PTA Meeting Notes – 2007-08 School Year
March 11 2008 Rosa Parks PTA Meeting Notes
Present: Sarah Pinkney-Murkey, Amy Gearhart, Pam Ryan, Cindy Johnston, Kelly Mazzeo, Sheryl Wilson, Victoria Thanos, Jane Nickerson, Michele Simmons, Adrienne Kelly, Louise Lund, Donald Worm, George Siberry, Ronnie Septoff, Brad Cadyl, and Rachel Maines
Prior to meeting is the PTA Open Forum Discussions
The PTA meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m
Treasurer’s Report – Pam Ryan
Budget approved and submitted
Principal’s Report – Sarah Pinkney-Murkey
Sarah Pinkney-Murkey:Â
EdLine:
- The Union requires that Teachers post their grades every 2 weeks. The school Administration ask that teachers update their grade once a weekÂ
- Homework is not a requirement of Edline
- In Montgomery County only eleven middle schools are using Edline
Middle School Reform:
- 15 school applied – 10 accepted
- Rosa Parks was not chosen for this program, Sara was not sure given reason why Rosa Parks was not chosen by the county
Drama Club
- Is doing a spring play
MSA
- MSA data is really looked at by the school system for the whole school population
- Rosa Parks always meets their MSA school expectations
- MSA’s are 4 days; 2 days of Reading and 2 days of Math
- New Brochure, which was set up through the English classes
- Student encouraged to set MSA goals
- Students encouraged to compare their MSA this year to the previous years
- Whole School is gearing up Rosa Parks is doing a pep rally
Principals Bulletin
- Look for information
- Posted on yahoo and sent home the 3rd Thursday of every month (includes school calendar)
Math
- 7th graders should be scheduled for Algebra (80% of the students are encouraged to meet this goal)
- 8th graders encouraged to go on for college opportunities
President’s Report – Amy Gearhart
MSA
- Parent support needed for the MSA kickoff pep rally – Popsicles for the whole school
5th grade Parent Visitation
- In MAY : Amy Gearhart and Sarah Pinkney-Murkey are inviting and greeting all of the incoming 6th grade parents at the Rosa Parks School, in the past Sara has visited the local elementary school PTAs
- The Art from the students will be on display during this event
School Sign
- Setting up with the Building personnel when it will be installed
- Hopefully it will be installed prior to Earth Day so the students can plant around the sign
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Brad Cadyl; Cindy Johnstone   Â
- Practicing for MSAs
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Jane Nickerson;  Roni Septoff   7th Grade Report Yahoo updated
Junior Achievement Program
- Rosa Parks Middle School and Junior Achievement are looking for Parents or community volunteers to support their 7th grade Global Marketplace programs. Specifically, the volunteers facilitate the JA program during the 7th grade social studies classes. JA supplies all teaching materials, including very specific lesson plans. The program is 6 weeks long (attending one class per week). JA volunteers range from local business people to parents http://www.myja.org/
End of Year 7th grade Activities
- June 11th Park Willow Grove
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Victoria Thanos; Kelly Mazzeo 8th Grade Report Yahoo updated
End of Year 8th grade Activities
- Deciding on :Hershey Park : Cost per student about $60Â ($7500 per bus, Admission is $25.50 each)
- Definite: Upper County Pool $20 per student ( pool + bus cost)
- Definite 8th Grade evening Dance at Longwood
Committee Reports
Beautification Committee: Don Worm Beautification committee head.
Earth Day: April 26th
- SSL Hours Given
- $1000 budget
- Mulching , Picking up Trash, working with Montgomery County Parks to setup Park cleanup
- Good Earth Retail Store: will plant and landscape
School contest:
- Light bulb exchange to encourage energy savings
- Top 10 list on “How to be Greenâ€
- Creek Cleanup
Cultural Arts-
- Working on adding in programs – although the dates are difficult to manage between the needsof the school
Dances:Â
- Spring Fling : April 25th
New Business:
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The PTA adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Maines
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Rosa Parks PTA Meeting Notes: January 8, 2008 PTA Notes
Present: Sarah Pinkney-Murkey, Amy Gearhart, Victoria Thanos, Rachel Maines, and Jane NickersonPrior to meeting is the PTA Open Forum DiscussionsThe PTA meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.mTreasurer’s Report – Pam Ryan
1. Leadership and Professional Development
2. Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
3. Extended Learning Opportunities
4. Technology
5. Organizational Structure
6. Human Resources
7. Parent and Community Engagement/Communication
8. Rosa Parks voted 2007 not to apply for MS reform they did not want to be in a pilot program
9. It does provide more budgetary support
10. It received good informal feedback
11. Activate participation with students
12. In 2008 Rosa Parks wants to and will apply
13. Staff training, technology, math and literary specialist, Reading strategies and co –teaching math and reading
14 Four additional team leaders
Drawback: time factor, increased training for teachers, means more out of the classroom time.
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Edline Updates:
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- Parents requested study guides for all classes with exams to help the students understand material
- Upgraded grading policy for each subject – will be sent out the beginning of the 2nd semester
- Minimum requirements is three assignments for each percent category
- Formative for Math, Reading and English created at central office
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- 10- 15 new after school programs paid for by the county
- Funded just for middle school students
- Sample programs: Science, history, poms, chess
- Teachers are paid by the county
- Upcoming November PTA Events: After Thanksgiving
- Book Fair Nov 26-30 each day at school
- PLUS… the Shop til you drop evening Nov 27th 7- 9 pm
- 18 Vendors in Cafeteria Tuesday Nov 27th
- Each vendor will raffle off an item, all raffle proceeds go to Rosa Parks PTA
- SGA may sponsor cake sale
- PTA will sell spirit wear (which is allowable at gym)
- PTA sponsored the $8,000 spirit wear venture profit will be $2700.00
- 6th Grade Teacher Curriculum Reports were already updated on Yahoo
- No report at the meeting, Outdoor Education was report that it went well
- APRIL INTERNATIONAL NIGHT & ART SHOW
- Purpose to celebrate the entire school
- Rosa Parks held International Evening back 9 Years ago they were successful events
- Gym is entertainment
- Cafeteria Food Tasting from around the world – from Restaurants or Pupils
- Hallway – Student Art show
- Reports not yet on yahoo
- Science inquiry Check points
- Wax museum is January 24th
- 7th Grade Report Yahoo updated
- SSL : Student Service Learning hours
- All students earn 10 hours in Outdoor Ed & another 10 hours are earned in English
- 8th Grade Report Yahoo updated
- Coordination of 8th Grade end of Year Activities are in progress
- 8th Grade will go over their classes and schedules and they will pick their High School courses about January 29th, they will receive the HS Book of classes
- Spruced up some bushes moved things about
- UPCOMING EVENT: Earth Day
- Over 100 people attended this outreach event
- Discussed topics: Math increasing grades, discussed available resources
- This meeting will try and happen 2 times per year
- Passed out parent survey results were favorable
- Offers a variety of courses to help parents
- They are reaching out to parents for new feedback
- Sherwood HS is exploring other academic academies along with the updated Global studies
- Freshman can enter and sign up for Global studies
- Sherwood is holding feasibility study to explore other academies
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    President’s Report – Amy GearhartThe Rosa Parks sign is coming together but it is very difficult to get the permits approvedThe PTA membership Cards are missing – but PTA numbers are available to those who need themEVENTS
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Brad Cadyl; Cindy Johnstone 6th Grade Report Yahoo updated
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Jane Nickerson; Roni Septoff
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Victoria Thanos; Kelly Mazzeo
Committee Reports
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Beautification Committee: Don Worm Beautification committee head.
Dances: Upcoming Valentines Day Dance
Latino Liaison – No current updates
Outreach event -
Membership – Mixed into Presidents Report: PTA Membership is strong: 383 total
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MCCPTA – no report
Sharon St Pierre Cluster updates
Sherwood HS and Parent Academy updates
Parent Academy:
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The PTA adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Maines
Rosa Parks PTA Meeting Notes: November 13, 2007 Meeting
Present: Attendance sheet Attached
Sarah Pinkney-Murkey, Amy Gearhart
Prior to meeting is the PTA Open Forum Discussions
The PTA meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m
October 2007 Minute ApprovedTreasurer’s Report – Pam RyanBudget submitted
Principal’s Report – Sarah Pinkney-MurkeyRecreation Extra After School Program:
President’s Report – Amy Gearhart
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Brad Cadyl; Cindy Johnstone
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Jane Nickerson; Roni Septoff
7th Teacher Curriculum Reports were already updated on Yahoo.
The Ice Cream Social went well. 140 students attended. This event started after school went until 4:10 pm. Entry was a $1 per Student. Included ice cream, DJ (Mr. Crowley, was the DJ) and Raffles.
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Victoria Thanos; Kelly Mazzeo
8th Grade Teacher Curriculum Reports were already updated on Yahoo.
End of year celebration, teacher unsure about how, and what is planned. Event is co sponsored between the PTA and Rosa Parks School
NEW end of the year ides, instead of Longwood recreation center in Olney, if the county allows travel, ideas up for consideration are: Ice skating, Pool, Heresy Park.
Committee Reports:
Book Fair: Upcoming Nov 26-30
Need parent volunteers in the AM for about 30mins
Spiff Day: (aka Beautification Committee): Don Worm Rosa Parks Grounds Committee Head.
Sat Nov 3rd
56 students attended
Students can earn a max of 3 hours of SSL hours
Budget output was $474.56
Next event is EARTH Day: to Mulch, and spruce up. They are hoping for help from Mr. Goldman’s Science Club
Dance Club Committee (New this year) : Roni SeptoffPurpose to generate ideas from the students on their school dances
They already held their first meeting
Idea winner for the upcoming winter dance: Winter White out, everyone wears white, there will be edible snowball from a machine, winter decorations etc
Students help get raffle gifts/prizes by calling around for freebies
Disco Ball is in, Installation has to be determined through the county.
Other Party themes for the year:
International Valentines Day, Hawaii Beach Party
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Cultural Arts- No current updates
Upcoming Spring EVENT is Rosa Parks Cultural -International Night
Guidance Advisory Committee- No current updates
Latino Liaison – No current updates
Membership PTA Membership is strong: 383 totalStaff Appreciation – Parent Cookie exchange for RP staff scheduled for mid-December
MCCPTA – No current updates
RMSPTA website: No current updates
New Business: No Meeting scheduled in December due to holiday conflicts
The PTA adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,Rachel Maines
Minutes Approved on Nov 13, 2007 by Don Worm and Susan Workman
Present: Attendance Taken
Prior to meeting is the PTA Open Forum Discussions
The PTA meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m
Treasurer’s Report – Pam Ryan
Budget approved and submittedPrincipal’s Report – Sarah Pinkney-Murkey
Both assistant principals present, :Assistant Principal: Joanne Hoffman
Assistant Principal: James T. HeintzeCar Drop before school can be dangerous for our students. It was discussed to remind parents that ALL students need to be safe at school.
Joanne Hoffman, Assistant principal, presented on Rosa Parks Safety and Crisis Plan.
The Crisis plan was approved by Field security.
The Plan is detailed on the Rosa Parks
Website: http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/rosaparksms/departments/crisis.shtmThe school has devolped on-site emergency team (OSET) and set up a command post when appropriate.
Important: Do not come to the school to pick up students unless directed to do so, as this will interfere with the response of the OSET team and emergency personnel. The students are safe and under supervision, Pickup ID is required when the school is under code Red and Blue.There are two codes Red and Blue.
Code Blue an increase in the threat level: heightened alert, pass restriction, attendance taken, immediate areas are secured,
Ex: Ambulance, child hurt. Can require parent child unification. Students are given only age approiate materetal
Code Red: severe danager, Ineterio hallways restricted, Shelter in place- an extention of the code blue procedures.Sarah Pinkney-Murkey: For open house 466 families attended, the school was pleased with the attendence
Drama club Update: activites are being planned for 2nd semester. Rec extra programs options for parents to sponsors parents to get paid.Parent – Teacher Communication : Parents are best speaking directly with the teacher since the results are typically faster.
End of Year activities are being worked on.
Richard Dorsey – building services manager doing a wonderful job…. school looks terrific
President’s Report – Amy Gearhart
Upcoming November PTA Events:
Book Fair Nov 26-30 PLUS the Shop til you drop evening Nov 27th 7- 9 pm
(Vendors either pay flat fee or a % of sales)1. PTA Membership is strong: 383 total
221 singles; 146 Doubles; 16 Teacher; $8900 Direct Appeal2. Rewrite Bylaws is required:
1. 3-4 Member Volunteers are being recruited please let Amy know if you are interested
2. Template to fill in answers
3. Bylaws can hold inplace for 3 years
3. Post to Yahoo
Just click to have material posted, once material is reviewed – approved it is sent out
4. Interntional Night / Art show
1. April 18th 5-10 pm
2. LOTS of parent involvment needed
3. need core of 6-8 parents
4. Food around the world
5. Entertainment every 15 mins
5 Rosa Parks handout on the School Sign in the front
1 Dolphin design discussed, slight colors changes to make it appear more dolphin like.6. Spirit wear:
Spirit wear – $3000 so far. As is sales, not a fund raiser for Rosa Parks. Considering ordering extra for Shop til you drop evening. $8000 order of sweatsirts, flleece pants, Tshirts, plaid pants. The apparel is approved for gym use.Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Brad Cadyl; Cindy Johnstone 6th Grade Report Yahoo updated
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Jane Nickerson; Roni Septoff 7th Grade Report Yahoo updated
Vice-Presidents’ Reports – Victoria Thanos; Kelly Mazzeo 8th Grade Report Yahoo updatedCommittee Reports
Book Fair: Upcoming Nov 26-30
Need parent volunteers in the AM for about 30minsBeautification Committee: Don Worm Beautification committee head.
Earth Day scheduled for April. Fall Beatification.Cultural Arts-
7th Grade Activities: Roni Septoff or Jane Nickerson 7th grade VP (RSEP01@aol.com; Jane.Nickerson@gallaudet.edu)
7th grade ice cream social right after school on Nov 13th is looking for parent volunteers to assist in the following areas passing out tickets during 7th grade lunch time 3 school days prior to the event, manning the event, taking tickets, serving ice cream, running the raffle, working the music and of course clean up and set up.
8th Grade Activities:
o The school is also looking for two 8th grade acamedic activitiesDances:
The Dance netted $652
Teachers sign-up to chaperone each dance along with our parent chaperones
Eeryone did an excellent job and the students had a great time
Adult chaprones always neededGuidance Advisory Committee- No current updates
Latino Liaison – No current updates
Membership – Mixed into Presidents Report: PTA Membership is strong: 383 total
Staff Appreciation –
MCCPTA – George
High School Exam workgroup put forth a motion that the Delegates should examine with heir home school if whether they should elimate final exams, if taking AP classes and a HAS exam, and substitue a project. An end-of course culminating activity/or assessment that would count as 25% of the semester grade instead of a final exam.MCCPTA Delegates Calendar committee Changes / updates:
Starting the school year on Tuesday, with Monday designated for Open Houses for the Schools
• The day before Thanksgiving should be a half-day
• Plan calendar out further than 9 months and longer notification time—Possibly plan for the next 2
years and/or notification of the next calendar sent out early in the fall.
• Shorten the MCPS calendar in June for unused snow days (up to 4 days currently built into the
Calendar)MCPS Operating Budget Priorities for fiscal year 2009
Be it resolved that the MCCPTA Delegates approve the following operating budget priorities for
the organization to concentrate on this budget year.
• Staff Development and Teacher Improvement,
• Local school based Parent Community Outreach Coordinators,
• School Guidance Counselors,
• Transportation,
• Gang Prevention and Intervention, and
• Remediation and Support for all students who need it.RMSPTA website:
New Business:
Dance Advicosy committee to start up: to encourage changes to the dances.
Several suggstions for future dances: Spirit Days; Disco; Beach –Lula; Winter White-Out; Sock Hop
Also change food items selling ½ candy + pizza, soda+ water,
Start grade appropriate raffle-themes at the dancePending Approval for Disco Ball budget: $159 county school permits will also be needed. This will come out of the school dance budget
The PTA adjourned at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Maines8th Grade
Social Studies
Grade 8 is studying a unit titled The New Americans, and learning how immigration relates to our identity as Americans. The skill area is finding main ideas and details.English
English 8 is exploring how people learn about themselves through their journeys, and how authors use journeys to develop plot and characters in stories. Exploring texts such as Raymond’s Run and The Treasure of Lemon Brown, and poetic images in Langston Hughes poems Daybreak in Alabama and Dreams.
All students are crafting a personal mission statement, reading six self-selected novels in addition to reading several poems and short stories that tie into the theme. On-level classes are beginning to read Canyon by Gary Paulson and GT classes are starting the Hobbit.Resource class is busy learning about transitions and how to self-advocate as they move towards independence and full participants in their educational journey. Tip of the month: Using your assignment book daily at school and again at home helps a lot!
Focus on Foods
the 8th graders in the Focus on Foods classes have just finished finding out why it is so important to follow a recipe carefully, including not leaving out any ingredients. The chemical reaction between all the ingredients working together is what makes our baked products turn out delicious, or not turn out so delicious. The students completed a taste test to compare muffins baked by each kitchen group. All but one kitchen in the class was missing an ingredient in their recipe. The groups baked some rather interesting muffins and after tasting the muffins they can now understand the importance of following a recipe carefully.French
French 1B: continuing review of French 1A objectives; la geography de la France; verbs-reHealth
8th Grade Health: Sexual Harassment, First Aid, And Gang Violence (Safety and Injury Prevention8th Grade Computer Applications:
Students have completed a review of Microsoft Word formatting skills. They have also learned to use Microsoft Excel for organizing, graphing, and analyzing data.
Students are now using Microsoft PowerPoint to communicate ideas and create formal presentations.8th Grade Imagine ring:
Students have learned the parts of a web page, what a web site is, and how one works. They have been using Microsoft FrontPage (web authoring software) to create their own multi-page, fully functioning web site.Photography
Pinhole Camera unit (paper box cameras, 5 minute exposures, paper negatives)8th Grade Studio Art
Large reproduction artwork done to exact scale using Egyptian cannon grid Method. (Chuck Close, finger print media)Spanish
Spanish 1B students are working on La undead de la Familiar the family unit; Adjectives; Verbose Regulars; Genera (Masc. y Fem.) and Numerous (Sing y Plural). And Spanish 2A students are working on when I was young.
Spanish 1A students are working on the Welcome to Spanish Class unit and Spanish 1A/B students are working on the Getting Acquainted Unit.Science
In science the classes will begin their next unit, Meteorology. The unit will be 9 weeks in durations and will instruct the students of the complexities of predicting weather patterns.
7th GRADEUpcoming field trip to Medieval Times.
1. Ice Cream Social! The 7th grade students will be having an “Ice Cream Social” on November 13th after school. This will be a wonderful social event for our students. We need volunteers to distribute tickets during the 7th grade lunch time for the 3 days prior to the event, serve ice cream, run the raffle, set up, and
clean up. We are also on the look out for any parents that might have a way for us to purchase ice cream and all the fixings at a discounted rate to help us reduce the price of the event.If you can help out, please contact Roni Septoff at rsep01@aol.com or Jane Nickerson at Jane.Nickerson@Gallaudet.edu. The event will take place immediately after school.
2. French 1A: continue locating and discussing (in French) famous Parisian landmarks; working on theme: Dans la salle de classe;” classroom vocabulary; gender; definite and indefinite articles
3. Spanish 1A: seasons/weather vocabulary; gender/number’ ser/tener; leisure-time activity vocabulary
4. Grade 7 science students are having fun making waves. Slinkys, ropes, and hands are the medium. Students completed a variety of wave projects including posters, poems, songs, reports, and even some
dances of the waves. Sharing the creative products with peers and teachers brought enjoyment to the learning environment. In the future students will be studying sound and light waves to link the
concepts to everyday activities.5. World Studies: Students are studying political systems (feudalism) and sources of power in Europe during the middle Ages. We will be going on a field trip to Medieval Times in Arundel Mills on Thursday, October 18th in conjunction with this unit.
Many thanks to the parent who cut out diamonds for the shields that the students will decorate before they go on their field trip to Medieval Times. Thanks to the following parents for helping out with this project: Jan Yuffee, Janet Blanton, Lori Schroeder, Nancy Rubin, Gay Braker, BJ Bloom, Roni Septoff, and Jane Nickerson.6. English is in the middle of the Identity unit—reading The Outsiders and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and working on visual literacy (analyzing art of the same time period as the novel) to gain a better understanding of the setting of the novel.
7. Math 7B: we are teaching statistics- constructing and analyzing graphs, finding the measures of central tendency, organizing data, identifying misleading statistics.
IM-7 Math: we are teaching statistics (same info as 7B) and set theory – identifying and describing set and subsets and problem solving using venn diagrams.
6th Grade
Upcoming Outdoor Ed
2 parents volunteers still needed
Donations of hand sanitizer requested -