Montgomery Blair High School PTSA

Minutes of PTSA Meeting --- October 20, 2009

Minutes for PTSA Members' Meeting
October 20, 2009
Media Center, 7:30 pm

• Meeting was convened by Pete Lafen, PTSA president.
• Note: Motions made and carried: see item VI. below.

1. 2009-2010 PTSA Budget (Walter)
   • Recommending that we revise the budget to reflect $9,000 to minigrants.
   • Snider's check arrived.
   • Motion to adopt the revised budget, dated 10/9/09.  Motion voted on and passed by executive board and membership present.


2. Principal's Report (Darryl Williams)
   • MBHS has passed the AYP this year for English and Algebra and HSAs.
   • GEM award: Rob McMahon, Michelle Roberts and Andrea Lamphier for September.
   • Blair ranks as a Top 25 Engineering Source School for the A. James Clark School of Engineering, UMD
   • Installation of exit steps at the 140 and 160 halls and water fountain by the tennis courts.  Construction currently underway.
   • Selected staff will participate in the MD Co-teaching Network.
   • Community Service Day to Seniors and ESOL students on October 14th: prepared sandwiches for the shelter and cleaned the school.
   • College Readiness Day on October 14th:
     • Grade 9: PLAN and PSAT; PLAN had formatting problems so will be scored manually by Triumph, the company that publishes the test.
     • Grade 10: averaged 95% present attendance.
     • Grade 11: averaged 99% attendance.
     • Grade 12: college fair and workshops (50% attendance; need to do something next year, i.e. a senior breakfast, to lure seniors into the building).
   • MIT recognized Mr. Walstein and Ms. Bosse for the influence to former Blair students who are attending MIT.
   • New Magnet secretary, Ms. West, began on October 19th.
   • Magnet students competed in a math competition; made it to the semi-finals.  Selected students will have the opportunity to go to China in December.
   • 53 semifinalists for National Merit Scholarship Competition
   • Incoming 9th grade Open House, over 800 visiting students and parents.
   • 105 parents for Open House on Columbus Day.
   • Kirklees teaching fellows from England are here to learn more about differentiation.
   • Humphrey Fellows visiting this week.
   • Incoming Magnet Open House on October 22nd.
   • Japanese visitors on October 23rd.
   • CAP prospective students on October 27th.
   • Super science: magnet/nonmagnet students will be having discussions with Japanese students in November.
   • 75th MBHS anniversary events.  Huge turn out for Gala at Strathmore, induction of Hall of Fame Members, Full day of Saturday events, parade, open house at old Blair and new Blair, and Silver Spring Block Party.
   • Challenge to continue alumni involvement in school this year and in future years.
   • Alan Gregerman presented to MCPS administrators at a conference.
   • Class of 2010 = 629 students.
   • 260 SSL hours by April 9, 2010.
   • Graduation venues - further discussion below.
     • DC Convention Center
       • $16,000
       • Seats 4,400
     • DAR
       • $5,000
       • Seats 3,690
     • Comcast
       • $$ TBD
       • Seating essentially unlimited
   • Jr./Sr. Prom is May 22, 2010 - not Memorial Day weekend.
   • H1N1:standards- must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.
   • H1N1 immunization for students at Northwood next week
   • K-12 mathematics workgroup is seeking feedback about MCPS math curriculum.
   • First marking period ends on Friday, October 20th.
   • Deadline for 12/5 SAT is October 30th.


3. Student Government Association (SGA) Update
   • Spirit week, pep rally all attended really well
   • Blood drive: highly successful; signed-up 2 less people than the goal
   • Homecoming: sold just under 100 tickets
   • Lots of events coming up


4. Program: Mr. Moose presents on Blair Academies
   • Five Academies
     • Media Literacy
     • Science, Tech, Education and Math
     • Human Services
     • International Studies and Law
     • Entrepreneurship and Business Management
   • Academy week is in December to let every 9th-grader know what their choices are.
   • Academy Certificate:
     • Complete 3 credits of work in academy-related courses
     • Complete a CAPSTONE project junior or senior year
     • Research paper
     • Internship
     • College course
     • Any other suitable activity proposed by the student - designed to be a moderate, not overwhelming effort, but one that involves and interests the student.


5. Committee Reports (Pete Lafen and Committee Chairs)
   1. El Golfo Night: Tuesday, October 27th from 5-10pm; 20% of all receipts (eat-in or carry out).
   2. E-Script: have signed-up an additional 200 people.
   3. Cluster: Blair very well represented at Board of Education Community Forum on the Operating Budget.  A number of people testified on various issues: Magnet representatives testified on preserving funding for the program, Jeannie Philbin, Cluster Representative addressed what we have to do ensure our students graduate.  1/3 of our Latino students are dropping out prior to senior year.
      • Still time to submit comments about should NOT be cut from the budget.  Go to the MCPS website and can submit something to the Board.
   4. MCCPTA: vote by membership to endorse MCCPTA budget priorities.
   5. Volunteers: Thanks to volunteer coordinators for help with 75th anniversary turn out.
   6. Athletic Boosters: Patsy Hedrick did an outstanding job of managing and leading the concession sales inside Blair and then at the BCC football game over the 75th Anniversary Weekend.  Fall Athletic Award evening coming in November.  Blair Girls Cross Country Team wins first ever Down-County Consortium athletic championship.
   7. Membership/Fundraising: Thanks to parents and Membership committee leadership for Back to School Night and subsequent efforts to bring our membership to a high level and to essentially erase our budget deficit from last year.  This effort has permitted the PTSA to restore its Mini-Grant budget to last year's levels.
   8. Nominating Committee: Tom Jacobson, co-president seeking co-president candidates for next year, particularly with time available to be at school during school hours.
   9. Graduation Venue: still under review (see Williams' notes above)
   10. Grade Level/Class Liaisons: see graduation venue notes
   11. Citrus Sales: Sale closes November 13, (Annie Roland? and Becky Smith)
   12. 75th Alumni: very successful.  Gala, golf, parade, open house.


6. Motions Made and Carried
   • Budget
     • Motion to adopt the revised budget dated 10/9/09 (restoring Mini-grant funding)
     • Motion seconded.
     • Motion passed by membership vote.