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Parkside
Elemetary School
PTO Board Meeting Minutes
March 10, 2008
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chris Nichols, Lisa Nichols, Julie
Workman, Kathy Berry, Michele Sampson, Dianna Cordero, Chris
Rhodes, Donna Leamer, LaNell Greenberg, Susan Biancalana, Angie
Stoewer, Elizabeth Tomera, Shelly Erickson, Becky Stachnik
The meeting opened at 6:30
BOARD REPORTS:
Co-Presidents: Chris welcomed the assembly. He announced
that we will need a new Market Day chairperson for next year.
This month there is a small number of orders. Need at least 50
orders to have the order delivered.
We will be hosting a playground clean-up day. Elizabeth Tomera’s
Cub Scout den will assist with the clean-up in a
school/community partnership project. We will be shoveling
gravel off of the sidewalks and other various maintenance tasks.
Suggestion was made to close the sidewalks in with railroad ties
to prevent landscaping rock from being swept over the sidewalks.
The last “Gift Card Giveaway” was held tonight. Riley Nichols
was the winner of a $25 Scrip card to Barnes and Nobles
Bookstore
The following slate of officers will be presented for approval
for the 2008-09 school year:
Co-presidents: Jenni Demosthenes, Elizabeth Tomera
Recording Secretary: Jennifer Barlow
Treasurer: Melissa Traum
Treasurer’s Report: We are pursuing a “No Child Left
Behind Grant” to help with the updates we wish to make to the
playground equipment.
Principal’s Report: Mrs. Shelly Erickson –
They are piloting a program called “Reading A-Z”. It is a
web-based program with leveled readers. The levels run from A to
Z and show growth of children’s reading. Preliminary results are
very positive.
Next year, everyone will be having a 1 hour block of guided
reading per grade level. The goal is to have each student in 30
minutes of direct instruction and 30 minutes of indirect reading
instruction each day during that block. They will need lots of
parent volunteers for these blocked reading program to be truly
successful next year. There will be a sign up at registration in
August. Mrs. Erickson would like to have a table with high
visibility (signs, maybe cookies to draw people to the table).
There will also be something added to the mail-in registration
form that will go home with students.
Title I will help to prepare for the program. There is a fee for
the website that the District covers. There are additional costs
that would need to be covered if the program is to be
successful. Mrs. Erickson has already invested $1,000 of school
funds to cover the cost of tape recorders, head phones,
microphones, book bags, etc...
They are writing a “Beyond the Books Grant” to try to defray
some of the other costs. (Batteries, replacement headphones,
etc... are included in the financial needs).
She is hoping to have all K, 1, and 2 classrooms ready to go by
the end of the year. Kids in the pilot classrooms this year are
already showing growth after 6 weeks in the program. She is
hoping to hit the ground running in the fall. Title I can help
some financially, but the majority of their funds will go to the
expansion of the leveled reader libraries in the building.
They do have a wireless connection to be able to use the RAZ
kids program as a center. Mr. Starr has used the remainder of
his IMC funds to cover the cost.
2nd and 3rd grades can now check out laptops when they can’t get
into the IMC to use the computers.
Students are currently using the tape recorders that Mrs.
Erickson has purchased to listen to stories, as well as, record
their own reading and then listen to themselves as they read.
A motion was made by Kathy Berry to donate $1,000 toward helping
with the costs of this program. Elizabeth Tomera 2nded the
motion and it passed by a unanimous vote.
3 Point Shoot out Program is continuing. The winners are posted
in the cafeteria. They’ll have 39 total at the end. On the
Thursday before Spring Break, the students will all gather in
the gym to watch the finalists shoot their free-throws. The girl
and boy to shoot the most free-throws in 15 seconds will receive
a signed basketball from the Normal West basketball team.
7 Keys to Reading: reward will be a movie at the Normal Theater.
There will be no concessions, per the theater’s rules. Mrs.
Erickson will either request a recent movie or one that is old
that they wouldn’t have seen for awhile. The movie will be G or
PG. If it’s PG rated, there will be a parent permission slip
sent home requesting permission for students to view the movie.
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS REPORTS:
Fund Raising: Susan Biancalana will be stepping down as
the Fund Raising chair next year, but has offered to continue to
do the Butterbraid orders next year. The most recent Butterbraid
order will be delivered on March 18th.
Market Day: Market Day orders have been low. We will need
a new coordinator next year.
Assemblies: The last assembly of the year is being
planned for the end of May.
Box Tops: LaNell Greenburg reported that the last box top
check was for $280. We are able to send in box tops 3 times per
year now instead of twice. Mrs. Burger’s 2nd grade class was the
most recent box top collection winner. The next check will come
in April. She will send the next bundle of box tops in May and
receive the check over the summer in either June or July.
Room Parent Coordinator: We will put something in place
for if we ever have another snow day during a party day. From
now on, plan that parties will be rescheduled for a later day
(not for the first day we return). Thank you for helping with
Valentine’s party and being flexible.
Hospitality: Teacher Appreciation is coming up. PTO will
include the TA’s in meals that are provided for teachers, but
not the teacher gifts due to costs. Secretary’s Day is at the
end of April.
Family Fun Night: Family Fun Night is going well. Susan
B. will check on possible drink donations from a previous
vendor. Looking for additional assistance with the concessions
stand. Checking on asking the Key Club to help out. Melanie
Johnson is in charge of volunteers.
Pre-sale of hand stamps will end on April 1st. Hand stamps will
be $8 in pre-sale and $10 at the door.
Cake walk is coming along well. Dianna Cordero will send ½ sheet
reminder about the cake walk the week before Family Fun Night,
asking families for donations.
Playground Repairs: Watch for details on the clean up day
coming up in the spring.
NEW BUSINESS:
Concerns have been raised about the inconsistent and
unsatisfactory performance of the crossing guard at the corner
of Parkside and College. The decision was made not to offer that
individual the customary annual gift from PTO this year as a
result.
PBIS Penguin Point cart ran out last month. Mrs. Erickson said
that she periodically rotates the schedule to be fair to all
students. She also gives rain checks sometimes to students who
ask for something that has run out. March 19th is the next
scheduled cart day.
The meeting adjourned at 7:40
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