The Bath Elementary PTA Blog

PTA Meeting Minutes

2012-01-17T21:44:00.002-05:00

Tuesday,January 10, 2012 @ 6:30 PM in Dike Newell Library

Board Members in attendance: Geniene Marco, Kate Foye, Claire Berkowitz,& Candy Hernandez

Secretary’s Report
The December minutes were notpresented due to a computer issue. Claire will try to retrieve and post/presentnext month.

Treasurer’s Report

Kate presented the budget. Thebalance in the checking account is $7,359.46 – enough to cover the approvedbudget for the rest of the year. Great fundraising efforts have gotten us tothis point.

Old Business

One Book, One School Events - Ocean Soup Tide Pool Poems

Author Steven Swinburne will be at FM on Monday, January 30 (Snow Day Tuesday, Jan. 31^st).
Reading and Journal Entries: 1/30-1/15
The three week project will culminate with a full day, whole school celebration of science, literacy, and art activities led by community members and staff on Weds., Feb. 15. This will be like an indoor field day with classes traveling to different sessions throughout the day. Volunteers Needed! Please let Dr. Harriman or your child's teacher know if you could volunteer for morning or afternoon.

February Family Dance – Friday, February 17^th in Fisher Mitchell Gym

Celebrate the end of One Book One School AND kick of February vacation.
Time: 6:30-8 PM.
We’ll have some raffle items, Claire will DJ with Ipod, Popcorn – Christine and company, Candy & Reuben will sell tickets, Geniene will get disco ball, Kate will make healthy fruit punch. Snacks/punch $.25, water is free.

Box Tops for Education – class with most box tops wins a ride on the Bath Trolley. Cut out and bring in box tops from January 9th to February 17th to help. Each box top is worth 10¢ and can be found on many different items at the grocery store. See http://www.boxtops4education.com/ to find products. Ask friends, neighbors, and family members to donate box tops, too. We’ve already received a check for $475 that willbe used to buy every student a book for our upcoming One Book One School.

New Business

Read-a-thon – March 12-23. More information to come next month. PTA will pay for winning classes gifts (Bath Book Shop gift certificates) if necessary. Candy will let us know.
PTA will sponsor a coin drive in May.
Looking to schedule the 5^th Grade Dance at BMS in the beginning of June (either the 1^st or 2^nd). Same format as last year. Will hire a DJ.
Looking ahead – TV Turn Off Week is normally in April. Claire will check with Katherine Buotte.
Dike Newell has received a $500 grant from Access Health to purchase healthy snacks (fruits and veggies). This should be enough to provide snacks 1/week. Volunteers will be needed to help prepare the fruit for the students. PTA will reach out to parents/community.

Principal’s Comment – Sally Brown talked about the SchoolAdvisory Group (SAG) meeting. Parents expressed a need to feel more connectedto the school. They are only at DN for 3 years and then they move to FM. They’dlike to see some of the events happen at DN. The PTA will make sure thishappens in the future.

Public Comment – Talked about the School Budget and the needfor parents/community members to be involved. There is a $1 million budget gapin the RSU1 and so people will need to weigh in on what’s important. A surveyhas gone out to the community for input.

Meeting Adjourned at 7:45.

Because of a concert at Dike Newell, the next PTA meeting will be on MONDAY,February 13th, at 6:30 PM in Fisher Mitchell Library.

Bath Elementary PTA Dinner and a Movie Night

2011-11-13T13:04:00.001-05:00

A Note from Kimberly Gates about the Holiday Fair

2011-11-13T12:59:00.000-05:00

Hello All, Wow this year is going fast! It is that time of year when I am looking for ‘yard sale’ type items for our beautiful children of Bath to purchase as Christmas gifts for their families. I am looking for things that would make appropriate gifts for Moms, Dads, and Siblings. There are over 500 children in grades K-5! THAT MEANS WE NEED OVER 1000 ITEMS! Each child is able to purchase a gift for members of their immediate family at a cost of 25 cents per item. If they do not have the funds to purchase gifts, we supply them with as many quarters as they need. Once they have completed all of their holiday shopping we have elves that wrap and tag all of their gifts. IT IS AMAZING! They take the items home and they are ready to be placed under the tree.

I don’t know how it happens, but year after year I am able to come up with several bags filled with items...WHERE DOES THIS STUFF COME FROM! Do you have items that have been sitting in a drawer or stacked in a closet that you would like to donate? There are several ways to get things to the fair. The BEST WAY is to deliver them to Dike Newell School off of High Street. There will be a LARGE box labeled “Holiday Fair” and donations may be placed in there. If you are closer to Grace Church....you may drop items there as well, just mark them with my name. Delyse at Fisher Mitchel will have a box outside her office for donations and you can also call me 443-5052 and I can pick them up.

PLEASE...SPREAD THE WORD! To see the look on a child's face when they are able to give their parents a gift THEY CHOSE IS PRICELESS. I have done this for the past 6 years and I still have every gift Alex or Hannah have ever given me from the fair.

Bath Elementary PTA Secretary's Report- November 8, 2011 Meeting

2011-11-09T18:44:00.005-05:00

President Geniene Marco welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were 12 people in attendance. Both the secretary and treasurer's reports were approved.

A discussion about the Harvest Dance took place. Everyone agreed that it was a big success. The only concern the PTA has is about the poor lighting currently in place at the front entrance of Fisher-Mitchell School. The PTA plans to contact Dave Richards with its concerns.

Candy Hernandez stated that the Book Fair appears to be ready at both schools. There are enough volunteers, particularly for the kindergarten classes. The parent evening at Dike-Newell School will include local author, Wendy Ulmer, reading from her work.

Christine Walker discussed the details for the upcoming Movie Night to be held on December 2nd at Fisher-Mitchell School from 5:30- 8:30 PM. She has contacted local restaurants who will give PTA parents discounts for a night out on that date. Parents can drop their children off at the Movie Night and then have dinner locally.

Geniene brought up Box Tops for Education as a fund-raiser for the the PTA. The classroom collecting the most box tops will be able to ride on the trolley as a prize. The Woolwich PTA has earned over $2,000 recently and successfully used the trolley ride as an incentive for kids to bring in the box tops.

Susan Cyr requested $600 to purchase a smaller PA system for concerts. She suggested a 2-year plan to fund the project, but the PTA voted to order the system now.

Jean Edmondson, a kindergarten teacher, thanked the PTA for the recently purchased die cuts. She mentioned that the owl presentation from Chewonki will be coming in the new year. The PTA supports this program annually for kindergartners.

During the principal's comment portion of the meeting, Sally Brown talked about the assembly held at Dike-Newell School this week. Designed to build whole school community, the assembly included a slide show of students being kind, safe, and responsible at school. Each grade level presented songs, raps, and poetry. Sally was impressed with the students' enthusiasm about being together as a whole school group.

Heidi Tucker concluded the meeting with distribution of skate bucks to be used at the Skate Park. She also encouraged PTA members to attend the upcoming City Council meeting on December 7th which will decide how the armory space will be utilized.

National PTA President's Letter to ABC Entertainment

2011-10-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

October26,2011

PaulLeePresident
ABCEntertainment
500S.BuenaVistaStreet
Burbank,CA91521-‐4581

DearMr.Lee:IamwritingabouttwoABCNetwork(ABC)televisionshows,DesperateHousewivesandSuburgatory,thatrecentlyairedepisodesfocusingonParentTeacherAssociation®(PTA)members(parents)inanegativelight.

Weunderstandthecomedicattempttopokefunattheeverydaylivesofsomefamiliesbuttherealityisthattherearemillionsofinvolvedparentsandfamiliesacrossthecountrythatfightfortherightsofallchildrenandensuretheyhavethehigh-‐qualityeducationtheydeserve.

Considerthis:outof34countries,Americanstudentsranked14thinreading,17thinscienceand25thinmath.Nowconsiderthatdecadesofresearchshowsthatparentinvolvementistheleadingindicatortostudentsuccess.Infact,themagnitudeoftheeffectofparentinvolvementequalsmorethan$1,000inspendingperpupil.WhileparentsareworkingtohelpchildrensucceedandreturntheUnitedStatestoagloballeaderineducation,ABCismockingthemandtheirefforts.

Asamajornetworkwithenormousreach,ABChasaresponsibilitytoitsviewersandtheAmericanpublictocallpositiveattentiontoeverydaychampionsofchildrenandthestateofeducation.Insteadofprovidingaplatformtoridiculefamilies,ABCshouldtakenotefromoneofitscompetitorslikeNBCandthenetwork’sweek-‐longprogrammingofEducationNation.

WethinkthisisagreatopportunityforABCtoeducateitsviewersaboutPTA,aswellasthesignificanceandpositiveaffectsoffamilyengagement.WearehappytojoinABConanyprogrammingthenetworkmayhavecominguporonanydaytimetelevisiontalkshowstodemonstratewhatmillionsofparentsandfamiliesaredoingtoensureallchildrenmaketheirfullpotentialareality.

Sincerely,
BetsyLanders
President
NationalPTA

Bath Elementary PTA Harvest Dance

2011-10-14T11:26:00.001-04:00

Bath Elementary PTA Meeting, September 20, 2011

2011-09-26T08:52:00.000-04:00

Secretary’s Report
President Geniene Marco welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The group approved both the secretary’s and treasurer’s reports from the June 14th meeting.

Old Business: The Charleston Wrap fundraiser begins this month. Geniene showed copies of the catalogs for gift wrap and kitchen ware items. The company was chosen because it is wellness friendly and sells high quality goods. The PTA will make a profit of 50% on gift wrap sales and 40% on kitchen ware sales. People may also donate to the fundraiser instead of purchasing from the catalogs.

The discussion of the the 2011- 2012 budget led to some small amendments and final approval. Currently, PTA dues are $10 for a family membership and $6 for an individual. Checks may be issued to Bath Elementary PTA.

There will be a Harvest Dance for K-5 students and families on October 21st from 6:30- 8:00 PM at the Fisher-Mitchell School. Healthy food and drink will be available for $.25 per item. Wendy Jung will be there to take photos!

On December 2nd, there will be a movie night sponsored by the PTA. Kids may be dropped off for several hours to watch a movie and enjoy a snack while parents do holiday shopping etc. More information about this will be forthcoming.

Candy Hernandez will chair the annual Book Fair at D/N School and Geniene and Kate Foye will co-chair the Fair at F/M. The Book Fair will be held the week of Nov. 14th at D/N and on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week at F/M.

Sally Brown shared that the opening of school at Dike-Newell went smoothly. The current enrollment is 265 students. The teachers all have web sites and Sally has a blog- please visit her online! Speaking of blogs, the Bath Elementary PTA’s blog is:
www.bathelementaryptablog.blogspot.com.

Paul White discussed the Kindergarten Team’s plan to have an October field trip to Wolfe’s Neck Farm to study the life cycle of a pumpkin. The Team may need PTA support to help kids who are unable to contribute money to the field trip.

The meeting ended with many ideas for fund raising including: an all school directory (Wendy will do research on this for the Oct. meeting), a Cook’s night out (Paul), discounts from local businesses, and more! Further discussion will continue next month.

The PTA meeting adjourned at 7:45 PM. The October meeting will be help on Tuesday, October 11th at F/M School beginning at 6:30 PM.

National Call-In Day: I’ve Called, Have You?

2011-09-20T21:06:00.000-04:00

National Call-In Day: I’ve Called, Have You?

June PTA Meeting Minutes

2011-09-01T19:22:00.000-04:00

PTA Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 @ 6:30 PM in Fisher Mitchell Library

Board Members in attendance: Geniene Marco, Kate Foye, Laurie Burhoe, Claire Berkowitz,

Other attendees: Candy Hernandez, Angie Boisvert, Barbara Reinersten, Terri Normand

Secretary’s Report
Claire presented May minutes (they were posted on the blog). Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Barbara; vote to approve was unanimous.

Treasurer’s Report

Kate presented the Treasurer’s Report that was finalized by Lisha. Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Barbara; unanimous vote to accept.

Old Business

Election of New Officers: for all RSU1 schools. Barbara moved to accept the slate: Terri 2^nd; unanimous vote to accept the officers for next year:

Geniene Marco, President
Claire Berkowitz, Vice President for Fisher Mitchell
Angie Bloisvert, Vice President for Dike Newell
Kate Foye, Treasurer
Candy Hernandez, Secretary

New Business

Kate summarized the meeting the PTA Board attended regarding the Wellness Policy. Reason prevailed and Mr. Shuttleworth sent a memo to stakeholders outlining the expectations of the fundraising guidelines contained within the policy.
We looked at the fall fundraiser for next year – Charleston Wrap. Looks like a great variety of items – kitchen gadgets, wrapping paper, etc.

Public Comment

· Barbara talked about what the fundraising needs might be for next year, in light of the budget cuts. AS a PTA we will reach out to teachers at the beginning of the school year to see what their needs will be.

· Decision to purchase gifts for retirees. Barbara made motion to buy gift certificate for Donna Morse. Candy 2^nd; unanimous vote.

· School Board Attendance – Claire suggested a pta member attend each meeting. We can rotate who attends.

· We would like to do more with the other PTAs/PTOs to talk about fundraising strategies, plans, etc. More partnering.

· 5^th Grade Dance was a success! The kids loved it and wore their t-shirts around the following week. Will do more dances next school year.

· Barbara talked about the PTAs in the RSU1 to be a part of the graduation/drop out prevention work that is going on in the district.

Meeting adjourned at 7:30 PM. Next meeting will be in September 2011

May PTA Meeting Minutes

2011-05-10T21:48:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 @ 6:30 PM in Dike Newell Library

In Attendance: Kate Foye, Angie Boisvert, Geniene Marco, Candy Hernandez, Laurie Burhoe, Claire Berkowitz, Barbara Reinersten, Terri Norman, Ross Berkowitz

Secretary’s Report – Claire distributed minutes from April meeting. Candy Hernandez moved to accept; all accepted.

Treasurer’s Report – Geniene presented the budgets; balances as of March 8, 2011 and May 6, 2011. Keeping money separated out for Salt Water Tank; skateboard fundraiser, etc. As of May 6, we have some money that is budgeted to come out by the end of the year. If everyone uses their money by the end of the year, we should carry over $2,000 for next year.

Nancy Rogers commented that the Teacher Appreciation breakfast was wonderful…great food that lasted all day. Thank you!

Kate Foye is working on a grant to get Bob Marley to come here for a fundraiser next year. Claire will help Kate.

Question about Wellness Policy and how it impacts fundraising was discussed. There will be a RSU1 May 25^th meeting regarding fundraising and next year – PTA Board will attend.

Treasurer’s Report accepted – Candy made motion, Barbara seconded. All approved.

Literacy Fund – Literacy Fund is a subcategory of the PTA Budget. The Read-a-thon made $5,000, which was amazing. Will be able to make grants to teachers next year.

5^th Grade Dance – June 4 6-8 PM. We need chaperones – BMS PTSA will help with that. It is in the cafeteria. Bath PTA will make popcorn, Woolwich will sell water. Claire will make flyer and tickets. PTSA has items to donate towards a raffle. Send tickets/flyers to the schools.

Ross Berkowitz – The 5^th grade transition night at BMS had a great turn out and there weren’t any questions from parents. Kate commented that the school did a great job of presenting and covered all areas. Quick discussion about Infinite Campus – need to do a better job of getting that info out to parents. Kids will find out their House assignment on the last day of school.

Requests – Mary McCawley asked for $210.98 for PE equipment. Candy made motion to approve the overage of the request; Angie 2^nd. All in favor

Benefit dinner to help BMS student with cancer. BMS needs donations of food for the dinner; the PTA could donate money toward the dinner rather than purchase items. Have they asked for donations of items from Brackett’s/Shaw’s? Make motion to give $100 to the dinner – Nancy 2nded…all in favor.

Retiring Teachers - $50 gift certificates for Main Street Bath; make donations to Literacy Fund and/or Emergency Fund. Gifts TBD.

Nominations of new PTA Officers – Geniene Marco as President; Angie Boisvert as VP of DN; Claire Berkowitz as VP of FM; Kate Foye as Treasurer; Candy Hernandez as Secretary. Will post and announce as required by By-Laws. Barbara R. nominated the slate; Nancy seconded. All in Favor.

United Way Annual Meeting 8 AM at MMM – Early Childhood Experiences and what is at stake for communities. Craig and Bruce McEwen will be talking about how toxic stress (abuse, extreme poverty, etc) in early childhood can negatively impact a child’s future in school, adulthood, etc.. RSVP to United Way - $20 fee. Will honor a waiver. Claire will send Barbara links to City Council

Art learning Fair on Thursday night at Dike Newell 5:30-6:30, 2^nd grade music program at 5:30.

Nancy thanked the PTA for the support of field trips this year. Candy said there would be no field trips without the support of the PTA.

Meeting adjourned at 8 PM

TV TURNOFF WEEK APRIL 25-29

2011-04-23T21:46:00.001-04:00

The Bath Elementary PTA supports "TV Turnoff Week" by encouraging children to watch less television and find more time for healthy activities and community participation. Alternative activities have been planned for kids and their families to enjoy throughout the week. Please note that we have age appropriate activities for each school on Tuesday and Wednesday. Student participants in TV Turn Off Week activities will be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift certificate to Papa Geppettos Workshop in Bath!

Monday, April 25th:
STAY HOME AND GET YOUR HOMEWORK DONE SO THAT YOU CAN ENJOY THE REST OF THE WEEK’S ACTIVITIES!

Tuesday, April 26th:
SCIENCE FUN AT FISHER MITCHELL, 6-7 PM
OR
PHYSICAL FITNESS FUN AT DIKE NEWELL, 6-7 PM

Wednesday, April 27th
SCIENCE FUN AT DIKE NEWELL FROM 6-7 PM
OR
FISHER MITCHELL STUDENTS ENJOY THE BATH SKATEPARK
FOR FREE FROM 3-7 PM

Thursday, April 28th:
MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM IS FREE FROM 3-7 PM FOR DIKE
NEWELL & FISHER MITCHELL FAMILIES.

FRIDAY, April 29th:
BINGO NIGHT IN DIKE NEWELL CAFETERIA FROM 6-7 PM.
LOTS OF PRIZES!!!!

Summer Camp Scholarships for eligible Dike Newell & Fisher Mitchell students, thanks to a generous Davenport Trust grant

2011-04-03T22:43:00.005-04:00

The Bath Elementary PTA board recognizes that the joys of summer camp should be accessible to all children, and understands that for many families the cost can be a great financial burden. This was the motivation for their application to the Davenport Trust Fund who generously donated funds for summer camp scholarships for families who are experiencing a financial hardship. The PTA is extremely grateful to the Davenport Trust Fund for their generous support of our elementary school children and their families for a second year. The following is a description of the application process for a limited amount of 2011 Summer Camp scholarships.

• Who is eligible? Students who are currently enrolled in the 2010-2011 school year at Dike Newell and Fisher Mitchell schools and who have a financial need. We will use the free & reduced lunch program guidelines to determine that need. However, if funds allow, we will also consider applications from other families who are not eligible for free & reduced lunch but who are experiencing a temporary financial hardship. In order to stretch our scholarship dollars and include more students, we are requiring a $10 contribution from families for each scholarship that is awarded. This payment will be due once scholarships have been awarded and should be sent in to school with a completed application from the designated camp program. There is a limited amount of funding for the program, so depending on the number of applicants, we may not be able to award scholarships to all who apply.

• How do I apply? Fill out the camp application that was sent home with your child on April 4th and return it to the Fisher Mitchell or Dike Newell main offices. If you misplaced the application, the application text is below and you can cut and paste into a new document. Please direct any questions about the program to either Gretchen Brinkler, guidance counselor at Dike Newell (gbrinkler@rsu1.org) or Suzanne Paule, social worker at Fisher Mitchell (spaule@rsu1.org). Applications are due by the end of school on Wednesday, April 13th.
No applications will be accepted after this deadline!

• Which camps will be funded by this scholarship program?

The 8 camp programs that will be funded by this program are:

* Bowdoin College Day Camp - Grades K-5, in Brunswick; Weeks of July 4th – August 5th; full days. http://www.bowdoin.edu/summer-programs/programs/day-camp.shtml

* Kids Down Under Art Camp @ the Universe Gym - Grades K-5, in Bath; Weekly dates through month of July; 9am – noon daily. http://www.theuniversegym.com/

* Bath YMCA Day Camp - Grades K-5; Weeks of June 27th - August 19th ; full days. http://www.bathymca.org/html/daycamp.html

* Bath YMCA Gymnastics Mini-Camp - Grades K-5; July 19-23 or July 26 – 30; Mon, Wed, Fri, 9am – noon. http://www.bathymca.org/html/Day%20Camp/daycamp_programs.html#gymnastics

* Bath YMCA Pre-Team Gymnastics Camp – Grades 2-5; August 2nd- 6th; Experience necessary; full days. www.bathymca.org/html/Day%20Camp/daycamp_programs.html#gymnastics

* Bath Recreation Dept. Day Camp - Grades K-5, Weeks of June 27th – August 12th; full days. http://www.cityofbath.com/bath_recreation.html

* Maine Maritime Kennebec Explorer’s Camp – Grades K – 5, Bath; June 27-July 1, Aug 1-5, or Aug 15-19. http://mmmkennebecexplorerscamp2011-eorg.eventbrite.com/

* Maine Maritime Boat Builders Camp - Ages 10 & up, in Bath; 2 week camp July 11th - 22nd only; full days. http://mmmboatbuilderscamp2011-eorg.eventbrite.com/

* Bath YMCA Circus Arts Camp – Grades 2-5, July 5-8 from 12:30-3:30. http://www.bathymca.org/html/Day%20Camp/daycamp_programs.html#circus

Complete details on all of these camps can be found by clicking on the links above. If camp information is not yet available, or if you have further questions about the camps, please contact the camps directly by telephone.

• Will I be responsible for getting my child to and from camp? YES! No transportation is available to/from camps and the Bath Elementary PTA assumes no liability for the camps (camp waivers will be signed by the parents).

• When will awards be granted? Parents of children selected will be notified by mail the first week in May. Completed camp applications and $10 deposits from families will then need to be returned to school no later than Friday, May 13th.

Summer Camp 2011 Bath Elementary PTA Scholarship Application
Application deadline: Wednesday, April 13th

Child’s Name: _______________________________ Age _____ School _________ Grade________
Classroom Teacher____________________________ Email __________________________________
Parent’s Name: _________________________ Phone ________________Cell____________________
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does your child receive free or reduced lunch? ⁫ YES ⁫ NO

My child does not receive free or reduced lunch but I am experiencing a temporary financial hardship and seek assistance for summer camp. Please briefly describe financial hardship:

What are the ages of the children in your household? ___________________________________

Has your child ever attended Summer Camp before? ⁫Yes ⁫ No

If yes, please indicate which camp he/she attended_______________________________________________

Please briefly describe what you feel your child will gain from a summer camp experience:

Please list the 2 camps your child would like to attend the most and we will do our best to choose a single camp from them, depending on availability. If you have questions about individual camps, please contact the camp organizations directly.

#1 _____________________________________________ #2: _____________________________________

Does your child have any special needs we should be aware of when matching him/her with a camp? ⁫Yes ⁫ No
If the answer is “Yes” please describe the special needs:

By signing this application, I give permission for my child's name to be shared with
camp program directors, as well as members of the camp scholarship committee.

Signature of Parent/Guardian___________________________________________

Thank you for applying. If you do not receive funding from the PTA this year, we encourage you to ask about financial aid programs that may be available directly from the camp themselves.

March PTA Meeting Minutes

2011-03-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday, March 8, 2011 @ 6:30 PM in Dike Newell Library

Board Members in attendance: Geniene Marco, Kate Foye, Laurie Burhoe, Claire Berkowitz, Lisha Wentworth

Other attendees: Candy Hernandez, Ruben Hernandez, Kathy Hendrickson, Susan Cyr, Amy Lent, Susan Harrison, Angie Boisvert, Nancy Harriman, Heidi Tucker

Secretary’s Report
Claire presented February minutes (they were posted on the blog). Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Amy; vote to approve was unanimous.

Treasurer’s Report

Lisha presented income and expense report. Candy moved to accept; 2^nd by Amy; unanimous vote to accept.

Old Business

Biggest Job Workshop-Kate updated us about the March 14^th event, 6-7:30 PM. Free parenting workshop by Laura Gauld, free of charge. Open to all RSU1 families, faculty, school board and staff. 19 RSVPs so far. Kate was approached about needing an interpreter for the deaf. We need someone to provide sign language. Candy suggested contacting Sharon Brown – the Special Ed Director. Nancy suggested contacting Pam Moody who knows of interpreters in the community who might be able to volunteer. Monica Blatt wants to incentivize the event with her Title 1 families…some sort of gift certificate. Amy offered passes to the museum for a prize to give away for all attendees. Nancy suggested a separate incentive for the Title I parents. Refreshments – budget $150 for childcare/food. Candy moved to accept that amount, Angie seconded the motion, all were in favor.
Read-a-thon – ½ the population in each school participating this year. It started yesterday. Kids seem eager to be a part of it. Candy requested that the PTA support the gift certificates for the classrooms, kids who read the most, 2 secretaries. Up to $500 may be needed to purchase gift certificates at BB Shop, depending on how much is raised. Heidi moved to accept, Angie seconded…all in favor.
Spring Chocolate Sale/Bath Sweet Shoppe – 8 or 9 different chocolate items, jelly beans, Passover/Easter items. Prices range $1.95-$15. Send out on March 18^th to the kids. Returned to Bath Sweet Shoppe by April 1^st, with deliveries on April 14^th or 15^th. The PTA gets ½ of money. Raffle of large bunny in shop window, proceeds to go to the PTA. Incentive program – she will give gift certificates to the top class in both schools ($5 to every child in class, $25 to teacher). Nancy suggested labeling a few things “vegan” if they are.
Summer Camp Scholarship – Heidi is submitting a grant asking for grant of $10,000 from Davenport. In 2009, we got $2500 from Bowdoin…that purchased 39 weeks of camp, 38 kids. In 2010 we got $3,000, eligibility was based on free and reduced lunch status. Overwhelmed with requests and so they gave us another $3,500 for a total of $6,500. Bath PTA was a top receiver of funds in 2010. The $10,000 will fund (29 matching weeks) free and reduced kids for 113 weeks of camp. Financial need not based on free and reduced lunch. Concern for kids over the 185% of poverty (school lunch eligibility) and what is happening to them when they aren’t in school for the summer. Gretchen will take over the lead on things at DN in terms of process. The bigger burden will be at FM…Suzanne doesn’t have the time. First come, first serve in terms of the camp. A question was asked if Gretchen is assigning kids to camp? Nancy wants things to be coordinated across the schools so it is fair. Heidi and Gretchen will work on the system. Families will have to pay $10/kid going to camp. There will be families who don’t have the $ give and that will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Asking for personal investment, but we don’t want people to not apply because they didn’t have the $10-$20. Nancy said that we can’t hold cash in the school for an unknown point of time…it will just get into the deposit. Heidi suggested having a Summer Camp Fair for RSU1. Fair open to all district families. Heidi would like to think about how to keep this going without her being in charge. Find a group to work with this and find a long term solution.
April 1^st – April Fool’s Dance. Nancy thought we should check with Jason Carter about when his dance is.
We will also host a 5^th grade dance for all RSU1 schools. This dance would be for free.

New Business

4^th Grade Field Trip - $ has been frozen. The Water Festival at USM is a day when kids are immersed in all things water. Only cost is $458 for bus costs. $200 we can apply to get reimbursed, so the cost would be $258 in the end. WE also have a trip to Augusta to go to the State House/Museum, this is curriculum aligned. Candy moved to support the field trip, Angie 2^nd, all approved. April to Augusta, Water Festival in May. Total of
TV Turnoff Week –Official week is April 24^th. Amy will open the Museum one night during that week.
Ruben would like to request the budgeted $100 funds for World Languages.
Lisha went over the list of grades that have not requested money. Money has been allocated, but it hasn’t been asked for. But, at this point it is first come, first serve. All field trips have been canceled because of the budget issues, so teachers need to know that the funds are here and can support their field trips. The 5^th grade will be coming for their allocated funds. Claire asked why parents can’t be asked to pay small amounts for field trip costs. Discussion took place about how to make this happen in the future and the possible advocacy that the PTA can do to make sure that the district funds are there to match what we have fundraised to help make these trips happen. We need to ask the Board about policies around all of this.

Public Comment

· Amy Lent has brought up discussions that she has had with School Board Members. They are unaware about how parents feel about things, such as the swim program.

· Survey Monkey with community opinion gathered about issues might be a way for us to advocate for our schools.

· Matt Hamilton will come to SAG meeting on 3/14 from 5-6 about dialogue of how middle school transition process works, not about transition itself. Get parent satisfaction about how the process works, not about what to expect at BMS.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45.

Next meeting on Tuesday, April 12th, at 6:30 PM in Fisher Mitchell Library.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS

2011-03-14T08:37:00.002-04:00

MERRYMEETING AUDUBON SOCIETY

A CHAPTER OF MAINE AUDUBON

February 2011

Dear Guidance Counselor, Principal, Science Teacher, or Other Adult who believes in outdoor education and camp:

Each year the Merrymeeting Audubon Society, a chapter of Maine Audubon, funds 20-30 camp scholarships to several Maine camps. We are confident these scholarships provide a positive outdoor experience for local students, and we look forward to having some of your students apply for summer 2011!

Last year we had more applicants than we could send and this year we will be looking carefully for essays in the students’ own words that reach us by the deadline of April 15! In the past we have funded students to attend a second or third year, but that will depend on the availability of funds, and their essays. Please encourage all students you think might benefit from an outdoor experience.

Enclosed is a poster to put up at your school and application forms for the two programs we support. Please make copies for students who would like to apply.

Tanglewood 4-H Camp Grades 3-5

Bryant Pond 4-H Camp Ages 10-14

Applicants should send all materials to the address on the form by April 15.

If you or any of your students have questions, please feel free to call or e-mail our Scholarship Committee. (Note: If there are students you know who are applying who may need extra help with transportation or other needs, please alert us.)

Tanglewood 4-H Camp Barbara Tucker, 729-3343

Sue Sergeant, 442-8195, suegeosergeant@comcast.net

Bryant Pond 4-H Camp Beth Bullock, 729-9650, bbullock@gwi.net

2011-02-16T21:16:00.002-05:00

A National Parenting Workshop

“It is not preachy or we have all the answers.”-Parent
“Solid material and suggestions” -Parent
"A down to earth, honest approach to raising a family." -Educator
"The BIGGEST JOB was an excellent program." -Parent

Monday March 14th 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Bath Middle School Cafeteria

Workshop and Light Refreshments are
FREE to RSU1 Parents and Educators

QUESTIONS?
Please e-mail bathelementaryPTA@yahoo.com

Free Childcare will be available
Helping families, educators and communities raise children to fulfill their highest potential

2011-02-15T10:40:00.004-05:00

PTA Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, February 8, 2011 @ 6:30 PM in Dike Newell Library

Board Members in attendance: Geniene Marco, Kate Foye, Laurie Burhoe
Other attendees: Candy Hernandez, Jean Edmondson, Leslie Trundy, Joanna Van Orden, Angie Boisvert, Mary McCauley, Terry Normand, Barbara Reinertsen, Wendy Jung, Betsy Harrington.

Secretary’s Report
Claire was not in attendance due to illness.

Treasurer’s Report
Lisha was not present and Geniene presented the Treasurers report for January that Lisha provided. Current balance of $6,722.07 as of 2/6/11 ($600 of which belongs to the 5th grade).
Income was a new membership @ $5.00 and Christmas fair @ $20.00. Expenses were listed as: Officer Salty $100.00, Theaterworks $688.50, Bus Service $20.00, Green house Club $60.00, and Chewonki $150.00, totaling $1018.50. Candy Hernandez made a motion to accept and Barbara 2nd. Vote to accept passed unanimously.

Other Business
The question about weather we would show the Charlottes Web movie on Wed., Feb 16 was posed. Extra volunteers were sought and none found.

Old Business
• Biggest Job Workshop Update – Kate has started promotion in the form of brochures and registration forms. A date change to Monday, 14th was discussed to accommodate the facilitator at Hyde. Kate said that childcare and snacks would be provided during the workshop.

• Feb 11th dance –Food donations are needed. Candy offered to add to the sparkling water for the punch. It was decided to use one of the Bracketts gift cards for juice, seltzer and popcorn. Raffle baskets were displayed and organized. Anita Derr, Joan, Candy, Melanie and Ross have agreed to chaperone. There will be a drop off list for children attending with out an adult. A disco ball has been donated and music set up was discussed. Candy suggested a simple rules poster set up at the admissions table.

• Summer Scholarship Fund- Work on the fund is progressing. Michelle has successfully taken over Heidi’s role as facilitator. They have decided to have a registration night and debate was heard on what the registration fee should be. Candy suggested that $20 was too high. $10 was suggested as more appropriate, as well as one fee per family.

New Business
• Wellness/Literacy Night at D/N – Mary McCauley spoke about an evening at D/N from 6-7:00 on March 2nd. There will be a Dr. Seuss theme because it is Dr. Seuss Day. They expect 50-200 attendees. There will be a scavenger hunt, a free RIF book, a craft area, 5210 bookmarks and a healthy snack area. She asked if the PTA could help fund the snacks and use the popcorn machine. Candy suggested Marla Davis @ 5210 for a grant to purchase food. PTA offers to provide fruit, carrot sticks and dip as well as a water cooler. Wendy Jung suggested that kids might make their own snacks. A PTA budget of $150.00 was suggested. Angie motioned and Candy 2nd.

• Spring Chocolate sale - Approved by William Shuttleworth. Order forms are being made by Bath Sweetshop for an early April fundraiser.

• HELP_A_KID- Leslie Trundy gave an overview of the Help-A-Kid program. She also let us know that she is selling the Sunrise Guide this year and that all $20 of the cost goes to Help-A-Kid. The YMCA, Art Van and Bath Natural Market will also be selling the guide. Leslie also gave an overview of an Aspiration Building program designed to foster college awareness in young kids. She would like help in promoting the Future of Maine Scholarship and asked for suggestions about how she could reach a larger audience to receive her information. Candy suggested having information available at parent conferences in April. It was suggested that perhaps the PTA could sponsor a $100 scholarship.

• Community survey- The survey was discussed and it was agreed that it was a confusing survey and not well received. Leslie suggested it was meant to stimulate discussion.

• USM Water Festival- a group at F/M was selected to attend this event. PTA volunteering to provide bussing support if needed.

Principal’s Comment
No principals were in attendance.

Public Comment
Joanna Van Orden thanked the PTA for the Owl presentation and said it was well received. Barbara posed the question of whether the PTA should be a presence at the budget meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45.

Next meeting on Tuesday, MARCH 8th, at 6:30 PM in Dike-Newell Library.

A Terrible Divide

2011-02-08T08:54:00.004-05:00

Here's a great op-ed about the cutting of public service dollars, including education, at a time when we should be investing in our children's future.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/opinion/08herbert.html?_r=1&hp

Bath Elementary PTA Dance

2011-02-07T14:35:00.001-05:00

Dance the night away in the Fisher Mitchell Gymnasium with the Bath Elementary School community!

All Dike Newell & Fisher Mitchell students & their families, teachers, and staff are invited to attend.

Friday, Feb. 11th

6:30-8 PM

Admission $2 per person; families of 4 or more pay only $8.

Gift Basket Raffle

25 cents/ticket or five for $1

Baskets include Maine Maritime Museum items, Valentine’s Day goodies, Craft supplies, books, and a Papa Geppetto’s floor puzzle

Snacks only a quarter

Let your voice be heard through the RSU1 Community Survey

2011-01-27T23:24:00.001-05:00

Click Here to take the RSU1 Community Survey to lend your voice to the discussion about programs and services you value as the budget for the 2011-2012 school year is developed.

Spider Lessons: Fisher-Mitchell School’s “One Book, One School” Event Tuesday, January 25th @ 6:15 pm

2011-01-23T12:09:00.001-05:00

The following is an announcement from the Fisher Mitchell SAG:

Spider Lessons: Fisher-Mitchell School’s “One Book, One School” Event
Grand Kickoff: Tuesday, January 25th @ 6:15 pm
FMS Gym (Snow Date is January 26th)

The Fisher-Mitchell School community – including kids, teachers, parents, grandparents and staff – is invited to participate in Spider Lessons, FMS’ “One Book, One School” event from January 25th to February 17th. We are using Charlotte’s Web, a remarkable story by the famous, part-time Maine resident, E.B. White.

What
Spider Lessons is inspired by the “One School One Book” movement that has spread across the United States and Canada. The idea is for a whole school community to read the same book at the same time and share that common experience. Charlotte’s Web is a classic re-read. Reading the same books again and again is important because it builds important literacy skill such as fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. And it’s fun!

Why
Spider Lessons will give families the exciting opportunity to read and write together. This shared experience, at home and at school, will boost reading and writing skills and give everyone a stronger sense of community.

How
Students will all receive a free copy of the book, a bookmark and a reader’s journal. Families will read the book together, following the schedule in the journal. Complete the journal entries together. Students should bring their journal to library class each week. There will be a final celebration with displays of student work and awards on February 16th.

Community Partners
This event is made possible through the generous support of our community partners: the Bath Savings Institution provided 250 copies Charlotte’s Web for FMS students; the Bath Elementary PTA provided program support for the Grand Kickoff; and the FMS School Advisory Group helped recruit volunteers and prepared event publicity.

Volunteers Needed
FMS community members (parents, grandparents, former students) are needed as volunteer readers for those FMS students who may not have one available. Volunteer readers will read and discuss “Spider Lessons” with FMS students at the school (from 2:45 pm to 3:15 pm between January 26th and February 17^th; or at other times to be determined). We also need volunteers to help with the Grand Kickoff on January 25th. To volunteer, please call FMS at 443-8265 and provide your name, contact info and availability to Delyse Conley. For more information, see the FMS website @ http://fms.rsu1.org/.

Kudos
Congratulations to all FMS faculty and staff - especially, Joan Newkirk, Monica Blatt, Patricia Shaffer and Delyse Conley - for their contributions in launching this incredible event. Thanks also to Principal Nancy Harriman for her leadership and efforts at promoting collaboration between FMS faculty, staff, the Bath Elementary PTA, and the FMS School Advisory Group.

The Bath Elementary PTA Blog

PTA Meeting Minutes

Bath Elementary PTA Dinner and a Movie Night

A Note from Kimberly Gates about the Holiday Fair

Bath Elementary PTA Secretary's Report- November 8, 2011 Meeting

National PTA President's Letter to ABC Entertainment

Bath Elementary PTA Harvest Dance

Bath Elementary PTA Meeting, September 20, 2011

National Call-In Day: I’ve Called, Have You?

June PTA Meeting Minutes

May PTA Meeting Minutes

TV TURNOFF WEEK APRIL 25-29

Summer Camp Scholarships for eligible Dike Newell & Fisher Mitchell students, thanks to a generous Davenport Trust grant

March PTA Meeting Minutes

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS

A Terrible Divide

Here's a great op-ed about the cutting of public service dollars, including education, at a time when we should be investing in our children's future.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/opinion/08herbert.html?_r=1&hp

Bath Elementary PTA Dance

Let your voice be heard through the RSU1 Community Survey

Spider Lessons: Fisher-Mitchell School’s “One Book, One School” Event Tuesday, January 25th @ 6:15 pm

The following is an announcement from the Fisher Mitchell SAG:

Spider Lessons: Fisher-Mitchell School’s “One Book, One School” EventGrand Kickoff: Tuesday, January 25th @ 6:15 pmFMS Gym (Snow Date is January 26th)

Spider Lessons: Fisher-Mitchell School’s “One Book, One School” Event
Grand Kickoff: Tuesday, January 25th @ 6:15 pm
FMS Gym (Snow Date is January 26th)