February 2020 Meeting Minutes

2/12/2020 5:16 pm

Patrick Lyndon K-8 Pilot School PTA

Meeting Minutes

February 5, 2020

 

 

1. Welcome, Meeting Overview, Community Building Exercise:

• Write your own conversation heart: What do you want to say to the Lyndon? Write it on the heart, share it and drop it in the box.
• Shared heart comments: We love you Lyndon, Love to read, Love you K2, Love how much the community cares.

 

1. Accomplishments:

• December 2019 Meeting Minutes: motion to approve the December 2019 minutes; motion approved.
• Square 1 Art: Arrived and was distributed.
• Lyndon Gear: Arrived and was distributed. There will be another order this spring.
• Give Back Nights:
  • Proud Mary – not as well attended as we would have liked. Look at the photos on the blog and consider coming next year!
  • Kids R Kids: more successful than last year. We are still waiting to receive the check.
• Holiday Concert: Wonderful event; very well attended and we raised a lot of money through the raffle.
• Spell Check: Very successful. Payments are due on 2/10.

 

• Wish List Update & Outdoor Classroom Update:

 

Wish List: We collected ideas during the December meeting and are working toward making the ideas a reality.

• Assembly to celebrate Black History Month
• Use of the building:
  • Soundproofing the gym
  • Using the auditorium for movement
  • Drama class or club
• Shoveling the playground and making sure our students have an opportunity to get outside during the winter.

 

This is a reminder that we want to make these ideas happen.  If you are interested in helping, let us know.

 

Outdoor Classroom:

• The outdoor classroom was created in 2009.
• Outdoor Classroom commission was created. Over the last two months, the outdoor classroom has been cleaned out and a plan is being created to revitalize the space so that it is accessible to teachers and students.
• Launch a survey to the teachers: How have you used it in the past? How would you like to use it? What do you need to use it?
• Ask for a commitment from the teachers to use the outdoor classroom at least once during the school year.

 

1. Membership Update

• December membership drive – very successful! 38% increase in membership.
• Brian Cook family and guests won the 4 front row tickets to the holiday concert.

 

1. Updates

• School Site Council: Budget presentation because the budget was due to the Central Office. Board was able to see the budget and was able to ask questions about it.  Very soon the management team will be making recommendations regarding staffing.  The school is not losing any staff and is looking to add a language teacher.

 

• City Wide Parent Council: met with the chief financial officer who gave a budget presentation. Talked about weighted student funding and provided additional information.  Mayor committed to $100 million in additional spending over the next 3 years.  Mayor has not yet provided any details.  With weighted student funding it works great for schools that are fully enrolled, but not for those that are not.  Minimum quality guarantee - to make sure students have what they  need as a bare minimum regardless of student numbers.

 

Budget tracker: bostonpublicschool.org can view the budget.  89% of the budget goes to the schools

 

School committee nominating panel: a lot of divisiveness about whether school committee should be elected.  In exchange – citizens nominating committee consisting of 13 members. CWPC plans to elect someone to sit on the nominating panel.

 

Zoom conferencing software purchased.  All schools can use Zoom conferencing to reach out to the rest of the community during meetings, etc.

 

ISEE: test is out. No details received.  Superintendent has issued an RFP for alternatives.  Interesting article in the Globe. 

 

• Friends of the Lyndon: Meeting in late January. Thinking about working on a parents’ night out with the PTA.  Huge success last year.  Request session is open.  Teachers are in the process of completing funding requests for FOTL to review. Please consider attending the FOTL meeting.  It is a great opportunity to review how money is spent and what is purchased for the school.

 

• Room Parents: No update

 

• Wellness Committee: No update

 

• Caring Committee: Trying to figure out a way to provide updates. There is a page on the PTA website designated for the Caring Committee.  Originally the committee was set up to offer time, rather than money.  The more recent requests for money were going to the committee only.  Since the scope of the committee has changed, it should be opened to a wider audience.

 

1. Treasurer’s Report

• Not much has changed. We had a very successful turkey trot.  4k over budget.  Did way better than last year.
• Red Sox tickets were a little bit light this year, but we will have lower expenses in the spring so it will offset the budget difference.
• Expenses: we are working on a forecast.
• We will likely end favorable on net income.
• We are investigating assembly opportunities.
• Teachers should consider using the PTA business account. You can avoid paying taxes and having to submit for a reimbursement.

 

• Upcoming Events
• Lyndon at the Y: February 8^th. Please sign up.  Gym from 6-7 and pool from 7-8. There is a form on the PTA website.

 

• Spell Check: payments due on 2/10

 

• Kindness Week: help students think about how they treat other people. We will do

 

• Valentines for Veterans. Students will make Valentines that will be brought to the VA hospital.

 

• Stickers for acts of kindness

 

• Internet Safety: Hosted by the Y on 2/11. Please register in advance.

 

• Spelling Bee:
  • School wide spelling bee is on February 12^th at 10 a.m. in the auditorium
  • Winner goes to city wide spelling bee.

 

• Vacation Week Fun Day:
  • Ice skating

 

• Super Tuesday Bake Sale
  • There will be a sign up soon for folks willing to bake or volunteer

 

March 4 – PTA Meeting sponsored by K1

Parents Night out at Distraction on 3/11

 

Give Back Night at Corrib. Sometime in March

 

Lyndon Red Sox Game on 4/5.

 

April – Parents Night Out Trivia

• Committees

 

• Election Day Bake Sale
• Spelling Bee: Heather Sullivan would like assistance and to pass off to another parent for next year
• Parents Night Out: working with FOTL
• Drop-off Brigade: Is anyone interested in assisting?

 

Motion to Adjourn.  Motion passed.