meeting minutes - February, 2023

ACMS PTO meeting 2.9.2023
ACMS Staff Room, call to order 7:49am.
In Attendance: Laurie Kuntz, Saira West, Susie Overall, Kristi Prochazka, Becky Barton, Yvonne Moore (minutes), Hien Larson
Approve meetings from last month: Yvonne made a motion to approve, Kristi seconded and all agreed.
Treasurer’s Report - Susie for Kate: Use Quicken for online platform.  PTO Expenses - $100 for ice skating event (17 kids signed up), staff snacks in teacher’s lounge, extra night for band teacher, $120 month for Cougar Pride gift cards, reading challenge incentives, Million Word Club sweatshirts. Paid PTO insurance through Todd Rivera at District Office. Paid 6th grade field trip. $25,445 balance in bank account. Income – Sold some spirit wear.
Principal’s Update -Hien L: Site Council Plan is being approved next Thursday at 8am. Looking to get student and parent on a safety committee to give input to update student handbook, e.g. no cell phone at lunch. Homework club has gotten busier, but kids need to come with homework and not just to hang out. Upcoming dance this Friday, students need to sign up online through Google form before the end of the school day for safety reasons.  Superintendent Ghysels came to listen for Strategic plan update suggestions. Hien randomly pulled some students to give feedback. Lots of positive feedback on band and request for art and electives. Discussion about offering a scholarship to kids in need for boys and girls club at $100 per year. Yvonne moved to offer 5 annual scholarships to boys and girls clubs for families in need, Laurie seconded and all approved. Susie will create a scholarship form and Hien will review the applicants.  8th grade promotion committee meeting will be on March 30th at 8:00am in the staff lounge. West Orthodontics will annually sponsor the photo booth at the 8th grade promotion party.  Celebration will take place at ACMS.  The Pause Reflect Plan mid-year evaluation was completed by students.  Hien thinks it would be helpful to complete more than once a year to get students to look at Aeries.  Laurie had a question about the Strategic Plan and if the curriculum is part of that because she has heard math might be changed.  CPM is being discussed since it is very language based. Currently a new science program “Foss” is being piloted. Becky asked about safety in the School Site Plan: where and how an evacuation would be in case of a fire or other emergency and how children would be moved. Hien said it depends on where and what the emergency is.  The local fire department and transportation helps district wide with these plans. There has been a problem with too many students being late and it is effecting the start of class time. Parents need to get students to school earlier.
Spirit Wear update - Kristi P: Moving to an online platform through BSN sports. This is the same platform that the Truckee High Boosters uses. We get a certain dollar amount per sale. We can set sale periods ahead of time. PTO is responsible for promoting the sales and the website does all the rest. Each sale goes on for one week at a time. PTO could do four or five sales at strategic times. The first opportunity would be March 21st for the 5th grade parents touring ACMS. Other times are Cougar days before school starts, last week of November before winter break, etc. Maybe utilize the display case at school to display items and next date for sale.
School Dance - Susie O: February 10, We have blinky rings and glasses, and Pura Vida bracelets to sell. Laurie and Jenny Berger volunteered to sell at the PTO table.
Other Business – Susie: Next tamale fundraiser will be chosen on March 24. Ice Skating Event cost was $100 and there were 17 sign ups. Held on a minimum day and a lot of students opted to go skiing. Staff Appreciation held the week of May 8th – 11th. Laurie K and Susie will chair. For a gift, Hien requested soft shell zip down jackets ($40 each) and lanyards for 70 staff members. Laurie suggested reusable tote bags. Open house is May 11th. Host a movie night at Northstar (?) after the snow clears?
Next PTO meeting: Tuesday, March 14, 6:15pm Raley’s One upstairs
Meeting Adjourned at 9:10am