May Whitney PTO

January 4, 2011

Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order by Co-President Lauren Amoroso at 7:05pm.

Motion to approve November 2010 Minutes – Nancy McGee and Elise Hood approved the motion.

Lauren Amoroso and Kim Ketcham – Co-President

• Mulamu – the local “Groupon” will be launched at the end of the month to support the foundation. Whether you choose to support the May Whitney PTO or the foundation when you purchase, all money raised will go to support “Smart Classroom, Bright Future” which supports technology in all classrooms across the district.   
• May Whitney Project – at present we have over $40,000 in our bank account. We would like to make sure that all the students whose families generously supported fundraisers benefit now from this money rather than having it continue to accumulate. As such we are looking for ideas for a tangible, bigger expenditure to give to the school. For example: new basketball hoops, a climbing wall, popcorn machines, bounce houses (to own rather than rent for each event), etc. More information will be forthcoming as to how to share your ideas with the PTO. We will aggregate all ideas and vote at the next meeting. When submitting ideas, if you have an estimate as to the cost, please include that as well ~ we estimate that we have approximately $10,000 to spend. Note that we are not looking to include technology in this effort as that will be handled via the district initiative. In addition to this expenditure, we are working with the Early Childhood teachers to see if they have any specific needs to their rooms that we can fulfill via grant money.
• Next Meeting – we have a time change for the February meeting. We will be meeting Tuesday, February 8^th at 10 a.m. in room 106 (Computer Lab). This is not a permanent change for all future meetings.  

Amy Flaherty – Treasurer

• Budget Review:
  • The PTO Grant number on report provided is not correct. To date we have only spent around $4,000.
  • Joanie’s Closet – we closed this account as it is now being handled by the district. The report reflects the money we sent to the district

Joelle Vollmer - Vice-President

• The deferred grant on the laminator has been resolved. The current laminator was repaired for $350 rather than the cost of a new one for $1,500.
• Grants:
  • #14: Sandra Burvikovs – DynaMath & Scholastic Math for Math Replacement program.  Magazines are used to enrich students with “real life” problem applications.  $252
  • Grant passed
• Asking committee chairs to start thinking about next year! Who is continuing, stopping, etc? We would like to know of open positions by March so we can begin to look at filling any open spots. Ideally we would like people as chairs for two years so that we can train someone new for a year.

Mrs. Lettie Ekovich – Principal

• Map testing starts Friday and will run for ten days during library time.
• COGAT testing for 5^th grader going in to 6^th grade will now be a universal, district wide screener. This testing will take place over the course of three school days during regular math time. Second grade students also do COGAT testing later in the year.

Committee Reports

• Bingo Night/Alternative Auction – Melissa DeLuga
  • Doors open at 6 p.m. on Friday January 28^th! BINGO will start at 6:30 with the live auction occurring between games. BINGO will end at 8:15 and the raffle winners will be announced. The silent auction will close. The cost is $3 which includes: BINGO, admission, chips and drink. More details will be sent home this week ~ please RSVP by January 20^th. The theme is “Game Night” so wear your favorite team gear. We are still in need of volunteers – please sign up online.
• Alternative Fundraising – Sally Kutsor
  • California Pizza Kitchen – Proceed day will be on January 25^th. CPK will donate 20% back to the school dine in or carry out, lunch and dinner. We made $350 at our last proceeds day from Yogi’s who gave us 10% of sales. CPK requires that you bring the sheet in with you to get credit – this will go home in backpack mail and with the weekly newsletter.
  • 800 Capri Sun pouches were sent in over break. We are waiting to hear what we earned as a school. Sally plans to come in during lunch and train the kids on how to place them in the bins ~ they need to be flat with straws removed and empty ~ so that collection is easier.
• Talent Show – Kathy Mirabelli & Nancy Glasser
  • No report

·         Book Fair – Mandie Meier and Claire Slattery

o   We have committee chairs for the spring – THANK YOU!!!

o   The Book Fair is schedule for April 18^th – April 21^st, the theme is “Carnival”

o   Joanie’s closet (Susan Fava) needs to do one fundraiser a year. Susan suggested that we use Kohl’s Cares for Book Fair and then Joanie’s closet would get $500.

o   The Wildcat Walk will be the same week in conjunction with Book Fair. Part of the funds raised will also go to Joanie’s Closet as our charity from the event.

o   We will need lots of volunteers! More information coming …..

Raffle – Sally Kutsor won the Target gift card.

Susan Fava and Carrie Collins made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m.  The next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, February 8, 2011 in room at 10 a.m.  Note the time change! 

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Marie McConnell

Secretary