PTO Minutes -- September 5, 2013

Present: Amanda Leslie, Allen Pifer, Sam Pifer, Dan Roy, Alecia Wallace, Kelly George

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:15 p.m.

Approval of Minutes: Allen Pifer moved and Sam Pifer seconded to accept the minutes of the August 15, 2013 meeting as presented. The motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report: The Treasurer’s Report shows a balance of $2,214.08 as of August 31, 2013.

Old Business

School Pictures: School pictures are scheduled for September 27 with a rain date of October 4. Sam is available to help the photographer.

Open House: Scheduled for Oct. 3 and will include a back-to-school potluck and PTO meeting. Kelly and Jessica will decide on timing of the PTO meeting/dinner and Open House and will forward information to parents.

Back to School Packets: Sent home with students last week.

Yankee Candle Sales: Amanda has the information. The PTO is able to have a table at Croydon Community Day, and we agreed to have Yankee Candle information at the table with kids manning the table. If kids come for a shift at the table, they will get their candle order forms there and get a head start on selling. Other students will get packets the following week. Sale runs through Oct. 15.

School Board  request for Kindergarten Committee: Amanda will report to the school board that the PTO sees no need for a Kindergarten committee as the information was researched and presented to the school board last year in conjunction with research about keeping 4^th grade at the Croydon Village School.

Monthly Meeting Date & Time Review: Agreed to keep meeting at 6 pm first Thursday of the month at the school.

New Business

Election of Officers: Tonya McMurray moved and Kelly George seconded a nomination of Amanda Leslie as president. The motion passed. Amanda Leslie moved and Sam Pifer seconded a nomination of Kelly George as vice president. The motion passed. Amanda Leslie moved and Allen Pifer seconded a nomination of Tonya McMurray as secretary. The motion passed. Amanda Leslie moved and Alicia Wallace seconded a nomination of Sam Pifer as treasurer. The motion passed.

Croydon Community Day: Will be at Camp Coniston and include several kids’ activities. Kelly or Jessica will do a story time. PTO will provide glow necklaces. Sam and Allen will pick them up and bring them to the event.

Hampstead Players: The teachers will look at the possibility of a spring performance tied to curriculum.

Fall Field Trip: Students will again go to a local apple orchard. The PTO will pay for student admission to the orchard.

Yearbook: Agreed to do a yearbook for students at the end of the year. Tonya will put together. Jessica and Kelly will forward pictures of various school events to students.

Bus Shelter: Question of whether we can put up a bus shelter for older students waiting at the school for the bus into Newport. Alicia will check on supplies and Allen offered to build.

Library: Library cards are still active. Discussed having students attend all year. Would need to get Kindergarten cards or go on a Tuesday or Thursday.

Other field trips: Jessica and Kelly are researching costs for a Thanksgiving or holiday trip to Billings Farm.

Next Meeting: Thursday, October 3. Time TBD in conjunction with Open House

Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 7:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Tonya McMurray

PTO Minutes -- August 15, 2013

Present: Alan Pifer, Samantha Pifer, Christine Almstrom, Amanda Leslie

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 5:pm

Old Business

• Minutes: Tonya not present -- no minutes to read
• Treasurer's Report: None, as Sam had just done an end-of-the-year report. Only thing new was $ donated. but not used, for teacher appreciation and $ from plant sales. Amanda raised the question of another Box Top check arriving this supper.

New Business

• Tentative Calendar of Events: Primarily, we looked at early items/events:

• School pictures -- Last year, we charged $10 per CD. Rather than ask Amie Freak if she is interested, Christine will continue to do school pictures. We'll charge $!5 this year, so Christine will get $5 per student/CD for her time. We'll plan for 2nd part of September with a rain date  (probably a Friday). 9/27, raindate of 10/4
• Open House -- Perhaps this could be early and combined with a back-to-school potluck, PTO meeting, and ice cream social.
• Officers -- We'll need a change of signer form from the bank to remove Christine's name.

• Back to School Packets: I'll assemble these to include the Feedback sheet & info on Box tops and Labels for Ed, and I'll send them out within the first month of school.

•  Yankee Candle: I will look into Yankee Candle before next meeting.

•  School Board request for Kindergarten Committee -- Angi brought this request to my attention. There are no willing people here;  we don't see the need, since 4th is happening, 3rd grade teacher could be added just for 4th and leave other classes as is. Making Kindergarten five day wouldn't really have any budgetary impact, beyond supplies and such. Only additional info could be educational research.
• Quarterly PTO newsletters: Amanda proposed this idea. We could share what we've done, what the school needs, how the PTO could use help, etc. All were in favor.

 Monthly meeting day & time review: We agreed taht 6 pm works as a potluck and we will be at school until we see whether we're getting more people. We'll discuss the day of the week at the next mtg. as Sam's schedule is changing.

Any other items needing review

• When we vote on members, officers, etc. we need to write to the bank to get the treasure and president on the account.
• How do we get more people involved? Raffle prizes....tickets for attendance. 
• Alyssa Hansen memorial -- All were in favor of the idea, which needs monthly, which needs feedback from the teachers and parents.
• Welcome back for teachers: Sam will handle pulling something together. 

Bus Safety Tips

Your school transportation provider wants to make sure your child's trip to and from school is as enjoyable as possible. We all play a role in achieving this goal. In order to get your child to school safely, on time and ready to learn, it's important that he or she understand the school bus safety rules. Please review and discuss the rules listed below with your child. Please remember that riding the bus is a privilege and students should demonstrate appropriate behavior at all times.

• Stay in your seat.
• Keep the noise level down.
• Keep heads, hands and feet inside the bus.
• Don't throw things inside the bus or out the windows.
• No eating or drinking on the bus.
• Keep the bus clean.
• Don't be destructive.
• Be courteous.
• Cooperate with the driver and one another.
• Stay out of the "danger zone" -- anywhere within 10 feet of the bus.
• Don't ever try to get anything you left on the bus after you have already gotten off. The bus driver will do his best to make sure personal property is returned.
• Always follow the driver's directions about how to cross the street. Be alert to traffic, look both ways, and always walk in front of the bus.

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