Cornwall Parent-Teacher Organizations
Cornwall-on-Hudson PTO
234 Hudson Street, Cornwall-On-Hudson,
NY 12520
PTO Meeting
October 17, 2007
A regular meeting of the Parent Teacher Organization
was held Wednesday October 17,2007 in the cafeteria
of the Cornwall-On-Hudson Elementary
School. All PTO officers were in attendance except for Kimberly Poje, Sandi
Kessner, Lori Smith & Ms.O'Dell.
Call to Order: AnnMarie Dunn, made a motion
to call the meeting to order and Chris McDonald, accepted the motion.
Review and Acceptance
of September 19, 2007 minutes:
Chris McDonald made a motion to accept the
September 19, 2007, minutes with voted corrections and AnnMarie seconds.
Principal’s Report: Mr. Schmidt reported that he recently returned from a two-day
conference.
- Grades 1, 2 & 3 are all booked for Black Rock and Hudson Highlands Nature Museum
for variety or curriculum topics.
- We had our first successful popcorn day with a couple of little snags.
Over all it went well and the children loved it.
- Fall book fair family night is tonight.
- Fire prevention week is this week and two or more fire drills will
be held before December and two more for 12 total
for NYS law.
- We have postponed the Chinese acrobats to November. The students have
met this event with enthusiasm.
- October 25th we have an early dismissal at 11:20 am.
- Tuesday November 6th is Superintendent’s day
- The Halloween dance flyer from Mrs. Haring is out.
- Annual Halloween parade is at 10am & 2pm. If there is bad weather
the parade will be in the school auditorium.
- The fourth grade will be going to Sands Ring Homestead. Scheduled
to go at the end of the month.
- Tuesday November 13th, 2007, the report cards will be handed out.
- November 15th, 11:20 dismissal
- 6-9pm conferences on November 15, 2007, which is a Friday. Afternoon
and evening hours will be held for conferences.
- The school will have a change in report card system this year. A
1-2-3-4 scale will be used. The report cards all computerized now.
- Mr. Schmidt addressed a question regarding the smart boards. He responded
by saying that teachers are encouraged to use the smart board 2 hours every
month. The use of technology is highly encouraged. Learning the new technology
is a process and that it takes time for the teachers to learn.
Faculty Report: Ms. O’Dell was not present for the meeting.
Officer Reports:
President
Co-President AnnMarie Dunn spoke of selling
the smelly pencils during the popcorn sale. We will ask the teachers to think
of a good time to sell them.
Mr. Schmidt will give it some thought. A
sign up sheet is an idea to explore, or to put it
in a bag at the end of the day the teachers can pass them out to the students.
Regarding the Clearwater bill: the PTO pays for the Clearwater bus payment for each student. The PTO got the bill for the year 2006-2007. It was
reported that the PTO does not have any records of paying that bill. We don’t
know what to do with this bill. We will bring it up to membership and check
with Mary O'Mara. AnnMarie talked to Sue Ryan, Colleen Dunning and Mel DeTheresa. No one can remember ever paying for the Clearwater trip in the past. It would be $30.00
for each child from last year. AnnMarie Dunn recommended putting certain items
as separate line items in the budget for the PTO as it may have gone under
other items in the past.
Chris McDonald will ask her friends that
used to be in Lee Road PTO what they do related to
Clearwater.
The budget was accepted until next month
pending the Clearwater information.
First Vice President
Chris McDonald reported an update regarding
the member ships total money collected $847.00 dollars.
We raised only 50 dollars shy of our budget.
Currently we have 76 families, 15 faculty,
Second Vice President
Lori smith was not present. She reported
via e-mail that the bulb sale order is being processed. The bulbs will be
in on the 22nd. She will need help getting
that order together.
Corresponding Secretary
Sandi Kessner reported that Mad Science was
moved to Tuesday afternoon, which started on 10-16-07 for 6 Tuesdays. Friday
morning opening went very well. Sandi will create a template flier to give
to Joanne Incognoli. During the popcorn sale the
smencils and the popcorn will be sold together.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Sonja reported that she is all set as far as hospitality goes.
- Mary Jo Hughes will send out the flyers next week for school spirit
items.
- Joanne Incognoli who is not present but
spoke with AnnMarie Dunn regarding how to run the popcorn machine. It is
suggested to meet with parents each time.
- Between Sonja and Sandi they will run all of the popcorn machine details.
- Bake a cake for the popcorn sales to raffle to faculty.
- Advertise popcorn/ Smencil day so the students can bring money.
- Jamie Weis signed up to do the year book.
- Halloween Party: Phyllis going fine still looking for volunteers for
the activities and entertainment. The party is from 7-9pm.
- Letter and donations are being accepted for the Halloween Party.
- Bulb sale net 375.00 by Alicia Hughes.
Popcorn sales- there were glitches… in the
future check the day before you do it to make sure nothing else is going on
in the cafeteria so that they can start early. Chris MacDonald recommend
to relay to Joanne to remind the grade parents to get volunteers for popcorn
day- call 2 weeks before the sale. Ask Joanne if she wants to do this, need
6 volunteers for the sale.
Treasurer
Francine Clancy submitted the budget.
AnnMarie Dunn points out that it shows last years amounts and what the difference
is. Why we could not accept the budget re: the Clearwater
issue of who will pay for the 2006-2007 bill? We
will pay for the Bardavon trip. We will continue to pay $150 for bussing, bussing is paid for on the Cultural fund. Mary Jo
Hughes seconds the motion.
Regarding the year book- waiting for the
bill we got it yesterday afternoon $2,733.00 and we had it as an expense of
the 2006-2007 budget.
Wendy is on target with discount cards. Gertrude
Hawk changed to Feb. 1-22.
Table the 2006-2007 budget
to next month 2nd to the Clearwater
issue.
New business:
Chris McDonald for executive council and
all the administrators are there and all PTO's in the district bring up global
issues for school issues, communication link between the school and parents.
Confusion re: full day kindergarten we are
not paying a penalty by not having the full day kindergarten. Board of Ed
administration will propose for full day then Board of Ed decided to put it
in the budget vote then it is voted on we will not know until February.
The 88 compliance improvements will start
in the spring and end in the summer,
American with disability act building update.
Exective Board:
- Items covered at the executive board are global in purpose for the
overall school system. Examples are building updates for ADA throughout the system that will be done; Kindergarten full
day, how the process works to move from half day to full day. Any new ideas
or questions can be filtered through Chris McDonald.
- Also the need to have a consistent person for the executive board with
Chris McDonald was presented. Chris McDonald will ask at the next meet 10-24-07,
if COHES PTO could have an individual responsible for this who is not a
president or Vice President of the PTO. Mr. Tom Guild expressed
an interest in this position if it is approved by the executive council
that we can have a PTO member as opposed to a PTO officer.
- Popcorn movie night- Mr. Poje expressed an interest to run popcorn
movie night at COHES , similar to LEE road’s .
Chris McDonald suggested we speak to PTO officers from Lee road as to how
they run this. Also, what equipment we have at our school that we could
us to project the movie.
- Lisa Morasse offered to run a double dutch class /group during the
Movie nights. But it was thought that two activities at once would be too
confusing. Therefore, we are wondering about possible running a separate
class for double dutch. Dates, times, etc. to
be discuss at future date.
- Pam Hawks will look into a new sound system for the auditorium. Different
ways to break up the system for easier payment will also be presented at
a future meeting.
Adjournment: The meeting
was adjourned at 10:49am.
Respectfully submitted,
Bella Garrison,
Recording Secretary