May Whitney PTO

October 5, 2010

Meeting Minutes

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

Motion to approve August 2010 Minutes – Janet Selby and Michelle Pratt approved the motion.

Lauren Amoroso and Kim Ketcham – Co-President

• The All School Bulb Plant went very well and the kids had a great time. The plant created some good press for May Whitney - articles will appear in the Courier and on Patch.com. We will be offering the panoramic picture for purchase next week. There will also be an opportunity to purchase additional bulb plant t-shirts. Information will be sent home. 
• Going forward we will have a Unity Committee – the exec board will run this year and we will be looking for a chair next year.  Our next project will be a Spirit Walk scheduled for March 25^th, time TBD. Students will raise pledges and walk the track at the high school. The entire school and parents will be involved. 
• The Talent Show was run by teachers last year. The teachers (Mrs. Hosteland) will continue to help with lights and sounds however we are looking for a PTO Chair for the overall Talent Show. We will continue to have the show at the school using our stage and it will still be child centered. Date to be determined – currently thinking April or May. If interested contact Lauren or Kim.
• Smart classroom bright future is a district initiative which will also promote unity across schools. There are no finalized plans as it is still in the beginning stages. More information can be found online – video and details are on the district website. There will be three phases of fund raising - $240,000 is slotted for the first phase. The district is looking for PTOs to help back this initiative though monetary support. The end of the year cash overflow will be tentatively allotted for the foundation (typically this is the end of year funds PTO gives to technology). We are not totally sure how this is going to all work yet. The foundation is still discussing....
• Donations/large projects – the district is asking schools to curtail asking community for donations and to use our budgets first. If your committee would like to ask the local businesses and/or community for donations, please ask the PTO exec board first as we need to report back to the district all donations received. We also want to balance our requests across committees.
• Fall Fund raiser pick-up is tomorrow.
• Mrs. Clemens was the winner of our raffle at the meeting. 

Amy Flaherty – Treasurer

• Profit and loss statement was handed out for review. Not that this is a living breathing document subject to change

o   We took cash for Book Fair totaling - $2300.

o   Target Red Card – the school received a check for $1034.70! Starting October 17^th if you have a Red Card now or sign up for one you will now save 5% on each purchase and the 1% still comes to the school.

o   Misc Income: at the Back to School Picnic we had a 50/50 raffle and made $66.50.

o   The Back to School Lunch came in $126 under budget.

• Please do not send in one check for multiple events.  Send in one check per event – this way we do not make mistakes.
• The new tax exempt letter is available in office in the PTO file cabinet. 

Joelle Vollmer - Vice-President

• We have two committee chair openings – Family events end of year party (May 20^th) and help on spring book fair (April 18^th – 21^st).  If you can help please contact Joelle Vollmer.
• Several grants to vote on -
  1. Mrs. Dohman and the 5^th Grade team: 3 CD ROM programs for science. Would be shared by all teachers – others schools have these and MW does not.  Total: $387
  2. This grant was done via e-blast (transportation for Early Childhood Field Trip)
  3. 4^th grade team: funds to cover cost of spring program at the forest preserve. Total: $410
  4. Second Grade team: insects (praying, ants and lady bugs) Total: $192
  5. Mrs. Clemens: DVD/VCR player to replace the one she had that no longer works. Total:  $69
  6. Second grade team: blank books to publish the stories the students write for the Young Authors Tea. Total: $210.93
  7. Second grade team: ant habitat needed for the fourth class room. Total:  $34.77
  8. Second grade team: butterfly larvae for each student. Total: $171.96
• All grants passed. 

Mrs. Lettie Ekovich – Principal

• Thank you to Kim and Lauren and the PTO for the bulb plant shirts and tulips. Thank you to the parents who came to help and dug holes. It was a great day!
• Thanks to Amy Noland, Vicki Grom and Susan Sarvady for all of their hard work on the exterior – they have done so much and it is appreciated. It really makes the kids feel welcome.
• Living the mission – this was described in newsletter last week. We need frames to be donated. When sending in your child’s picture, please include words from the mission. 
• One school one book – thanks to the PTO for purchasing a book for each family. Books will go home before Thanksgiving (possibly at conferences) for families to read and do activities between Thanksgiving and winter break. More to come. The book is A Cricket in Times Square. 
• ISAT (last years results) and Map test scores came out last week. Teams are looking at the data and writing improvement plans. Will report out in November last years results.
• Report cards will go home November 9^th so parents can review before conferences.
• Mrs. Garrow (Early Childhood) was the teacher representative at the meeting.  Notes/announcements from teachers:
  • Third Grade – The Third Grade science fair will be on 10/21.
  • Second Grade – Thanks to the PTO for the bulb plant. The second grade team is working the Target to secure a grant for the spring field trip.
  • Early Childhood – Thank you to the PTO grant for the field trip.
  • First Grade – Thanks to the PTO for the bulb plant and for the pre dug holes. 

Ann Marie McConnell – Secretary

Nothing to report

Committee Reports

• Buzz Book – Donna Young
  • Vote for your favorite cover using tally marks on the post it on the back of the drawing, votes will be tallied tonight
  • Buzz Books are scheduled to be delivered before Halloween weekend. 
  • Winners of Buzz Book Cover Contest: K -2, First place- Sonia Shah, Second Place – Sammy Tartakovsky;  3 – 5, First Place - Morgan Woodbury , Reid Talley

• Public Relations – Janet Selby
  • We have had some great press lately. Going forward, we would like press requests to go through district PR office. Janet provided sheet (attached) with instructions on how to do this. Just complete and send to Janet - she will coordinate.
  • Please get information on events to Janet a week or two ahead of time. 
• Freaky Friday/Spooky Saturday – Kim Ketcham
  • All positions have been filled, now we just need the manpower.
  • Carolynne Funk is coordinating all volunteers. Tina Jones needs help with spook house and Elise Hood is coordinating games. Email any of them if you can help!
  • Ticket order forms will go out next week along with candy requests. 
• Red Ribbon Week – Georgette Grady
  • Red Ribbon Week is 10/25 – 10/28.
  • Letter for teachers will be distributed the Friday before and the information for students will be sent home the same day.
  • Monday – Teachers will read the RRW story and each student will get a bag with ribbon to place/tie in front of their home.
  • Tuesday – Use Your Head, Don’t Use Drugs. Crazy hair day and bring a new winter hat to donate
  • Wednesday – Saying No to Drugs Lights up Your Life. Each student will wear red (the entire community is wearing red this day) and will receive a small flashlight.
  • Thursday – Follow Your Dreams and Don’t Do Drugs. Wear PJs to school.
  • Other schools in the district have previously not had RRW as such this year they are modeling what they are doing after us. 
• Alternative fundraising – Sally Kutsor
  • You should have received from school a one page sheet with different ideas:
    • Capri Sun or Honest Kids recycling – the school get $0.02 for each sent in – collecting at school
    • Ink jet recycling
    • Target card
    • Dominick’s e-script
    • Dine and Share - CPK (20%), Culvers, Chili’s, Yogis
    • Box tops are part of student council
    • Campbell’s soup – Sally to follow up. 

New Business

• Green Committee – Varsha Shah
  • Committee has four parents and three teachers.
  • One goal is to reduce paper – if you have mailings consider attaching to the weekly newsletter from Mrs. Ekovich
  •  

Elise Hood and Nancy McGee made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 8:11pm.  The next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, November 9, 2010 in the school library at 7:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Marie McConnell

Secretary