PARENT ASSOCIATION OF P.S. 144
2009-2010
PA Minutes
May 17, 2010 -
Board Meeting minutes
In attendance: Lisa Brody, Nikki
O’Sullivan, Lin Low, Lisa Hahn, Maria Cognata, Kathryn Thome,
Susan Izeman, Jeanne Kwok, Kathy Reddy, J.R. Nocerino, Christa
Treitmeier-Meditz, Tricia Kampton, Kim Ramazan, Amy Woo
Meeting started 6:20PM
·
New first grade parent, Lin Low, presented a new
Staff Appreciation program - “School Spirit Program.” Children
and parents can nominate a school staff member who has shown
exceptional support and help towards a child or children. The
program will highlight and profile staff members who are “behind
the scenes”, such as lunch staff, school aides, and office
support staff. The staff member will be interviewed by the
Committee and will be profiled in Backpack News, PA website and
PA Bulletin Board. Vote taken: pass unanimously.
·
School Agendas for
September 2010 – Liz Morrow, Committee Chair, found a
new company called
www.cooleschool.com for agendas. The cost is
estimated to be $500.00 less than the previous company we’ve
been using. Vote taken, to use new company - passed
unanimously.
·
Flower
Beautification – this year several teachers have
taken the initiative and bought flowers to plant around the
perimeter of the school and then submitted receipts to the PA
for reimbursement. We will pay for those bought this year but
for next year, the PA will add a “Beautification” line on the
Budget. If teachers are interested in a project to “beautify”
the school, they will have to submit a proposal to the PA and
the PA will vote whether to approval for reimbursement. Vote
taken: 12 Yes, 1 No.
·
Volunteers
Committee - Nikki O’Sullivan proposed to create and
chair a Volunteers Committee. She would provide a description
of the various volunteer “tasks” that are needed throughout the
year and collect the contact information of these volunteers.
Committee Chairs can go to Nikki for possible candidates for
volunteers.
o
There was a discussion on possibility making the
Class Lists/class parents information gathering process a PA
responsibility for next year. Issue still open.
·
Upcoming PA and
SLT elections – scheduled for June 7th.
Kim Ramazan, Nominating Committee co-chair, stated we will cease
to function without filling the three mandatory positions:
President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer. The Principal
will have to intervene and issue a letter to the general
membership for nominations if we do not have people to fill
these positions.
·
Fall Fundraiser
– Maria Cognata and Kathryn Thome (co-chairs) asked
if we should continue using Miss Chocolate for the Fall
Fundraiser. In the past, we have made $6,000 - $12,000 from
this event. Need to decide whether to continue with this
fundraiser, this company, or are there any new fundraiser ideas
that will generate the same level of profit for the PA. A few
suggestions made were : Smencils company have other items for
fundraising and Pathway for Education (purchasing engraved
bricks.)
Meeting adjourned 7:08PM.
Note: Votes did not include Lin Low(non
Board Member)
Minutes submitted by Amy Woo
Minutes from PA
General Meeting – Monday, May 17, 2010
Started at 7:10PM
·
Kathryn Thome, CEC representative District 28,
gave an update on Middle School Choice
o
CEC Meeting to be held Wednesday, May 19th,
7pm at Sutphin Blvd
o
CEC will vote on Middle School Resolution #12
options , which proposes beginning in school year 2011-2012
there be a single application for Middle School choice.
Students are guaranteed a seat in their zoned middle school but
can apply to other schools on this one application. Middle
School fairs will be available, will provide clarity.
o
Grades 6, 7, and 8 are defined as Middle School
grades part of the Resolution.
o
There are only 4 schools in the city that are
Grades 7 – 12.
o
Truncation is a separate issue than the
application process. There are 14 schools in District 28 that
go up to 6th grade and it’s up to each school to
decide to keep 6th grade or truncate after 5th
grade. After the school decides, proposals need be made to the
Panel of Educational Policy (PEP) and they will make the final
decision.
·
Kim Ramazan – Co-chair of Nominating Committee.
Opened up conversation on upcoming PA and SLT elections. Took
any nominations from the floor. According to Chancellor’s
Regulations, mentioned that our PA will cease to function if we
do not fill the 3 mandated positions of President, Recording
Secretary and Treasurer. The Principal will have to intervene
if these positions are not filled.
·
Laura Groshinski, Director of Family Education &
Family Programs, from Queens Museum of Art, spoke about our
school’s long standing relationship with the Museum.
o
Brought some pieces from our recent collaborative
event with JHS 190 and the Museum.
o
We have residencies for grade 4 -6 where Teaching
Artists come into our classrooms.
o
Pre-K – 3, Amy Weiss takes her classes on trips to
the Museum as well as taking Professional Development with the
Museum.
Meeting adjourned 8:14pm
Submitted by Amy Woo
Parents’ Association General Meeting
February 22, 2010
7:00 p.m.
Community relations: JR Nocerino introduced himself as
Community Liaison for Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz. He can be
contacted at
jnocerino@council.nyc.gov
Auction: The PA’s 8th annual auction will be Saturday,
April 24th. A request was made for solicitors and donors of cash
and goods and services to be auctioned and raffled. Watch for
announcements for collecting for class raffle baskets. Caroline
Walter and Tricia Kampton are co-chairs.
Middle school options: Co-president Tricia Kampton and VP
Jeanne Kwok explained the options for middle school, based on
the latest info from the DOE. There are three possibilities,
which include A) keeping 6th grade where it is now, K-6th, with
option to leave after 5th grade; B) schools are K-5th, and
students go to “zoned” middle school; C) schools are K-5th, and
all students in Queens are free to apply to any middle school.
Metro Campus: Zoning restrictions were explained for the
new middle school and high school.
CEC: The next Community Education Council meeting is
Thursday, March 4th.
Meeting was adjourned 7:30 p.m.
Families participated in Family Fun Fitness night in the gym,
hosted by Parent Coordinator, Siobhan Kyne.
Minutes submitted by Susan Chin-Louie
