UNDERWOOD PTO MEETING
MARCH 13, 2007
MEETING MINUTES

Welcome and Introductions

PRINCIPAL’S REMARKS: Nancy DaPonte-Easter
Extended Day Program round 3 for grades 2-5 continues
Children Hour Reading Program- 6 wks for grades 2-5
Military Families welcome ideas! A presence at the school during the summer months, welcome packets at the school, a welcome message on the school phone line, Administration office referral if immediate assistance is necessary. Fort Adams picnic in August- Mrs Easter would like to attend to introduce herself to new families.

TREASURER’S REPORT: Karla Little (see attached)

FUNDRAISING:
• March Basket Auction – March 30th, Hibernian Hall – Karla Little, chair. Live auction, silent auction. Compiling donation ideas such as Beach Day with teachers, Swiss Village tour, Police Car ride, Morning rounds with Mr Michaels. Food donation request form will go home this week, Kerry Clougher to organize and setup. Raffle tickets will go home this week too. Looking for volunteers to help setup at 4pm at Hibernian Hall, make basket arrangements, help with cashiering, getting donations from local vendors. Newport Biodiesel to donate a “green” basket!
• Box Tops – Marcy Pilsbury The goal is to collect 4000 box tops by June 1, 400 per class for a pizza party and Mr Horsman to dye his hair green.
• Book Fair – Jennifer Harris asked permission from Mrs. Easter to send a letter to teachers for summer reading lists. This request was granted.

SCHOOL EVENTS:
• Spaghetti Dinner was a huge success! Thanks to O’Brien’s, Sigs and all the volunteers who helped decorate, serve and cleanup. The serving of the dinners eliminated traffic. The raffle was a great idea and we will do it again. It brought the event together. It was discussed to perhaps have a donation box for next year for those who would like to help with costs to the PTO.

OLD BUSINESS:
• Playground – Kerry Clougher Nat Harris and Justin Clougher are planning a weekend mission to construct as much of the playground as possible so as to ease the installation once the sight has been prepared. In addition, we are still shooting for an end of March installation date. This will be confirmed soon! Playground fairy not far now!
• NPEF Tea – Jennifer Harris attended the Tea at the Ochre Court with Aimee Phelps Lee who is the new Executive Director of NPEF. NPEF raises money to give teachers grants for various educational purposes. Many of the funds come from local endowments. Each school has a table at the tea and volunteers decorate and serve.
• Positively Newport Schools – Jennifer Harris/Kerry Clougher The website is up and running with great gusto. The PTO page allows each school the opportunity to advertise coming events. The schoolyard forum is a great place to read and post your views on a number of issues. The cost is $100 a year to each PTO.

NEW BUSINESS:
• Field Day – June 12 with a raindate of June 13 Mr. Horsman requested a climbing wall be available again this year. It was such a huge success. PTO investigating getting one donated from the National Guard.

• Jennifer Harris departed to attend the School Committee meeting where she will use her writing skills to recap the meeting. The School Committee are in the process of rehiring architects for the 1 or 2 new schools. As well, they intend to get community focus meetings in effect with the idea of engaging people and their viewpoints.

• Will Muessel wrote a letter requesting basketballs and kickballs for the playground signed by 2 of his friends. This request was granted.

NEXT PTO MEETING SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 10 @ KERRY’S PLACE, 6 PM