PTO Archive

Parkside Elemetary School

PTO Board Meeting Minutes

January 14, 2008

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Shelly Erickson, Kathy Berry, Angie Stoewer, Michele Sampson, Chris Rhodes, Donna Leamer, Becky Stachnik, DiAnn Naden, Dianna Cordero, Jenny Demosthenes, LaNell Greenberg, Elizabeth Tomera

BOARD REPORTS:

Co-Presidents: Chris Rhodes/Diana Cordero: of those that volunteered during the Santa’s Secret Workshop. Thank you to Mrs. Erickson for providing extra necessities (baskets, pens, etc...)

* Parent Survey has been discussed to collect data on PTO meetings to determine what would encourage more parent participation/attendance. Suggestion was made to have the March meeting at the Discovery Museum. Parents would bring their children. One parent would take the children around the museum and the other would attend the meeting.

* New committee chairs: If you are going to be stepping down next year, please submit any suggestions for replacements to Chris Rhodes or Dianna Cordero. If you would like to be a part of the PTO executive board or a committee chair for next year, please contact one of the board members to volunteer.

* Continue to submit pictures to the website. Classroom/club photographs were taken last week. The deadline to submit candid shots is TBA. Watch the February newsletter for that date.

  Principal’s Report: Mrs. Erickson –

• Survey was given to the staff on reading minutes.
• Had a presentation the 4-block with direct reading instruction.
• Looking for more parents to come and volunteer during reading groups.
• They have ordered several tape recorders so that they could have some stand alone activities (like reading into a tape recorder, listening to stories on tape, whisper reading, etc...for centers)
• Piloting a new reading program in 3 classrooms - Mrs. Sprau, Mrs. Arendale, and Ms. Stachnik: They will have the Title I teachers push into the classroom to serve as model teachers. Pilot is Reading A-Z. (Reading levels) There is a chart that tells what levels are targeted at each grade level. This is all designed to help improve ISAT test scores in the area of reading. There is a big component of the kids reading aloud, teachers taking running records and using that data to better meet their students’ needs and levels
• Title Room books have been organized into the levels so that it’s easy to pull level-appropriate books.
• Students are graphing their own progress on the reading levels.
• SAMS position is going to be posted
• 5^th Grades will be covered again for the Challenger Learning Center again next year
• Have an after school program to help improve reading, broken down by skills
• Continuing with the 7 Keys to Reading Program
• In comparison to the other schools in the Unit 5, we’re in the 85% for math on ISAT
• PBIS referral: name, where the incident occurred and a description of the incident. These are tracked, entering the data on the computer. The goal is for these referrals to be reduced each month. (This can be run for the whole school; it can be run by grade levels, repeat offenders, male vs. female, etc...) With repeat offenders to are moved to a secondary level. They receive additional supports and reinforcement to encourage them to follow the rules. They will be assigned a check and connect person that works as their mentor to help them improve their social and behavioral skills

COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS REPORTS:

Scrips: December scrip sale was very successful.

Secret Santa Shop: Thank you to all of those that volunteered during the Santa’s Secret Workshop. Thank you to Mrs. Erickson for providing extra necessities (baskets, pens, etc...) We raised over $300 at the Santa Shop.

Fund Raising: Noodles night earned us $276. There will be another Butterbraid sale prior to Easter.

Assemblies: Dino Discovery Assembly will be this Friday, January 18. They’ll do exhibits in the morning and then they’ll be having a gift shop that parents may send in money for their child to use in the gift shop. The cost is $795 (Stone Enterprises) to be covered by the PTO. We need volunteers to man the shop from 10:45-11:15 and again from 12:15-3:00. If you can come to help for a half hour or longer, please contact Angie Stoewer. There will be another assembly in February with a chemistry theme.

Room Parent Coordinator: Still need helpers for the following classes for Valentine’s Party - KH, 1W, 2A, 2B, 3P, 5F, 5G, Mrs. Stayton, Mrs. Wojo,

Mrs. Brownlee

Caring: Sent a card to Mrs. Jansen for breaking her ankle

Box Tops: Check was received in December over $400

Family Fun Night: April 11^th, 6:00-8:00 Basket raffles were very successful last year. The arm bands were also well-received.

CAC Members: Signs are available to advertise in the yard for the referendum. See guidelines for displaying yard signs

.NEW BUSINESS:

The idea to hold the March meeting at the Children’s Discovery meeting was discussed but received little support. We will probably hold the March mtg. at Fiesta Ranchera restaurant instead. Chris will check it out and discuss it w/the manager, to make sure we have enough table space. Party on!