Nov 2008
PTO Meeting Minutes, November 2008
Nov/18/2008 08:18
PTO Meeting Minutes
November 18, 2008 5:30 pm
Attendance:
Staff: Pam Haldeman, Helen Jacobse, Heather Dean, Bonnie Lorenz, Margaret Lunn, Amy Baldus
Parents: Jody Polson, Carolyn Hunter, Dawn Morrison, Nici Dunn
Secretary’s Report: Motion to accept October 2008 PTO Meeting minutes.
Motion to Approve. Seconded, Motion Carried.
Principal’s Report:
Pam Haldeman shared the Budget Information for 2008-09.
This is where funds collected through PTO come into play and the PTO is greatly appreciated in helping with the Parkview budget. Funds raised by the PTO help Parkview to keep class-sizes low. An average of 27.25 students is allocated per classroom for grades 3 – 5. The number is lower for K – 2 and regulated by the state. The class-sizes jump up at grade level 3.
Parkview is also trying to save money on instructional supplies, so that money can go towards the Parkview budget. Questions were raised on the possibility of adding more items to the school supply list, but concerns are that parents will feel overwhelmed.
PTO does make a difference!
Birthday Treats. Parkview Staff is currently discussing of asking parents to not bring birthday treats in the future. Birthday Treats are often not healthy and consider a risk for those children with allergies. There are 11 children with epi-pens, who could have life threatening reactions to gluten, peanuts etc. This issue is being brought up to Advisory council as well.
Instead Mrs. Haldeman will be announcing birthdays over the intercom on a weekly basis, and also recognizing teachers’ birthdays. The students are still welcome to come by her office to pick up their birthday pencil.
Once the policy starts, there might be some exceptions accepted, but eventually treats still being sent will be sent back home with the children. A note to inform parents of this new policy will be sent home with students as soon as a definite decision is reached.
Economically this will be one less thing for parents to worry about.
President’s Report:
The Kathryn Beich fundraiser will make between $ 17.000 - $ 18.000, we don’t have final numbers yet. We still have a problem with some insufficient checks received.
Culvers night was successful, numbers are up. It seems to help that the dates fluctuate with Culver’s night being offered on some Mondays and some Tuesdays giving more people the opportunity to fit this in their busy schedules.
We will continue to offer the School Tool Box for the upcoming school-year 2009-2010. Contact persons will be Dawn Morrison and Nici Dunn. There will be a change in delivery. Tool Boxes won’t be delivered to the classrooms; instead there will be a pick-up table at the Fall Open House for parents to pick up their children’s school supplies.
Spring Fling. We will go ahead and book a DJ with Kidz Dance for the Spring Fling. The DJ was hired last year for the 5th grade party and was a success and big hit with the 5th graders. The Spring Fling Dance will be on May 15th. Chair-People for this event are still needed.
Dawn Morrison shared notes from her parent leader meeting with John Currie.
Superintendent John D. Currie presented a recommendation to change bus schedules beginning next school year in order to start high schools 50 minutes later than the current 7:30 a.m. start.
The superintendent’s recommendation is based on numerous discussions he had this fall with parents, students and staff at site council meetings at each school in the district, as well as with superintendents, parents and staff from other districts where later high school start times have been implemented. In addition, the district offered a month-long online survey that drew nearly 6,500 responses on the topics of start times, elementary world language and calendar preferences. On the topic of start times, 80 percent of all survey respondents indicated they believe the research involving high school students and the best time for learning and 51 percent support moving high school start times later, compared to 32 percent who do not and 17 percent who aren’t sure.
The School Board is expected to vote on the proposed bus schedule change at its Nov. 24 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at Dakota Ridge School in Apple Valley.
If approved, the change in bus schedules would result in changes to the school day at all levels:
High schools would start at 8:20 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.;
Middle schools would start 30 minutes earlier and end 35 minutes earlier, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.;
Parkview Elementary School would start five minutes later and would run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
The proposed times may be adjusted slightly pending board approval and finalization of the bus schedule plan.
More information can be found on the District 196 website: http://www.district196.org/
The school nurses approached the school board about changing the policy for sending kids home with head-lice/nits. Other districts around 196 only send kids home with “live” head-lice. In case of nits parents would be notified with instructions on what to do. Children with “live” head-lice would still be sent home. The recommendation is to change the current policy to have a lesser attendance problem. Last year Parkview had 36 cases of head-lice.
Meeting Adjourned at 6:15 pm
Next Meeting is January 20, 2008
November 18, 2008 5:30 pm
Attendance:
Staff: Pam Haldeman, Helen Jacobse, Heather Dean, Bonnie Lorenz, Margaret Lunn, Amy Baldus
Parents: Jody Polson, Carolyn Hunter, Dawn Morrison, Nici Dunn
Secretary’s Report: Motion to accept October 2008 PTO Meeting minutes.
Motion to Approve. Seconded, Motion Carried.
Principal’s Report:
Pam Haldeman shared the Budget Information for 2008-09.
This is where funds collected through PTO come into play and the PTO is greatly appreciated in helping with the Parkview budget. Funds raised by the PTO help Parkview to keep class-sizes low. An average of 27.25 students is allocated per classroom for grades 3 – 5. The number is lower for K – 2 and regulated by the state. The class-sizes jump up at grade level 3.
Parkview is also trying to save money on instructional supplies, so that money can go towards the Parkview budget. Questions were raised on the possibility of adding more items to the school supply list, but concerns are that parents will feel overwhelmed.
PTO does make a difference!
Birthday Treats. Parkview Staff is currently discussing of asking parents to not bring birthday treats in the future. Birthday Treats are often not healthy and consider a risk for those children with allergies. There are 11 children with epi-pens, who could have life threatening reactions to gluten, peanuts etc. This issue is being brought up to Advisory council as well.
Instead Mrs. Haldeman will be announcing birthdays over the intercom on a weekly basis, and also recognizing teachers’ birthdays. The students are still welcome to come by her office to pick up their birthday pencil.
Once the policy starts, there might be some exceptions accepted, but eventually treats still being sent will be sent back home with the children. A note to inform parents of this new policy will be sent home with students as soon as a definite decision is reached.
Economically this will be one less thing for parents to worry about.
President’s Report:
The Kathryn Beich fundraiser will make between $ 17.000 - $ 18.000, we don’t have final numbers yet. We still have a problem with some insufficient checks received.
Culvers night was successful, numbers are up. It seems to help that the dates fluctuate with Culver’s night being offered on some Mondays and some Tuesdays giving more people the opportunity to fit this in their busy schedules.
We will continue to offer the School Tool Box for the upcoming school-year 2009-2010. Contact persons will be Dawn Morrison and Nici Dunn. There will be a change in delivery. Tool Boxes won’t be delivered to the classrooms; instead there will be a pick-up table at the Fall Open House for parents to pick up their children’s school supplies.
Spring Fling. We will go ahead and book a DJ with Kidz Dance for the Spring Fling. The DJ was hired last year for the 5th grade party and was a success and big hit with the 5th graders. The Spring Fling Dance will be on May 15th. Chair-People for this event are still needed.
Dawn Morrison shared notes from her parent leader meeting with John Currie.
Superintendent John D. Currie presented a recommendation to change bus schedules beginning next school year in order to start high schools 50 minutes later than the current 7:30 a.m. start.
The superintendent’s recommendation is based on numerous discussions he had this fall with parents, students and staff at site council meetings at each school in the district, as well as with superintendents, parents and staff from other districts where later high school start times have been implemented. In addition, the district offered a month-long online survey that drew nearly 6,500 responses on the topics of start times, elementary world language and calendar preferences. On the topic of start times, 80 percent of all survey respondents indicated they believe the research involving high school students and the best time for learning and 51 percent support moving high school start times later, compared to 32 percent who do not and 17 percent who aren’t sure.
The School Board is expected to vote on the proposed bus schedule change at its Nov. 24 meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at Dakota Ridge School in Apple Valley.
If approved, the change in bus schedules would result in changes to the school day at all levels:
High schools would start at 8:20 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.;
Middle schools would start 30 minutes earlier and end 35 minutes earlier, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.;
Parkview Elementary School would start five minutes later and would run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
The proposed times may be adjusted slightly pending board approval and finalization of the bus schedule plan.
More information can be found on the District 196 website: http://www.district196.org/
The school nurses approached the school board about changing the policy for sending kids home with head-lice/nits. Other districts around 196 only send kids home with “live” head-lice. In case of nits parents would be notified with instructions on what to do. Children with “live” head-lice would still be sent home. The recommendation is to change the current policy to have a lesser attendance problem. Last year Parkview had 36 cases of head-lice.
Meeting Adjourned at 6:15 pm
Next Meeting is January 20, 2008