Mar Lee PTO Meeting Minutes for December 14, 2009
(7:00 pm – 8:50 PM)
Present:
Lisamarie Teeters, President; Jerry Bischoff, Vice-President; Beth Denbrock, Secretary; Lori Young, Treasurer; Kari Byrd, Co-Treasurer; Kat McDonald, parent; Rockne Finley, teacher; Claire Healy, parent; Maryanne Heatwole, parent.
Order of Business was as follows:
Item: November minutes approved.
President’s Report
Lisamarie is sending thank you cards for the leaders of PTO sponsored activities.
More volunteer forms have been received and are being processed as they are received.
Event contact list was handed out.
Vice-President’s Report
The defibrillator will be purchased, but we are lacking a certified individual to teach staff how to use it. Mr. Patton is coordinating this activity and has agreed to meet this need, but has to co-teach multiple times before he is considered certified. We will get an update from Mr. Letarte and a date by which this activity should be completed.
Treasurers’ Report
Two deposits (penny wars and snack day) were made and the new accounts at MCCU were opened. By Dec 31 the Chemical bank accounts will be closed. A written summary of all activity was presented to the Board.
Mrs. Finley visited to share with the PTO attendees
This is her 4th year at Mar Lee. She previously taught in a school near Grand Rapids, but was excited about the opportunity to move back to Marshall, her hometown. She loves the subject she teaches and the 7th graders. She has been using the science kits and has done many activities with the kids like diaramahs, and the bridge project. In particular, she loves earth science and considers herself a nerd. She feels strongly about preparing our 8th graders for high school. She has 2 gardens in the works and regularly recruits her husband to help out. Currently, she is having problems with the new greenhouse as it was not built for high winds and has encountered some destruction of the greenhouse because of this. Claire and Jerry have offered to help out through their personal connections. She has been impressed with the level of parental involvement at Mar Lee and plans to be involved with Mrs. T’s PBS program. She is still a little ambivalent about her stance on dissection, philosophically speaking, but thinks it can provide a good learning opportunity. She suggested that www.dissectafrog.com is a good alternative. Mrs. Finley takes her role as a nature advocate seriously and regularly encourages them to be a voice for animals and the earth.
Mr. Letarte stopped in to say hello and make an offer to support the PTO in any way he can. He congratulated Kat on the success of the float.
Committee Reports
Fundraiser - only one order snaffoo – an order had an error and the amount was refunded to the customer. Overall, the activity went very well and the company, Fund Raising Company of America (800) 482-2607, will be used every year in exchange for their support with the carnival. The company was very organized and orders were assembled correctly.
Parade Committee was recognized for their excellent efforts. Mr. Letarte sent a congratulatory letter and a note was also placed in the Advisor. The stars were returned to the students for Christmas. Way to go Kat! Look for the pictures on the school website.
PTO Snack
The Board decided to purchase the snack supplies for Claire to help minimize the work involved. Claire will be sure to track what is used for future planning. Kari will come to help Claire out on snack day. New common ground was found with all those present – everyone loves pickles.
Unfinished Business
Eagle’s Nest - The student council is working on collecting ideas for replacing the Eagle’s Nest. They are conducting a survey of 7th and 8th graders.
Paper products - The Christmas party is Wednesday so materials are needed.
Web Club - A link in the Mar Lee School website will lead to a website that will be maintained by the kids. Mr. McCann will help coordinate this activity.
PTO Board – plan to have your picture taken at the January meeting.
Library project - Painting is ready to begin! One corner will have a Jungle Book theme for the younger kids, the South wall will have a Where the Wild Things Are theme. Another theme may be the Swiss Family Robinson. Over 300 new books will be purchased.
New Business
Officers’ Meeting - The PTO Board had a meeting last week to cover agenda items ahead of time in an effort to reduce the amount of time used at regular monthly meetings.
The Giving Tree - We have 7 families to sponsor using $400 dollars. Kari and Claire will purchase the items needed for the families.
Box Tops – no new information to report
PTO Funding Requests:
Requests from staff for funding, specifically $400 approved monies for disbursement:
#Kathy Bloom – $100 for 6 walkie talkies for playground workers to talk to indoor staff.
Anonymous – folding chairs for school functions
#Sally and Mrs. McDonough – $100 for Christmas stockings, grab and go’s and carnations for grandparents’ day
Julie Burgstresser – aluminum foil dispenser and lunch trays
#Upper end teachers (6 – 8) – $200 contribution to the technology fund.
# = Approved by all Board members
PTO funding requests:
Approved Christmas field trips for DK through 8th grade.
Approved Mr. Stoner’s request for $300 for music flip folders and parade ponchos ($15 per student)
Disapproved Mrs. McDonough’s request for an area carpet due to PTO funds currently being spent on library renovations.
*Submissions before a purchase is made is suggested as reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Announcements – Next PTO meeting is January 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm in the Library.
Adjournment by President, Lisamarie Teeters, 8:50 p.m.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
November Minutes
Meeting Minutes
Mar Lee PTO
Date: November 9th, 2009 Location: Mar Lee Library
Meeting Called to Order By: Jerry Bishoff Time: 7:00pm
Attendance: Lisamarie Teeters - President; Jerry Bischoff - Vice-President; Beth Denbrock - Secretary; Lori Young - Treasurer; Kari Byrd - CoTreasurer; Kat McDonald – Parent; Heather Fazekas - Teacher; Sheri Thorbjornson - Principal; Claire Healy - Parent; Kristen Kowitz - Parent
Minutes: Minutes of 10/12/2009 read. Correction was made to the Christmas celebration - Correct dates are Christmas Musical on December 9th and Christmas Concert on the 10th. October minutes approved.
Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker: Michelle McInnes – Not Present. Will reschedule.
Principal’s Report
Principal: Sheri Thorbjornsen
Mrs. T and Mrs. Fazekas brought forward the Positive Behavior Support System (PBSS)- Research says it is proactive and positive and is designed for all children, Kindergarten through 8th grade. The PBSS includes clear expectations which can be referenced and are designed to build on the strengths of the students. Currently, the school bus drivers are incorporating PBSS to improve behavior of students while riding the bus. Mrs. T reviewed the 5 years of bus discipline records to show the notable improvement for 2009 since the implementation of the Positive Behavior Support System. Bus drivers are currently doing the program on their own with their own funds. Jerry suggested the PTO allot a set amount of money for the bus drivers to use to run the program on their bus. Jerry Bischoff motioned to provide $150 to fund the program, Beth Denbrock second the motion.
Parent involvement in PBSS is strongly desired. As a way to bridge school and home, several “Parent Nights” will be scheduled. The theme is - Families Achieving Excellence – Safe, Responsible, and Respectful. The program sponsors are requesting the PTO co-sponsor the “Parent Night” with the teachers. The ultimate plan is to have a monthly flow of development opportunities for parents and kids. All PTO board members agreed to support this initiative. Jerry Bischoff motioned to use ChemFlex funds to financially support the PBSS. Ideas shared include: Internet safety, parenting tips, etc. The PTO will fund drinks and snacks for the parent/teacher nights and approve those funds on an as needed basis.
Officers’ Reports
President: Lisamarie Teeters
Lisamarie contacted all of the volunteers to thank them and let them know their form was received. Key was to make them feel important and valued and reiterate investment in school is worthy. Created a spreadsheet of all volunteers, what they volunteered for, how many volunteered for each activity, etc. Each volunteer also has an email contact for the activity they volunteered to support. She provided everyone with an event/contact list.
Vice President: Jerry Bishoff
Jerry participates on another board that receives Federal grant money, he hopes to access a trainer that will teach policy development and share key points with the PTO group.
Treasurer: Lori Young
Treasurer report submitted by Lori Young. Beginning balance = $2947.45 and Ending balance = $9638.54. Report was approved by the Board. Mrs. Thorbjornson does not yet have an estimate for the amount needed to purchase snacks in the spring, but will stay within her allotted $200 (including the fall MEAP snacks).
Committee Reports
Fall Fundraiser Committee: Claire Healey, Becky Zona - Absent
Claire has assembled three volunteers to help with delivered product. Parents must come to the school to pick up the products. No products will be sent home with kids. This provides for the opportunity to confirm the product was received. Claire will send home a flyer notifying parents to come pick up their orders. Pick up times will be set up for 3:30 – 5:30 pm. Product will be organized by classroom, but a location for the product to be stored has not yet been determined. Delivery date is November 17th.
Penny Wars Committee: Becky Zona - Absent and Marsha Bishoff - Absent
More volunteers are needed to count money by classroom.
PTO Snack Committee: Claire Healey and Nicole Maurer – Absent
November snack will on the November 20th. Plan is to do popcorn and pop. Will take steps to ensure oil does not contain peanuts. Kari Byrd will meet Claire to help her set up. There was some debate on whether or not pop should continue to be sold. Other beverages were not viewed as positive by the kids. Orange and Root Beer were the most popular. Claire advised that she is comfortable with the process and received compliments on service setup.
Christmas Float Committee: Kat McDonald, Zach Mason – Absent, Teresa Wise - Absent
Float entry is due November 13th and $50 is needed to pay for supplies. Jerry Bishoff motioned to provide $50 for the float and motion was second by Lisamarie. Jerry will also provide a 16 foot trailer. The parade theme is “Light up your Christmas”. Ideas included to “light it up Mar Lee style” with blue and white lights and/or create stars with the kids’ names on them. The Wise’s have volunteered to help along with Claire Healey. Donations will be sought for blue and white lights.
Box Tops/Campbell Soup Committee: Cheryl Zick - Absent
Box tops contest will be February/March. Winning class will get a pizza party. Soup labels have provided over 6000 points so far. Checks usually come in December. Lisamarie checked the office and Mr. Patton for the box top reward prizes and no one received a shipment of sports balls. Kat to provide Lisamarie with a contact and/or the shipment confirmation slip, so the order can be tracked. Kat to verify leftover points from last year.
Christmas Project Committee: Kat McDonald and Claire Healey
Christmas project currently has nine or ten volunteers. The total student headcount for the school is 313. Projects will be done around December 14 – 16th. The kids will create ornaments as this was cost effective and parents loved them.
.
Old Business/Events
The Meijer Rewards letters and applications can be sent home with the next Note Pad. Lisamarie to work on getting additional applications.
Jump for Heart is for K – 5th grade and Hoops for Heart is for 6th – 8th grade.
Paper Products – Students did not have paper products for Halloween Party. Lisamarie to follow up with Nicole to ensure this is arranged for the upcoming class parties.
Ice Packs – disposables were ordered for the office, but the size is large and the office staff is not comfortable using them for little injuries. Sheri to discuss options with office staff to come up with best solution. The PTO will not financially support ice packs or an ice machine at this time.
Checking Account – moving the checking account to Marshall Community Credit Union was motioned by Lisamarie Teeters and second by Kari Byrd. There was discussion about buying a CD to make interest but the idea was not adopted. The checking account will have three people that can sign checks – Lori Young, Kari Byrd and Lisamarie Teeters. Lori and Kari will have responsibility over the funds.
Mar Lee Website – Sheri will discuss a “web club” with Mr. McCann
Faucets - Sheri to discuss with Mr, LaTarte
Defibrillator training will occur in the coming weeks and will be led by Jerry Bishoff.
Library improvement project – meeting with Sheri and Laura for pre-planning to take place next week. Followed by a volunteer meeting.
New Business
Eagles Nest – Lisamarie spoke to Mr. LaTarte and he feels there is some attachment to the equipment with the 7th and 8th graders. If the equipment is removed, he would like to see something is put in its place. He will reach out to Mr, Henke to have the Student Council come up with some ideas. Again, concern is safety and several complaints have been raised. Jerry Bishoff advised that a document is being prepared for signatures to have it removed asap.
PTO budget – Lisamarie would like to discuss improvement ideas. How will requests for money be made and responded to. Everyone seemed to agree that a clearer procedure is needed. We are rutted into approvals to pay for traditional activities. Jerry asked Lori to create a log that would represent annual monies approved. The PTO will plan to have another meeting before the scheduled December meeting.
Mrs. Finley’s funding request was denied due to inability to do similar support to all teachers. As a result, the PTO will be providing annual supplemental funding to all teachers as in the past - $75 for new teachers and $50 to all other teachers for their classroom account
Sheri and Heather presented the PTO with a huge Thank you note from all of the students.
Announcements
Next meeting is 12/14/09 at 7pm Mar Lee School Library
Meeting Adjourned At: 9:00pm
Minutes Compiled By: Beth Denbrock, Mar Lee PTO Secretary
Mar Lee PTO
Date: November 9th, 2009 Location: Mar Lee Library
Meeting Called to Order By: Jerry Bishoff Time: 7:00pm
Attendance: Lisamarie Teeters - President; Jerry Bischoff - Vice-President; Beth Denbrock - Secretary; Lori Young - Treasurer; Kari Byrd - CoTreasurer; Kat McDonald – Parent; Heather Fazekas - Teacher; Sheri Thorbjornson - Principal; Claire Healy - Parent; Kristen Kowitz - Parent
Minutes: Minutes of 10/12/2009 read. Correction was made to the Christmas celebration - Correct dates are Christmas Musical on December 9th and Christmas Concert on the 10th. October minutes approved.
Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker: Michelle McInnes – Not Present. Will reschedule.
Principal’s Report
Principal: Sheri Thorbjornsen
Mrs. T and Mrs. Fazekas brought forward the Positive Behavior Support System (PBSS)- Research says it is proactive and positive and is designed for all children, Kindergarten through 8th grade. The PBSS includes clear expectations which can be referenced and are designed to build on the strengths of the students. Currently, the school bus drivers are incorporating PBSS to improve behavior of students while riding the bus. Mrs. T reviewed the 5 years of bus discipline records to show the notable improvement for 2009 since the implementation of the Positive Behavior Support System. Bus drivers are currently doing the program on their own with their own funds. Jerry suggested the PTO allot a set amount of money for the bus drivers to use to run the program on their bus. Jerry Bischoff motioned to provide $150 to fund the program, Beth Denbrock second the motion.
Parent involvement in PBSS is strongly desired. As a way to bridge school and home, several “Parent Nights” will be scheduled. The theme is - Families Achieving Excellence – Safe, Responsible, and Respectful. The program sponsors are requesting the PTO co-sponsor the “Parent Night” with the teachers. The ultimate plan is to have a monthly flow of development opportunities for parents and kids. All PTO board members agreed to support this initiative. Jerry Bischoff motioned to use ChemFlex funds to financially support the PBSS. Ideas shared include: Internet safety, parenting tips, etc. The PTO will fund drinks and snacks for the parent/teacher nights and approve those funds on an as needed basis.
Officers’ Reports
President: Lisamarie Teeters
Lisamarie contacted all of the volunteers to thank them and let them know their form was received. Key was to make them feel important and valued and reiterate investment in school is worthy. Created a spreadsheet of all volunteers, what they volunteered for, how many volunteered for each activity, etc. Each volunteer also has an email contact for the activity they volunteered to support. She provided everyone with an event/contact list.
Vice President: Jerry Bishoff
Jerry participates on another board that receives Federal grant money, he hopes to access a trainer that will teach policy development and share key points with the PTO group.
Treasurer: Lori Young
Treasurer report submitted by Lori Young. Beginning balance = $2947.45 and Ending balance = $9638.54. Report was approved by the Board. Mrs. Thorbjornson does not yet have an estimate for the amount needed to purchase snacks in the spring, but will stay within her allotted $200 (including the fall MEAP snacks).
Committee Reports
Fall Fundraiser Committee: Claire Healey, Becky Zona - Absent
Claire has assembled three volunteers to help with delivered product. Parents must come to the school to pick up the products. No products will be sent home with kids. This provides for the opportunity to confirm the product was received. Claire will send home a flyer notifying parents to come pick up their orders. Pick up times will be set up for 3:30 – 5:30 pm. Product will be organized by classroom, but a location for the product to be stored has not yet been determined. Delivery date is November 17th.
Penny Wars Committee: Becky Zona - Absent and Marsha Bishoff - Absent
More volunteers are needed to count money by classroom.
PTO Snack Committee: Claire Healey and Nicole Maurer – Absent
November snack will on the November 20th. Plan is to do popcorn and pop. Will take steps to ensure oil does not contain peanuts. Kari Byrd will meet Claire to help her set up. There was some debate on whether or not pop should continue to be sold. Other beverages were not viewed as positive by the kids. Orange and Root Beer were the most popular. Claire advised that she is comfortable with the process and received compliments on service setup.
Christmas Float Committee: Kat McDonald, Zach Mason – Absent, Teresa Wise - Absent
Float entry is due November 13th and $50 is needed to pay for supplies. Jerry Bishoff motioned to provide $50 for the float and motion was second by Lisamarie. Jerry will also provide a 16 foot trailer. The parade theme is “Light up your Christmas”. Ideas included to “light it up Mar Lee style” with blue and white lights and/or create stars with the kids’ names on them. The Wise’s have volunteered to help along with Claire Healey. Donations will be sought for blue and white lights.
Box Tops/Campbell Soup Committee: Cheryl Zick - Absent
Box tops contest will be February/March. Winning class will get a pizza party. Soup labels have provided over 6000 points so far. Checks usually come in December. Lisamarie checked the office and Mr. Patton for the box top reward prizes and no one received a shipment of sports balls. Kat to provide Lisamarie with a contact and/or the shipment confirmation slip, so the order can be tracked. Kat to verify leftover points from last year.
Christmas Project Committee: Kat McDonald and Claire Healey
Christmas project currently has nine or ten volunteers. The total student headcount for the school is 313. Projects will be done around December 14 – 16th. The kids will create ornaments as this was cost effective and parents loved them.
.
Old Business/Events
The Meijer Rewards letters and applications can be sent home with the next Note Pad. Lisamarie to work on getting additional applications.
Jump for Heart is for K – 5th grade and Hoops for Heart is for 6th – 8th grade.
Paper Products – Students did not have paper products for Halloween Party. Lisamarie to follow up with Nicole to ensure this is arranged for the upcoming class parties.
Ice Packs – disposables were ordered for the office, but the size is large and the office staff is not comfortable using them for little injuries. Sheri to discuss options with office staff to come up with best solution. The PTO will not financially support ice packs or an ice machine at this time.
Checking Account – moving the checking account to Marshall Community Credit Union was motioned by Lisamarie Teeters and second by Kari Byrd. There was discussion about buying a CD to make interest but the idea was not adopted. The checking account will have three people that can sign checks – Lori Young, Kari Byrd and Lisamarie Teeters. Lori and Kari will have responsibility over the funds.
Mar Lee Website – Sheri will discuss a “web club” with Mr. McCann
Faucets - Sheri to discuss with Mr, LaTarte
Defibrillator training will occur in the coming weeks and will be led by Jerry Bishoff.
Library improvement project – meeting with Sheri and Laura for pre-planning to take place next week. Followed by a volunteer meeting.
New Business
Eagles Nest – Lisamarie spoke to Mr. LaTarte and he feels there is some attachment to the equipment with the 7th and 8th graders. If the equipment is removed, he would like to see something is put in its place. He will reach out to Mr, Henke to have the Student Council come up with some ideas. Again, concern is safety and several complaints have been raised. Jerry Bishoff advised that a document is being prepared for signatures to have it removed asap.
PTO budget – Lisamarie would like to discuss improvement ideas. How will requests for money be made and responded to. Everyone seemed to agree that a clearer procedure is needed. We are rutted into approvals to pay for traditional activities. Jerry asked Lori to create a log that would represent annual monies approved. The PTO will plan to have another meeting before the scheduled December meeting.
Mrs. Finley’s funding request was denied due to inability to do similar support to all teachers. As a result, the PTO will be providing annual supplemental funding to all teachers as in the past - $75 for new teachers and $50 to all other teachers for their classroom account
Sheri and Heather presented the PTO with a huge Thank you note from all of the students.
Announcements
Next meeting is 12/14/09 at 7pm Mar Lee School Library
Meeting Adjourned At: 9:00pm
Minutes Compiled By: Beth Denbrock, Mar Lee PTO Secretary
October Minutes
Meeting Minutes
Mar Lee PTO
Date: October 12, 2009 Location: Mar Lee Library
Meeting Called to Order By: Jerry Bishoff Time: 7:00pm
Attendance: Number of attendees
Minutes: Minutes of 09/17/2009 meeting read and accepted
Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker: Gail Ryan
Mrs. Ryan, second grade teacher, was our guest speaker. She introduced us to RTI (Response to Intervention), a state-wide initiative for reading in the lower grades. The purpose is to bridge gaps in reading concepts so students can be successful readers. The program requires 1 teacher and 2 teacher aides. In her classroom she has 4 active book clubs for advanced readers and several small groups to build fluency and improving phonics. Mrs. Ryan is very happy about the performance her teacher aides give and hopes they will continue to be provided through Federal funding. The focus for second graders this year is “Our Community”. They will spend the year learning about local communities with an emphasis on Marshall. Choosing one particular community was challenging due to the number of children at Mar Lee though the School of Choice Program. Their learning will culminate in a day-long field trip in May of 2010. She is considering plans to visit local sites of interest. Mrs. Ryan is requesting that parents get involved in her classroom by volunteering. Parents can call the school or Mrs. Ryan directly.
Principal’s Report
Principal: Sheri Thorbjornsen
Sheri is planning to attend the monthly PTO meetings and is excited to support all the PTO activities that are scheduled this year. She is also supporting a state-wide initiative called Positive Behaviors. Mrs. Zona is also supporting this initiative. Currently, they are brainstorming ways to get parents involved. Some ideas on the table include Math Night, learning games that will help equip parents to help with homework, and a Parent Connection class. One or more of these activities may occur during Parent-Teacher Conferences in November.
Additional items discussed between attendees addressed to Sheri:
A suggestion was made to have Mr. McCann start a Web Club that students could join to take ownership of designing, enhancing and maintaining the schools website and links.
Preparation for H1N1 continues at Mar Lee. Teachers and staff are watching kids closely and strongly encouraging students to practice good hand washing and use of hand sanitizer that has been placed throughout the building. Dr. Letarte is pursuing the possibility of Mar Lee being a vaccine site for the local community. There as another emphatic suggestion that the faucets in the bathrooms be replaced with automatic water onset.
There have been many questions about the importance of controlling foods that contain peanuts in the school building. This is an important health issue for one of our students and requires everyone’s support. To clarify, there should be no food containing peanuts in any public areas of the building, specifically, the library, computer lab, gymnasium, 5th grade classrooms and the Health Room.
Lori would like the school to research putting in new faucets in the bathrooms due to sanitary reasons
Officers’ Reports
President: Lisamarie Teeters
Lisamarie’s first order of business was to get organized! She has provided all board members with tabbed 3-ring binders full of information. These binders are to be kept identical so everyone has the same information, avoiding the problem lost materials. She is working on creating electronic backups of PTO documents, and possibly even using the Mar Lee website as a tool to retain and make available PTO materials. A copy of the duplicate binders will be kept in the school office for parents to peruse. In an effort to take advantage of our available knowledge and experience in the PTO, new members will be paired with veteran members from whom they can learn. There will be a specific focus on documenting our procedures, what we do and how we do it. Monthly PTO meetings will occur on the second Monday of each month, at which the Secretary, Beth Denbrock, will take minutes and forward those to Board Members and others wishing to receive a copy each month.
Vice President: Jerry Bishoff
Soccer nets are up! Thank you Jerry and all the parents/teachers who volunteered their time to get this done.
Treasurer: Lori Young
Treasurer’s report read and accepted (or amended). Report attached.
Lori provided a prepared report to the Board. Beginning checking balance was $3,131.03. After September activity, the ending balance was $6,507.32. Everyone agreed that checks would be signed for deposit by at least 2 Board Members to create accountability.
Committee Reports
Fall Fundraiser Committee: Claire Healey and Becky Zona
Fall fundraiser orders are due, October 14. Delivery is scheduled for November 17 and volunteers are needed to help unpack and prepare student orders. Please call the school and offer to help out for an hour or two on the 17th.
Old Business/Events
Field day will be the last week of May 2010
The Meijer Rewards letters need to go out to parents. Kari Byrd will coordinate with Lisamarie assisting.
Jump for Heart is coming and the PTO will be providing water bottles and apples. Mr. Patton coordinator for this event.
Weekly fluoride treatments continue (Thanks, Randy!). Randy needs some additional trays to deliver the fluoride to classrooms and will be submitting a written request to the PTO to purchase them.
Box Tops are still being collected and are a useful tool for the school to get supplies and equipment.
The Spring Sing will be in March 2010.
Christmas activities will include a Holiday Sing on December 1 and Holiday Music on December 2 by the Mar Lee Band Members. PTO will be providing a Santa this year.
Ice packs are needed in the office for bumps and bruises. A motion was made by Becky Zona to purchase the disposable ice packs for $100, it was second by Kari Byrd – all supported this motion.
Kat McDonald reported that we had $720 in Box Tops and 6062 Campbell’s Soup Points. Soup Points were used to order a variety of sports balls, but the shipment has not yet arrived. Lisamarie to check with Mr. Patton and the office to see if they recall any shipments coming in.
Christmas projects for the kids will be coordinated by Kat McDonald and Claire Healey. The PTO will financially support the Mar Lee School Christmas Parade Float.
Paper Products for class parties will be organized by Nicole Maurer.
The first Snack Day will be October 17 and will be nachos and cheese (50 cents), pop ($1) and water. Snack Day will be coordinated by Claire Healey and Nicole Maurer. Amy Turner to assist as the mentor on this project.
Penny Wars will run November 9 – 12 and Becky Zona and Marsha Bishoff will coordinate.
New Business
Jerry Bishoff suggested moving the PTO checking account to Marshall Community Credit Union, in part because of their support through the CU in School Program. This decision is tabled for further discussion.
Mr. Henke submitted a funding request for $245 for the seventh grade class trip to Washington D.C. This provides $5 for each of the 49 students slated to participate. A motion to approve was submitted by Lori Young and seconds by both Kari Byrd and Mary Ann Heatwole.
A funding request was submitted by Sheri Thorbjornsen for $200 for MEAP snacks and a celebration with Dan Dan the Yo Yo Man at the conclusion of MEAP testing. Jerry Bishoff approved the motion and Lori Young seconds the motion.
Defibrillator training will occur in the coming weeks and will be led by Jerry Bishoff.
Library improvement project will be led by the PTO and will include the acquisition of new books through several methods (donations, book swaps, dedications, etc.)
Announcements
Next meeting is 11/09/09 at 7pm Mar Lee School Library
Meeting Adjourned At: 8:30am
Minutes Compiled By: Beth Denbrock, Mar Lee PTO Secretary
Mar Lee PTO
Date: October 12, 2009 Location: Mar Lee Library
Meeting Called to Order By: Jerry Bishoff Time: 7:00pm
Attendance: Number of attendees
Minutes: Minutes of 09/17/2009 meeting read and accepted
Guest Speaker
Guest Speaker: Gail Ryan
Mrs. Ryan, second grade teacher, was our guest speaker. She introduced us to RTI (Response to Intervention), a state-wide initiative for reading in the lower grades. The purpose is to bridge gaps in reading concepts so students can be successful readers. The program requires 1 teacher and 2 teacher aides. In her classroom she has 4 active book clubs for advanced readers and several small groups to build fluency and improving phonics. Mrs. Ryan is very happy about the performance her teacher aides give and hopes they will continue to be provided through Federal funding. The focus for second graders this year is “Our Community”. They will spend the year learning about local communities with an emphasis on Marshall. Choosing one particular community was challenging due to the number of children at Mar Lee though the School of Choice Program. Their learning will culminate in a day-long field trip in May of 2010. She is considering plans to visit local sites of interest. Mrs. Ryan is requesting that parents get involved in her classroom by volunteering. Parents can call the school or Mrs. Ryan directly.
Principal’s Report
Principal: Sheri Thorbjornsen
Sheri is planning to attend the monthly PTO meetings and is excited to support all the PTO activities that are scheduled this year. She is also supporting a state-wide initiative called Positive Behaviors. Mrs. Zona is also supporting this initiative. Currently, they are brainstorming ways to get parents involved. Some ideas on the table include Math Night, learning games that will help equip parents to help with homework, and a Parent Connection class. One or more of these activities may occur during Parent-Teacher Conferences in November.
Additional items discussed between attendees addressed to Sheri:
A suggestion was made to have Mr. McCann start a Web Club that students could join to take ownership of designing, enhancing and maintaining the schools website and links.
Preparation for H1N1 continues at Mar Lee. Teachers and staff are watching kids closely and strongly encouraging students to practice good hand washing and use of hand sanitizer that has been placed throughout the building. Dr. Letarte is pursuing the possibility of Mar Lee being a vaccine site for the local community. There as another emphatic suggestion that the faucets in the bathrooms be replaced with automatic water onset.
There have been many questions about the importance of controlling foods that contain peanuts in the school building. This is an important health issue for one of our students and requires everyone’s support. To clarify, there should be no food containing peanuts in any public areas of the building, specifically, the library, computer lab, gymnasium, 5th grade classrooms and the Health Room.
Lori would like the school to research putting in new faucets in the bathrooms due to sanitary reasons
Officers’ Reports
President: Lisamarie Teeters
Lisamarie’s first order of business was to get organized! She has provided all board members with tabbed 3-ring binders full of information. These binders are to be kept identical so everyone has the same information, avoiding the problem lost materials. She is working on creating electronic backups of PTO documents, and possibly even using the Mar Lee website as a tool to retain and make available PTO materials. A copy of the duplicate binders will be kept in the school office for parents to peruse. In an effort to take advantage of our available knowledge and experience in the PTO, new members will be paired with veteran members from whom they can learn. There will be a specific focus on documenting our procedures, what we do and how we do it. Monthly PTO meetings will occur on the second Monday of each month, at which the Secretary, Beth Denbrock, will take minutes and forward those to Board Members and others wishing to receive a copy each month.
Vice President: Jerry Bishoff
Soccer nets are up! Thank you Jerry and all the parents/teachers who volunteered their time to get this done.
Treasurer: Lori Young
Treasurer’s report read and accepted (or amended). Report attached.
Lori provided a prepared report to the Board. Beginning checking balance was $3,131.03. After September activity, the ending balance was $6,507.32. Everyone agreed that checks would be signed for deposit by at least 2 Board Members to create accountability.
Committee Reports
Fall Fundraiser Committee: Claire Healey and Becky Zona
Fall fundraiser orders are due, October 14. Delivery is scheduled for November 17 and volunteers are needed to help unpack and prepare student orders. Please call the school and offer to help out for an hour or two on the 17th.
Old Business/Events
Field day will be the last week of May 2010
The Meijer Rewards letters need to go out to parents. Kari Byrd will coordinate with Lisamarie assisting.
Jump for Heart is coming and the PTO will be providing water bottles and apples. Mr. Patton coordinator for this event.
Weekly fluoride treatments continue (Thanks, Randy!). Randy needs some additional trays to deliver the fluoride to classrooms and will be submitting a written request to the PTO to purchase them.
Box Tops are still being collected and are a useful tool for the school to get supplies and equipment.
The Spring Sing will be in March 2010.
Christmas activities will include a Holiday Sing on December 1 and Holiday Music on December 2 by the Mar Lee Band Members. PTO will be providing a Santa this year.
Ice packs are needed in the office for bumps and bruises. A motion was made by Becky Zona to purchase the disposable ice packs for $100, it was second by Kari Byrd – all supported this motion.
Kat McDonald reported that we had $720 in Box Tops and 6062 Campbell’s Soup Points. Soup Points were used to order a variety of sports balls, but the shipment has not yet arrived. Lisamarie to check with Mr. Patton and the office to see if they recall any shipments coming in.
Christmas projects for the kids will be coordinated by Kat McDonald and Claire Healey. The PTO will financially support the Mar Lee School Christmas Parade Float.
Paper Products for class parties will be organized by Nicole Maurer.
The first Snack Day will be October 17 and will be nachos and cheese (50 cents), pop ($1) and water. Snack Day will be coordinated by Claire Healey and Nicole Maurer. Amy Turner to assist as the mentor on this project.
Penny Wars will run November 9 – 12 and Becky Zona and Marsha Bishoff will coordinate.
New Business
Jerry Bishoff suggested moving the PTO checking account to Marshall Community Credit Union, in part because of their support through the CU in School Program. This decision is tabled for further discussion.
Mr. Henke submitted a funding request for $245 for the seventh grade class trip to Washington D.C. This provides $5 for each of the 49 students slated to participate. A motion to approve was submitted by Lori Young and seconds by both Kari Byrd and Mary Ann Heatwole.
A funding request was submitted by Sheri Thorbjornsen for $200 for MEAP snacks and a celebration with Dan Dan the Yo Yo Man at the conclusion of MEAP testing. Jerry Bishoff approved the motion and Lori Young seconds the motion.
Defibrillator training will occur in the coming weeks and will be led by Jerry Bishoff.
Library improvement project will be led by the PTO and will include the acquisition of new books through several methods (donations, book swaps, dedications, etc.)
Announcements
Next meeting is 11/09/09 at 7pm Mar Lee School Library
Meeting Adjourned At: 8:30am
Minutes Compiled By: Beth Denbrock, Mar Lee PTO Secretary
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