LYON /PLEASANT RIDGE PTA MINUTES

November 8th, 2005

In Attendance: Dave Work, Rosemary Lorenzo, Chris Coleman, Peggy Hopkins, Joyce Heneghan, Susie Feldstein, Robin Hinrichs, Denise Tener, Gretchen Rich, Debbie Shefren, Deb McMahon, Stacy Paton, Kristina Hourihane, Liz Price, Eileen Grant, Sandy Sroubek, Vickie Schurer, Lisa Dickholtz, Chris Northwick, Sue Krock, Kristi Carroll, Kristen Borth, Sandy Brennan, Kay Laurie, Marylou McDonagh

I. Welcome – Chris Coleman

II. Secretary’s Report – Minutes – motion to pass, approved and seconded

III. Treasurer’s Report
Pumpkinfest revenue was $7,960 and costs were $5,193 – we made $2,767 – exceeded budget by $367 – there may be more straggling expenses.
The wireless initiative was about $15,000 – this will come out of last year's budget – cash balance is $36,000.

IV. Teacher Representative – Debbie Shefren
Kindergarten Parents – Literacy Night
First Grade – began their take home reading program
Second Grade – working on turning tadpoles into frogs

V. Principals' Reports
Rosemary Lorenzo – Pleasant Ridge
– Cultural Arts assembly – Australia – white shark expedition
– Thursday – picture retakes
– 21st and 22nd – annual in school field trip – High Touch High Tech Company
– 29th – report cards go home
– December 2nd – parent conferences
– 3rd grade – testing cognitive skills – week of the 28th

Dave Work – Lyon School
– Thanks to Olga and Vicki for a great Pumpkinfest
– Safety Time – Officer Friendly and the Fire Department were here
– Book Fair next week – getting organized now
– Picture Retakes Friday November 18th
– No school November 23rd – teacher in-service date
– Report cards going home on the 29th
– Parent Conferences on December 1st and 2nd

V. Chris Coleman – President Report
- Thanks to Connie Nash and Yuko Aimi for the directory – no complaints received
- The website is up and running
- GEF Benefit – great turnout – 350 – double last year – made about $70,000

VI. New Business/Chair Reports

1st Vice President – Chris Northwick
– 230 families are now on the emergency contact list
- new PTA website – same domain as the emergency website

2nd Vice President – Tammy Burke – no report

3rd Vice President -Liz Price – no report

4th Vice President – Eileen Grant – went to the Local School Council Meeting

Benefit – Kristina Hourihane
– Kohl's Museum is secured – we have a DJ and menu
– Working on collecting donations from businesses and parents
– Request to raise ticket prices to $60.00 per person – Liz motion to raise – Peggy seconded – tickets raised to $60 per person

Environmental – Gretchen Rich
– Collecting cell phones for recycling drive - $3 per phone
– Waste free lunch on November 18th

Cultural Enrichment – Christi Carroll
– November – sharks at Pleasant Ridge
– December – storyteller at Lyon

Art Enrichment – no report

Lyon Book Fair – Susie and Mary Lou
– Book fair will start Wednesday November 16th
– Pizza party Wednesday from 6-7:30
– Contests – favorite book
– wish lists will be posted in the gym
– Kristen Borth will be scheduling volunteers
– New program - $1 for books – for Katrina victims

Pumpkinfest – Vickie Schurer
– low showing – Pleasant Ridge volunteers
– need ways to get more volunteers
– discussion about karaoke– too loud and some lyrics inappropriate for our age groups
– draw for middle school kids
– will manage song list for lyrics next year

Global Language – Denise Tener (PR)
– Provided assessment of the program
– Good intent
– Classes are cheap ($5 per class) and short (30 minutes)
– No academic accountability or oversight of teachers
– Denise is looking to form an advisory program

Holiday Helper – Deb McMahon
– Candy drive is done
– Food Drive starts next week (Nov. 14th – Dec.16th)
– Letters went out to 83 families (all families are from LY-PR) – all free and reduced lunch families – about 10% of the total 640 families at LY-PR
– Sponsor a family or team up with someone to share
– Using GBS teens/8th graders to help

NSSED – No report

Lyon Publishing Center – Robin Hinrichs – co-chair with Sandy Brennan

VII. Motion to Adjourn

Respectfully Submitted,
Peggy Hopkins
Secretary
Lyon/Pleasant Ridge PTA