Sunday, March 30, 2014

Flynn PTO update 3/30/14

Hey There Flynn Families - Hope you had a great weekend and productive parent/teacher conferences - Finally looks like Spring is around the corner - pull out the rain boots!!!  
Dan's Chocolate Fundraiser Underway - How is it going???   TIMELINE: We hope your kids are out there having fun selling chocolates!!!  Orders are due in by MONDAY APRIL 7.  

SUBMITTING ORDERS:
Please submit your order online and then send in the bottom part of the order form with your money to the office on MONDAY APRIL 7 (you need to keep the top part of the form so you know which customers to deliver your chocolate to)

Here is the website to submit your order: http://www.dans.com/fxbg

DELIVERY & REWARDS:
All chocolate and your child’s cash reward will be available to pick up at school onTHURSDAY APRIL 17 (before and after school) and FRIDAY APRIL 18 (before school only).  Rewards must be picked up by an adult.  Please be aware that if you do not pick up your chocolate and reward during these times you will not be able to receive either until after April vacation.  Please contact:  Sarah DeShaw sdeshaw@mac.com | 399-2882 with any questions.

PTO meeting this week - Thursday at 6:45 in the Library. (come at 6-6:45 to hear a presentation by the North Avenue Corridor Study)  There is free childcare and a light supper provided if you an come a little early.  Hope to see you there.  Agenda at the end of this post.
News from the Library... Thank you EVERYONE who supported our Spring Scholastic Book Fair. We earned $762.01 in cash profit which will go towards an author visit in May. We also earned $265.53 in free books!

It's a JOY to see so many volunteers, kids, and families jazzed up about reading!  Cara
Update from 3/25 School Board Meeting:

 Dear faculty, staff and administration:

What a turn out you had tonight at the Board meeting. For 3.5 hours, the Board heard testimony that supported the schools budget and requested a new budget to bring to the voters. The energy in the room was inspiring. Thank you for standing up for our kids.

The Board did vote to take Option 3 off the table. This was the option that cut $4.1M from the rejected budget including full day K and magnet coaches. While the Board cannot restore everything in that budget option, as they still need flexibility to build a new budget, the intention was clear. Thus at this time, we will not RIF the K positions or the magnet coach positions. Everything else in Option 3 is still in the air, however.

To see all three options, go to tonight's meeting on Board Docs https://www.boarddocs.com/vt/bsdvt/Board.nsf/Private?open&login# and look under finance. 

The timeline for the next vote starts when the new Board agrees upon a budget proposal. It is anticipated that will happen in three weeks. If it does, they will need to hold hearings, then decide on the budget number and the vote can occur 45 days after the ballot is warned, likely June 10. If they decide earlier, everything moves up from there.

Sadly we still need to issue more RIFs that we believe we will need and hope to send these RIFs out tomorrow, or by Friday at the latest. Who is actually going to be affected by not RIFfing K positions will be reviewed by administration and the BEA tomorrow. 

Please know your voice was heard and please  know that it still needs to be until we have an approved budget by the voters. This vote demonstrated that your engagement can make a difference, and a lack of engagement also makes a different type of difference." 

-- 
Jeanné Collins, Superintendent Burlington School District 
PH: 802.864.8474 FAX: 802.864.8501 
Follow us on Twitter @BTVSchools.

Proposed Budget Options as of March 13, 2014:
http://tinyurl.com/Budget-Options
                                             

Burlington Friends of Education is a group of people committed to ensuring quality education in the Burlington schools.

A group of parents, teachers, students and community members are meeting to work towards passing a school budget that supports quality education in Burlington. We will need many volunteers to get this done. 

Please come to a meeting on Tuesday, April 8th at 7 PM at the Burlington High School cafeteria. 
For more information, please contact Chris Hood at chood@cvuhs.org or Barb Prine at prine05401@gmail.com
Facebook Event Page for 4/8 meeting:
 https://www.facebook.com/events/1418287778429704/


Helicopter Parents Crippling the Next Generation


enthusiasm1It seems that Helicopter Parenting is alive and well and that in spite of all the research that suggests this is a dangerous direction in parenting with negative implications for our kids, families, our communities and our country, there are no signs that this trend is being replaced by a more common sense approach to parenting.  In fact, we seem to be a culture who has accepted that it is here to stay and there is nothing we can do about it.  And this style of intrusive parenting is infiltrating the life of kids over 18 years old, whose parents are still talking to them a dozen times a day, calling college professors, going to job interviews, organizing their lives, making recommendations on food, clothing and the friends they should be spending time with.
As a woman over 50-years-old it is disheartening to think about my future as an over 75-year-old retiree who will be at the mercy of “leaders” who still rely on mom and dad for help in making simple decisions let alone complex, multi-layered decisions with far reaching implications.
Am I supposed to feel secure with the idea that the same individuals who can not seem to manage their way out of a paper bag without their parents direction and guidance and in some cases advocacy, are going to be the same individuals who will be making decisions for us, for ME, when I am old, incontinent and have no teeth?  The world is becoming more complicated, not less which will require future leaders who are smart and thoughtful decision makers, who cultivate relationships of cooperation and collaboration, who can view issues from many sides, who can stand strong in the face of criticism and defend their positions with respect and clarity.
Are you Helicopter Parents asking me to believe that the same kid who needs his or her parents to advocate in a job interview is the kind of leader who can restore a crumbling automotive industry, revamp an entire education system, broker peace talks, put an end to hunger and disease, commit resources to projects that are environmentally sound, and fight for policies that are controversial and forward thinking.  SERIOUSLY?
Maybe instead of a Vice President, a new position will be created in which the advisers are mom and dad who will continue to advocate for their kids, lest they feel unprepared to do it for themselves.  Or perhaps the new press secretary will be a steadfast parent who tells the news hungry journalistic community with their probing questions that the president elect is feeling a little picked on today and could everyone be just a wee bit kinder to said President Elect.
For the life of me, I can’t imagine that anyone in their right mind thinks that continuing this kind of parenting is good for anyone.  I for one am NOT accepting this more intrusive form of parenting as the “norm”, nor will I sit by as more and more parents insinuate themselves into areas they have no business even commenting on, let alone controlling.
Instead of throwing up my hands in frustration and resigning myself to the situation, I WILL CONTINUE to do what I can to offer parents another approach to parenting which will prepare children for the challenges that await them, armed with the skills necessary to navigate a complicated world with grace and dignity.

Save the date...
April 2 - Chess Club meets in the cafeteria - 7:30am
April 3 - PTO Meeting - 6:30 in the library - come early for a light dinner and free childcare
April 4-Talent show-7pm
April 4/5 - Hunt Middle School Theatre Production - West Side Story - 7pm
April 7 - Chocolate orders due in to Flynn
April 9 - Chess Club meets in the cafeteria - 7:30am
April 10 -Flynn Math Night 
April 16 - Chess Club meets in the cafeteria - 7:30am
April 17 - Principal's Coffee, 8:30am
April 21-25 - Spring Break - No School!
June 11 - Last Day of School (note date change due to last snow day...)



AGENDA
Flynn School PTO
Learning Center
April 3, 2014

Free Dinner and Childcare Provided

6:00 - 6:45 - Presentation re: North Avenue Corridor Study
The City of Burlington and the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), in collaboration of other stakeholders, are studying the North Avenue corridor (between North Street and Plattsburg Avenue) to address transportation issues and develop solutions to improve the travel experience for all users. The study is using a “Complete Streets” approach which considers the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, deliveries, transit, and emergency responders. The study website provides additional information about the study and the Advisory Committee: http://bit.ly/north-ave

6:45 WELCOME and Introductions – Heather Simmons, Vice President


Title One - Graham Clark (10 min)
Principal’s Corner- Graham Clark (10 min)

Treasurer’s Report- Betsy Ward (5 min)
           
Fundraising- Tammy Kuypers (10 min)
Enrichment- Kim Hunt (10 min)
Flynn Family Nights - Heather Simmons (5 minutes)
Flynn Family Partnership- Shanta Eastman (10 min)
Room Parents- Lisa Tulkop (5 min)


Teacher Suggestion Box – Christine Leithead (5 min)

OPEN FORUM (10 min)

On the horizon                      Officers for next year
Volunteers needed for Kindergarten Tours and Lunch - Dates have not been confirmed yet. May 9 and 14th if it is okay with the cafeteria staff. (3 volunteers each day)



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Monday, March 24, 2014

Flynn PTO Update 3/24/14

Hey There Flynn Families - Busy weekend with Tom Sawyer productions running Th- Sat.  Hope your kids had a great experience.  The K-2 audience on Th was incredible - not a wiggly one in the bunch!  It is so fun to see them mesmerized by the kids on stage and the live music.  Hopefully they are already dreaming about their turn on stage.  

 We owe great thanks to Very Merry Theatre for their dedication and expertise in getting these kids ready to perform - they are masters in their craft.  Very Merry does a wide array of very affordable summer camps and spring break camps for kids of all ages - do check them out on the web.  

 Also huge thanks to the parents that were able to contribute their time and energy to bring Tom Sawyer to the stage - we are very grateful for your talent and energy.  It really is hard work and a little bit crazy, but after doing productions with Flynn school for the past 6 years, I can honestly say it is one of the highlights of the year for me personally.  Part of it is the kid transformations - quiet ones finding their voice on stage and the growth in acting from one performance to the next - it really is magical.  The other part is the community building.  There is some much communication between parents and organizers and so many parents get involved in ways small and large - and all of them are needed to make the play a success.  It really feels good to pull together as a community and it strengthens the relationships for events later in the year and beyond.  
BOOK FAIR Tomorrow night At Flynn  Join us for our Spring Scholastic Book Fair Tuesday evening from 5:30-7pm in the Multipurpose room.  We could still use some awesome volunteers to help us set up the fair in our multipurpose room from 4-5pm.  We appreciate your help!  Cara ;)

 Also, bring your appetite - the 3rd grade is hosting a Hot Dog picnic dinner and bake sale to benefit Spring Field Trips.
Early release on Thursday (11:30) and no school on Friday for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Please take this opportunity to discuss your child's progress and ask all those burning questions.  You might want to consider bringing your child into the conference.  If so, you might want to check in with your child's teacher.  To read some comments on benefits/drawbacks of doing this from other parents and teachers, click the link below

 http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/should-students-attend-parent-teacher-confere-394352
Parents of 5th graders - Mark your calendar for May 20th.  On this day your child will visit Hunt to meet the sixth grade teachers  and get a tour of the school.  In the evening, parents are invited t Hunt for an orientation - 7pm in the library.  Teachers will be introduced, there will be a tour and Q&A time.  Last week you rec'd a welcome letter and questionnaire from Hunt - please return that ASAP to your child's teacher as they will begin to determine class assignments partially based on your input.

 Also - we will be making a slideshow of fifth graders from K-5th grade to show at the 5th grade Bridging ceremony in June.  We are compiling digital images to put in the show - do you have pics from past years that you can share?  Files can be emialed to Sarah Orndorff (thanks for doing this Sarah!!!) at orndorff3b@burlingtontelecom.net
School Budget info  The following email was circulated at Edmunds Elementary - some of you might find it interesting.   There is some parent organizing happening concerning getting a school budget passed.  For more information about what is happening contact Barb Prine at  prine05401@gmail.com


Also- this off the website:
From: EES PTO <pto@eespto.org>
Date: March 22, 2014 at 9:46:07 PM EDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: *IMPORTANT*: BSD School Budget Second Vote
Dear EES Families,
Burlington did not pass the school budget on Town Meeting Day.  The proposed budget was a 9.9% increase, which broke down to 5% from the state because of a change in the base homestead tax rate, 2% from the city to account for the certified level of appraisal, and 2.9% from the local school budget.  This proposed budget included many cuts to the schools, such as the elimination of Grade 1-6 Spanish and library support services.  Presently the School Board is deciding whether to put forth a new budget for vote, and what a revised budget would include.  If they DO put forth a new budget, it will contain more cuts than the initially proposed budget.  These cuts must come from non-mandated services, which are listed below and include, among others, increasing class size, eliminating or reducing after school, co-curricular, and athletics programs, decreasing the technology budget, and reducing professional development for our teachers.  If they DO NOT put forth a new budget, the property tax increase will still be 8% because they will get the same funds that were approved last year.  The difference in an 8% property tax increase compared to a less than 9.9% property tax increase is 1.9% at the most, but the difference for our students could mean significant losses in their classrooms.  The School Board needs to hear from you.  If you would like to see the school board put forth a second budget to prevent more cuts, please write or email them (listed below).  Please also consider attending the upcoming School Board meetings (Monday, March 24 at 7pm in Ira Allen – Room 1G, 150 Colchester Ave, and Tuesday, March 25 at 7pm in BHS cafeteria) to voice your opinion.
Thank You,
EES PTO (Marni Slavik, Clare Wool, and Stephanie Mueller)

NON-MANDATES SERVICES
DIRECT INSTRUCTION
Half Day Kindergarten
BHS courses: 1 English, 1 Business, 1 Social Studies, 1 -2 Foreign Language, 1 Math, .6     Reading
Middle School PE
BHS Lead Teachers
Level of ELL Services
Reduce Nursing by 20% (80% days)
Reduce guidance by 10%
Reduce music by 20%
Increase class sizes (reduces 4 teachers) to 25 elementary
Eliminate Library Paraeducators
Eliminate SAPs (Student Assistance Counselors) to 1 (2FTE)
Afterschool programs
Summer school programs
Athletics
Co-Curricular programs
Technology Budget - hardware and software
Technology Budget- Integration specialists
ELL Liaisons
Preschool Partners
On Top program
Horizons program
Eliminate social work contract
Magnet School Staffing (3.0 FTE)
Not replace Partnership for Change Fellow openings in local budget (backfill)
Coaches (embedded PD for teachers)

Percentage Reductions
Board
Administration
Preventive Maintenance
General Maintenance
% cut across the board in maintenance and facilities staff
% cut across the board in Trades
% cut across board in different departments
Departments

SUPPORT SERVICES
School Supplies
Professional Development
Cell Phone Use
Overtime
Board Secretary & AV Speaker

ADMINISTRATION

MS, HS Assistant Principals (5)
Technology Director
Curriculum Director
ELL Director
Grants program
ELL Liaison Coordinator
Diversity/ Equity
Admin Assistants
Business office beyond Director of Finance
Facilities Director
Food Services Director
Property Services Trades
Registrars
School Resource Officers
HR Office

Other Ideas for Exploration

Reduce the School Year
Revisit Transportation Subsidies
Other Ideas
Sell Murray Street House/ Champlain Street House
Reduce Graduation Requirements
Delay BHS planning
Research payment of deficit over three years
Bill Burlington for use of buildings

School Board Email List:
jcollins@bsdvt.org, kchasan@bsdvt.org, kpillsbury@bsdvt.org, ekranichfeld@bsdvt.org, mwking@bsdvt.org, rgrimm@bsdvt.org,lcurry@bsdvt.org, phalladay@bsdvt.org, mstoll@bsdvt.org, borourke@bsdvt.org, btruman@bsdvt.org, jgevans@bsdvt.org, amatson@bsdvt.org,ldeliduka@bsdvt.org, gjenkins@bsdvt.org, henry1995@gmail.com, longxander@gmail.com, sseguino@bsdvt.org, sshumski@bsdvt.org,kdodson@bsdvt.org, dkirk@bsdvt.org, cgiannoni@bsdvt.org, bcina@bsdvt.org

School Board Mailing Address:
Alan Matson, Chair of School Board
792 S. Prospect St.
Burlington, VT  05401
Save the date...
March 25  -Book Fair dinner and shopping - 5:30-7:30
March 26 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 27/28 - Parent Teacher Conferences
April 3 - PTO Meeting - 6:30 in the library - come early for a light dinner and free childcare
April 4-Talent show-7pm
April 10 -Flynn Math Night 
April 17 - Principal's Coffee, 8:30am
April 21-25 - Spring Break - No School!
June 11 - Last Day of School (note date change due to last snow day...)



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Sunday, March 16, 2014

Flynn PTO update 3/16/14

Skate Night 2014 at Leddy Arena
Hey There Flynn Families - Short blog post this week - I am way too busy with the play...  Speaking of...

ANNOUNCING Tom Sawyer at the JJ Flynn theatre this Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Come see how Very Merry Theatre has adapted this American classic to the Flynn stage and marvel at the talent of ~80 Flynn 3rd, 4th and 5th grade actors and singers - you will be wowed and amazed by our kiddos!

Thursday Show - 12:40 - great show for grandparents, young children and parents working swing shifts - seating limited as students and teachers will attend this show. (playbills and posters available - no flowers or concession)

Friday Show - 7pm - Doors open at 6:30pm - Full concession with goodies, healthy options, gluten free options and drinks.  Flowers for sale as well as color posters of the play.  Admission is a suggested donation of $5 or more per family - but nobody is turned away!!!

Saturday Show - 4pm - Doors open at 3:30pm - Full concession with goodies, healthy options, gluten free options and drinks.  Flowers for sale as well as color posters of the play. 

 Let's Talk on BSDVT.org  Click the link to go directly to Let's Talk or read more about this new initiative below - either way, it is a new weigh for you to weigh in on ideas/issues/concerns important to you...  It is also a great place to talk about what is going well for your child/family in relation to education in Burlington. Might even be a good place to talk about your thoughts on the school budget defeat and any ideas you have going forward...

 http://district.bsd.schoolfusion.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?sessionid=76c6d69651e5a22824a484db1a1cc9e8&pageid=307916

Welcome to Burlington, Let's Talk!
Dear Burlington School District Community,

At the Burlington School District we are committed to working closely with our parents, staff and community members to develop a school system where every child is encouraged to be innovative, and collaborative, and is given the tools needed to prepare to inspire and shape a dynamic and sustainable future for our City and our State.

Let’s Talk! provides an additional way to communicate within the Burlington School District. Each Let’s Talk! dialogue submission is sent to an assigned school, department and/or District staff member. While this is a way for you to communicate with us anytime, anywhere, on any device, please understand that this is not intended to replace face-to-face meetings.

If you have feedback for a specific teacher or staff member, please communicate directly with that person. If you wish to speak directly with someone from the District or if there is an emergency, please call the Superintendent’s Office at (802) 864-8474.

I look forward to partnering with you to better our schools.

Burlington, Let’s Talk!

Sincerely,

Jeanné Collins

Superintendent of Schools

Burlington School District



Save the date...
March 16-22  - Tom Sawyer Production Week
March 19 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 20 - Tom Sawyer School Show - 12:40 (there will be some extra seating for grandparents and families that want to bring small children during the day!)
March 21 - Tom Sawyer show - 7pm
March 21 - Dan's Chocolates fundraiser starts - order forms in the backpacks...more info to follow
March 22 - Tom Sawyer show - 4pm
March 25  -Book Fair dinner and shopping
March 26 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 27/28 - Parent Teacher Conferences
April 4-Talent show-7pm
April 10 -Flynn Math Night 







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Sunday, March 9, 2014

Flynn PTO Update 3/9/14

Hey There Flynn Families - So fun to see all the families out on the ice Friday night for our annual Leddy Skate Night.  Thank you so much to all the parents that organized and supported fundraisers this year - money raised by the PTO goes towards free family events like this one.  Skate night alone costs the PTO upwards of $800 for ice rental and skates.

 Many thanks to the families that baked, organized pizza, picked up donations, set up/cleaned up the concession area.  We raised over $600 that will go directly into the Tom Sawyer play fund.  Also grateful that everyone had a hearty appetite and made generous donations - Flynn families are the best!!!

 Raffle winners at Skate night won Front row seats for Tom Sawyer and VIP Parking.  So far, our winner are the following families:  K. Poquette, M. Rubman, A. Greenip.  Unclaimed tix include: (last 4 numbers) 9690, 9685, 9706...  If you have one of these tickets, shoot me an email! akbelluche@aol.com

 (Also - unclaimed plate that once held mini cupcakes - white plate with blue trim - is washed and in the PTO mailbox in the office)

Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-ups  This spring, Flynn will continue to use the electronic scheduling system, PTC Fast, to schedule our March 27th and 28th Parent Teacher Conferences.  It will allow you to select the teacher(s) with whom you would like to conference. By registering your email address, you will be able to view and select a conference time(s) that works for you.
If you have more than one child at Flynn School,  you may begin scheduling your conferences on Thursday March 6th.
Q. What if I need to schedule multiple conferences (more than one child at Flynn)?
A. If you have more than one child for whom you need to schedule, you should select (check) all teachers with whom you need to conference from the list of available teachers. You will then be prompted to  enter the children’s names for the corresponding teachers. When that is done you can proceed with registering your email address.  You will receive a link via email to access and view the teachers’ schedules.  You will see all selected schedules at one time!

http://ptcfast.com/schools/John_J_Flynn_Elementary_School


 One Child? Families needing only to schedule a conference for one child may begin scheduling conferences on Tuesday March 11th. Supporting documentation can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/flynnparentconferencehelp 
If you are not able to access this system and need help, please call the Flynn office (864-8478)  to schedule a conference appointment with our administrative assistant, Karen Carr. 




Minutes from the PTO meeting last week are included at the end of this post.

The Theatre committee is looking for a few items to borrow for our upcoming production of Tom Sawyer...  Could you lend any of the following?: (if so, write to us at flynnschoolpto@gmail.com)
 
Suspenders
Train cap
Jean Overalls (size 10 or 12)
Plastic grasshopper, plastic beetle
Pick ax
old kite



BSD Budget Defeated...Spotlight – Superintendent’s Column


Greetings All,
As you are now aware our budget was defeated significantly in this week’s vote. The disconnect between our growing enrollment and investment in quality programs, with an education funding system that resulted in an anticipated 9.9% tax increase (for a moderate 3.9% budget increase) hit the wall and Burlington voters expressed that they could not afford it any longer.
What are the next steps? We will have six new Board Members beginning in April and this Board will determine if we go back out for a second budget vote, and if so, what shall it be? Ultimately, if we have no approved budget by June 30th, we can spend this year’s budget amount plus any additional revenue. This will mean additional reductions of about $2M at the high end.
In the next week, I must prepare a reduction in force list in anticipation of what the Board decides and how we will end up with a spending plan. This likely means there will be many RIFs extended and some positions will likely be recalled this year, but not until late spring. This always causes anxiety and I am very sorry for that. Because of contractual deadlines, we must RIF first and then bring back as revenue is approved through a budget.
I will try to keep you up to speed as to the thinking of the Board. Basically, anything not mandated will be considered for             reduction. There is no doubt there will be an impact on the classroom and on programs. Of course, we will also seek non-program reductions as much as possible. We will get through this together. Please hang in there and ask questions as we go through this process. Thank you for your commitment to the children of  Burlington.
I wish to thank the following Board Members for their years of service and dedication to Burlington’s children as they leave the Board: Kathy Chasan (8 years), Bernie O’Rourke (6 years), Jill Evans (4 years), Rebecca Grimm (3 years), Erin Kranichfeld (2 years), and Linda Deliduka (2 years).
I also wish to welcome the new Board Members who will begin their terms in April: Kyle Dodson (Ward 1), Brian Cina (Ward 2), Charlie Giannoni (Ward 3), Scot Shumski (Ward 4), Stephanie Seguino (Ward 6), and David Kirk (Ward 7).
Jeanné
Book Fair Coming Soon Put the March Book Fair on your radar!  The library is holding a one-night event on Tuesday, March 25th from 5-7:30 pm.  The third grade team is also holding a fundraising dinner. The Library is looking to line up a couple of volunteers to help with set-up (3:30-5:00) and breakdown (7:30-8:30).  Please contact Corey Wallace to help.   cwallace@bsdvt.org


Did you miss the Daylight Savings Bottle Drive?  There is still time to bring those bottles and cans to Merola's Market if you missed the drop off Saturday.  When you stop by just say your donating the deposit to J. J. Flynn School.  The bottle drop will be extended until Wednesday.
Save the date...
March 12 - title 1 meeting and Principal's coffee- 6:30pm in the library- childcare provided
March 12 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 15 - Tom Sawyer Set Building Day (9am-5pm come for an hour or the whole day!)
March 16 - Tom Sawyer technical dress rehearsal 11:00-4 (Mandatory!)
March 16-22  - Tom Sawyer Production Week
March 19 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 20 - Tom Sawyer School Show - 12:40 (there will be some extra seating for grandparents and families that want to bring small children during the day!)
March 21 - Tom Sawyer show - 7pm
March 22 - Tom Sawyer show - 4pm
March 25  -Book Fair dinner and shopping
March 26 - Chess Club at 7:30am
March 27/28 - Parent Teacher Conferences
April 4-Talent show-7pm
April 10 -Flynn Math Night 


MINUTES  Flynn School PTO
Learning Center
March 6, 2014

 Pizza from Leonardo’s and Free Childcare Provided
6:30-8:00 - Meeting

 WELCOME – Jessica Hook, PTO President

 Principal’s Corner- Graham Clark (10 min) TABLED UNTIL NEXT MEETING

 Gardens- Graham Clark (10 min)

 Partnership for Outdoor Learning UVM conceptual drawings of Flynns future campus 

 that engulf the library walls TABLED UNTIL NEXT MEETING

 Treasurer’s Report- Betsy Ward (5 min)

 ● Cash on hand is $6,093. Still need to raise $5,700 to meet budget spending 

 projections

 ● Betsy researching the reinstatement of Tax Exempt Status

 Fundraising- Tammy Kuypers (10 min)

 ● Bottle drive this Saturday

 ● Dan’s Chocolates packets will go home March 21- Goal is $6000

 Enrichment- Kate Belluche (10 min)

 ● First graders going to Flynn on Monday

 ● Chess club continues and has good participation- over 20 students coming 

 weekly

 ● Tom Sawyer coming up in 2 weeks. Volunteers needed for Monday 3/17 11:30 

 am - 2:30 pm

 ● Bake sale at Skate Night this friday will benefit the play

 ● Question from parent: Could we offer an alternative enrichment opportunity for 

 students who do not participate in the play?

 Flynn Family Nights - Heather Simmons (5 minutes)

 ● Due to the cancellation of the Drive In Heather will try to schedule a Flynn Movie 

 Night

 Flynn Family Partnership- Shanta Eastman (10 min)

 ● Math Night: April 10- volunteers needed to share their family favorite math 

 activities- a flyer went home and another will go home next week

 Room Parents- Happy Vail (5 min) 

 ● 3rd Grade this month, Kindergarten next month

 Teacher Suggestion Box & Outerwear Swap – Christine Leithead (5 min)

 ● No suggestions

 OPEN FORUM (10 min)

 ● Jessica Hook announced that next month PTO will host a representative from the 

 North Ave Corridor to talk about Sidewalk Safety

 ● Sarah DeShaw asked that we take a look at the systems in place for monitoring 

 the composting and recycling and will connect with the CSWD outreach 

 coordinator

 ● Christine L. asked that we take a look at our policy of special snacks and asked 

 if we could consider adopting a healthy snack only policy or even perhaps a no 
special snack policy

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