Meeting minutes - October 2021

October 2021 ACMS PTO Minutes

Attendees: Susie Overall, Denise VanBeek, Leslie Suen, Saira West, Hien Larson, Nicole Reitter, Yvonne Moore, Jenny Suh, Jenny Berger, Reini Jensen, Amanda Helm, Kate Byus

Next Meeting: Wednesday Nov 17th, 6:15pm at Raley’s ONE bar. We will alternate between morning and evening meetings so more people can make the meetings.

Hien Larson, Principal's Update:

• School enrollment is bigger than ever before; COVID has created challenges for transportation for sports. HR is currently processing 400 potential parent volunteers. Until small teams can have parent drivers, we will continue to use athletics budget for transportation.  All players are encouraged to donate the athletic fee.
• District will start having field trips! Band will have the first one at the start of 2nd trimester. Other options are SWEP, ropes course, and possibly 6th grade field trips. Looking at the possibility of doing an overnight field trip because of COVID. We want as much normalcy as possible for our students, they need bonding experiences. Staff will continue to explore overnight field trips for 6th graders.
• Kids need to learn how to be at school again; (TikTok nonsense) Talk to your kids about their day; Ask how things are going at break, would love to have more parents here at break time (let Mrs. Larson know if you can help); kids are learning how to be back to school. In the next few weeks, the plan is for all students to reflect on how we can collectively make our school a better place and how each person can individually make a difference in contributing to a positive school climate. Please ontinue to educate kids and try to highlight positive behaviour. Will institute Cougar Pride cards again (kids get swag or out of class  3 mins early on Fridays). There’s a group of 8th graders who get hot lunch and then throw it. Talk to your kids about this, it’s an incredible waste of food. **Can PTO get us some swag? - Fanny packs, stickers, water bottles, string bags. We donated 50 ACMS stickers and 125 string bags to the school for administration to use as rewards.
• Uniformed School Resource Officer is here Wednesdays and Fridays. He always has been, some parents have asked why the Police seem to be at school more :)
• Hoping to have a school dance by Winter Break - early December - ***PTO role - every homeroom needs 2 parent chaperones - also we could sell stuff. Leadership sells snacks, student council does photo booth.
• Vending machine is broken, working on fixing it. Creates long lines during break and food isn’t healthy. Cafeteria is providing free food.
• Positivity: mindfulness circles and mindful minutes, morning bulletin, student council delivers birthday wishes ***Send photos and good news emails for the bulletin; Mrs. Larson personally emails all students involved in sports and clubs that she attends. 
• Make more of an effort to combine the Truckee El kids with Glenshire kids, so they feel like one community; also encourage them to cheer for each other during away sports games rather than being focused on their phones. 
• Can we use this as a learning opportunity to teach parents about technology, TikTok, and these new challenges we are facing; perhaps Mrs. Larson brings these things up in Cougar News? ***Put something in the ACMS PTO newsletter as a reminder to read the bulletin.
• ***Looking to hire a Campus Monitor position - school safety employee; also looking to hire Instructional Aides.
• ***9:30 am break - need parents volunteers to help monitor students - cleared parents can drop in for this. 
• Can we highlight non-athletic clubs more? Clubs are hard now because they mostly take place at lunch, hard to have them inside due to COVID.
• Wellness Center opening soon in the school. This will provide another safe space for kids. Hang out zone for different groups to meet and chat. Hoping to start November 1st. 
• Grading Standards Meeting last night was a success - will post the meeting in Cougar News and on ACMS website.
• After-School Spanish - conversational class - Ms. Sanford wants to do it one day/week. Talk to Erin White about tax & Ind Contractor implications; Susie will do Sign Up Genius.

Treasurer’s Report

• $6,955 balance in the bank
• Received $200 from the ACMS Family; several donations from PayPal towards conference week meals - THANK YOU!
• $200/month from Grocery Outlet
• $240 from Summit Swirl Fundraiser
• Friday October 15th - Panda Express Fundraiser - show the flyer or have the code

West Orthodontics donated ACMS stickers - give them away or sell them - $143 for 200 stickers

Spirit Wear

• Kate’s company is helping, fronting the clothing, then we pay once we sell it
• We ordered more sweatshirts, tshirts, etc. to have on hand and sell during parent coffee hour, events.

Snacks for Staff Lounge

• Jenny has been buying and stocking each month
• Kim V. is replenishing the baskets

Conference Week Meals

• Minimum days October 25-29
• People are starting to sign up via Sign Up Genius . Parents will supply lunches each day and help set up and clean up.
• We have some donations for the day we buy sandwiches. Susie working with Raley’s to provide sandwiches on Wednesday.
• We will also send out an eblast. 

Other New Business

• Requesting partnerships with parents who own restaurants or small businesses to do fundraisers. So far a small local ski school based out of Granlibakken has offered a discount on their ski program which will be outlined in the next newsletter.
• Excellence in Education - Register Roundup at Mountain Hardware; also will do a push for a monthly donation program.
• Truckee El has the Pumpkin Patch 10/24

Adjourn 8:58am

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