PTA Minutes of General Meeting

November 17, 2016

PRESENT: K Albrecht, J Alomia, R Bercy, M Caamano, C Carney, J Croshere, N Driscoll, B Donovan, C Eckler, O Estevez, S Fisher, M Hilburger, K Khan, T Kaynak, E Kirchner, K Kucharovic, K Lozada, T Mark, D McKeon, A Murphy, K Reid, M Ricafrente-Biazon, R Simmons, V Sookdeo, C Sostack,

CALL TO ORDER: Christina Eckler at 7:04pm 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.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Thanks you to -Christine Carney for chairing the Chinese Auction -Doris McKeon for chairing Picture Day and Retakes -Susan Fisher and VicMarie Sookdeo for attending the New York State PTA Convention -Troy Mark and Christine DeLuca for chairing the Fall Festival - Mary Kate Caamano for chairing Plaza Apparel -Alicia Spies-Fullone and Mary Kate Caamano for chairing the very successful Miss Chocolate fundraiser -VicMarie Sookdeo and Christine Sostack for bringing Plaza the Money Math Mania Assembly. The next assembly will be on Monday and it is about Native Americans. The record shall reflect that the minutes of our October meeting stand as written. Each school’s PTA was asked by The Council of PTAs to choose words to describe describe their school. The word that was chosen for Plaza from our list was "immersive." A plaque with each of the words chosen to describe all of the schools in Baldwin was presented as a gift to the Board of Education from all the PTAs. This plaque was presented at the Community Input Meeting last month.

At the community input meeting we also saw a preview of the Baldwin High School musical production of Shrek, which was excellent. I highly encourage you to attend Shrek at Baldwin High School this weekend. We need to put together a committee of people to serve as the Nominating Committee for next year's PTA Board. We need five people total. Of those five, one person must be a committee chair, one must be a committee chair/board member, and three people are needed who are not committee chairs. Feb 6 is Founder's Day - Miki Hilberger and Deena Amato McCoy are on the Honorary Life Committee and they still need one more person. We need another volunteer to audit the books along with Karen Wunsch. Rhonda Simmons volunteered and was accepted. We recently received a large anonymous donation of $500, that will help us put on events in the future.

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT: Mr Gray - This is the last meeting of 2016 year, but I am looking forward to hanging out with many of you at the holiday breakfast and the holiday concerts. We give GoldenTickers to kids for great behavior. We have already bestowed this honor on several children, but the actual necklace have been ordered and will be presented when they arrive. We are up to the third lesson in the mindfullness curriculum and it has been great for me to interact with the kids. Later on each child will contribute to a mural with help of a resident artist. Students are using the new technology in the creative space downstairs. Students had “press passes” to interview other kids during the student council elections. We are starting to grow basil and geraniums in our downstairs indoor garden. Perhaps before or during the next PTA meeting, students will offer tours of the new downstairs space for parents to see. Q - Can you post more often on the Good Stuff App? A - At first I was doing it and now the kids have taken over, so it is going slower. They are in the middle of publishing some pieces, but I will certainly post some more things that I have observed in my travels around Plaza.

TEACHERS' REPORT: Kindergarten Reading/Writing- Focusing on pattern books. We encourage you to visit the library and check out some pattern books and encourage your child to try writing a pattern book at home. SS - We learned about Election Day and had our own elections. We also learned about Veteran’s Day and thank all the Veterans. We will be talking about Thanksgiving and look forward to our Thanksgiving Feast with our book buddies next Wednesday afternoon. Science - We are beginning our study of squirrels We are thankful that you have allowed us to teach your children and we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. 1st Grade SS - We are learning about history past and present and all about the first Thanskgiving. Math - We are working hard to learn addition strategies Science - We continuing studying water and enjoy visiting the Innovatrium. Writing - We are studying author's craft through the use of mentor texts. Word Study - Students have enjoyed sorting and hunting for parts of words. Please return conference slips as soon as possible and continue to read over Thanksgiving break. Have a great holiday. 2nd Grade Reading/Writing - We are focusing on non fiction. We are studying text features and finding key information. We are beginning writer’s workshop by brainstorming topics that we already know a lot about. Students will chose a topic from their expert list to write about. We look forward to visiting the Baldwin Public Library later this month or in early December to continue our study of non fiction SS- We will be studying geography. We look forward to meeting with parents at parent/teacher conferences. 3rd Grade Reading/Writing - We are focusing on non fiction text and preparing to write our Informational Expert Books. Math - Our focus is on multiplication and problem solving. Please have your child study multiplication facts. SS - We continue learning about maps, map skills, and continents. Science - We are continuing our unit on animals and animal adaptations. 4th Grade Reading/Writing - Recently finished unit on realistic fiction and are looking forward to our publishing party next week. We have begun our new unit on opinion writing. Math - We are working on multiplication and division. Please review multiplication and division facts nightly with your child. SS - We are about to begin our social studies unit on Native Americans Science - We are continuing to explore rocks and minerals. We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. 5th Grade Math - In the middle of a unit on long division. Please review multiplication and division facts with your child as often as possible. Science - We are learning about our solar system. SS - We are beginning to learn about the Civil War Reading/Writing - We are reading and writing non fiction texts and learning about text features and text structures. Class of 2017 T shirt order forms are due by tomorrow. The students are excited about our trip on December 8 to see Rudolph. Please make sure all permission slips are handed in as soon as possible.

OFFICERS' REPORTS: First VP of Legislation - Susan Fisher Bylaws and resolutions we voted on passed and will be brought before the State Legislature. Membership Report (Christina Eckler for Ellen Millerick, 1st VP for Membership ) We now have 160 members We recently received new business members - Ian Lozada for Dallow Realty and Karen Wunsch for Home and Hearth Realty. 1st Vice President for Health and Safety, Doris McKeon November is Lung Cancer awareness Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Diabetes Awareness Reminder to get flu shots and to prevent the spread of disease by frequent hand washing. 1st Vice President for Fundraising, Mary Kate Caamano: Miss Chocolate orders will arrive on November 28 Treasurer’s Report, Kim Albrecht, Reconciliation was performed by Stacey Heuser The balance in checking account as too Nov. 16, 2016 is $22, 713.54 The balance in savings account as of Nov. 16, 2016 is $5,938.71 The balance in Fifth Grade Events as of October 13, 2016 is $1,723.83. The balance of disbursements as of November 16, 2016 is $7,710.60 Corresponding Secretary, Jeannette Alomia Read Thank You notes from Mrs McCabe for Kids Stuff Coupon Book, the presenter for Math Mania assembly, and students from Mrs. Sussman's class thanking the PTA for bringing the math assembly to Plaza.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS' REPORTS: VicMarie Sookdeo -Holiday Bazaar will be on December 9 from 5pm-9pm and December 10 from 11am-5pm. We will have a variety of vendors including Lularoe, Origami Owl, home decor, personalized ornaments, American Girl doll clothes and so much more. Please consider volunteering or donating baked goods. -Cultural Arts - This Monday we have an assembly called “Tales from the Tipi” for all grades. December 13-16 we have a resident artist working with the students during art classes to create a mural in the news room. On January 9 we will have the Bodacious Book Show Family Night as a kick off to our PARP program Nassau Region Reflection drop off November 30 and December 1. Christine Carney Thank you for donations for Thanksgiving Food Drive. Look for the Giving Tree on display by the office during Parent Teacher Conferences. Julie Croshere - We are looking for people to donate baked goods for the Holiday Breakfast. We have about 100 kids coming. All money for that event must already be paid.

Old Business: none

New Business: none

Meeting adjourned at 7:33pm

Minutes respectfully submitted by PTA Recording Secretary Kristina Lozada on November 17, 2016