Saturday, January 19, 2019

January PiE Meeting Minutes



January Meeting 2019

HCS Flex Space

7:00-8:00

Attendance: Aimee Frost, Julie Zack, John Pontius, Suzan Locke, Jim Goldsmith, Mary Hong, Jamie Cudney, Lanell Clarke, Anita Howard, Kristine Francis, Aubrey Gardner, Kelly O’Malley, Amanda Wheeler

  • Garden (Amanda)-

1.       History of parent led garden was shared. In 2017 the folks who started the garden stepped down and Amanda came in 2018. It was evident that there were components that lay dormant in the short time from departure of parents who started the garden and when Amanda stepped up. There is a commitment of teachers, parent volunteers and students for the garden. In the past, 6th grade have planted potatoes, 2nd graders have planted tulips, greens have been delivered to the food shelf and kitchen staff have utilized food in school lunches. There is a need for the garden and also a need for a planning process for short and long term goals.

2.       The garden committee is up to 3 parent volunteers.
3.       Rain barrel with a mural painted by a HCS student has been cleaned out and is ready to be used.
4.       6 New beds have been installed (old beds have been dismantled and disposed of).
5.       Raised bed dirt was delivered-
6.       Planning process (Julie Zac):

a.       Planning to plan
b.       Internal and external review
c.       Develop plan outline/framework
d.       Share the draft plan

 7.       Next steps-Julie, Suzan and John will sit down and set up guidelines



  •  “Screenagers” (John)

1.       3 screenings are planned in late March for:
a)       HCS Teachers
b)      Community members
c)       HCS Grades 5-8


  •  Review of calendar and help needed (Aimee)


1.       Staff appreciation planning in March/April-Appreciation to be scheduled in May
2.       Lake Monster fundraiser- Hinesburg Community Night. Plan in April-fundraiser in May (promotion is key)
3.       Bulletin Board-vehicle for PiE communication (someone who is creative and has flexibility in their day).
4.       Family Dance -Friday March 8, 2019. Planning and help needed.
a)      k-5 mostly attend
b)      This year’s theme is, “At the Movies”
c)       Suggestions and help needed for sponsor letters (to cover DJ, photo booth)-Personal connections are always helpful.
d)      Food- pizza donated from Good Times and Papa Nicks, cheese and crackers, veggie platters, popcorn machine, sell root beer floats.
e)      Sign up genius to sell tickets, sweets, etc.
f)        Decorations-Student council can help. Ideas include: balloons, red carpet, walk of stars.
g)      Basket Raffle-Teachers will send out information in their newsletters.
h)      Activities-Student council have helped in the past-last year the Wiggle Room provided activities, crafts, etc.
i)         Promotion-Poster distribution, FPF, etc.
j)         Ticket sales for week of the dance-pre-sales have been effective in the past.
k)       Amiee will create a budget for decorations.

  • Other:

1.       Succession planning for Treasurer-Jim Goldsmith will be stepping down as treasurer in 2020.

  • Upcoming Activities:


o   Thursday 2/21/19: February PiE meeting

o   Monday, 2/25/19 - Friday, 3/1 February Recess & Vacation Mal Bags

o   Friday, 3/8/19: PiE Family Dance: “At the Movies”

o   Thursday, 3/21/19: March PiE meeting

o   Tuesday, 3/26/19: Screenagers Community viewing at HCS

Sunday, January 6, 2019

November PiE Meeting Minutes

November PiE Meeting
11/15/18 7-8
Location: Flex Space

Attendance: Aimee Frost, Jim Goldsmith, Elizabeth Garvey, Melissa Levy, Tanya Jones, Heather
Roberts, Suzan Locke, Jim Pontius, Jamie Cudney, Aubrey Gardner, Mary Hong, Julie Zach

Grants Review

  • The process included Tanya and Melissa collected the grant applications, John and Suzan checked details and Tanya and Melissa color coded grants to identify accepted, denied, and funded but by a different funding stream.
  • Applications were 3 x greater than last year. John and Suzan shared that they highlighted the grant process with staff more at the beginning of the school year.
  • Grant guidelines
  • Considerations Grant committee looks at how many students it impacts. 
    1. The grants that are not being funded through PiE allocations are looking at other avenues to be funded. 
    2. How are field trip budgets allocated and how do grant money play in? Suzan and John review field trips to determine purpose of field trip transportation often comes out of administration budget. Money can be allocated through PiE field trip money and team money.
  • Decisions Voting- 
    1. Proposed grant unanimously accepted. 
    2. $200 is left from this years grant allocations. It will be kept for in the grants account. A letter will be crafted by John and Suzan to inform people who are and are not receiving grants. 
  • ETC. Field trip permission slips should include, ”funding provided by PiE” Is ropes course an alternative for field trips? Ropes course is for students that are not in foreign language. Kids who stay back from the foreign language filed trip. Photos and any video footage should be encouraged to send to Melissa or Tanya
    1. Resources for staff- should be created: grant database to identify other grants options (7th generation, National Life, VT Mutual, Exxon, etc.)
    2. Tips to teachers for applying for grants


E-Newsletter topics:

  • Grant outcome
  • Update of fundraisers follow up (visual thermometer-pie chart) of how much money we would like to raise for the 2018-2019 school year.
  • Reminder-amazon smile
  • Tech corner
  • Creating expectations for holiday giving (article for spirit of the holidays)
  • Getting to know you column—Questions to include: What do you do on a snow day? What are you reading? favorite movie? What can parents do to generalize skills acquired in school into the home, What was your favorite class/grade in school?
  • Save the date for the dance: Theme is ??
Upcoming Meetings

  • The December meeting is not confirmed
  • January meeting topic is the garden