Meeting was called to order by Mary Jane
Barbato-Grauso at 7:30 pm at the Dept. of Education.
Quorum was met.Delegates from the following PTAs read the purpose and goals of
PTA: Worthington ES, Fulton
ES, Patapsco MS, Swansfield ES, West Friendship ES
Delegates were asked to provide PTA Council with any
questions they have on MRSA.Donna
Heller and Ron Miller from HCPSS have offered to provide answers that
Minutes of the October General Meeting were reviewed
and approved by consensus.
The Treasurer’s Report was reviewed and noted was
made that the Scholarship Fund donations are very healthy so far, based on
less than 50% of the local PTAs having submitted donations. A list of schools was read of all PTAs who have completed their
fall requirements of submitting Council dues, budgets, and bonding
insurance payment.
Board Member Ellen Giles provided a report from the
Board of Education.
- The state legislature is meeting in special session and
considering new ways of appropriating funds. Education funds from the state are likely to be frozen from a state
level and reduced from a county level which will impact the amount work
that can be done.
- There are several policies that are undergoing review. Corporal punishment policy is being proposed to be dropped
and the Discipline policy to be combined into the policy on Conduct.
- The state has voted to drop the minimum score requirement
from the combined score option.By
2010 the writing portions of the test will be dropped.
- >There is a public hearing on the proposed calendar for next
school year on 12/13.
Mary Jane Grauso encouraged attendance at the
following seminars:
- November 14 is Cultural Proficiency training, including 150
slots for parents. PTAs are
encouraged to send representatives to Wilde Lake High School cafeteria
that evening.
- December 4-6 for Facilitative Leadership Workshop.We have 3 people already signed up.
- The MDPTA Convention on November 16-17. A few local PTAs indicated that one of their members might attend.
- Attend American Education Week classes at your child’s
school and Parent Teacher Conferences the third week of November to
support your children.
Operations VP Jonathan Cooper gave an update on the
Fall Workshop and Sharing Sessions that occurred on October 29th.>Next training session is scheduled for January 28th.Please send topics to Jonathan care of the PTA Council office.
Executive VP Deborah Wessner reviewed the need for
many local PTAs to update their bylaws.There is a new template. The PTA Council office can provide a cheat
sheet for how to complete the bylaws. Do not hesitate to contact the PTA office for any questions you may
have and one of the PTA Council officers will respond to you..
Nathan Tresnak, Senior Eagle Scout, introduced his
team who helped PTA Council with the annual coat drive collection. Linda
Martin from the PPW was very grateful for the donations.She indicated that any additional coats can be brought to the ARL in Room B46 where the PPW workers will ad them to the tremendous number of
coats brought tonight. The
PPW will distribute the coats to families in need in December.
Nehemiah Spence, Chair of Family Involvement, told
the group there will be a book drive in December and January. Local PTAs will be asked to collect books and will be
provided with a location (usually another local PTA/school) where books
they collect can be donated. Updates
will be coming up from
Issues VP Angela Ballard-Landers indicated that MDPTA
held a regional training and the WSSC offices in Laurel.
She also reported that a Mt. Hebron planning and design
committee has been arranged, with attendance from the local community, to
determine how the school will be renovated.
Mary Jane Grauso, president, presented a sheet
that shows what the principals at Homewood and ARL schools could use in
donations from the local PTAs to support the staff.
PTAs can contact Homewood coordinator Jill Donnelly at 410-313-7081
and ARL coordinator Eva Bailey at 410-313-6994 if they wish to make
donations to the events listed.
A motion was presented by Venu Ivengar from
Folly Quarter MS PTA “To sponsor teacher appreciation needs (at Homewood
School) and set aside $2000 in the PTA Council budget each year.
The funds for this shall be raised by requesting the participating
school to increase their dues by $60.” Mrs. Grauso stepped down from the President’s chair to address
the motion. Executive VP
Wessner acted as chair for the duration of the motion.
Following discussion by the delegates, the motion was tabled by the
group.
Reservoir delegates had two questions that were
answered at the meeting on donations and eSchoolNews.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30pm.
Next meeting will be December 3, 2007 at 7:30 pm at
BOE.
Minutes submitted by Executive VP, Deborah
Wessner
