Meeting Minutes from Sept. 22, 2009 Meeting

Bath Elementary PTA
9/22/09 Meeting
Dike-Newell Library


Heidi Tucker, PTA President introduced herself, as did the following officers: Geniene Marco, Fisher-Mitchell (F/M) Vice President; Heidi Franklin, Dike-Newell (D/N) Vice President; Lori Harper, Treasurer; and Mikaela Rios, Secretary (replacing Angie Klein).

Heidi collected surveys, the results of which will be posted on the blog http://www.bathelementaryptablog.globspot.com.

PURPOSE OF THE PTA:
Heidi touched on the National PTA Mission and the three important components of the Bath Elementary PTA (BEPTA), which are: student advocacy; school, teacher, and classroom support; and community enrichment. At the October meeting, Heidi would like to come up with a BEPTA Mission Statement that adequately reflects our goals as a group. As BEPTA President, Heidi’s main goals are: to raise money from community members and by applying for grants; and to do more family events, such as the successful Pot Lucks of last year.

Ann D. mentioned the wonderful experience of the summer camp funding of 2009. Heidi applied for a grant, which was meant to fund 15 kids attending summer camp for one week each ($3,000 awarded) but in the end funded 38 weeks of summer camp thanks to generous matching fund donations from the organizations involved.

UPCOMING EVENTS DISCUSSED:
- October 9th, Family Night Out at Rocky Ridge Barn in Bowdoinham from 5:00 – 7:00pm. PTA will not donate money to the event, but refreshments will be available for purchase and entrance is free. Heidi T. is chairing this event.
- October 16th, Family Pot Luck at D/N cafeteria, featuring folk singer Lisa Redfern. The pot luck will begin around 5:00 or 5:30pm and the concert will be from 6:40 – 7:00pm. Lisa Redfern will be selling CDs and promoting her guitar lessons in exchange for her kind offer to entertain us for free. Candy Hernandez will help set up an easel of Rules of Conduct for the concert event, which will be a reminder of how to behave when listening to a musician. VOTE: We voted to fund $100 to supply milk and paper goods. A cooler with water and cups will be available, too. Heidi T. is chairing this event.

TREASURER’s REPORT:
We have $4,519.01 in our account. During the 2008 – 2009 school year, $9,700 worth of requests were fulfilled and our Fall fundraiser (Meadowfarm catalogs) raised around $8,000.


UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS:
- Meadowfarm fundraiser begins the week of September 28th. Fliers will be sent home in backpacks. The orders will be fulfilled by Winter Break. Lori is chairing this fundraiser.
- Angie K. suggested an alternative fundraiser for later in the year and/or next year. Some ideas are a daily planner with kid’s artwork, holiday cards with kid’s artwork, hosting a craft fair. We can discuss this at a later meeting.
- Sunrise Coupon Books fundraiser will have a selling period of October 9th to November 9th, but we can keep selling on the BEPTA blog until January. The books are $20 each and we make $7 on each book if we sell up to 50. If we sell up to 150, we net $8 on each book. The coupons support local merchants and additional coupons come via email. Heidi F. if chairing this fundraiser.

ONGOING FUNDRAISERS:Box Tops for Education collections at F/M will start October 31st. We receive 10 cents per box top. The first check should be received by December 15th. Information will be sent home via newsletter. Candy Hernandez will find out who collects Box Tops at D/N and see if the PTA can do it. Geniene is chairing this fundraiser.

PTA MEMBERSHIP:
Fliers encouraging PTA membership are being sent home soon with return address envelopes. We make only $0.75 - $1.75 on each paying PTA member (depending upon single or family membership status). A suggestion was made to add verbiage to the flier to allow people the option to make a donation to the BEPTA if they wish. Suggested was “At this time, I don’t want to join PTA as a voting member, but I’d like to support the PTA with a donation.” Heidi T. and Lori are coordinating this effort.

PTA COMMUNICATION:
Mikaela mentioned that the blog is a communication tool for BEPTA information and Heidi had mentioned its importance for those who could not attend meetings. The blog address is http://www.bathelementaryptablog.blogspot.com. Also, the PTA has an email address which goes to Heidi and it is bathelementarypta@gmail.com.

REQUEST FOR FUNDS:
Barbara Leeman, representing the Math Team, requested $175 for the 5th graders to compete in the Southern Maine Elementary Meet at the Portland Expo center. The funds will cover entrance to the event, including copies, writers’ fees, refreshments, and awards. There are 6 kids per team, but there are also 4th and 5th grade alternates involved.
VOTE : We voted to approve the funds. Barbara R. suggested that perhaps a public budget would be allotted for these academic activities in the future, and that this kind of request might be put before the RSU1 board come school budget time.
PRINCIPAL’S COMMENTS:
F/M Principal, Larry Dyer, updated us on the following:
- MEA testing. This year, it is 6 days for 3rd and 4th graders, and 5th graders have an additional two days of MEA testing.
- Wal-Mart has adopted F/M and between last year and this year has donated $2500 ($1150 received this year). The money (in form of store credit) has been used and will be used to purchase necessary items for the kids and the school. Also, Wal-Mart has set up a jar at school to collect money for the Children’s Miracle Network. One hundred percent of the donations go to the cause.

NEXT MEETING:
October 13th at F/M Library
- Winter gear collection for kids in need at both schools
- Bus issues
- BEPTA Mission Statement
- Alternative Fundraisers


NUMBER IN ATTENDANCE AT MEETING: 20

AFTER MEETING INFO:
Two babysitters were paid $32.00 total for their services watching kids during the PTA meeting.

Tell us what you think of this logo for the Bath Elementary PTA!

Trying to combine: Sharks (Dike-Newell), Falcons (Fisher-Mitchell), City of Ships, Reading.

Please join the Bath Elementary PTA at the Dike-Newell Open House on Sept. 17th!

Let's kick off this PTA year by establishing as many PTA memberships as possible BEFORE the inaugural meeting of the PTA on Sept. 22nd! PTA board members will be on hand at the Dike-Newell Open House on Thurs., Sept. 17th, 5:30 - 6:30 to accept annual PTA membership dues. Dues are $6/adult and $10/family (each adult who joins gets a voting privelege at PTA meetings among other benefits to membership!). We hope we'll see you at the Open House!

Calling out for carpet!!

Are there any parents out there who have a connection to anyone who sells/installs carpets? The teacher's lounge at Fisher-Mitchell is badly in need of new carpet, with no budget for such improvements. If anyone has contacts who may be willing to donate and install such a creature, contact Larry Dyer, principal at Fisher-Mitchell, ldyer@rsu1.org. Thank you!

Mikaela Rios nominated to the board of the Bath Elementary PTA to fill the role of Secretary

Angie Klein has had to resign as secretary of the Bath Elementary PTA due to other obligations, and therefore the board of the Bath Elementary PTA has nominated Mikaela Rios to fill the position of secretary. Mikaela's nomination will be voted on at the Sept. 22nd meeting.

The first meeting of the Bath Elementary PTA will be on Tues., Sept. 22nd at the Dike-Newell school, all are enthusiastically invited!

6:15 p.m. social time, meeting commences at 6:30 p.m., meeting held in the Dike-Newell library on the 2nd floor with free babysitting on the first floor, in the Art room.

After the September meeting, the regular schedule will commence with meetings on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, alternating between the two elementary schools. The October meeting will be on October 13th, held in the library at the Fisher-Mitchell school.

The PTA encourages you to pay your membership dues ($6/adult, $10/family) at the Dike-Newell Open House on Sept. 17th where we'll be saying hello and answering any questions.

We're looking forward to an exciting year and the opportunity to advocate for our kids, their teachers and all the families of Bath!