Pierce School PTO Minutes - June 2006

6/7/06 Minutes

Attendance: Karen Szeto, Ellen Ball, David Weinstein, Tammy Texeria, Nicole Lapidus, Joshua Frank, Pipier Smith-Mumford, Ellen Regis, Deborah Swedberg, Cherie Gaehde, Charlie Walsh, David Lapidus, Josh Frank

1. PTO Chair
   1. Superintendent’s meeting today
   2. We have volunteers for Broadsheet; Directory, Play, still need Auction and Metco partnership committees
   3. 2-6 Play will be Peter Pan, 7-8 Play to be determined via pre-views
   4. Next year possible fundraisers: bottle tops from Hood; bricks; issues concerning ability for all to participate were discussed
2. Fund requests
   1. Approved for: Math league; laminating supplies; IEP prize buckets (definite) and white boards (more info needed); homework support center 4-8 grades for one teacher and one aid for 4-6 and 7-8 groups (approve $5000).
   2. Not approved for: summer schooling for an individual student; summer theater program;
3. Creative Arts Program: Report by parent Deborah Swedberg
   1. Cadence, Urban Improv, Techsploration, Berkshire Hills Music Academy, Nikki Hu and Guy Van Duser, Living Voices: Through the Eyes of a Friend this year. These were all highly successful. Came in $50 under budget
   2. Celloman, Ruby Bridges, Illstyle Hip Hop Dance, Mother Goose, Boston Ballet with returning Techsploration, Living Voices, Berkshire Hills as possibilities for next year. Urban Improv is also encouraged to return.
   3. Approving $7000 for next year. Big thanks to Deborah for her efforts
4. Food Critics: Report by parent Cherie Gaedhe
   1. Kids ate daily and filled out a report daily across the school system to assess new foods.
   2. Kids liked the food. Tables need to be cleaner. Recess before lunch may be better for kids. More sampling of foods—would encourage kids to try new foods.
5. Principal’s Report
   1. MCAS is over: impressive how flexible school is, Josh coordinated and did a great job
   2. Book fair was a huge success: big thanks to Nicole and Cherie and Josh and all the parents who volunteered. Truly represented the community’s values.
   3. Noon June 23rd school ends; graduation is 19th, 8th grade dinner dance next week
   4. Picnic will be postponed until Friday, but more likely on Tuesday
6. Chair Report—Ellen Ball, Tammy Texeria, Nicole Lapidus
   1. Next year’s chair: Charlie Walsh is joining the current group of chairs
   2. Summer gathering TBA maybe at Nichole’s house
   3. Consider on non-Principal’s forum nights to have the PTO meeting combined with PTO community breakfasts on Thursday mornings—may get more parents.