The High School for Math Science and Engineering @ City College
138 Convent Avenue, New York, New York 10031
tel: 212-281-6918 fax: 212-281-6918
HSMSE PTA NEWSLETTER
February 2008
UPCOMING HSMSE EVENTS:
· HSMSE PTA will be sponsoring their first winter fundraiser, the QSP magazine drive in February. Looking for a good winter’s read? Now is the time to place your order.
· PTA Executive Board meeting is Monday February 4 at 5:30 pm. in the Baskerville Conference room. All meetings are open.
· HSMSE will host our Spring Open House on February 11 from 6:00 PM till 8:00 PM in The Great Hall. This event is for students and families that have been offered a seat for the Fall of 2008. Mr. Dugan is looking for families to act as ambassadors for HSMSE for this evening.
· SLT Meeting is Tuesday February 12 at 4:30. All are welcome.
· Our next PTA meeting is Wednesday February 13 @ 6:30PM in Baskerville Hall. All are welcome.
· The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC 10 & 12 for the high school level) are offered every year by the Mathematical Association of America. The first round, the AMC 10 and 12, will take place on Tuesday February 12.
· School is closed Monday February 18 - February 22 for Midwinter Recess. Have a wonderful and safe vacation.
NEWS AND NOTEWORTHY:
· Welcome to Ruth Taina Sanchez, the new Parent Coordinator for HSMSE. See draft minutes for more info on Taina.
A note from our Parent Coordinator:
Dear Parents, My name is Ruth Taina Sanchez and I am the new Parent Coordinator at HSMSE. I am very enthusiastic about my opportunity to work with the HSMSE community. My goal is to continue to bridge the gap between parents, teachers and students within the HSMSE community with the expectations of continuing a productive network of communication. I look forward to running workshops for parents and planning events that will be open for all of the HSMSE community to enjoy. Please be on the look out throughout the month of February for more information on a HSMSE community trip in March. We would like to offer parents, staff and students an opportunity to tour the Apollo or Harlem. This Trip will be open to the entire HSMSE community and will be held on a Saturday. Currently we are looking at Saturday March 15th or Saturday March 29th. I will provide more information on exact dates and prices within the month of February. Thank you for making me a part of your wonderful school and I look forward to working with you. Best regards, Ruth Taina Sanchez
· The Junior Statesmen of America, JSA, will be attending a conference in Washington D.C. in February. Good luck to the JSA.
· Parents, please urge your children to check the "opportunities" bulletin board. There are scholarship, science fair, and poster opportunities that the students can take advantage of.
· HSMSE is now registered with Schoolpop. Parents can help the school by shopping online through schoolpop.com.
· New! HSMSE Hoodies now on sale. Available in Grey or Black. Hoodies $25 Sweatshirts $20. See Mr. Carey in NAC Room 4/146A.
· Websites to check out for students looking for places to volunteer: www.operationsmile.org www.dosomething.org/volunteer.
· Do you have an organization that can use volunteers? Contact Kris Frederick @ to submit your organization’s need in the next PTA newsletter.
FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE NOTES
Last chance to be a Parent Representative- Apply Now! To volunteer please contact Betsy,
SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS:
· Would you like to place an ad in the 2008 yearbook? Act fast- only 4 pages left. First come- first served. Email Jen Boylan at to place your ad.
· SENIORS DUES- $150are due in March.
· The Senior Trip was a great success. Forty of the 91 seniors went Skiing to Holiday Mountain on Saturday and had a wonderful time.
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DOES YOUR CHILD NEED COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS?
· All our students need 200 hours of community service. Do you have an organization that can use volunteers? Send us your contacts and we will publicize them so that students can reach their goals and assist your organization. Contact Kris Frederick @ to submit your organization’s need in the next PTA newsletter.
HOW CAN YOU HELP THE HSMSE PTA?
· Marketing Advice Needed - The PTA would like to put together a marketing plan. The goal isto help ensure that the strongest possible students choose HSMSE as their specialized high school. Please contact PTA Co-President April Feffer at .
· Grant-Writer(s) Needed - If any parents have experience writing grant proposals, or can recommend someone with experience, please contact PTA Co-President April Feffer at .
· Corporate Matching - Check to see if your company offers corporate matching for donation. Contact PTA co-President Betsy Armstrong at or PTA Treasurer Bruce Gressin, b-gressin .
· Wanted: Willing people to help organize a PTA event. If you have a new idea, can stuff envelopes or just want to help please contact April at or Betsy at .
· The PTA is asking each family to make a contribution of $300 (or whatever you are able to give) to the HSMSE PTA. Funds will be used for enriching the experience our students will have at MSE. SAT Prep, after school clubs, school trips, teacher development, graduation, yearbook, communication, and social functions are a few of the ways the money will be spent. Checks can be made payable to HSMSE PTA and mailed to HSMSE PTA @ City College 138 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031.
· Reminder: Cell phones and used ink cartridges can be recycled AND benefit the school. Bring your used ones to the PTA meeting or call Cecilia 212-691-0332 to arrange drop off through backpack mail.
Reminder: Our next PTA meeting is Wednesday February 13 @ 6:30PM in Baskerville Hall.
Be there.
Make a difference in your child’s education.
DRAFT Meetings Minutes for PTA of HSMSE January 8, 2008
April Feffer gave a welcome and a reminder of upcoming Regents Week schedule and non-attendance days. Minutes from December meeting are not available so approval will be deferred until next month.
Mr. Dugan introduced our new Parent Coordinator, Taina Sancez. She comes to us from USA Today but has had local youth and community service in her recent past. She will be a part-time graduate student in educational psychology. Taina is ready to hear from parents and will publish phone and e-mail when available.
The JSA (Junior Statesmen of America) will be attending a conference in Washington D.C. in February. Ms. Fazio, Jeanette Moreland and Mwanzaa Brown appealed to the PTA to give financial support to cover a portion of the expenses. The original request is for $75 per student (25 students) or about $1800. The school provides transportation and the club pays some from fund-raising. There was a motion and a second to give $1800. Discussion ensued with questions about the covering the full per student amount ($247) as a scholarship for families with limited funds and so motion was amended to offer more. Eventually it was decided and voted that $2000 would be supplied to allow a cushion for food but that any family unable to cover the parent portion could apply to Mr. Dugan and PTA would give assistance. It was suggested for all clubs and teams that parents, sponsors and students submit a yearly budget in advance and look into grants to cover the fund-raising portion of potential activities. For next year, this will be a requirement for PTA funding.
Treasurer Bruce Gressin presented the financial report and re-opened the proposal to hire a public relations person to promote the school to the NYC community and to colleges and universities. Mr. Dugan reported that a video would be produced to use at open houses and recruiting events. This started a discussion about using student interviews as part of the video and if they would cause it to become dated more quickly. Bruce would like a production with wider distribution. Ms. Sanchez suggested looking into putting something on an on-line student site. A motion to institute a Public Relations Sub-committee with Bruce and Taina was made, seconded and approved. MSE members are open to offer experience or advice.
The School Leadership Team is reported to be preparing for the Comprehensive Educational Plan, the Quality Review and Bylaws revision. Since the Team currently has 2 vacancies that were announced last month, we opened nominations to fill those seats. Sophomore parent Kim Dramer, the runner-up last May, was offered a seat and she accepted. Dave Britton and Charles Fredericks were both willing to take the other position. Charles graciously stepped aside so that Dave (10th gr.) was appointed. Kim and Dave will serve for 1½ year terms so that PTA seats will not all become vacant every year.
Communications (Deidre Wyeth and Charles Fredericks) solicited volunteers to help fold and stuff newsletters. If you are able to assist Tuesday – Thursday usually the last week of the month, please contact Kris Fredericks, the Newsletter editor. All are welcome to submit news or activity information.
Fundraising reminder, we are registered with Schoolpop.com so that your on-line purchases will benefit MSE. OSP, the magazine company, is coming soon so save your renewals until then. Recycling for cartridges and books will be instituted. Look for notices.
Grant writers are needed to follow up on several leads. The grants will be sponsored by PTA as the not-for-profit but can be written to benefit clubs, teams, classes or teachers.
Mr. Dugan asked for volunteers to be hosts for the upcoming Open House the week of February 11. Watch for the final date.
Break-out groups had class specific discussions:
Seniors talked about organizing a parent-student event for March or April and a post-graduation dinner for June 24. We will look for venues, caterers, suppliers, etc…and get prices. Spring Festival assignment is help with promoting the event, Silent Auction and getting donations. Seniors can donate used college guides and materials to the College Office.
Juniors determined that there will be two separate courses for test prep, one for SAT by Kaplan and another for ACT by Revolutionary Prep.
The groups were so engaged that we did not break up until 8:30.
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