February 2021 PTA Meeting Minutes

2/3/2021 11:47 pm

Board Meeting

Wednesday, February 10, 2021 – 6:30 EDT

Present:  Sam Lewis (President), Lee Rushton (Vice-President), Ed Greenaway (Treasurer), Katie Hazelton (Secretary) Katie Tunney (Lower School Director), Karen McLaughlin (SAR Teacher Representative), Amy Browne (Teacher Representative)

Other attendees: Leila Samara, Kellie McAnulty, Julie Ma, Stefanie Frischknecht, Joy Mello, Bonnie Carey, Lisa Pluta, Emily McDonagh, Kim Bayliss, Kristi Schaefers, Kathleen Adams, Lorena, Irene Daly, Rose O’Connor, Trish Tierney. Kerry White, Jen Schiarizzi, Courtney Connolly & Steve Lewis.

Agenda

Welcome, Meeting Overview, Introductions, Meet and Greet Breakouts

• Board and directors introduced themselves.
• Encouragement to join PTA if not already a member. This year, membership dues ($12/family) have a particularly big impact where other fundraising activities are limited.

January 2021 Minutes Approval, Accomplishments         

• MOTION to approve January 2021 minutes, seconded and passed. Minutes are posted to PTA Facebook and website.
• Closed out Reflections Arts Competition: 30 students participated, winners chosen and prizes being coordinated. We are considering a spring showcase for all work submitted.
• Celebration of Black History Month with two virtual assemblies – one for older kids and one for younger kids.
• Kindness Week: PTA got cupcakes for teachers for kick-off on Monday.  Kindness Week events include: Kindness Week Bingo, Heart Decorating Contest and Valentines for Veterans.
• Snowman Contest: From now until March 15^th – send photo of snowman your child built and prizes will be awarded for various categories (biggest, smallest, most creative, most sporty, funniest, most school spirit).
• There are four programs that raise money for our school with little-to-no-effort on our part:
• Box Tops – cut from purchase or download the app and scan receipts post-shopping trip
• Amazon Smile – signup through your Amazon account or app
• Coca-Cola Give – create an account and scan codes under caps or in cartons
• Stop & Shop – register your S&S card for up to two schools

Updates Across the Lyndon

• School Site Council:
  • Staff participating in professional development w/ organization called Educators for Good.
  • Ward gave overview of budget – district seeing decline in grade K2, grades 7 and 9 students. Lyndon positions are all stable for next year.
  • Equity Roundtable meetings now held in the evenings at 7pm.
  • FOTL purchased presentation TV screens for grade 2.
  • Caring Committee has coordinated tremendous donations of food, grocery and target gift cards.
  • Library committee still collecting outstanding books.
  • Staff working on protocols for re-opening; lots of excitement about having students back in school.
• Citywide Parent Council (CPC) update:
  • Boston Partners for Education (Non-profit organization that offers tutoring, usually in school): now offering tutoring for all BPS. Information will be posted on Lyndon Parents and Guardian page on Facebook. 
  • CPC still expressing opposition to holding MCAS this year, released a statement to school committee and Department of Education.
  • Considering name change from CPC to the Citywide Family Council.
• Friends of the Lyndon (FOTL) update:
  • Recent technology upgrades include purchase of 3 NEC screens for 2^nd grade team and monitors for upper school.
  • Working on newsletter for the year, should be distributed in March.
• Room Parent Update:
  • Some parents have been able to do craft pick-ups or Valentine Day exchanges. Most have been able to add some fun into students’ school experience.
• Wellness Committee Update:
  • Bowes gave update about social/emotional learning objectives - teachers making sure to check in on kids’ emotional well-being using various mechanisms (smiley-face charts, etc.)
  • Discussion about how to give kids screen free time when school resumes in person and the best uses of extra space outside classrooms and how best to use them when school resumes in person (cafeteria, auditorium, outdoor space).
  • In-School Food: will be delivered rather than made on site at the outset of return to school.
  • COVID protocols/ testing: BPS has program so that all teachers and staff that work with children can be tested on a weekly basis. 
  • Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 10 at 8:30AM.
• Caring Committee:
  • Lots of gift cards distributed and many families have been helped.
  • Still coordinating gift card donations for families in need (grocery/Target)– contact Julie Ma if you’d like to donate.
• Lyndon Equity Roundtable:
  • Equity roundtable committee analyzing that data from a survey of 7^th graders that included questions about cultural awareness and feelings about differences and race.
  • Committee will be brainstorming about ways to make school more inclusive for all
• Library Update:
  • Library committee working with teachers and students to coordinate return of outstanding books. 200 books have been checked back in, 250 still outstanding. Trish will work with room parents to see if she can track down the remaining books.  There is a book bin for drop off at the Lyndon so parents can drop off books during school hours.

Treasurer’s Report

• Revenues lower than usual because high revenue activities (e.g. turkey trot) have been canceled due to COVID. Expenses also a bit lower than usual as there haven’t been many opportunities for activities. Balances remain similar to the end of last year due to missed fundraising events/targets and not much need for spending.
• Red Sox ticket sales increased revenue by $7500 in but basically the same amount will be going out to cover ticket expense. The money that was made on Red Sox sales was used to buy a block of tickets for incoming K1 families. 
• There is money in the budget realized and earmarked for teacher grants, art/music and field day. Tunney will send forms out to teachers reminding them about availability of teacher grants.
• If anyone has new fundraising ideas, please share them with the board.

Spring Event Ideas to Consider:

• Spring Scholastic Book Fair: TBD in April. Need to think about how it will work, virtual or otherwise. 
• Call for Additional Virtual Assembly Ideas.
• Family Bingo Night.
• Trivia (for Parents’ Night): March TBD. Any prize ideas, let us know.

Upcoming and Current Events List

• Upcoming Events:
  • Kindness Week – Now thru 2/14
  • Heart Decorating Contest – Now thru 2/14
  • Citywide Parent Council Meeting – February 23^rd at 6pm
  • Equity Roundtable Meeting – February 24^th @ 7pm
  • School Site Council Meeting – February 25^th @ 5:30pm
  • March PTA Meeting – March 10^th @6:30pm
  • Parent Virtual Trivia Event – TBD
  • Family Bingo Night – TBD
  • March 15^th – Deadline for Snowman Contest Submission
• The next PTA meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 6:30.

Meeting adjourned. 

Minutes submitted by Secretary, Katie Hazelton