Hoosic Valley PTO Minutes 

3/3/2021

Virtual mtg at 6:30

Attendees: Carolyn Gifford, Melissa Kalbfliesh, Lisa Meehan, Stacey Smolinski, Liz Ruepp, Brandee Silloway, Kimberly Macica, Sarah Weber, Darcy Beaulac, Ericka Silverman, Amelia Manders, Meghan Luskin, Karen Carlson, Janice Lee, Tiffany Hurley 

6:33pm

Review of minutes from February

Officers Reports:

1.  Treasurer’s Report:  250.00 check for the yearbook for highschool.  50.00 deposit from capcom and 10.00 donation.  And purchase of pool noodles for K and 2nd grade:  105.98.  Will get the detailed report later.  Feb. 31.84 Without above 22,597.76 is the balance inthe bank account.  Also applied for the stewart’s holiday match, they will let us know in March.  Income and expense report in the folder 

Committee Reports:

1.  By laws Committee

Thumbs up last month for committee members that were present.   Will share the updated bylaws with the rest of PTO members to vote upon for next meeting.  Can reach out to Sarah committee chair or Liz as the president and if changes need to be made to bylaws.

2.  Yearbook Committee

Trying to figure out a theme to go with.  2 options:  Where the wild things are?  Or Rocket/Space rocket theme?  Going to go with the “max” theme.  At a standstill because she doesn’t have a class list, with the way school started.  Liz will touch base with Cori tomorrow to hopefully get that.  Will meet with Tiffany for more ideas to put within the yearbook.  

3.  Writing Olympics committee:

Submissions and editing will be easier, because the kids can submit through schoology and google docs.  Erin thoughts on a schedule, hopefully a flyer will be sent out next Wednesday within school.  Stories and artwork would be due March 31st.  April 21st to the printers.  And having a virtual author night the week before memorial day.  For authors night either send out a video or do a large virtual mtg.  Or to break into smaller groups “virtual classrooms” and then students can read their stories within the groups.  

Print last years with this year’s due to everything that happened with the school shutdowns.  Karen came up with the idea of possibly recording the kids reading the books.  Erin will need help with setting up the virtual meetings, or contact her if you want to help any way possible.  We can set up google meets through the PTO platform.

Unfinished Old Business:

1. Teacher Wish Lists

Amelia has started those.  15 total lists between the 2 schools.  Liz will send another reminder email to the teachers.  The list is live, but not linked off a menu yet.  After all the teachers list are on the website then they will be linked through.  

2. Virtual Bingo

All set to go Friday night March 5th.  Brigette and Lisa ran a test control this past weekend, it all went well!  Looking at possibly 15  families (60 cards).   Lisa has a couple 5.00 target cards, and was going to run past Brigette to give to people with “creativity”.  Have until midnight Thursday night before Bingo to sign up.  

3. Teacher Appreciation

Last month we talked about another “chalk the walk” and the Farmer’s Feed bunk.  It is the 1st full week in May.  We are looking for good ideas, because we can’t get into the actual school for the teachers. Some schools do a theme for every day of appreciation week.  Sarah came up with the idea of decorating with the posters.  Possibly form a committee.  Sarah, Stacy, Liz all volunteered to run the committee.  Will hopefully have a great 

4. Spring Picture Date:  March 29th, Cori wants a volunteer in the building for that.  Amanda Akin volunteered awhile ago and Liz was going to touch base with her to see if she could.  Liz is going to track down someone with Lifetouch, but our representative left.  Liz would love to hear about other photographers to possibly come in for school pictures.  (not ismile or lifetouch).  And 6th grade graduation pics should be in May.  Will also encourage teachers to go get a picture if they haven’t already.  
5. Grants/Funding/Donations

200.00 Aldi’s grant to be applied to the Zillah Herrington Awards.  Still waiting to hear back from other grants and donations that PTO applied too.  Cori was going to reach out to the teachers regarding Zillah Herrington and what we can do other than handing out books the beginning of the month

6.  PARP:  Kids are having a blast with it.  Many teachers stayed and decorated the Friday night before.  So thankful for the faculty and support for this program.  As a school raised almost 2500.00 for Ronald Mcdonald in the first 2 days.  PTO will get 10%.  Trying to figure out school raffles.  She is going to wait and see with grant money and has yet to buy any gift certificates.  She won’t pull the raffles until after April break.  

New Business:

1.   Sensory Path

Come up within the budget workshops in conversation.  Brighten up the school inside and sensory path for the students.  PTO could assist in the funding.  The school should fund as well and could guide the project.  There is another budget workshop March 18th, all people all welcome to join in the conversation or go.  Margaret Rice has a lot of knowledge and information on the project.  Maybe HVEF could help with funding as well.  Walmart’s program has a max of 5,000.00-10,000.00 that no one in our district has applied for.  

2. Senior Banners 

            Flags of the senior pics throughout the town.  Cost 1200.00 for each group as a contribution.  Seniors got to bring their pictures back home after graduation.  Seniors could possibly contribute to it financially.  Booster club would like to do the banquet still so they wouldn’t be able to contribute financially to both.  Will “discuss” the topic and she can go back to the senior advisors and let them know.  Can report back to PTO next month.  

3.  MAC:  Share request:  increase the part time band teacher in elementary to full time.  In an effort to strengthen the department. Administration is behind this.  It used to be 4 full time k-12.  A concern we don’t have the numbers to justify it, during the budget workshop.  If you feel strongly about this for the music department, let people know and let the board know.  It would be a 21,000 budget increase.  You can email board members with your thoughts.  

Future Discussions:

Doing a buy 1 get 1 free for scholastic for 1 night only?  Is it a possibility.  Maybe make it a targeted night.  

Christa mentioned the Park Ave Confectionery in Mechanicville was doing a fundraiser for another school.  Any opinions for that?  Liz will contact them to see what their terms are and if possible to do in time for Easter

Also a meet the school board candidate night, should look into scheduling that

Adjournment:   7:52pm 

PTO minutes 2/3/2021

2/3/2021 @6:30pm

Virtual Meeting

Attendees:

Liz Ruepp, Melissa Kalbfliesh, Sarah Weber, Lisa Meehan, Denile Pero, Bridget Chapko, Janice Lee, Christa Waryas, Erika Silverman 

Mtg Start time:  6:37pm

January/February Minutes:  Accepted as read

Officers Report

HOOSIC VALLEY PTO Minutes 

Meeting Date:  1/6/2021

Virtual Meeting

Attendees:

Liz Ruepp, Lisa Meehan, Melissa Kalbfliesh, Erika Silverman, Bridget Chapko, Brandee Silloway, Bessie Baldwin, Carolyn Gifford, Stacy Kyea, Darcy Bealuac, Janice Lee, Christa Waryas, Amelia Manders

Mtg Start time:  6:34pm

Treasurer’s report:  Not many reimbursements, only check for snacks for the staff rooms, no funding requests last month. We might need to remind the teachers to utilize us, possibly partner with HVEF to reach out. We received a lifetouch check, it will be on next month’s report

Secretary’s report:  updated newsletter

Committee Reports:

• Bylaws Committee:  format and send bylaws out this evening, read over for next meeting and get them approved
• Yearbook:  back and forth on the idea.  Amelia is heading it up.  Most of it will be the class pics, not much content. Maybe put out a poll to see if parents were interested or call it for the year? One company has a “pay as you go yearbook”, no required number of books. Parents can customize 2 pages the other content would be what we prepare.  Amelia will do a facebook poll to see the interest.  Amelia will try to reach out to Kathy again and see how the photo folders are doing, possibly do reminders within the teacher bulletins.  Kathy went around and got pics before breaks.  Amelia did get permission to go in the school after break to get pics of classes with none.  The school class pictures have a lot of errors.

Unfinished (Old) Business:

•  Festival of Wreaths:  Went really well!!  Amelia did a wonderful job with the website, tremendous response and would still like the online aspect.  Possible high school interaction, just not the year to do it but will reach out again next year to see if they would like to be involved.  Raised 964.65 through just the store, due to the extra fee for credit cards, but a total of 1019.65 with the donations.  Huge thank you to all that donated wreaths and those who purchased tickets towards the fundraiser.
• Teacher wish lists:  Sent an email to the principals to send out a flyer.  Mr Foti wanted verification of who we wanted on the lists (teachers/aids)etc.  We agreed for everyone working in the building if they want a wishlist they can have one.  
• Virtual Event:  Virtual bingo will be held on Friday, March 5th @6:00 pm. Bridget will be our caller. We will do a trial run before the event to work out any issues. We need to decide if we will have prizes/ fee to join.

Other things besides Bingo?  Paint and sip, cooking classes, scavenger hunt, trivia night etc

New Business

•  PAPR:   Will run for the whole month of March.  Diving into Reading Ocean underwater theme partnering with Ronald Mcdonald house.  They will read 15 mins/5 days a week, track their reading and bring back every week. Ronald McDonald house  fundraiser – children will have sponsors for minutes they read or a flat rate.There is a website that people can send their donations through.  Ronald McDonald House will cut a 10 percent check back in what they raise.  They will be able to read certain amounts and get prizes through RMH.  Teachers will give raffles tickets and pull prizes at the end through school.  Possible donors –   Chrissys, Sammy Cohens, Fair, Schagaval, Brew Den, barber shops, Spare Time, etc. Ronald Mcdonald is going to do a virtual kickoff for the kids and the teachers will video their skit to introduce the program.  The top 2 earners would be invited to attend an event at the Ronald Mcdonald house. Possibly let kids order t-shirts to match the teachers for the month long event. 

Suggestion  – apply to Stewart’s holiday match for this.  Get money and then we can buy the gift certificates from local businesses. 

PTO voted to cover the cost of drinks and pizza for the teachers who will decorate on February 26 and fund decorations.  

PTO will provide a cover letter for donations.  

Can we incorporate Virtual “screen free” week?   Read aloud virtual night.  Kids could choose their own personal read alouds. 

• High School Yearbook Ad 250.00 expense: All in favor, no one is opposed.

Future Discussion:

N/A

Adjournment:  7:37pm