King PTO

April 8 PTO Meeting Minutes

Attending:
Kathryn Moxhay
Dawn Fischer
Mary Jean O’Regan
Beth Quinlan
Jerrold C. Edelberg
David Grant

May 1 Auction and Talent Show

All contributions for the auction/talent show should be given to / reported to Sue Carlson, King’s partnership coordinator, by April 28th.  Sue’s email is carlss@portlandschools.org.

People expressed an interest in contacting some businesses and it was agreed that they should be in touch with Sue to get procedural information.

Kathryn Moxhay agreed to capture the event for reproduction next year.

We talked about the best pricing / plan for food; and the need to be sure that all families who attend will feel comfortable getting food and will be able to understand the nature of the auction.

Celebration of Learning

The group discussed the event.  We noted that Eric A has made some connections and seems to have some businesses that are going to be contributing.  The group discussed that the event is on the heals of the talent show / auction and that it would be something to focus on next year.

Other Ideas for Giving to King

Dawn Fischer volunteered to coordinate the development of a teachers’ wish list.  Another way of looking at this that we discussed is the development of a fund for a Staples Card– or something like that.

The group discussed finding a way to gage community interest in and preferences for giving to King.  Some ideas that were discussed included donorchoice.org, doing a survey / appeal letter, maybe included in the “back to school” mailing.  Could also be included in Sue’s volunteer form.

The State of the PTO

The group concluded with a discussion of the efficacy of the PTO as an organization.  We talked about developing major group goals, and the need for a core group of parents who will be the holders and keepers of the PTO energy.  We decided that the next best move will be to go visibly into the Auction and Celebration of Learning, and keep the meetings on the second Tuesday through the rest of the year.

Next Meeting

Tues May 13 at 7

Attending:

Deb Rothenberg

Jill Roland

Pandika Pleqi

Susan Thompson Brown

Sue Carlson

Jennifer Southard

Susanni Douville

Eric Altholz

Eva McVicar

Jonathan Nolan

Mary-Jean O’Reagan

Ellen Pompenoe

Ed Suslovic

Dave Grant

Item 1 :  Advertising for the PTO at the parent-teacher conferences. 

We reviewed Pandika’s handout and discussed other ways to get the message out.  Decision:

The handout will include the kingpto.wordpress.com link, mention of the 2nd Tues of each month regular meeting time; an invitation to contact David Grant at King for more information, and a sign up sheet available in the front hall for parents to sign up directly.  Mary-Jean volunteered to coordinate having PTO reps at the table.  David Grant agreed to have the docs ready for teachers at conferences. 
Item 2:  Silent Auction

May 1, at 6 pm
Last year’s talent show made about $2k;

Things that sold well:  restaurant certificates, museum memberships;

Eva McVicar volunteered to be the main communicator with Sue C;

Ellen P volunteered to coordinate the food for the event;

Pandika volunteered to coordinate publicity;

Jonathan talked about Longfellow’s database, and business contributions.

How about a “What was it worth?” bucket.

Raffle idea was discussed for baskets. 

Classroom projects were auctioned at other schools, such an auction was discussed for King’s Silent Auction.  Good idea for King?

Sue expressed her intention to pretty much run the event this year, and readiness to hand it over to the PTO for next year.

The group also discussed the possibility of a letter-based campaign asking King families to make contributions to the school irrespective of events like auctions, talent shows, etc.
Item 3:  King’s Celebration of Learning

May 8 during school hours at the Portland Expo

Group discussed having businesses support the Celebration through the publication of a document, handed out at the COL, with advertising from supporting businesses.
Item 4:  Our King Community — Our PTO Community

The group acknowledged the aspiration that the PTO could better represent the diversity of the King student body.

Ideas to attract a more inclusive population to PTO meetings included having the PTO sponsor educational or community events at the school.

One suggestion was a “How we have built an inclusive and supportive community at King” event hosted by students for the community, where the kids do the talking and the parents get to learn.

Another suggestion was to have kids present something at PTO meetings.

Our next meeting will be on April 8 from 7 - 8:30.

PTO

Steering Committee
Kathryn Moxhay
Jonathan Nolan
Pandika Pleqi
Nicholas Handanos

Advocacy:
Sue Hawes
Cath O’Connor

Volunteering:

Those who attended:

bdroberge@aol.com Stacey Roberge
bmcvica1@maine.rr.com Eva McVicar
burlinbrinkman@verizon.net Patty Brinkman
ceastra@yahoo.com Christina Astrachan
curranjl@hotmail.com Jana Curran
dcf@maine.rr.com Dawn Fischer
ealtholz@verrilldana.com Eric Altholz
eeravenelle@msn.com Beth Ravenell
enolan@bernsteinshur.com Eliza Cope Nolan
epopenoe@gmail.com Ellen Popenoe
gales@maine.rr.com Nori Gale
gustin.kiffney@gmail.com Gustin Kiffney
hawes@watchic.net Sue Hawes
iadham@maine.rr.com Ilia Adham
janewellehan@gwi.net Jane Wellehan
jchalfant@gwi.net Jon Chalfant
jfinn1@maine.rr.com Julie Finn
jkessler@maine.rr.com Jim Kessler
jnolan1@maine.rr.com Jonathan Nolan
kmoxhay@earthlink.net Kathryn Moxhay
koconno2@maine.rr.com Cath O’Connor
mandeville123@yahoo.com Lalania Mandeville
maryjean555@yahoo.com Mary-Jean O’Regan
mmcquillen@verrilldana.com Mary McQuillen
mwk@maine.rr.com Mary Kiffney
nhandanos@hotmail.com Nicholas Handanos
pandika@maine.rr.com Pandika Pleqi
rolanj@portlandschools.org Jill Roland
rothed@mmc.org Deb Rothernberg
rpeterson@une.edu Rick Peterson
schapman001@maine.rr.com Jeri Chapman
skropp@maine.rr.com Sherri Kropp
susanni@med.uscourts.gov Susanni Douville
thompsa@portlandschools.org Sarah Thompson

5. Nori will create a web page and work with David Grant to link it to King.