
begin late December.
d. Internal Programs – no report
e. Ski Club – Parents of participants required to attend one registration meeting 11/13 or 11/21 – 7
p.m. at Barrington Park District (Langendorf). Parents sign up to chaperone one trip or submit
check for $125. All-day trip to Cascade 2/14.
f. Snowflake – no report
g. All School Student Social – Friday 11/1 at Brunswick Zone Algonquin. Buses depart immediately
after school and return at 7 p.m. Fee $25 – covers food, bowling, laser tag, arcade, transport.
h. 6th Grade Social – 4/25; dance hosted by Prairie.
i. 7th & 8th Grade Social – 11/7; hosted by Station.
j. Volunteer Coordinator – Attempting to increase number of volunteers by using Signup Genius
through newsletter.
9. Secretary – Gwen Cieslak
a. Newsletter – Distributed Fridays via eblast. Janet Czarnecki & Julie Slaughter coordinating to
make newsletter more meaningful & helpful to parents. Information submitted by event chairs
to Janet (janet.czarnecki@att.net) no later than Thursday; should be ready to print, no more than
3-4 sentences, may include photos.
b. Directory – Combining information for joint directory with Prairie; available soon.
c. Website – no report
d. Nominating – no report
10. Unfinished Business: None
11. New business:
a. Barrington Leads – Looking for volunteers to assist with “Feets of Strength” 5K Run/2K Walk;
10/20 Citizens Park.
b. Barrington Leads – Presents “The State of IL: Teens & Marijuana” 10/21, 9-10:30 p.m. at
Barrington Village Hall
c. Heinens ABC Program – Need to re-designate school for donations with each new year.
12. Adjournment: At 9:55 a.m. a motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Joann Robbins and seconded
by Gwen Cieslak. Meeting adjourned.
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