Whitney Elementary PTA
8/13/15
Whitney Library
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by Ruth Ford at 6:32 pm
Pledge
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited
Introduction
Recording Secretary Report – Nancy Daniel
Nancy will bring notes in from last school year to the September meeting
Corresponding Secretary Report – Jennifer Lang
Jennifer was absent
Correspondences sent:
N/A
Correspondences received:
N/A
Treasurer Report – Glen Daniel
Glen passed out the Whitney PTA budget and expenses for 2015/16 school year.
Bank charges $24 a year.
07/31/15 $13,713.17 no income, only $2 bank fee
08/31/15 $13,626.41 no income, spend $186.76
The PTA gives donations for dare, after prom, scholarships, sunshine and trivia challenge. The PTA sponsors different family events. The teachers will receive startup money as soon it’s approved.
We talked about Heinens, GFS, Giant Eagle, and the Target red card donating money or goods to the school or PTA when parents link their accounts to Whitney.
Karen Kantzes made a motion to approve the 2015-2016 Whitney PTA budget. Ruth Ford and Nancy Daniel seconded the motion. There was a vote. The motion passed.
President Report –Ruth Ford, Mary Smith
We’re off to a great start of the school year. We would like to start by thanking our volunteers:
· Debby Shostek for coordinating the staff’s welcome back lunch.
· Thank you to all of the families that donated food items for the welcome back lunch.
· Monica Mossbarger, Jodi Heflin, and Denise Ensign for helping the Kindergarten class during orientation.
· Monica Mossbarger, Stephanie Walkiewicz, and Amy Tran for volunteering to help with the Kindergarten lunch.
There are a lot of fun events planned for this year. Our first big event will be the book fair in October. We are still working on recruiting committee chairs for our events. Mary is in the process of contacting past committee chairs to see if they are willing to volunteer for that position. We hope to have all the positions filled shortly.
Mr. Stacho has been very gracious and has sent blasts out to the entire Whitney Family regarding PTA events. We will be sending weekly blasts out to the PTA members. We’re in the process of switching over to an online membership platform and it may take a bit of time to develop the new database. Karen Kantzes is facilitating the transition. The membership will still be on paper but there will be an online directory.
1st Vice President Report –Debby Shostek
Absent
2nd Vice President Report – Dina Whalen
Nothing to report
3rd Vice President Report – Mr. Stacho
There is a district initiative called PRIDE: Prepared. Respectful. Inclusive. Determined. Engaged. The focus is on positive behavior and clear expectations. Kids will be taught what PRIDE means in playground, cafeteria. The students had an assembly to talk about PRIDE.
All schools will be considered Mustangs and colors will be green and white. Drake is the only school keeping its name, the bees since it’s the last year. Whitney will be the Whitney Mustangs.
Mr. Stacho is splitting responsibilities between Drake and Whitney. There is no set schedule. The new vice principal will start in September.
Mr. Stacho is recognized by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as Ohio’s National Distinguished Principal. He will be recognized in Washington D.C. later this year. He’s happy to be here and is looking forward to getting things going.
There are many new faces in the front office. The school’s secretary Sally Vogel Voegerl is on medical leave. There is a substitute secretary. There is a new school nurse also. Debby Shostek is subbing in the library.
Council Delegate Report –
The position is open. If anyone would like to volunteer for this position, the meetings are held at 9:30 am on the first Thursday of each month. The meetings are very informative and last about 90 minutes. They have a different speaker every month. Council delegates will receive the minutes from the council secretary every month.
Standing Committee Reports
A) Book fair – Jodi Heflin
B) Boxtops – OPEN. Please trim the boxtops, make sure they are not expired, and in groups of 50.
C) Breakfast with a Buddy – Michelle Kuznik volunteered to chair this committee.
D) Earth Week – OPEN
E) Family Bingo – OPEN
F) Family Math/Science Night – Jason Smith
G) Family Skate Party – Dina Whalen
H) Founder’s Day – OPEN
I) Fall fundraiser will begin September 8th and end September 22nd. We are going with AppleTree Distributers again this year. We will be selling cookie dough, candy, cheese and sausage. These items were our top sellers last year. This fundraiser will also have a prize structure for the students. The more a student sells, the bigger the prize incentive. An assembly will be scheduled to roll out the fundraiser campaign.
-Marcos Pizza night will be held once a month. Marcos has recently had a management change and we are waiting to confirm dates with them. Online ordering is available with drop down menus to pick Whitney Elementary and specific classrooms.
J) Grants – Susie Weeden. Susie would like to get applications to teachers around the beginning of October. She needs 5-6 people to meet for about an hour to review the grants. In 2014, the grants were approved November 12.
K) Membership – Karen Kantzes. The next newsletter will have membership information. The new directory will be computer/app based because it’s less labor intensive. The membership form will also have PTA chair and volunteer opportunities on it. Karen said it’s great to co chair with a friend. Many chair people have 5th and 6th graders. We need new faces.
L) Movie night – OPEN. Movie night is January 22 and January 29. The movie is yet to be determined.
M) Newsletter – Susie Weeden. Mary is working on gathering information for the first newsletter. She hopes to have it out before Labor Day. Susie needs ideas for the newsletter title since we will no longer use Bear Talk. She suggested having a competition among the students to name it.
N) Rockin at the Rec –OPEN. The first Rockin at the Rec is scheduled for August 21. We need volunteers to chaperone and sell tickets. Please contact Mary Smith for further information if you would like to volunteer. These dances are for 6th-8th grade. It’s a fundraiser for council PTA scholarships.
O) Room Parent – Debby Shostek. Debby is working on an information packet to recruit room parents. It should be coming home in the next few weeks.
P) Special Ed. Advisory Council – OPEN. We need a parent to go to the meetings.
Q) Sports Day – Debby Shostek /Mary Smith. The date still needs to be finalized.
R) Staff Appreciation – OPEN. It’s the first week in May.
S) Teacher Representative – TBD. Mr. Stacho will ask the teachers
T) Webmaster – Karen Kantzes. The website will be updated soon.
Old Business
Glen will get the BJ’s membership information together.
New Business
We need a committee of 5-6 people for Bylaws and Standing laws. Susie will do it if it’s in the day.
Mr. Stacho said early release is at 2:30 this year. Early release is for professional development. Most involve long weekends.
Meeting adjourned at 7:31 pm