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Valley Forge Middle School PTO

Parent-Teacher Organization for VFMS

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VFMS PTO Meeting Minutes, 1/10/2023

Posted on: March 4, 2023

PTO meeting 1/10/2023

Attendance: President Lucy Bennett, Principal Matt Gibson, Jenny Ham-Roberts, Erika Dawson, Laura Olah, Lesley Farrell, Brittany Ortiz, Alora Chirchick, Amy Saylor, Rachel Kramer, Lauren Lentz, M. McLaughlin, May Mon Post, Ade Ajibade, Anjali Gupta

Lucy Bennett – Welcome

Mr. Gibson Report

·        Thank you for teacher gifts and luncheon!

·        In light of cold weather, implementing dismissal changes

o   Keep kids inside as much as possible to avoid bad weather.  Working well so far.

·        Activity time – Starting Friday, January 13, 2023, children can sign up for different locations on Schoology.  Creating an area in gym for socialization, away from sports activities. 

·        January 26, 2023 – Virtual Curriculum Night for 8th grade families

·        February 7, 2023 – ½ day for VFMS. 

o   In-Service Day– Will be safety program for teachers. Working with TE police department about school safety policies

·        February 8, 2023 – Breakfast for 8th grade parents. 

o   8:30am in school cafeteria

o   Mr. Gibson and high school counselors will present regarding transition process.  Will discuss how to support kids as transition to high school  

o   Only for 8th grade parents

o   Historically between 50-75 parents attend

·        March – School Musical

·        April and early May – standardized testing, PSSAs

·        Question – what is protocol if child misses school due to sickness?

o   Mr. Gibson – Stressed that if a child is sick, he/she should stay home.  School and teachers try very hard not to cause kids anxiety due to missed assignments/school.  Child can meet with teacher during activity, and if still a concern, child can talk with counselor or parent can talk with teacher.

·        Question- when is 8th grade graduation?

o   No date determined yet.   Will wait until know final day of school and before determine date (likely 2-3 days before the end of school) and a rain date.  Will be held outdoors due to allow maximum attendance   

·        Question – parent inquired as to whether there will be a Coding club?

o   Mr. Gibson – Students have suggested clubs, and was interest in a robotics club

o   New club announcements will come out soon on Schoology

·        Question – with “triple-demic,” have there been more absences? 

o   Mr. Gibson – not significantly

·        Question – PTO has noticed fewer Golden Apple Grant applications coming in this year

o   Mr. Gibson – Likely a few reasons:

§  Some past Golden Apple Grants should have been school purchases (e.g., books for classrooms).  Mr. Gibson has discussed this with teachers

§  Also, some teachers who requested them have now retired. 

o   Mr. Gibson will talk with teachers to promote GAGs and let teachers know is available

o   Mr. Gibson does not need to review GAG requests before PTO approves them

President Update: Lucy Bennett

·        Introductions

·        Minutes approved from Dec. 6 meeting

·        Holiday Gift Cards for teachers/staff totaled $85.00 per teacher/staff member; they were handed out at teacher luncheon

·        Contact List for PTO leadership – not for public use.  Includes key school personnel

·        Leadership Social Survey

o   Tuesday, January 24, 2023 works best.  Place and time TBD

·        PTO to start to consider gift to give to school for end of year

o   Prior gift was updating Audion

o   If is a gift for outside the school (e.g., additional outdoor seating outside of cafeteria), request must first be submitted to facilities committee

o   Lucy will ask Mr. Gibson if school needs anything

·        Introduced Lauren Lentz  – new representative for Children’s Dental Clinic

Reports from PTO members

Lauren Lentz:  Children’s Dental Clinic

·        Children’s Dental Clinic – Non-profit that serves TE and Great Valley school districts

·        Opened during school year on Thursdays

·        Provides dental services and transportation to and from clinic for children

·        Website:  Kidsdentalclinic.org

·        Fundraiser coming up soon

DEI: Erika Dawson & Jenny Ham-Roberts

·        DEI: Erika Dawson & Jenny Ham-Roberts-

o   Planning community conversation in March/April.  Date TBD

·        Meeting with Mr. Gibson next week

Treasurer: Anjali Gupta

·        Annual fund donations – no additional amount from last meeting

·        January 31, 2023: Will file taxes and need W-9s on file for that.  Working with Amy Terlecki to obtain

·        If need reimbursement for luncheon, please submit the request using reimbursement form on website

Golden Apple Grants: Pamela Badalato

·        Pamela Badalato could not make meeting tonight so Lucy filled us in

·        Last meeting, Pamela shared Golden Apple Grant request from Chris Kilby ($165.00 for 1 year of Adobe classes).  She asked him the PTOs follow up questions, which he answered.  Lucy shared questions and answers

·        Lucy – this would be pilot program.

·        Lucy – total budget for GAGs is 3,000 for this year. 

·        PTO Voted GAG for Chris Kilby – Request approved!  

Fundraising: Amy Saylor

·        Fundraiser with Main Point Books made $85.00

o   Will revisit next year to see if worthwhile to try again.

o   Not much lead time to promote this time, so may be better if better advertised

·        To sell ceiling tiles in next month or so.  Placement in school TBD

o   Will start sale after school store closes

·        Have contacted local restaurants about fundraising nights.   Not much success but will continue to try

·        Flyers tickets for sale.  

o   $320.00 profit made so far (as of December)

·        Philadelphia Union announced schedule – Emily Carteen will work to schedule school night

·        Spirit Wear.  Emily hopes to have ready in next 2-3 weeks despite various complications

Volunteers: Amy Saylor

·        Luncheon went well and everyone enjoyed. 

Cultural Arts: Alora Chirchick

·        February 16, 2023 – Author Nathan Hale coming to school. 

o   Books for sale now for the event

·        February 23, 2023 – Ancient Egypt assembly for 5th grade

·        April 12, 2023 – Holocaust remembrance event for 8th grade

·        April 17, 2023 – American revolution assembly for 7th grade

·        Still determining 6th grade assembly

Communications: Judy Reiter -no report

Directory: Stephanie Crill- no report

Blast: Rachel Kramer

·        Please provide suggestions for blast directly to Rachel

Facebook: Stephanie Howard (not in attendance)

·        Lucy noted that appears to be a scam spirit wear post on 6th grade FB page.  Be on the lookout for anything like that and alert admins asap if you see it.

Green Team: Laura Olah

·        In final stages of collecting holiday lights

·        Working with green counsel to develop collections that are needed

·        Oral care collection not going well (a lot of trash comes in)

o   Looking for options for that bin – may try Trex recycling

·        Lucy suggested shoe recycling; Laura will look into

·        Have 3 recycling bins

o   Please give suggestions for collections. Ideally ones that are needed in community

BUILD T/E: Laura Olah 

·        Looking for club ideas for kids that aren’t as into organized

sports, such as hiking, etc.

·        Laura will talk with Mr. Gibson about clubs and whether parents can organize.   Perhaps PTO can help expand list of clubs in future

T&E Care: Amanda Miller & Kim Jamme  Howard – no report

School Board: Brittany Ortiz

·        A lot of budget related discussions at last SB meeting

·        Approximately 80% of TE residents don’t have children in schools, so important that school population is represented in SB meetings

·        Budget for 2023-24 year to be finalized in June

·        Budget workshops to be held in March and April – open to public

·        Budget deficit right now

·        Looking into acquiring property for potential new elementary school, although no decision has yet been made as to actually opening another elementary school

Next Meeting

·        Meeting February 7, 2023 at 7:00pm, via Zoom

Notes Compiled by Lesley Farrell

Previous Post:Spirit Wear is Now Available
Next Post:Ceiling Tile Fundraiser – Leave Your Mark!

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VFMS Main Office: (610) 240-1300
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VFMS Main Office: (610) 240-1300
Attendance Line: (610) 240-1330