PTA Meeting Minutes: April 2, 2025

4/2/2025 8:07 pm

April 2, 2025

PTA Meeting, April Meeting began at 6:36

Introductions were made around the room.

February Meeting Minutes were approved.

Reminders, Updates and Goals were read.

Square 1 – purchase  art to support your school! April 16^th is the deadline, 33% net sales

Beautification – Entryway Hall Mural in Progress

Culture + STEM Night – 2 Amazing Events last month, big thank you to Nicole O’Neil for STEM Night!

Treasurer Update:

Income: $63,992 / *note – spell check needs to be done differently next year. Lyndon gear and red sox game expenses outstanding

May PTA Meeting will have a vote to approve the 2025 – 2026 budget. PTA members will receive an email with a draft budget 2 weeks prior. Committee Chair to let board know if your budget should charge for the upcoming school year

Spell Check Donations still being accepting! Spell Check comment Venmo.

Room Parent Update: Laura Goodbody Room Parent Coordinator:

• FOTL Spring Auction Item, Auction is May 1
• Teacher Appreciation Night – May 5-9
  • Email going out next week with update
• Lyndon School Day at Fenway Park – May 18^th

Nominating Committee:

May PTA Election: ATTENTION: PTA Board Nominations

Timeframe: Today is the nomination, the election is in 4 weeks.

Nominations: President: Ellie Morocco, VP: Michelle Bylsma, Secretary: Laura Goodbody, Treasurer: OUTSTANDING

***Agenda Moved to Book Club + Discussion: Concerns navigating smart phones and social media:

7^th grade calculated screen time for a week as it relates to themes from the giver. Open Discussions began.

School Cell Phone Policy was reviewed. Phone “jail” was also reviewed, cell phones are put in a lock box.

Open Discussion began regarding phone policies.

Middle School Advisor group does discuss digital footprint. Wellness – social + emotional learning. The library will start to explore how to educate our students on digital safety. “Stop, Block and Talk” through the Suffolk DA.

Joanna Weaver, presented on the psychology of phone use:

according to Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General of U.S., pediatricians most common question from parents at well visits are about screen time

served as the 19th and 21st surgeon general of the United States from 2015 to 2017 and again from 2021 to 2025, under Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. He used the analogy of when cars were a new technology; at first road deaths spiked, then safety measures were put in place – seat belts became legally required, for example, but little has been done in the 15 years since the smart phone.

Experience isn’t apples to apples. Kids are spending less time with their friends in person, since 2015.

50% of American teens say they’re on their phones “almost constantly.”

ADHD, depression, and anxiety increased across English-speaking world. School engagement is down on the PISA since the smartphone.

Haidt characterizes this as the switch from the play-based to the phone-based childhood.

Cognitive Costs:

Educational declines haven’t recovered since the pandemic because the decline was already underway since before then.

According to study by Ward et al, in 2017 the mere presence of one’s own smartphones reduces available cognitive capacity because it is salient and it is a reminder of all that information out there; also inhibiting the impulse to use it requires cognitive control.

Meeting Adjorned.