HVRSD

BTPTO handbook

Beartanical garden

Bear Tavern Beartique

Artsonia

Board and committees

Budget and finances

Proposed budget for 2010/11
 

By-laws

By-laws: proposed revisions

Minutes from BTPTO meetings

Minutes from BTPTO meetings

11/17/10

Attendees: Tina Ansari, Bruce Arcurio, Nancy Barich, Carrie Bernstein, Suzann Bowman, Chris Butrym, Donna Costanzo, Tony Kowalak, Yvonne Nee, Jami Szafranski, Theresa Thomas, Liz Vannozzi

Welcome

PTO Business:

• Budget – Jami Szafranski, treasurer jamiszafranski@yahoo.com - BTPTO proposed budget for 2010/11 needs to be approved. must approve budget – APPROVED. 7 yea/ 0 nay/1 abstain

• Bear Essentials Giving Campaign – Jami Szafranski, treasurer jamiszafranski@yahoo.com – update… Giving up to about 7K

• Wrapping Paper Fundraiser – Jami Szafranski, chair jamiszafranski@yahoo.com – update… conference handout to begin Friday; about 7K raised?

• By-Laws – Liz Vannozzi, President evannozzi@msn.com Revised BTPTO by-laws need to be approved… APPROVED. 8 yea/0 nay/ 0 abstain

• Terracycle – Carrie Matuszewski, chair carriecapp@yahoo.com The TerraCycle Cash for Trash Contest (sponsored by Wal-Mart) is open to any New Jersey public school.  The 6 public schools in New Jersey that send us the most garbage will receive $50,000, $30,000, $20,000, $10,000, $10,000 or $5,000 respectively. Contest runs October 1^st – December 15^th. Need participation so she can send as can’t without certain amount; good fundraiser for BT

• Beartanical Garden is looking for a volunteer to update their Google website. Already set up, just need someone to update, not a huge responsibility

• Holiday Book Fair – co-chairs Chris Butrym chrisdefb@yahoo.com, Karen Brzoska karen.brzoska@bms.com, and Tina Ansari tinaansari@verizon.net This is a Parent/Guardian sale ONLY; set-up Thursday; low-key sale; proceeds go to library

• 5^th Grade Community Awareness – chair Gabrielle Casieri Casieri@verizon.net

  • Circus $1711.52 was raised for the circus and $349.49 for 5^th grade farewell activities Per Arcurio, children were pleasantly surprised by amount raised

  • Fall Conference Childcare

• Fall Conference Childcare – co-chair Gabrielle Casieri Casieri@verizon.net In art Room? 5^th graders to man the childcare; on Friday, they will assemble baskets for HomeFront

• Kids Holiday Shoppe – co-chairs Suzann Bowman smp1113@aol.com and Sonya Vanover sonyaduck@aol.com Teacher sign-up in office, emailed teachers; set-up on 11/29; sales starts 11/30

• Kids Night Out – chair Susan Galli mrs.susan@camelotschool.net Minute to win game, dinner, movie; 12/10 from 6-9PM; school age children only

• Family Night Ice Skating – chair Betsy Finnegan betsyfinnegan@verizon.net Dec 27 6-8PM; $4 per person/ $2 rental; Mercer County Park Rink

• Saturday Enrichment – co-chairs Janet Gray janetgray@hotmail.com, Laura Morreale morrealefam@msn.com, and Beth Keenan bethkeenan@msn.com will be in Bear Flash, etc.

• Community Awareness – chair Tammy Hersh tammy.hersh@eisneramper.com Tammy has several ideas: “No Trash” Lunch Day, Food Bank Drive, Toys for Tots, Gently used Book/stuffed animal Drive

• Outdoor Beautification co-chairs Amie Rukenstein ameleh7@yahoo.com and Deb Nemerofsky dnemo@comcast.net Summer was not kind to some of the flower beds, planted several trees and transplanted some beds, which are doing well, will need volunteers to do work in spring, Oak trees will just have wood chips

• Assemblies co-chairs Terri Block terriblock@aol.com and Sarah Orfe sorfe@musictogether.com Six Flag Wild Encounter (conservation, habitat, etc.), Dan Gutman – offer books at 20% off, will sign and wants to have a luncheon with 10 children (random drawing?)

Upcoming events

• November 19-23^rd - PTO Holiday Book Fair

• November 19-23^rd - Fall Conference Childcare

• November 29-December 3^rd - Kids Holiday Shoppe

• December 10^th - Kids Night Out

• December 27^th – Family Skate @ MCCP

• January 8^th – February 12^th – Saturday Enrichment

• January 14^th – BT Night @ Trenton Devils

Other Business

• Feelin’ Good Mileage Club – Wellness Department is looking for volunteers at lunch/recess time. Questions? Mrs. Wyckoff or Mrs. Horsley Looking for volunteers to assist in spring; not much interest at present; will reward with beads for shoes; suggestion: they get more specific with times and start small with one day

• Carnival Fundraiser – raised over $1700 for circus program and over $300 for 5^th grade farewell activities.

• Textile Drive - raised $600 within the district. This will fund Project Democracy for the next 2 years. Thanks for your support. $849; will decide what to do with the extra $249 at the next DPC Meeting (District Parent-Teacher Council); Arcurio suggested we should do a district wide coordination, 6 schools – 6 drop off dates with truck there, so no clutter in schools.

• Mr. Arcurio – News? Updates?

  • American Education Week – Thursday, November 18^th

    • Invitation Sent last week

  • Parent teacher conference – parent “talent” survey for all areas pertinent to school projects

  • Last week had training – Green Team, got grant for school, Arcurio, Sanderson, Harbat, Johnson (art), Dewees, Ackerman (parent), Torkelson; Energy Challenge – person to turn off light, etc. – making more energy efficient; about changing behaviors - can reduce as much as 15%; Green team school that wins, gets 25% of savings to reinvest in Green Team activities; Next meeting in December

• Mrs. McCann – News? Updates?

• PTO Members - Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? Ideas? Feedback?

• Tony Kowalak – Sodexo power point presentation Won Contest from Sodexo – won NJ school wide and company-wide, energy efficient, water conserve., local food, school gardens, health/wellness, recycling, etc.; Increase in general lunch buying participation; Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – trying to do more from scratch cooking, less processed food, trying to get parents excited about letting kids buy lunch, saw a spike in sales on first day when herb chicken, second time was on par for a regular pasta day; Will put in newsletter to get out info on program as well as how labor intensive it is for staff; Garden club offered to grow requested items for Cafeteria; has also been giving instructions to staff for freezing items and storing; Go Green Hoagie Day – went well (no ovens, steam tables, etc.); Menu/Nutritional info on web – eta December; Healthier US school Challenge – went on Friday, need PTO cooperation (fundraising – must meet guidelines, like wholesome ingredients for food sales) and principals; follow guidelines will get rewards (bronze, silver, gold; $5000 gold award; First Lady would visit); guideline examples: 3 dark vegetables per week, 1 fresh fruit per day, “x” minutes of physical education per week, etc.; would like help from PTO with Wellness Fair (round-robin style in Big Gym) in April, trying to get burn safety truck, maybe Eastern Mountain Sports, BT Garden station, food bank donations; suggestion: have HS students film Wellness Fair to show on district channel

BTPTO plans, organizes, and funds programs and materials to enhance

the scholastic experience of our children.

There is no commUnity without yoU!

09/29/10

Attendees List:

Tina Ansari, Bruce Arcurio, Amy Argiropoulos, Nancy Barich, Meghan Bauer, Carrie Bernstein, Stacey Bialow, Terri Block, Suzann Bowman, Chris Butrym, Sue Cammarano, Donna Costanzo, Maria Eschleman, Betsy Finnegan, Susan Galli, Ginger Greenzang, Tammy Hersh, Carrie Matuszewski, Theran McNeil, Cristin Messinger, Rebecca Mullowney, Yvonne Nee, Debi Shaw, Tiffany Subhan, Jami Szafranski, Carmel Thanapalasingam, Theresa Thomas, Liz Vannozzi

Welcome

PTO Business:

• Budget – Jami Szafranski, treasurer jamiszafranski@yahoo.com - BTPTO proposed budget for 2010/11. Please look it over and if you have any questions or concerns please contact Jami by October 29^th. Vote on in November. Residuals high because playground equipment not purchased due to budget cuts.

• Bear Essentials Giving Campaign – Jami Szafranski, treasurer jamiszafranski@yahoo.com - Letter was sent home last week – please encourage families to give what they can. At $3300, $15,000 goal, need money for budget – roughly $30 per student would cover PTO budget. Pleas in newsletter, and room parents should encourage parents to give. Discussed options for raising funds/awareness for appeal: Donations bucket at functions, resend, incent children/families with room party, get teachers involved in asking

• Wrapping Paper Fundraiser – Jami Szafranski, chair jamiszafranski@yahoo.com sale started on 9/24 and runs thru 10/15. Reviewed and online, pick up at conferences

• By-Laws – Liz Vannozzi, President evannozzi@msn.com BTPTO proposed revised BTPTO by-laws. Please look them over and if you have any questions or concerns please contact Liz by October 29^th. Highlighted, please look and get back to Liz with questions, comments, concerns by 10/29; Voting at November meeting

• Smartboards – BTPTO will be purchasing 3 smartboards this year, one each for Mrs. Dominick/Music, Senora Morrison/Spanish, and Mrs. Muhlbauer/Library. Explained best way to reach and enrich as many children as possible. Bruce explained basics of smartboard and uses, email, storage, interactive tool. Yvonne mentioned smartboard purchase through Scholastics; discuss with Muhlbauer, she was interested. It was later pointed out that those funds are earmarked specifically for books only

• Open House/Back to School Night – BTPTO is trying to educate our parents about what the PTO does and get more parents involved. Looking for feedback. Bruce looking to do scheduling as did this year to make sure we get teacher participation. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

• Directory – Terri Block terriblock@aol.com and Yvonne Nee yvenee@aol.com – great job! The student directory is at the printer and could be ready by late next week. Terri worked with Heidi Wilenius from Hopewell Elementary and raised $5,000 for BTPTO with sponsored ads in our new yellow pages section. Terri looking for suggestion to make better; a few came in late, so she will put into the directory as a sheet of paper; 67 advertisers, please patronize them!

• Assemblies – Terri Block terriblock@aol.com and Sarah Orfe sorfe@musictogether.com

  • Arithmetickles (October 4^th) www.arithmetickles.com *A go

  • Box of Light – Thanksgiving Story (November) http://web.mac.com/boxoflight/site/storytelling_assemblies.html NO

  • Dan Gutman – visiting author (January 8^th) www.dangutman.com – partially funded by HVEF Lunch with some kids; boy friendly writing; writing contest for lunch with author; Muhlbauer to discuss

  • Wild Encounters (Spring) http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/nearbyParks/WildEncounters.aspx still on

  • Sympoh - Princeton University Break Dancing Club (Spring) http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2004/04/22/10376/ ?

  • Still need musical assembly – suggestions welcome; something a little different to broaden horizons of the children

• Terracycle – Carrie Matuszewski, chair carriecapp@yahoo.com The TerraCycle Cash for Trash Contest (sponsored by WalMart) is open to any New Jersey public school.  The 6 public schools in New Jersey that send us the most garbage will receive $50,000, $30,000, $20,000, $10,000, $10,000 or $5,000 respectively. Contest runs October 1^st – December 15^th. We are signed-up, we need to recycle: scott toilet wrapper (large plastics), juice pouches, Clif/Luna wrappers foil lined, scotch tape rolls, glue sticks, markers, kasha bags and boxes, Aveeno bottles, granola boxes; they make bows, shower curtains, folders, flower pots, trash cans; we earn 2 cents for each item; teracycle list on bear flash (highlight contest), website, will also go on board in main hall, get teachers involved/Bruce to get script for morning announcements from Carrie

• Beartanical Garden Bruce got picture taken with Donation for NJ Agricultural Society; need volunteers for classes to help with teaching, work with children during class times. Garden meeting this Friday, 10/1 at 1PM. Put in Bear Flash! Garden Club for Kids; Thursday, 10/7 every other week until gets cold @ 7:45AM. Will put in Bear Flash, need volunteers.

• Beartique Ginger showed samples; will have cash and carry store at most events through the year; if not in stock will put orders in and will deliver to classroom. Put picks on the website, order online?

• Room Parent – Liz Vannozzi, chair evannozzi@msn.com see handout. Check with teachers for how they run their classroom. Treats for parties should not have the first ingredient be sugar. Teacher will give schedule and number of parties. Grade level meetings throughout next few weeks.

• Yearbook - Betsy Finnegan, co-chair betsyfinnegan@verizon.net Need photographers for each classroom – Room Parents! Having a cover contest again.

Upcoming events

• Oct 22^nd Oktoberfest 7 – 9pm, Susan Galli, chair mrs.susan@camelotschool.net Bruce to participate in magic tricks/show, everyone (teachers, etc) to participate. Football demo (Jami/Liz?); need volunteers; decorate the pumpkin flyer for ice cream drawing at the event

• December 4^th Holiday Babysitting 6 – 9:30; $15 per family for first child, $5 for each additional child; Peer Leaders? TATU? Parent Volunteers? Will do games, pizza/snacks/beverage, movie

• November 12^th – Circus Carnival Fundraiser Doug and Larry circus show, 5^th grade volunteers for games, and funds raised go to support circus program

• November 17^th - PTO meeting @ 9:30Am (art room) Voting

• November 19-23^rd - PTO Holiday Book Fair, chaired by Karen Brzoska karen.brzoska@bms.com, Tina Ansari tinaansari@verizon.net and Chris Butrym chrisdefb@yahoo.com. For parents only; during parent/teacher conferences and Beartique will be there; Garden bags for sale also

Feelin’ Good Mileage Club – Wellness Department is looking for volunteers at lunch/recess time. Questions? Mrs. Wyckoff or Mrs. Horsley explained, .25 mile track; will get lace beads each time they get 5 miles, they get a new bead; parent volunteers NEEDED to help children keep track of miles

Textile Drive explained reduce and reuse or recycle

Mr. Arcurio – News? Updates? There is No CommUnity without U. Really wants to have increased parental volunteers to assist as well as teacher, staff participation AND the children as well; any suggestions please contact him; Bus Meeting – rules, etc as it is a unique situation; Friday will send out bus rules; seating chart was in place by second day of school, drivers to note changes ASAP; suggested they try this on the small Kindergarten buses in AM/PM K only bus; Reader’s Breakfast is tomorrow.

Mrs. McCann– News? Updates? Not present

PTO Members - Questions? Concerns? Suggestions? Ideas? Feedback? (see also individual notes above)

Jamie Oliver’s Roasted Chicken Lunch tomorrow – herbs from the garden; improve the menu using local foods; if u volunteer can volunteers eat in cafeteria.

Suggested New Fundraisers: yard sale @ the school; Donate a $1 or your change at different PTO events

Family 411 – please contact Theran; assistance with special needs children and/or medical issues; parent on parent assistance; facilitate participation of child in extracurricular activities 737-8830 theran@comcast.com

Suggestions to increase volunteers: Better presentation for volunteer boards/sign-ups, Put out for beginning of the year activities/events to gain more volunteers, PTO Committee Expo with breakout rooms, Bear Flash – be specific for the upcoming events, More information in the blue volunteer sign-up packets; Committee chairs need to make sure they don’t have too many volunteers, better communication.

New families need to be informed: Getting on email list early; people don’t know to sign up for Bear Flash, etc. – make a point to get people on the email lists; privacy issues so at current can’t utilize the activities. Bruce will explore sending alert email to parents about giving permission to use email list.

Use Bear Flash to remind BT families about PTO/Committee Meetings.
 

BTPTO plans, organizes, and funds programs and materials to enhance

the scholastic experience of our children.

There is no commUnity without yoU!

June 2011

6/15 - Knitting Club
6/17 - End of Year Picnic (6-8pm BT playground)
6/22 - 1/2 day
6/23 - 1/2 day - last day of school for students
 

Click here to see the 2010/2011 HVRSD calendar

HV Baseball/Softball

HV Basketball

HV Lacrosse

HV Pop Warner Football

HV Soccer

HV YMCA

Mercer County Library

| Subscribe to Bear Flash | Unsubscribe to Bear Flash | Contact us | BTPTO 2010 |