March 2021 PTA Meeting Minutes

3/3/2021 6:15 pm

Board Meeting

Wednesday, March 10, 2021 – 6:30 EDT

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

Other attendees: Julie Ma, Sue Kemalian, Kristi Schaefers, Sapna Padte, Steve Lewis, and Debra Brendemuehl, Parthena Sanxaridis.

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.

February 2021 Minutes Approval, Accomplishments         

• MOTION to approve February 2021 minutes, seconded and passed. Minutes are posted to PTA Facebook and website.
• Kindness Week Concluded: Good student participation, student winners of Kindness Week Bingo & Heart Decorating Contest were notified.
• Reflections Art Update: Lyndon received big shout out at MA statewide PTA meeting as the Lyndon had most submissions to the state level competition.
• Upcoming Equity Roundtable Meeting: Discussion of Representation Matters Idea– funding new books, new decorations to show representation of diverse groups to inspire all students. Also discussion of adding a buddy system with pair new families with current families to increase school engagement.
• 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).
• Adopt a Teacher to assist with Vaccination: Idea that PTA and parent volunteers would help coordinate vaccination appointments for teachers. Idea has been forwarded to the Boston Teachers Union.
• 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:
  • Students in school are doing really well back in school, following COVID protocols, etc.
• Citywide Parent Council (CPC) update:
  • District Budget Office Presented: We are in year 2 of three-year financial commitment from the City.  3 priorities for funds: return (retuning kids to school, safety, building improvements, additional custodians), recover (concern about enrollment numbers – is this just due to COVID? Funds to school to offset weighted student funding deficiency, hire a point 5 social worker and family liaison for every school, reimagine (reimaging learning spaces and programming focusing on inclusivity and looking at learning through an anti-racist lens).
  • Public hearings ongoing. Visit Bostonpublicschools.org/budget – to see full slide deck and budget information broken down per school and programs.
  • District and BTU have created a task force focused on reopening this Fall. If you are interested in Fall reopening and want to get involved, consider attending next CPC meeting and joining relevant subcommittee.
  • District is also getting additional federal funds that needs to be spent within two years – district looking at using that money for capital expenditures. That will open up other funds for additional hiring, etc. 
  • Superintendent will seek a waiver to push reopening of schools to end of April.
  • MCAS for Grades 3-5 has been pushed out to May/June.
  • Discussion of protocols/space issues re: full reopening.

              Friends of the Lyndon (FOTL) update:

• 50/50 Bracket going on now – go to Friends of the Lyndon Facebook page to play along.

• Wellness Committee Update:
  • Wellness Movement Calendar – Coach Zach and Ms. Bowes created calendar of fun exercise/movement activities; Ms. Tunney sent out to school community
• Caring Committee:
  • Another batch of gift cards dropped to Ms. Tunney ($500 in total to Stop & Shop) and distributed to Lyndon families.
• Lyndon Equity Roundtable:
  • Representation Matters Idea– funding new books, new decorations to show representation of diverse groups to inspire all students.
  • Discussion of adding a buddy system with pair new families with current families to increase school engagement.
• 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. If you still have books, please return them to classroom teachers or the front office.

Treasurer’s Report

• $100 positive revenue change from last report due to Amazon Smile.
• $30,000 cash in account – usually that money is spent during the spring during year-end activities. Balances remain similar to the end of last year due to missed fundraising events/targets and not much need for spending.
• 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.
• ILX Software purchase ($1400) for SAR classes will likely be funded by the PTA again this year.
• If anyone has new fundraising ideas, please share them with the board.

Spring Event Ideas to Consider:

• Spring Virtual Assembly Ideas: Ms. Money and the Coins sponsored by Rockland Trust.
• Spring Scholastic Book Fair: Tentatively scheduled for April 26-30^th, but thinking through how to best to set up. Looking for volunteers to assist with planning.  Check with WR Library re: availability of side room to use for the fair.
• Call for Additional Virtual Assembly Topic Ideas: (1) Mental Health Awareness Month (2) Safety/Appropriate Behavior online for all ages (Jill Walsh – has presented on these topics on the past).
• Idea for Outdoor Movie Night – early to mid-June. Possible movie choice: Willy Wonka/ Smell-o-vision. Checking rental rates.
• Is there a way to pull off Field Day or something similar given COVID restrictions?

Upcoming and Current Events List

• Upcoming Events:
  • March 15^th – Deadline for Snowman Contest Submissions
  • School Site Council Meeting – March 18^th @ 5:30PM
  • Citywide Parent Council Meeting – March 23^rd @ 6:00PM
  • Equity Roundtable Meeting – March 24^th @ 7:00PM
  • Parent Virtual Trivia Event – TBD
  • Family Bingo Night – TBD
  • April PTA Meeting – April 14^th @ 6:30PM
  • Spring Bookfair – April 26-30^th
• The next PTA meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 6:30.

Meeting adjourned. 

Minutes submitted by Secretary, Katie Hazelton