Arthur T. Talmadge School
Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

School Year 2016-17

October 11, 2016 Meeting Minutes

Welcome and Housekeeping

·  Reverend Cofield welcomed everyone to the meeting and did an icebreaker activity.

·  Attendees

Last Name / First Name / Parent/ Teacher-Staff / Last Name / First Name / Parent/ Teacher-Staff
Boyd / Jetuan / Parent / Hillhouse / Tracy / Parent
Butler / Cathy / Teacher-Staff / Lussier / Carla / Teacher-Staff
Cofield / Willard / Teacher-Staff / Noonan / Maryann / Teacher-Staff
Currier / Marykate / Teacher-Staff / Rovelli / Sandi / Teacher-Staff
Drummer / Shameka / Parent / Santiago / Cynthia / Parent
Gartsu / Karla / Teacher-Staff / Tanguay / Cheri / Teacher-Staff
Goodin / Addie / Parent / Whitman / Colleen / Teacher-Staff

·  Current PTA Board:

o  Co-Presidents: Jetuan Boyd and Tracy Hillhouse

o  Treasurer: Kathy Larose

School Representatives: Parent Facilitator, Reverend Cofield and Principal, Carla Lussier

o  Secretary: TBD

·  Meeting schedule

o  PTA meetings will be the second Tuesday of the month at 3:45 p.m. in the School Library, unless we realize that there is a need to change the day/time.

§  The November meeting has been moved to Tuesday, November 1st, instead of 11/8 due to Election Day. Will still start at 3:45 p.m.

o  The conference call line will be open during these meetings.

§  Number: 800-993-4149; Passcode: 8602750625#

§  Thanks to Jetuan Boyd for trying it out for us J

§  Tracy Hillhouse will bring a longer phone cord for next time!

·  Treasurer’s Report

Thank you to Kathy Larose for her continued support as the PTA Treasurer

BEGINNING BALANCE / $4,052.23
DATE / ACTIVITY / INITIATOR / TYPE / DESCRIPTION / AMOUNT
9/28 / withdrawal / Peggy Grunderstrom / Check - #1046 / Holiday Store / ($250.00)
9/29 / withdrawal / Reverend Cofield / Check - #1047 / Change for Open House raffle / ($200.00)
9/29 / deposit / Parent / Check / Holiday Store / $3.00
9/30 / deposit / N/A / Cash / Change from Open House raffle / $200.00
10/11 / withdrawal / Maryann Noonan / Check - #1048 / Holiday Store / ($161.87)
ENDING BALANCE / $3,643.36

·  School Webpage (forgot to mention during meeting)

o  Tracy Hillhouse is working with Maureen Shea to get PTA information posted on the School’s webpage in the Students & Parents Information section.


Scheduled Events

·  Election Day Bake Sale: Tuesday, November 8th

·  Historically this has been a successful fundraiser for the school. We anticipate a large turnout.

·  Group would like to do a 50/50 raffle also.

·  Students will not be at school; however faculty will be for Professional Development.

·  Thanks to Cynthia Santiago and Shameka Drummer for already signing up!

TIMEFRAME / TABLE COVERAGE
8:30-11:00 a.m. / Cynthia Santiago and son, and Tracy Hillhouse
4:30-6:30 p.m. / Shameka Drummer and someone else, TBD

o  Supplies Needed

ITEM / DETAILS / ASSIGNED TO
Baked goods / Need more donations / See Baked goods section
table/cloths and 3 chairs / School/PTA has / Reverend Cofield
Signage / Need to make / Tracy Hillhouse
Napkins / School/PTA has / TBD
Raffle tickets / School/PTA has / TBD
Cash box / School/PTA has / TBD
Basket for 50/50 tickets / School/PTA has / TBD
Pens for 50/50 raffle / School/PTA has / TBD

Communications to families

MEDIUM / DATE(S) / ASSIGNED TO
Robo call / TBD / TBD
Flyer (sent home with students) / 10/24? / TBD
Note in Tiger Talk newsletter / 10/20, 27, 11/3? / TBD

o  Donations

§  We already have 8 volunteers to make items, but we need more things to sell. So far:

DONOR / ITEM / DONOR / ITEM
Laura Blanco / brownies / Miriam Greene / TBD
Annisabel Garcia / cupcakes / Shalonda Mabry / cookies
Shanina Rosado / cake or cookies / Tracy Hillhouse / TBD
Jennice Curet / cookies / Ceil Friedenberg / TBD
Addie Goodin / muffins

§  We will solicit more help through the communication mediums listed above.

§  Cynthia Santiago will speak to a contact at Stop & Shop to see if we can get donations.

§  Tracy Hillhouse will speak to a friend who owns a bake shop to ask about donations.

Scheduled Events, con’t

Election Day Bake Sale: Tuesday, November 8th, con’t

o  Logistics

§  Drop off of baked goods

·  Need to communicate to families that are donating baked goods:

o  Items can be brought to school on 11/7, or dropped off early on 11/8.

o  Teachers/Staff working at Drop-off and Pick-up can take the items

o  All items should be individually packaged for sale. If they are unable to, we can take care of it for them, but their help is appreciated!

·  Need to figure out a plan for collecting and storing said items.

·  Need to let teachers/staff who work morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up, that people will give them items for the sale.

§  Pricing

·  We will need to come up with a pricing structure and add to signage.

·  Individual pricing labels?

§  Money

·  We need 2 cash boxes – 1 for bale sale and 1 for 50/50 raffle. Does school have 2?

·  We will need to get change in advance.

·  What do we do with the earnings at the end of the day?

§  Additional Volunteers

·  Can we reach out to WNEU volunteers for help? Someone should speak with the ILS’s.

·  When asking our families for help, we could ask for older siblings of students as well.

·  Bingo Night: Friday, November 18th, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

·  Historically this has been a successful and fun fundraiser for the school.

·  Parents, students, faculty and non-Talmadge folks are welcome.

·  In addition to playing Bingo, we will sell refreshments to raise money.

·  We will sell cards in advance and at-the-door

o  Communications to families

MEDIUM / DATE(S) / ASSIGNED TO
Robo call / TBD / TBD
Flyer (sent home with students; include offer to pre-purchase Bingo cards) / 11/7? / TBD
Note in Tiger Talk newsletter / 11/3, 11/10, 11/17? / TBD

o  Bingo card pre-purchase

§  Need to confirm pricing with Kathy LaRose.

§  Communication needs to be drafted.

§  Cards need to be organized/packages.

§  Need to identify process for collection of monies and card distribution

o  Prizes

§  Is it just cash prizes? Do we need to get prizes? If so, should we solicit for donations?


Scheduled Events, con’t

Bingo Night: Friday, November 18th, con’t

o  Supplies Needed

ITEM / DETAILS / ASSIGNED TO
Bingo Cards / School has; do we need more? / Reverend Cofield
Beans / Need to purchase / TBD
Additional tables/chairs / Need to order through Janitor / Reverend Cofield
Head table/cloth / School/PTA has / N/A
Signage / Need to make / Tracy Hillhouse
Bingo cage / School/PTA has / N/A
Pizzas (#- TBD) / Order from Big Y (discount – BOGO; Gold Coin donations?) / Addie Goodin
Individual chip bags (#- TBD) / Costco/BJs / TBD
Juice boxes (#- TBD) / Costco/BJs / TBD
Bottled waters (#- TBD) / Costco/BJs / TBD
Paper plates / Need to purchase / TBD
Napkins / Need to purchase / TBD
Spatulas / Does school kitchen have? / TBD
Trash cans/bags / Need to ask Janitor / TBD
Microphone / School has / TBD

·  Holiday Store/Wrapping, Monday/Tuesday, December 19-20th

o  Timing

§  We would like to heave this over two days, splitting the school in half for each day:

o  Day One: PM with 3 grades

o  Day Two: AM with 3 grades

§  Reverend Cofield will ask Mrs. Lussier if 2-day works. If not, we will have it on Tuesday, 12/20.

o  Approach

§  This year we will do our own shopping, as our vendor experience last year was not ideal.

o  Maryann Noonan, Peggy Grunderson, and Meg Barry will be doing the shopping

o  Need 3,000-5,000 gifts

o  Will price each item at $1, $2, or $3

§  We will offer white lunch gift bags with ribbon tied through vs. paper wrapping

§  We would like to have a “free craft area” for those students who don’t have money and are unable to participate in the shipping activity. Thank you Karla Gartsu for bringing this up! We need to discuss further to finalize details.

§  We need volunteers to help with the selling of the merchandise and also with the gift wrapping.


Scheduled Events, con’t

Holiday Store/Wrapping, Monday/Tuesday, December 19-20th, con’t

o  Supplies Needed

ITEM / DETAILS / ASSIGNED TO
Gifts / Purchasing in progress / Maryann Noonan
Gift bags / Need to purchase / TBD
Curling ribbon / Need to purchase / TBD
Gift tags? / Need to purchase / TBD
Pens / School/PTA has / N/A
Signage / Need to make / Tracy Hillhouse
Craft items – TBD / TBD / TBD

o  Communications to families

MEDIUM / DATE(S) / ASSIGNED TO
Robo call / TBD / TBD
Flyer (sent home with students)
Should include info about how much money to bring, pricing structure of gifts, etc. / TBD / TBD
Note in Tiger Talk newsletter / TBD / TBD

ADDITIONAL FUNDRAISING IDEAS

·  Sheri Tanguay shared a great idea to have people bring food donations instead of a monetary entrance fee for one of the events that we have in the future.

·  Wreath Sales – Addie Goodin provided materials on the initiative and Tracy Hillhouse will review.

·  Candy Bar Sales – If we want to pursue this, we need to go through a certified vendor for allergen safety reasons. Sandi Rovelli has done this in the past and will share information with Jetuan Boyd.

·  School Dance – this has been done in the past and has been very successful. Typically held in spring.

·  Family Fun Night/Carnival - Sheri Tanguay has participated in this type of event before and says it is a lot of fun. We would like to consider it for the spring.

·  Movie Night – maybe for winter/spring

FUNDING REQUESTS

·  Karla Gartsu submitted two funding requests for consideration.

o  The PTA Board has since approved these items.

o  They will be included on the next Treasurer’s Report.

Jetuan Boyd Co-President (413) 237-9145
Reverend Colfield Parent Facilitator (413) 787-7249
Tracy Hillhouse Co-President (413) 250-1901
Kathy Larose Treasurer (413) 787-7249
Carla Lussier Principal (413) 787-7249 / page 5 of 5

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