June 2024 PTA Meeting Minutes

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Takoma Park Elementary School (TPES)
Piney Branch Elementary School (PBES)
Parent & Teacher Meeting (PTA)
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 from 7 – 8pm on Zoom 

Agenda will include: 

(1) Upcoming TPES and PBES dates and announcements

(2) MCPS Summer Reading Challenge Presentation

(3) Takoma Park Middle School PTA Introduction

(4) Treasurer’s reports 

(5) Vote on TPES & PBES Executive Committees for ‘24-’25 School Year

(6) End of Year Statements from Mrs. O & Dr. G.

(7) Q&A

(8) Closing

 

7:00 PM: Meeting Kick-off 

Chris Campbell, PBES VP Communications – Welcome 

  • Intro to topics to be discussed

7:05 PM: Upcoming Dates & Announcements

Claire Dean, TPES VP 

Chris Campbell, PBES VP Communications 

TPES ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Read by Claire Dean, TPES VP 

  • Library books are due! If you have library books still at home, please have your child return them. Check your take home folder for any info on books you may have at home.
  • Second Grade Walking Field Trip to PBES: Wednesday, June 5, 9:30am
    • Second graders will visit Piney Branch Elementary School (PBES) and will leave at 9:30am, so please be sure your child arrives to school on time! 
  • Crossing Guard Appreciation Day: June 5th – The City of Takoma Park will set up tables at the guard posts so students can leave a token of appreciation on their way to school. If you have time to make a card or artwork, please do so to thank the crossing guards that work to keep us all safe. 
  • Second Grade Promotion Save the Date: June 10 at 9:45 AM at TPMS – Second grade families, save the date! 
  • At-Home Chromebooks – If your student has an MCPS at-home Chromebook and they are leaving MCPS, please bring the Chromebook, charger and carrying case back to TPES by June 7th. You can send it in with the student or drop it off at the front office. If they are moving to a different MCPS school or staying at TPES then they can keep the Chromebook at home all summer.
    • 2024-2025 TPES PTA Executive Committee Openings

We need YOU! Yes, YOU! We have several critical positions on our PTA board that must be filled or critical services and funds will be cut. We have not had anyone step up yet! If not you, then please send us an email nominating or recommending someone! The following positions are open:

  • Non-board roles are also vital and many volunteers are aging out of TPES so we have several needs: 
  • NAACP Representative 
  • Room Parent Coordinator 
  • Teacher/Staff Appreciation Committee Co-Chair
  • Social Services Coordinator

Please reach out to Kaitlin Caruso at president@tpespta.net or Clare Dean at vp@tpespta.net if you want to volunteer for the PTA next year

PBES ANNOUNCEMENTS: read by Chris Campbell, PBES VP Communications 

  • Returning Musical Instruments
    • This is a friendly reminder that all Instrumental Music students using a school instrument must return their instrument to Mrs. Pratt by Wednesday, June 5. Students may leave it with Mrs. Pratt at the end of their last class, or leave it on the counter in the Instrumental Music room.
  • PB Jelly Volunteer Needed for Tomorrow
    • Volunteer has been found.
  • Shark Tank Volunteers Needed
    • Fourth grade will be having their 4th annual shark tank assembly on Friday, June 7th from 9:45-10:45am. We are hoping we can recruit two parents/business owners in the community to be judges on the panel. If you are interested please reach out to brogan_plummer@mcpsmd.org for more information
  • Flash Yearbook Sale
    • Next Monday, June 10, 2024, we will hold a Yearbook Flash Sale from 9–9:30am for families who missed the opportunity to purchase a yearbook and would like to do so now. Yearbooks will be sold in the front hallway for $20 on a first come, first serve basis. Please reach out to Java Robinson (java_m_robinson@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions.
  • MCPS Drive for Supplies
    • Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Learn Shop, Inc., have enjoyed a 23-year partnership collecting new and reusable school supplies at the close of the school year and donating these supplies to students and families in need for the start of the next school year. Donations of new or gently used school supplies may be dropped off at the PBES entrance through June 13.
  • 5th Grade Promotion
    • Wednesday, June 12th at 2:00 p.m. Seating is limited so please allow for two guests per student. The Clap Out will be at 3:15 p.m.
    • Volunteers are needed to decorate for the 5th grade promotion! Please reach out to pbes.pta@gmail.com if you are interested in either purchasing supplies or participating in the decoration. 

Huge thank you to our volunteers from this past year.

  • 2024-2025 PBES PTA Executive Committee Openings

7:15 PM: Aphra Adkins: MCPS Summer Reading Challenge for all age groups. Dave Burbank (TKPK Library Associate) was unable to attend this evening.

There is a summer reading challenge through the county:

7:25 PM: TPMS PTA Introduction – Ramata Diop, President TPMS PTA

  • Discussion of open positions and activities over the summer:
  • Open positions for next year:
    • Board Positions: 
      • Fundraising VP
      • Corresponding Secretary (Communications)
      • Membership VP
      • Montgomery County Council Delegate
      • NAACP Parent Council Rep
  • Committee Positions:
    • 6th Grade Welcome Picnic Chair
    • Safe Routes to School Liaison
    • MCCPTA Gifted Talented Committee Liaison
    • MCCPTA Special Needs Committee Liaison
    • International Night Committee Chair
    • Minit Grants Committee Chair
    • Books & Basketball Committee Chair
    • Staff Appreciation

Find out more here:

https://www.tpmspta.org/ptsa-board-elections/

If interested please email tpms.pta.president@gmail.com

 

There will be July and August events for meet and greet for incoming TPMS students

Contact for Ramata: tpms.pta.president@gmail.com

 

7:30 PM: Budget Updates

Amy Swift, TPES PTA Treasurer

Vote approved to extend the budget as a summer budget.

  • Rachael Pierotti, PBES PTA Treasurer – Budget presentation of current year to date and proposed 2024-2025 Budget

Vote: Approved

Membership voted to approve the budget for 2024-2025.

Questions: Treasurer (Rachael) email: pbesptatreasurer@gmail.com.

7:35 PM: Vote on TPES & PBES Executive Committees for ‘24-’25 School Year

  • Vote on the new upcoming year’s executive committee members for TPES 

Co-VP of Membership -Jessi Binder and Erin Nichols Co-Membership Secretaries – Lesley Perry (2nd term) and Lillie Rosen

Vote: Approved

  • Vote on the upcoming year’s executive committee members for PBES

All members are continuing, PBES PTA still has a couple open positions that need to be filled, but no need to vote on current positions.

7:45 PM: End of Year Statements from Mrs. O & Dr. G.

Mrs O and Mr Weerts: A huge thank you to everyone – Staff felt very supported by PTA. Excited to have the 2nd graders come visit PBES and have the 5th graders visit TPMS.

Summer school will be held for Joann Laleck at PBES. 

Thank you!

Dr. G: This is a very exciting time of the year! Second grade promotion on Monday. The 2nd graders are trying to put together a newspaper. If you have experience in word processing, please volunteer to help make it happen. It’s been a wild year but a good one. Thanks to volunteers and staff for getting it done!

7:50 PM: Q&A

Q: Can I order a year book for PBES?

A: Next Monday, June 10, 2024, we will hold a Yearbook Flash Sale from 9–9:30am for families who missed the opportunity to purchase a yearbook and would like to do so now. Yearbooks will be sold in the front hallway for $20 on a first come, first serve basis. Please reach out to Java Robinson (java_m_robinson@mcpsmd.org) if you have any questions.

Q: I don’t recall whether or not I ordered a Year book. How can I confirm?

A: The contact for all yearbook sales at Piney Branch ES is Ms. Robinson (java_m_robinson@mcpsmd.org)

Q: When will yearbooks be distributed?

A: TPES: early next week, same for PBES.

Q: Do kindergarteners get a yearbook?

A: If you buy one.

Q: Why doesn’t the PTA earn anything from the book fair?  I thought a portion of Scholastic Book Fair proceeds were supposed to support the school in some way?

A: It earns Scholastic Dollars for the school to spend, but it’s not cash.

Q: And the school spends it on books?  Do you have an estimate on how many books were earned for the school?

A: Scholastic dollars can be used on books and school supplies, etc. We count the amount in scholastic dollars. The total scholastic dollars were $7,000 this year for PBES.

PBES used Scholastic. However TPES did a different book fair: Per Amy Swift, TPES tried Book Worm this year instead of Scholastic. Approximately $3500 from book fair.

Q: Do we know what the impact of the MCPS budget cuts will be on PBES?

A: Mrs Oberdorf  received notice that PBES was losing an allocation but in reviewing the numbers that may be rescinded.

Q: Is there any way we can support you as a parent advocacy community around the note MCPS sent out about increases in class sizes, etc?

A: Dr. G: Please help get the word out to folks with rising Kindergarten students to please get those rising Kindergarteners registered!! K enrollment is down and if TPES does not get more kids enrolled for K it will impact the number of K teacher positions.

Q: Is there a deadline for volunteering for a PTA position for PBES? 

A: No, we’ll take you when you volunteer!

Q: Will we lose instrumental music? We are so sad we are losing Ms Pratt?

A: No. There is no change in the instrumental music program. We’ll be hiring a new person. We share allocation with Rolling Terrace with PBES comprising the larger allocation.

Q: Is Kid Adventure having a summer camp this year at PBES? 

A: They won’t be at PBES because Laleck will be here this year. KA will be at TPES.

7:58 PM: Thank you!