PTA General Membership Meeting Minutes, October 10, 2017

Principal’s Update:

• Water donations are still needed for 8AM Wellness walk at BBES on Saturday
• Yankee candle fundraiser being held by the school, starts on 10/16 for 2 weeks; proceeds go to benefit resources for students (BrainPop program is one possibility)
• Interim reports come out on Thursday
• MAP testing almost finished (baseline), in past years, Grades 1-5 were each tested 3 times a year; this year Grades 3, 4, 5 will not do spring based on feedback from parents and teachers
• Over 40 kids signed up for chess club, more turned away

PTACHC:

• Boosterthon is allowed if schools choose to use them in the future
• APFO was big topic of discussion; requesting that parents write to express concern about rate of development in county which outpaces ability of schools to keep up with enrollment
• Resources for parents:
  • Special Ed Citizens Advisory Committee, Facebook group: HOCOSECACC
  • HoCo Office of Children and Families –support base for school and family related questions

410-313-CARE, also assists families in locating child care options children@howardcountymd.gov

Treasurer Update:

• We’ve had two Boosterthon collections/counts, about $2000 in pledges are still outstanding
• About $27,000 in account currently, but Boosterthon has not taken their share out yet (about $12,000)
• Now that we know where we are, we will try to finalize the budget allocations (working on it later this week)
• Merritt’s plan is to send out proposed budget prior to November meeting so people will have a chance to review and we will vote on it in November

Online Auction: first week of December

• Lots of contributions and plenty more pending:

-front row seats to 5^th grade graduation, 2 swim lessons with Ms. Jordan, $90 Otterbox gift card, extra                recess, lunch with Wendell, visit to birthday party by Wendell, principal or VP for the day, tickets to              National Aquarium, lots of gift cards

-staff items: cupcake decorating party, lunch bunch, movie for student and friend, lunch and golf balls,              3D printing and coding, hiking, after school karaoke party, Nationals tickets

• Planned platform is Biddingowl.com

Multicultural Night Update: 11/10 at 6:30PM

• 5^th graders will do presentations (choose a country)
• 4^th graders are making flags
• 3^rd graders are doing suggestion boxes for next year
• 2^nd graders will be greeters in different languages
• K and 1^st will do a fashion show
• Information fliers will be in next week’s Wednesday folders
• Parent volunteers still needed

Box Tops and Misc. Fundraising Updates:

• We have about $500 left over from boxtops last year (from March on), $106 submitted so far, $170 about to be sent off, about $200 waiting to be counted
• Make sure name, grade, teacher is on bag so they can enter into class contest for Pump-It-Up party
• Occasional raffle prizes for anyone who has turned in even a single box top
• Ice cream social for winning grade at end of year

 

• amazon.com – Please designate BBES PTA as your charity, then shop by originating at that website so we receive a portion of your purchase proceeds

 

• Harris Teeter does rewards program, very few places still do, remember to re-link your VIC card each year

 

• Spirit Restaurant Nights: two times a month is the goal
• Red Robin night sounds like it was a big success, tons of families, servers commented on high number of BBES.
• Grotto Pizza on Wednesday 10/11

Hearts of Bollman Bridge:

• Any interest in holding a dance for the weekend before Valentine’s Day? Parent/child theme? Yes!
• Hearts sent home to families who could decorate/dedicate it and they could be used as decorations at the dance
• Glow sticks? Snacks? Photos? Buy a teacher as your date?
• Looking for a volunteer to head this committee.

Coffee Cart: October 18th

• Donations (homemade or store bought) can be dropped off at side door of cafeteria during before care hours (7AM to 8:30)

Trunk or Treat: Friday 10/27

• Bin in the mail room to collect candy and prize (bubbles, tattoos) donations
• Expecting 300+ kids to come through
• Partnering with math night; must have completed math night ticket/hand stamp to go through trunk or treat

Yearbook:

• Jen Macomber needs people to take photos at evening events
• Email her if you are going to be at an event so she can arrange to get you the cameras
• Goal is to provide a yearbook for every fifth grader by asking for BBES parents/staff to donate one if they are able.

Fifth Grade Updates:

• Fifth graders have many financial needs: graduation, BBQ, t-shirts, field trip, simulated Congress.
• Box tops may help fund some of these costs
• Sandy will look into getting sponsors for the programs (Congress, graduation)