Parent Association Minutes

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Parent Association Minutes

Welcome and Introduction

Jenni Pencyla, President

Þ  Began meeting.

Administrative Updates and Introductions

Dr. Roberts, Head of School

Þ  Reported that we have had more interest in our school than ever before. This year Jill Due, Director of Admission, has given the most number of tours for our school compared to years past. There is a new Admissions video soon to be published; be on the lookout for that coming soon.

Þ  The school is a bit quieter today as standardized testing is going on now.

Þ  Enthusiastic to report on high school night – a huge success: 44 schools came to recruit our 31 students. On this night CCS also invites Franklin Fine Arts school, as a good neighborly thing to do.

Þ  The Rush Kidder event was so successful; we have recently been noted in his national blog touting our CCS ROARS.

Þ  We are in the push for making our annual giving goals – no matter the amount, 100% participation is key.

Þ  CCS has now had the 2nd zoning committee meeting for the REACH expansion project. The biggest topic was traffic concerns. We were well received by the community. We have two more zoning meeting, the final one being downtown. The project is going well and moving forward.

Dr. Pam Pifer, Lower School Division Head

Mentioned a few projects…

Þ  If a school is not innovating it is moving backwards. Science and technology... Mr. Simeon is a member of the science teacher network at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. He has arranged for experts to come to CCS and work with our 3rd and 4th graders bringing with them special instruments. Relating to an upcoming field trip: Prehistoric coral reefs are in Lemont, IL, which is the closest cannon in IL. Children will see fossilized cannon walls, and will visit a dolomite prairie. There is only 500 acres of dolomite on the planet, and IL has 100 of those acres. Technology: CCS has generously provided iPads for EC and 1st grade. One of the teachers used the iPad to make pictures of children of the children reading, and keyed that with the learning continuum demonstrating to parents where their child was in their literacy development; this was shared with those parents during conferences. 1st grade classroom are creating eBooks!!! During writing workshop, they take small moments from their life and they zoom in on that thought, develop a published piece, which now at this time has been turned into eBooks. There will be an author page will have voiceover as well. This is so important because our children see the adults in their lives using these very technologies in smart and useful ways. This is a terrific way to show children the best of these technologies, as part of their learning process. We now use a document camera in conjunction with the smart board screens…it’s actual similar to a high tech projector with but with manipulation of real items such as plants, books, math learning-manipulatives, etc, all right there for the children to better view. This certainly expands the classroom experience.

Þ  Support CCS with Books and Reading. The 2011 Barnes & Noble Book Fair will be held on Thursday, December 8,at the Barnes & Noble at Webster and Clybourn, from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Proceeds from purchases will benefit the CCS Library. Please note the option to purchase items online at www.bn.com from Thursday, December 8, through Tuesday, December 13,in support of CCS. Just use ID #10511897 during checkout to signal that you want your purchase to count towards the CCS Book Fair! Perhaps most importantly, teachers and staff have submitted wish list items that will be made available for purchase at the Book Fair and later donated by each student to his or her respective teacher.

Þ  Several CCS faculty members will be sharing a favorite book at the event!The schedule is as follows:

3:30 p.m. – Amanda Beights & Carli McKenney (PS)

3:45 p.m. – Karla Beard Leroy (Music)

4:00 p.m. – Rachel Hill (SK)

4:15 p.m. – Sharon Godley & Jolene Fairchild (Grade 2)

4:30 p.m. – Rachel Kennedy (Early Bird/Lunch Bunch)

4:45 p.m. – Patrick Gall (Library)

5:00 p.m. – Barb Fisher (JK)

5:15 p.m. – Lauren Cohen (JK)

Advancement Update

Kerri Neis, Associate Director of Annual Fund & Special Events

Þ  Reminded that pledges for Annual Fund are due on December 31st. Payment is due on or before March 31st. This gives an opportunity for end-of-year- deductions, offering some flexibility with time.

Marty Padilla and Shawna Norsman, Annual Benefit Co-chairs

Þ  This year’s benefit, to be held March 10, 2012, at Union Station.

Þ  Announced Shawna Norsman as Benefit Co-Chair.

Þ  Announced Committee Chairs to date…

Hospitality and Décor Co-Chairs, Lesli Dahlberg and Evie McCullen

Raffle Chair, Heather Haukness

Student Art Co-Chairs, Julie Fuller and Tia Hild

Teacher Time Chair, Christy Levy

Graphic Design, Wendy Keller

Silent and live Auction…still to be filled, coming soon.

Þ  Please step forward if you’d like to help in any way. Contact both Marty and Shawna, or these Co-Chairs named above.

Parent Association Committee Chairs

Lesli Dahlberg and Shawna Norsman, Mom’s Club co-chair

Þ  CCS Mom’s Club will be participating in the Food Depository again this year. We will be packaging foods assembly-line style, on Tuesday, December 13th from 9am-Noon. If you have a Preschool/JK student, leaving a little early from the event should still be OK. We would love for you to join us; please RSVP on-line. So far 20 people have RSVP’d for this event. We do acknowledge that the time of this event may be tricky for parents of ½ day children, but every effort was made to pick from the best time slots, which were given and of those available from the Food Depository. For this event bins for can food donations are located in 3 places throughout the school, even if you do not plan to attend on Tuesday. Please donate generously, as CCS ordinarily does especially at this time of year. A car-pooling list is in progress for those who might be interested. On the day of the event you may not bring personal items into the Food Depository.

Þ  A future Mom’s Club event might be at Second City; still a work in progress – more information to come soon.

Stephanie Free, Parent Education Coordinator

Þ  Rush Kidder event: Thank you for to all volunteers and attendees for the fabulous turnout. So much help was provided by many – thank you!

Þ  Announcement: the CCS website, now has a parent education tab under the CCS community pull-down, and includes calendar of events, volunteer list etc. http://www.catherinecookschool.org/page.cfm?p=4040

Þ  Upcoming event: Nanny workshop, a nanny and a family tonight. This is a workshop for any family who has, is soon to have, or has had a nanny. Please see the Parent Education page on the CS website for more information.

Þ  “Are you parenting like a caveman?” a workshop by Karen Jacobson is being held a Flourish Studios on December 8th @ 7pm. RSVP on-line: http://npnparents.org/events/388

Stacia Garriott-Kass, Room Parent Coordinator

Þ  Thank everyone for organizing the potlucks!! It’s always a lot of work and greatly appreciated.

Þ  PA reimbursement this time of year is for holiday in-class party only, not for Halloween festivities. Although there were no changes from last year, apologies for any confusion if this information was not clear from the start of the year.

Þ  Any donation to the school or class is a tax write off and you can find that form in the front office.

Þ  Holiday party’s per student budget $3. Again, this is for an in–class celebration only!! This money may not be used for a class present, donation, gift, or anything else. You must submit reimbursement form for these expenses.

Announcements

Kathleen Mitchell, Treasurer

Þ  Holiday Reimbursement forms are due before the end of the year!! It is very important that these reimbursements are submitted; otherwise that money is subject to be removed from the budget for next year, if the money is not needed or used.

Þ  Distributed a copy of the PA budget at today’s meeting, and thanked everyone who has been submitting reimbursements on time.

Jenni Pencyla, President

Þ  Thanked Halloween chairs and volunteers for such an excellent job!

Þ  Thanked Stephanie Free and volunteers for the successful Rush Kidder event!

Þ  Holiday concerts:

Friday, December 8th @ 8:45 a.m. for 1st and 2nd graders

Wednesday, December 14th @ 6 p.m. for Middle School

Friday, December 16th (3 separate performances):

SK students @ 8:45 a.m. (Regular dismissal)

PS & JK-AM students @ 10:15 a.m. (dismissal after concert)

PS & JK-PM students @ 1:45 p.m. (dismissal after concert)

Þ  Teacher gift giving policy – Parents should not solicit for group gifts. If you are inclined to giving, and personal gift is the way to go.

Þ  We are starting to look for positions for next year. Nominations are being taken through the Executive Committee; please contact EC.

Þ  Front office has asked that we do not use it for collected any items or goods. You will need to find other places to coordinate money collection, etc, for various groups, classes, or personal needs.

Þ  If you need to schedule a meeting or an event, we have an online planning form. This immediately is directed/sent to appropriate staff to coordinate any equipment and the space requested within the reservation. This on-line reservation should be used for all CCS event requests.

Jenni Pencyla, President

Meeting adjourned.