PGG Meeting Minutes 02/13/2003

Present: Tom Flittie, Audrey Figarella, Joan MacDonald?, Kerri Parker, Mariana Luz, Tricia Everett, Alisa Brewer, Sarah Stookey, Katie Fitzgerald, Alisa Braverman (visitor)

Treasurer’s/Fundraising Report: PGG Treasury Balance about $4800. Our license to show movies at Mark’s Meadow is about to expire. Discussed possibility of buying an umbrella license for the Amherst/Pelham district PTO. Also, talked about ‘Positive Connections’ – a Northampton based telephone company with competitive rates who return 10% of out of state charges to the school. Need 25 families/businesses to sign up. Web-site www.posiconn.com. PGG to distribute a flyer to families. A flyer on the ‘Used Book Fair’ also about to be sent out.

Principal’s Report: ‘Into Amherst’ service projects planned for Saturday, April 26th. Looking for interest in planning a playground clean-up/improvement project for that day. SGC has received 45 Family Surveys. Results are being collated and the SGC is working on a format to communicate results to families.

Faculty Report: ‘Savings Makes Cents’ program proving popular, and has been easily assimilated into the school. Run by a core of volunteers. A presentation was made by the Regional Director of Junior Achievement at a faculty meeting. To be a follow-up with teachers to see if anyone wishes to involve this group. This led to a discussion on supplemental lessons in the classroom and parental involvement in the curriculum framework. Joan advised that the school supports direct parent to teacher discussion on how parents/guardians can help in the class. Audrey advised that the Family Outreach Coordinators (Audrey Figarella and Kathryn Mahony) would be publishing results from a Teacher Survey on family/parent participation.

School Committee: Alisa Brewer spoke on possible school district budget cuts – including the entire field trip budget, and how this could impact on the PGG. Also, to be announced, the upcoming meetings with the short-listed Superintendent candidates.

North Village Fire: Discussion on how best the PGG could support the Mark’s Meadow family affected by the recent fire at North Village. Depending on need, people supported offering a cash donation and/or help in coordinating donations of household effects.

Food and Nutritional Council: Alisa Braverman (parent and nutritionalist from Fort River School) spoke on the creation of this council with three aims: i. Improve quality/range of food in the cafeterias. Issues: new Food Service Director to be employed next year (hope to be involved in the hiring process); currently no whole wheat/grains; school food service in deficit; however, a lot of changes not hard or expensive to make. Looking at applying for grants – need help from people with experience; ii. Teaching nutritional units in the early grades – Alisa doing a pilot class at Fort River; iii. Supporting local producers. Alisa is trying to recruit a liaison from each school in the district to help disseminate information. Anyone interested in doing research, writing grants, or helping/supporting this project in any way can contact Alisa Braverman at 253-5362 or e-mail alisanjeff@earthlink.net.

Town Charter Meeting: Mariana advised of a meeting on the Town Charter at Mark’s Meadow (speaker: ??? ex-MM principal) on February 27th. Asked if PGG would be willing to sponsor this event. Concern expressed about the PGG sponsoring a meeting discussing only one side of the argument. In response, it was pointed out that there is a state budget for meetings supporting a new Town Charter. It was suggested that more PGG participants be asked about sponsoring this meeting, or that another meeting be arranged at Mark’s Meadow with speakers presenting both sides of the argument.

Next Meeting: Wednesday March 12th. Minutes submitted by Ian Boyd


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