CCS PARENT ASSOCIATION MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2008
MINUTES
Attendees:
Parent Association Officers: Kerri Neis, President; Harriett Kelley, Vice President; Kim Powell, Secretary
Administration and Faculty: Dr. Michael Roberts, Head of School; Dr. Pam Pifer, Lower School Head; Jean Robbins, Early Childhood Head; Susan Lovejoy, Head of the Board of Trustees
Committee Chairs; Room Parents and Assistant Room Parents
Welcome
Kerri Neis, President
Kerri welcomed everyone and thanked parents and administrators for coming to the last PA meeting of the school year.
Administrative Updates
Dr. Michael Roberts, Head of School
Dr. Roberts thanked the PA for all that it does throughout the school year. He believes that volunteer time creates the fabric of our community, and the time and efforts put in is recognized and appreciated by the faculty, children and parents who are unable to volunteer.
There was an art opening in the Greenbeurg Gallery last week entitled “The Other Hopper” and Dr. Roberts encouraged parents to see the paintings on display. The opening was well attended and Dr. Roberts stressed how important it is for children to learn to present their work. He hopes to obtain a few pedestals for the Greenburg Gallery to display 3D artwork in the future.
The National Association of Independent Junior Schools (NAIS) will hold a conference in Chicago next springyear and the Elementary School Heads Association (ESHA) has chosen CCS to be a featured school, a great opportunity to showcase the school the school on a national level. Dr. Roberts has asked the PA Executive Committee to help plan a dinner in the CCS gym for ESHA the Association during the conference (the dinner will be paid for by the ESHA Association).
The lunchroom is moving into the lower level of the school next year. Round tables with stationary benches have been ordered for the new lunchroom. The long tables being used now are open to relational aggression and the round tables should improve that dynamic.
Dr. Roberts will be leading the ISACS accreditation team visit at Chicago City Day School and the Rossman School in St. Louis next year. Dr. Pifer will be accompanying him on the visits to observe and learn those schools’ best practices. The accreditation report is sent to ISACS which will vote to accredit or not accredit.
The 8th graders returned on Monday from a class trip to Florida. One of the highlights of the trip was snorkeling in a coral reef. Dr. Roberts received daily updates from Florida and the trip went very well.
Dr. Roberts reported on History Day at CCS. Middle School students worked on long-term research projects and learned how to frame research and narrow down results. 3 or 4 Middle School students then qualified for the Illinois state level competition and 1 eighth grade student, Reem Khondakar, will be participating at the national level competition with her Haymarket Riot project.
There will be several new hires at CCS next year. A Middle School science teacher will be joining the faculty to replace Mr. Brown who is moving to Ohio with his wife due to a change in her employment. The school has one particular candidate in mind for that open position. David Harris has been hired for an open Middle School humanities position. CCS will be leveling the Middle School math program and a second math teacher has been hired. Mrs. Balint is also leaving due to a spousal employment change and she will be replaced. A new Early Education music teacher has also been hired. Dr. Roberts is pleased to report that 4 of the 5 or 6 new hires are people of diversity.
Dr. Roberts is happy with the progress of this year’s projects. CCS has moved forward and he thanked the PA because it couldn’t have been done without parental support.
Pam Pifer, Lower School Head
Dr. Pifer spoke on behalf of Cory who was unavailable. She thanked the PA for the Teacher Appreciation Day lunch and said that the faculty greatly appreciated all of the effort that went into the day.
Middle School students were asked to choose a project they worked on this year and to refine it with an advisor. The projects will all be on display Friday morning from 9 to 10:30 in the gym. The students were able to choose any subject of interest.
Jean Robbins also thanked the PA for their participation at the Justin Roberts concert, which was a fun and successful event.
Parent Association Budget 2007 – 2008
Room Parents
Harriett Kelley, Vice President
Harriett spoke on behalf of Kim Scott, Treasurer, who was unavailable. She thanked the Room Parents for all of their efforts this year in attending PA meetings. The final PA budget will be issued over the summer. Harriett asked that all receipts and expense reimbursement requests be submitted to the office by JuneMay 20th. She also reminded Room Parents that soliciting from parents in the classroom for teacher gifts is prohibited.
Parent Association Committee Chairs
Ambassador Program - Jody Schumacher and Lisa Wilkins
Lisa requested that Ambassador Families contact the new families that they have been paired with and encourage them to attend the School’s Out Picnic. There should be a meeting of the two families at the picnic to make the new families feel welcome. There is no expectation that the Ambassador Families will entertain the new families for the entire afternoon. Ambassador Families will be getting information over the summer from the Ambassador Program Committee.
School’s Out Picnic - Stacia Garriott-Kass, Tasha Gelling, and Lisa Wilkins
The Picnic Committee has hired some volunteers from outside of the CCS Community for the picnic, but Stacia asked for a few more volunteers, mainly for check-in of families at the beginning of the day and the handing out ice cream tickets. Activities for Middle School students are being incorporated into the picnic plan. Stacia is downloading music for the picnic and is looking for songs for older children that are still appropriate for the younger children to hear. Please let her know if you have any suggestions. Dr. Pifer suggested R Kelly’s latest release and Dr. Roberts suggested Eminen as an artist that would appeal to the little ones and the Middle School students. Are you girls still reading? WTF????? I am laughing my butt off! I obviously missed a great one…
There will not be a dunking booth this year. There was a suggestion to try to keep the picnic environmentally friendly this year. A parent noted that at last year’s picnic children dumped trash and water bottles on the field. Franklin School does not want their garbage facilities used. CCS will provide its own dumpsters. There was a suggestion that the Picnic Committee form a trash team. A parent suggested that Bob Riccardino speak to the students at the assembly on the Friday prior to the picnic about picking up their trash.
CCS Bus Program- Howard Speizer
Howard and Linda will hold a meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) at 5:15 in the lunchroom to discuss next year’s bus program and explore a second route. Students must be registered by the end of the school year for the bus and put down a $150 deposit.
Parent Association Business
Executive Committee Slate for the 2008 – 2009 School Year
Harriett Kelley for President
Kim Scott for Vice President
Kerri Neis for Treasurer
Catherine Ann Welch for Secretary
· The slate as presented was approved by the PA.
Amendments to Bylaws
Minor changes to the Bylaws as discussed at the April PA meeting have been proposed.
· The bylaws as amended were approved by the PA.
·
Teacher Appreciation Day
Kerri thanked Teacher Appreciation Day chairs Kim Mendonsa, Shpresa Witt, and Jane Bertolini for all of their hard work and all of the volunteers that helped make the event so special.
Gym Kitchen
Kerri encouraged parents to check out the new gym kitchen. It was well used for Teacher Appreciation Day and is still in need of a deep cleaning, so there will not be a formal ribbon cutting after the PA meeting today.
Facilities Staff
The Facilities Staff was formally recognized for all that they do at CCS at the assembly on May 9th.
Volunteer Recognition
Parents were given the opportunity to nominate those in the CCS Community that deserve special recognition for volunteerism this year. There were many people who helped to make this year a success, and not all of those people were nominated, but we would like to formally acknowledge those that were.
· Maryann Price- Community Cares Committee Chair
· Catherine Gilmore-Lawless- Ambassador Program and Benefit Co-Chair
· Lisa Coconato- Ambassador Program and Benefit Co-Chair
· Tasha Gelling- In Classroom Volunteer, Underwriting Benefit Committee, School’s Out Picnic and Admissions Volunteer
· Lisa Wilkins- Room Parent, School’s Out Picnic, Admissions Volunteer, Ambassador Program Co-Chair
· Howard Speizer and Linda Beck- CCS Bus Program Founders and Co-Chairs
· Kira Haldes- Room Parent and Coordinator of the Preschool Art Projects for the Benefit
· Vera Levens- Hospitality Committee Co-Chair, Middle School Lunch Volunteer, Spirit Committee Co-Chair
· Robin Breslin- Spirit Committee, Teacher Relief Volunteer, Middle School Lunch Volunteer, Sports Banquet Volunteer
· Sara Slaughter- Teacher Lunchroom Relief Chair
· Jami Merrick- Shop-to-Earncrips Program Co-Chair, Head Check Volunteer
· Heather Haukness- Head Check Volunteer, Poster Coordinator for Benefit
· Susan Dukes- Hospitality Committee Co-Chair
· Steve Melonides- Classroom Volunteer, Traffic Control Volunteer
· Kathleen Sullivan- Allergy Awareness Chair, Epipen Training
Closing
Kerri thanked the PA for a great year and hopes to see everyone at the School’s Out Picnic on June 8th!