PTO Calendar                                                                                   Morley Parent Teacher Organization

Minutes of the Meeting of November 20, 2003

Present:  Cyndi Van Doren, David Sebastianelli, Marguerite Tracy, Lyzsa Kieschnick, Sharon McHale, Karen Edwards, Bonnie Redderoth,  Stacy Raney, Connie Wollschloge, Megan Wares, Carmen Vasquez Millner, Lori Sandberg, Michael LaPointe, Patti Joel, Ruth Lawlor, Patty Alquist, Angela Fox, Maureen Kelleher, Ellen Rosow (Principal), Bonnie Schneider, Diane Venora, Ross Joel (President) (n=22)

Ross Joel called the meeting to order at 6:34 pm.

Ross Joel welcomed the members present and asked if there would be interest in a joint meeting with the Whiting Lane PTO with a speaker.  This would increase attendance for the speaker and also bring together the two communities.  Ruth Lawlor agreed to put a request in the Morley Reader for a volunteer to organize with Whiting Lane.

Ross then mentioned a Whiting Lane parent, Steven Walburg, who is available to give a presentation on 529 plans as college investment options.  It was voted on and passed to invite him to speak at Morley on the condition that he not use this to endorse his own company.

Patti Joel agreed to arrange a speaker from The Bridge to talk about community service opportunities for Morley students.

Brenda Sebastianelli has agreed to be the parent organizer from Morley for the West Hartford 150 year celebration.

Maureen Corey has agreed to coordinate the Playground Pals.

Ross then initiated a discussion about the PTO parent lounge that is adjacent to the auditorium.  This room was renovated and supplied with PTO funds so that parents could have a resource room and so that PTO committees could have a place to store files and to meet.  It is rarely used and is often left unkempt.  Dr. Rosow agreed that small spaces are in great demand by teaching staff for testing and meeting with students individually and in small groups.  It was agreed that the room could be shared by the PTO and the school faculty and staff.  Mareen Kelleher agreed to create a sign-up sheet.  Sharon LaPointe and Patti Joel agreed to clean it up from its current condition.

Ross announced that the current School Improvement Council membership is available in the office.

Ross announced that the 5^th grade gift from the Class of ’03 will be two nice trees.  The town will then contribute a third tree.  Ellen mentioned that a tree planting ceremony will take place tomorrow.

Ross discussed two recent KIDS fund requests.  Both requests were evaluated by the Executive Board.  The first was to defray some of the cost of the Second Step curriculum.  This request had been approved, however, subsequently funding was received from the state so the request was withdrawn.  The second request was tabled.  This request was to help pay for an artist-in-residence to work on a mural as part of the Respect and Responsibility Committee’s work.  It was agreed that the committee would give a presentation to the Executive Board before a final decision was made.

Cyndi Van Doren gave an update on the PTO website.  It will be linked to the Morley site.  Jody Monroe will update the main site.  Debbie Abraham, Greg Glidden and Cyndi have worked out the basic design for the PTO site.  One question is whether contact information for PTO board members should be on the site. 

In light of Mr. Newton’s passing, flowers were delivered to the funeral home from the PTO and a donation on his behalf was sent.  Lori Sanderson is looking into the idea of a plaque on the corner.

Several thank you notes were circulated from the staff thanking the PTO for contributions to personal classroom funds.

Ruth Lawlor reported on membership status.  Currently there are 189 members for a total of  $2,835.

Patti Joel reported on fundraising.  Snacks and wraps brought in $7000.  There will be a fundraising event at a Wolf Pack game for all West Hartford Schools on February 28.

Bonnie Redderoth reported on programming.  Bingo night will be February 27.  Help is needed for the Pond House event on April 2. 

Mike LaPointe reported on the playground committee.  There is to be a meeting with the town on December 6.  The walk-a-thon brought in $2000.

Sharon McHale gave the treasurer’s report.  There is currently $21,000 in savings.  There is $17,200 in checking.  Approximately $750 will come out of checking to pay for the 5^th grade gift.

Dr. Rosow then reported on the State of Morley.  Each year the district develops a set of goals and objectives.  These are on a plaque in the foyer of the school.  There were also flyers sent home and copies can be obtained in the office.  This year there are long-range district goals for 2003-2007 in concert with the No Child Left Behind legislation.  In addition, each school develops school goals that are consistent with the district goals  which are:  1) student achievement, 2) Safe School, 3) Community Collaboration.

As part of the Morley School Goals, the staff is continuing to investigate differentiation to be sure that materials and instruction are differentiated for each child.  This year begins Phase 3 of this program.  The focus will continue school-wide and to enhance student performance a study of technology integration is underway.  On election day the teachers spent half the day with a CREC representative on uses of the SMARTBoard, and the other half the day was spent  with information technology instructors from the town.  A SmarterKids Grant has  been requested for a second SMARTBoard.    

Faculty and staff also are working on enhancing school-wide and community-wide social and emotional curriculum.  This includes responsive classrooms, the Don’t Laugh at Me program, peer mediation, and the Second Step curriculum. 

There is a state mandate, due to the No Child Left Behind act that all schools have a School Improvement Plan.  West Hartford has done this since 1999.  By June 2004 a plan must be presented to the state.   Whiting Lane school sent a nationally normed parent survey and teacher survey to get feedback about the school.  SIC will do that this year at Morley.  A national company will then do the data analysis.

Dr. Kelleher than reported on the Respect and Responsibility committee.  This committee has worked to integrate the Don’t Laugh at Me and Second Step programs.  Each grade level as taken on a Character Quality and displayed it on the classroom doors.   The mural project is underway.  Joan Moran has done several similar murals in other schools.  Teachers and Trinity art students will work with each class to come up with sketches and posters that reflect one aspect of Respect and Responsibility, with each grade level taking one pillar of character.  Then Joan will take these and create a mural out of them.  Once it is ready to be painted, every student will participate in the painting process.  The mural will then be mounted in a prominent place in the school.  Joan will be at Morley on December 2 to give a brief presentation. 

The meeting was adjourned at 7:40.

Respectfully submitted,

Sarah A. Raskin