CLOVERLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA

GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

January 5, 2010

Location:  Media Center; Cloverly Elementary School 

Meeting was called to order at 7:07 P.M

ATTENDEES:  Kim Billok, Colleen Sullivan, Karen O’Brien, Cheryl Minus, Grace Balogun, Jenn Gruber, Cindy Zarchin, Carolyn Parker, Bronson Hoover, Erin Jacobs, Carrie Conley, Catherine Halpin, Kathy Falcinelli, Neal McCarty, Tracy Kiras, Jill Doll, Renee Chen, Louise Jackson, Susan Kirk, Jill Wingard, Melissa Brunson

 APPROVAL OF MINUTES

KIM BILLOK PRESENTED

• General meeting minutes from December 1, 2009 were read and approved as distributed.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

KIM BILLOK PRESENTED         

• There are many upcoming events in January.  Reading night will be held on January 21 and is in need of volunteers.  It will be held during REACH week.
• Kim thanked members for their participation in the Grading and Reporting forum held at December’s meeting. The summary is posted on the Cloverly PTA Web Site.  This information was passed on to the MCPS OARS (Online Achievement and Reporting System) committee and will be addressed at this month’s Cloverly Advocacy meeting.
• Some events were snowed out last month such as one cultural arts assembly and the final part of the Sally Foster drawing.  The names were picked but the gift cards are still to be selected.
• Kim mentioned that there are volunteer opportunities for those on a limited schedule.  Please email Kim or committee heads if you would like to donate time or effort outside of school hours.

 PRINCIPALS’ REPORT

MELISSA BRUNSON PRESENTED

• Ms. Conley said the practice MSAs have been completed and the students did well.  Reading and Math were done on the same day. The results will be shared with the teachers.
• Ms. Brunson met with the OARS team concerning our Grading and Reporting feedback.  We have requested involvement in any changes or alternatives made. We were told that middle schools are aware of our grading system.  At Cloverly, grade level teachers got together to work on consistency in grading.  They developed a common understanding that the maximum score will always be a 4.  FAQs are available in the January edition of PawPrints.
• REACH’s kickoff was today. 
• Parent coffees start on Friday. 

TREASURER’S REPORT

JILL WINGARD PRESENTED

• Membership has increased by one this month.
• The Book Fair brought in $2,500.
• Sally Foster line item still does not include online sales.
• Cultural Arts-Percussion Discussion has been rescheduled for January 20^th.
• There was a purchase of instruments through the Principal’s fund. They will be used by several students this year and are considered Cloverly’s property.
• In the Program’s section, disbursements include ICB payment for Bingo Night at Briggs Chaney MS and part of the Ice Skating Night. 

MCCPTA DELEGATE’S REPORT

 COLLEEN SULLIVAN  PRESENTED

• There was no meeting in December.

 CLUSTER CONSORTIUM NEWS

JENNIFER GRUBER PRESENTED

• There was no December cluster meeting
• Jenn received an email from Patty Twigg in reference to the recent Budget Forum.  She indicates that the 2011 budget is looking grim. There are huge cuts proposed, especially in areas of transportation for magnet programs and staffing for special programs. In the past, Cloverly has communicated that class size was our top priority.
• There will be five budget forums in January. Kathy Falcinelli put the related information on Cloverly PTA’s listserv.
• The modernization of Paint Branch High School is under the Capital Improvement Budget which is separate and was not addressed at the recent budget forum. 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Kim suggested that, as a thank you, something be given to the high school students who provide childcare at our PTA meetings.
• The Nominating committee is in need of five volunteers to find a slate of officers for next year’s PTA.
• Colleen Sullivan reported that the Reflections submissions have been handed in to MCCPTA for county judging. The Art display will be held in mid-March in Germantown.  There will be recognition of those who participated.
• Cheryl Minus presented that the Celebrate Our World event needs volunteers to help during lunch hours. Please contact her at cnt14@hotmail.com.  There will also be an evening event.
• Tracy Kiras reported that the PTA Bingo night will be held on February 5 at Briggs Chaney Middle School.  They are looking for donations of prizes.
• Colleen Sullivan reported that the first annual Cloverly PTA Golf Tournament will be held Monday, May 3^rd at Hampshire Greens Golf Course. There will be a shotgun start at 1pm. Please let her know if there are any businesses that are interested in sponsoring the event.  Registration forms will be distributed at the end of January and will be available via on-line and hard copy.  A question was posed about non-participant involvement.  This question will be looked into further. 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• None

NEW BUSINESS

• None

 ADJOURNMENT

• The meeting was adjourned at 7:59 P.M.

 Respectfully submitted,

Erin Jacobs, Secretary

CLOVERLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA

GENERAL MEETING MINUTES

December 1, 2009

Location:  Media Center; Cloverly Elementary School 

Meeting was called to order at 6:40 P.M.

ATTENDEES:  Erin Jacobs, Eileen Vitaliti, Susan Quinn, Jill Wingard, Jackie Stock,  Debbie Deosaran, Jenn Gruber, Mary Goodenough, Jill Doll, Tracy Chu, Kim Billok, Kathy Falcinelli, Melissa Brunson,Catherine Halpin, Taryn Potts, Woo Jin Suh, Renee Chen, Carrie Conley, Sandra Zinkievich, Helen Shueh, Patty Belke, Regenia Outlaw, Cheryl Minus, Susan Kirk, Meredith Holman, Tracy Kiras, Margarita Bartley

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

KIM BILLOK PRESENTED

• General meeting minutes from November 4, 2009 were read. Minutes were approved after the inclusion of Melissa Brunson as an attendee.

TREASURER’S REPORT

 JILL WINGARD PRESENTED

• Currently PTA membership is 33 members above goal
• Sally Foster sales noted in the Treasurer report do not include Internet sales
• $900 has been raised in directory advertising          
• Ice Skating event cleared over $1,100
• Teacher gift cards have been distributed
• The Variety show will have a new venue this year at the Olney Theater. They require a $300 security deposit and $600, which is half of the total fee of $1,200.
• There was a bank error recently involving transfers from the PTA checking and saving accounts. The bank issued letters acknowledging their fault to check  recipients whose checks bounced.  The matter is now resolved.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

KIM BILLOK PRESENTED

• The Variety show’s change in venue was secured by Angela Edwards. The Olney Theater matched the fee we usually pay for use of a MCPS high school.  The $300 was additional, but we will get that amount back. There will be concessions and theater promotional materials available. Revenue ideas include selling flowers and possibly creating a DVD or photos.  Information on the Variety Show is going home Friday. Grades K-4 are allowed one act per student.  5^th graders are allowed two acts with one of those acts being a group act.
• There was a miscommunication in the PTA newsletter.  The time of the day winter concert on Dec. 15^th is 9:30 a.m. NOT 2:00 p.m.
• Please use the PTA bulletin board to post PTA information
• The winner of the $500 Target gift card was the Wills family

PRINCIPALS’ REPORT

MELISSA BRUNSON PRESENTED

• The week of 12/14 there will be MSA practice for grades 3-5
• Joe Romano performed a great show on recycling yesterday. Cloverly is working towards more green practices. The school received a grade of A in recycling.
• Ms. Brunson explained the new MCPS Collaborative Problem Solving Process (CPS).  This is an early intervention process that addresses an academic or behavioral concern. It is the first step of a three layered approach and is to be done before an EMT (Educational Management Team) is formed or Special Education services are provided.  This intervention must be for 4-6 weeks in order to show that this lower level intervention is not working and the next step is necessary.  This process will be built into class time or other times that don’t interfere with instruction.  Implementation of the CPS begins in January. Teacher training began this week.  Students with IEPs or 504 plans do not go through this process. 

MCCPTA DELEGATE’S REPORT

 REGENIA OUTLAW  PRESENTED

• It has been proposed that Sherwood High School be included in the NE Cluster for representative purposes. This inclusion is not for High School choice.  A vote was taken and it was unanimously approved.
• The Operating budget meeting for 2011 will be on January 4, 2010 from 7:30-9:30pm at the Carver Building in Rockville.  
• The Board of Education Operating budget hearings will be on January 13 and January 20, 2010, both starting at 7 p.m.
• MCCPTA officer state position elections are on April 27, 2010

CLUSTER CONSORTIUM NEWS

JENNIFER GRUBER PRESENTED

• The last cluster meeting on middle school curriculum was well attended
• There is no December cluster meeting. The next meeting will be Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. Location TBD.  The subject will be a Critical Thinking consortium and how the Promethean boards promote a new way of learning which infuses critical thinking and enthusiasm.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

• Cheryl Minus thanked everyone for their support of the Help the Homeless Walk.
• Susan Quinn added that Robin Boyer is looking for volunteers to assist with the vision and hearing screening for kindergarteners or anyone new to MCPS. The dates and times needed are Tuesday, January 5 from 9a.m. -2:30 p.m. and Wednesday, January 6 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Robin can be contacted at rlfboyer@verizon.net or through the PTA website.  This information will also be in a forthcoming listserv announcement as well.
• Renee Chen announced that the in-school banking program was behind in its distribution of registration information due to a shortage of Sandy Spring Bank  banking volunteers due to illness.
• Reminder that the Book Fair is next week.

ADJOURNMENT

• The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Erin Jacobs, Secretary