Pierce School PTO Minutes - September 19, 2007

WELCOME ALL PARENTS--YOUR CHILDREN NEED YOU!

Your children need you to help with the fabulous 2-6 play, outreach committee, auction, and any other skill/interest you may have. Please sign up today.

Partial list of attendees (please excuse any typos) Pipier Smith-Mumford, Joshua Frank, Jim Fleming, Palle Pedersen, Anna Moeller, Irina Gasperini, Phodinne Wang, John Murphy, Adele Munger Malhieu, Lisa Goldblatt Grace, Laura Bradford, Ellen Rottersmann, Youjin Park, Stacey Irwin Dwoney, Sushma Boppane, Peter Nigrovic, Adeline Laguerre, Phil Hernandez, Hilarey Elkins, Susan Horwitz, Mindy Taylor, Tammy Texeria, Susan Levin, Devaraj Anend- A-V, Valerie Emmerlich, Min Zhang, Jacqueline Washington, Bernard Washington, Shirley Re, Young (Yuonne) Park, Chandlee Dickey, Charlie Walsh, Nicole Lapidus, Eileen Regis, and many, many more!

1. Co-Chairs' Report - Superintendent's meeting: Following last year’s budget cuts there were many discussions across the district about what PTO could and should support financially. Issues include equity among schools’ PTO financially and town’s responsibility to fund the curriculum. Now there is a point person for the town to discuss these issues.
1. Things PTO can fund: field trips, enhanced teacher curriculum, discretionary fund for principals
2. PTO co-chairs from all schools meet with Dr. Lupini monthly to discuss such issues.
2. Outreach Committee
1. Supports: opening days activities, movie night, Pierce picnic, PTO breakfasts
2. Volunteers always welcome
3. Principal’s Report (Pipier Smith-Mumford)
1. Opening days: were very successful. Pipier expressed gratitude to Outreach committee for their help.
2. Instruction now begins at 8:00 sharp
3. Note building improvements: new windows in historical building, new green signage, new green cafeteria chairs. We still need paint, basement windows in historical building, and especially a new auditorium.
4. 7-8 Play, “Fiddler on the Roof” auditions begin 9/20/07
5. Principal’s Forum: this is designed and lead by Pipier and occurs 3-4 times per year. These are quite special and important events for parents to attend. First one this year is October 10, Urban Improv. Urban Improv is a group that uses theater to help kids express and understand their complex feelings about bullying, race, feeling left out, differences, etc. We parents have the incredible opportunity to learn from them on October 10—don’t miss this event.
6. Classroom size: Pierce has historically enjoyed small class sizes and additional adult support in the classroom. Because of budget cuts and 2 years of large student influx, classroom sizes are a bit larger and there are fewer aids. Once the exact number of students per class is determined, then Pipier can appeal to Dr. Lupini to increase the adult support available.
7. Pipier requests that concerns regarding supporting teachers at Pierce come directly to her.
4. Pierce Fit Fest, Sunday, September 23, 9:30-12, cost $3/person, tee shirts $7. This is a novel, community-wide event to enhance fitness awareness at Pierce and the larger Brookline Community. Please come and participate in the events including a 1 mile fun run/walk. Our high school football players will be on hand to cheer us on. There will be vendors from the community and from Brookline public health on hand to answer questions and to promote fitness.
5. Treasurer’s Report (Karen Szeto)
1. 5th grade field trip to North Eastern Univ. marine center. Need money for the bus. $500-800. Increasing gas costs have directly affected field trips and the PTO fundraising needs.
2. Math Resource Center, $1,600 seed money ($750 consulting, $850 software, books). The purpose of this seed money is to start a math resource center open to students, teachers, and parents to enhance math curriculum and support differentiated instruction. Would include board games, computer software, web-site development, etc. Would initially target 1-2 grades and then we would apply for grants to expand to include all grades.
6. Fund raising ideas - Started the general discussion of whether we should have small or large fund raising activities. Will discuss more at future meetings.
7. Pierce Auction - If this is to occur, and it is a major source of our revenue, over $20,000/year, then we need a new chair.