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Henry C. Hall Middle School PTA EXECUTIVE BOARD MINUTES
Meeting of Tuesday, October 16, 2001
1:15pm • Hall MUR
Board members present: Leslie Alden-Crowe, Ann Arabian, Bob
Cone, Karen Deist, Kathy Grey, Ann Morrison, Nicole Muserilli, Jeannie
Perry, Becky Reed, Rebecca Sarokin, Barbara Solomon, Susy Vrouvas
Board members absent: Shawn DeMont, Liz Krakow, Susan Wirta
- PRESIDENT’S WELCOME
The meeting was called to order at 1:25pm. Ann introduced two members
present at the meeting, Leslie Alden-Crowe, our legislative liaison,
and Rececca Sarokin, one of the 6th grade vice presidents.
- PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Old Business
- Lunch program — Will be introducing Gatorade and juice
as a drink choice at lunch. We are getting our Chow Mein from a
new restaurant, Canton. It has a good report from the kids.
- Membership Update — Our goal is $3700. We are now
at $3037. The 6th grade has a 51% membership, 7th grade has 39%,
and 8th grade has 42%. 11 staff/teachers have joined as well.
- Chalk Festival — Was very well attended. Had many
Neil Cummins parents there. There was $715 in food sold. It turned
out in the red because we ordered 20 T-shirts that Laura Jane Cotes
designed. These can be sold in the future and make up the cost.
They weren’t very well advertised this year.
- QSP Magazine Sales — today is the first turn in day.
Then two more dates to follow. Usually the last date in when most
return the orders.
- Community Service — warm clothing drive: slightly
less turnout than last year. But it was still good. Ritterhouse
has invited us there to see what happens with donated items. Maybe
on a Saturday we could take a group of kids to Ritterhouse and take
a tour (2 hours). Maybe could offer 1 hour of community service
for this
- Health and Safety — emergency phone tree: this is
still being worked on by Bonnie Kaiser. She is transferring information
from the emergency cards which takes a very long time. She would
welcome any volunteers.
New Business
- Grade level V.P. reports/updates — The 6th grade will
be doing a Pumpkin party on October 31. the 7th grade field trip
went well last week. The 8th grade has enough chaperones for the
dance. The parents should arrive at 6:30pm. Mr. Cone spoke to Dick
regarding inappropriate dancing. Have decorations from Neil Cummins
for Halloween. Could use those for the dance. They are stored at
Marin Primary. The student council does the decorating. They will
be told about those available decorations.
- Safe routes to school survey outcome — Results were
as follows: There are a total of 150 cars in the A.M. and P.M.,
about 130 singles students driven, and about 10-20 carpools. The
survey got responses from 286 children. 108 walk or bike, 46 carpool
(These 2 modes are about 50%) and 132 are driven (46%). The parent
surveys have not been read yet. Will get their input and then try
to have the city address their concerns. The 1st Wed. of each month,
the kids get a cougar card for walk/ride to school. There is a bus
route from E. Corte Madera to Neil Cummins to Hall. It would be
good to get the exact bus route (Golden Gate Transit) and the stops.
The schedule for stops is in the Hall office. East Corte Madera
kids get bus passes at a reduced rate. We’re looking into making
passes available for all kids. East Corte Madera would still be
free, and the other kids would get a discounted rate.
- APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made to approve the minutes of September 18, 2001 by Kathy
Grey. Approved with the change of the word “that” to “state”
under the principal’s report section of the September minutes.
Seconded by Barbara Solomon.
- TREASURER’S REPORT — see budget sheet
We make $1.25 per person on the TJ’s lunches. We haven’t been
billed by them yet. The $6000 in a CD is maturing on the 24th. It earned
3.25% or about $48. We had a surplus $12,000. We spent $1000 for library
tables. We should spend the rest of the surplus money, not save it.
Mr. Cone says tell him the amount available, and he can find ways to
spend it. Ann and Karen will discuss the amount and will tell Bob. We
should save some for June, after construction.
- PRINCIPAL’S REPORT — Bob Cone
- We have a new counselor, Sheila Ryan. She has 4 years experience.
She is at Neil Cummins on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and at Hall
on Thursday, Friday. She will work with groups of children with
like concerns (i.e. divorce, depression, etc.) She will contact
children from previous years, will ask teachers for recommendations.
The teachers will then ask the parents of those children. Or a parent
can contact her if you feel your child could use it. She is not
there for individual counseling, though. This is for groups. These
group sessions are during school, on a rotating period basis. It’s
1st period one week, then 2nd period the next week, etc. She can
also answer parent questions. She will do teacher in-service and
parent in-service on any issues of concern.
- The school nurse Sharon, is doing vision screening on the 8th
graders, new kids, special Ed, creative writing kids.
- Tamora Pierce, a children’s author, will be speaking at Book
Passage. Carol Halpern is taking about 8 children who are real fans
to hear her talk.
- There is an assembly on Friday at 11:40am, Daughter of the
Regiment. It is an opera production by the Marin Opera Guild.
It offered by a foundation which does free performances at school.
The kids get a synopsis of it beforehand so they can follow the
plot. They use some student volunteers in the performance - 3 adults
sing and then children volunteers have speaking parts.
- There will be make-up pictures on 10/24.
- The 8th grade graduation meeting on 11/7 from 6-7 will need another
place to meet due to construction. It will be an San Clemente school.
- Our academic performance score increased from 872 to 875. When
the score is above 800, it is very tough to up the score. Bob was
hoping we’d stay even. Neil Cummins went up 4 points. Statistically,
we’re about the same. This score is just one indicator of how
a school is doing. Other indicators are how kids, teachers and parents
feel about school. You can almost predict the scores based on the
income of the area.
- We budget $2000 for scholarships. A parent requested $225 for
bus tickets for her kids on rainy days. I’m asking if any parents
would like to contribute $ towards this. We will give some.
- Idea — How about swapping our lost and found clothes with
that of another school. Then can give these to kids who don’t
have many clothes, and they wouldn’t belong to any of our students.
No one would recognize a sweatshirt and say, “Hey that’s
mine.”
- OPEN DISCUSSION
- Leslie — On September 11, President Bush was in Florida to
kick off a big education push, HRI, the education reform bill. It
addressed special ed. Special education money is critical nationwide.
a 1975 federal law mandated that all children must be educated in
the least restrictive environment. The Federal government agreed to
pay “up to” 40% of these costs. Historically, they’ve
paid 10-15%. Local schools pay the rest. This needs reform. There
is bipartisan support for this. Here we have about 15% of kids with
special education needs. Write to our congressperson (Lynn Woolsey)
to urge this bill to pass that would up this to the maximum amount
at 40%. It was suggested to put a flyer in the mail, perhaps with
a sample letter for people to use as a base.
- Barbara — is on the budget review task force. There will be
an information night for parents to talk about budget woes on Tuesday
10/30 from 7-9. There will be a facilitator. This is only for parents,
not teachers or the principal.
- Kathy — We need videotaping help for teachers who are going
for their certification. The school will buy the camera (Bob). The
money will come from the Hall budget. (On the wish list).
MEETING ADJOURNED
Submitted by Susy Vrouvas, Secretary
[minutes approved at Executive Board meeting of Nov. 27, 2001]
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