Note: No voting will happen during this meeting as most PTO members are out on Travel, Work travel and 4th grade field trip.
Meeting called to order at 9:34 AM
Approval of October Minutes will be done over email. If you have questions these are on the website too.
Treasurer and Financial Reports in detail were printed and we went over the Financials. Paypal was cumulative for August, September and October. Yankee Candle fell under and it replaced Big Kahuna. We can try the Penny wars in February. Last year Big Kahuna was about $7-8K.
Upcoming Events:
11/15 – Teacher of the Year ceremony 9:15am (yearbook). Teachers are allowed to decline to be on the ballot to be Teacher of the year. Board Members available will be there and present $150 dollar check from PTO. Teacher of the year has a lot of work to do after winning: about 10 essays since they have to compete for District Teacher of the year. If chosen, then they have interviews and then they have surprise visits/observation of classroom and then more essays. There is a Banquet they are invited to and then the teacher of the year is announced for the District and then, they compete for Regionals and then it's more work.
11/15 – Holiday Shop preview - Classes get to see what we offer at the holiday shop to purchase in 15 minute slots for every two classes.
11/18-19 – Champ Bucks store (more volunteers needed). Kids get BBE dollars and they get to purchase items. Its outside during recess.
11/18-22 – Holiday Shop 7:30-8am and recess/lunch times (volunteers). $0.25 -$15. It’s in the empty room in 5th grade pod.
11/20 – Spirit Night: Lopez Rest from 11am-9:45pm, dine in or take out. The one on 99 by Gallery Furniture only.
11/20 – Career Day (yearbook/volunteers). We need a volunteer to be host/hostess to keep it filled in. A couple more presenters needed. Dr. Dupree will speak to the 5th graders.
11/21 – 3rd grade performance 6:30pm (yearbook). Folk dancing will be indoors at cafeteria.
11/22 – Kinder Turkey Trot & feast 1:45pm-2:30pm (yearbook/Room Parents).
11/25-29 – Thanksgiving Break
12/2-3 – Final days for Holiday Shop 7:30-8am and recess/lunch (volunteers).
12/4 – Picture retakes.
12/11 – PTO Meeting 9:30am
12/18 – Spelling Bee 8:30am (yearbook) - Only parents with kids on spelling bee can come. 3, 4, 5th graders participate if they qualify based on an assessment. There is a form that goes home and there is a list to study. Its a list but not the entire list. Everyone gets the same list. It’s up to 8th grade level words.
12/19 – Holiday Parties 10:30am (room parents, GLCs -i.e Grade Level Coordinators, yearbook) Currently cookie icing… so it might be adjustable to gingerbread houses.
Maybe for next year… Gingerbread houses made of graham crackers and milk cartons. Shoe box covered with tin foil. PTO would provide tubs of really thick frosting from the grocery store. This goes well with different literature, so it can develop well with reading and writing. It can go well with one or a few grade levels. 12/19 – Early release 12:10pm.
Principal’s Remarks - Have been out ill recently and the rest has also been covered
Second graders are doing GT testing… has been extended because of internet issues
Working with Mrs. Fields with Watch dogs since the Assistant Principal is the lead on this.
Rainy Day Dismissal - we have heard the feedback. We are listening. There are subjective issues: moderate - what is moderate…what is drizzle? We now have Walk rain or shine - Teachers will take those kids first in the front and back and they will be released when they all will be released once they are all together. Parents do not need to come to the door. No matter what it will take a little bit of time. Open to hearing ideas; in the meantime, please be patient. Rainy Days is all hands on Deck. No one leaves until all kids leave.
Students are getting badges on lanyards - the program is still being tweaked.
Teacher Rep Remarks
Committee Reports
VIPS (volunteers & Party) – October volunteer hours, Party plan for Holiday Party
August VIPS of Month - Rosy Gelmetti
September VIPS of Month - Kelly Vielmas
Working on October
Holiday Party: cookies and maybe changing to Gingerbread. Maybe alternate to gingerbread houses or men?
Program Development –upcoming spirit nights and dates, spirit night recap
$350 ChuckEcheese.
Next at Lopez
117 5th grade Shirts
About ½ students have spirit shirt
Ways & Means – Yankee Candle update, plan for Holiday shop
Yankee Candle - we did not make our goal. We made about $4K. They did not provide enough pep-rally materials. The poster was too wordy. The company felt short. The candles smelled delicious. Pretty cool that it was scratch and sniff.
Penny wars to be done…
Holiday Shop $700 made last year. Same company like last year. $15 is top price. Lots of cool things for $0.25. Open during all recesses and Lunch. Nicole will make a video so that Parents can have an idea of what is being sold.
Hospitality – plan for upcoming events
Lunch for Teachers on early release day.
Trying to do something in November. Coffee truck has not responded to Jamie’s emails.
Membership – Membership update, directory update, contest update
35% (197 Families) as of today. Top 3 classes will get a cookie party. Staples at top with 60%
Directory - Last year was a paper directory and took too much time and effort. This year we are doing an on-line directory. Anyone can join. PTO members can see the whole list. Each parent can see their child's information and delete or edit. $99 per year ($49 less than a printed directory)
Students Name, Class, Parent Name/Phone number/Parent email
Sponsorship – final sponsorship totals
$1775 in sponsorship. We have a banner we will display at events and holiday shop.
A few more people who might be interested at the lower level
Yearbook – upcoming help needs, cover contest update
Volunteers needed as stated above
35 submissions received for covers.
Masterpiece Art – coverage needs, projected start date
Tiffany. All supplies are ready. Friday will be filled in the bins. Volunteers needed. Training in December. We can start in January.
Junior Achievement – coverage needs
Dominga - November 5th Training completed. Online resources sent to those who did not come for training. Some are already arranging dates and times with teachers.
Box Tops – Incentive plans and submission dates
November submission done. In addition to scanning, keep sending in clips, a few expire 2023. $3.30 in scans this month.
Shoparoo $61.20 earned so far.
8. New Business
Plan for a multicultural event in spring - Carnival of the nations was done in the past; although we are not doing that… we can do in the Spring a MultiCultural event March 4th. Setting up stations where we can do heritage decorations, food- small bites, passports, stamps, stickers. We should start small this year and build on it.
Special Needs Students - only one sign up. Two meetings so far. BBE should send a targeted communication through teachers for special Needs and Services.
Props to Nicole for highlighting gift giving holidays around the world. - Dominga
9. Adjourn at 10:56 AM.
Comments from Ms Viado---
Thanks for Sugar Shindeeg
Thanks for Vocabulary Parade
Thanks for Character Parade