1. PTA General Meeting #1 October 2, 2014 Agenda - Goals - Budget - Fundraising - Volunteer Opportunities - Administration Update - Roundtable Discussion www.swansfieldpta.org

2. Welcome ✤ Mission – Integrate efforts of parents, teachers, staff and students to create one community. ✤ Goals ✤ Increase PTA membership and family involvement ✤ Foster an inclusive environment that fully utilizes all volunteers, including male role models, and broader community members ✤ Enhance community outreach ✤ Maintain communication between the PTA and administration, staff and parents ✤ Encourage staff support of PTA activities ✤ Officers ✤ President: Iraina Nelson-Brooks ✤ 1st Vice President: Ali Tatum-Davis ✤ 2nd Vice President: Annette Varoili ✤ Treasurer: Dionne Lynch ✤ Corresponding Secretary: Careese Warren ✤ Recording Secretary: Kristel Ruch

3. Budget Report

4. Fundraising Fundraising -“Make a Difference” donate directly to your PTA! Swansfield PTA Goal - $10,000 Fall Fundraising Thank you to all the families who made a donation to the PTA either through a direct donation or through our Fall catalog fundraiser. If you would like to make a direct donation to the PTA there's still time! Please go to the fundraising page on our website, SwansfieldPTA.org, and donate via PayPal, or send your donation to school in a sealed envelope labeled "PTA Fundraising." The total sales from the catalog fundraiser (forms and online) are approximately $4,400; we would net approximately $2,200. There were $888 from directions. Panera Bread (Nov 2014) and Pizzeria Unos (Jan 2015). I requested a fundraiser at Chipotle for Feb 2015 and looking into Chick-fil-A for March. Silent Auction possibly at the Father Daughter Dance Feb 2015.

5. Volunteer Opportunities STRIDERS – Now Fitness Fridays!!! ✤ Striders is a recess time activity where the students walk or run the 1/4 mile loop at the school to earn token prizes. ✤ We need at least 1 or 2 volunteers for 30 minute blocks between 11 and 2 on Fridays to encourage the students, manage the tracking cards, and hand out prizes. ✤ The Ben Carson Reading Room – the only one in Howard County! ✤ Ben Carson Reading room is a place where small groups of students can go during the day and read or be read to by a parent volunteer. ✤ We would love to have parents, grandparents, or guardians spend 30 minutes per week or every other week to either read to (Pre-K - 1st grades) or monitor 3-8 students as they read quietly to themselves (grades 1-5).

6. Additional Volunteer Opportunities ✤ PTA Howard Delegate - Attend monthly meetings at night and report back to the PTA Board. Currently our PTA Treasure attends the meetings however it is always good to have a back up if there is any parent interest please contact Iraina Nelson-Brooks. ✤ We are starting our Staff Appreciation days again for the new school year this is such a great way to say thanks to our staff. We have made it really easy and convenient this year by doing it all online with Sign up Genius. Our first month of luncheons is October. ✤ Please go to sign up genius there will be a flyer in the Monday folder. Please sign up for October, November or December--or if you want all 3!! Soon all the months will be up there and ready for signing up. Also please be sure to forward this information on to any other parents not on the list-that you know who would love to help out.

7. Blessings in a Backpack ✤ Would you like to support those in our Swansfield Elementary School community who are in need of a little extra help? Blessings in a Backpack is a new program which will provide weekend food for some of our students. Please consider a donation of time (as a packing volunteer) or money. Donations can be made by check or online. ✤ Visit the Blessings in a Backpack website for more information or to make a donation: www.blessingsinabackpack.org/GetInvolved/Donate ✤ IMPORTANT: Be sure to specify Swansfield Elementary on either your check or online donation (instructions are on the website). ✤ If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Cindy at cscruggs14@aol.com.cscruggs14@aol.com Alesia Richter, School Counselor alesia_richter@hcpss.org

8. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

9. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

10. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

11. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

12. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

13. Contact Committee Chairs to Learn More www.swansfieldpta.org

14. Roundtable Dialogue ✤ Areas of Focus ✤ What is working? ✤ What is not working? ✤ Where should we slow down? ✤ Where should we provide more resources? ✤ Any new ideas?

15. Administration Report ✤ Security Update: How are things going? ✤ Classroom Size: Staffing Formulas / Addressing Growth / New 5 th Teacher ✤ How we are addressing this through School-wide Title I  We receive additional federal funding to support the academic needs of our students. Those funds are being used for additional staff and family programs. Intervention Teachers are working in every team to support small group instruction or serve as teachers of record. ✤ Volunteer Orientation: Great Turn-Out ✤ Mighty Men Underway! ✤ Great Ideas on streamlining support needs andways to help from home! ✤ Harper’s Choice Public Education Forum- next Mon. October 6 = ✤ Family Tech Night: Thurs. Oct. 16th ✤ Share the highlights ✤ Wellness Policy: Will affect classroom celebrations ✤ Share the details and ideas for upcoming Halloween / Alternate

16. Thank you