DRAFT                                           

  PTSA Meeting Minutes

Date – Mar 15^th 2010

Place – MMS Library

Presidents Ellissa Fazio and Maureen Kutzma opened the meeting at 7:04pm.

Attendance (see enclosed list). Quorum was present.

The inspirational message was read by Bobbi Riley.

Reading of the Minutes from the Jan. meeting were waived, motion by Vicky
Delgiaco and seconded by Bobbi Reilly.

Correspondence NASSAU Region PTA information

The treasurer’s report was read by Cathy Manganiello.  As of February 8^th , 2010 the balance on hand is $31,945.13 Cash in was $20.00, cash out was $2,997.58. Please keep in mind the following expenses, Honors tea, Honorary life, yearbook, secretary’s days, founders day, Teacher recognition day, HS achievement awards, Fathers day sale and Post prom need to be paid.

REPORT from Middle School –

The following events took place in the Middle School.

-         Feb 9 and 11 – MMS Musical Performance of Annie Jr.

-         March 5- Third Marking Period Interim Reports

-         March 12^th Grades 7/8 Talent Show

-         March 15^th Grades 6-7, 7-8 Parent Orientation

-         March 17^th Grades 5 and 6^th St. Patrick’s Social was cancelled due to lat of interest.

-         MMS Science Olympiad Team Qualifies for the NY State Championships.

-         SADD Sponsors Red Ribbon Week and Pennies for Patients.

-         Stuck for a Buck (March 19^th during GOAL Room)

-         Scholastic Book Fair: May 2010

-         State Senator Kemp Hannon Teaches 6^th Graders “How a Bill Becomes a Law”

-         Eileen O’Neill – KJOY 98.3 Teacher Feature Award Winner

The following events are scheduled in the Middle school.

-         8^th Grade End of Year Activities/Points System

-         March 26^th – Grades 5 and 6 Talent Show (9am in GPR)

-         March 29-April 2- Schools are closed for Spring Recess

-         April 5^th Schools are open for students and staff (snow make-up day)

-         April 7^th MMS Spring Athletics Begin

-         April 9^th Third Marking Period closes

-         April 16^th Third Marking Period Report Cards are issued in Goal room

-         April 16^th Faculty Talent Show (7pm in the H.S. Auditorium)

Teacher Representative (Ms. Barfield)

            5^th grade going to Mangos, and to the National Constitution Center in Wash.

            Some 7^th graders were selected to compete in Science Fair

            Students raised Money playing Plinko  for Haiti.

REPORT from High School.

-         “The Heroin Trail” assembly – Tuesday, March 16^th and Thursday March 18^th

-         H.S. Musical – Guys and Dolls” on Thurs, March 18^th and Friday March 19, 7pm in the auditorium

-         PTA sponsored Honors Tea, Wed March 24^th at 2:30 in the auditorium

-         Robots FIRST competition – Thurs March 25^th – Sat March 27

-         HS Shared Decision Making, Wed April 7^th, 2:30 in Room 127

-         Close of the 3^rd marking period, Friday April 9^th

-         Report cards distributed on Friday, April 16^th

-         Faculty Concert, Friday, April 16^th, 7pm in the Auditorium

-         Parent/Student 8^th Grade High School Orientation, Thursday April 22^nd @7pm

-         Dollars-4-Scolars Walk, Saturday, April 24^th, 10am to 2pm.

Minutes from the PTA Council Meeting:

            -Dr. Murphy – re-organization discussions will begin on 3/9 and 3/23, a committee was picked of 16 people.

            - Snow days – will give back the day after Easter 4/5 and the day before Memorial Day.

            - Booster Winner – Diane Santacrose

            - Puberty – getting dates

            - Scholarships went to the office and should be mailed out.

            - Nominating – accepted

            - Next Meeting 4/12/2010

Minutes from the Board of Education Meeting:

-         Hired Johnson and Johnson Company to study the district over the next three months and to report back to us ideas on how to conserve energy.

-         Safety concerns discussed in regard to amount of graffiti on the Sparke playground

-         Greenkill was previously reported as a $60,000 expense. Upon investigation cutting the Greenkill trip from the budget would only save us $19,000.

-         Princeton model was discussed again .. It looks like with the new model only 4 teacher positions would need to be cut.

-         With the new budget proposal 7^th grade RP Math is gone

-         Students were there to support the teachers and spoke up on their behalf.

-         Dr. Kelly discussed the importance of keeping teachers workshops intact.  They will look into combining the area school districts to try to save money.  Also looking into a “train the trainer” type program.

-         Lilco will also be contacted to give us any suggestions to same money this year.

-         Very briefly mentioned making the HS a closed campus.

-         BOE member stressed the importance of making the screens for Sparke and Stokes a priority (it has previously been approved).

-         Discussed the need to clean the ducts every year in HS.  Is it necessary.

-         Spark and Stokes have already previously made cuts to all their clubs and added to the AIS morning programs.. next year the AIS program will only service those children scoring 1’s or 2’s on the state exams.

-         Discussed purchasing from one company and then dividing it up amongst all the schools.

-         Mr. Gibbons discussed some concerns regarding Cultural Arts budget.  Even though the PTA’s contribute t this fund and the buildings were asked to be conservative.  It is Feb and they are already out of money.  Sparke and Stokes have joined their programs and do their contracts together.  However, it did not save as much as they thought it would.

Minutes from the Library Meeting:

            Frank McKenna described the various programs going on in the Library.  He came with Flyers so member can take them home.  All the programs are listed on the Library Website.  The Library’s Budget and Trustee vote is scheduled for Tuesday, April 27^th for 1-9pm.  There are two trustee positions open, one for a full 5-year term and another term for one year due to a vacancy. The library now has a face book page.

Minutes from SEPTA Meeting

-         No report

COMMITTEE REPORTS

BULLDOG CLOTHING – another spring one will go out in April.

CALALOG CREDITS  – reports going out today.

COOKIE SALE – March 26^th is the delivery date. Sold $1959, we get 40 percent of that.

FATHERS DAY -

FOUNDERS DAY – Winner has been selected and will be announced at the district dinner.

HONORARY LIFE – 1 entry has been received.

HONORS TEA – Will be on March 24^th, 2010

HOSPITALITY – Thank you Sheryl and Christine and Maureen.

MEMBERSHIP – Membership total is at 941.

MOTHER’S DAT PLANT SALE -

NOMINATING COMMITTEE – The slate was presented to membership this evening and voted on. Joni Reilly made the motion and Monica Wroblewski seconded the motion.  The slate was passed.

POST PROM – Not many senior parents have sent in a donation.

PROCEDURES – Vicky is creating a manual.

SAFETY – April 19^th is the next meeting at 9:30am.

SHARED DECISION – no meeting in MS. Picking covers for HS agenda books.

WEBSITE – The Website has been updated by committee chair please contact Kim to add to the website.

WELLNESS – No report.

PRESIDENT REMINDERS

Committee Chairs – please write down your report and give it to Suzanne Friedenreich

Please e-mail reports if you cannot be here to samoyed@optonline.net.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS - none

NEW BUSINESS –

-         Track Meets will be using other schools track until our field is done.

-         Question asked by member: Can the PTSA and the GS Leader Meeting be on different Mondays.  Will ask council.

-         We would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Barfield for her presence at out meeting for the past few years.  Next year she will have other commitments and will not be the Teacher Representative for the Middle School.

-         Our PTSA bylaws state that we may have a teacher representative from both the Middle School and the High School.  At this point we do not have one for either school and would like to ask Mr. Bloom, Mr. Grande, Mr. Burns and Ms. Hostetter if the have any recommendations or suggestions of a teacher within their organization the Nominating Committee may contact in regards to the Teacher Representative positions on our Board.

-         Thank you to the Nominating Committee for all of their hard work.

-         Thank you to Vicki for painstakingly creating a Procedure Manual for PTSA.  It was quite the project, the process is ongoing and greatly appreciated and this manual will surely be a valuable tool for years to come.

-         In the past there has been a Health class offered during the summer, will it be offered again this summer?

-         Mrs. Sullivean pleaded the case of the High School Guidance department and the anticipated cuts as per the budgets presented by the Superintendant.

PTSA CALENDAR –

3/16^th and 3/18 9:30am Heroine Awareness presentation

3/24 8pm Board of Education Meeting @ Gallow

3/29 – 4/4 High School Shared Decision

4/8 Middle School Shared Decision

Our Next Meeting is Monday, April 19^th in the MMS Library.