Swarthmore Rutledge School
Home & School Meeting Minutes
4-23-14, 7:00pm, SRS Library
I. Attendance:
II. Meeting Called to Order: 7:08pm
III. Business
A. Part I- Home and School Highlights
1. Review and Approval of Minutes from 3-19-14
Motioned Dana and 2nd by Lynn. Minutes are approved without revisions.
2. Principal’s Report - Dr. Tuck
Pssa’s almost complete. Science next week.
Arbor Day tomorrow at college. 5th graders leading. Trees can be picked up from college on Saturday.
Thankyou for teacher appreciation luncheon. Staff really enjoyed it.
Relay for Life is April 26. Mini-Relay occurred before break.
3. President’s Report - Tracy DiBonaventura
Events-
Spring Book Fair grossed $3,500
Stem Night/Earth Day went well, low turn out, good presentations/activities
(perhaps wasn’t as well advertised, will consider wether or not its worth it to do spring)
Teacher Appreciation Lunch,
4. Upcoming Events/ Committee Reports
Earth Month Events- Jen Pfluegger. Classes scheduled for Earth Day garden work. Parents are welcome to attend. Need two wheeled wheel barrows and frisbees, put in bin in lobby.
Bike to School Day – 5/7 Tracy DiBonaventura. Princeton Ave tunnel is opening and will be apart of Bike to School Day. Police Escorts, routes mapped out, parent guides to meet kids and meeting points. Email Julie or Tracy. Eblast with information to go out this Friday
Phillies Night – 5/2 Laurie McClean. We have at least 20. Tickets can still be purchased via phone.
End-of-Year Celebration – 5/16 Polly Weiss. “Oh The Places You Go” inflatables, band, DJ. Boing Bounce is sponsoring (50% savings), Coop is sponsoring and catering. $30 per family. Will need volunteers to man stations and set up and clean up. Advanced sales will be needed.
African Dance – 5/30. Additional funding received for additional performances to include all grades
Spirit Night at Ritas – 6/4. May need prizes. Will need volunteers.
Giant A+ Awards- SRS was the top school, over 2,000.
5. Parent Comment Time
Sandra Sullivan, wall ball. Phase 1 complete. Permit, structural engineer, concrete for free, wall is constructed by Boedco. WSSD Grounds people have approved. Dr. Tuck concerned about the rough edges. Next phase is to paint it. Can be painted relatively quickly, don’t need to wait a year. Suggested doing a dedication ceremony to recognize Boedco and Todd Smith. Plaques have been designed to be attached to corner of the wall. Can consider doing little plaques to present as well.
Kaycee Connallen, Fifth Grade Art Project. Neil Yanoff is artist. Lobby is location. Multi media project. arms cast into integrated a mural, led lights will be projected unto mural. Students can program their own light show that can be used by the projector. Digital Filaments have donated the artist’s time. Project to be unveiled as part of graduation.
Vippy Yee, Asia Week- First and second graders celebrated Country of India. Classroom teachers had activities, also H&S had food tasting( ), henna tattoos (Christi Trigianna). Dance troupe to come in spring.
Vippy Yee, EBlast - new editor is training with Vippy.
Dr. Tuck thanked Sandra and Courtney’s husband for contributions to wall ball.
B. Part II – Home & School Business
1. Treasurer’s Report- Sue Wenger
Monthly Update- Note book fair. Hit our budget. Direct Family donation is under. Exceed corporate. We will be over our income goal. Program expenses are fine. Some items are outstanding, still coming up. Additional $1,100 coming in plus $174 from Wizards game.
2014-2015 Proposed Budget Highlights
-increases for expected income- back to school picnic, bingo night, corporate retail
-expenses increased- STEM budget, teacher initiative fund (we want to support the teachers), insurance (need more coverage)
-added- kindergarten
-expenses decreased- Social Studies, sustainability, hospitality (b/c we moved some funds to K, bike to school, and movie night)
-Note- yearbook is the same but this year we have funded the yearbook in $2200. Next year we will continuee to give $1000 but we will need to charge for the yearbook.
-Someone suggested we consider social studies budget and try to add in Kindergarten
- Proposed budget will be voted on in May.
2. Teacher Initiative Requests: Tracy DiBonaventura (vote required)
One has come in but we are out of funds.
Request 1: Kim Aronovitz for Ipad/accessories. She doesn’t have a router currently but she will have access. Will defer the request to technology people and foundation. Funds not available; Can reapply in September.
Discussed the need to make sure the teachers know about the foundation.
3. 2014-2015 Executive Committee Nominees
Nominations include- Tracy, Michele, Lynn Mezza(VP), Karey Hogg (treasurer), Jodi Caputo (receiving treasurer), Autumn Mansor (secretary)
4. Presentation of Surplus Requests - See summary
Each of 9 proposals was presented, questions and comments were permitted, 5 minutes was allotted to each proposal, with additional time being offered at the end of presentations if needed.
Question about ipads: 75 in building; 1st, 4th and 5th grade have them; discussed options for sharing, use of carts, etc.; school currently unable to access internet in all parts of building; wiring being completed to allow access to technological systems and services everywhere, due to be complete by 2014/2015 school year
Questions about playground tube proposal: Size of tube was unclear*, concerns about length of tube, being unable to monitor children; Discussed potential problems with kids using it as a hang out after school hours
* Update as of - The tube size was clarified to be a shorter length and have windows for monitoring children
Discussed the amount of surplus H&S typically has and the system and procedure for spending the surplus. This year’s surplus is an accumulation of multiple years of unspent surplus. Per our by-laws, we are now seeking, reviewing, and voting on proposals for how to spend the surplus.
Suggestions Made:
1. Consider having an overall school plan for ipad/tech use.
2. Consider forming a playground planning committee to create an overall longterm plan for playground/rec area and to oversee maintenance
IV. H&S Team Comment Time: None
V. Next Meeting: May 21, 2014 at 7pm
VI. Meeting Adjourned: 8:40pm
Respectfully Submitted,
Autumn C. Mansor