Muscota New School Parents Association Meeting Minutes from PA Meeting 9/15/2010, 8:40am
Cafeteria
Handouts: PA Committee descriptions, Class Parent sign-up, Sign- up sheets for Curriculum
Night, Minutes of 9/1 meeting for review, Agenda
Minutes from September 1, 2010 meeting circulated for review.
8:50 opens the floor for feedback about the first day of school. Some concerns were:
-Lack of aide presence in Kindergarten classroom. Parents feel this is a necessity.
-Concerns about the drop-off routine. Some feel like no one is directing children where to go.
Some parents feel unsure about leaving their children as some have been found wandering down
the wrong halls.
-Some describe discrepancy between administration rules and security guard rules.
-One parent describes her son’s confusion as to where to go at the end of the day (which bus line
to get on).
-One parent waits at assigned bus stop, but the bus never comes. Child has been late several
times as a result.
Some want class schedules to give parents a clear idea of what the children are doing and when
they are doing it. Margaret notes that schedules will be given out on Curriculum Night by
individual teachers.
Dismissal is confusing for many. What is the permanent solution?
Margaret assures parents it’s a work in progress and requests that we give Administration some
time to work out the kinks. She announces that parents/ guardians and their children are
welcome to stay in the yard after dismissal to play. Parents and children must always exit
through the building, not the yard.
Conversation shifts to use of playground. Parents are concerned about the ‘rationing out’ of
equipment use. Children are told to sit and wait for their assigned times to use the equipment.
This seems to go against the grain of Muscota’s philosophy of unstructured play and mixed age
experiences. Margaret will make sure Camille knows that the solutions need to be worked out
collaboratively with teachers, parents, and students.
Parent Volunteers are needed for lunch and recess. Notices about a volunteer training and how to
sign up will be sent home soon.
Garden is being installed in the backyard in the near future.
Kari Steeves explains the Wednesday Town Meeting tradition for new parents. Town Meeting is
every Wednesday at 8:40 and all parents are welcome to attend. After Town Meeting, the
cafeteria is available to Muscota for informal parent chats, committee meetings, etc.
Margaret reviews important September/October dates from the PA calendar.
At the next meeting (10/6/2010-6:30) the PA will be voting on what kind of committee to form
with regard to the Title I Parent Involvement funds. The committee will be charged with deciding
how the almost $1900 will be spent.
PA questionnaires will be sent home next week. PLEASE FILL THEM OUT AND SEND
BACK! There will be a description of committees attached.
Marcella Xavier gives a brief overview of the Health and Safety committee.
Margaret gives a brief description of other committees.
Margaret discusses the possibility of getting a 501(c)3 status (not-for-profit). Asks if anyone is
experienced in this area or knows anyone who is?
Camille Wallin begins at 9:45.
She invites all to Coffee with Camille. She will be alerting parents before hand as to what the
subject matter will be. Kevin Kunkel requests that the first meeting focus on Progressive
Education and Camille’s take on the subject.
Camille introduces Nicki Kram-Rosen and Sameer Talati as Aspiring Principal’s working at
Muscota. They are current students in the Leadership Academy and will be here for one year.
Camille introduces the “Just Right” book bag that will be traveling with students on a daily basis.
The point is to encourage thirty minutes of sustained silent reading each day. The “Just Right”
bag contains books that the child is fully able to read and comprehend with the goal of
strengthening those skills and advancing their reading. This year, teachers will focus on the kids
having access to “Just Right” books. They will be involved in choosing their own books.
Camille also discusses the National Core Standards and their role at Muscota.
Ginnette Quesada-Kunkel asks about resources and how they are being used. There is too little
help in younger classrooms. The library is also discussed. It’s a changing/evolving area.
Camille’s goal is to try and figure out what we want our ‘librarian’ to look like? She wants to
maximize our resources and maximize the talent we have to help handle the resources.
Margaret thanks the Bennett Family for delivering school supplies and a gift bag to every on eof
our classroom teachers before the first day of school. Margaret thanks Troy Schremmer for
designing and ordering the beautiful Welcome Banner outside our school.
Motion: Pass the minutes from September 1, 2010 meeting. Motion Passed
Meeting ends at 10:20am.