PTA Meeting Minutes — March 7, 2016

Wanaque School
PTA Meeting
Technology Room
March 7, 2016

Meeting called to order at 7:02pm.

Leane: Welcome everyone.  Glad everyone could come tonight.  Please take a moment to review the minutes and when you are ready; I need a motion to approve:
                Motion:    Ann P.
                2nd:        Chris S.

Ms. Cardiello:  We have been going over the calendar for the year to make sure we do not have conflicts for graduation either with Lakeland or Ringwood. Will have the outcomes soon. Wanaque Education Foundation is doing a dine to donate at Pizza One tomorrow.
PARC testing will be on a new website, finishing touches happening now.

Q: It sees as though iPads and some other devices cannot download the website and the homework portals. Drop down boxes don’t work etc.
A: Homework is posted after 2pm, try going under faculty and clicking on the teacher name. In the mean time we will check with IT

Mr. Frick: Thank you to the PTA for Dr. Seuss Day, it was a great success and the pizza and pajama party was a lot of fun.  Everyone had a great time from students to administration. Having Emily Kelly, the teen author here was terrific. On a personal note I want to thank the PTA for the edible arrangement you sent in memory of my grandmother.
We are in the middle of the 3rd marking period with some great events coming up:
Square Dance is this week on Thursday
3/18 is the Spring Dance at Haskell
3/21 Math Parent Academy
3/22 Board of Ed meeting
3/25 No School
3/31 Art show and student showcase

Mr. Sarullo: Thank you for the anti-bullying assembly and for all you do for our school!

Rob Barnhardt: Budget time is coming, the final budget meeting will be April 26th.
WQ Education Foundation – Chris Strobel: There will be a Pizza One fundraiser tomorrow for the foundation. In April we will have one at Tree Tavern. The Foundation has donated over $29K in grant dollars since 2012. For the time being we are waiving membership dues, we really just need active members, it is a very worthwhile cause – our kids!

Teachers: Thank you for coming, nothing to report

 

 

Officer Reports:

President: Leane There are still a number of committees without chair people. Please consider leading one of these committees. There is quite a variety of open seats. Some take more time than others and you can do it with a friend.
Nominations are being accepted for the following positions:
    2nd VP
    Treasurer
    Recording Secretary
If you are interested in running for any of these positions please email Debbie Orsato ?

1st VP – Elise: Nothing to report.

2nd VP - Jen: Thank you note from the staff and Mrs. Horst for a wonderful Seuss Week

Treasurer - Sharon: Nothing to report

Corresponding Secretary - Tracy: Nothing to report.

Recording Secretary - Yvette: Nothing to report


Standing Committee Reports

Bingo: Bingo was once again a great success. Kids really love this. The next Bingo will be 4/22
Q: did something go home? I don’t remember seeing anything in backpacks?
A: No flyers, please check the PTA minutes on the website and the emails for upcoming events

Book Fair - Joanne: May 17th, the first day will be for 8th grade only. The 18th the fair will be open all day and then after school on the gym stage. On the last day of the fair there will be an author from town there to meet and greet, Joyce Perry Miller from Wanaque.

Box Tops - Iman:  Our next check is due in April will be for about $470. We submitted over 4,000 box tops as well as over 1,000 labels. The company will be re-vamping the program by August 2017 so the last submission for this program has to happen before July 2017. Labels will remain the same. We currently have about 19,000 points. We can go through the catalog and there is also a gift card opportunity. The winning classroom was Mrs. Biasini's class with 438 box tops.

Cultural Arts – Open committee:  Still open, please volunteer if you would like to chair this committee. Our 2nd “No Bullies Allowed” assembly will be March 8th. Chris Johnson is the host and uses magic in his presentation. This will be for all grades.

Dances: There will be a Spring Dance at Haskell for grades 6-8 on 3/18
Coming this spring, Big Guy Little Gal dance on June 3 for grades k-5 at Wanaque at 7pm

Drama – 4th – 8th: Lisa S. – The kids are doing a great job. The whole cast is rehearsing together; there are 41 kids in the program in grades 4-8. Performances are April 29 and 30. We are about halfway through the fundraiser and it is doing great. We should bring in about $1000 to off-set costs. About half the students have already turned in their money. At this rate we won’t have to sell any at concessions.
Q: Can we post the sale on the website to attract those who are not involved with drama?
A: Sure, we will give them a way to contact the chairs to purchase

We are considering boosters for the program but have not made a decision as of yet. Those are the small ads parents buy to congratulate their kids.

Egg Hunt: This is back on; it will be March 19th at Back Beach. This is our 2nd joint effort with Haskell and so far it is going well. We are hoping for good weather. Lots of fun activities are planned. It will be at Back Beach from 10-1.

Field Day – Tracey:  The date has been changed to June 3rd is the date, with a rain date of June 13th. T-Shirts will be coming in May. We will need volunteers.

Fundraising Committee:    We did not do as well as we thought we would for Gertrude Hawke. Delivery will be 3/9. Fundraisers are what help us to provide programs and activities for the students and is what funds all the great things we do. Everything costs money. The Tricky Tray money can only go so far and there are some ongoing things that ear mark that money. The additional fundraising has to supplement that or we will be forced to end some of the great things we do. Please support the fundraisers and talk them up on the playground and in the parking lot. Any new fundraising ideas are always welcome.

There will be a Canvas and Cork event coming up, working out some of the details now.

Giving Grocer – Ann P.: No updates yet.  3/21 is the delivery date. We also did not do as well as we hoped but we are hoping that those who purchased this time will be happy and will spread the word.

Reading Program:  The first after school author event was great. The kids loved her and we even know of one young lady who was inspired to start writing her own novel. Emily Kelly is already working on her sequel and hopes to have it ready before she goes to college.

School Apparel: Gina–    closed for the winter, spring sales coming

School Pictures: Judy & Patty: May 17th will be spring pictures and sibling pictures, can use volunteers that day.

8th grade committee Chris, Lori, Michelle:  Everything is moving along well. The t-shirts orders are coming soon. The DVDs are ready as are the photographs for the slide show.

Tricky Tray- Tracy and Leanne: 7 full tables are sold so get your reservations in. 30 pre-paid packages left remember the first 100 get an additional prize. 50/50 tickets went home this week, please sell as many as you can. There are also 2 additional tickets to win the parking spot – hot item! You do not have to be present to win either. We are up to over $42k in prizes

Teacher Appreciation: Right now the dates are May 2-6, more info to come

Old Business:  N/A

New Business:   We will have the annual Square Dance on March 10 at 7pm for grades pre-k through 5th. $10 per family and the tickets go fast so be sure and sign up early!

We need to have a monthly chairperson for Dine to Donate if you are interested

Announcements:  Open committees for the next school year:
Holiday Bazaar
Cultural Arts
Dine to Donate and more, see any board member for details.

Board of Ed meeting is 3/26 and the budget meeting is coming too. Important to be involved.

Q: When is the next coffee and conversation?
A: Date has not yet been set but it is coming

Q: Will there be a combined awards assembly this time?
A: Yes, it will be the 2nd and 3rd marking period and will be held after the close of the 3rd marking period.

Motion to adjourn until April 4, 2016
        Motion: Tracy G.
        2nd:    Ann P.
Meeting adjourned until April 4, 2016  7pm

# # #
Respectfully submitted March 23, 2016