May 17, 2005 minutes of the PTSA
24 people were in attendance
Fran Rothstein chaired and opened the meeting.
Kathi Yu moved that April's minutes be approved. The motion was seconded by Bonnie Malkin and passed
1. Treasurer's Report
Discussion: Questions about budget; how the budget works, water fountain contracts
Individual follow up: Contact Sonni Malinoff with budget issues; Sara Rosen and Sonni will work on budget together; Mr. Gainous is looking into MCPS versus private contractors for the installation of the outside water fountain.
2. Principal's Report
1. One student earned a 2400, a perfect score on the new SAT.
2. Presidential Scholar, one of 2 semi-finalists came from Blair
3. Newsweek reported that Blair is in the top 3% of all high schools in the country, ranking 154.
4. Encouragement to show up for the High School Assessment testing was offered. It is an automatic failure if a student doesn't show up so hopefully this will work. The raw score will be on the report card. Dan Parr is trying to look into Ride On bus availability to students for the HSAs since the time is outside the hours that students usually ride free. Deborah Stoll will also explore this.
5. Blair was approved for a Safety Grant
6. Senior Exams are over by the end of the week of May 23rd.
3. MCCPTSA
Discussion: Sex Ed Curriculum. Parents who formed the group Citizens for a Responsible Curriculum (CRC) said the course promoted homosexuality and promiscuity, disregarded scientifically proven health risks and denigrated traditional, religious views about sex. CRC leaders have recently appeared on Fox’s the O”Reilly Factor and The Hannity and Colmes Show, CNN, CBN and in numerous interviews with local stations. CNC went through court system to stop the curriculum. Curriculum supporters said the course taught tolerance for homosexuals and included factual instruction on how to deal with homosexual feelings. Dr. Jerry Weast, MCPS Superintendent has tabled the subject until the Fall, 2005. (Update: On May 23, the Board of Ed. voted to endorse the superintendent's decision to suspend the pilot program. In addition, the Board voted to reconstitute a Citizen's Advisory Committee that will be involved in revising the curriculum during school year 2005-2006.)
Update: At the end of June an agreement was made to change the curriculum and to pay the court fees of the defendants in the amount of $36,000.
Discussion: Long Range Educational Facilities Policy (FAA). In the past community input was required in long range facility planning. This new policy will require no parent input. The Blair PTSA has written a letter protesting this and the Down County Consortium (DCC) is also drafting a letter.
Individual Follow up: Attend May 23rd board meeting, 9-10 p.m.
4. After Prom
Discussion: After Prom, May 28th
Individual Follow Up: Please attend and help!!!
5. Volunteers
Discussion: Need to encourage people to volunteer and show appreciation. How?
Individual Follow Up: Mr. Gainous will encourage the different departments to write personal notes to parent volunteers. Counseling staff volunteered to write notes.
Lots of applause for Bonnie Malkin, volunteer coordinator for a job well done this year!
6. Counseling Advisory Committee
Announcements: Karen Hunt, Counseling Department Resource Counselor is retiring; concern over smooth transition
Discussion: Plan ahead and keep a calendar of things that need to be done.
ESOL Counselor restructuring so that there will be one person dealing with Spanish speaking students. We are losing ESOL counseling positions
Study being done by MCPS about how well ESOL program is doing.
Academies really start up this fall and will be structured according to the number of students enrolled. Every 9 th and 10 th grade student will be assigned to an Academy at Blair or to another DCC school.
Advanced Placement (AP) testing was chronically late in finishing each test. Norm Stant, the retired teacher in charge, had a real challenge. Although there was a lot of negative feedback, there was a lot of parent sympathy. Because of the off site location there was a lot of late starts and finishes and confusion. The College Board has many requirements for the administration of these tests.
Individual Follow up: Deborah Stoll will put together an all points letter to the AP administration and School Board in regard to the APs.
EVERYONE: Please write Steve Farber, county councilman, and tell him that Mr. Moreno needs to be continued at Blair to help ESOL students.
7. Website
Discussion Propose to enhance web site with pages of information and actual pages designated for parents with links.
Authorizer of information will review content with committee
Monitor of Website will physically review what's on the website
Individual Follow up: Mark Brown has conditionally agreed to watch over the web site in regard to content and links; Barry Johnson will put up the content as he has been doing.
8. Crime Prevention
Discussion: Meeting was held between with Officer Ralph Penn, Blair’s Montgomery County assigned police officer, Laurie Checco Blair’s Business Manager and Ed Reddeck Blair’s head of Security and parents Tracy Jaffe and Mark McGuighan to discuss and develop a process for reporting thefts and fighting incidents.
Individual Follow up: Mr. Gainous will emphasize the importance of following the exact procedure with the staff.. Tracy Jaffe and Mark McGuighan will meet with Ms. Wanner and Mr. Gainous will meet with Laurie Checco
9. Choral Boosters—Linda Wilmott
Report: The PTSA gave the Choral Boosters $1,000. It cost $14,000 to go to the Chicago Heritage Music Festival. They earned some money by selling cheese cakes, singing valentines and selling CDs. It cost $300 to clean the robes, $600 replace the dresses and $450 to pay for the local bus costs, $200 for registration, $100 for music not supplied by the county, $100 plus for room reservations costs, etc. The fundraisers made a very small dent in the amount needed. The cost per child to attend the festival was approximately $400 which had to be paid by the students’ parents. Linda Wilmott solicited donations, matched those funds with some of the money the PTSA gave and offered scholarships totaling about $750 to help some students who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend.
10. Safety
Discussion: Students have been walking in front of school buses and cars against the green light, a dangerous thing to do. Officer Penn has the authority to help with pedestrian safety. We need and will be getting countdown lights.
Individual follow up: Everyone: Please complain to your state legislators about countdown lights and the expediting of their installation for the intersection of University Boulevard and Colesville roads.
Sally Taber will work with Pete Lafen in regard to the countdown lights.
11. Slate for next year
Nominating committee: Ron McClain, Kathy Yu and Deborah Stoll
Nominations:
President: Fran Rothstein with proviso that there be a co-president
Co-President: At time of the meeting, open
Administrative Vice President: At the time of the meeting, open
Academic Vice President: Bonnie Malkin
Secretary: Sara Rosen
MCCPTA Rep: Linda Simon
Evelyn Joy moved to accept the slate; Tracy Jaffe seconded. The slate was accepted as read.
The committee commitments are as follows as of the May meeting:
After Prom William Ramsey
Athletic Boosters Dian Martin, Donna Brown, Ed Varone
Blair Ed Foundation Sara Rosen, Jeff Meer, Kate Kelly and Carolyn Lichtenstein
Choral Boosters Linda Wilmott
Citrus Sale Chris Simpson
Directory Jo Peng
Listserv David Ottalini
Membership Caroly Lichtenstein
Mini grants Cindy Allen
Blazer Barbara Tobias, Carol Lindeman, Linda Kahn, Rosemary Hodges,
NAACP Rhonda Mackabee
Pedestrian Safety Pete Lafen
Silent Auction Sara Rosen and team
Staff Appreciation Mary Abe
Web Site Barry Johnson
