GMMS Parents And Teachers Helping Students
MINUTES
SEPTEMBER 14, 2005
1. Welcome
Meeting started at 6:31 PM.
2. Treasurer Report
There were a lot of end and beginning of school year activity. Money came in from the band raffle, box tops, Market Day, memberships and school store. Expenses included student weekly folders,
band flags, Hoops and membership envelops.
Motion to accept treasure report-Maureen Porter
Second-Anne Young
Proposed Budget for the 2005-2006 school year. Carolyn explained what has been budgeted for the committees and our goal (TBD) for the year. No amount is written in stone, if more is needed for a committee we have it. Box tops is the only committee that keeps money not spent and rolls it over to the next year.
Motion to accept proposed budget-Maureen Porter
Second-Anne Young
3. Minutes from May 25, 2005 meeting
Motion to accept minutes-Carolyn Pullman
Second-Nancy Caramico
4. Approval of by-laws
Copies of by-laws (which have not changed) available and are posted on the Web Site.
Motion to accept by-laws-Carolyn Pullman
Second-Anita Holochwost
5. Correspondence
Thank you received from last year’s sixth grade team for the Knight.
Mayberry family thanking for everyone’s help after their fire.
Winners of last year’s essay contest thanking PATHS for the scholarships.
6. Committees
Assemblies-Anne Young is asking teachers for ideas. It is possible Brain Challenge will be used as an annual assembly. Power of One assembly is scheduled for April 5. Anne would like to have one in the fall or early winter as spring has a lot of activities.
Parent Advisory Committee has been combined with PATHS. Any topics or concerns that need to be discussed will be presented at PATHS meetings.
Box tops have been taken off products and are no longer on as many as before. You can earn 5 points for the school by signing up on boxtopsforeducation.com and following prompts. Mrs. Holochwost is looking for ways to get the word out to keep collecting. She asked teachers how they would like to spend money earned and got suggestions-some expensive. Some ideas-gardening gloves, hand shovels, wheelbarrow to enable an entire class to work at the same time on the wild site, Medieval garden and the school spirit garden in the front of the building.
Motion to spend $400.00 on wild site-Carolyn Pullman
Second-Maureen Porter
Honor Roll looking for chairperson. Dates scheduled November 18, February 10, and April 21.
Hospitality has a lot of
people signed up. Needs a
chairperson. Will be utilized for the
first parent info meeting.
Market Day samples ordered for back to school night. First one has a tremendous response-100 orders.
School Directory cover contest will go home soon. Hope to be completed by October 30.
School Store will be run monthly. Kids are excited at lunch when open. Inventory has been reduced.
Dances will try combining all three grades using the whole gym. First scheduled October 21.
Teacher Appreciation has a
lot of people signed up.
T shirts has a few
orders. Due September 30.
7. Old Business
12th grade scholarship was discussed about opening it up to Warren Technical School. It has been policy to give two awards to 12th graders graduating from Hackettstown High School who came through Great Meadows Middle School. Two years ago we started asking students to submit an essay about what GMMS meant to me. As student also attend other high schools it would be fair to let them be eligible. Decided to make an announcement in the Warren Reporter for students at any high school to enter. These letters will now be kept in a binder in the media center.
Weekly communicator folders are being used and have received a positive response. All paperwork will be sent home on Fridays in the envelope. They are to be returned signed on Monday. Lost envelopes will be replaced at a cost of $2.00.
Parent info meeting first speaker will be psychologist Lee Monday who will speak on how parents can cope in a stressful world. Topics include drugs, over-scheduled lives, school peer pressure and the internet.
Computer Cart-the education foundation is still looking into working with PATHS to purchase one. Cost around $20,000.00 to $25,000.00. Nothing has been finalized.
School Sign has been considered for many years as our goal, always having the problem of where to put it. The First Hope Bank has proposed putting a LCD screen on top of their sign and splitting the cost. Nancy will continue talking to them.
School store web site as a class project to advertise items available and dates.
Music basket raffle purchased flags with proceeds.
8. New Business
Goal we are still looking for ideas on our goal for the 2005-2006 school year.
Automatic external defibrillator (AED) it is now mandated in New York for schools to have one. Mr. Ippolito said it will soon be mandatory in New Jersey and would PATHS consider purchasing one. It was decided to ask the town recreation committees from Liberty and Independence to chip in on it.
Custodian appreciation the custodians do a lot for us, are always helpful and never complain. We would like to do something to show our thanks. A lunch was suggested.
Motion to spend up to $75.00 on custodian appreciation-Carolyn Pullman
Second-Cindy Alexander
FANS meeting night will have babysitting available. PATHS is donating bags of chips and pretzels.
Katrina walk suggested by Cindy Alexander to have the students raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina with a one mile walk around field of dreams. Looking at possibly shortening the classes for the day and holding it during lunch with the extra time. Parent would be welcome. Mr. Ippolito will talk to the PE teachers and team leaders.
Meeting adjourned at 7:53 PM. Next meeting scheduled November 16 at 6:30 PM .
Respectfully submitted,
Maureen Porter
cc: Mr. Ippolito
Nancy Caramico
Liza Thomas
Carolyn Pullman
teachers lounge