Montgomery Blair High School PTSA

Minutes of PTSA Meeting --- February , 2007

PTSA Membership Meeting

February 19, 2008

Present: Debra Reed-Gillette, Bob Gillette, Dave Ottalini, Andrew Partan, Beth Martin, Rosanne Hurwitz, Carol Smalls, Chih-Ching Chow, Peg Ottalini, Sam Stokes, Pam Gogol, Lin Tran, Marc Hoffman, Katya Partan, Nancy Newton, Valma Yearwood, Janet Chang, Sally Taber, David Buchholz

Facilitator: Dave Ottalini
Time Keeper: Bob Gillette
Recorder: Debra Reed-Gillette

Dave called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
 
All members are reminded to CLEARLY print their name on the sign-in sheet for each meeting.
 
Pedestrian Safety:  Discussion is still underway with the State Highway Administration about improving pedestrian safety along University Boulevard and Colesville Road.

Treasurer’s Report:  All disbursements have been paid to date.  Balance in the accounts total $26,641.21.  Details can be viewed in the report posted on the PTSA website.
 
PSAT Resolution:  The membership voted to support the MCCPTA resolution to have MCPS pay the PSAT fees for all junior students, instead of paying for all 9th and 10th grade students.  The resolution suggested that 9th and 10th grade students should take old PSAT exams for the practice, but MCPS should pay for all junior tests that are scored by College Board and used by colleges and scholarship programs.
 
Principal’s Report:  Mr. Williams provided a principal’s report that contained the following highlights:  
·     1112 students, 40.3% achieved honor roll for the 2nd quarter marking period. 8.5% were straight A’s.  
·     Congratulations to Louis Wasserman who is a finalist in the 67th Annual Intel Science Talent Search.  
·     Blair has 43 National Merit Scholars, 6 National Achievement Scholars, and 7 Candidates for the Presidential Scholars Program.   
·     The February Staff meeting focused on the High School Assessments.  
·     All seniors who currently have less than a 2.0 are on the Senior Watch List for intervention.  
·     The Music Department gave a presentation to all SSIMS, TPMS, and EMS students to highlight the programs at Blair.
·     A Delegation from China will tentatively arrive on February 27 to look at Blair’s programs
·     Visitors from Cumbria and the Southeast region the UK will arrive March 3-5
·     The next ESOL parent meeting will be Mach 6 to focus on Safety and Spring Break
 
Painless Fundraising:  Snider's receipts--$107,000 worth of 2007 Snider's receipts (plus any from 2008) were carefully tallied by Blair parent volunteer Ernie Weisman and taken to the store.  This translates into $1,070 for the Blair PTSA (1%).  Please be sure to save ALL 2008 Snider's receipts; they can be turned in to Blair's front office at any time or given to me.  This is the only grocery program that runs every day of the year--on a calendar year cycle--and that requires saving receipts (there's no store bonus card).
 
Giant A+ BonusBucks--Blair so far has earned $3,675.35, from October 5, 2007-January 31, 2008. Currently 397 Giant Bonus cards have been signed up this school year for Blair credit. This cycle continues thru April 3; if you have not yet signed up for this school year's program, go to http://www.giantfood.com/aplus/pin_aplus.htm <http://www.giantfood.com/aplus/pin_aplus.htm> to link your Bonus card to Blair's school code (00906).  If you don't know your Bonus card number, call 1-877-366-2668 and Giant will sign you up for this school year's program.  The Giant money is paid to the school in one check issued before the school year ends.
 
eScrip--Currently 383 people have signed up for the eScrip program to benefit the Blair PTSA.  eScrip runs the Safeway school rebate; eScrip also gives schools rebates from participating restaurants, hotels, online shopping and other opportunities.  The Safeway school rebate runs from October 1-May 31, plus there's a seven-week summer promotion called "10% Back to Schools."  eScrip pays by direct deposit to the Blair PTSA, and payment arrives several months after it's earned.  The September earnings (from any online shopping/restaurant/etc. rebates) will be deposited this month, and in addition will include $2,048.87 from the Safeway 10% program plus a $1,000 bonus for being among the top 250 schools nationwide in this summer program.  October-December earnings should be deposited by April.  People can learn more about eScrip and sign up for the program at any time at www.escrip.com <http://www.escrip.com/> Safeway requires an annual renewal to continue to pay schools; you renew at the eScrip site.  Contact me if you don't know how to change your existing eScrip school selections if you'd like Blair to benefit from your purchases.
 
Target's Take Charge of Education--This program pays Blair in September and March.  September's payment was $521.88; so far $416.76 has been earned for the March payment--its Web site is updated daily.  People can sign up their red cards for Target's program at www.target.com/tcoe <http://www.target.com/tcoe,> If you've signed up for this in past years, be sure that your rebate is going to the school you want it to--no renewal is needed.

New Program suggestion:  I would like to suggest having a school club (such as the Computer Club or Students for Global Responsibility) take over the computer cartridge/ink jet/cell phone recycling project.  Blair has one collection bin, hidden in a closet in Blair's front office--sometimes the school's flag is draped over the bin.  Most Blair staff are unaware of this program.  Blair uses a small local company, Recycle Ink; this project was set up about eight years ago by a Blair parent.  There now are many companies that pay for these materials--students could determine which company pays the best and figure out how to promote the project.  Additional collection bins could be obtained for other areas of the school, such as the Computer Lab and/or the Media Center; some parents might want a bin for their offices as well, to earn money for the school club and promote recycling.  I could continue to promote it under the umbrella of "painless fundraising."  This could be a viable way for a student club to earn money and to learn more about recycling.
 
Choral Boosters:  The musical and drama department are in need of industrial strength rolling garment racks and heavy wooden coat hangers for the costumes for plays.  Many of these costumes weigh more than 20 pounds each.  Drop off donations at the drama room in the Fine Arts wing.
 
Plagiarism Program:  Assistant Principal Linda Wanner gave a presentation on Plagiarism, its definitions and prevention programs within Blair. She also discussed the use of the tool Turnitin.com within Blair.  Handouts used in the presentation are available at the Turnitin.com website: http://turnitin.com/static/plagiarism.html.
 
New Business:  2nd Back to School Night.  Pros and Cons of having a 2nd Back to School night for 2nd semester teachers were discussed.  Mr. Williams will look into the matter and make a determination.  A survey of other high schools having current and past 2nd semester back to school nights had mixed opinions about their success.
 
Dates to remember:

• February 19-29:  AP Registration Information Distributed
• February 20:  Incoming 9th Grade Parent Meeting
• March 7-9 Spring Musical – Beauty and the Beast
• March 8-15:  Mulch Sale – Athletic Boosters
• March 10:  PTSA BoD Meeting – 7:30 pm Teacher’s Lounge
• March 14:  Parent Chat with Mr. Williams 7-8 am Media Center
• March 14-15:  Spring Musical – Beauty and the Beast
• March 18:  PTSA Meeting 7:30 pm Media Center
• March 19: 11th Grade Parents Meeting
• March 21-28:  MCPS Spring Break
  
  *SAC is the Student Activity Center aka the cafeteria