Cedar Way Elementary PTO

Cedar Way Elementary PTO General Meeting Minutes

cedarwaypto.org Cedar Way PTO supports the highest goals of the school, bridging the gap between the school and parents, unifying the community to further the development of our children and contribute to the public greater good.

Date: December 3, 2012 Time: 6:32 pm – 7:57 pm Location: Cedar Way Elementary Library

Board in Attendance: Molly Luna (President), Joy Muller (Secretary), Jenn Middleton (Co-Treasurer), Ellen Stancik (Co-Vice President), Lisa Parsons (Co-Treasurer), Jennifer Long (Co-Vice President), Lisa Miller (Staff Liaison).

Call to order: 6:23 pm

Move to approve the minutes 6:33, second and approved

Principal’s Report Hawk started by giving thanks for the Cedar Way community. Report is on how teacher professional development days are being used at CWE:

State is moving to new teacher evaluation system. To do well then teachers and principals need to have a clear idea of what going to be evaluated on. This year, ½ of teacher days are dedicated to professional development (all non-student days) . The framework includes 4 domains (for reference: Charlotte Davidson developed - State said can use 1 of 3 approaches, Davidson, marzano, center for education leadership out of UW. Edmonds district chose Davidson – whole state will start evaluation next year.). Focusing on learning 2 domains this year: classroom environment and instruction. Will talk about what good instruction in the classroom looks like by evaluating examples (videos) and understand what different levels of assessment would look like. Only a few districts are educating teachers and principals on what this system will look like, so this is a very thoughtful way to have a clear understanding of what the assessment will entail.

The other time will be used in talking about writing in professional development and looking at common core standards. All public schools in U.S., but states have different standards. Washington has rigorous standards. Understanding what these new common core standards are and how do we shift curriculum to meet this is a priority. Time dedicated to this is 45 min/month at staff meetings at the end of the day. Como? Why are the only so many hours that can be designated for time? At beginning of year – shared decision making (bargaining) based on the number of hours teachers can be asked to come in extra – how many for supervision, how many for instruction, how many for etc… limited amount of time that can meet after school. If more time, then teachers need extra compensation. One 45 min meeting talk about building issues: assemblies, calendar, fire drills.

Board Report The school walk-a-thon raised $13,500 - we will bring up in new business. It was really successful and now the PTO needs to redirect and come up with a focus on what we will do to help our mission and school’s mission. Planning meeting in January 30th, Wednesday 7pm. Place TBD

Treasurer’s Report Lisa M. handed out Profit & Loss statement At Harvest Fest: Cedar Way PTO Meeting Minutes December 3, 2012 6th grade class did excellent haunted house: brought in $308.01 profit – does not show on this report because a restricted account. 5th grade sold food. $731.50 Ran out of food twice $186.xx profited $560 for next year’s class. With the extra food Theresa Hankins did a luncheon on Monday morning. McTeacher night $695.34 The night was a success! Fall fundraiser: Ellen needs help getting out (see board for times) Ordering online – should already have gotten in mail. We will see about the quality – some other options that others have suggested. 501-C3 was accepted! Mia Fisher suggested putting the word out that we are now a 501-C3. Will have monthly from the United Way campaign from Mia’s work. If work for company that matches donations, then we are on the list.

Business

Yearbooks. can order online now . Info has gone out in Vikki’s blast and on Facebook page. (There was a 10% discount in October.) We’ll put on school and PTO website. There is the option to do a page for your child to personalize. Information will be put up on website and in January will put out a contest for the cover.

Movie night. As a possible fundraiser? There is a school that uses the Edmonds Theater. They pay up front $400 for 2 movie showings. Have to wait 2 weeks from release date for the movie. Then charge $1 for the ticket and always make $. Great idea to think about. Lisa P. will get some more information. Mia has been doing an event at Cinnebarre for work. The site in MLT is only over 21. Rent for $250/hour – can bring in your own movie – another idea.

Teen/tween volunteers for Harvestfest. Great having teens helping. The 6th grade class this year is very strong with leaders so would be great to ask them now if they’d be happy to come back next year. Any other feedback? Would be good to have informal mentoring program? We need to put the information collected from chairs over the past few years in easily accessible electronic form online. The school has a scanner that we can use. Jenn M. will fill out the evaluation form for information from this year’s event. Recap: 6th grade did haunted house, K-2 mom did craft table, 5th grade did food (was nice to have inside vs. outside from the previous year).

In box, we have a volunteer who would like to help write for the newspaper!

Winterfest – Note went out 12/14 6-8 p.m. Students are doing it. Hawk says they are doing a great job, being responsible. Starbucks store been offer volunteers…having trouble reaching them. Hawk said he would help them contact the store. Remember it’s a Potluck! They have cultural areas planned.

Giving baskets – Brandy LeBlanc’s Daisy/Brownie Girl Scout troop are putting together complete meals in baskets after collecting non-perishable items from a 2-week drive (door-to-door in neighborhoods and at QFC). Courtney McCready is working with Brandy. Girls are delivering notes to grocery store managers and the drive is girl-led. They are planning on creating 30 baskets with at least 2 complete meals with a meat, a side, a vegetable. Will PTO do a pass-through for money/gift cards? Girl Scouts collect food and will go to CWE families. The message that girls are giving is that the food is for community families. Questions: Can they use the PTO 501c3 number? Do they need anything from the PTO? Courtney will be sponsoring a dollar drive in the classrooms. May need to pass money through PTO to purchase Scrip gift cards. Answer: Coin drives have gone through PTO in past. School cannot funnel the funds only PTO can. Have to have 2 people counting. Will follow all the rules for 501-C3. Courtney will send out info tomorrow. Coordinated with Lisa P. and Jenn

Cedar Way PTO Meeting Minutes December 3, 2012 M. to have access to the green box – would be preferable to have a Board member present. Motion to funnel dollar basket drive through the PTO. Second and approved unanimously.

Move 60 –started with 22 students, down to 20. Everyone should have received for new winter session that starts on January 14th. Is really fun - the kids have a great time. Tuesday team sports, jump rope Wed, stations on Thursday doing various activities and Monday is mileage club. Start at 7:15 am and goes until 8:15 am.

Enrichment programs for Winter session th th o Starts Feb 4 , 6-7 weeks depending upon organization; spring April 15 will start. No update on when math club will start. The days will remain the same. . Languages will keep going . Aikido he would like to keep going all the time – Molly said fine only if pay in allotments or if do 6-7 weeks at a time. He’s also doing a gift packages. Need help getting a flyer out for that plus a call out for the winter programs coming . Mad Science will be back . Lego will be back . Art Wizards will be back . Jumpin J’s will be in the spring . Jenn M. has looked into a group that does things like sewing, knitting, crafts, that kind of thing. . Molly is trying to look into groups coming in to do ½ day camps . If anyone else has ideas, then bring them on!

Fall Fundraising update o Pick up Friday December 7, raised $4760.55 (minus pizza party) o Items will be in at 11 (plus prizes) o Pick-up will be by 4pm o Lisa’s idea: If put note up on board of staff room, then teacher may send their kids – if they know that it will be available. Maybe give 3 slots to sign up for the kids to pick up o Put call out on FB for help. Can try to do hand out to kids if small. Pick-ups: Friday afternoon (12:30-4), Monday morning (8:20 to 9) and afternoon (2:45-4); Ellen has volunteers set up for helping. o Will talk about the next fundraiser until January o Lisa: did the walk-a-thon moving to the school hurt the budget for the PTO? We don’t really have a vision for what we want to fundraise for. Will know more after this year. Lisa: maybe communication is a good avenue for PTO to focus on.

Entry reader board – Jenn M. looking into printing – for size $10 at Staples. Black and white. Can PTO pick up? Cost to have an electronic would be $30K. A more permanent fix is a roll-out sign which has click-in letters that costs $150-350. Question: what is wrong with the current reader board? Answer: The reader board has to be laminated because it leaks. Could there be a project for some community project? Boy scouts? To replace something like ours would be $3K to $5K. Would also be good to have something in the back as well. The rollies – who would change the lettering? Maybe only once a month changes. To raise $ - parents pay to put their kids Happy Birthday etc… It hasn’t been laminated in the past. The last were used from a company that Michelle Lampers worked for but that is no longer an option now. We can check on how to seal up for a quick fix right now. Can we get gift cards from Home Depot or Lowe’s for quick fix. Motion to take $20 from the Garden Club budget for the reader board for the next few months. Approved unanimously.

Cedar Way PTO Meeting Minutes December 3, 2012 Other ideas for PTO to fund: We will collect ideas from school staff to focus PTO funding areas. For example, we have 2 $50 gift cards from Target. If there is a need for school supplies we can use for that. There will be a sheet put up in staff room for ideas and then we will come back to this in January.

Friday Feb 1st , Sat Feb 2nd. Edmonds Comedy Night. It’s a fun night. $5 will go towards Cedar Way. Friday $25 regular admission – VIP on Sat $55 have drinks and appetizers. Terrace Park Elementary

Shopperu - can do invites… Jenn M. has more information – this is another possible revenue source.

Committee Reports  Fun Run – Molly, Mia and Joy will be meeting this Saturday to start planning. Partnering with Tour de Terrace will be this year on July 27th. Sponsorship ideas… family sponsors. We are starting earlier to get businesses. Get on the calendar so that people are here this year. Encourage teams, costumes, etc… Business start to choose who they are going to sponsor who they will in January.

 January PTO meeting: 14th

January movie night 18th 30th of Jan planning meeting 14th of Feb will be the skate night

Meeting adjourned 7:57 pm: Move to adjourn. All in favor.

Cedar Way PTO Meeting Minutes December 3, 2012