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PTA Meeting Minutes - October 20, 2020

10-20-2020 PTA Minutes



  • Welcome!


  • PTA Business

    • Budget and Bylaws (Annual approval required)

      • Fewer fundraisers than unusual, so the budget looks a little different this year.  Several are items indicated with a 0.

      • Looking for more creative ways to fundraise to make up the difference between credits and expenses.

      • Walkathon may still take place in the spring, but it may look different than in previous years.

      • CLIMB Theater

        • At this time, we are not holding assemblies so we have not scheduled our annual visit from CLIMB theater.

        • Kelli will ask at the next Superintendent meeting if we can repurpose the funds designated for this event.

      • Spirit Day Shout Outs

        • A new tradition at school that celebrates the good things that are happening in our building.

        • Teachers and students nominate others for shout outs

        • On Fridays, Mrs. Richardson visits classrooms with the Road Runner trophy and celebrates students, classes, and teachers.

        • Kids put their names in the trophy for a drawing for Whitey’s gift card, or similar prize. 

        • Fundraiser opportunity for this year; possible line item for future

      • Budget and Bylaws passed.


  • Room Parent Info - Adrienne Wheeler, Chair

    • Email check-in with lead room parents last week.

      • Cute and fun things are happening, despite not having parties

        • Class pen pals, supply drives, virtual lunches

    • Let Adrienne know if you need anything.




  • Staff Appreciation - Dounia Sareini, Chair

    • Thanks to everyone who contributed to Stock the Lounge!

    • Next event: Conference Dinner on Thurs, Nov 5

      • Not Family Style, individually packaged dinners

      • Best way to help is through monetary donations

        • Sign up coming soon

    • Thank you from the teachers for your generosity!


  • Book Fair - Katelyn Darling, Chair

    • A Virtual Book Fair will be held Nov 5-18th 

    • Book Fair Flyers coming home with students first week of Nov.

    • New shopping experience available

      • “Walk” through a virtual book fair, listen to a book talk, purchase right from the “shelf”

    • Katie Rokusek is helping with book talks and wish lists when students visit the library.


  • Reflections Theme 2020-2021

    • I matter because…

    • Deadline coming up! Please return entries by October 30.


  • Upcoming Fundraisers - Adrienne Wheeler

    • Chipotle

      • THIS Saturday, Oct. 24!!

      • 5:00-9:00 pm

      • Promo code for online orders: VCWL3DV

      • We will receive 33% of sales/orders. 

        • This is an awesome return!

    • Nothing Bundt Cakes

      • Beginning Nov 2

      • Online orders only by link

        • Link will be live for about a week and a half

      • Drive through pick up at RH on Friday, Nov 13th

      • We will receive $2 for every cake that is sold.

    • Panera

      • Early Dec

      • In person, online orders

      • We will receive 20% of sales

    • Other fundraisers are being researched

      • Schwans, Your Pie, Portillo’s


  • Giving Tree - Nicole Puryear, Chair

    • We will not be able to put it up this year as we have done before

    • Looking for ideas on how to make this a successful thing for teachers

      • Sign up genius?

      • Room parents send email with sign up genius and help manage within classrooms?



  • Guest Speakers- Dr Cindy Lewis and Dr. Darcie Kress, Standard Based Grading and Our New Report Cards

    • What standards entail

      • Literacy, Math, Science, Social Studies

      • 21st Century Skills, Universal Constructs

      • Recommended standards for PE, Fine Arts


  • Using the report card as a communication tool

    • Looking at the end goal

      • How do we help students become college and career ready?

      • Considering outcomes for graduates

    • Examples of how standards build through the grades (RL.2)


  • Timeline

    • 2010 Iowa Core adoption

    • 2014 ELA Unit Adoption: Unwrapping Standards

    • 2016 HOM/HOI

      • Begin roll out of K-6 Math Best Practices

      • Inquiry-based, deeper thinking than traditional, critical thinking skills

    • 2017 Project Lead the Way (Science)

    • 2018 Fundations

      • K-3, Phonics based program

      • Supports fluency and comprehension in reading

    • 2019 Standards Based Advisory Team

      • Gathering teacher and parent feedback

    • 2019 Professional Learning

      • Technology: Seesaw

      • Development of new Social Studies Units

      • Professional Support Book Studies - Standards Based Learning


  • 2020 Standards Based Report Card

    • Indicators of Mastery of End of Year Standards

      • B: Having a little bit of struggle. Teachers will communicate what supports are in place to help the child continue to grow.

      • P: Some learning toward mastery

      • PM: On track toward mastery

      • M: Fully, deeply understanding the entire standard

    • Example of learning progression toward mastery

      • Math Standards are grouped in clusters

      • Science K-2 has not been included in the report card for 2020-21

        • Children are still receiving science instruction, but it might be more embedded in literacy instruction

      • Social Emotional standards and Work Habits will not be included with every report card this year, but they are still being instructed


  • Purpose of grading is to communicate proficiency with the academic standards

    • Gives a picture of the whole child

    • Communicates what the child has learned



  • Q&A

    • Math Facts?

      • Committee of teachers learning about math fact fluency

      • Better ways to teach and assess than timed test

        • Timed tests can be stressful, so we are placing less emphasis on them

        • Teaching strategies

        • Building and measuring fluency in more authentic ways, digging deeper than memorization

        • Still expect students to recall at a rapid pace, but with deeper understanding

    • Special Ed

      • Students are still working on the same standards

      • Strong collaborations between classroom and special ed teachers

      • Accommodations (highlighting, more time, color overlay) v. modifications (changing the task)

        • Can the child meet grade level standards with supports as described in the IEP? 

    • Mailing copies of the report card at the end of next week

    • Not intending to mail copies of the handbook, but you can ask for a printed copy in the office



  • Principal Jennifer Richardson- Announcements and Q&A

    • This has been a challenging year for everyone, but great things are happening in our school!


  • It has never been more important to have positive partnerships between home and school


  • Please be sure to sign up for conferences!

    • Teachers have been encouraged to focus on supporting students and families, as well as academics, during conferences.

      • How is this year going?

      • What is going well?

      • What can I help you with?

    • Plan to bring your questions and concerns to your conference meeting


  • District Tutor list?

    • Can we make sure this resource is updated and shared with families?



  • Flu shot clinic will be rescheduled

    • TBA





  • Reminders:

    • Picture Day(s)

      • November 6 (Hybrid B, online learners after 1:40)

      • November 9 (Hybrid A)



  • Open Forum: Questions, comments, suggestions, ideas



  • Next PTA Meeting: November 17th, 6:30pm (virtual)



  • Miscellaneous Business

    • Where can I find PTA info?

      • Riverdale Heights Elementary PTA on Facebook

      • http://www.riverdaleheightspta.com/

      • Enews in your email each Friday!

        • Send submissions for Enews to Kelli by Wednesday afternoon, cc Jennifer Richardson


 
 
 

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