West Towson Elementary PTA Meeting
WTES – Library
September 7, 2016; 7 p.m.

In attendance (43total):

Officers: Matthew Piercey (Pres.), Erin Cheikh (VP), Peter Grose (VP), Victoria Cowger (S)

Administrators : Sue Hershfeld( Principal), Pamela Crosell (Asst Principal)

Teachers:Michele Lansinger, Lynn Crooks,

Pam Chen, Holly Henson, Jennifer Stokes-Reichert, Molly Chacko, Meredith McCormack, Stephen Mathai, Lina Alon, Heather Kammann, Stephanie Hemm, Kate Cullum, HelanySinkler, PrasannaSantuanam, Ginny Gallagher, AbalomHeatwole Shank, Rabin Shrestha, Anh Anderson, , Muhammed Jargbolt-Sillah, Shaun Ungs, Meredith Dobrosielski, Samantha Apel, Esther Winikoff, Cynthia Boyd, Jennifer Ashley, Bill Ashley, Hillary Martell, Subrata Acharya, Julie Trumbauer, Aline Lin, Jacqueline Piercey, Greg Gosselin, Kena Gosselin, Katie Dickson, Ashley Kennedy, Lakeisha Galloway, RekeraRapaka

President’s Welcome and Introductions

  • Introduction of Mrs. Crosell as new Assistant Principal
  1. Treasurer’s Report (Nate Atkinson out, Matt Piercey (president) covered)
  • Budget to be approved 9/13 at Back to School night
  • Additional budget items:
  • Child care for PTA meetings? There is insurance coverage through Maryland PTA, so this is feasible and other local PTA (Pleasant Plains ES and Lutherville Lab ES do offer this) Question raisedif child has to be WTES student for insurance coverage or would younger siblings be covered as well.
  • Movie nights in the Fall? There was interest expressed.
  • Open budget items: Line item for ?? and PTA recognition
  1. Principal’s Report
  • Great turn out for first PTA meeting of academic year. Most well-attended PTA meeting since school opened.Thank you.
  • Transportation issues: Mrs. Hershfeld will meet with Operations on 9/14. Thank you for your patience. Routes are smoother.
  • Bus drivers’ breakfast on 9/23.
  • First bus evacuation drill on 9/23.
  • Back to school night will be on 9/13 at 7 pm. Will encourage everyone to be volunteer-trained. Will go through process at back-to-school night. For all interactions with kids, must be trained a month prior to volunteering.
  • New plan for all PTA events: Mrs. Hershfeld will send to Mr. Piercey PTA Event Planning forms (to include what do you need in terms of setup? How should equipment/tables and chairs be setup?)
  • New teacher added to first grade and second grade.
  • Due to increased class size, Mr. Melefsky and Ms. Jewel will now be 5 days a week for art and music.
  • Seeking someone for the role for a PTA Special Education Liaison. In the past, a parent served as a link to other parents to provide referrals to support services.
  1. Teachers’ Report(Mrs. Crooks and Mrs. Lansinger)
  • Request for Margo to order more Westy aprons.
  • Parents are curious if they can bring their children to Back-to-School Night. Need to let them know that it is not really a night for kids.
  • Teachers have been asking about reimbursement amount for this year. Need feedback from Nate.
  • Teacher breakfast which usually is a way to welcome teachers back was postponed as the teachers and admin had a team building field trip to Genessee Valley. Teachers had it laster in that week and it was greatlyappreciated.
  1. Back to School Planning
  • Volunteer Coordinator Needed – please notify Matt of interest. Not a large time commitment. In charge of updating a spreadsheet of all committee volunteers recruited.
  • Spreadsheet with list of possible volunteers has been started.
  • Volunteers needed for back to school night to recruit additional volunteers.
  • Holly provided an overview of back to school night.
  • Committee chairs would be in charge of reaching out to their list.
  • Margo requires 2 tables at back to school night.
  • Tables with committee members should arrive 20 minutes early.
  • Budget: Should this be a handout or projected? Consensus was that projected would be fine with some handouts available.
  • Suggestion to ask for PTA donations at BTS night and add a possible incentive.
  1. Social Media Presence
  • By show of hands, no attendees use Twitter and no need to incorporate this.
  • Pam is curious what people would like to see on the PTA website. Responses: Increase traffic to website by including a link in the teachers’ newsletters. Links to community events; include pictures from events. Add clear link to the A to Z directory. Fill out student directory form online, then output into a database.
  • URL link to calendar on website so can download it to phone.
  1. Committee/Liaison Plans and Calendar
  • Westy Whistler (school directory) Committee needed
  • Online directory needs to be created.
  • The school can no longer release information for Westy Whistler. May try to approach room parents for their help to obtain this information from parents. Would need to call them PTA room parents and not school room parents if going through them to request this information.
  • Room parent coordinator (Pam Coleman) may distribute information. She will be invited to PTA meetings.
  • PTA membership committee members needed.
  • Erin is VP and social committee chair. She could use assistance by someone taking on the role of social committee chair.Jackie Pierceyvolunteered for this role.
  • Mrs. Crooks and Lansinger will note PTA president’s email in newsletters.
  • Looking for suggestions for Yearbook Theme (last year’s: Westys Get Moving). Email the Yearbook Committee Chair.
  • Box Tops due October 12. No contests this year. Julie Trumbauer is the Box Tops Committee chairwoman. The Labels for Education program is over, do not send in Labels /UPC codes
  • Environmental committee: The Textile tuck will be here twice this school year – 1st date on onOctober 29, 9a-2p. Donate any textiles, clothing, etc. Post onto Next Door and Facebook.
  • Prospective calendar with dates for the school year handed out. These are posted on website too.
  • 09/23 – Family Social Night (also first day of Book Fair). There will be a DJ, photo booth, Rita’s or Snowballs, bring a picnic.
  • Question raised: Is there someone who could put together a list of school event descriptions, a kind of family primer/orientation to WTES tradiations.events. Can be posted to the website and in the parents directory. Pam will create a page. Ashley and Shelly will email Mrs. Hershfeld to put this together.

Meeting adjourned: 8:00 pm