Patterson PTA General Meeting Minutes

November 8, 2011

  1. Call to Order at 9:37 by President Donna Widmann
  1. Treasurer’s Report
  2. Treasurer Terri Maas reviewed the budget summary covering activity from October 8 – November 8
  3. Deposits: Apparel, BBBB, GW sales, Culver’s Night, Membership, Director ads
  4. Expenses: federal tax filings, field trips, GW expenses, Hospitality, Volunteer Appreciation lunch, Room Parents, Assemblies
  1. President’s Report – Donna Widmann
  2. Teachers were notified that PTA will provide $10 per student for field trips
  3. New “bully bulletin board” outside MPR. Bulletin board will have photos with examples of bully and buddy behavior. Bullying posters placed around the building
  4. Motion by Lisa Pearce to approve the October 2011 minutes. Michelle Bassi seconds the motion. October minutes are approved.
  1. Principal’s Report
  2. ISAT results and school report card
  3. ISAT scores for Patterson are phenomenal
  4. ISAT is changing in a couple of years. Test may be performed quarterly to get more timely feedback
  5. CBMs and other assessments will continue to be used to get immediate feedback
  6. National core standards will be implemented as well and there will be changes in our curriculum
  7. Parent Teacher conferences are this week – Wed PM and Thursday all day. No school on Thursday and Friday
  8. Veterans assembly will run at least an hour. Parking could be an issue and visitors should arrive as early as possible
  9. Lisa Pearce asked about the “heat day” that is showing up on report cards as an absence. Since the kids weren’t allowed to be at school, it should not appear as an absence. Mrs. Frost explained that there is an issue with district attendance reporting since the majority of district and staff was in attendance. It appears as an excused absence for all elementary students.
  10. New district wide computer system is in the process of being implemented
  11. 3rd Grade curriculum
  12. issues with amount of tests, projects and homework
  13. teachers are moving away of end of unit tests and doing more assessments after a skill rather than a unit
  14. takes over a year to switch to a different assessment policy
  15. 3rd grade is the first grade that is graded with letter grades so they need to assess skill acquisition
  16. “A” grade: can do a list of skills and have them mastered
  17. Parent concerns that they are memorizing and not learning the information
  18. Follow up with Donna
  19. Rosati’s day on the 22nd
  20. Fundraising to get an iPad for the school for teachers to try out and see if it would be a good investment
  1. Mr. Lia – Instructional Technology report
  2. Review current technology at Patterson and how it is being used
  3. New laptops and computers as part of summer refresh. All classes have at least a couple of computers and this has increased efficiency in classrooms
  4. Age appropriate research on the internet and how to use internet responsibly
  5. Some time has been spent instructing teachers on new Windows software and school splash page
  6. Typing program for students
  7. 79.3 % Patterson Spring technology assessment; scores ranged from 70 – 99%
  8. Smart Boards being used on a daily basis
  9. District needs to update its infrastructure. District might allow students to bring in their own devices and are currently looking at other districts to see how they allow it
  10. Attendance and lunch counts done through Smartboard
  11. Internet safety. A representative from Napeville Police Department comes into discuss with students
  12. Using technology to help engage the students
  1. Executive Committee Reports
  2. VP Administration – Karen Amundsen
  3. Assignment notebooks update
  4. Room Parties – went smoothly and will start to prepare for Winter parties
  5. Michelle Bassi report for Clerical and Hospitality. Greeters Desk is covered for day with book fair. American Education luncheon next week. Education Support day next week (Katie Purse)
  6. Kris Dalaly reported that the Yearbook is on track. Pictures have been coming in and we will use same printer as last year.
  7. IPSN update – Next meeting November 15 and a special education advocate will speak. November 16 is fundraising event for IPSN
  8. Directories are in and being distributed
  9. PDAC – 2nd annual World Café on December 5 from 7-9. Theme is bridging academics and building community
  10. VP Financial – Janet Juarez
  11. Susie Schwinn reported on alternate funding. Butterbraids can be ordered up to today. Pickup is tomorrow 3:30-5 in MPR ($1500 profit so far).
  12. Naperville gift cards will be right after. Forms will be due December 2.
  13. Culver’s night profit: $308
  14. Gift Wrap final numbers– $22,831.50 +1800 from teachers
  15. Jett’s night fundraiser: Dec. 20
  16. VP Enrichment – Eileen Boffa
  17. Cara Knutson reported on Reflections. 45 entries from Patterson this year (75 last year). Entries are down across district. 25 of Patterson’s entries have advances to district judging.
  18. Art Awareness: December still short for H/S, Kane, Conway, Hauser, Shaw
  19. Community Service – Pajamas for winter party collection, Pajama Program
  20. BBBB – registration is closed; kids are being organized; books have been ordered; juice box and sugar cookie from Chartwells for snack
  21. Reading programs – KC Cougars; Patterson will be singing the national anthem at the game
  22. No Chess Club this year because not enough people
  23. New Business
  24. Student Council will be meeting with Chartwells to give feedback
  25. Scholastic is surveying our school regarding electronic readers. This will be done during book fair
  26. Carpool is starting up and safety patrol is looking for cars with multiple numbers. There will be a sign for carpool winners spot. Safety patrol will also be taking car number of parents on the cell phones. Attendance is held on days when weather is bad
  27. Hot lunch and milk line are different from last year; kids getting milk have to wait in hot lunch line; some kids are saying line is too long
  28. Zero voice in the lunchroom? Is it allowed? Katie Purse will follow up with lunchroom staff
  29. Lisa Pearce motion to move $25 from Meet and Greet to be used to pay CPA. Michelle Bassi seconds. Motion approved
  1. Old Business
  1. Adjourned: 10:51

Members present:

Donna Widmann / Terri Maas / Alissa Chrisos
Karen Amundsen / Eileen Boffa / Michelle Bassi
Janet Juarez / Cara Knutson / Bill Lia
Michelle Frost / Katie Purse / Kris Dalaly
Lisa Pearce / Susie Schwinn / Gretchen Greever

1