April PTO Minutes

West Parish PTO Minutes
Meeting of: April 3, 2007

Co-Presidents’ Report

In Appreciation: Thank you to Trisha Reed for organizing the First Grade Bake Sale. Thank you to Beth and Ed Dahlmer and Annette Spanks for organizing the Skate Night. Thank you to Tess Whitmore and Steph Caudell for all of their help with the Guatemala Playground Fundraiser. Thank you to Jill McRae, Julie Ellis and all the volunteers who helped with the Scholastic Book Fair. Thank you to Mackenzie Plante for supplying the pictures of the Reading Night for the West Parish Blog.

West Parish Reads Festival: The Serpent Came to Gloucester is our book selection. The PTO is working with the teachers to help each classroom become involved. There will be an E-Visit from the author who will answer one question from each class. A storyteller or “celebrity reader” is being planned for the Family Night.

Golf Tournament: Ed Dahlmer, John Churchill and Kathy Bertagna are still hard at work on the Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, May 12th.

Money Madness: Fifth grade fundraiser was very successful! Thank you to Laura Rogers and Marcy Plante.

School Financial Crisis: Thank you to Karen Aquipel who is organizing ways for parents to act during this difficult time for our schools.

West Parish Blog: Thank you to Yoshi Campbell for all of her hard work establishing the West Parish Web Site. You can find it at http://www.westparishpto.blogspot.com/.

Treasurer’s Report

The Scholastic Book Fair had net proceeds of $1800.00. Skate Night netted $310.00. General Funds available are $45,764.00. Cash balance to be brought forward to next year is estimated at $20,000.00. Motion made to accept report was seconded and accepted.

Secretary’s Report

Minutes were posted on the West Parish Blog for the first time. Motion was made to accept minutes, seconded and approved.

Principal’s Report

MCAS was completed by the 3, 4, and 5th graders. Students did their best. Results will be available in September or October.

National Teacher Day is Wednesday, May 9th. Mr. Gutstadt and Mrs. McRae usually host a luncheon for all of the teachers. Marcy Plante is Appreciation Coordinator so this will be coordinated with her help.

Guatemala Playground Fundraiser: During a two week period of time, the students of West Parish far exceeded their goal of $1000.00 to raise a total of $1567.82. The students were wonderfully generous, often bringing bags full of change from home. Laura Carver sent pictures and the students from Gordon College who went to Guatemala will visit to talk to the students after vacation. After building the new playground, there may have been money left over to provide for a lunch or snack program.

School Committee Budget: The Budget and Finance Subcommittee will meet tomorrow at 4:00 to discuss comments heard at the Public Hearing and to make plans on what the School Committee should vote on for the budget on April 11th. Yoshi Campbell commented that the Budget and Finance Subcommittee may adjust what they are going to present to the full School Committee based upon what they are hearing from parents.

Guest Speaker: Greg Bover

Greg Bover is the Vice President of the Sawyer Free Library Board of Directors. He informed the group about the SFL Renovation Project and the Debt Exclusion Override. He stressed that the Library should be considered an important partner in education. This project has been in the works for about 10 years, which explains the timing for asking for the Debt Exclusion now. There would never be a good time. Over the last four years information including studies and architectural planning have been compiled in order to apply to the State for a 4 million dollar grant. In order for the renovation to happen there is a tripod of money needed, that from the State, City and private donations. All three are needed to make it work. If they are unable to receive the money from the City, they will not be eligible for the money from the State. Out of the 4 million in private donations needed, 1.5 million has already been committed. If the State money is realized there would be a six month time frame for the private money to be raised. The library is in desperate need of renovations. It needs a new boiler and wiring among many other things such as ADA compliance. Plans include a larger meeting room, an expanded children’s section, air conditioning and parking. Plans are also being made to replace the Bookmobile with a van. Teachers could order books online which would then be delivered to the School by volunteers. Mr. Bover clarified what a debt exclusion override is. It is limited, basically a 20 year mortgage that is paid off and goes away after 20 years. For the average homeowner, their taxes would increase about $52.00 in the first year which would then decrease year after year until it is paid off. If this passes, it will be a vote for hope instead of cynicism. The Sawyer Free Library is central to Gloucester’s cultural life. The vote for the Debt Exclusion is on April 24, 2007. Sawyer Free Library Campaign headquarters is located at 185 Main Street. You can visit their website for more information at http://www.sflcampaign.org/.



Guest Speaker: Beth Morris

Beth Morris, representing Stand For Children gave an update on the upcoming Second Annual School Funding Rally to be held on Wednesday, April 25th at the Statehouse. The messages being taken to the legislature are (please see handout for more info):
Increase Chapter 70 funding $300 million over FY07.
Include 100% reimbursement of transportation costs in the SPED Circuit Breaker and lower the threshold for kick in to 3 x foundation costs.
Immediately commission an adequacy study to determine what it takes to educate a child today, how much it costs and how can the State provide sufficient, equitable and predictable funding.
Support the Municipal Partnership Act and develop additional means for raising adequate state funding for education.
The buses will be leaving for the Rally from Stage Fort Park. The deadline to sign up to ride on the bus is April 11th. A commitment card can be filled out this evening. Stand For Children’s goal is to have 2000 participants attend the rally. In order to reach this number, 4000 must be asked. Stand For Children’s position on children attending the Rally is that students should be in school. Besides attending the rally there are other important ways to help, http://www.stand.org/ gives suggestions on ways to lobby and contact legislators. Write to Tarr and Verga and explain how this is affecting you. Write to the legislators beyond Tarr and Verga (who already understand our predicament), to educate them on what is happening in Gloucester. Also contact key leadership such as the Ways and Means Committee and Education Committee. Letters to the Editor in support of Stand For Children and their agenda before April 25th are also important. You can contact Beth for assistance with composing a letter if this would be helpful.

Teacher Requests

The SPED department had a mirror that was lost and has requested $100.00 from the PTO for a replacement. Motion was made to pay for the mirror and approved.

Upcoming Events

Hands-on Earth Day Exploratorium will take place on April 27th from 5 – 8pm. It is being organized by Leslie Beaulieu. Please see flyer attached. There will be 15 stations following an Earth Friendly theme. There will be some make and take tables. Organic chocolate, natural cleaners and energy efficient light bulbs have been donated so will make a 100% profit. A group of National Honor Society students have offered to help. Cathy Marshall from the Brownies has asked if the Brownie troupe can run a table. Karen Hunter has gotten 5 or 6 card tables donated to West Parish that can be used. More volunteers are needed contact Leslie at http://www.lebeaulieu@comcast.net/.

Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, May 12th at the Meadows at Peabody. There will be a shot gun start. Bring extra golf balls if you are not an avid golfer. Cost is $125.00 per person which includes green fee, cart, dinner and raffles. So far there are 11 four person teams signed up. We are hoping for 25 teams. Teams and individuals may sign up. First, second and third prizes will be offered. Business sponsors are being sought. The potential profit to the school is $9000.00.

Fifth Grade Spaghetti Dinner to be held May 4th.

Mad Hot Ballroom to be held May 6th. CD’s are on sale for $20.00.

Planning for the Future

PTO Officers/Teammates needed. A strong PTO is needed for next year with all the challenges ahead of us. Continuing to build community will be so important. Yoshi will stay on in the position of Co-President if a partner is found. Tricia Reed has expressed interest in the position of Vice President for next year. Kim Morgan offered to work with Yoshi and Tricia. Linda Pata will stay on as the PTO Treasurer. Tonia Belanger would like to step down as Secretary.

Planning for the Future of Gloucester Schools

Please attend Wednesday night’s Public Hearing and urge the School Committee to not present a budget that will include the closure of Fuller School and laying off of teachers. One Gloucester is developing ideas for the future and are looking for input. They are interested in fundraising 2.7 million dollars to help the school system. Karen Aquipel put a list of contacts together along with a sample letter to encourage everyone to contact City Officials, School Committee members, City Council members and House Ways and Means Committee. There is also interest in the possibility of pursuing a smaller override to help save some of the teachers. Can a plan be implemented that will bring some hope?

Respectfully submitted,
Tonia Belanger
Secretary

Two Deadlines to Note!

Tickets for the 5th grade fundraiser, West Parish"Money Madness," are due this Wednesday, March 28th. Tickets are $10 each. Call Laura Rogers 978-283-5483 or Marcy Plante, 978-281-7079 for more tickets or information. Win prizes daily and help support the 5th graders of West Parish!

Sign-up forms and deposits for the West Parish PTO Golf Tournament are due this Friday, March 30th. Please click here for more info. We need commitments from a minimum number of golfers by Friday to hold the event. Grab some friends and Tee up for the kids of West Parish!

Two Crucial Chances to Support School Funding, this Wed 3/28

This is a reminder that there are two important events happening in the city on Wednesday, March 28, that concern everyone.

• First, Governor Deval Patrick will be visiting Gloucester at 2:15pm at the Cruise Port (Eliot’s Wharf). Please take advantage of this rare opportunity to make the highest-ranking elected official in the Commonwealth aware of your concerns about the funding of public schools.

• Also, at 7:00pm in Fuller School Auditorium, the Gloucester School Committee will be holding a PUBLIC HEARING. This is a chance to make your views known regarding the proposed closure of elementary schools, teacher lay-offs, and increased class sizes. Note: Childcare will be available in the Fuller Parent's Center.

Please come and bring your friends and neighbors with you.

After-School Program available during Governor's visit

As the Governor's visit to Gloucester at 2:15pm on Wednesday at the Cruiseport takes place at an awkward time for West Parish parents, Becky Simpson has kindly agreed to make the After School Program available for parents wishing to attend the "polite protest" for more equitable school funding.

The cost is $5 until 4pm or $8 until 5:15pm

If you wish to put your child in the After School Program for the afternoon, contact Becky Simpson at 978-546-1688 and leave a message, or send in a note via the backpacks, Attn: Becky Simpson.

More info Governor's Visit

Governor Deval Patrick will be visiting Gloucester's waterfront tomorrow, Wednesday, March 28th . His visit presents an opportunity for us to demonstrate our concern for our schools. Let's turn out a crowd and show the governor that this issue - and Gloucester - need his attention.

WHEN: Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 28th, 2:00 - 3:30 pm,

WHERE: Rogers Street, in front of the Cruiseport, Elliot's Wharf (across from Capt. Vito's)

WHAT TO BRING: Yourself, a friend or two and, if you can, a sign with a message about Gloucester's Schools

Some possible examples:
"Build a Foundation for the Future: Our Kids"
"Fix the Formula"
"Gloucester's Students Need Help NOW"
"Casting Our Nets for More State Aid"
"Immediate Relief, Real Reform""
"Close Those Tax Loopholes"
"More $$ for Education"
"Together We Can - Gloucester Needs Your Help"
"Make Kids the Priority"
"Save our Schools"
"Be a Voice for the Children"
"We Need Your Leadership"

Be creative! Be positive and encouraging.

Notice is short, but this an opportunity in our own front yard to voice our hopes for Patrick's future help, and concerns we may have over for his current budget proposals. PLEASE COME.

How Gloucester is hurt by the State Funding Formula

If you want more information about how Gloucester is affected by state funding formula's, you might find the following message from Carolyn Kirk of the Gloucester School Committee informative . . .

"I have compiled a few examples which illustrate just how fairly Gloucester is being treated in the state distribution formula. Please pass along.

Hope to see you all on Weds. [at the "polite protest" for school funding reform during the Governor's visit at 2:15pm at the Cruiseport, Elliot's Wharf]. . .

Carolyn Kirk

• Gloucester has not been brought back to previous funding levels. We are still reeling from the 2002 cut in local aid. We do not understand how new spending can be justified when Gloucester is still making cuts in education with no hope in sight of bringing back what’s been lost such as funding for athletics, k – 8 librarians, and reasonable class sizes.

• There is a house for sale in Gloucester for $8 million dollars. Our largest elementary school has 52% of its students on free and reduced lunch. Because of the weight given to property value in the formula, Gloucester is treated as a wealthy suburb. We are not. We cannot provide adequate resources to our most needy children such as tutoring services, after school programs, reasonable class size.

• The education foundation budget assumes that we have about 3.8% of our students in need of Special Education services. In reality, we have over 20% in need of special education. There are almost 500 special education children unaccounted for in the foundation budget. That translates into a short fall of almost $3.9 million dollars.

• Gloucester spends money on the Massachusetts State Lottery like the working class city that it is. Last year we spent over $20million on the Lottery. We received back about 10% which is far below the average that other communities get back. The average sent back to cities and towns is 20% of their Lottery spending.

• The foundation budget suggests that we spend $172,000 dollars on nurses and health services. In reality we spend $450,000 dollars. At the middle school, the nurses office is run like a medical clinic while at the same time we try to get hundreds of uninsured children on MassHealth each year.

• The ruling in the Hancock case said that education funding is adequate. The ruling also admitted that the funding is inequitable but the judge said it was up to the legislature to make it right. They have not made it right for Gloucester. Last year’s legislative reform on Chapter 70 was to bring the state’s contribution to foundation budget up to 17% over the next five years. Gloucester is at 16%. Wealthy communities such as Weston and Wellesley saw big jumps in their Chapter 70 money because they were further below the 17%.

• Communities with greater access to wealth through their incomes receive extraordinarily greater amounts of Chapter 70 money: Franklin receives 52% of its foundation budget from the state, Dracut receives 48%. Dracut is a town about the size of Gloucester, has about the same number of children in its school system, and has a higher median income. Their Free and Reduced lunch population is 10% whereas Gloucester’s is 26%. Dracut receives $15million in education aid from the state. Gloucester receives less than $6million. How is that fair?

• Gloucester is and was an old, built-out city back when Prop 2 1/2 was enacted. Communities such as Marlborough which was farm land and located around Route 495 have been able to prosper. They have almost $30million more in their tax base to draw from. Gloucester yields $1.2 million off the tax levy. Health insurance alone and just for the school employees is rising $1million this year. This along with other increases skyrocketing on fixed costs means drastic cuts in services, school closures and high class size.

• Because of our proximity to wealthy suburbs such as Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Hamilton / Wenham, we experience one of the highest losses of students to school choice in the state. This is a trend experienced by other working class cities that are situated near wealthier towns such as Holyoke, Fitchburg, and Greenfield. This year we lost $1.2 million in school choice. Every year at budget time when our appropriation is less than the increase in our expenses, we make cuts to programs and services and we scare more families away."

Register Your Issues on Deval Patrick's Website!

Passing on a message from Jason Grow of the Gloucester City Council. . .

"The new DevalPatrick.com website has a feature called
MyIssue http://devalpatrick.com/issues.php
where voters can register and comment on issues they deem most important.

While I know there are many important issues facing our community and state, I would urge you all to take a moment and register concerns and votes for changing of the Chapter 70 formula as well as education funding. The Governor needs to hear how critical this issue is to our community and communities like ours where "adequate" funding is far from equitable. Take a moment and let him know how you feel, and encourage other friends to do the same

-- Thanks Jason"