Central Park School For Children PPO
Parents & Partners Organization
Minutes - 12 October 2003
Announcements
- Susan Alberts is interested in having an in-house intercession program. All who are interested can contact her at alberts@duke.edu.
- The schools electronic bulletin board system (BBS) is up and running. The web address is www.businessgeographic.com/cps. Once there, you can follow the prompts to register and begin using the program. A big thanks to Sam Kome for setting it up.
- There is still space available at all grade levels - please tell everyone you know and tell them to pass it on.
- Caroline needs volunteers to help in the front office. If you are available for this, please see Caroline.
- When adding information regarding meeting places and times, please remember to make any changes 1) On the physical calendar in the front hall, 2)On the website (give to Caroline), 3)Hard copy of all correspondence must be kept (give to front desk) and 4) On the BBS
- Jackie Terrell is handling the t-shirt sales. You can bring a check, along with a note for quantity and sizes, to the box at the front desk. Contact Jackie at 613-7381 or terrell@duke.edu.
- Communication for the school is best handled via the school newsletter. Please make a point to read through the newsletter when your child brings it home.
- The school would like to have a "business card" section in the next directory. If you would like to let others know about your business, please drop of a copy-friendly version (no dark backgrounds) of your business card for inclusion in the directory.
- The board has added an amendment to the school handbook regarding new ideas and proposals related to the school:
Please note:
When a parent or parent committee wishes to undertake activities that will affect or represent the larger school community, it is essential that such activities be pre-approved, in writing, by the school Director. Proposals for such activities should include the rationale for the activity, a description of the activity, and of how, when and where it would be carried out. In addition, a specific plan for funding and bookkeeping of each proposed activity should be approved in writing by the school's financial director (Vicky Patton). This policy includes all PPO or individual parent activities within the school as well as any external fundraising or marketing activities the PPO or an individual parent wishes to undertake.
- As a public charter school, Central Park School does not endorse specific commercial enterprises and does not distribute literature advertising them.
- Any information to be placed in teachers mailboxes for distribution to students should first be approved by the Director.
We are excited about our partnership with our parents. Careful coordination of activities with the school staff will allow the right arm to know what the left is doing and optimize parent involvement! Thanks!
(In "Staying Informed" section):
Parents wishing to post announcements relevant to the school community should call the school office for further information. All internal or external parent communications or activities that involve or represent the school community should be pre-approved in writing by the school Director.
Nutrition
Students should bring a snack and lunch to school each day. Please bring nutritious foods and drinks - sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, milk or fruit juices and avoid bringing sweets and sodas. Please bring any food allergies or restrictions to the attention of your childs teacher, in writing. Any ideas for class or grade level food activities must be discussed ahead of time with the teachers involved and be approved by them and by the school Director to ensure compatibility with other class activities or issues. Students who qualify for the Federal Free Lunch Program will be accommodated. Please contact the school office for more information.
Board Rep. Report
Judith Kelley, our PPO board rep. gave a brief summary of the last board meeting:
- reviewed financial budget working - we are in good financial status
- the school would benefit from filling the remaining spots
- school lunch issue - the board reaffirmed its existing position that this is a matter to be handled among the director, the parents and the teachers. Carolyn has decide to disband the program for now.
- next school board meeting is Sunday, October 19 at 4pm in the media center.
Fundraising/Marketing Work Group
- Chanda Jarrett thanked all who participated in the super-saver card and flower bulb fund raiser. If you didn't get a chance to participate, she hopes you will join in the next one.
- Group has some new ideas for fundraisers, including: strawberry day, school dance, panera bread, pecan sales for the holiday season.
- look for the next fund raiser sometime in November
Curriculum Enrichment Work Group
- Working on a survey for parents regarding what talents and resources they have and might like to bring in to the classroom and the school.
- Working on ideas and needs for discovery boxes - boxes with all the materials/equipment needed for a particular lesson/experiment. Can be checked out for use by a classroom and shared throughout the school.
Outdoor Learning & Play
- Submitted all paperwork for the Durham Open Spaces Grant which would be for all our outdoor planting and equipment for the city park behind the school - $60,000. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
- In the process of drafting plans for the school's gardens
Social Events Work Group
- Planning for a school-wide holiday dessert exchange on December 11th - perhaps late afternoon or early evening.
- Planning the next teacher appreciation event (maybe tied in with the dessert exchange).
Technology Work Group
- The school has the DSL hook-up. Group is looking to extend the computers into the classrooms and throughout the school.
It Takes A Village
- Emily Cox held a "Giving Tree" ceremony where those who wished could write down there promises of support through volunteerism for the school on slips of paper and attach it to a small tree. The tree will be in the lobby of the school throughout the quarter for anyone who wished to add to it.
*******NEXT PPO MEETING*******
In keeping with our promise to alternate days and times for maximum availability for attendance, the next meeting will be held on a week night - Tuesday, December 2, 2003 7-8pm (will begin promptly at 7!) in the main hall.
Next Meeting – Tuesday, February 10th, 2004 - 7pm in Main Hall
724 Foster Street
Durham, NC 27701
919-682-1200
info@centralparkschoolforchildren.org
© Copyrighted 2003 by Central Park School for Children