Notes from Parent Senate Meeting September 11, 2007

Classical Magnet

Notes from Parent Senate Meeting September 11, 2007

Disclaimer: Please be advised that the following information was written down initially as “notes” and was not intended to be regarded as “minutes” of the meeting, therefore, in-depth detail is lacking in some instances.

The meeting was called to order by Martha Bertrand, president, at 6:30 p.m.

-Principal Tim Sullivan gave the Principal’s Report:

On November 10 from 9:00-12:00 Mr. Sullivan will be in the Trinity Room #203 to answer questions or hear ideas from parents. These meetings will be held once every quarter.

The CMT and CAPT scores are in –the students did good, but not great. Classical is exempt from the interventions being set in place by the Hartford Public School system. The scores will be mailed to parents late this week or early next week.

The new High School Assistant Principal is Miss Adams

There have been 13 new teachers and 1 new social worker hired for this school year after an expensive interview process.

The Parent Connect on-line program is up and running—this will allow parents 24-hour access to their child’s grades, assignments, discipline records, and attendance records. Go to parents.hartfordschools.org to apply

There are 3 chaperones needed to accompany students to The Hartford Stage for “Our Town” tomorrow—3 parents volunteered.

-Denise Kennedy, school librarian, presented a report:

The school book fair will be held from Wednesday September 26 to Wednesday October 3. Volunteers are needed during the day. Please contact Ms. Kennedy.

The Classical Library is connected to the Hartford Public Library website—you can view Classical’s catalog through the HPL website.

A brochure was handed out with online resources for students.

The Classical Library collects General Mills Boxtops for Education and has used Boxtops money to purchase a family pass to the New Britain Museum of American Art—this pass can be borrowed by any Classical family. Please send your Boxtops in to school with your student.

There will be a Summer Reading committee formed to plan for next year’s assignments—please contact Demise Kennedy to volunteer. Her e-mail is

The library opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 3:00 p.m.

Students have their library card # embedded into their student IDs

The library has 7000 books and our goal is 15,000—the state standard is to have 25 books per student.

-Martha discussed the possibility of Parent Senate meetings changing to Wednesday nights due to the fact that all Hartford Board of Ed and Council meetings are held on Tuesdays and we have to have a representative at those meetings. More info will follow.

-The phone number for any teacher in the building is “695-9” followed by the teacher’s room number; so the teacher in room #208 has the phone number 695-9208.

-The following positions on the Parent Senate need to be filled and people have volunteered as noted:

--Vice President— a parent volunteered

--Secretary—Cathy Schneider volunteered

--Curriculum and Instruction Committee—meets monthly, 2 members are needed to serve a 1-year term to discuss changes in books, purchasing books, all aspects of the curriculum, hiring teachers

--Student Life Committee—consists of 2 parents, 2 students, and 2 faculty members who meet once a month after school to discuss sports, enrichment, uniforms. Suggestions may be made by parents or students.

--Volunteer Coordinator-maintains list of volunteer names and places phone calls for specific events and needs

--Bylaws committee

--Monthly Event Coordinator-looking for someone to coordinate an event every month that will be an educational activity for students—may be as simple as getting a singer to perform at the lunch waves or running a parent shadowing day, a college training day for parents, a diversity fair—the possibilities are endless. All ideas and suggestions are welcome.

--Uniform Bank Chair—to help students obtain uniforms and help other students get rid of their uniforms that are too small

-A discussion was had about the possibility of web-casting the Parent Senate meetings for parents who cannot attend in person; conclusion was drawn that the agenda and minutes should just be posted on the school website.

-The temperature of the building was discussed with a consensus that it is too cold. The subject will be broached with Mr. Sullivan.

-A suggestion was made to send out a flyer to all parents asking if anyone has a talent, hobby, or knowledge that they’d like to share with students and/or teachers—this could be presented directly to the kids or could be a resource for teachers to tap into.

-The school website desperately needs to be updated on a more regular basis and directions to the school need to be added.

-A suggestion was made for there to be a coordinator specifically to get volunteers to help with Arts events with a parent volunteering for this.

-The lobby needs to be more decorative and inviting through out the year.

-It was suggested that parents that work for or have connections to large corporations check to see if they have a voluntary match program whereby money will be sent to the school for your child’s graduating class.

Martha Bertand’s e-mail address is and her cell # is 416-2276

Luz Fraticelli’s e-mail is

The meeting was adjourned at 8:15.