Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 14:26:41 EDT

PTA General Meeting Minutes: DRAFT

September 7, 2004
Prepared by Lora Griff, PTA Secretary

The PTA meeting took place in the SCES Gym with approximately 90 members
present.
1) Call to Order/President's Report - Cindy Terrell
a) Call to order 7:17pm
b) Goals for the year:
-School Directory: The goal is to get the Directory out as soon as possible.
Please return identifying information as soon as you are able.
-Support for old and new staff given the large staff turnover this year.
-Make the PTA reflect the diversity of the community by providing Spanish
translated PTA meetings and creating a bulletin board for those not on the list
serve.
2) Principal's Report - Mrs. Lay
a) Introductions: Mrs. Lay introduced Ms. Riccutti, Kindergarten teacher
as the PTA staff liaison. Mrs. Lay then gave a personal introduction and
affirmed that she is "planning on staying here" and that she "wants to make a
difference in the life of the whole school." She gave a warm PowerPoint
presentation on her core values for education that include respect teaching the
whole
child.
b) Arrival and Dismissal: Mrs. Lay reviewed the procedures and early
problems. A committee will be formed to develop ideas to help in this area.
c) Lunch and Recess: There are combined recesses this year. This was a
plan that the Leadership Team developed last year. They are unable to add
another lunch and/or recess as it gets in the way of academic time. Make sure
that your children know their PIN numbers and that their lunch accts. are funded
d) Volunteers: Mrs. Lay would welcome parent volunteers any time of the
day. There is a need for recess volunteers to provide more organized sports
at recess.
e) Staffing: Mrs. Lay is in constant touch with Stephen Bedford,
Community Superintendent regarding our numbers. There are rigid guidelines for
classroom ceilings. We are close to the ceiling numbers of needing a new
kindergarten teacher in the Academy. She is meeting with the 3rd and 4th grade
teams
and is trying to spread instructional assistants across the grades according to
need. She will also request additional Para educator positions to help in
the crowded classrooms. Additionally, Mrs. Lay stated that the school is 30
students above MCPS projections but it is unclear how that will impact staffing.
Please contact Mrs. Lay if you have ongoing staffing concerns.
f) Auditorium: Mrs. Lay is helping to advocate the renovation and
reopening of the middle school auditorium. Busy Graham gave a history of the
efforts to collect money for the renovation. Parents were invited the auditori
um
after the mtg.
g) Security: Sligo Creek is a secure bldg. Parents must sign in,
teachers now have I.D. badges, SSIMS can't enter our building. The students in
the
Rec. Dept. ceramic studio located behind the school cannot park on school
grounds and they all must wear nametags.
h) Kindergarten naptime: The Kindergartners no longer have naptime. This
is policy decided by the Board of Ed. and Dr. Weast. The $7 for nap mats
will be returned to the students.
3) Vice President's Report-Gail Gugel
a) Volunteering: There are many committees in need of volunteers and
chairs are still needed in Events and Fundraising Committees.
b) Specialist Volunteer Liaison: We need a volunteer to be the liaison
for each of the specialists.
c) 5th Grade Fundraiser: This group of 5th graders are the first
students who have been to the school since kindergarten. They will have a
fundraiser to collect money for instruments for instrumental music students.
d) List serve: Use proper "netiquette" when you post on the list serve.
4) Vice President's Report -Patty Marroquin
Patty made a presentation appealing to more integration and involvement with
the Spanish community at the school. She had a display stating" Together we
can make a difference." Patty will help ensure that we have more translation
and interaction at our PTA events.
5) Treasurer Report-Jenny Lee
The PTA budget was presented and approved.
6)Committee Chairs
a) Staff Appreciation: new co-chairs Susan Stein and Kharma
Finley-Wallace
b) Community Outreach: OPEN
c) Beautification: Ann Leger
d) School Store: Catherine McGuffey
e) Afterschool: new co-chair Karry Tripp,second co-chair OPEN
f) Fundraising: OPEN,Leslie Bowie will do Fall Auction
g) Special Needs: Ellen Jennings
h) Cultural Arts: co-chairs Robbie Kirkendall and Claire Schwadron, need
volunteer to be at school to meet performers
i) Academic Support: co-chair Cheri Wiggs, second co-chair OPEN
j) Facilities: Pat Herendeen (separate from Beautification), Frankie
Meroney co-chair
k) Membership: co-chairs Doreen Rappaport and Mary Beth Etherton
l) Staff Gift Fund: Gina McNeal
m) Events: OPEN
n) Blair Cluster Representative: Frankie Meroney
o) Liaison to SSIMS: AnneGreiner
p) Liaisons to specialists: OPEN
Meeting Adjourned 8:47 PM