MEETING NOTES
PTA General Meeting
Date: January 9, 2017
Location: BSES Media Room
Subject: Monthly General Meeting
President's Report: Erin Adero
Organization Chart:
 The PTA organization chart has been updated and will be posted to the PTA website.
 Cultural Arts is the only open position. Most other positions have been filled.
 Also, ideally we would have two PTATC delegates so that Grace does not have to go to all meetings.
 Jen Mertes does have an understudy for the membership chair. She will be added to the org chart.
 A new position is being considered: A parent volunteer to help with some of the organization and
communication with the school plays. This volunteer would act as a liaison between the PTA and the
drama program.
Schedule of Events:
 International Night scheduled for January 18. PTA does not supply anything for this event.
 February - Restaurant Night at Potbelly's on February 7. Need to get stickers going, spirit wear
promotion, and make sure that enough people sign up so that we don't lose the spot. We need at least
20 people to commit online to going to the event so that it won’t be canceled.
 Movie Night: Big Hero Six on February 24.
 Restaurant Night at Tino’s: Deferred from February to March or April timeframe.
 Bingo Night - Deferred until March 3.
Principal’s Report: Carol Hahn
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There are currently 751 students enrolled in Bellows. There are 80 students in the RECC program.
The 5th grade process and transition to Middle School starts this week. They get the scheduling done
early so that the middle schools know how to staff accordingly.
Kindergarten registration starts in February.
Gallup testing survey: Bellows 5th graders scored very high and are 85% engaged and 75% are very
hopeful for their future.
Spelling Bee is scheduled for 1/20.
Chorus and band and strings concerts are coming up in January and February.
The PTA will donate money to a Bellows family in need in which the two children recently lost their
parent and are moving to Texas to be with family. The PTA Membership approved a budget
amendment: Taking $150 from Cultural Arts and moving it to Community Outreach.
VP Activities Update: Elizabeth Aviles
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School Play DVDs - Have 26 orders and will make some money on these. The PTA will receive $9 for
each DVD sold. Both nights of the school play are on one DVD.
Parents were very happy with the new sound system.
101 Dalmatians will be the PTA Spring Play. We should receive the scripts next week.
We already have the license for Big Hero 6 for the February movie night. The movie night chair is
getting Zootopia for the 2nd movie night. United Artists donates popcorn for the movie nights.
The Chinese Acrobats are coming to Bellows on Wednesday, 2/8. Elizabeth will communicate with
Harriet about sending out a flyer prior to the event.
VP Fundraising Update: Heidi Roberts
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Heidi received an email from a different school supply company. They will ship the items directly to
the family's home. If the family spends more than $50 then shipping is free. If not, then shipping is
just $5.99. Also, there are more options beyond the basic items. Can customize if the parents
want. Heidi will look into this a bit more and provide us with more information. We will need
someone to take it over for next year and chair it for Heidi.
Heidi to check in with Courtney on the status of box tops donations.
Heidi also will look into the Orioles game school night fundraisers.
Erin will talk to Nicole or Harriet about having a Winter/Spring sale for Spirit Wear. People may be
more likely to buy warmer items like sweat shirts
PTACHC: Grace Murgolo
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The recent meeting was dedicated to the change in school start and end times. There are four models
and all involve moving the elementary school times to the earliest start time or keeping it the same.
Estimated costs for additional buses were also included in the proposals. There is a timeline for how
the change would be implemented. The school board has looked at other schools that have switched
around and the results are a mixed bag.
Many questions were posed about elementary school children - Don't they need the extra sleep
too? PTACHC does not support any of the proposed new models. They support the existing model.
The official announcement is scheduled for February 23.
Open Discussion
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The PTA Membership approved PTA Meeting minutes from October, November, and December 2016.
For future pre-PTA meeting events like Growth Mindset, ideally we would have them take place in
the Media Room to encourage participation in the PTA meeting after the presentation. Or if we have
a larger crowd, we can consider having the meeting in the cafeteria after the presentation.
Ideas for future topics:
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Dr. Foose - Erin will reach out to her. – Plan for May PTA Meeting
Presentation on test scores – What do they mean? Planned for 6pm prior to the February 13 PTA
meeting so that it is held prior to the parent-teacher conferences.
Ideas for bridging your child academically over the summer – Plan for April meeting
The PTA Membership decided to move the April meeting the Monday, April 3 because of spring break.