VFMS PTO Board Meeting Notes March 20, 2017

VFMS PTO Board Meeting Notes

March 20, 2017

Call to Order

The meeting began at 12pm. In attendance were Ankur Kashyap, Jennifer Newhall, Jamie Lynch, Stacey Pellegrini, Natalie Sudall, Emily Brunner, Jamie Lynch, Lori Benedict, Sarah Culbert.
The minutes from the February PTO meeting were reviewed an approved.
The next PTO meeting will be held on April 24, at 12:00 pm in the conference room adjacent to the library.

Update from Treasurer – There was no update from the treasurer because she was unable to make the meeting.

Update on Online Directory Progress:

2 online directory options were discussed during the meeting. Additional research is needed to compare pricing, data loading options and participation by other TE schools before we can make move forward.

Update for Matt Gibson given by:

Spring sports have started, weather dependent.
Track popularity has increased and the school would like to start a running program in the fall. The program will be similar to a cross country program run 2 -3 days a week in the Fall, with hopes of hosting a cross country meet at VFMS.
Course selection cards for rising 6, 7 and 8 graders are due April 7.
The “intent to return” declaration has been added to the course selection card.
The Middle School Advisory Committee made up of 2 parent reps, a school board rep, teachers and administrators is reviewing the advisory period initiative for 7^th and 8^th is looking at adding a coding/technology piece.
8^th Grade Graduation has been moved to the June 14^th,due to the March snow day.
7^th grade Williamsburg field trip is June 7,8,9 and 8^th grade Sandy Hill field trip June 8,9.
8^th grade Dorney Park field trip will be June 12^th.
Algebra Keystones will be May 17^th and 18^th.

Update from VP Fundraising:

Barnes and Noble Spring Book Fair is coming up on Mothers Day weekend.

Update on Volunteers and Communications:

The rules for the VFMS PTO Facebook page were reviewed and approved.
A link on the website and
A request for volunteers and RSVPs for the grade coffees has been added to the PTO website as well as the weekly blasts.
Jamie Lynch created rules for a VFMS PTO Facebook Group page. The rules were reviewed and approved by the board, please see attached. This page will be used as an additional tool to disseminate information volunteer opportunities and announcements.

Update from VP Social:

The “Meet and Greet” grade specific coffees have been very successful for the 5, 7, and 8^th grades. The 6^th grade coffee was postponed due to snow.
We are still looking for volunteers for 8^th grade graduation and Teacher luncheon.
The next school dance will be April 28^th.

Update from Cultural Arts:

Almanac Theater performed for the students and will also hold a performance for the community.

Misc.:

We would like to find a way inform our parents about the district meetings and educate parents that they are able to attend and voice their opinions at all the school district meetings.
Sarah Culbert presented information about PA House Bill #762, a sleep bill. See attachment for additional information
The next meeting will be April 24, 2017
The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 pm.

The Regional Adolescent Sleep Needs Coalition Needs You!

This is a forum looking at the impact sleep, or rather the lack there of, has on our teenagers. We need your support as there is a House Bill (762) in Harrisburg being brought by Representative Tim Briggs, which seeks to require the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to conduct a study of issues, benefits and options The Regional Adolescent Sleep Needs Coalition needs you!

As hopefully many of you may be aware, over the past 18 months there has been heightened awareness within our community and surrounding school districts of the effect sleep, or rather lack there of, has on our teenagers. It began with a forum on Sleep and the Adolescent Brain in February 2016 that featured Dr Judith Owens, Director of Sleep Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dr Katherine Dahlsgaard, Lead Psychologist at the Anxiety Behaviors Clinic at CHOP. Both their presentations gave irrefutable evidence of the role sleep plays in the academic, social, emotional and behavioral well being of young people as they strive to meet expectations and realize their goals.

Since then, a lot of work has been going on to try to convince the powers that be of the urgent need to review school start times/look at healthy hours. Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is on the verge of delaying start time for its high school and middle school students by 25 minutes to 8am. There will be a vote in April 2017 that will result in this change being implemented for the 2017/18 school year. Also before the House in Harrisburg is House Bill 762, legislation being brought by Representative Tim Briggs, which seeks to require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to conduct a study of issues, benefits and options related to instituting a later start time to the school day for secondary schools.

What does this have to do with me? Well, if you are at all concerned about the amount of sleep your teenager is getting and the impact this is having on them, please contact the school board (by email or in person at a meeting) and encourage them to study the issue in TESD. Second, please contact your Representative (Easttown Duane Milne 717-787-8579 Harrisburg or 610-251-1070 Malvern Tredyffrin Warren Kampf 717-260-6166 Harrisburg or 610-251-2876 Paoli) and ask them to co-sponsor the above Bill. Third, to become part of a group of fellow concerned TE parents, contact Sarah Culbert (sarahculbert@hotmail.com) or Karen Vadner (mikeandkarenvad@aol.com). We need your help to move this issue higher up the agenda.

before the House in Harrisburg is House Bill 762, legislation being brought by Representative Tim Briggs, which seeks to require the Pennsylvania Department of Education to conduct a study of issues, benefits and options related to instituting a later start time to the school day for secondary schools.