PUEBLO PTO GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

August 13, 2009

6:30 p.m.

Tammy Schick called the meeting to order. She introduced herself as Pueblo’s new PTO President and welcomed all attendees. Tammy explained that PTO membership is $10, and everyone will receive a Pueblo calendar magnet. Only PTO members will be allowed to vote on any future matters.

Financial Report: Kathy Connor explained the sweep account. Net income to-date is $142.00. The checking account balance as of August 11, 2009 is $2,069.08. The savings account balance as of August 11, 2009 is $7,442.18. Recent checking deposits were $490.00 for PTO membership drive (as of August 7, 2009). Withdrawals were: $348.00 for calendar magnets (Tammy Schick).

Minutes: Lynda Anderson presented the May 4, 2009 meeting minutes. Kathy Connor motioned to approve the minutes. Lynda Anderson seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Tammy introduced the new board members Tracy Oliver (secretary) and Robin Deschapelles (Banking Treasurer), as well as returning board members Kathy Connor (Accounting Treasurer) and Lynda Anderson (Vice President).

Committee Reports: Paula Carmen’s Hospitality Committee hosted a teachers’ breakfast and lunch the first week faculty were back at school. The committee did a fabulous job, which was greatly appreciated by the teachers.

Unfinished Business:

• Dr. Seiger’s Bench – Last year’s PTO board approved a $600 purchase for new school bench in honor of the Dr. Seiger’s retirement. Due to budget cuts, Dr. Seiger recently proposed the monies be used instead for other school needs. During open discussion, it was mentioned that this money was raised by last year’s PTO and students, so we need to respect their decision. Melanie Zimmer volunteered to follow-up with the bench vendor to see if they would lower their price.
• Laminator machine – Pueblo school does not own its own laminator. A new machine is estimated to cost $1,700. After further research, it was agreed to suspend this purchase and utilize district equipment.

New Business:

• Funding Requests:
• Teachers’ Green Competition – There will be an ongoing Green competition amongst teachers encouraging them to reduce, reuse and recycle. A monthly gift card drawing will be awarded to participating teachers. PTO has been asked to fund these gift cards. Joyce Thompson motioned to approve PTO funding of $5 or $10 for monthly gift cards, not to exceed $100 annually, for use in Teachers’ Green Competition. Sarah Lewis seconded the motion. All were in favor.
• Courage Retreats – Jama Nacke discussed this new program for 6^th and 7^th graders. Each team will go through one-day of training. 6^th grader program is scheduled for September; 7^th graders in October. (Note: 8^th graders will have a different program.) PTO has been asked to provide snacks for each day. Sarah Lewis has volunteered to research getting snacks donated from Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. for this purpose.
• School Marquee Lettering – The school marquee will be replaced. Jama reported the quote for replacing the lettering and facing is $1,092.33. Melanie Zimmer suggested PTO considers applying for a facility grant to underwrite this (similar to ones available to homeowner’s associations). Tammy suggested forming a Grant’s Committee to research money sources for improvement projects such as this. Tammy will send out an email to entire PTO list asking for a Grant’s Committee volunteer. Jama needs to be kept in the loop, as we may need to inform District office before applying for anything.

Upcoming Events:

• Polar Ice – This event will be held on Friday, August 28^th, 2009. The PTO has taken the lead on organizing. The PTO will charge $10.00/per skater -- $4.50/per skater will come back to the PTO (Polar Ice receives the remaining $5.50/per skater). Polar Ice is reserving one private ice rink just for Pueblo attendees. The facility has popcorn and cotton candy machines for our use. We supply the manpower and will share in the revenue. It was agreed to sell for $1.00, so PTO would earn 50 cents off of every popcorn or cotton candy sold. Polar Ice will also have its regular concessions selling drinks and other food items (no revenue sharing on these items). We are encouraging families to attend this event (not just the students). For family members attending but not skating, there will be no entrance fee. The PTO will do a ticket presale during student lunches over the next two weeks. A sign-up sheet was circulated for manning pre-sale table in lunch room as well as selling cotton candy/popcorn at the event.
• Picture Day – This event will be held on September 3, 2009. In the past, profits were split with the district. This year, if PTO runs the event, all profits go to the PTO. It was agreed 3-5 volunteers were needed to handle this.
• Fall Festival – Tammy explained this is a new event with the goal of gathering Pueblo families together. Possible activities at this event: The district office has grills we can use for cooking hot dogs, etc. The Pueblo band and choir could perform. Inflatable bouncies and dunk tanks. We currently have no volunteers to step-up and plan this event

Service Opportunities:

• School Marquee - We need volunteers to handle updating the school marquee. In the past, Student Council handled this, but now need PTO volunteers to do this once or twice a month. The new marquee will be higher off the ground, so easier to update. Mary Farmer and Debbie Foster have agreed to serve this need.
• Adopt-a-Classroom: Jama said there are many classrooms that need repainting. The paint is available, but manpower is needed. This work can be done whenever in coordination with the teachers. Jama will send out an email asking teachers to respond if they do want their rooms repainted. It was mentioned that there are various sources for manpower (e.g., Intel volunteers, Make-A-Difference, EVBSC, NJS, etc.). Tammy requested people to email her with this information, so she may contact these organizations.
• Eagle Scout Project Ideas: Tammy referenced a hand-out available at sign-in table. The hand-out lists potential Eagle Scout projects being considered that would benefit Pueblo.
• Portable A-Frame Signs: Tammy would like to post signs outside notifying parents about PTO meeting, Curriculum night, etc. Jama said these boards exist, and may just need a fresh coat of paint.

SONIC Community Service: Arlette Jones mentioned an upcoming SONIC “Limeades for Learning” community service campaign benefitting public school teachers. The campaign kicks-off August 31^st and ends October 1^st, 2009. Teachers need to register their projects in advance at www.limeadesforlearning.com. During Sept., SONIC customers who purchase a beverage will receive a code they can use to vote online for their favorite teacher’s project. The projects with the most votes will receive funding. Tammy will email information about this drive to our PTO list.

Magnet Fund-raiser: Kathy Alto asked the PTO to consider a fund-raiser to sell informational-type magnets. Tammy showed examples of the magnets. They cover topics such as CPR and Swine Flu (cost $4.95/each), as well as a blank menu-board (cost $5.95). Quantity is 300. Given the current economic times, this proposal did not gain support at this time.

Principal’s Report – Jama Nacke:

• The first week of school has gone well – traffic has been good, classes running well, etc.
• The cell phone tower has been installed; however, it will not be turned on until December, 2009. It will be lighted with a flag atop it once completed.
• District – all RIFd teachers have been called back and rehired. Changes in class sizes have not affected Pueblo, other than in the Exploratories. Exploratories will now have regular size attendance (vs. before, they were lower than regular classes with only 12-15 students in each).
• Jama held a team leaders meeting today. Each team will have a community liaison who has been encouraged to attend the monthly PTO meetings.
• Budget – For now, the school has all its critical needs met. The teachers and office administration have been asked to be as frugal as possible with supplies.
• Jama wants families to be more involved in the Pueblo community. She’ll be encouraging parents to get involved in the classrooms, etc.
• Library – Jama will follow-up with the school librarian about needs for book donations or drives. There is a goal to have a summer reading program (by grade level) in place for summer 2010.
• Partnering with Paloma Elementary – Paloma’s new principal (Janet Tobias) and Jama have discussed ways the students at both schools may be involved with each other. Possible programs: sending Pueblo students over for reading groups, sending Paloma students over for lunch, etc.
• Tami McClean is a new front office staff person. Tami has transitioned very smoothly into her role.

Open Questions/Discussions:

• Parent Portal – Around September 1^st, a notice will be sent out by the District informing parents about the Parent Portal. This is a new application and all teachers will post all middle school students’ grades online. It was suggested the portal be expanded to include a discipline section, so parents would see if their child had been sent to ISI.
• Sandy Millan, the FACS Teacher, has sent home a request notifying students she is in-need of gift cards to supermarkets to buy cooking supplies.
• Grocery Store Receipts – Tammy clarified all money raised from grocery store bar code receipts (e.g., Fry’s, Safeway, Fresh & Easy, etc.) goes directly back into our school. The PTO is compiling a teacher’s wish list for things they need, which may be purchased for them.
• Parent-Conference Post-cards – It was mentioned that the parent-conference post-cards informing parents a conference is not needed (due to child’s strong performance) could be regarded negatively by some parents. It was suggested the wording change or these type of cards not be sent as they discourage meeting.

The PTO general meeting adjourned at 7:45pm.

Next PTO meeting date: Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 6:30p.m. in the school library. Officer Dieu will be a special guest presenter at the September meeting.