March 15, 2018 Meeting Notes

3/15/18

March 2018 Meeting Notes

HCS Office Conference Room -NEW location

Attending:  A. Frost, J. Goldsmith, S. Locke, T. Jones

Seed Sale Fundraiser (March 19 - April 2)

• Will be a space on online fundraising page to donate to HCS garden. https://www.farmraiser.com/campaigns/pie-seed-sale-fundraiser/market
• Kate Dodge & Amanda Wheeler working on details
• Kate has created a poster- thank you Kate!
• Suzan sent posters out to all teachers to send out in teacher communications
• Suzan to make announcement to teachers about seed fundraiser, many staff are gardeners
• Jim to print large size poster (3 major entry ways which includes ramp near part 2 entrace/exit) and small posters to go out in homework folders for grades K-4
• Tanya to work on bulletin board, leaving space for Girls on the Run (Ali Douglas ask)
• Seeds will be delivered to school
• A sign up genius will be created for folks to come help organize seeds
• Aimee planning on sending a PiE wide email in late March-early April, include promotion of fundraiser and sign up genius link in email

Fundraising Update

• With Dance & Seed Sale, need for another third fundraiser?
• Fundraising team meetinging Tuesday, 3/20
• Will decide a best case & worse case scenario for additional fundraisers
• Could be a couple of simple, ongoing fundraisers
• Healthy Living
• Mabels Labels (good for incoming kindergarten families)
• Amazon Smiles (need tax free exempt status, is in the works)
• Now that PiE has online giving capabiblities will promote a “What the Heck, Write a Check” campaign NEXT YEAR
• PiE has invested in online store functionality with a Square
• Some people felt weird  using their own phone for Square transactions
• Suzan to check if could use school ipad (will ask Matt Kihm) for school event purchases
• Expenses associated with Square payments:
• Swipe sales= 2.75% charge
• Manually entered sales= 3.5% +15c per transaction
• Online sales= 2.9% + 30c per transaction

Staff Appreciation- May

• Discussed if we should do HPH again
• Consensus is that we should do it again;  higher cost but was much anticipated by staff
• Jim to confirm last year’s cost
• Will need to settle on date;  last year did on Tuesday after professional development
• Aimee to reach out to HPH once have date options in May
• Chair massages are well liked
• Ask if Joy Madden will do again
• Will have school bulletin board with staff photos and (possible) trivia contest
• Alyssa Lasher to lead this, will be put up in May
• Also considering asking parents and students to write letter of appreciation as part of activities

Co Principal Welcome & Staff Celebrations

• A few staff are retiring, no formal announcments yet, need to be sensitive to current students
• PiE will continue with library book dedications for retiring staff
• Suzan to confirm staff in a few weeks
• Consider doing staff retiring & leaving celebration during Tuesday early release, last hour invite anyone, open house format
• Need to decide on date
• For Jeff, make sure to promote open house to CVU and public, lots of former students
• Event with food, maybe have PiE and ice cream
• Want to do something for Jeff alone too
• Here for 8 years
• PiE bulletin board?
• Frame photo of school on star and have kids
• Suzan to check in with student council on ideas of kids
• There will also be a private staff event for leaving staff
• To welcome John, Suzan to ask John what kind of event would he want/prefer
• Would like to have a couple small events, lots of people to consider;  students, staff, families
• Do something over the summer at  a “Concert in the Park”?

Kindergarten Registration

• PiE to include letter in Kindergarten Registration packet to be handed out on 4/12 & 4/13
• Letter will be from PiE Steering Committee
• Include with letter, pre-order your tshirt form (give  out a play group in August run by Friends of Family), maybe include Mabel Labels fundraiser flyer
• Tanya to work on t-shirt pricing and ordering
• Include class of 2031 on back of tshirt (confirm graduation year)
• Kindergarten Family Night- 5/10
• Suzan to do parent presentation, there will be 5-10 minutes for PiE Presentation
• Aimee to do PiE presentation

Volunteer Appreciation

• Aimee shared past idea to do something for Volunteers in April for Volunteer Appreciation month
• Could be learn about all HCS volunteer activities, a Volunteer Fair
• Fill out paperwork, get finger printed, etc.
• Needs some planning
• Idea was raised about using end of year picnic as Volunteer Appreciation event
• Group felt there there needed to be another draw than just end of year picnic
• Maybe combine with another event?
• Group will discuss more at May 2018/2019 planning event
• Student council have been active PiE volunteers this school year and the idea of donation to 8th grade field trip was raised
• Group discussed a formal agreement between 8th grade and PiE before any money is donated, for example contribute X hours to PiE for a donation to 8th grade field trip
• PiE could give them a list of volunteer oportunities to complete to earn donation
• This year 8th grade has reached 8th grade fundraising goal but is looking for funding for boat cruise food (approx. cost is $800)
• Will discuss more again at May planning meeting
• On another note would like to ask Student Council brainstorm ideas for community events/fundrasisers that middle school students and families would like to attend
• Harvest Dinner has been positioned as older grade event

Other

• PiE is looking for PiE Grant photos and details from teachers
• Suzan to follow up with staff for photos
• PiE will hold off any school supply drives as staff have been asked to go to administration with any supply needs
• Aimee to schedule a 2018/2019 PiE planning in May like last year
• Consider inviting John; official contract start date is in July 2018
• Consider a end of year PiE survey to get family input for planning

Upcoming Dates

• Connecting Youth Events
• “Risky Business- Why Adolescents Love Risk-Taking and How We Can Help Mangage It”- Michael Neary- 3/27, 7-8:30pm @CVU
• Cindy Pierce - 4/9 @ CVU
• Parent-In Follow Up Discussion- 4/18 @ CVU
• Kindergarten Registration- 4/12 & 4/13, 5/10 (Parent meeting)
• HCS Garden Seed & Sample Day- April
• Staff Appreciation- May

February 15, 2018 Meeting Notes

Attendance: Jeff O’Hara, Suzan Locke, Aimee Frost, Elisabeth Garvey, Kim Gordon, Kristin Miskavage, Jen Lunquist, Tanya Jones, Jim Goldsmith, Anita Howard, Nancy Wood, Ray Mainer, Julie Zack

Call to order: 6:35pm

CVSD Budget Presentation

●      CVSD Board Presentation-Ray Mainer presented the proposed 2018-2019 CVSD Budget. Link to presentation:  https://www.cvsdvt.org/domain/321

●      Ray spoke for 45 minutes reviewing the deck and opening the room up for questions.

●      Questions included:

○      What are examples of how consolidation has resulted in cost savings?

■      Jeff shared a recent examples when there was significant savings on ground maintenance work.

○      During the discussion is was also shared that when there are staff openings, schools are able to open the position within the district before publically advertising for positions. 

■      If a staff position is eliminated (RIF’d, Reduction in Force), they will be offered an equivalent open positions within the district before other candidates, within or outside the district.

HCS 2018/2019 Planning

HCS is already planning for the 2018/2019 school year.  There are 70 days of school left, so staff and administration are balancing the need to proactively plan and stay focused on this year.

Update on Co-Principal Search

●      Suzan Locke updated the group on the candidate pool for the co-principal search (approx. 30 applicants), the committee and the interview process. 

●      The committee included Elaine Pickney, Suzan, HCS middle schools staff, as well as other staff members and a parent rep (Aimee Frost).

●      CVSD superintendent, Elaine Pickney, will recommend the HCS co-principal candidate at the 2/20/18 CVSD board meeting.  This is a public meeting.

●      If approved by the board, the new co-principal announcement will happen in the following weeks.

●      June 30, 2018 will be Principal O’Hara’s last day. 

Grade Level Configurations

●      Suzan spoke on this topic; they are still working on teacher placements for the upcoming school year.

●      A 7th or 8th grade teacher will be added.

●      The incoming 5th grade class, will move from 4 to three 3 classrooms.  The per class student count is within the acceptable standards for classroom size. 

○      The 5th grade teachers are proactively planning and discussing ways to serve the needs of this student group.

■      Under discussion is the of intervention blocks for additional math and literacy instruction.

■      Another idea is to shift 5th grade teachers to focus on one subject area.

●      At this time, a fourth classroom is not planned for the 2nd grade (in coming third grade class).

Other Planning Updates

●      In 2018/2019, the two World Language teachers will move to 1.0 FTE up from 0.8 FTE.

●      In 2018/2019, a 0.5 Proficiency Based Learning coach will be added.  This position will have a literacy focus.  With the addition, HCS will have two dedicated 0.5 PBL coaches, one with a math focus (Monica Carter) and one with a literacy focus.

●      HCS administration is waiting for confirmation on the addition of a 0.5 Guidance Counselor for the 2018/2019 school year.  It is confirmed that a 0.5 Guidance Counselor will be added for the 2019/2020 school year.

PiE Updates

HCS & PiE Family Dance- Friday, March 9th

●      Theme is “Under the Sea”

●      Advance ticket sales the week before the dance (the first week back from Feb break) in the mornings before school (7:30-8a)

●      PiE now has a square for credit card purchases at the dance and possibly for before school advance tickets.

●      We’ll have a basket raffle, no auctioned items.

●      Free light appetizers and  root beer floats and a cookie/brownie with ice cream for sale.

●      There are 3 main sponsors:  NRG, River Cove Animal Hospital, Timberlane Dental.  Middlebury Bank may also be a sponsor. THANK YOU to our SPONSORS!!!!!

●      DJ, Photo Booth, Crafts by Wiggle Room

●      Fundraising goal is conservative at $3500

○      Proceeds from the Family Dance in previous years are as follows:

○      SY15      $4,385

○      SY16      $4,022

○      SY17      $3,975

Seed Sale Fundraiser- NEW this year

●      March 19 - April 4 . With everything delivering by April 20.

●      Online only

●      The group discussed how the Seed Sale Fundraiser could support HCS Garden needs.

●      Hoping to raise $500; since this is a new fundraiser, our projection

Fundraising Update

●      60% of what PiE raises goes directly back to teachers

●      The Spring teacher allocation ($6000)  will be distributed in late February

●      To date PiE has raised $12,308 towards goal of $18K
Assuming $3,500 for Family Dance and $500 for seed sale, there is a shortfall of $1,700 to meet goal of $18,000.

●      Fundraising Team is looking for ideas for a final fundraiser to meet goal.  The team is leaning towards a parent event, similar to the Comedy Diva event held at Cedar Knoll last spring.

●      If you have ideas or suggestions, contact Tanya Jones, tanyaandcj@gmavt.net

HCS Garden

●      An HCS Garden Committee (GC) has been formed. We met for the first time this week to discuss plans for this year's gardens and to divide tasks. Anyone interested in joining the GC is welcome to sign up! Contact Amanda Wheeler, wheeleramanda45@gmail.com.

●      Have met and Deb Bissonette to discuss the cafeteria's desires for this year's crops.

●      Before holiday break, HCS received a very generous, large donation of seeds from The Vermont Wildflower Farm. This puts us in wonderful shape with many of the seeds we will want for this year and beyond!

●      Plans are in the works to resume "Seed & Sample Day," an event organized by the garden coordinators in the past. This school-wide event allows students to have an opportunity to get involved early in the growing process by planting seeds that will become the veggie plants that we grow in our gardens. Students also get to sample some vegetables and prepared dishes that contain vegetables like those that we'll be growing in the gardens each year. Many hands will be needed to make this day happen: keep an eye out for Sign-Up Genius e-mails that will go out over the next few weeks looking for volunteers and donations. An exact date for Seed & Sample Day has yet to be determined, but we do know it will be held shortly before Spring Break week.

●      The GC is researching options that can be implemented to ensure the sustainability of our garden program for years to come. Currently, we are reaching out to local schools who have a partnership between their gardens and the UVM Extension's Master Gardener Program. A partnership with the Master Gardener Program would connect us with many expert gardener volunteers who could help maintain our gardens - particularly during summer months when school is not in session. No decisions have been made yet; we are still in the process of collecting information. We are also researching the Farm to School funding and whether that could/should be an option for HCS in the future. More on this to come... stay tuned!

●      The Garden Committee decided that it would be great to give our gardens an official name. To do so, we'd like to ask students to submit their ideas for garden names. More information on this will be provided after winter break.

○      Jeff suggested that the garden naming honor Susan Lepple and Heidi Simkins, two parents instrumental in creating the garden.

Connection Youth & PiE Partnership

●      Michael Nerney will be speaking at CVU on Tuesday, March 27th on adolescents and their brains.  The name of his talk is "Risky Business, Why Adolescents Love Risk-Taking, And How We Can Help Manage It"  He's an engaging and well informed presenter, clinician, and parent.  This is not to be missed!  PIE and CY are planning to collaborate on organizing a meet up for parents after this talk. 

●      We are still pulling together a panel on marijuana, we have a couple of confirmed presenters and are working on getting a couple more!  It will be called "Parents: Be IN the Know About Marijuana" (as part of the ParentIN campaign).  Dates are still TBD.  Meanwhile, Burlington is hosting something similar on Saturday from 11am-1pm at the Fletcher Free Library.  It's free and light snacks will be served.  Childcare is available upon request.  To register for the Burlington program visit: parentin.eventbrite.com.  Stay tuned for the CVSD presentation!

●      CY and CVU are working on scheduling Cindy Pierce in April for Sexual Violence Awareness Month.  She will be meeting with the freshmen and sophomores as a group, the juniors and seniors as a group in the morning and then will be presenting to parents only (!) that night.  We are still nailing down the date, it will be April 11 or 12th.

Meeting adjourned 8:00pm