PTG Meeting Minutes (3-6-08)
Meeting called to order at 8:30am. There were 6 attendees in addition to Mr. Wagner and the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
Linda handed out a copy of the current budget. The Market Day Treasure Quest fall fundraiser made $3,818.63. The Teacher enrichment receipts she has received have been given to Kathy Sikora for processing, per diocesan policy.
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
The Feb. minutes were approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes from every meeting during this school year are now available on the school website. Sympathy cards were sent to school families who recently had a death in their family.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran did not have anything new to report at this time.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
Fall Fundraiser Re-Vote - due to a change with our Market Day account since the last PTG meeting, a re-vote was taken to determine whether Market Day or Innisbrook would be used as the PTG’s fall fundraiser. Innisbrook won the re-vote. It was also pointed out that Innisbrook offers online purchases, so that out-of-town relatives of school families can also order from the catalogue. Market Day does not offer this option.
Missing Tablecloths – Six round, blue PTG tablecloths are missing. Mr. Wagner will send a note to the parish staff and school families asking people to check for them and return them to room #205 if found.
Electronic Phone Message System - this system would be used primarily to contact parents regarding delays and cancellations. The cost is calculated per call and is based on the length of the call. The system normally operates between 9am and 9pm, with an extra flat fee for a service beginning at 6am. To determine if such a system is beneficial, the following questions need to be answered: How many times would it be used throughout the year? Can it be used for messages other than delays and cancellations? Is it secure enough? Could other school groups use the system if they pay for the calls they make? Further research will be done to address these questions.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
Ping-Pong Table – Mr. Wagner’s concern is about leaving this equipment out in the open all the time. Angela Gaughan will talk to the maintenance dept. about where the table can be stored. Mary Beth Frank suggested storing it somewhere other than Bryson Center, such as the Art Room. Mr. Wagner also indicated that he would rather spend any remaining PTG money at the end of the school year on new desks for the 6th, 7th & 8th grades, because this equipment will benefit all of the students. The desks for these grades are being replaced over the summer. Cindy Merante expressed concern that PTG members might not be aware of PTG money being spent on school equipment. NOTE: The PTG is only allowed to retain $2,000 in its budget for carryover to the next school year. In the past, any money above $2,000 has been given to Mr. Wagner to use for school purchases. Last year, the remaining money was used to purchase furniture for the kindergarten classes. Cindy suggested putting a note in the bulletin requesting donation of a ping-pong table, or looking in the Pennysaver for a used table.
Aftercare Program – Mr. Wagner is considering offering an aftercare program that would run from after school until 6pm. He will be sending out a survey soon assessing the need for such a program.
Committee Reports
Living Stations - Susan Sander has indicated that she will be the committee chair for this program next year, too, but she really wants to involve 6th grade parents next year, so that they can take over the following year. Dress rehearsal is this Sunday. Cindy Merante and Megan Grefenstette both said they would like to see these stations performed in the upper church again. The set-up of Clairvaux Hall makes it difficult for people in the back to see properly. The atmosphere of the upper church is also different than that of the lower church. Teresa Scotti suggested that a group of parents meet with Fr. Dreisch next year to address these concerns.
BoxTops – the second collection (due Feb. 8) resulted in $345, which makes a total of $1,169 for the year. Due to the amount of time needed for cutting out the box tops that are submitted, Ann Cognetti suggested getting the students to help. Mr. Wagner said that the Student Council might be helpful with such a project.
Special Events – please see the February PTG meeting minutes (on the website or in the March newsletter) for a detailed description of upcoming events.
Teacher Appreciation Week (Megan Grefenstette) – will take place May 5th-9th. Megan has a really interesting theme and many fun activities planned for the week. A breakfast and lunch will also be provided.
New Business
Cyber-bullying Program – suggested by Patty Pacheco. This program is put on by the Mt. Lebanon Police for parents. It addresses problems such as how false information posted on the web can affect a person for years to come. Mr. Wagner will talk to the DARE officer about the cyber-bullying program. He suggested scheduling it for April, possibly in the VE room.
Homeroom Moms’ Year-End Summary Form (Mary Beth Frank) – Mary Beth has designed a form for the Homeroom Moms to complete at the end of the school year detailing their classroom’s activities and expenses. The purpose of this form is to assist next year’s Homeroom Moms in planning and budgeting. Mary Beth will make a few revisions based on comments from meeting attendees, and then distribute a form to each Homeroom Mom for completion.
Announcements
Next PTG Meeting – scheduled for Thursday, 4/3/08 at 7pm in room #205.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50am. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.
PTG Meeting Minutes (2-7-08)
Meeting called to order at 8:30am. There were 10 attendees in addition to Mr. Wagner and the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
Linda handed out a copy of the current budget. The first BoxTops check ($824) has been received. All Treasure Quest bills have been finalized. Teacher enrichment receipts are still being accepted for reimbursement.
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
The Jan. minutes were approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes from every meeting during this school year are now available on the school website, thanks to Mrs. Veri. Maureen Schorr asked Judy to send sympathy cards to school families who have recently had a death in their family.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran is still looking for a V.P. for next year’s PTG, plus many committee chairs. Please contact Fran if you’re interested in any of these positions.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
Ping-Pong Table - Maureen presented a letter from Mr. Nelson to the PTG requesting the PTG’s assistance in securing a ping-pong table for use by the older students during recess and after school. It would be a fold-up model stored in Bryson Center. Since it would be stored in Bryson, Mr. Wagner will talk to Angela Gaughan, the parish Youth Minister, about sharing the cost of the table and making it available for use by the youth group. Mr. Nelson has indicated willingness to set up a playing schedule and monitor the play. Mr. Nelson would also be asked to take responsibility for storing the net, balls, and paddles. The PTG will re-visit Mr. Nelson’s request once the necessary parish inquiries have been made; Open House – Maureen thanked the tour guides for their efforts at the 1/27 open house.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
Fish Fry - The Ash Wednesday fish fry went well. Bruster’s Ice Cream will not be available at the fish fry this year; Pre-School/Kdg. Registration – the pre-school registration for next school year has gone very well. The numbers are higher than this year’s enrollment. Kdg. registration is not as high as it has been in the past, but there are many months left for these numbers to increase; Ceiling Fans Estimate – in response to an earlier request, Mr. Wagner secured an estimate for the installation of two ceiling fans in each classroom (56 “, 3 blade). The estimate of $22,700 for the whole school includes wiring and installation. It does not include patching or painting; Teacher Enrichment – the method by which the PTG reimburses teachers for expenses will have to be changed due to a recent audit of St. Bernard parish by the Diocese of Pittsburgh. The PTG is not allowed to cut a check directly to a teacher, but must provide the reimbursement through the parish accounting office. Thus, only the method of reimbursement has to change. All other aspects of the program will remain the same.
Committee Reports
Book Fair - $2,200 profit on total sales of $8,800.
Special Events – on 2/5 the entire school saw a production of “Jonah and the Whale” by Alabaster Catholic Assemblies. On 2/12 local author Gail Gross will do a presentation to grades K-4. She’ll read her chapter book, “Prince Bravery and Grace” and talk about the writing and publishing process. On 3/25 Mobile Ed Productions will present “Forces and Motion”, a show about energy, electricity, and magnetism. There will be one show for K-3rd, and another one for 4th-8th. On 4/8, Carnegie Science Center will present “The Great Color Caper”. A school family donated this presentation. Mr. Wagner has also scheduled two free assemblies. On 2/20 Rep. Tim Murphy will visit the 5th – 8th graders at 10am to talk about how government works. On 2/21 Radio Disney will do a presentation about famous African Americans. This assembly is sponsored by National City Bank. There are only five of these presentations being done locally. The budget for Special Events is $2,000. So far this year, $1,650 will be spent on the scheduled presentations.
Apple Pie Days (Dolores Schilken)– 1,323 pies were made. More parent participation is needed in making the pies; however, donations of food for the bakers were very generous and much appreciated.
Mardi Gras – this event was sold out. Numbers are not finalized yet, but it appears to have earned between $25.000 and $30,000.
Living Stations - practice is going well.
Love Your Lunch Lady Day – scheduled for 12/13. The three lunch ladies will receive carnations from the students and a blessing from Father Vanyo. A photographer from Mt. Lebanon Magazine will be on hand to take pictures.
New Business
Fall Fundraiser Vote - a vote was held to decide which company to use for the 2008 fall PTG fundraiser. Innisbrook and Market Day were under consideration. By a vote of 8 to 6, Market Day won. To help eliminate back orders, Darcie Burns, our Market Day rep., suggested getting the sales catalogs out by the 2nd week of school and asking for delivery by the end of October. School Delays – Ann Cognetti asked Mr. Wagner if school delays could be posted earlier than they currently are, or if parents could receive an automated phone call notifying them of a delay. Mr. Wagner asked if someone could research the cost of such a system, and Teresa Scotti volunteered. He also explained how complex the decision-making process is regarding delays, including contacting the 10 districts that come into our school, contacting the media outlets, and activating the staff phone chain; Abitibi Paper Recycling – Many of the parishioners who came to bake apple pies wondered how much this effort is contributing to the school. Maureen will obtain an update on how much the school is earning and publish this information in the church bulletin.
Announcements
Next PTG Meeting – scheduled for Thursday, 3/6/08 at 8:30am in room #205.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:56am. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.
PTG Meeting Minutes (1-10-08)
Meeting called to order at 7:00pm. There were nine attendees in addition to the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
The Market Day Treasure Quest bill has not yet been paid. As of two days before Christmas, back orders for Treasure Quest were not filled. The recent Adrian’s Pizza fundraiser was meant for the 8th grade, not the PTG. The flyer was not changed to reflect the correct recipient. About 10 teachers have submitted receipts so far for faculty enrichment. This reimbursement program was also offered to Mrs. Mittereder and Mrs. DelSardo, who took the place of Mrs. Hobba and Mrs. Ernst, respectively. Children’s Christmas gifts made about $200. Breakfast With Santa was about $200 over budget. We’ve spent about $450 on special events so far this year.
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
The Nov. minutes were approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes are now available on the school website, thanks to Mrs. Veri. Thank you notes from teachers/staff for Christmas gifts will be posted on the PTG bulletin board in room #205.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran is still looking for a V.P. for next year’s PTG, plus many committee chairs. Please contact Fran if you’re interested in any of these positions. To help attract candidates for the PTG presidency, Dolores Schilken suggested that the PTG consider a co-presidency.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
Less than ten people attended the Potluck Christmas Luncheon. Maureen suggested holding it after Christmas or eliminating it altogether.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
Mr. Wagner was unable to attend due to a family emergency.
Committee Reports
Book Fair (Julie Freedy & Kelly Pettko). 1/27-1/30. 1/25 is preview day. Will be held in the library this year. Children will visit the Book Fair during their regular library period. The fair has been extended by a half day this year to allow for a more leisurely pace. Karen Garrity explained to Julie how to handle tax-deductible contributions. Maureen Schorr expressed concern that the Golden Compass books might be included in the selection of books. Dolores Schilken suggested just removing any offensive material from the sale. Maureen also reminded Julie that Staples coupons are still available for the purchase of supplies.
Mardi Gras (Karen Garrity) – this is a new event which replaces Denim & Diamonds. It’s scheduled for Feb. 1 from 6:30-11pm at LeMont Restaurant in Mt. Washington. The Dunalps, who own LeMont, are underwriting this event to include the cost of the dinner. The committee sets the menu & brings in prizes. For every $75 ticket sold, the school will get $60. The other $15 will help pay for the band (Airborne with Jeff Jimerson). The invitations were donated. Mary Beth Frank is making the favors. One of the prizes being auctioned off is a year’s tuition with a $3,000 value. More info on this will be forthcoming. Set-up help is needed at LeMont from 1:30-4:00 on 2/1. Please contact Karen if you can spare some time. Karen asked if the PTG would make up the $10 difference if the Mardi Gras committee offers tickets to teachers and their spouses for $50. This request was discussed and approved by those present.
Committee Reports (cont.)
Apple Pie Days (Dolores Schilken)– 1/24-2/4 from 8:30am-2:30pm in Bryson Center. No parent day this time. Pies don’t sell as well this time of year as in the fall. The goal this time it to introduce new people to pie-making.
Donations of 3 lb. cans of regular Crisco are needed. Collection boxes are on the bench by the office. Next year, the committee will focus on getting paper products donated. Last year, supplies cost approx. $7,500.
Catholic Schools Week (Maureen Schorr) – Open House will take place on Sunday, 1/27, from 10am-2pm in the school. It is open to all interested parents, current parents, alumni, and parishioners. Personal tours will be conducted. 8th graders will be asked to lead tours, too. Refreshments will be available by the office. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Book Fair in the library.
Living Stations - headed up by Susan Sander. Performed by 8th grade students. Practices begin this Sunday, 1/13. Mrs. Walker has agreed to help with alteration/repair of the costumes.
Children’s Christmas Gifts – took place on 12/3. Thanks to Kathy Rolfsen and her volunteers. Made approx. $200. Kathy will be chairing next year, and she has some good ideas for improvement, including switching vendors.
Breakfast With Santa - took place on 12/15. Thanks to Ellen Kittle and her volunteers. Enjoyed by more than 50 families (215 people in all). Event was approx. $200 over budget.
Special Events – “That Guy With the Birds” assembly was well received. A recommendation was made to consider having military veterans from the parish come and talk to the students about their experiences.
TAG –program for grades 5-8 has begun.
Announcements
Next PTG Meeting – scheduled for Thurs., 2/7/08 at 8:30am in room #205. We will vote on keeping Market Day Treasure Quest or returning to Innisbrook for the fall PTG fundraiser.
Staples Coupons – for every printer cartridge recycled at Staples, they give us a $3 coupon. Up to three coupons can be used per visit. These coupons are still available to get supplies for PTG functions. See Mrs. Dillon in the office if you need them.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25pm. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.
PTG Meeting Minutes (11-08-07)
Meeting called to order at 9:05am. There were 17 attendees in addition to Mr. Wagner and the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
This year’s Chinese Auction had a net income of $13,301.62, an increase over last year and well above expectations. Many thanks are due to co-chairs Rowene Harris and Suzanne Bindseil. Less than 100 families placed an order for the Market Day (Treasure Quest) fundraiser. We will vote at the February meeting to determine if we should hold this fundraiser again next year. The PTG directories came in under budget due to a significant discount from the printer (because of printing errors).
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
The Oct. minutes were approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes are now available on the school website as well as in the PTG newsletter. Thanks to Mrs. Veri for posting them on the website. Mrs. Veri also updated the PTG information on the website, so that all dates and committee information is accurate.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran reported that Pam Smyth has agreed to chair the Fall Faculty Luncheon next year, Beth Valent will chair the Membership committee, and Rowene Harris will return as co-chair of the Chinese Auction. If anyone is interested in serving as Chinese Auction co-chair, or chairing another committee next year, please get in touch with Fran.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
Recycling - No new information yet regarding the recycling project. Homeroom Parents – Maureen asked for information about the upfront classroom collection. Teresa Scotti feels that the upfront collection has a detrimental impact on Chinese Auction donations. Kathy Rolfsen feels that the upfront collection may discourage some parents from volunteering to be a homeroom parent, because they don’t feel comfortable with this method of collecting money. Judy Williams indicated that it is hard for homeroom parents to know what to collect for, because each grade’s activities vary, and there is no record of them. It was suggested that this year’s homeroom parents keep a detailed list of the classroom events and what is spent on each, and make it available for next year’s homeroom parents. The end of the year classroom-spending letter sent to the parents would serve this purpose. The upfront collection has worked well for some classrooms, but not others. For this reason, it was decided to give next year’s homeroom parents the choice to either do an upfront collection, or to collect for events separately. In either case, it was suggested that every classroom do the Chinese Auction separately. For those classrooms that had a disappointing response, Dolores Schilken suggested sending a follow-up letter halfway through the year giving parents another chance to donate. Some parents just forget to send it in.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
Mr. Wagner reported on two recent developments. Boilers - the boiler company was at school two times this week to fix the uneven heating throughout the school buildings. The thermostat is now fixed. The school has a total of four boilers. Security – the school is more secure now due to three recent installations. All outside doors have received new locks, and the keys to them cannot be duplicated. Fontenay is now locked at all times and the outside door now has a coded keypad. The door in the tunnel, which runs between the pre-school/Kdg. floor and Clairvaux Hall, has also received a coded keypad.
Committee Reports
Chinese Auction – sold out and raised $13,301.62.
PTG Directory –came in below budget due to discount for mistakes. Errors weren’t noticeable to many, so publishing and accepting the discount was considered to be a good decision.
Apple Pie Days – 2,074 pies baked. This was over the goal. Order forms can be found in the church bulletin. Next session is scheduled for 1/28-2/4, which is Catholic Schools Week. Julie Freedy expressed concern that the Book Fair and apple pie baking will be competing for the same volunteers. About four dozen parents showed up for parents’ day, and from six-sixteen parent volunteers on the weekdays. Goal for next session is to get one new person per day from each grade. Will need Crisco donations for next session. Flour remaining from this session will be donated to St. Vincent DePaul for the food bank. Dolores thanked everyone who donated food for the bakers. Everyone was very pleased with the meals.
Box Tops - no update at this time.
Fall Faculty Luncheon (Ann Cognetti) – was well received by the teachers. Some asked for copies of the recipes used. Ann mentioned that Costco gave them a $25 donation, because the committee purchased supplies there. She encouraged other committees to make this request of stores they work with. Ann also mentioned that another group used the plastic ware she was planning to use for the luncheon. To prevent a similar problem in the future, it was suggested that committees mark the boxes of supplies they are setting aside for a specific use. Ann requested that the budget of this event be increased to $300 (up from current level of $250).
Children’s Christmas Gifts (Kathy Rolfsen) – will take place on 12/3. A letter to parents, including a listing of classroom shopping times, will be sent home in next week’s blue envelope. On 11/27, the gift envelopes will be sent home with the students. Each student will receive a coupon allowing them to reach into a treasure box and pull out a secret gift. There will be one box for the younger children, and one for the older children. The prizes will be from Oriental Trading Co. This way, even the kids who don’t choose to shop will be able to participate in some way. In addition to the store stock, Christian items, plus tea and coffee will be available for purchase. An idea for next year is to sell a St. Bernard tree ornament. The price range for items is 50 cents - $11, with most items in the $1-$5 range.
Breakfast With Santa (Ellen Kittle) – looking for a chair elect for next year. Lori Pearce will once again provide the entertainment. Kelly Pettko will handle the reservations, and Nancy Mallon will return to make the picture frames. Ellen still needs a kitchen coordinator and an elves coordinator. Judy Williams offered to be the elves coordinator. It was suggested that Betsy Henderson of Mt. Lebanon High School be contacted to request help from students who need to complete community service.
Special Events – “That Guy With the Birds” will perform at an assembly next Thursday afternoon.
TAG – grades K-4 started yesterday. Program will last for four weeks. TAG for grades 5-8 begins after Christmas.
School Store (Fran Trainor) – will be opening next week. Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00-8:20am. Miss Stockhausen and Miss Mullen will coordinate the schedule of workers. The main store will be in the PTG room (#205), with a satellite store on the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade floor.
Book Fair (Julie Freedy) – chair elect is Kelly Pettko. Scheduled for Catholic Schools Week. May be held in the library this year. Children will visit the Book Fair during their regular library period. The fair may be extended to three days this year to allow for a more leisurely pace.
New Business
PTG Meeting Time – Maureen requested that the morning meetings begin at 8:30am instead of waiting until 9am. Everyone is here at 8:30am anyway, so why waste half an hour waiting to begin. Those attending agreed with this logic. The time change will go into effect at the February PTG meeting, and we’ll see how it goes. Mr. Wagner also approved of the time change.
Volunteer Lists – Kathy Rolfsen suggested that the volunteer lists for PTG committees indicate how many volunteers are needed, so that those signing up are aware of this information. Some committees get too many volunteers, while some don’t get enough. Also, the volunteer lists generated from the PTG membership forms should be distributed to the committee chairs. Everyone who signs up for a committee must be contacted, even if their service is not needed due to the volume of volunteers. They should be thanked for their willingness to help.
New Business (cont.)
KidStuff Books – these are the coupon books sold last year to raise money for backpack safety. Christine Tandon wondered if the PTG would want to sell the books again this year as a general PTG fundraiser. The Safety Committee does not need this fundraiser, and Christine cannot chair a KidStuff committee.
Athletic Apparel – deadline for ordering has passed, but Teresa will still accept orders if you get them in by Monday, 11/12. This is not a fundraiser, but will end up making a profit. The extra money will be used to put an advertisement about St. Bernard school in the January issue of Mt. Lebanon magazine. She ordered 125 car magnets. These can be sold at the Christmas store and the Book Fair.
Morning Drop-off Procedure - Teresa Scotti commented about ongoing safety violations during morning drop-off. She asked Mr. Wagner if she could put together a diagram of the proper procedure and distribute it in next week’s blue envelope. Mr. Wagner agreed. A diagram about afternoon pick-up has previously been distributed.
Staples Coupons – for every printer cartridge recycled at Staples, they give us a $3 coupon. Up to three coupons can be used per visit. Coupons were distributed to Ellen Kittle (Breakfast With Santa), Kathy Rolfsen (Children’s Christmas Gifts), and Regina Glitz (Library). Any other committee chairs that can use them are asked to request them from Susan Dillon in the office.
Announcements
PTG Potluck Luncheon – scheduled for Wed., 12/19 at 11:30am in Fontenay. A $10 grab-bag gift exchange is available to all who want to participate in this activity. Attendees are asked to bring their favorite dish to share.
Market Day (Treasure Quest) Orders – pick-up is scheduled for 11/15 and 11/16.
Next PTG Meeting – scheduled for Thurs., 1/10/08 at 7pm in room #205.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:58am. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.
PTG Meeting Minutes (10-11-07)
Meeting called to order at 7:00pm. There were 13 attendees in addition to Mr. Wagner and the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
The August teacher’s in-service luncheon came in at approx. $60 under budget. The new family pizza party cam in under budget, too. The first two issues of the newsletter were $25-$36 over budget. Pam Smyth said that last year we printed about 340 copies each month. Mr. Wagner indicated that we are now printing about 300 copies. Why we are over budget when fewer copies are being printed will be investigated. PTG membership collection is at $2,472. The membership number is at 189, not the 215 expected. Despite this disparity, we are close to the budgeted amount due to the number of extra directories that were sold. For the Chinese Auction, the money for 206 tickets reservations has already been deposited. The actual number of attendees in expected to be over 300.
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
The Sept. minutes were approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes are now available on the school website as well as in the PTG newsletter. Thanks to Mrs. Veri for posting them on the website.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran requested that anyone who is interested in chairing a committee during the next school year please get in touch with her.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
The recycling project suggested for the Student Council has not been introduced yet, because the new representatives were just recently elected. The playground walk to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society raised more than $3,200.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
As a follow-up to an earlier discussion regarding the possibility of having ceiling fans installed in the classrooms, Mr. Wagner reported that the maintenance staff is investigating the feasibility of this project. The height of the ceilings, along with the thickness of the concrete between the floor and ceiling, are important considerations.
Committee Reports
Chinese Auction –is now sold out; donations have been slow this year; Homeroom Parents were confused about their responsibility regarding the class baskets. Mr. Wagner suggested sending a Chinese Auction letter to the Homeroom Parents during the first week of school outlining their role in this fundraiser. Pam Smyth asked Mr. Wagner if he would consider purchasing a box of paper at Staples to get a free shredder. The shredder will be used as a prize for the auction. Mr. Wagner agreed to this request. Pam mentioned that she still needs donations of wine and decorative straw for one of the large prize displays.
Market Day Gifts and Wrap – $3,993.86 was raised for the school; classroom prizes for the most sales are tentatively scheduled for December.
PTG Directory –will be distributed in the new few weeks.
Newsletter (Krissy Schmidt) – 10/19 is the deadline for the November newsletter.
Box Tops – the first round of box tops are due on 10/18.
Cartridges(Tara Dandrea) - approx. 100 recycled so far this year – 40 through the Funding Factory and 60 through Staples. For every cartridge recycled through Staples, they give us a $3 coupon. These coupons will be used to purchase paper for the school or water for May Mart.
Apple Pie Days – fall session begins on 10/29, with 11/3 set as parents day. Parents day now runs from 8:30am-3:30pm, since so many families have morning activities. There is no central coordinator for Apple Pie Days, and the Homeroom Parents cannot take on this additional task. Dolores indicated that they are still in need of people to make meals for the apple pie bakers. Flyers have gone out in the weekly blue envelopes. Several people really liked the “History of the Apple Pie” flyer. Mr. Wagner reminded everyone that this fundraiser contributes a significant amount to the general operating expense revenue – about $20,000.
Fall Faculty Luncheon (Maria Withum) – set for 11/6 at 11am in Clairvaux Hall. The menu includes pork tenderloin, rice, green beans, and salad.
Children’s Christmas Gifts (Kathy Rolfsen) – will take place on Monday, 12/3 only for grades 4N-8th. 3N parents will be notified of the time/date so they can attend if they wish. A vendor has been selected. The vendor will supply everything, including bags, cash registers, etc.
Special Events (Tara Dandrea) – Tara is meeting with Mr. Wagner next week regarding these. Two local authors want to come and do a presentation, then have their autographed books available for sale, with no book costing more than $9. Other ideas include African dancing and drums, or a presentation by Little Lake Theatre.
TAG - Susan Pavlick and Anne Philbin are still looking for volunteers. Please contact them if you can help.
School Store (Fran Trainor) –the plan is for the 8th grade to staff the store: Fran is meeting with Miss Mullen and Miss Stockhausen next week. They are not in favor of selling logo products in the back parking lot after school.
New Business
Request For Buses: Mr. Wagner asked whether all of last year’s field trip money had been used. Linda Farley confirmed that we used everything in the budget, plus more for last year’s field trips. Mr. Wagner would like the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade instrumental students to perform at the Creche in front of the USX Tower, at Phipps Conservatory, and at Duquesne Chapel on one of the last school days before the Christmas break. Linda indicated that buses cost about $150 each; Reimbursement Request: Mrs. Veri is requesting reimbursement for the keyboard covers that were purchased for the computers in the lab. The cost is between $180-$190. This request will be revisited in the future. PTG Info on STB Website: It was pointed out that the PTG information page on our school website contains last year’s information and needs to be updated.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:25pm. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.
PTG Meeting Minutes (9-06-07)
Meeting called to order at 9:05am. There were 18 attendees in addition to Mr. Wagner and the PTG Board.
Treasurer’s Report (Linda Farley)
Linda distributed copies of the 2007/08 budget, which was approved by vote. She noted that faculty enrichment has been increased to $125, an increase of $25 over last year. Due to this change, the teacher’s Christmas gift will not be as elaborate as last year. These changes were made in response to the answers given by the teachers in last spring’s teacher survey.
Secretary’s Report (Judy Williams)
May minutes approved by vote. The PTG meeting minutes will continue to be published in the monthly PTG newsletter. A suggestion was also made to contact Mrs. Veri about making them available on the school website.
Vice-President’s Report (Fran Trainor)
Fran requested that anyone who is interested in chairing a committee during the next school year please get in touch with her.
Old Business and President’s Report (Maureen Schorr)
Luncheon - Maureen reported that the back to school luncheon was very much appreciated by the teachers and maintenance/rectory/religious education staff. Some thank-you notes have already been received and will be posted in room #205. Orientations - The pre-school and kindergarten orientations were held as scheduled. The first grade orientation was postponed from its original date and incorporated into Meet Your Teachers Night. This was due to two funerals on 8/28, as well as a death in Mrs. Roberto’s family. Meet Your Teachers Night – topics included an explanation of the school’s financial situation, as well as the introduction of the RVS Gradebook program. Cindy Merante indicated that the format of the evening is hard to follow if you have multiple children, especially children in the middle school grades who have multiple teachers. Kathy Rolfsen suggested extending the program to two nights – one for Kdg. through 5th and one for 6th through 8th, but Mr. Wagner indicated that extracurricular activities would make this format difficult for parents. Since there are multiple teachers per student at the middle school level, however, a combined session involving all middle school teachers in the VE room will be taken into consideration.
Principal’s Report (Mr. Wagner)
PTG Thanks - Mr. Wagner thanked the PTG for their support. Some specific examples of this support are the library automation and the purchase of new Kindergarten furniture. The furniture was purchased with PTG money left over at the end of the fiscal year. Maureen Schorr reminded those present that the PTG is only allowed to carry over $2,000 from one fiscal year to the following one. The funds above this amount are usually turned over to Mr. Wagner to be used to cover unfunded expenses.
Committee Reports
Chinese Auction – chairs are in place and event is scheduled for 10/18 in Clairvaux Hall. Admission has been increased from $15 to $20. Each table will seat nine people.
Market Day Gifts and Wrap – presentation made to students and materials passed out to them. Orders are due by 10/5. Pick-up date is 11/14. The classroom that sells the most will receive a dress down day. Our percentage of sales is 52%. Our commitment to Market Day is one year only, so we are not bound to them beyond this year if sales do not meet our expectations.
Apple Pie Days – fall session begins on 10/29, with 11/3 set as parent day. Last year’s parent day was the most productive day of the session, with 500 pies made in three hours. 2nd session scheduled for last week in January.
PTG Membership (Molly McMahon) – Molly indicated that 105 families have signed up so far. Dues are $12 per family, and extra PTG directories cost $4 each. A new chair is needed for next year.
PTG Directory –deadline for getting information to Amy Beiersdorf is 9/14.
Newsletter (Krissy Schmidt) - Krissy is using an Adobe MacIntosh program to create the newsletter. Mrs. Pavlick has agreed again to be editor of the teacher’s corner. Editors are still needed for other areas of interest. Please contact Krissy if you have an idea for a new column or want to revive one featured in past newsletters.
Committees Coordinator (Maria Withum) – Maria requested the return of any outstanding purple folders.
School Toolboxes (Regina Glitz) – 49 toolboxes ordered, a 20% increase over last year. Cost is in the $20-$50 range and varies by grade level due to supplies needed. Toolboxes are not a fundraiser, but a convenience for parents. Purchase incentives included a $5 Target gift card and a coupon for a free book at the Book Fair.
Homeroom Parents – Erin Carmody will be notifying parent volunteers of their assignment this week.
Welcoming (Teresa Scotti) - An 8/29 pizza party was held for the 6 new families in grades 1-8. Mr. Wagner spoke, and Nancy Mallon explained the Scrips program. Each child received a St. Bernard t-shirt. Families also received school maps, lists of phone numbers, and a coupon book for school events like the fall pep rally and Scholastic Book Fair. These new families were also partnered with an existing school family to help ease the transition. Kindergarten gained a dozen new families. Teresa suggested these families also be given a welcoming packet similar to those given to the 1st-8th grade families. This committee is in need of a chair for next year.
Children’s Christmas Gifts (Kathy Rolfsen) – Kathy would like to change committee name to Christmas Gift Shop or something similar, because it is a better description of its purpose. Gift shop will be open 12/3 in Bryson. Shopping is open to 4yr. nursery to 5th grade. Middle school students can shop during lunch/recess.
3 yr. nursery students can come with their parents if they choose. Kathy is still researching possible vendors and will need many volunteers to help with this program. Mary Grace Rodgers suggested limiting the number of gifts each child can buy due to time constraints. For families with multiple children, coming up with a master list and splitting it among the children is the best solution. Giving parents as much information as possible in advance will allow them to plan better. Several suggestions were given to help children who won’t be shopping. One is to provide a craft table where they can make something. Another is to give them a shopping coupon (if the vendor who is selected provides them, as has been done in the past). A raffle for all children was also suggested.
Playground (Larry Wirick) – getting volunteers is going well, but could be better. Sept. schedule is full. Four parents have volunteered to work every month. Krissy Schmidt suggested that parents volunteer on their children’s birthdays, if possible. Larry’s suggestion that the number of volunteer days equal a family’s number of children needs to be clarified. i.e. - if you have 3 children, Larry is asking that you volunteer for playground duty a total of 3 times during the entire year. Mr. Wagner will clarify this in next week’s news /gentle reminders.
TAG (Susan Pavlick) –program is on target for the end of Oct. Susan and Anne Philbin are meeting soon with past chair, Mary Cappetta.
School Store (Fran Trainor) – plans are to start in October and open one day per week. Store was run last year by 7th graders, but originally set up as an 8th grade fundraiser. Fran will check with the 8th grade teachers to determine if their students are interested in running the store this year. A suggestion was made to sell logo products in the back parking lot before pick-up.
Weekly Envelopes – distributed each Wed. Regina Donley currently has 4-5 volunteers for each week. A suggestion was made that she publish a list of volunteers, so they can switch weeks with each other as needed.
New Business
Helping Hands - Teresa Scotti agreed to chair the Helping Hands committee and is in need of volunteers.
Recycling - Mary Grace Rodgers raised a concern about the lack of recycling at St. Bernard. She is concerned not only with the lack of recycling bottles and cans, but with the waste of individual packaging inherent in having each student contribute their own boxes of Kleenex, rolls of paper towels, boxes of band-aids, and bottles of anti-bacterial gel. Buying these items in bulk would not only cost less, but would save a lot of packaging resources. She suggested having the students look into this situation and come up with a solution.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:40am. Respectfully submitted by Judy Williams.