Minutes --
November 17, 2003
Attendance -- Dan Bates John Ford Dan Brown Brigid Alford
Faith Curran Terry Brown Lori Diminick Livvy King
Bill Rudolph B. J. Meagher Rick Long Therese Hills
Anne Gilbertson Mike Butala Lyn Hempt
Gina McNally Pam Barbush Kathy Grogan
Margaret Barrett Eileen McMullin Msgr. W. Richardson
Rhonda Houseman Doug Musselman Sheri Patton
Excused Absence -- Steph Kreysar
Dan Bates called the meeting to order and an Opening Prayer was recited by all in attendance.
Approval of Minutes – The October minutes were corrected to add Kathy Grogan and Pam Barbush as excused absences from the October meeting; with that change, the October 2003 minutes were approved.
Chairperson’s Remarks were presented by Dan Bates, Board President. He reported on the recent presentation that he and Board Finance Chair Dan Brown had made to the Parish Finance Council, at Council’s request. The presentation focused on enrollment and related budgetary issues and was viewed as a positive precursor to the formal budget presentation that Council requires all parish organizations, including the School Board, in February.
Principal’s Report was presented by Margaret Barrett.
Principal Barrett reported on the recent Book Fair; Nemo Night; Quiz Bowl victory; and Respect Life Food Drive that have taken place since the last Board meeting. Muffins with Mom, sponsored by Home School Association, will take place tomorrow.
Trinity students visited 8th graders at STS on November 11 to discuss what Trinity has to offer them both academically and extra-curricularly. Yesterday was the annual Trinity open house yesterday; 29 STS students attended.
Spirit Week at STS will conclude with a Pep Rally on Friday; representatives from Trinity basketball and cheerleading squads, including a few STS alums, have been invited to attend.
A “Cool Schools” segment on WHP TV will be taped in the future spotlighting the “We Build Computers” project. It will be a 30 second spot airing at different times and will provide good PR for the school
Current enrollment is 521 students. Great progress has been made on the delinquent tuition collection accounts. The Principal has been speaking to many of the families in question and have been developing workable and acceptable payment plans.
Assistant Principal’s Report was presented by Eileen McMullin. She reported that the 2nd PALs meeting was held on November 11. Concerns raised included the length of time students spend on buses each day, the necessity of having to provide more than one Halloween costume due to the school’s limiting the type of costume to be worn at the school celebration, various homework issues, and the need for explaining more clearly the precise volunteer needs that the school requires.
The next Lunch Bunch will be Monday November 24. Spirit Week is occurring this week and began with a prayer service, led by Student Council. Muffins with Mom + Crazy hat, hair, tie day will be tomorrow.
Paper/candy pick up will be this Friday and Saturday. As part of the parish 40 Hours Devotions, the 7th grade students will sign their Rite of Intention at the Sunday evening service; the 2nd graders will have their Rite of Enrollment at the Monday evening service.
Christmas Concert for the older students will be on December 15 in the church.
Mrs. McMullin also presented a recap of her participation as an evaluator in a Middle States Evaluation process in Allentown Diocese.
Finance Report was presented by Dan Brown, Finance Chair. He reported that the October financials had just been received today, and were preliminarily reviewed by Dan this afternoon. Overall, to date, total revenue is under budget by $81,669, due in large part to the student population being lower (by 19 students) than anticipated. Total expenses were over budget by $7404, not unusual due to large amount of supplies purchased in 1st quarter of the school year.
Presentation before Finance Council went very well. They expressed concern about the deficit, but were pleased with the interim report and appreciated the efforts of the Board to expand its reporting to the Council and its cooperative effort in that regard. Emphasis was placed on continuing to focus of student enrollment and collection efforts.
Development activities generally were also discussed with Finance Council, as were variance items.
The Council did raise questions about the declining enrollment, numbers down by 2 since last month’s report. It was reported that this number fluctuates almost daily with new students enrolling or potential students touring the school.
Teacher’s Representative Report presented by Rhonda Houseman. Her complete report is attached to archived copy of the Minutes, as are the written reports of the other presenters. Highlights from her report included that Grade 1 will be celebrating National Children’s Book Week this week, and creating puppets and book reports as part of the celebration. Grade 4 will be having an Ethnic Feast this month, and collected cards and other treats for soldiers in Iraq. Grade 2 took a field trip to the Hershey Museum. The students from last year’s third grade had collected $600.00 for the rain forest preservation, and this money has now been forwarded to that program.
Grade 5 took a field trip to the Diocesan Center to study archives. Kindergarteners finished work on a dinosaur mural for the room. They will be celebrating Thanksgiving with their 5th grade partners, and will see the play “Babes in Toyland” on the 25th. Grade 8 religion classes did a special project involving pumpkins recently, placed prayer lists in the Adoration Chapel, and worked on a saint report.
7th & 8th grade Honors Math classes (Pre-Algebra and Algebra) took the first part of the multi-part MATHFAX test recently.
Other activities included the 7-8th grade flag football season, Nemo Night, the addition of new mulch for the playground area, and lunch-time intramurals.
Grade 7 will be attending a theatrical presentation of 5 short stories by American authors in December. The middle school “Spell Down” to select STS’ representative to the Patriot News Spelling Bee will be held on December 16.
5A has a class newspaper written and produced by the students. 3rd grade teacher Deb Rodrigues participated in a Keystone Healthy Kids Campaign Community Champion Conference this past month.
Home School Association Report – No report this month due to no representative present at meeting. A question was raised about the exact pick-up date for the Candy and Paper Sale; this will be confirmed.
Development Report was presented by Co-Chair Pam Barbush. Met on October 17.
Smart Money – much being done. Internal staff changes underway. Kathy Grogan resigning position at end of calendar year. Kim Keller also moving out of area. Plea for more volunteers. Some discussion about re-instituting Wednesday sales at school. Presently being sold Tuesday nights during Bingo.
Gala has now been cancelled for 2004. It is being replaced by “Big Green Giveaway,” raffle-type affair, using old Gala date – May 22. A calendar fundraiser is also being investigated for fall 2004. A raffle is also being considered – looking for someone to donate a car.
Mrs. Rodrigues presented an idea about selling bricks for walkway near Peace Garden, similar to the walkway to Trinity’s football stadium. This was well-received and will be investigated further.
Teacher Liaison Report presented by Faith Curran, who discussed meetings held. Issues raised included obtaining grant for inclinator/lift on stairs, which is being actively pursued. Another issue was the end-of-the-day security issue regarding no entry of parents in school between 3:00 and 3:30. Looking at sending memo to parents updating everyone on the policy, plus maybe having volunteer parents manning the door. Rick Long updated everyone on the Preschool telephone issue. STS parent who works at Cisco volunteered to look into obtaining discounted computer based telephone system. $15,000 for hardware and installation – phones throughout every classroom and Preschool. Looking at grant to finance this.
Marketing Committee Report was presented by Therese Hills. Committee did not meet since last school board meeting. Decision to hold off on survey to alums at this time, due to concern that comments received in this venue might not be constructive. Looking at other ways of obtaining same information for publicity purposes. Contacts made to local libraries to have school do displays there. Art Gallery areas exist in children’s area at Frederickson, New Cumberland, East Pennsboro libraries, where works are on display for a full month after set-up.
An inquiry was be made to Capital City Mall for a table during January weekend/Catholic Schools Week. Mall has general rate -- $150/day, but less in food court area. Would consider discount for non-profits. Include band performance, choir, etc.
The Committee has reserved page in bulletin for Catholic Schools Week Sunday – full page available.
The Information Folder for prospective families is being updated; Gina McNally spear-heading this.
The Committee is looking at possibility of publicizing Info Night at local preschools also, in anticipation of Catholic Schools Week.
Dan Bates expressed need to focus more now on Development and Marketing than other committees. Board needs to look at attracting new students in Grades 1-8 as well as Kindergarten. Other options include instituting Referral Incentive, discounting tuition for families who bring in other new families. Dan stresses importance of highlighting this year’s Information Night, possibly providing more information at that time, maybe offering it on a Sunday afternoon instead of a weeknight.
Request that each Board member email to Therese the top 10 reasons why our children are at STS.
Daycare report was offered by Kathy Grogan. Afterschool program has now returned to daily rate of $7/day. Revenue there well over budgeted projections.
Technology Committee did not meet since last month. Mrs. Emerick working on installing wireless access at Preschool. Grant received from Smarter Kids foundation for SmartBoard for computer lab. Exxon grant monies received last month. Intel Innovators $35,000 grant being investigated; R. Emerick to write this, as well as another for $15,000 grant. Whitaker grant application in progress for mobile interactive whiteboard for middle school classrooms. WITF coming to film program for Cool Schools segment.
Old Business – None.
Full Day Kindergarten is being investigated further. WSSD reports only a pilot program to be tested at 2-3 elementary schools, kindergarten level for next academic year; as a result, this should not cause any direct problem or competition for us next year. Administration to work with Board in investigating merits – academic and budgetary – of instituting similar program at STS. Feasiblity study to include survey of preschool parents. Anticipate making the program optional. Special committee to be formed for this project; need to have conclusion by Information Night.
Closing Prayer was offered to conclude the meeting.