MINUTES OF THE MCCPTA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING

Thursday, September 29, 2005 at the Carver Educational Services Center

 

 

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 County Consortium

                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 (Bethesda Chevy Chase/ Walter Johnson/Wheaton/Whitman)

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 Montgomery County third police district gang summit. The motion was seconded. It passed on a standing vote.

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 Montgomery County to the November Delegate Assembly for a brief presentation on upcoming legislative issues. There will be an informal holiday meet and greet with the county state delegation at Strathmore. Juan is looking into the size of the facility to determine if it will be large enough to invite both the executive board and the delegates or just the executive board. MCCPTA will host our usual dinner before the operating budget testimony at the county council. In between these events meetings will be held with county council members. Depending on the subject matter officers and committee chairs may participate.

 

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, Seneca Valley, Northwest, Quince Orchard, Damascus, Magruder, Watkins Mill, Gaithersburg and the new Clarksburg HS. The committee would like for this new program to be centrally located within these areas, but views this as a technical decision. The question was asked if the timeline of 2006 was reasonable and the reply was that historically it’s proposed the year before starting and that’s how Roberto Clemente MS was done, so it needs to get in the budget now especially with enrollments and boundary changes associated with the new Clarksburg HS.

 

Request from City of Rockville to support pending action:

Jim Keenan distributed a communication to Marney Jacobs from a Gaithersburg citizen regarding the City of Rockville’s October 10 public hearing on adopting an “Adequate Public Facilities” ordinance in Rockville that is a modification to the county wide policy. Discussion included capacity calculations, growth and the fairness of no impact tax.

Lori Merrill made a motion that there is not enough time to respond to the City of Rockville’s proposal for adequate public facilities, so the MCCPTA executive board won’t take any action. The motion was seconded and passed on a voice vote

 

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 Sharon St. Pierre will do the training for delegates and presidents; Juan Johnson will train the treasurers and Jane deWinter will present the data analysis after the box lunch. Juan and Meredith said that they would be willing to schedule training for those who can’t make the training this Saturday. It was suggested that the treasurers training include letting locals know that they should not give schools money without invoices and receipts. Everything must be in the budget and have an invoice and receipt. It is better to bill the PTA directly. Gift cards for staff appreciation require a receipt and restrict it to appropriate use of funds, too.

 

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.