Memorial Middle School
PTO Meeting
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 - 7pm
Attendance: Lois Yager, Theresa Bueno, Paula Baron, John Sieller, Helen
Schmincke, Leann Cassidy, Nancy Martland, Maria Dumoulin, Maria
Reyes, and Chris Generali.
Lois motioned to approve minutes from last meeting.
Paula motioned to second approval for the minutes from last meeting.
Could not attend who emailed:
meeting at PHS)
Karen Williams (attending another
President’s Report:
Read the thank you notes from Mrs. Eustace, Mary Pat Noonan, Mrs.
Pinto, Nancy Martland, Mrs. Ganti, and Liz SantaMaria. Teachers are
thankful for the approved teacher grants and for the wish list items.
Some of the kids are dropping the items directly to the teachers. Maria
asked Mrs. Cassidy to send an email to the teachers to find out what
items came in so things aren’t duplicated.
Request from Drama department from Madge O’Toole. Kids are going to
see Phantom. Expensive trip $85 each to watch the show plus more
money for food ($105 each). She is asking the PTO for any possible
contribution. Board members are in agreement to contribute. Mrs.
Martland said 92 students have already paid and there are only about 8
or 9 spots left. We approve two tickets if they are needed. Mrs. Cassidy
will email Madge.
List of volunteers that is usually published in the Voices will not happen
this year. Instead, the PTO highlights will be published. There will be
categories, i.e. community service, family fun events, picnic,
supplemental learning, fundraisers. We need a one or two sentence
mission statement. What do we think our role is in serving the school,
community? Mrs. Casssidy will help us come up with our mission
statement. Needs to be submitted by the end of the week.
Our Region 15 PTO volunteer dinner, Mon., May 4, at the Heritage.
Theme is Kentucky Derby hosted by LMES. There will be an official
announcement coming.
We need to start planning for next year’s executive board. Maria
Dumoulin will be leaving. Heather Ross will be correspondence
secretary next year. Lois Yager, Theresa Bueno, and Paula Baron are
willing to remain in their positions. We’ll check with Joanna. We’ll
finalize in email. We have to start looking for committee chairs, too. The
fifth grade incoming parents will have orientation on May 27. We may
get some volunteers that night.
Treasurer’s Report:
Revenue from MMS Spring Wine/Beer Tasting Fundraiser on March 7.
Total revenue $12,155.73 ($2135.73 cash + $2420.00 checks + $7600.00
Paypal). Total expenses $2,439.66. Total profit for MMS is $9,716.07.
**See attached itemized list from Paula.** Paula, Joanna, and Erin will
talk about doing it next year.
Other expenses: Teacher Grants $1303. Remaining teacher grant
balance is $697.00. Colorgrahicx is $336.00. Deposits: Stop & Shop Box
Tops $528.60, Square One $275.17, and Wine/Beer Fundraiser
$9,716.07. Checking balance as of March 18 is $32, 612.37. **See
attached itemized list.**
Banner in the gym? Price is still being worked on by Mike.
Money from Beer/Wine fundraiser is earmarked for technology.
Paula has to give Wendy Bernard a check on Friday to pay for the
Cultural Arts presentation.
Principal’s Report:
Thank you for the fundraiser on March 7. A little disappointed with the
turnout, but it went very well.
There are 2 performances on Friday for Cultural Arts.
The loss of the basketball blowout gave way to the Volleyball event.
There were 18 teams playing. 51 games were played (every 8 minutes).
The students had to assemble their own teams. It was a great success!
Kids were well behaved! No cost for the students. The student council
made some money though selling refreshments on the side.
Technology: What we spent the money from A+ on—Lego robotic kits
($4000), large monitor for computer lab ($200), wireless microphone
for hearing impaired student ($94), large flat screen monitor for Tech Ed
($400), order placed for Chrome Book (30 books), 2 portable PA
speakers and tripods instead of renting them ($662). A+ program ends
in March. Hopefully, we will get around $9000 this year.
Teacher Liaison Report:
Thank you for snacks, supplies, teacher grants from many of the staff.
Question from staff member—are you still accepting applications for
teacher grants? Lois said that we don’t have any more funds allocated
and there was a deadline.
Have the raffle winners been chosen yet? The winning parents were
supposed to contact the teacher. Some parents lost the tickets. Mrs.
Cassidy will email the teachers to coordinate the follow through on each
of the prizes. Maria will send out an email blast to parents to remind
parents to contact teachers if they won a particular prize. Next year, if it
happens again, a mast list should be taken of all the winners.
Mrs. Martland on end of year activities: usually go to MRA, but last year
it was cold. This year, it will be at Lake Compounce instead of MRA.
Looking at Monday, June 15. Mrs. Martland is in contact. $25 fee plus
bus fee. Full lunch, ride, and water park. Leave about 10:15am, board
bus, and come back about 5:30pm. Parent pick up at MMS. May want to
consider staying later to try and avoid traffic. Budgeted amount is $800
for trip and $800 for tshirts.
Mrs. Martland is rethinking the tshirts this year. Usually, the tshirts are
used for a picture in Washington DC. Is the money for the tshirts worth
it? The kids only put it on for the picture. Helen Schmincke says once
kids leave MMS, they do not wear MMS apparel. Is it possible to use the
$800 for Lake Compounce instead? Around 153-154 kids. Usually
everybody goes. Ballpark figure $150 for bus and need 4 buses.
MRA usually costs $500 just for use of the area not including food.
We agreed to move $800 from tshirts to Lake Compounce trip. Total
money now for Lake Compounce trip is $1,600.
Dance will be same night as graduation. We do not know date yet. Dr.
Sieller will announce it later. Possibly June 16?
PTO Advisory Report:
Update already mentioned about volunteer list in the Voices.
April 6 is public hearing for budget vote. May 6 is actual vote. There
will be a critter card outside the school. We need more signs out. We
need to tell parents to vote. Kris Koobatian emails people. Facebook is
used. Postcards will not be mailed out this year due to budget concerns.
Open BOE will not be filled until November. Hopefully, there will be 2
new faces on the BOE.
Committee Updates
Toast to Technology Fundraiser: already mentioned earlier.
Teacher Wish List: Maria already mentioned earlier. Ends March 27 and
then Maria will distribute the week after vacation. Teachers are
appreciative. Maybe we should extend and send out another reminder.
Cultural Arts program 3/27: 2 performances on Friday, March 27, by
Sounds of Afrika. They have performed at other schools and were well
received.
Book Swap: Jill Baltrush will be contacted by Lois.
School Store: Lauren Russomanno emailed Theresa that she would not
be able to attend tonight’s meeting. It has been hard for her to do the
school store with her schedule. She is working toward her Bachelor’s
degree in Elementary Education and has a night class tonight. The
school store was opened once during the year on Dec. 18. There was
not an overwhelming response, only 6th graders purchased anything.
The PTO made $69 and there is $180 in the box at the store. She says
that she would like to open two more times. Next year, she will have the
help of another LMES parent (incoming 6 th grade parent), so she will be
able to do more with her help. She thinks we need new items, but she
feels bad getting rid of what is there. She is thinking that the next sale
date will be on April 28.
Jenn Calitri will be able to do the school store if we need her to!! She is
working on the school tshirts. Mrs. Cassidy mentioned that if there was
a regular schedule, the kids would probably buy more.
End of Year Picnic: last day of school during the school day (early
dismissal). Helen Schmincke is coordinating. Paula has a gift card to
Costco for $134 that Helen can use to purchase foot or items for the
picnic.
Art Show: Three coordinators are working on volunteers now.
Spring Book Fair: Theresa will email Stephanie Clermont and leave the
decision to have it up to her.
Mother’s Day Plant Sale: Theresa will email Lynn Melanson. May 8?
Staff Appreciation Breakfast: Theresa will email Allison Pugliese.
Usually on the teacher workday. It will be on June 1 this year. Money
allocated for breakfast is $375 this year.
8th Grade Dance: already mentioned earlier.
8the Grade Picnic: already mentioned earlier.
Old Business
Family Fun Night: haven’t heard back from Jacqueline Tapia. Not sure
there will be anything this year.
Message Mustang: Lois is starting naming contest. Lois will email the
homeroom teachers to have kids come up with possible names and then
there will be a vote from the finalists. Future dates will be announced.
Starting in the fall as a fundraiser.
New Business
Student “Grab Bag”—some teachers had donated items to the fundraiser
that didn’t make it to the table to get auctioned like Dodgeball with the
principal. We would also need some other small raffle items. Not
intended to be a big money raiser. Paula, Joanna, and Erin will run it in
May, definitely not June.
2015-2016 PTO Executive Board—already mentioned earlier.
Theresa will do the Fall Fundraiser again next year.
Thank you to Nancy Martland and Leann Cassidy for providing
refreshments tonight!!
Meeting was adjourned at 8:20pm.