December PTA Meeting Notes

President’s Report: China Williams

1. Maryland notified PTA regarding over-payment of Charitable Status Registration fee
   1. Refunded $50
   2. Working to resolve discrepancy between our records
2. School Support – Hospitality: $500 added to budget
   1. Funds refreshments for events like American Education Week and Groundbreaking Ceremony
3. Boundary study to continue
   1. Thanks to all for completing survey
   2. Local PTA boards working collaboratively to identify strategies for welcoming incoming students
      1. Student ambassadors
      2. Open house
      3. Community events
   3. Will revisit topic pending results of Boundary Committee/addition of new students to Westowne
4. Holiday Shoppe
   1. Great work, Katie!
   2. Thanks to all for the donations
   3. Thanks to the volunteers, including middle school helpers for unloading closet
5. Upcoming events
   1. SW Boundary Meeting, Catonsville HS (Dec 9)
   2. Art to Remember pickup Thursday afternoon
   3. PJ Day Friday with Holiday Cheer (favorite holiday colors)
   4. Teacher Holiday Luncheon (Dec 15)
   5. 123 Andres (Dec 16)
   6. Cookies & Cards (Dec 17 & 21)
      1. Baked goods donated for teachers lounge
      2. Cards from families and students to decorate lounge
      3. Consider giving cookies/cards to bus drivers and crossing guard, Ms. Bev
   7. Five Below 5th Grade Fundraiser (Dec 18-20)
   8. Advanced Lego Robotics to begin in January
6. Schwan’s check deposited: $194
7. Needs an afterschool Chess club teacher for spring (Possibly Gideon Stanton)
8. Mr. Landel to run Intro Lego Robotics

 
Treasurer’s Report: Stacie Lauer

1. Chuck E. Cheese’s Night: $97
   1. Working with Chuck E. Cheese’s to determine if amount was an error given discrepancy between funds raised by spring and fall events
2. November Pajama Day: $378.84
3. Wrote check to school for technology fund: $424

 
Secretary’s Report: Justine Stull

1. 179 members
   1. All PTA volunteers need to be members

 
Vice President’s Report: Jessica Brown

1. Box Tops
   1. New collection sheet going home

 
Principal’s Report: Mr. Palmer

1. PTA to provide membership form to share in newsletter
2. Thank you for American Education Week refreshments and support
   1. Around 294 visitors
   2. Positive turn out for Grandparents Day
3. Holiday Shoppe looks great with lots of stock
4. Devices are to be delivered Thursday
   1. Will be labeled, registered, etc.
   2. Will be introduced to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades soon
5. Ground Breaking Ceremony Monday, December 14th 10:00 – approximately 10:30
   1. Expecting representatives and press
   2. Will host brief reception with PTA provided refreshments
   3. Will send thank you cards from PTA, signed by students, to representatives
6. Westowne scored decently on PARCC
   1. Information available in Baltimore Sun article
   2. Scores this year create baseline for future years; cannot be compared to any previous test scores
   3. Expect further information in January Words to the Wise
   4. Parents to receive student reports
7. Thanks to all the volunteers: classrooms, copies, teacher support, cafeteria
   1. Requests further lunch line/cafe volunteer support
8. Continuing to support “frequent-flyer” students during known periods of increased poor student behavior
9. Pursuing options for increasing parking, especially given winter weather conditions
10. Drop Off
    1. Pull up all the way, and drop off quickly
    2. Do not leave children prior to 9:00 AM
11. Construction updates
    1. Continued steady, rapidly-paced work
    2. Aiming to have roof completed in February
    3. To pull “Westowne School” sign off the current building to utilize in new building
    4. Goal is to demolish current building in June
    5. To identify storage for PTA in new building
12. ClassDojo app/website being implemented at gradual pace in classrooms
13. Incidents of teacher car vandalism in small parking lot

 
Teacher Liaison: Ms. Robey

1. Distributed Holiday Shoppe schedule form letter for teachers to use
2. Updated class contact lists were distributed again
   1. Google Form for additional participants and corrections: http://goo.gl/forms/VN5by2L9Ys 
   2. Teachers have 90 day automatic email clear out
   3. Thanks to teachers and parents for patience; still identifying best strategy for updating and sharing information