Montgomery Blair High School PTSA

Minutes of PTSA Executive Committee Meeting --- November 21, 2006

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

November 21, 2006
PTSA Executive Board Meeting

Present: Debra Reed-Gillette, Deborah Stoll, Dave Ottalini, Gail Peck Anne Kaiser, Dorothy Lei, Melissa Yorks, Lora Albanese, Jeanne Philbin, Ole Varner, Hermia Lopez, Peggy Ottalini, L Ceibeizo, Carol Smalls, Pam Gogol.

Facilitator: Dave Ottalini
Time Keeper: Deborah Stoll
Recorder: Debra Reed-Gillette
Dave called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.

Executive Board minutes from October were approved as posted.  All members are reminded to CLEARLY write their name on the sign-in sheet for each meeting.

Treasurer:  A new budget was presented to the Executive Board for approval to present to the membership.  This modified budget includes the break out of dues versus donations on the dues/membership line item as well as adjustments to disbursements to MCCPTA and State & National dues do to changes in fees.  The balance in all accounts as of October 31, 2006 is $38, 116.69.  Additional modifications to the budget were proposed.  These modifications included adding a line item for start up funds for the new “College Tracks” program ($250) and a line item for the Reflections program ($500).  The budget was approved to be sent to the membership for vote.  It was reported that we have 429 members in the PTSA, approximately 14% of the student population of the school.

College Tracks:  A new program will be brought to Blair by Alumni and current parents of Blair students.  This program is for students with little or no support during the college application process and for students where they are the first to attend/apply to college in their family.

Health and PE Department:  The Health and PE departments will be holding an open house to have parents look at the new curriculum for Health and PE.  This curriculum review will be held December 11 from 3:30 – 4:00 pm.  Nancy Newton has agreed to participate.  Other volunteers are welcome.

4-H Club to begin at Blair:  Beginning next fall a 4-H club will be offered to Blair High School students as a model for the rest of the county.  It will have an urban focus on life skills.  A teacher sponsor is being sought, as well as parent volunteers.  It was noted that there is a chronic shortage of teachers to sponsor after school clubs and activities at Blair.

Old/Original Blair Coat of Arms:  A move is underway to bring the Blair Coat of Arms to Blair’s current location.  Currently the Coat of Arms is attached to the Wayne Avenue site, the current site of Silver Spring International Middle School, and Sligo Creek Elementary School.  The original artist is being sought as well as masonry/ceramics estimates for removing and remounting the Coat of Arms and repair to the SSI wall.

MCPS will take over all vending machine contracts:  Previously this revenue was available to principals for their discretionary use within the school building.  Blair has used this revenue to provide school supplies, clothing, and other essentials to students within the Blair population.  These revenues will now revert to the county.

By-Laws Committee sought:  The PTSA By-laws will expire in 2007.  Committee volunteers to review and revise the by-laws is being sought.  Please contact Deborah, Dave, or Nancy if you are interested.

Budget/Treasury review:  A committee has been formed to review the budget and audit the treasurers books in accordance with the By-laws.  The review process will be held in the next month or so.

Online Sales:  Online membership: 22 members joined on-line for a net of $786.95.  You can sign up for membership on-line until June, so please join the PTSA.  On-line Citrus Sales: 277 units sold for a net of $5,149.42.  This was the first year that the PTSA has tried this and Barry feels that it was successful.  He would recommend doing it again next year and getting it online as soon as possible.  We can start the Online Membership sign up before school begins in August.

PTSA List Servs: 
PTSA Discussion List (blairptsanet) :
This is a members only list that allows for the posting of messages and comments by any member of the list.  While individual messages ARE NOT moderated, they are monitored and members posting off topic messages (news not of/& for MBHS), or not conforming to the Netiquette Rules sent to each member upon joining, can be banned at the discretion of the Executive Committee &/or the List Owner (Barry).  A copy of the List Netiquette Rules can be viewed at http://ptsa. mbhs.edu/ netiquette. shtml  (there is a link on the Left Navigation Bar on the Home Page).  As of Nov 20, 2006 there are only 678 members.

Message totals:  314 for Sept; 394 for Oct; 185 for Nov (so far).

Announcements List (MBHSAnnouncements) :
This List is for announcements only - information that the PTSA Presidents and the MBHS Administration believe to be of importance to all parents and students of Montgomery Blair High School.  All Announcements posted to this List will also be posted to the PTSA Discussion List, so it is NOT necessary to belong to both Lists.

As of Nov 20, 2006 there are only 72 members.  Message totals: 22 for Oct; 37 for Nov (so far). 

Members can sign up for either list from the PTSA web page (http://ptsa. mbhs.edu).  Remember to reply to the automatic message with your name and the name & grade of your student.  Both of these lists are private lists and people requesting membership on either must be able to demonstrate a legitimate connection to the school in order to be added.

Web Page:
http://ptsa. mbhs.edu  The web page is updated almost daily.  Please forward any information that you feel would benefit the wider MBHS community.

Page statistics:  Still working on getting these from Pete.  Barry will try to provide these next month.

Dates to remember:

12/4 – PTSA Exec Board Meeting, 7:30 pm in the Staff Lounge (changed to 12/11)
12/19 – PTSA Membership Meeting, 7:30 pm in the Media Center with food and musical
 entertainment.
1/16 – PTSA Exec Board Meeting 7:00 pm in the Media Center
1/16 – PTSA Membership Meeting 7:30 pm in the Media Center.  Community
Superintendent Dr. Heath Morrison will be our guest speaker.