LYON /PLEASANT RIDGE PTA MINUTES

October 11 th, 2005

In Attendance: Dave Work, Rosemary Lorenzo, Chris Coleman , Susan Swaringen, Chris Northwick, Susan Krock, Gretchen Rich, Robin Hinrichs, Eileen Grant, Deb McMahon, Miriam Bales, Kristi Carroll, Gina Bronswick, Kristina Hourihane, Susie Feldstein, Mary Lou McDonagh, Bridget Cienkus, Lisa Dickholtz, Cheryl Kasner, Denise Gross, Vanessa Podgorski, Peggy Hopkins

I. Welcome - doublecheck email address list for accuracy and inclusion

II. Teacher Representative - Katie Konieczka
Third Grade - weather and instruments, number stories in math
Fourth Grade - Simple machines, lever systems, Grove field trip next week
Fifth Grade - Building ecosystems
The Tree - gearing up and starting first project
All students working on 6 traits writing - PTA paid for this in-service.

III . Secretary’s Report - After a few changes the minutes were approved, seconded and passed.

IV. Treasurer’s Report - School supplies made a profit due to donations. Spirit Wear made a profit. Cultural enrichment expense of $2,163 in January for all school theater trip.

V. Principal’s Report

Dave Work
- Lyon is all set for Pumpkin Fest
- book fair is on track
- 10/14 In service date - review student data and math their way concepts (to address how first and second graders struggle with math) - supplements U of C methods

Rosemary Lorenzo
- Reports to be mailed out
- Fourth grade field trip next week
- Third grade field trip following week to Mitchell Native American Museum
- Police officers coming the week of 10/19 and 10/24 - Officer Friendly
- Teacher Institute - data driven differentiation from NWEA scores in a.m., 6 Traits writing training
- Band director had a baby over the weekend - substitute will be in place for week of 10/17

VI. Chair Reports

1 st Vice President - Collecting e-mail addresses - give missing info and corrections to Chris Northwick.
- Testing e-mail emergency tree
- Motorola program - recycle cell phones through end of November - $3 per phone to schools - will also take cards and batteries for disposal, vote taken and approved
- Deb McMahon cautions to time properly so as not to interfere with Food Drive and Holiday Helper

Special Guests - Jill Engel, Director of HR for District, and Phil Collins
- Principal Search Process - Get out early - Positions are posted
- Principals selected Dec 23 and Board approval Jan 23
- Aggressive advertising for open positions locally and nationally
- Looking for parent reps for Lyon and Pleasant Ridge Building Committees - must understand time commitment and respect confidentiality of interview process - cannot discuss candidates outside of committee

2 nd Vice President - Tammy Burke is rep for attending District 34 School Board Meeting
- Report from last meeting - where/how to cut expenses if referendum doesn’t pass

3 rd Vice President - Liz Price - no report

4 th Vice President - Eileen Grant - no report

Benefit - Kristina Hourihane - Museum secured, working on menu and invites

Pumpkinfest - Olga Panagakis - Looking for older kids to babysit on 10/21 so parents can help with set up - need volunteers the most for breakdown/clean-up.

Ways and Means - Cheryl Kasner - Pictures due 10/24, retakes will be scheduled
- Box tops submitted for $133
- Will get more details on Peapod, Dominicks and Campbell Soup programs.
- If register on-line for box tops get 8% back to school from purchases at various stores.

Directory - Connie Nash - due to go to printer this week

Cultural Enrichment - Miriam Biales (L), Kristi Carroll (PR)- Matt Glowacki presentation a huge success
- December - storyteller - Chris Faccione - Wednesday November 9 th - 9 am , 10 am

Lyon Book Fair - Mary Lou McDonagh and Susie Feldstein
- Fair will be held November 15 th and 16 th - set up is the 15 th
- Longer this year - Thursday the 17 th until 7 pm
- Theme - Enter the Kingdom of Reading Where Books Rule
- Approved 71 $15 gift certificated for staff
- Approved 49 $5 certificates for free and reduced lunch kids
- Raffle - all kids - 5 $10 certificates - motion to approve - passed and seconded
- Katrina donations - for every $1 donation 1 book will be sent to the families of Hurricane Katrina
- Volunteers sign ups will be forthcoming, babysitting will be available

Global Language - Gina Bronswick - both programs running smoothly now, need to shorten lag on paying teachers for program, Brett Clark will follow up with district

Environmental - Gretchen Rich - waste free lunch at Lyon on Friday October 28 th - bring in or purchase red lunch choice - will get a sticker
- bring sheet in - show ways to help the environment - get a prize
- presentations to classrooms
- looking into ink jet recycling

Lyon Publishing Center - need this position filled - office in Lyon - make books for kids with teachers - goal is that all kids are published authors

Lyon Love/PR Pride - Deb McMahon
- Candy collections will be coming up- after Halloween donate candy to Northfield Food Pantry
- Collecting names for holiday helpers
- October 21 st - letter out to families, there will be around 90 families
- Food drive starts November 14 th
- Looking for corporate donors
- Budget reduced from $1,500 to $1,000 - last year spent $1,200

Parent Education - Vanessa Podgorski
- Parents in Partnership is October 22 nd - same day as Pumpkinfest due to keynote speaker, hours are 8:30 - 12:00
- Flyers will be coming out this week with sessions

NSSED Liasons - Bridget Cienkus, Christi Crist - no report

LSC Representative - Kristen Borth is local school council rep, Liz Price is other rep from Lyon

VII . Comments and Questions - Don’t forget to check mail box in the office

VIII. Motion to adjourn - next meeting will be on November 8 th at 9:15 at Lyon School

Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Hopkins
Secretary