PTO Meeting
October 9th, 2014
Call to Order and Welcome at 9:35 AM by Kassi Eckert
Pledge of Allegiance led by Kassi Eckert
Approve September meeting minutes Approved
GUEST SPEAKER- Melinda Briggs, Sycamore’s Chief Information Office
She is the ‘district storyteller’. Uploads information on district website, FB, Twitter. Creates district mailings, staff newsletters, videos and district wide phone messages/ texts. Asked for feedback from parents present at meeting. Discussed forms of communication and frequency.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT- Ron Brooks
Maple Dale is a large school. Went from 400 to 555 students. Went from 8 buses to 13+ (4 for preschool). Discussed parking issues. No easy solution. Shuttle buses from Montgomery Presbyterian Church will be available for some school wide afterschool/ evening events.
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S REPORT - Shawn Rosekrans
Testing:
STATE: In Fall, Ohio requires all students to be assessed in reading before September 30th- for 3rd grade guarantee. Elementary Schools must assess all students 3rd grade and under for on track for reading. Kindergarteners required to have KRA (Kindergarten Reading Assessment)- individual, time consuming. 3rd graders had OAA (Ohio Achievement Assessment) this week. Come spring students will be required to take the PARK Assessment instead of OAA.
DISTRICT: Sycamore invests in MAP (Measure of Academic Performance) testing done on laptops. It is a good tool that is geared towards individual student assessment. It is done 3X/ yr for benchmark and progressive. It provides a standard on consistent measurement.
GREEN TEAM- Miss Georgia
Wasteless Lunch Day: Done once a quarter district wide. Next day is Tuesday October 14th. If your child packs lunch that day garbage will be sent back home.
Composting/ Recycling Center: District now does commercial composting with Rumpke. Kids need constant reminders about separating. * Needed 1 parent volunteer 1X/ week 11:20am - 1:15pm
Green Team Committee: Anne Berg is Chair. Watch for upcoming meeting.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
State of the district- Meeting
Membership: Numbers are lower than last year. Currently only 188 parents have joined. Only $5 to join. *You will not receive student directory unless a PTO member.
Monthly ‘Lunch Bunch’: Chance to meet/ converse with other parents in your child’s grade. Kassi Eckert organizing 1st grade, Pam McCallen 2nd grade, Diane VanderBrink 3rd grade. Still looking for parent to run K and 4th. Good opportunity for networking.
Lunch Carts: Request from some teachers for new lunch carts. About $20 each. Need 5+?
VP PROGRAMS REPORT
Language: begins week of Oct 6th. Offered to 1st-4th graders.
Vision & Hearing Screening- Week of October 13th-17th
Nominations: Positions still open- Eating with the Stars Chair and Carnival Chair. Carnival already has strong sub-committees formed with Chairs☺
VP FUNDRAISERS REPORT
Pipkins: Submit your itemized receipt in box in office and school gets 4% back.
Walkathon: Thu October 23rd. Chair Christy Banke. Sponsorship form will go out Oct 10th. Need volunteers for Oct 23rd 9:00am-12:00pm or 12:30- 3:30pm . Students can place new book suggestions in box in Media Center.
GAO Fundraiser: >20% of school participated. Met goal of $3,000. Money earned will go towards programs offered by PTO. Delivery will be Tues Oct 21 3-6pmin Cafeteria. Need 6 volunteers Tuesday Oct 21st 2:00-4:00pm or 4:00-6:00pm to divide up & distribute orders.
SCRIPS: Purchase gift cards and school get s percentage. Starts after Thanksgiving. Will receive before Winter holidays.
Krogercard and Target REDCard: Enroll your cards online then free money goes to school. Our school code for Kroger is 80834
TREASURER’S REPORT
Approve August and September Financials: approved
SECRETARY PROGRAMS REPORT
Wellness Update: Maple Dale achieved Healthy Schools Program Bronze Award. Wellness Committee meeting scheduled for Friday Oct 31st 9:30am. Request to PTO Staff representative for some Maple Dale staff as a liaison.
Directory: Draft completed. Must pay $5 PTO membership fee to receive a directory.
Assembly T-shirts: Offered every other year. Off year but preschool, K, Montgomery and new students will receive in time for October field trips. Parents of 5th graders! We will be having a shirt collection to recycle their good condition assembly shirts for redistribution.
Online Communication: We were using Constant Contact. Had to pay a fee and we had to upload email addresses. This week switched to Blackboard Connect because free, consistent with other Sycamore schools format, updated nightly so no need to enter new contact info. Emails should be received Tuesday mornings, every other week.
Next Meeting: Thursday November 913th 9:30 AM
Guest Speaker: Mike Miller, Sycamore’s Transportation Manager
**Minutes submitted by PTO Secretary, Diane VanderBrink on Friday October 10, 2014
