June 2023 Meeting Minutes

7/1/2023 7:11 am

PTA MEETING MINUTES MAY 2023

 

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 – 6:30 EDT

  

Present: Leila Samara (Vice-President), Jessica Williamson (Secretary), Jessica Grande (Treasurer), Maya Dias (President)

Other in-person attendees: Catherine Carney, Nicole O’Neil, Joanna Weaver, Ryan Kelly, Danielle Collin, Marisa Alvarez, Kelly Lepley, Amy Brown (teacher rep), Chris Rohrig, Rose O’Connor, Irene

Zoom attendees: Brian Wesley Cook, Carrie Greenaway, Lisa Flaherty, Teddy Ventura’s parents, Katrina M. 

 

AGENDA

 

Welcome, Meeting Overview, Introductions

• Maya welcomed everyone to the meeting

Turkey Trot fundraising - Intro by Carrie Greenaway

 

• Let’s get started earlier this year
• We haven’t had a lead sponsor for awhile, let’s see who we can get as a lead
• Please share ideas about how to improve event, improve fundraising 
• Natalie - can we do some kind of video montage to market the 
• Ann - partner with local restaurants who might donate 10% in the week leading up to the Turkey Trot

 

Friends of the Lyndon - Molly update

 

• Very successful event and auction - thanks to everyone - they made about $13,000
• Now they are trying to figure out how to spend the money - developing a way for the teachers to apply for the funding
• They are always looking for new members and new support 
• Carrie - have you all considered Donors Choose? 
• PTA is looking to partner with FOTL next year to put money together - as well as doing joint board meetings so that the same 

 

Room Parents

 

• Thank you to the room parents
• It would be great to revive the Thank you Breakfast for the parents in October 
• Room parents really are the liaison between teachers, kids, community 
• Doing a breakfast is a nice way to bring the parents together 

Outdoor Classroom

 

• Thank you to Stephanie Roberts
• Her update
• Third eco-friendly friday happened on 6/2
• They’ve averaged 60-70 students each time
• They’re trying to do 2 - 3 activities each Friday - they want to continue into the Fall
• Looking for people to help with planning 
• It’s really all about community building 
• Major thanks - this feels like the first year that the Outdoor Classroom has really come to life 
• Staff member is a beekeeper and she has used it for demonstrations
• 2nd graders will have a 

Closet / Caring Committee

 

• Thanks to Natalie for setting up the closet
• Natalie hopes to do more with the committee next year 

Equity Roundtable Meeting

 

• It was the first in a long time 
• Reviewed the K1 welcome night
• Seems like people are available 
• Perhaps we overlap with Room Parents 
• We should really advertise this on the Website for new families - since they won’t know how to access the PTA website yet. 
• Ms. Carney hopes to push out the calendar for 2023-24 before the end of this school year so that families can start planning 
• Can we send out a print out of the calendar home with kids at the beginning of school year  

Field Day - June 16th 

 

• 91 volunteers already, which is great 
• Really happy that it’s going to be the entire school again - including 8th grade 
• There needs to be a succession plan 
• All things have been written down 
• Different grades will have different colored shirts 
• In case of rain, it happens indoors 

 

Review of PTA’s Three Main Focuses for 2022-23

 

• Social Emotional 
• Establishing a SSC
• there is a well-functioning SSC, which is a great relief in a year of transitional leadership and now it’s in place for our two new co-leaders 
• Staff engagement
• We’ve seen uptick in staff using the PTA funds available 
• Ensuring that our middle school children are not forgotten
• Significant turnaround of our middle school - we’ve got new teachers
• School Climate
• A lot has been happening - there’s a Climate Committee that’s been established
• Reminder that the role of the PTA is advocacy - we are here to support each of our children 

 

Looking ahead

• After-school enrichment program really needs to happen - we can’t let transportation issues get in the way. Can we uber these kids afterward? How do we think about this innovatively so that barriers don't get in the way. 
• School-wide Cultural Community event? Recognizing that people come from different places 
• Be engaged with the new Co-Leaders - be kind, be respectful, but also be vigilant. 
• Increase volunteer recruitment 
• Annual Thank You Event? Gives us a chance to have fun, celebrate one another 
• Better use of State and National PTA resources 
• Local School Partnerships - and partnerships with BPS - keep these strong

 

BUDGET Review

 

• We will need volunteer auditors - Ed volunteer as one
• the outgoing board and the new board met a couple of weeks ago to draft the budget, tonight is a review of the budget to approve for 2023-24
• Budget is approved

Elections for 2023-24

 

• We are looking for three new officers - the roles of President, Vice President, Secretary will be vacant for the start of the school year
• Thanks to Jess G, Treasurer who will be continuing in her role
• Thanks extended to Jess W 
• Thanks extended to Leila for her two years of service

 

Introductions of Nominees for PTA Board positions: 

 

• Marisa Alvarez and Ryan Kelly introduced themselves - running for President and V.P. Both of their families started at the Lyndon at the same time, they’ve enjoyed getting to know the school over the past two years
• They’d like to bring in more special programming, like the Mass Audubon trip
• Danielle Collin introduced herself - running for Secretary. She is new with a daughter in K1. She’s very hands-on parent.

 

• Maya - the role of the PTA is really key for the health of our school. Please reach out to us with us with ideas about how to be more involved. Don’t be afraid to step up and 
• One goal for next year, we want to establish a committee - i.e. “idea committee” or “enrichment committee” to figure out how we can best use the funds that are raised through the PTA and FoTL. 

 

Voting:

 

Votes were cast and the following are approved for their new positions:

• Marisa Alvarez, President
• Ryan Kelly, Vice President
• Danielle Collin, Secretary 

 

These positions will take effect beginning September 2023 for the 2023-24 School Year.

Accomplishments & Upcoming Events

 

• Friends of the Lyndon
• Friends of the Lyndon Event is May 4th! Get a ticket!

 

• Outdoor Classroom Committee next event is on May 19th 
• Everything will be provided by the committee 
• Could we offer it to the YMCA kids? Ms. Carney will ask Zach

 

• Book Fair
• It was a success - big thanks to Leila and Maura and the volunteers for making a second successful book fair of the year

 

• Red Sox Game was a hit - lots of fun.

 

• Mass Audubon first grader event - was a real success

 

• Bike Bus upcoming 

 

• Field Day will be June 16th - last year was the first time we combined the lower and upper school and it worked well. Call for volunteers will be put out soon. Usually there’s 80 - 100 volunteers

 

• 8th grade Graduation is on June 20th 

Treasurer’s Report

 

INCOME

• $11,900 Gross from the Book Fair
• Looking to be on track for projected

 

EXPENSES

• Reimbursements will be coming 

 

• Question - do we need to spend all of our money in our account by the end of the year? An excess of ~$16,000? Answer - no, we carry over our revenue into the next year. 
• Maya - we should be empowered to use this with the establishment of a committee who decides on how to spend our funding. We’ve had many ideas that haven’t come to fruition. 

COUNCIL UPDATES

 

SSC Updates

 

• Thanks again to families who filled out the scheduling surveys. It was great to get family feedback. 
• We met Pauline Ligura, the new Superintendent to support autonomous schools. She gave the Lyndon kudos for knowing a lot about our pilot status
• Staffing updates: one SAR teacher and one Science Teacher were hired and they both seem like they were be great.
• In conversation with some - for those who are interested in applying, we actually invite them to the Lyndon to see the school in person as that’s a major hook when they see/meet the families and kids
• Currently going back to the pool for the co-leadership 
• June 30th is the deadline for the candidates to be selected and offered a position. If we don’t get good candidates by then, the district will place Interim Leaders for the 2023-24 school year

 

MOTION 

 

• Recorded that Election Results for new PTA Officers were Approved:
• Marisa Alvarez, President
• Ryan Kelly, Vice President
• Danielle Collin, Secretary 
• Jess Grande, Treasurer (returning)

 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

 

• YMCA has communicated they can’t provide before and after care for 4 year olds
• Ms. Carney has raised this concern, a number of officials have been informed. A solution is being sought. There is a big lift for clearing safety issues for caring for children under 5. Carney will send a survey to families to see how many families this will affect. The YMCA will talk about training on their end, also we are seeking space to accommodate this. 
• To note - all schools in West Roxbury need to be deleaded
• How can the community help? Call Councillor Lara. Let BPS and others know this is a need across the community for care for our four year olds.
• Survey will be sent to incoming families as well as existing families.

Meeting adjourned.  

Minutes submitted by Jessica Williamson