Minutes PGG Monday 10th JANUARY, 2005
Attendance: Deborah Timberlake, Dan Kramer, Ian Boyd, Alyssa Melnick, Sharon Vardatira, Lisa Lesure, Tom Flittie, Jackie Churchill, Alisa Brewer, Kerri Parker, Tricia Everett, Felicia Mednick (facilitator), Nick Yaffe, Mariana Luz (Town Meeting Family Child-Care Study)
Town Meeting Family Child-Care Study – Mariana Luz
This is a sub-committee formed to look at groups under-represented at Town Meeting. Such a group is parents with young children, and the sub-committee is looking at options to increase participation eg. providing child-care, transportation, homework club etc. Mariana handed out a survey for anyone interested to fill out. Completed surveys can be placed in the marked envelope in Room 154. Most meeting members agreed to distribute extra surveys to several other families, and Tom agreed to collect the completed surveys and return to Town Meeting.
Treasurer’s Report – Sharon Vardatira
Report distributed. Income for Nov/Dec 2004, $400.60. Expenses, $917.73. Net balance, $5156.52.
Our income from the printer cartridge recycling program is on a par with the equivalent period last year.
Funding Requests – Sharon Vardatira
Susan McQuaid
– $130. Fifth grade field trip to the Eric Carle Museum to visit the Chris Van .. exhibition. Approved, but Tom will follow-up with Susan about making sure that families are asked to help subsidize this trip – which is a standard procedure for field trips. PGG has a template permission slip/donation request letter available that can be sent home to families. Tom will also speak to Susan about asking the Museum for a discount. Otherwise, the request was approved.
Mary May – $50. To help subsidize the All-Town Chorus pizza party. Approved. Wildwood PGO will also be asked to contribute. Follow-up on whether Fort River will be asked as well. (Note: Mary May subsequently explained that Fort River was not asked because they have the fewest chorus members of any school. Also, she reported that Wildwood approved a request of $200 to support this gathering.)
Mary May – $500. For grades K-2 to see The Happy Prince at the Fine Arts Center. Previously this program has been covered by a grant from the Amherst Cultural Council, but this has been cut. Approved.
Further discussion on whether families should be asked for donations for kids to see this performance. It was considered important that the PGG be consistent in its policy toward subsidizing events and field trips. In general, family donations will be requested for the curriculum based field trips. It was also noted that this request was a result of a cut to a previous grant. Tom will incorporate this cut in Amherst Cultural Council funding into the brown envelope funder explanation.
Food Service Advisory Committee (FSAC) Update – Tom Flittie
One meeting held this year. Discussion on the fact that it is an advisory group only and cannot address food policy. A request for the Chartwells contract has finally been met. Andy Churchill and Tom Flittie now head a Nutrition Policy sub-committee to work with the Advisory committee and to make recommendations to the school committee. Next FSAC meeting on Jan 17th.
Principal’s Report – Nick Yaffe
Karen Feller died over the weekend – although many people knew that she was terminally ill with cancer, they were unaware until Friday that she was likely to pass soon. A letter was sent home and her death was discussed in the classrooms, as appropriate. Memorial Service will be held on Friday at the Red Barn after school. A gift account in her name will be established to purchase ELL related books. Folks are also looking into planting a tree in her memory.
Student Council coordinating family contributions to support Tsunami survivors.
Multicultural Fair to be held on March 16th. New model where families from a particular region will put on a display in a classroom. A committee still needed to help coordinate the activities. Nick has one volunteer, Felicia also volunteered to be on the committee. It was suggested that people be approached directly with a list of ways that they could possibly help. The Photographs of MM Families project, which was started last year,will be done again.
Michael Ziomek was killed in a car accident during December. He was a MM student (graduate) and his parents were active in the MM community. Nick has started a collection to go toward the Stan Ziomek Scholarship fund (to support graduating ARHS students). PGG agreed to make a $100 donation to this fund.
Ha Ha Sisterhood Update – Sharon Vardatira
Planned for January 28th. Press release has been prepared and two flyers will be going home before the event, one this weekend, and one the week of the event. Dan to prepare a flyer this week. Bake sale to be held.. Tricia to approach Yaldira Brown and Cheryl Davies to see if this could be coordinated with the student council – in keeping with student council’s decision, money from this effort would go toward tsunami survivors. Tom to check with local bakeries, Big Y etc for baked goods that could be sold. Other people should also check with supermarkets/bakeries when they are there.
Korean Community Event – Alyssa Melnick
Alyssa has coordinated this project with twelve Korean families, to be held on January 24th. Hand-made dumplings will be prepared along with displays in the art room. Visits to the event will be made during the day by each class.
Other Items
Geography Bee – supported by the PGG. Tom has passed on $90 worth of A2Z gift certificates and $25 of Food for Thought gift certificates to Sue McQuaid for prizes. Any money/certificates remaining will be returned to the PGG.
Art Fundraiser – cards for this fundraiser will be available for sale at the All-Town Chorus on Tuesday, 11th January. Nick will make an announcement beforehand.
Items for the MM Memo/PGG e-newsletter – looking for someone to coordinate writing an e-mail format newsletter, possibly tying in with the Wildwood Wire. Meanwhile, any items can be included in the MM Memo distributed on the last Friday of each month (items can be given to Anita Pelis in the office).
PGG corrected allocation of funds to reimburse Joan MacDonald for Community Breakfast supplies. Instead of $30, PGG will fund the entire amount, $51.
Submitted by Ian Boyd.