OTTER LAKE ELEMENTARY
PTA MEETING MINUTES 2.4.14
6:30 PM
Call meeting to order 6:30 PM
Inroductions
All present: Ellen Maruyama, Kelley Walhof, Michelle Selb-Sack, Cat McNerlin, Lee McGrath, Kelly Deery, Jessica Walton, Denise Woodcock, John Barnes, Jill Pearson, Molly Barth, Kasmynn Cessna, Drew Maruyama, LuAnneOklobzija, Kim Stout, Julie Heiden, Max DeRaad, Angie Law, Kristin Erickson
OLE Triathlon
Drew Maruyama presented a fundraiser idea to have a mini-triathlon called TRI (think, run, inspire). It would be part athletic and part academic combining running, bicycling and math test. The route has been coordinated, but we would need to gather registration info. He is looking into getting an insurance waiver. One issue is that part of the route would be off of school property. A possible date is 4/26, the day atter Bear Power. Volunteers would be needed for the event. Participants get a t-shirt and a race number.
Central Middle School and District IB update and Q and A
Jill Pearson, IB Coordinator at Central spoke to the PTA. She visited OLE last year as well. Central is an IB candidate school. She gave the PTA a global quiz to emphasize the global community are kids are growing up in. IB stands for International Baccalaureate. The IB framework works with MN state standards. Teachers design their own lessons. It is a holistic approach using 10 traits called learner profiles. The IB principles are on the Central cafeteria walls.
Dr. Noel Schmidt, Central principal, added that central has won many awards. An example of the IB interdisciplinary classes is science and math. Three IB visitors are coming to evaluate Central, and it is on track to be authorized by next Spring. Matoska is an IB elementary school.
Principal Report
Mr. DeRaad reported that he will be retiring at the end of this year and that parent volunteers will be needed on the principal select committee.
Mr. DeRaad had the first recess time with the Culver’s winners, and they played floor hockey.
2/14/14 and 4/4/14 were added to the school calendar to make-up some of the cold-weather days. Conferences will be moved to 4/3, 4/7 and 4/10. The next PTA meeting will be moved to 3/4/14.
The MN principals’ conference will include an OLE STEM presentation this week to show our school’s STEM journey.
OLE will be moving to a standards-based report card system for next fall. They should have more info and be more specific. The goal setting conferences may have to be the first week in November.
Teacher Report
Mrs. McGrath reported that the OLE Olympics were happening at school, with kids earning medals and school store cards for reading and exercise.
The MN Percussion Trio will be performing on Monday.
Kids will be doing an engineering project to design a winter boot. Each class will be assigned a country for the olympics, and there will be a closing ceremony.
Ms. Erickson reported that the student council collected 24 boxes of toys for the toy drive.
MAP testing is ending. Yum Power is happening. Stem Fair was a success. The 4th and 5th grade concert occurred.
The school store is now open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-9:20am until May.
Jessica Gunnufson and Ms. Erickson met to discuss the yearbook. Last year we ordered 401 books. PTA paid $70 of the expenses. Order forms will go out 2/10 and are due 3/31. There is an online order option this year.
PTA Report
Upcoming events are Bingo on 2/7 from 6:30-8 and Spring Book Fair 2/27, 3/3 and 3/6 with set up on 2/25. Volunteers are needed for Book Fair as well as a new Book Fair coordinator. Mrs. Dahl may want to take over. PTA will talk to her.
Other volunteer needs are a Staff Appreciation coordinator and PTA Treasurer.
Bear Power
The OLE Mov-A-Thon will launch 3/31. Kids will track minutes for physical activity and aim for 1 hour each day. PTA should earn 2K for school participation. Money could be used for playground equipment. Necklaces with charms from fitness finders will be given to kids as an incentive.
Budget
Molly Barth, PTA Treasurer, reported that the budget is shown with the PTA agenda.
We received $175 from Muller Theater for the movie fundraiser. No hassle for us.
Art Adventure Update
Cat Mcnerlin, Art Adventure coordinator, reported that the program went great this year. She is needing some space to store 3 bins of AA supplies. We had 25 picture people (art volunteers) who helped this year. Some discussion as to how the art programs could share resources. OLE pays the MIA $60 per art set and $12 per picture people.
Meeting adjourned 8:00 PM
Next meeting Tuesday 3.4.14 at 6:30 PM