JES PTG Meeting Minutes September 14th, 2016 – called to order at 7:00

PTG Board Updates:

Co-Presidents– Sheana Martin Zombek and Jill Enright welcomed everyone for coming to the PTG meeting. Agenda reviewed.

Vice President – Leslie Jones

  • September birthday board is up

Treasurer – Angie Rigdon

  • Reviewed budget.
  • Audit was completed in August, which Sheana Martin Zombek and Brae Fuller approved.
  • Proposed budget was discussed regarding HERO t-shirts to be covered for incoming Kindergartners and any new students. The rest of the grades will have their grade level t-shirts. All in attendance approved proposal.
  • Reviewed expense voucher and receipt voucher.

Recording Secretary – Sarah VanMarter asked everyone to review June minutes. The minutes were approved by Brae Fuller and Julie Dunn.

Correspondence Secretary– Katie Kenna read thank you cards, sent out birthday cards for August and September, wedding card sent to Mrs. Baum and a card to Mrs. Singletary for new baby.

Principal’s Update – Peter Reyes

  • Introduced Mr. Ristau as the administrator intern.
  • Character ED
  • HERO program – focusing on student needs.
  • Kindness and Friendship – what does it look like?
  • School Spirit Day
  • Kindergarten will wear red and the other grades will wear HERO shirt.
  • Discussed building level goals
  • AIS refined by reaching all of our children. Most of the students are on grade level.
  • Discussed technology with Chrome books and Promethean boards for 4th grade.
  • Continuing to focus on ELA curriculum. The focus will be running records, reading and writing.
  • New staff
  • Dennis Boice – PE teacher
  • Anastasia Ariaga - Art teacher
  • 3 part time Teacher Aides to work with children. Kim Schellinger will be working in Kindergarten. The other 2 will be announced at the next BOE meeting.
  • Mr. Ristau discussed Differentiating Instruction with Technology in K-5 Classrooms by Grace Smith and Stephanie Throne. This book is being used for professional development at faculty meetings each month. It combines two important topics in education today: differentiating instruction in the classroom and effectively incorporating technology into classroom instruction. Each month we will focus on one chapter of the book in an effort to build various strategies that teachers can use in their classrooms.

Teacher Introductions/Update:

  • Dennis Boice and Cheryl Hoosock
  • Mr. Boice promoted the Festival of Races. It is on Sunday October 2nd, 2016 at 10:45 am.

New Business:

  • There is a need for 12 fans to be replaced. Fans cost $78/each. This would be purchased with the school improvement funds.
  • Approved by Michelle Kielbasinski and Ciarrai Eaton.

Committee Chairs Introductions:

  • Teacher Appreciation – Kari Avramov
  • Volunteers needed for teacher faculty meetings starting October 4th, 2016.
  • She is open to ideas and suggestions.
  • Sign up genius –
  • Fall Family Picnic – Marry Battacharjee & Dana Corcoran
  • Volunteers are needed for September 15, 2016.
  • 150 families attending, about 500 people.
  • Directory – Teresa McQuaid (not in attendance)
  • Directory forms went out last week.
  • Room Parent – Angie Rigdon
  • Every classroom has 2 to 3 room parents.
  • There are 4 parties during the school year.
  • 10/28 – Halloween party will be at 1:45 pm and Halloween Parade will be at 2:15 pm.
  • 12/23 – Holiday party
  • 2/14 – Valentine’s party
  • 6/21 – End of year party
  • September 20th – form will go out.
  • Room party fee for each student is $8.
  • School Spirit – Allie Gallagher
  • A local rep – Downstream Outfitters will be assisting with apparel.
  • There will be an online store so other schools can purchase apparel.
  • There will be low end and high end prices. Under Armour will be one of the brands used.
  • There will be sweatshirts, hats, t-shirts, drawstrings bags and blankets.
  • Leftover items from last year will be for sale at the Fall Family Picnic.
  • First school spirit day will be September 30th – JD Pride.
  • Roller Skating – Meenu Bajwa
  • Four times/year
  • 3rd/4th Oct. 5th; 1st/2nd Nov 29th and 3rd/4th Jan 12th
  • Volunteers needed
  • After School Programs – Committee
  • Forms going out next Thursday and due the following Wednesday.
  • Starts October 11th, 2016
  • Fundraising – Brae Fuller
  • One Dime at a Time
  • Classes will fill a bottle of dimes throughout the school year.
  • Winning classroom will choose their favorite charity to donate.
  • Save Around coupon book
  • Barnes and Noble in December
  • Restaurant nights – Uno’s
  • Sweet Frog; TOPS; and Red Robin are other fundraising opportunities.
  • BINGO – Amy Cimino and Alisa Albanese
  • First Bingo is October 21st.
  • Book Fair – Jill Enright
  • There will be 2 this year.
  • October 24th (preview day) – 28th will be the first book fair.
  • Box Tops – Erin Babikian
  • They are due at the end of October.
  • Class that has the most will get a treat.
  • Dance – Sheana Martin Zombek
  • Starts November 2nd.
  • This is a committee that will need someone to run it next school year.
  • Veteran’s Day Lunch – Mandy Brown (not in attendance)
  • November 9th
  • Students get to have lunch with their Veterans.
  • Holiday Magic – Sarah VanMarter and Julie Dunn
  • December 8th and 9th.
  • Volunteers needed to make crafts to sell for students to buy gifts for their family members during the holiday season.
  • Multicultural Night – Katie Clinton & Traci Geisler (not in attendance)
  • January 19th, 2017
  • More to come.
  • Art Show – Brae Fuller
  • February 2nd, 2017
  • Students can submit a piece for the show. There is music provided by the High School as well as hors d’oeuvres are served.
  • Movie Night – still in need of a committee chair
  • February 10, 2017.
  • Committee Reports
  • Welcome Back Breakfast
  • 10 gift cards were given away
  • Food was provided by Maggie Mahshie
  • BLT and Steering Committee have not met.
  • Board of Education
  • Next meeting 9/26/16
  • Volunteers can sign up on sign up genius (
  • Monday November 7th, the BOE meeting will be held at JES.
  • Board member and parent at JES, Michelle Kielbasinski encouraged families to attend meetings.
  • The BOE discussed adding another section for 1st grade at JES.
  • Year-round business
  • Year book pictures – send pictures to
  • Pictures for TV monitor – send pictures to

There were questions regarding the 1st grade section on how it will be split up.

Mr. Reyes stated that some students have left. He also explained there is discussion with the district office on ways to split the classes up.

Jill Enright mentioned that there is a JES Blast that is sent out weekly and how to sign up for the blast. There is also a JES Facebook page.

Next PTG meeting scheduled for 10/5/16 at 7 pm in the Library.

Attendees of 9/14 /16 meeting

Board – Sheana, Jill, Sarah, Katie, Leslie, Angie

Staff – Peter Reyes, Tim Ristau, Dennis Boice, Cheryl Hoosock

Merry Bhattacharjee

Kari Avramov

Carrie Parish

Holly Piselli

Gretchen Bliss

Denise McGeoghegan

Susan Grooms

Ciarrai Eaton

Julie Dunn

Alisa Albanese

Sheehan McIntosh

Amy Cimino

MeenuBajwa

Erin Babikian

Jaeyun Hwang

Suphatra Gilbert

JonnaCosbey

Rashmi Deshpande

John Taylor

Deborah Kim

Jessica Brown

Allison Gallagher

Christine Brophy

Marisa Borer