PTA Minutes of General Meeting

October 13, 2016

PRESENT: (FIX) M. Caamano, K Wunsch, S Fisher, C Eckler, K Lozada, K Kucharovic, V Sookdeo, R McGovern, C Hyer, L Thompson, E Kirchner, M Hilburger, A Spies-Fullone, W Gomez, K Reid, S McTaggart, M Scott, M Ricafrente-Biazon, N Clennon, E Millerick, D Amato McCoy, T Mark, C Sostack, B Donovan, G Kaynak, E Nofarstefano, C Carney, K Albrecht, J Alomia, C DeLuca, D Gioe, K Klemme, B LaKretz, D McKeon, C Laurore, N Morris, C Walker, R Bercy, L Hernandez, J Chan, V Simsek, D Simsek, O Estevez, R Freed, M Surpris, K Hill, L Combert, A Stevenson, C Dehler, J Croshere, S Heuser, A Kupisz, K Leonardo, T Hurley, R Bristol, M Sinnott-Zervos, J Walsh

CALL TO ORDER: Christina Eckler at 7:12pm

Pledge of Allegiance, Emergency exits and procedures, no smoking, cell phones on vibrate. Parking rules (*do not park on the east side of Rockville Dr.*), driving precautions.

SEPTA PRESIDENT -MaryLynn Dinu

Upcoming event- Teacher Expo this Tuesday, October 18 in the Meadow School cafeteria at 7pm - special ed teachers and support service providers will be there to discuss strategies and programs they use.

October Pie Sale - fliers coming

All information listed on district calendars

Needs a SEPTA PTA Council Delegate for The Council of PTA Meetings.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT:

-Thank you to Christine Carney for chairing the Chinese Auction

-Thank you to Doris McKeon for chairing Book Fair, Picture Day, and Bus Drill,

-Thank you to Elaine Notarstefano and Khem Khan for chairing Fun Snack

- Thank you to Karen Wunsch for chairing KidStuff Coupon Book Fundraiser

-Thank You to VicMarie and Christine Sostack for the recent Cultural Arts Assembly

- 2 or 3 parents are needed for Plaza Site Based Team - meets in the mornings

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT:

Mr Gray - This is the largest turn-out for this meeting/raffle yet.

-Join "Remind Me" App - posting pictures of what kids are doing throughout the day. Team Orchid stories will also go there.

- Creative Space downstairs is now being used for science experiments and indoor gardens.

- Mindfulness - Using Mind Up Curriculum designed by Goldie Hawn after 9/11/01. Scientifically based curriculum. We do three mindful minutes where kids are quiet across the school.

- Courteous driving/parking memo will be drafted and sent out to all parents soon. My priority is to make sure everyone is looking out for the safety of everyone else's children. I will be touring the area and looking at the state of parking and driving around our building in the next days/weeks.

TEACHERS' REPORT:

K - The kindergarten students are learning skills and strategies that will help them read storybooks. We are reading and rereading familiar stories we call “old favorites,” like Three Billy Goats Gruff. In writing, we are working on personal narratives and we are labeling our pictures and using sight words to write sentences. In word study we are finishing up the star student unit which focused on names. In math, we finished up number 1-5 and are now learning about greater/less than and same. We are studying about trees with Ms Rosen, our professional developer and will make leaf rubbings next week. We have learned about apples and will focus on pumpkins and fire safety next.

Send in one healthy snack daily and dress your child in layers.

1- In first grade science we have been exploring water and its properties. In SS we are finishing chapter one about communities and rules. In Math we have been learning about subtraction. We are learning strategies for what to do when we come across an unknown word in our reading. In Writing we are continuing to write small moments stories and will soon have a culminating writing celebration. Please practice tying shoes, zipping/buttoning jackets, and learning an emergency phone number and addresses. Please return all coupon books that you do not plan to purchase.

2 - Second graders are learning to become independent readers and building reading stamina. In writer’s workshop, students are revising and editing their small moments stories. In science we have been studying soil and we have harvested vegetables from the Plaza Garden. In SS we have been studying communities. We look forward to the arrival of the Pumpkin Book Reports on Oct. 21.

3 - Third graders continues to work on their small moments personal narratives and are learning to write interesting leads and use more descriptive language. In math, we are encouraging the students to learn their math facts and practice regrouping skills. The place value unit is concluding and students will begin a unit on graphing. In science, we will be starting a unit on animals soon. In SS we will continue to learn about communities, and also start learning about maps and map skills.

4 - Fourth graders are continuing their unit on reading and writing realistic fiction and using real life events to inspire their realistic fiction stories. In math we are working on our multiplication unit. Please review multiplication and division facts nightly with your child. We are finishing up our unit on geography in SS and are continuing to work on rocks and minerals in science.

5 - Fifth graders have been working on place value and decimals in math. In SS, we are finishing up a unit on The Constitution and will soon begin a unit on The Young Republic. In science, we have been exploring our stars and galaxies and will soon discuss the solar system. Fifth grade writers have been preparing to publish their personal narratives. In reading we are focusing on literary elements like theme, mood and plot. Thanks to everyone who supported the Fifth Grade Car Wash. We would like to remind you to make sure your child selected a master or science fiction book for this month’s book extension project. The instructions were given out last week.

OFFICERS' REPORTS:

First VP of Legislation - Susan Fisher

New Proposed NYS PTA Resolution 1

Resolution on Genetically Modified Organisms and Genetically Engineered Foods (Download Proposed Resolution)

New Proposed NYS PTA Resolution 2

Education on the Safe Use of Deet (Download Proposed Resolution)

Clarified Language on Proposed 2016 Resolutions:

Retentions are resolutions that will stay the same (pending approval by majority vote)

Updates are resolutions that can have changes in bold faced words. (pending approval by majority vote)

Rescissions are resolutions that NYS PTA wants to abandon. (pending approval by majority vote)

Proposed Bylaw Amendments (for the purpose of widening the pool of eligible candidates for the NYS State Executive Board Officers)

Vote to accept NYS Bylaws Amendments:

Bylaws approved by majority, None opposed

Vote to send VicMarie Sookdeo and Susan Fisher to the NYS PTA convention unbound

Approved by majority. None Opposed.

The record now shows that VicMarie Sookdeo and Susan Fisher will attend the 2016 NYS PTA Convention unbound.

1st Vice President of Membership Ellen Millerick-

There are now 140 Plaza PTA members to date

1st Vice President for Health and Safety, Doris McKeon -

Crossing Guards asked me to relay the following message. Please stop at stop signs. No u-turns are allowed. It is dangerous to stop in the middle of a street to drop off children. Please stay in the crosswalk when you cross.

-Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Making Strides Walk at Jones Beach on Sunday, October 16 - you can donate to the MS National Jr Honor's Society Team.

-Be aware of signs of childhood depression (Doris has flier with information).

Mary Kate Caamano, 1st Vice President for Fundraising -

Plaza Apparel can be ordered tonight only and then order will be submitted

Jeanette Alomia, Corresponding Secretary -

Read thank you cards from former Plaza students who graduated from BHS and received Plaza PTA Awards.

BUDGET REPORT-

Kim Albrecht, Treasurer

- Balance in Checking Account as of Oct 10, 2016 is $8,998.94

- Balance in Savings Account as of Oct. 10, 2016 is $5,937.20

- Balance in 5th Grade Events Account as of Oct 10, 2016 is $1,723.83

COMMITTEE CHAIRS' REPORTS:

Reminder to committee chairs, please make one extra flier for teachers and make 20 extra fliers for any big event so that all staff including lunch aides can be involved,

Doris McKeon

-School pictures should be in by the end of the month. Retakes and club photos will be taken on Nov 4.

-Book Fair made almost $800.Thanks to all parents who helped set up or helped kids shop.

-PARP - PARP is a national PTA reading program that runs for 3 weeks in January. This year’s theme will be pirates. I am in need of volunteers, including some who can help me artistically.

VicMarie Sookdeo

-Cultural Arts - Last month all the kids and teachers had a lot of fun dancing to 100 Years of Popular Dance. We did the Charleston, the Tango and Elvis Presley came to Plaza. On October 24 we will bring Money Math Mania: How Math Make Money Work. The history of money, dimes and decimals, save or spend and equivalent fractions will all be explained through fun characters.

-Holiday Bazaar will be on Friday, December 9. Over ten vendors have confirmed. Asking for parents to sign up to man tables and help set up for the event.

-Nassau Region - Fall Conference is on Wednesday, October 19 at Hicksville High School and all PTA members are encouraged to attend.

Julie Croshere

-Swirl Bliss Fundraisers coming up on Friday, Oct 28 and Thursday, Nov 10. Both fundraisers will be from 3-8pm.

-Holiday Breakfast will take place on Dec 3 (9:30am -12:00pm.) $12 per person. Please send in your money on time. We need volunteers to help preparing and serving food

Elaine Nofarstefano

-Healthy snack sold every Friday at lunchtime for $1. You can't use My School Bucks. Please bring in cash.

Christine DeLuca

-Fall Festival - This Sat Oct 15, 11:00-2:00pm here at Plaza.

Please fill out form for child identification cards ahead of time

Karyn Reid

-Reflections Contest - theme "What is Your Story?" Will offer workshops after school. Fliers with more information to come soon.

Winners for Fifth Grade Events Raffle

Front Row Seats

K-2 Holiday Concert-Rosalind Gristol

3-5 Holiday Concert- Karen Wunsch

3-5 Nighttime Spring Concert- Corinne Laurie