PTO Meeting March 15th, 2010 Print
Written by K. Munson   
Tuesday, April 06 2010 13:54
Dixon Elementary PTO
Meeting Minutes: Monday, March 15, 2010
7:00 p.m. ~ Washington School Library


Members in Attendance:    Mr. Dave Suarez, Ronda Scott, Amanda Thomas, Brenda Brown, Betsy Stover, Vanessa Ankney, Kristie South, Brenda Drezen, Marce Piller, Brandi Snyder, Nicole Kratzner, Diana Morley, Richard Lonkert, Stacie McCullough, Carol Mathewson, and Kim Munson. The Secretary’s Report was approved as written.

The Treasurer’s Report was approved as written.

We began the meeting with a discussion of a parent concern regarding holiday parties being back-to-back (at all 3 elementary schools) on half-days of school.  Mr. Suarez clarified that the principals and district, not the PTO, set the party schedules.  Parties are purposefully set on half days, when possible, so as to preserve instructional time.  It is understood that this schedule makes it difficult for parents with children in multiple buildings to attend all parties.  However, an equal number of concerns and praises have been voiced regarding scheduling.  (For example, some parents prefer to take only one half-day off work for each party, rather than the parties being spread over a whole day.)

Spring fundraisers will be Butter Braids and one other selection.  The second selection will be either a flowering plant sale through a local gardening center, or cookie dough tubs.  We discussed and decided to NOT use Folsom’s cookie dough, because every parent would have to drive to Rock Falls individually to pick up his/her order.  Kristie South will research local plant sale possibilities.

Marce Piller reported that the Partnership Development Committee has grants available for playground equipment and other projects for the elementary schools.

Shining Star Children’s Advocacy Center is holding a parent/community meeting on 3/25, at 7:00 p.m., at the Dixon Police Department, to kick-off its fundraiser campaign.  There will also be a fundraiser walk at Lowell Park on 5/15, beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Parents are encouraged to attend the meeting and to raise pledges for the walk.  85% of the walk’s proceeds will go to the work of Dixon’s Shining Star, and the remaining 15% will go to children’s advocacy centers throughout Illinois.

Fall fundraiser possibilities were discussed.  It was agreed that we would rather hold a family event (such as a fun fair, movie night, spaghetti supper, etc.) rather than sell items.

Carol Mathewson requested $350 for Jefferson School to fund a Birds of Prey presentation, presented by the Atwood Education Center of Rockford.  She also requested $400 to fund a speaker (on the topic of their AR theme ~ Wild about Reading) for Jefferson’s Reading Day in May.  Both requests passed unanimously.

Spring Picture Day will be on Wednesday, March 24th at all 3 schools.  Jefferson could still use volunteers.

Spring Break begins Monday, March 29th, with students returning to school on Tuesday, April 6th.

We will hold officer elections at our next meeting.  Please consider running for a position.  Positions include: 1 main President; 3 building Presidents; Treasurer; and Secretary.

There were no Principal’s comments.

Our next meeting (which will be the last one for this school year) will be on Monday, April 19, 2010, at 7:00 p.m., in the Washington School library.

Submitted by Kim Munson, Secretary ~ 3/22/10