Washington Grove Elementary School PTA Meeting

MINUTES Washington Grove Elementary School PTA Meeting March 4, 2008

ATTENDEES: President Valerie Rivers, Vice President Shelley Winkler, Recording Secretary Cathy Ruback, Treasurer Kim Arner, Principal Susan Barranger, Assistant Principal Scott Curry. Teachers: Kerry Jenkins, Jessica Mollard, Meghan Parker. Parents: Kurt Eder, Randy Gunawan, Dwayne Henry, Edith Lillie, Michael and Lori Tull.

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.

Debby Lerner, Speech Language Pathologist, spoke about what she does at WGES. She is able to diagnose and evaluate students for speech problems. This is her ninth year at WGES, but she has worked in private schools as well as MCPS. She works with students who have delayed speech development, and provides pullout therapy during the day. She often eats lunch with her students. One day each week, she works with the Collaborative Action Process team to problem solve about specific students, including ways to provide accommodations for those students. She is willing to talk to any parent about their children. She does screenings at WGES. Teachers most often make the referrals about students who might need her services.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT: ELO will still be held this summer, over at Gaithersburg Elementary School instead of WGES because of construction. Buses will be provided. The dates are still being decided, either July 9 to August 6 or June 25 to July 20. It will largely be staffed by WGES teachers, and will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our students will not be in the same classrooms with Gaithersburg Elementary students. Mrs. Barranger presented an overview of what assessments are given to our students throughout the year. She also had a couple of questions for the PTA: 1) Can we still afford to give $300 for International Night? and 2) Can we still donate $300 toward classroom games? They are needed greatly for indoor recess.

CONSTRUCTION: They are busy getting trees out of the way, moving dirt and bringing in supplies. Ground will be broken the day the students return from spring break, March 31. The playgrounds are gone, but the field is still accessible when it is not too wet. Mr. Curry and Mrs. Barranger have come up with a schedule of alternative activities for days when the field is not usable.

COUNTY PTA: Concerns are being raised by kindergarten teachers and principals about the amount of time it takes to test all kindergarteners. Could kids be assessed in the summer by appointment, maybe during the two preservice days that teachers have in August? Another alternative is for kindergarten to start three days later than the rest of the school in order to do the testing. This is the alternative being presented to Frieda Lacey, deputy superintendent of schools: one third of kindergarteners come on the first day and get tested, then the second third comes on the second day, and the third third comes on the third day. All kindergarteners would come on the fourth day for school. ADOPT A SCHOOL: Businesses are donating money and merchandise. The merchandise will be raffled off at the Spring Fair.

TREASURER’S REPORT: We made over $400 on the Election Bake Sale. We currently have $3043.11. Hopefully the Art fundraiser will bring in at least $500.

FUNDRAISING: It was suggested that maybe next year we could have a fall mum or bulb sale. Tuesday, March 11 is another dinner out night at Hungry Howie’s. The Zodiac Grill continues to donate money to WGES when we patronize them on Monday and Tuesday nights during March. Saturday, May 3 will be the Spring Fair. There will be a Box Tops contest during March.

VOLUNTEERS: We still need volunteers for next year’s PTA.

KARATE: Mr. Michael Tull, WGES parent, operates a karate studio. He usually donates half of students’ down payments to those students’ schools. He is now forming a partnership with the city of Gaithersburg, and would like to form an ongoing partnership with WGES since his children go to school here. Some of our WGES students already attend his studio. He had four suggestions for us: 1) He could do a kick-a-thon. Kids would learn the 3 easiest kicks. Kids would solicit money for the number of kicks they could make, or flat donations. They would each receive a certificate for participating. 2) On the last Friday of each month, from 7:30 to 9:30, kids could come to the studio to play games. The cost would be $20 for each student, with $10 from each $20 going to WGES. 3) Day camp on days when the kids are off of school. For $45, students could learn karate. He would donate $10 for each student to WGES. 4) He could offer space at the karate studio if that would be easier for us, rather than doing an event at WGES.

MISCELLANEOUS: At Lake Forest Mall on April 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.- the Month of the Young Child celebration- MCPS staff are available to answer questions from parents. Natalie Reineke, ESOL teacher, will be the speaker at the next PTA meeting on April 1, 2008.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Cathy Ruback