March PTA Meeting Minutes

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 @ 6:30 PM in Dike Newell Library

Board Members in attendance: Geniene Marco, Kate Foye, Laurie Burhoe, Claire Berkowitz, Lisha Wentworth

Other attendees: Candy Hernandez, Ruben Hernandez, Kathy Hendrickson, Susan Cyr, Amy Lent, Susan Harrison, Angie Boisvert, Nancy Harriman, Heidi Tucker

Secretary’s Report
Claire presented February minutes (they were posted on the blog). Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Amy; vote to approve was unanimous.

Treasurer’s Report

Lisha presented income and expense report. Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Amy; unanimous vote to accept.

Old Business

• Biggest Job Workshop-Kate updated us about the March 14^th event, 6-7:30 PM. Free parenting workshop by Laura Gauld, free of charge. Open to all RSU1 families, faculty, school board and staff. 19 RSVPs so far. Kate was approached about needing an interpreter for the deaf. We need someone to provide sign language. Candy suggested contacting Sharon Brown – the Special Ed Director. Nancy suggested contacting Pam Moody who knows of interpreters in the community who might be able to volunteer. Monica Blatt wants to incentivize the event with her Title 1 families…some sort of gift certificate. Amy offered passes to the museum for a prize to give away for all attendees. Nancy suggested a separate incentive for the Title I parents. Refreshments – budget $150 for childcare/food. Candy moved to accept that amount, Angie seconded the motion, all were in favor.
• Read-a-thon – ½ the population in each school participating this year. It started yesterday. Kids seem eager to be a part of it. Candy requested that the PTA support the gift certificates for the classrooms, kids who read the most, 2 secretaries. Up to $500 may be needed to purchase gift certificates at BB Shop, depending on how much is raised. Heidi moved to accept, Angie seconded…all in favor.
• Spring Chocolate Sale/Bath Sweet Shoppe – 8 or 9 different chocolate items, jelly beans, Passover/Easter items. Prices range $1.95-$15. Send out on March 18^th to the kids. Returned to Bath Sweet Shoppe by April 1^st, with deliveries on April 14^th or 15^th. The PTA gets ½ of money. Raffle of large bunny in shop window, proceeds to go to the PTA. Incentive program – she will give gift certificates to the top class in both schools ($5 to every child in class, $25 to teacher). Nancy suggested labeling a few things “vegan” if they are.
• Summer Camp Scholarship – Heidi is submitting a grant asking for grant of $10,000 from Davenport. In 2009, we got $2500 from Bowdoin…that purchased 39 weeks of camp, 38 kids. In 2010 we got $3,000, eligibility was based on free and reduced lunch status. Overwhelmed with requests and so they gave us another $3,500 for a total of $6,500. Bath PTA was a top receiver of funds in 2010. The $10,000 will fund (29 matching weeks) free and reduced kids for 113 weeks of camp. Financial need not based on free and reduced lunch. Concern for kids over the 185% of poverty (school lunch eligibility) and what is happening to them when they aren’t in school for the summer. Gretchen will take over the lead on things at DN in terms of process. The bigger burden will be at FM…Suzanne doesn’t have the time. First come, first serve in terms of the camp. A question was asked if Gretchen is assigning kids to camp? Nancy wants things to be coordinated across the schools so it is fair. Heidi and Gretchen will work on the system. Families will have to pay $10/kid going to camp. There will be families who don’t have the $ give and that will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Asking for personal investment, but we don’t want people to not apply because they didn’t have the $10-$20. Nancy said that we can’t hold cash in the school for an unknown point of time…it will just get into the deposit. Heidi suggested having a Summer Camp Fair for RSU1. Fair open to all district families. Heidi would like to think about how to keep this going without her being in charge. Find a group to work with this and find a long term solution.
• April 1^st – April Fool’s Dance. Nancy thought we should check with Jason Carter about when his dance is.
• We will also host a 5^th grade dance for all RSU1 schools. This dance would be for free.

New Business

• 4^th Grade Field Trip - $ has been frozen. The Water Festival at USM is a day when kids are immersed in all things water. Only cost is $458 for bus costs. $200 we can apply to get reimbursed, so the cost would be $258 in the end. WE also have a trip to Augusta to go to the State House/Museum, this is curriculum aligned. Candy moved to support the field trip, Angie 2^nd, all approved. April to Augusta, Water Festival in May. Total of
• TV Turnoff Week –Official week is April 24^th. Amy will open the Museum one night during that week.
• Ruben would like to request the budgeted $100 funds for World Languages.
• Lisha went over the list of grades that have not requested money. Money has been allocated, but it hasn’t been asked for. But, at this point it is first come, first serve. All field trips have been canceled because of the budget issues, so teachers need to know that the funds are here and can support their field trips. The 5^th grade will be coming for their allocated funds. Claire asked why parents can’t be asked to pay small amounts for field trip costs. Discussion took place about how to make this happen in the future and the possible advocacy that the PTA can do to make sure that the district funds are there to match what we have fundraised to help make these trips happen. We need to ask the Board about policies around all of this.

Public Comment

· Amy Lent has brought up discussions that she has had with School Board Members. They are unaware about how parents feel about things, such as the swim program.

· Survey Monkey with community opinion gathered about issues might be a way for us to advocate for our schools.

· Matt Hamilton will come to SAG meeting on 3/14 from 5-6 about dialogue of how middle school transition process works, not about transition itself. Get parent satisfaction about how the process works, not about what to expect at BMS.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45.

Next meeting on Tuesday, April 12th, at 6:30 PM in Fisher Mitchell Library.