MINUTES OF THE MCCPTA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
Thursday, September 29, 2005 at the Carver Educational
ATTENDANCE:
Officers: Cindy Kerr, Victor Salazar, Jinhee Wilde, Liz
Wheeler, Juan Johnson
Area Vice Presidents and
Cluster Coordinators: Ted Willard,
Jim Keenan, Jane deWinter, Lilo Mitz, Lori Merrill, Phil Kaufman, Carley Lee, Suzanne
Weiss
Committee Chairs: Patti Twigg, Meredith Walters, Diane McHale, Kay
Romero, Pam Moomau, Debby Selecman
OPENNING BUSINESS:
Call to Order: MCCPTA President Cindy Kerr called the meeting to
order at 7:40 PM.
Meeting Minutes: The August 25, 2005 and September 1, 2005 executive
board meeting minutes were distributed. The treasurer’s report should state
that it will be filed for audit. A clarification will be added to the August
minutes to state that the meeting was to be held on August 4, but re-scheduled as
a special meeting due to a lack of a quorum present to conduct business. Two
names, Pam Moomau and Kay Romero, were added to the list of committee chairs in
attendance for the September 1 meeting. The minutes were approved as amended.
Treasurer’s Report:
Juan Johnson presented the
MCCPTA’s, Inc. Treasurer’s Report July 1 through September 27, 2005, the
MCCPTA, Inc.’s Balance Sheet as of September 27, 2005 and the Statement of Cash
Flows July 1 through September 27, 2005. MCCPTA, Inc. has $36,495 cash on hand
and of that $25,000 is in reserve for insurance premiums. We spent $7,658
during the summer months and had an income of $443. Four schools have been
notified of their outstanding insurance costs: Broad Acres ES, Harmony Hills
ES, Lake Seneca ES and Wheaton Woods ES. Our audit is underway. The auditor may
be sending out requests for information to people who received reimbursements.
Juan doesn’t anticipate any problems, and hopes that next year our audit cost
will be lower. First, the finance committee will review the audit and then it
will go to the executive board and from there to the delegates before being filed
with to MD PTA. Remind locals to send in audit information to the office or to
Juan. Budget items were presented based upon committee works plans that have
been received. A motion had previously been passed to allow the website
committee to obtain two addresses for MCCPTA, Inc - .net and .com since .org
was taken. This cost will be $579.40 for registration for 10 years, monthly fee
($19.95) and set up fee.
Ted
Willard made a motion that we approve the $579.40 for the website committee.
The motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
Juan
Johnson made a motion that we approve $377 for the gifted and talented
committee which is the same amount as last year’s work plan.
Discussion was held regarding
the budget presentation of $7,000 at the delegates’ assembly Tuesday, September
27, 2005. Juan explained that MD PTA guidelines permit him to group all
committees under one heading. Moneys can be moved to each committee based upon
executive board approval without the need of an amendment for each action. Work
plans are needed from each committee to determine potential expenses under
$7,000 including those that occur at the end of the year, like the $1,200 for
special needs.
Lori
Merrill made a motion to approve the committees listed by Juan tonight (Gifted
and Talented - $337, Curriculum Committee -
$50, Special Needs - $1,200, High School - $1,000, Safety - $150 and
Website - $579.40) and vote others at one time next month at the executive
board meeting. It was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
Vice Presidents should remind
committee chairs of their work plans expense items for the next meeting.
The treasurer’s report will
be filed for audit.
OFFICERS’ REPORTS:
President:
President Cindy Kerr thanked
Juan Johnson for his hard work while he was still interim treasurer. She
explained the procedure which she hopes will solve the glitches with the MD PTA
and the time lag. Once a week the MCCPTA office will send locals bylaws to MD
PTA. Copies will be kept in a binder and the mailing will require a receipt
mailing label. MCCPTA will keep a record of what was sent and approvals.
Cluster Coordinators and Area
Vice Presidents need to work with locals on this.
The blue book is being worked
on to get it ready for mailing. Cindy hopes to have it for the October, 2005
Delegate Assembly. It will be
sent in the pony to those absent. At the latest it will be ready in November. Unnecessary
information will be deleted and groups will be updated to make it as useful as
possible. Historically the blue book has gone to PTA president’s who then may
give it to principals and a copy is sent to MCPS. When we’ve had a public
relations position handed it out in the past, too. The MCEA has approached us
with a request to have a copy. Cindy is bringing MCEA’s request to the
executive board since MCEA is a union and wants to do a mailing. Discussion
included that MCEA may be asking for support for teacher pensions with their
mailing, recent directories issues, and that materials could be inserted into
folders at the delegate assemblies.
Lilo
Mitz made a motion that we not allow mass mailing by any group other than
MCCPTA, and that a courtesy copy of the blue book will be given to MCPS and
MCEA for contact purposes. These groups can then forward materials to us for
the delegate assembly, pony or electronic distribution only with our
permission. The motion was seconded. It passed on a voice vote.
Cindy requested a change in
agenda to allow for discussion from guests regarding proposal for a new up
county magnet program. (See new business.)
Nineteen ballots were distributed
for a vote to be taken for nominees for four committee chairs. Debby Selecman
and Diane McHale served as the tellers and Juan Johnson certified the results.
Pam
Moomau made a motion to destroy the ballots after the voting, counting and
announcing. It was seconded and passed on a voice vote.
Juan reported back the
results from 18 official ballots to be that all four nominees were approved as
committee chairs:
Sally Tabor – Down
Patricia Carpio – Membership
Michelle Yu – Community Outreach
Suzanne Weiss – Co-chair Legislation
Cindy reported on her recent successful
meeting with the chief of police, Tom Manger, this week’s press conference, and
his willingness to have parents as participatory partners, not volunteer
police. She reported on her interview with WTOP and the newspaper, too. Our
focus is the safety of children.
Cindy clarified the purpose
of the president’s list serv. It’s a tool for reaching out to PTA presidents
instead of doing the mass e-mails that were done before through Cathy Lilja’s
data base. Most of information is the same information that goes to the other
list servs. Sometimes there are things that are not on the other list servs,
like reminders that all schools should have a representative on grading and reporting,
or program ideas or book fairs, etc. It’s sent out on an as needed basis. Presidents
can’t answer since it’s like the bulletin. Many presidents are not on the
bulletin. Patti Twigg created the list from Cathy’s data base of presidents. Patti
Twigg supported that it is information only, and can save mailing costs.
Discussion concluded that tomorrow Patti will put a notice on the executive
board list serv that if Area Vice Presidents and Cluster Coordinators want to
participate in the president’s list serv they can do so by request. It’s a
positive sign that everyone wants to be informed. Cindy sated that National
PTA, MD PTA and most PTA councils don’t have interactive listservs.
Vice President –
Administration:
Victor Salazar distributed
his list for the proposed nominating committee for 2006-2007. He will present
the following names in the October Delegate packets:
Chris Barclay (At large)
Anna Janckson-Curtis
(Blair/Einstein/Kennedy/Northwood)
Lori Merrill (Churchill/Richard Montgomery/Rockville/Wootton)
Allyson Morrison
(Damascus/Gaithersburg/Magruder/Watkins Mill)
Lauren Haven (Northwest/Poolesville/Quince
Orchard/Seneca Valley)
Leslie Ridgway (NEC - Blake/Paint
Branch/Springbrook/Sherwood)
Terri Shaw (
Victor explained his
participation as a member of a gang task force representing the Silver Spring
Citizens Advisory Board. Last April he met with Chief Manger. Through the
advisory board he has met with the third district commander for the Montgomery
County Police. A gang summit will be held on November 5. PTAs, local community
groups, and faith based organizations will be invited to talk to the youth
collaboration council, MCPD and MCPS. It currently is being hosted by the
Neighborhood Committee (sub committee of the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory
Board). He asked the executive board if MCCPTA wishes to co-host this November
5 summit and support it by paying the cost of the school room rental. The
vision for the meeting is a town hall format with the joint task force sharing
what they have learned about why kids join gangs, MCPD saying how gangs affect
the community and MCPS sharing what they have done since they report and the
recent happenings. Break out sessions will be held by zip code to identify
issues and questions will be asked similar to an operating budget meeting, and
then have a panel discussion at the end. The 3 ½ hour block will take less time
for information and more time for feedback. Victor summarized the June 2005
report areas.
Victor
Salazar made a motion to request $150 from MCCPTA to reserve a school and that
we co- host the November 5, 2005
Discussion included getting
the word out to local PTAs (initially targeting the Blair, Northwood, and
Einstein clusters), control over the content and format, commitment, follow-up,
safety committee covering this issue, and limiting it to only the third police
district or county-wide. If the safety committee took this on then Victor would
be the regional advisory board contact not the MCCPTA contact. The safety
committee can put this fee on their expenses.
Jinhee
Wilde made a motion that after the November 5 meeting MCCPTA commit to
sponsoring additional forums countywide. The motion was seconded.
Discussion included the
safety committee’s involvement and pursuing it countywide. Chief Manger is
willing to do this countywide. It was noted that our October Delegate Assembly
will focus on bullying and gangs. A request was made to have the list of topics
for discussion posted on the delegates’ list serv.
Lilo
Mitz offered an amendment to the motion that MCCPTA begins to work immediately
with the safety committee in cooperation with the MCPD to plan identify strategies,
program outcomes and actions throughout the county to address violence and gang
activity. This amendment to the motion passed on a voice vote.
Vice President –
Legislation:
Jinhee Wilde said the MCCPTA
dinner with the Board of Education is October 24. She is inviting the president
of the state senate and the chair of the state house delegation from
AGENDA ITEMS:
Old Business:
Roscoe Nix letter will be
held over for first discussion next month.
New Business:
Upcounty Magnet Proposal recommended
by the Gifted and Talented Committee:
Diane McHale, Gifted and
Talented Committee Chair, introduced Roberto Clement MS parents Enrique
Zaldivar (member of Gifted and Talented committee), Zoraida
DeJesus and Elena Sistani. Enrique distributed copies
of and requested support for the committee’s resolution to establish an
upcounty program for the highly gifted, along the lines of the successful
middle school programs at Roberto Clemente MS. He stated that their
participation in the Deputy Superintendent’s committee proved that parent
advocacy is needed to establish such a program. Based upon our discussion the
committee will make changes to the proposal without changing the intent of the
resolution.
Debby
Selecman made a motion that the executive board endorses the recommendation of
the Gifted and Talented committee and that we will present the resolution at the
Delegates Assembly in October for action in November. Her motion was seconded. It
passed on a voice vote.
Pam
Moomau made an amendment to the original motion that the executive board
endorses the Gifted and Talented committee resolution on the upcounty magnet
program to be presented to the Delegates Assembly for their approval. It was
seconded and passed on a voice vote.
Discussion included
continuing magnet programs at the high school level in the upcounty area, open
enrollment, benefits for minority student enrollment, the community, and rigor.
The upcounty area was defined as the following nine clusters: Poolesville,
Request from City of
Jim Keenan distributed a
communication to Marney Jacobs from a
Lori
Merrill made a motion that there is not enough time to respond to the City of
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Bylaws:
Victor Salazar reported for
Vicki Rafel who was not present. The bylaws committee will hold its second meet
on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 PM in the CES cafeteria.
Training:
Meredith Walters said that
the fall training will be held Saturday, October 1. She will do the training
for Area Vice Presidents and Cluster Coordinators; Victor Salazar and
List serv:
Patti Twigg distributed her
MCCPTA listservs – Committee Report. Discussion included the role of the list
servs, the moderator, top ten guidelines feedback, etiquette, redundancy, restrictions,
and free speech. Patti will post her report to the bulletin and put a notice on
the delegate listserv that announces this. Patti intends for the delegates to get
her report at the October assembly and act on it in November. Patti listed her
list serv statistics, such as that more people are on the bulletin than the
list serv and 94 people are on the executive board list. We originally promised
that we’d not double post. We could have ability to moderate individuals if we
set guidelines. At the next executive board meeting in October the protocols
for the executive board list will be discussed and this discussion will be announced
prior to the meeting.
Safety:
Pam Moomau distributed
handouts re: the liability for serving alcohol at parties (for the homecoming
season) and tips for monitoring parties in both English and Spanish for
attendees to share. These were in the packets at the delegate assembly on
Tuesday, September 27, too. Please put these in high school offices.
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was
adjourned at 10:10 PM.