LINCOLN MIDDLE SCHOOL
PTO MINUTES
September 11, 2017
ROBYN BRYANT called the meeting to order at 7:37 p.m.
Everyone was welcomed to the meeting and the Board was introduced.
ROBYN BRYANT (President) – The minutes from Junewere approved. The
TREASURER'S REPORT (Terri Spirito) Opening balance $5,903.30. Closing balance $6,720.83.
CORRESPONDENCE AND SUNSHINE (Meg Natale) –We received a thank you card from Mrs. Devor and the
LMS Staff for the new lockers for the 7th graders.
ASSEMBLIES (Mrs. Devor) – The following schedules have been scheduled:
The Hawthorne Police Department will present an assembly for the 6th graders regarding social media. It is scheduled for September 14th. Mr. Bertolini will discuss this in more detail later in the meeting. We have been researching other assemblies for all grades and will report back at the next meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS (Robyn Bryant) - Some committees are in need of new chairpersons. Lea Harmer will review the committee forms and contact members to see if they would like to chair or co-chair these committees.
Clothing Drive (Need Chairperson) -The next clothing drive will be held October 16 to October 18. Drop-off times are usually 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Clothes collected will be reused and not ripped up for rags. Check the flyer for other items that are accepted such as stuffed animals, bedding and household linens. Ms. Gwen Rave, one of our beloved custodians, will be collecting teddy bears and certain clothing for special bears she decorates and raffles off for the students.
Kid Stuff Books (Jen Ciccarella) –We are selling Kids Stuff coupon books for $25 each. This year, each child will bring one home in their backpack and will be asked to send in $25 or return it. (We earn $12.50 for each book sold. ) Additional books may be ordered. The teacher of the homeroom that sells the most books will receive a free book. Mrs. Devor will send out a text on the day that the books are sent home in the backpacks.
Labels Programs (Need Chairperson) – Keep saving your Box Tops and send them into school. Don’t forget to download the Shoparoo app and take pictures of your receipts.
Laps for Lincoln (Terri Spirito/Cindy Van Winkle) – This event will be held on Wednesday, September 27 during lunch. (Rain date is September 28.) To participate, parents (or students) make a donation to the LMS PTO.
It is a flat fee donation and you do not have to ask relatives to sponsor your child. It is just a fun event for the students. After eating their lunch, the students come outside and walk laps around the black top, listen to music, answer trivia questions and enjoy a treat. Last year we had an ice cream truck, but it was not cost effective and the flyers already were sent home. In the past, candy or chips were given out. Donations must be sent in by Monday, September 25th.
Lord & Taylor (Stacy Giardino)For $5, you will receive some coupons to use at Lord & Taylor on the specified shopping day in November. More information will be forthcoming once the date has been confirmed.
Membership/Directory – (Robyn Bryant) – Membership is $10 per family. The form went home in the first day folders. The membership directory is an online version.
Pocketbook Bingo – (Mrs. Devor) – We started this fundraiser last year. Poketbook Bingo is scheduled for Friday, January 12, 2018 in the gym. We play 12 games of bingo and have some other 50/50 games as well. You bring your own food and soft drinks for your tables. If you have any connections to have a designer bag donated, please let the committee know. Families and groups can also donate a bag. In addition to the pocketbooks, we have some other door prizes during the evening such as pizza, cupcakes, chocolate, etc.
We informed Mr. Bertolini that Mr. Droske had been our bingo caller and he is glad to take over this duty.
PTO Dance – (Cindy Van Winkle & Vivian Kristensen) – The first dance is on Friday, September 22nd. Permission slips will go home the Wednesday before the dance. The entrance fee is $5.00. There will be a DJ and other activities (ping pong). Donations of brownies, cookies, gallons of water and 2-liter bottles of soda are needed. A certain number of parents will be asked to help with refreshments for each dance. Teachers are the chaperones in the gym.
Sportswear Sale (Josephine Reilly & Tracy Gaehring) – The LMS fall apparel fundraiser flyer went home in the first day folders. You can order online at InDesignApparel.com/Lincolnor send the order form in to school with a check. It is going well so far. The sale ends September 21st.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT (Mrs. Devor) –
Mrs. Devor welcomed everyone and thanked everyone for attending. Thank you again for the lockers. She introduced our new Assistant Principal, Robert Bertolini. They have been working together since July.
Please make sure you have acknowledged the documents on the Parent Portal and put in your current contact information. Please sign and send back the blue form that was mailed home during the summer.
If you discarded it, please contact the main office and they will provide another copy.
There is an App that goes with the parent portal and the rollover will be starting September 15th. Sixth grade families will receive a letter in the regular mail. PARCC results will also be mailed at the end of this week.
Please make sure we have current email addresses since Mrs. Devor wants to do more announcements and reminders through email and texts, and save the phone calls for urgent matters.
Picture Day is Monday, September 18th. Our 8th graders have two picture days – one with gowns and one in regular clothes. The graduation gown photos are the ones that appear in the yearbook.
Back to School Night is September 18th at 7:00 p.m. (Parents of 8th graders meet in the cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. with the class advisors.)Student Council speeches will be held on September 21st and Elections will be on 22nd. Everyone is encouraged to participate.
VICE PRINCIPAL’S REPORT (Mr. Bertolini) –
Mr. Bertolini thanked everyone for the warm welcome he has received from the administration, faculty, staff, parents and students. He is very happy to be here in Hawthorne.
The assembly scheduled on September 14th by the Hawthorne Police Department for the 6th graders will focus on how to handle social media properly and treating each other with respect.
All students will learn about our anti-bullying program and the Upstander Pledge, which is part of the Tyler ClementiFoundation. We want to be positive role models and be an upstander and not a bystander. Everyone is doing great with the drop-off procedures in the morning. Just a reminder that the safest place to drop off your child is in the designated area in front of the school. For everyone’s safety, Hawthorne Avenue is closed off at 7:50 a.m. for traffic in the opposite direction. Lincoln Middle School now launched a Twitter page: @hps_lincoln.
OLD BUSINESS (Robyn Bryant) –
Nothing to report this month.
NEW BUSINESS (Robyn Bryant) –
Robyn asked the membership if people were interested in family events here at LMS. They could be parent/child or the entire family. Several suggestions were discussed. Some would be fundraisers or givebacks.
Some would just be an activity. Suggestions included bowling, ice skating, New Jersey Jackals, Red Bull Soccer, New Jersey Devils, New York Jets, fitness nights, basketball, volleyball, paintball, laser tag, dodge ball, Entertainment on Wheels, Painting with a Twist and The Game Cave. These ideas will be looked into for the future.
Please check the back of the Agenda for Dates to Remember for the LMS PTO.
The next meeting will be October 16th.
The meeting concluded at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Meg Natale
Secretary / Lincoln Middle School PTO