September 2008 PTA Meeting Minutes

PTA MEETING – September 4, 2008

General Meeting – 7:00pm

Welcome & Introductions - New PTA President, Terri Canter, introduced herself and welcomed everyone.  It was the largest turnout at a PTA meeting in a long time.  There were 42 people in attendance.  (See separate sheet)

Administrative Update

Mr. McCoy, Principal – Cradlerock is now a Positive Behavior Intervention School (PBIS) which means in part that we are creating a bully free environment. - Cradlerock School will honor the former principal of Dasher Green Elementary by planting a tree.  She was instrument in starting the Judy Center.  – The Dept of Recs & Parks are offering programs at Cradlerock and we need to support the programs.  Approximate cost $36 for 1hr/wk for 6 weeks.  – Back to school nights are next week 2 weeks.  We need to encourage attendance.

Mr. Murray, Assistant Principal – Cradlerock now uses ‘Communication Boxes’ in each classroom which allows students to place notes in the box to address any of their issues or concerns to be read by the teacher.  Parents and teachers can use the boxes too.  - He met with Angie Woolverton, Jill Heflinger, and Rick Whitaker at Atholton to view the POPS (Parents On Patrol Squad) program.  Parents monitor the halls during lunch.  Cradlerock will implement this program on the upper school side and is looking for parents to volunteer between 10:55am – 12:40pm.   Also suggested a communication box for PTA. 

C.  Ms. Carter, Assistant Principal – Each grade at Cradlerock has done a lesson on bullying.  Tattletale vs. Telling; Bully/Bystander/Victim;  PICK (Purposeful, Imbalance of Power, Continuous, Keep being bullied.).  In the 7^th grade there is a Family involvement Plan in cooperation with the curriculum.  All grades will have a program on bullying within the first 2 weeks of school.  The motto is “Sweat the Small Stuff”.  The small incidents matter and there will be more calls home.  There is also reward for positive behavior like bow wow calls. 

-Other areas of focus include MATH.  MD Conference for Math is coming up in October.  The National Conference is in April.  Cradlerock will have after school tutoring in math with focus on 3^rd graders.  

D.  Ms. Butler, Assistant Principal – As a part on the new focus on behavior there are yellow forms that will be sent to parents.  The yellow form will describe the behavior that needs to be corrected.  The teacher and student sign the form.  There is a call home or detention.  This form keeps parents informed of child’s behavior.  

III.  Presenters to PTA

Larry Walker  - Parent Involvement (410-997-2088)  
;  www.wininlife.com  - Discussed the importance of parent involvement and getting more men involved in PTA.  Working relationship between Comcast and State Dept of Education.  There are committees at the county level who need parent involvement.  Howard County is #3 in nation for public education. 


2.  Identification Cards/Safety Fair
a)  Judith Vereen
NY Life Insurance Co.
10480 Little Patuxent Parkway
Ste 500
Columbia, MD 21044
Tel 410-740-3052
Cel 301-467-7980
jvereen@ft.newyorklife.com
www.judithvereen.nylagents.com

b)  Bill Vodopia
NY Life Insurance Co.
10480 Little Patuxent Parkway
Ste 500
Columbia, MD 21044
Tel 410-740-4710
Cel 301-237-3862
cvodopia@ft.newyorklife.com
Discussed the possibility of having a Child Safety Day or NY Life would come to a fair at the school and provide free Child ID cards to give to parents.  The Masons take pictures but the parent must be present. PTA will consider a Fall Festival with a “Safety Fair”. 

 
3.  Pfc. Stephanie Wall – Howard County Police Department
 – Gave a power point presentation on how to handle bullying in schools.  She will attend all Back to School Nights.  She will forward presentation to PTA webmaster to post link on site.

 Budget

Budget for School Year 2008-2009 reviewed and unanimously approved.  

Back to School Nights - Need volunteers for PTA tables.  The PTA will have 2 tables and 1 Market Day table at each Back to School night.  PTA giving away a cookbook or a Macy’s coupon.  One lucky new member will win a Jump Zone party worth $300.  September 9, 2008 before the 6^th -8^th grade Back to School Night is the GT Back to School Night from 6:00pm to 6:30pm.  Other Back to School Nights are September 16, 2008 for K -3^rd grade and September 17, 2008 for 4^th -5^th graders.  An interpreter is available for Spanish speakers.  .

Committee Chairs

a)  Membership – Trisha Ovide – 108 staff members, 69 families (6 thru website)

b)  PTA Website – Ilana Bittner – Parents can join the PTA online.  Website has had 152 visitors, 40 members.  Visitors spend on average 10 mins on the website.  www.cradlerockpta.com.

c)  Market Day – Rebecca Slebodnik – 20% of sales go to the school.  It’s the biggest fundraiser.  Anyone can buy, can order online or on forms sent home with students.  

d)  PTA Council – Rick Whitaker – Goals this year is to 1) Increase PTA membership by 5%.  2)  PTA should look more like the children in the school.  3)  More men in PTA.  

e) GT Program – Kim Eubanks – GT Parent Academy meets once a month and needs a parent representative.  GT Back to School night is Sept 9. County-wide meeting is Sept 22.  Dates and info will go on Cradlerock website.  

f)  Restaurant Night – Terri Canter -  This committee needs a new chair person since Terri chaired it last year but cannot this year since she is the PTA president.  The first night is September 23, 2008 @Green Turtle.  The October restaurant night will be at Fuddruckers.  

Meeting adjourned at 9:15pm.  Next meeting will be October 2, 2008 at 7pm.