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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)

  • www.iowacore.gov


  • 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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