Wanaque School
PTA Meeting
January 9, 2012
Meeting called to order at 7:07pm.
MAM: Welcome and thank you for coming tonight, Happy New Year
I would like to take a moment to review and approve last month's minutes;
Motion to approve: Anne P.
2nd: Jen S.
With no opposition, the PTA unanimously approves the minutes from November 7 2011.
We would now like to hear from some of our guests, first Ms. Morales.
Ms. Morales: Just a reminder that Monday is Martin Luther King Day and there will be no school for students. Teachers will have a workshop off site. 8th graders will be receiving a letter home in the next few days talking about Lakeland orientation. That will take place in the next few weeks.
The end of the marking period is 1/26/12 and report cards will come home on 2/10/12.
There is a new form for reserving the school and its facilities. Please be sure you are using this form, if you are using an old one it will be rejected. Anything submitted to this point and has already bee approved is fine. That is all for tonight, thank you.
Rob Adams: As you know the Superintendent search is underway. The first round of newspaper ads has gone out and the next few are coming in the upcoming weeks. Our last Community Outreach was very successful; we had many concerned members of the community there who provided excellent feedback. As you may or may not know the Governor has put a lot of criteria out there for us to comply to, so we need to cast a wide net - but NJ is not a very big state and word travels fast. I am sure we are going to be receiving many resumes in the next few weeks and we will be weeding through them. We are hoping to start interviews in the early spring. Remember you are always invited to the BOE meetings or if not, then the Community Outreach meetings, the next one will be at Haskell on 1/25/12 at 7pm. We want to hear from you, your input is the only way we know what has to be addressed. I was very encouraged by the last one so please come out, it is important to be heard
We had a great response to the survey; I want to thank the PTA for circulating that for us.
Officer Reports:
President - MaryAnn: You may remember last time we discussed purchasing dishes and silverware for the teachers. The estimated cost will be $60-70. Can I have a motion to approve this purchase?
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Motion: Joy G.
2nd: Tina T.
With opposition being the minority, the PTA unanimously approves the cost for the dishes and silverware not to exceed $70.
Jason V. has volunteered to take over the bulletin board in the front hallway and display PTA approved items.
1st VP - Chris: Pizza One fundraiser brought in $405, they were gracious enough to offer it to us again in the spring, so we will look at dates for that soon.
The Stop and Shop A+ awards program has yielded $447 so far and sign ups are ongoing.
2nd VP - Jason: I have decided that in 2012 I will talk less and do more!
Treasurer - Wendy: Nothing to report. Please review the budgets I left at the front of the room so you are on top of your committees' expenses.
Q: Which one is the budget, the first or second page?
A: First page, your budget is $6500
Corresponding Secretary - Karen: We received Thank You cards from:
The kindergarten classes for their Thanksgiving Feast
Mrs. Carrigan
The Strobel Family
Recording Secretary - Yvette: Nothing to report.
Standing Committee Reports
Drama K-1: No one has stepped up to chair this committee to date.
Drama - 2nd - 4th: program is underway. 28 kids are enrolled. The show is “45 Minutes to Broadway”. Everything is going well; performances will be April 20 and 21 here at the school. We will be having a parent meeting next week.
Drama 5th - 8th - Sue H.: We have had 3 days of auditions so far. There are a total of 33 kids involved in the show. We have chosen “Avenue Q” the school version. Everyone is having fun. Rehearsals are on Thursdays for now and will increase as we get closer to March. Our performance will be in April at the High School.
The children will be learning puppeteering for this performance which brings another level of excitement. We have been using the website a great deal, so if you want to know what is going on with the rehearsals and performances, just check the website - there is a ton going on. We have loaded the lyrics and MP3 versions of the songs along with the scripts etc.
This brings us to some other items. There are additional expenses this year that we did not foresee. We will not have sets loaned to us this year, nor costumes. We need to rent or buy (whichever is more cost effective) the puppets and that is going to be a large expense as well. All these things considered, we are asking for a budget increase of $2500.
Q: that is a lot of money to be asking for, the 5-8 production has cost the PTA money the last 2 years with the freebies, and do you know why that was?
A: I was not involved in the finances last year; I don't have the answer to that.
Q: Are there areas we can cut in order to off set some of this expense? We need to ask questions like this so that we all manage our committees to the best of our ability.
A: We are not adding anything new, just the same things with the added expense of the puppets and sets. The rights were and additional $300 as well.
Comment: The drama program is not a fundraiser, it is not meant to make money
Comment: True, however it is expected to stay within budget as all programs are so that funds are available for all kids.
Comment: Many of us do a lot of the fundraising here hoping to be able to provide programs for our children that the school cannot. Cultural Arts is an example. The PTA's purpose is to provide these programs for the kids. We raise the money because the BOE cannot do it for us.
Comment: Other programs have an assigned treasurer to make sure everyone stays on budget.
MAM: do you have an itemized list of what the additional $2500 will be used for?
Sue H: I have a breakdown of the whole budget, not the extra. But I can give you an example; the book for this show was $800 versus the $500 we paid in the past.
Comment: Is it possible to negotiate with the High School?
Sue H.: Only $400 of the $3000 goes to the school for the rental of the auditorium. The rest is split between the custodians, the lighting and the sound people/
Comment: I can speak for our program, we know what our budget is and we choose a show that fits in the parameters as well as doing what we can to get donations and create things on our own. If we cannot afford it we don't offer it.
Comment: We have not offered a lot to the kids this year; this is a program that has at least gotten some kids involved.
Comment: Is it possible for us to do a fundraiser for this topic specifically?
Answer: We cannot fund raise for any one program; it has to be a global PTA effort.
Comment: Maybe since no one stepped up for K-1 we should use that money for this.
WW: We broke down the drama umbrella budget so that each group would have a budget to work within.
MAM: Can we have a motion for a budget increase of $2500 for drama 5-8?
Please remember, you must be a paid PTA member to vote.
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Motion: Tina T.
2nd:
With opposition the minority, the PTA unanimously approves sharing the budget increase for the drama 5-8 program by $2500.
Cultural Arts - Chris S.: Snakes and Snails
We will have 2 shows on February 3. One for the younger kids, one for the older. Bill is going to host with his 7' alligator, a python, a large snapping turtle and a monitor lizard. PTA will determine the entrance fee; Bill will not charge us for the shows.
Must be advertised properly and make sure teachers and parents know about it with enough time to plan to be there.
Other assemblies are underway. Teachers have been talking in the 4th grade as well as Mr. Henry's science department. If you have any good ideas let me know and I will add them to the binder. Remember that assemblies have to meet the guidelines for curriculum before they can be approved.
Holiday Shoppe - Anne P.: We brought in about $800. Kohls offered this great program where they sent 3 of their employees over to help with the shoppe and then paid us $500. They have also offered to be runners for the Tricky Tray.
Holiday Bazaar - Julie C. We had a great day, but a long day! We had a total of 42 vendors and brought in $950 to the PTA after expenses and advertising. Next year I will work on making it bigger, possibly extending into the halls.
Box Tops for Education - Wendy: We should be getting a check for $708 any day now. I thought it might have come over break. Keep sending them in, the next collection will be in March. We also have a collection box at Wanaque Reserve.
Bingo - Anne P: We have one more date to book, will keep you posted.
Tricky Tray: Karen B: Did everyone get the Tricky Tray email? Did anyone volunteer to help solicit? There are a few of us who are old faces, we need new hands and faces to start taking over some of these large events. The Tricky Tray is the single largest fundraiser for the PTA, we make upwards of $17,000 each year. There is lots to do and lots of ways to get involved. Call me, you tell me what you are good at and I will find a way for you to help. The economy has affected everyone including our benefactors. We used to send letters and get great big gifts sent to us, now we send letters and we get letters back saying they are sorry but they cannot help us. That must means we need more people out there pounding the pavement. I will post a sample solicitation letter on the website. It will be editable so you can put your information on it.
You can also donate gift baskets or individual gift items to the effort. Please no used items, we just donate or through them out. There is a new Goodwill coming where the Saturn dealer was on 23, you can bring those things there. We only want new items for the Tricky Tray. Check the website for more details, but please do what you can. We also need the baskets themselves so if you have baskets laying around that you don't need, donate them too!
If you are employed, see if you can get your employer to donate something as well, sometimes if they know someone is involved, it is easier to donate.
Q: how do you solicit?
A: 750 letters have gone out to local companies and major corporations. We are not allowed to solicit by phone, but we can go door to door, this is a great way for kids to get involved too. If your kids need community service hours, they can come wrap, solicit and/or send out letters - it is easy and fun!
Reading Program - Kathy D.: We are starting a book swap for pen pals to recommend booked to each other between Haskell and Wanaque for grades K-4. There will be a Poster contest for Dr. Seuss week for grades 3-4 on their favorite Dr. Seuss book and then an essay contest for 5-8 on How Reading Touched My Life. Dr. Seuss day is March 2nd stay tuned for more info on that next month. Our first PJ party will be coming soon for the k-2 kids.
Field Day - Tracy G.: Please sign up to help; it is a great, fun day
School Apparel - Sue B: The order form is on the website, and Sue will have representation at the Holiday Shop
Giving Tree - Wendy W. Please help, I have lists from the teachers and the leaves but need help to put them up. Wendy and Joy volunteered
Cookie Dough - Wendy W.: We decided to do this in the Spring in time for Easter/Passover as it was too much at the holiday time. Working on the contract as I will not accept a charge back clause, so more to come. Also a committee that could use some help. This is not difficult; just need an extra few sets of hands. Thanks
Market Day - Jen S.: Our first Market day is coming up. There will be a $5 coupon going home tomorrow, look for that. The pick up will be 1/24. We have to use the foyer and hall this month but possibly will get the gym for February. The truck arrives at 6, we are scheduling pick up for 7-8pm this month since it is our first time, we will be shooting for 6:45 - 7:30 going forward. Give it a try; there is lots of money to be made here.
Fall Fundraiser - Sue M.: I don't have figure yet, but it was successful. We are looking to do Gertrude Hawk chocolates for the spring.
School Apparel - Sue B.: via email: Did well at the bazaar. Remember this program is a wash; we sell for what it costs in order to give families the chance to buy low cost spirit wear. The bazaar is a great way to sell as the parents can see the clothing. Sue would like to do another event like that, will see what is going on. Still requesting a mounted lock box for the office. Last year the monies were stolen and we need a box that is mounted for collecting cash. Anne Marie F. volunteered to pick one up and Ms. Morales confirmed that the maintenance crew would mount it for us.
Old Business
Mr. Thompson has been running a program called Encore (glee club) for kids an hour before school and it has been great. The kids love it and are ready much earlier than needed on Encore days! They are learning to sing and have quite a set already under their belts. They are doing this Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On 2/29 they will have a performance at 7pm in the gym and on 2/27 at 9am for the school though they will not be performing all their hits at that performance. There are bout 35-40 kids on any given day and have other teacher volunteers as well.
Lunch: In grades 5-8 we not only need to know what the kids are ordering for lunch, but how many of the lunches they will be eating. We have found that we are scrambling to put together extra lunches every day as we do not have an accurate count when kids eat more than one lunch. We would like to plan better so if you can tell your kids to add in how many they will order, that would help/
New Business
Kid Power: Joe P. has been researching this program online. It is a bullying program under the FAB for Peace moniker. Stands for Families Against Bullying and it helps with teaching kids not to keep things to themselves. Kids are so afraid of repercussions that they do not speak up even when they are being bullied and we are seeing the results on the news every day. Keep your kids engaged, talk to them and tell them it is ok to talk to you. Be their mouthpiece. Make the bullies the minority. If the kids don't feel like they are being heard, it won't work.
Q: Is it typical for kids to stay quiet?
A: It really depends on the personality. They are taught to “tell”. They need to be educated at home - don't allow children to be mean to anyone. Teach them compassion and you will prevent the bullying at home and it will carry over to their lives.
Door Prize: Mrs. McGinley
MAM: If there is no other business, our next meeting will be February 6 at 7pm right here in the library.
Motion to adjourn until February 6, 2012
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Motion: Anne P.
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2nd: Tracey G.
With no opposition, the PTA has approved this meeting adjourn until February 6, 2012
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Respectfully submitted January 11, 2012
