Washington High School PTA
Meeting Minutes
September 12, 2006
President Candy Vance called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. A program was given by Lynn Dennis presenting the video This Place on the topic of underage drinking. ASAC strongly recommends this video to all parents. Input from the group was given following the video. Introductions were made around the room. 51 people were in attendance.
Executive Committee Reports
Secretary The minutes of the May meeting were circulated and approved. All members that have signed up this year will receive the minutes and a PTA meeting reminder monthly.
Treasurer Lisa Thirnbeck provided copies of the proposed budget for 2006-7 year as well as a report on activity during August. Lisa asked that expense forms be filled out. Anyone needing an expense slip can find them in the PTA box or on the Wash PTA web-site. A motion to approve the budget was made and seconded. The budget was approved. Blue Chip donations the PTA's only real fundraiser will be accepted any time.
President Candy is still looking for people to fill three spots. Academic Support needs a person to work with the tutor coordinator, Target Card needs a person to act as the contact for Target when they send out the tallies of the donation checks and to promote the use of Target cards by Washington families, and Graduate Follow-up needs someone to work with the counseling office to confirm the current school or occupation of last spring's graduates.
Staff Comments
Mrs. McDermott, Director of Guidance, announced that Jennifer Byers, the new counselor will revamp the counseling web-site. Mr. Scherrman is working on planning the counselor's college tour. ZAPS prep sessions for the PSAT will be held Sept. 19 and 20, for $69. This course offers general test taking tips and is optional but may help those who have test anxiety. Mr. Duer (L.A.) is helping the counselors develop a prep course for the ACT. Kirkwood will be holding the Eastern Iowa College Fair on Sept.20 th . Jennifer Byers will be taking over the coordination of the Health Ed. Classes. The annual College Panel (information about college admissions) will be held at Kennedy H.S. on Sept. 25 th at 7:00 . New this year - Three sets of grades will be sent out during each trimester. Freshman grades will be mailed to the home and other classes will have theirs handed out at school. ITEDs will be in October - these are NOT optional for seniors. It is recommended that the top 25% of the junior class take the PSAT. Sophomores can take it as practice. The PLAN test is a practice for the ACT. It includes a career survey. Usually either the ACT or SAT will be accepted by most colleges.
Dr. Peggy Hardesty, Faculty Liaison and 9 th grade Counselor, reported a large number of freshmen this year and it seems to be a great class. She thanked the Hospitality Committee for their part in helping with the Freshmen Orientation and Open House. Tony Lombardi will intervene in attendance issues.
Dr. Ralph Plagman, Principal, stated that the school year has gotten off to a smooth start. Teachers are complimentary of the freshman class. We have the biggest enrollment in 40 years - possibly over 1700 students. The staff FYI newsletters are available to PTA attendees. There are 17 new teachers and staff this year. Dr. Plagman has visited the classroom of each new teacher and is impressed with them. They will be introduced at future PTA meetings.
The 50 th anniversary committee has an update from Sara Sauter - she stated that she has class Reps from all but 7 of the 49 years. The following are the years she still needs Reps for: 1969, 1980, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999. If you know someone from any of those classes who could be contacted please let Sara know.
Committee Reports
Volunteer Coordinator Jade Hart asked that everyone fill out the volunteer forms that are available through the e-mail or from her. Also, yellow cards need to be filled out by first time volunteers. Volunteer hours (including summer hours) can be recorded monthly on the sheet at the meetings or can be e-mailed to Jade. These hours can include band, orchestra and show choir since those are actual classes in the school curriculum. Post Prom is also included as it is a PTA project. Meeting attendance hours are also counted.
Cookie Sales Sara Sauter announced that the first cookie sale will be on Halloween, Tuesday, October 31 st . A sign-up sheet will circulate at the next meeting. Participants are asked to bring appropriate candies to put on cookies.
Data Entry Judy Baird is doing the membership entry.
Fundraising La Nae Ceryanec reported that Blue Chip donations are going well. Matching funds are available from several area employers - please check with your employer to find out if they offer a matching gift program. If you are a Rockwell employee please put Washington High School on the form as the recipient instead of Wash PTA. A current donor list was in the Open House program and will be in future programs and mailings. Judy Baird has enrolled us in the School Cents program again this year which starts October 1 st so shop at Lindale Mall and many of the surrounding restaurants and the Collins Road Hy Vee - then save your receipts to turn in at the boxes marked CR Washington in the center of Lindale or at the Collins Hy Vee. Points for grades will be given in November.
Grounds A great deal of work has been done over the spring and summer. The new committee chairs will be Val Ortberg and another person yet to be named.
Health Ed Lynn Dennis announced that Health Ed is in its sixth year at Washington . Lead presenters for the sessions are as follows:
Substance abuse sessions: Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC) specialists Tanea Moreland, and Beth Goldberg.
Sexual health sessions: St Luke's Family Center nurse clinician, Ida Martin Sorensen, and St Luke's labor/delivery nurse and educator, Julie Zimmerman; Red Cross/Rapids Aids Project staff, Katie Hauck, and WHS peer educators.
Mental health sessions: WHS counseling staff and Kristin Richardson, psychiatric nurse practitioner.
These sessions address the following subjects:
Ninth grade: Substance Abuse Sessions (alcohol and pot) and Sexual Health Sessions
Tenth grade: Sexual Health Sessions, Red Cross/Rapids Aids Project Peer Educators Sessions, and Substance Abuse Sessions (hard drugs, addiction)
Eleventh grade: Mental Health Sessions and Sexual Health Sessions
Twelfth grade: Life after High School Sessions
A meeting with the nurses is planned for the coming week to tweak the sessions. Brochures have been developed that are handed out to the students. Some pamphlets are available through a grant from St. Lukes. Students may be opted out of these sessions by contacting the main office. The Adolescent Health and Wellness Task Force is working on messages to be sent out to our students.
Hospitality Bobbie Pearson reported that Freshmen Orientation night and Open House had been successful. Conference dinners will be coming up in October and volunteers from the vol. forms will be contacted to supply food.
Membership Jann Baustian is our membership chair and reports that there are 255 members at this point.
PTA Website Lisa Thirnbeck reported that dates on the web calendar are wrong - things still need to be fixed.
Surveyor Ads - Julie Gasway is responsible for submitting the ads and the PTA buys an ad in each Surveyor issue.
Reflections - Information received since last May indicated that Washington had 2 state winners in the Reflections contest- Hannah Rosenthal for her Literature entry and Adam Hoffman for his Music Composition entry. We also had State Honorable Mention awards for Andrea Aulwes in Visual Arts and for Sarrah Knause and Samantha Jacobo in the photography category. The contest this year will revolve around the theme My Favorite Place .
Old Business
New Business
The meeting was adjourned at 10:42 AM followed by Q & A with Dr. Plagman.
Sorina Abernathey, Secretary