Valley Forge Middle School PTO

Parent-Teacher Organization for VFMS

VFMS PTO Meeting Minutes, November 1, 2022

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Attendance: Lucy Bennett, Lou’s iPhone, Matt Gibson, Amy Saylor, Jayeeta Ray, Jeanne Braun, Jenny Ham-Roberts, Laura Olah, Amy Terlecki, Erika Dawson, Francesca Merritt, ALora Chirchick, Pamela Badalato, Rachel Kramer, Kim Russell, Soohyun Oh, Anjali Gupta

Mr Gibson’s Report

  • Mr. Gibson called for us to remind parents about the upcoming half day on November 22 before Thanskgiving, which is also a teacher-parent conference day. Half days at middle school end at 12:17pm.
  • Mr. Gibson reminded us that Nov. 28 was another teacher-parent conference day from 12-7
  • An email went out this morning reminding parents about conferences and scheduling, which opens Wed., Nov. 2 at 10 a.m.
  • A new secretary in the main office started this week. Her name is Carol Abele and she will be handling the lost and found.
  • Raptor, the new sign in for non-students or staff entering the schools, will begin Monday. Mr. Gibson said most Chester County school districts are using this system. Although it does not take long to get into the system, the minute or two it takes will seem long if many parents arrive at the same time, so if any parents are at school for anything, get yourself into the system. After the first time, you only need to give your name. Jayeeta asked how someone without a driver’s license would get into the system.m Mr. Gibson said that a passport would also work, but that a FAQ would be coming out soon.
  • Field Trips are getting scheduled
    • 7th graders are heading to Lancaster Country for an Amish trip on 11/18
    • 6th graders are going to the Franklin Institute in December
    • 5th grade is looking for another possible field trip
  • Student Council is meeting tomorrow to finalize plans for a 7th/8th grade dance on Dec. 2 from 7-9. Mr. Gibson will let us know if they approve it.
  • Mr. Gibson said he has already started talks with T/E about the joint T/E & VF 8th grade dance at Conestoga in the spring.
  • Winter sports (girls basketball, boys basketball and wrestling) start late November/early December

President Update

  • Introductions 
  • Leadership members introduced themselves, as well as new PTO leaders, Laura Olah- Green Team and BUILD, Alora Chirchick- Cultural Arts, Jayeeta Ray-Assistant Treasurer, Pamela Badolato-Golden Apple Grants. Jeanne Braun from the school district introduced herself. Parent Kim Russell also introduce herself and expressed her interest in volunteering 
  • No changes to October’s minutes were proposed. The minutes were approved.
  • No changes or alterations to the new  proposed Bylaws were introduced. The new bylaws were approved.
  • Lucy explained the shared VFMS PTO Google drive that she found and how to use it. She suggested that if/when someone has a need to use it, to ask her for a quick refresher to access it.
  • The Clothing Drive for Nurse was successful and had ended
  • Lucy thanked those who volunteered to help with the Halloween Costume Contest and discussed possible tweeks for next year, including possible “gift certificates” of some kind to be used for a dessert at the school cafeteria next year for good costumes that did not win 1st place.
  • Update on volunteers who could not make this meeting
    • Brittany Ortiz-School Board
    • Amanda Miller & Kim Jamme-T&E Care

Reports from PTO members

  • DEI: Erika Dawson & Jenny Ham-Roberts
    • Erika and Jenny talked about the VFMS Equity Team Meeting they went to and about learning of the different efforts schols are making to ensure equity among students, including different ways teachers and staff can be there for students who are struggling 
    • Erika and Jenny talked about the “small but mighty crowd” they had for their first community conversation in October. The topic was microagressions, and they talked about what that meant to everyone and how to handle them should you see them or have them happen to you
    • Planning to host the next PTO DEI Committee Event in February and looking for a good date
    • Jeanne Braun talked about the upcoming district presentation about how equity shows up in middle school classrooms in the T/E district. Administrators spoke to elementary schools last spring and now they are coming to talk to middle school parents. The VFMS event is Nov. 29.
  • Treasurer: Anjali Gupta
    • Anjali said our donation drive is going well, based on last year’s numbers. She reported that we have paid the bill for the Audion, which was our gift over the last two years, totalling more than $16,000.
    • There was discussion of our lack of tax exempt status. We don’t know how it lapsed, but need to get it back. She is working on that, as well as changes in billing for Membership Toolkit, our directory and newsletter software.
    • New Assistant Treasurer-Jayeeta Ray
  • Fundraising: Emily Carteen & Amy Saylor
    • Emily reported that we are close to having a new logo. VFMS parent and graphic designer Lindsey Strippoli created four new potential logos for us and we are looking at them and meeting with Mr. Gibson to get them approved.
    • Unfortunately, due to changing spiritwear suppliers, the approvals needed for our change in logo and increased demand to the suppliers we had lined up, we will likely not be able to have a spiritwear sale before the holidays season. We may be doing a New Year’s sale. 
    • We will be doing a Flyers fundraiser in two parts.
      • 1. We will have a family night in December to get lots of families to come out to a Flyers game/
      • 2. We will be doing a season-long fundraiser with discounted tickets all year long. For both fundraisers, parents buying through our link will get group discounted tickets and we will make $5 per ticket in a win-win situation.
    • We are hoping to do a winter fundraiser decorating ceiling tiles that would go up in a VFMS hallway. We are still working on details and approvals.
  • Cultural Arts: Amy Terlecki
    • New Cultural Arts VP-Alora Chirchik
    • Kit’s Interactive Theater will being doing an in person Egyptian assembly for 5th grade on 3/23
    • Kit’s Interactive Theater will be doing a live Q&A for 7th graders on 4/17 with a virtual assembly they can watch during a set time period
    • Author Nathan Hale’s assembly will be 2/16
    • We are looking to do a book sales event with Main Point Books as a fundraiser to defer some of the $4,000 for the day of access we have with him.
    • 6th & 8th are still considering their assembly options
    • Lucy asked if we could do an early Hale fundraiser pre holidays, but Amy said there was an issue with then having students remember to bring their book in to be signed and drawn in. Amy suggested instead to do a “book sale” in December similar to restaurant fundraiser’s weve done before where we would get a percentage of money made when people mention VFMS. Amy T. said she would send Amy S. her contact at Main Point for a follow up.
  • Communications: Judy Reiter – no report
  • Blast: Rachel Kramer – no report
  • Facebook: Stephanie Howard – no report
  • Green Team: Laura Olah – no report
  • BUILD T/E: Laura Olah – no report
  • T&E Care: Amanda Miller & Kim Jamme – Holiday Drive Coming Soon
  • School Board: Brittany Ortiz – no report

Final Thoughts

  • Lucy asked the PTO to think about what we might want our 2022-23 gift to the school to be, saying it would likely be on the January agenda, as we might try to keep December’s meeting as short as possible given the busy season
  • Lucy asked if anyone was interested in doing a PTO social to get to know each other, since virtual meetings lack the ability to socialize. There appeared to be interest and Lucy said she would follow up with an email trying to guage interest and potential time, days, etc.

Next meeting is Dec. 6