PTA Meeting
Red Bird Elementary
March 11, 2009
7:22PM – Meeting called to order by PTA president, Lisa McPeek.
Presidents Report:February 2009 minutes were approved (1st – Holly Zappitelli, 2nd – Christina Lewis). Lisa McPeek informed us that we will need someone to fill the Corresponding Secretary position, when it becomes available in May. Duties include sending thank-you notes to people for their help and donations, along with sending birthday cards and gifts to RBE staff members. Nominations for both Volunteer and Staff of the Year Awards will be accepted shortly. Nominees will be evaluated for having made a difference, and they must be PTA members. Notes will be sent home next week about t-shirts for the RBE Spring Carnival. They are being sold not-for-profit at $7.00/child and $10/adult. We are still in need of a volunteer to take the PTA Lake County Council position. Duties would include attending a LCC meeting the first Tuesday of each month.
Secretary’s Report: Tish Van Arsdale stated that January notes will be available in the PTA office.
Treasurer’s Report: Christina Lewisstated that ourbalance was $16,775.25. Questions were raised about teacher grants and which money is deposited into the PTA account. All teachers, who are PTA members, including gifted-classroom and part-time teachers, should receive $75 teacher grants. The Box Top fundraiser is a PTA sponsored program, and the proceeds should be deposited directly into the PTA account. The most recent check for ~$1,650 was mistakenly deposited into the RBE account, rather than into PTA account. RBE earned ~2,732 from Box Tops this year. All future checks should be deposited directly into the PTA account. We presently have earned 917 points in our Giant Eagle Apples for Students program. All points accumulated by 3-18-09 must be redeemed for stuff through the Giant Eagle kit/booklet/order form by 4-15-09. The Tyson Project A+ fundraiser is also a PTA sponsored program, with profits deposited directly into the PTA account. We are expecting a check to $74.88 in the next 4-6 weeks. Another PTA sponsored program is the “Nestle Pure Life Go Play!” points program( redeemable for catalog sports gear or transportation for fun field trips.
Corresponding Secretary’s Report:Teachers thanked PTA for our work.
Teacher Representatives’ Report: It was clarified that room parent coordinators and room parents take care of Achievement Test breakfasts. Also, PTA covers the mailbox subscriptions for educational magazines located behind Mrs. Pierce’s desk. Also, the Publishing Room (PTA office) will be locked during the day, and the key should be available at the front office.
Principal’s Report:Acting RBE principal, Mr. Nicholes, stated that he will continue his work at RBE as long as he is needed here.
New Business: SMART Board representative, Erica Klopp, gave a SMART Board presentation in Miss Smith’s classroom (room 23). It was discussed that the Madison school district is very behind on official 21st century technology goals. [“SMART Board interactive whiteboards bring a whole new level of interactivity to any classroom. Combined with your computer and a projector, SMART Board brand products have the power to transform your space into a dynamic learning environment. The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later.” (Reference:
$1,399($349)
$667
~$2,000 / SMART Board
Floor Stand (SMART Board can alternatively be mounted directly to wall)
Projector (NEC brand recommended)
Total + S&H
Bulk discounts may be available when purchases are combined with other schools in our district, in addition to lower S&H costs. The projector can be mounted to the ceiling, extending lamp-life, alleviating “shadowing” effect on screen which is caused by damaging the projector over time (as may happen by bumping into it), and freeing-up classroom floor-space and eliminating floor wires. Projector lamps cost about $299 and last 2,000-3,000 hours (extended lamp-life is conferred by not bumping into the projector and by letting it cool down before moving it around the classroom). Projectors may need to be replaced every 5-10 years (established cost in maintaining the SMART Board system). Hands-on training to teachers, in addition to hand-outs and on-line training, is available with purchase. Ohio State Standard curriculums and many other inspiring resources, are fully available with the included software.
Committee Reports:
COSI: Tawnya Petti stated that we are ready for COSI to begin tomorrow. Also, she received 11 teacher responses concerning their interest in having COSI return next year. Seven said yes, four said no. We may need to poll the teachers again to get more responses. The due date for reserving COSI for next year may be as soon as April. COSI offers six science topics from which we get to elect. Alternative programs may be available to us (not through COSI).
Science Night: Science Night/Math Night is being organized by several teachers as a family event at RBE where students can learn and have fun at the same time. Groups will rotate through six rooms in 15 minute intervals, learning about the relationships between real-life, science and math, through topics such as geometry and cooking. Juggler, Arron Bonk, can perform for the last 20 minutes, incorporating the relationship between juggling and physics, for $200 (normally $250), if the budget allows (no budget for Science/Math Night had been established in the initial 2008-2009 RBE PTA budget). PTA approved by vote (19 yes, 0 no) to transfer up to $250 to the new Science/Math Night budget from our Healthy Heart funds.
Market Day:Christina Lewis said we had 27 customers and earned $139.75.
Yearbook: Yearbooks will be sold for $11.50.
Red Bird Run: The drawing to be printed on the Red Bird Run t-shirts will be chosen from an art contest that the children can participate in, that will start after Spring Carnival.
Right to Read Week: A local author and story-teller will perform for $800 on Family Night, during our camping-themed Right to Read Week. Our budget will also allow for S’mores, Camp “Read-A-Lot”, Camp “Fun & Games,” raffles and games that encourage the development of reading skills.
Spring Carnival: It is all about fun, with games set up in the gym, MPR and hallways. There will be a Chinese auction and food. Set-up is scheduled for Friday the 20th at 3PM. Game tickets can be purchased ahead (for a discount) or at the door. There will be a Kid’s Closet, gently-used, elementary school sized, clothing sale for 1 ticket/item (25¢). It was noted that PTA needs walkie-talkies for this event and others, such as the Red Bird Run and Talent Show. A motion to vote on the purchase of 2 sets of walkie-talkies (4 total), for a price not to exceed $300, was made (1st – Kearsten Wood, 2nd – Cindy Redd). The motion was approved (14-yes, 0-no).
Fundraising: PTA was disappointed with this year’s Merchant Cards fundraiser deal, and decided not to go through with it. A new fundraiser idea suggested was to arrange family portraits at RBE with a local photographer. It was noted that PTA earned $212.78 at our most recent Chuck-e-Cheese event.
New Business: PTA is looking for a great gift idea that we could give to RBE teachers for RBE’s 50th anniversary. We had previously discussed a tile wall in the hallway, where the children design the tiles (similar to something at HNK). A new idea, suggested by a teacher, was to purchase a park bench for the playground (teachers presently do not have a place to sit).
Meeting adjourned at 8:35PM.
ATTENDANCE
- H. Moran
- R. Laurence
- V. Wade
- D. Dedich
- T. Van Arsdale
- K. Wood
- C. Lewis
- T. Petti
- M. Popovich
- B. Gladwell
- J. Said
- L. Bayuk
- C. Asyer
- C. Redd
- M. Winner
- D. Nicholes
- L. McPeek
- S. Bacher
- K. Bober
- D. Doberdruk
- H. Zappitelli
- L. Ray
NEXT PTA MEETING: WEDNESDAY, 4/15/09, 7-8PM