Hillside PTA/SATp Meeting

September 24, 2021

9:30 a.m. 

(Zoom Meeting)

Welcome and Introductions

• Yvette Frazier welcomed everyone and noted that monthly meetings will alternate morning and evening times. PTA/SATp meetings will be held in conjunction with each other. 
• The PTA Executive Board, Stacie Hawes and Dee Thompson of SATp, and Dr. Anglin introduced themselves.
• The PTA board has an open position: VP of Events. Please contact Yvette or Betty if you are interested.

Opening Business

• Amber Reed introduced the new standing rules for the Hillside Elementary PTA. Yvette Frazier moved to approve the new standing rules. Betty Shvetz seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
• Amber Reed shared the minutes from the June 10, 2021 PTA meeting. Betty Shvetz moved to approve the minutes. Yvette Frazier seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

Principal’s Report

• • Tents: Dr. Anglin has submitted requests for tents and tables to district. Hillside received three 10×10’ tents initially, which were not sufficient to cover 80 kids eating at six different times. Dr. Anglin made Hillside’s needs known to the district, then reached out to the PTA trying to brainstorm solutions. A tent that needed to be staked did not work. The field is used for HS freshmen sporting events and cannot be used as a site for tents.
  • Dr. Anglin has been reaching out to different companies, including the company Bradford used, which quoted $4800 a month for setting up tents. Central Office did not approve the outsourcing of the tents. Dr. Anglin has been informed that 40 tents like those Nishuane has had been ordered for all of the schools and are pending delivery. She checks in with the Director of Buildings and Grounds daily. She understands parents’ frustration with the delay.
  • COVID Protocols: Many people have requested a very clear chart that explains to everyone what happens when there is a positive case. The parent community and building leaders have been provided same resources: the district plan on the MPSwebsite, “The Road Forward” document from the state, and the district town hall. There is no additional resource and the language is very subjective, with recommendations interpreted differently from school to school. There is a need to norm across schools. Dr. Anglin encourages parents to continue asking questions at board meetings and call on the Superintendent’s office for clarity.
  • Travel quarantine: It is the district’s decision to not provide remote instruction if a child has to quarantine due to travel reasons. Dr. Anglin will continue to request clarity on this policy from Central Office but does not have answers at this time.
  • Even with many challenges, Dr. Anglin is excited to be back in the building and shares the children’s excitement and happiness at being back in school full time.

• Q&A:

• • Q: How is the travel policy enforced, given the travel question is no longer on the daily health check forms?
    A: The nurses have been asking same question. The Supervisor of Nursing left earlier this year and has not been replaced, so there is a lack of guidance and leadership. Travel policy enforcement comes down to people being honest and notifying the school, which is not right or appropriate, but where we are right now.
  • Q: Different schools are handling things differently when there is a COVID case. What defines a “close contact”? Why would some people be notified and not others?
    A: The resource provided says that it’s “recommended” that if you’re wearing a mask and are in close contact, then you do not need to quarantine. But the district does not need to follow that recommendation. For the recent positive case at Hillside, Dr. Anglin was directed to only send notification to the rosters of kids who were part of the contact tracing investigation. Dr. Anglin forwarded CDC templates for notification to different levels of contacts to CO, and will continue to advocate for need for better language and better-written letters so parents understand. She would like to receive notice in writing of what should happen when a positive case comes into the building. 
  • Q: Please send clarity on the travel policy before the long weekends coming up (Oct. 8-11 and the NJEA break in early November), so families can plan.
    A: Dr. Anglin will check with the nurse. Right now the district policy is that they cannot provide remote instruction for students who have to quarantine after travel, though they can provide work. She will include more details in an upcoming communication soon.

PTA Treasurer’s Report

• Co-Treasurer Dana Rizzo presented the preliminary budget for SY2021-22.
• The PTA is in need of ideas for fundraising, advice, and help.
• Major expenses such as those for Explorers, teacher stipends, and field trips are largely unchanged, while revenues are again projected to track below pre-pandemic levels.
• The PTA is tracking toward an operating deficit at the end of the year. 
• Our financial outlook could brighten if we are able to hold a Fireball gala this year, but it is still not clear whether this will be possible due to the pandemic.
  • Fireball is an adults-only fundraising gala held every two years (previously every three years) that raises a large amount of money.
• Jacqueline Ahern moved to approve the budget. Betty Shvetz seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.

PTA Calendar Review/Event Planning (Betty Shvetz)

• Class Partner/Liaison Training – Christina Robinson is CL lead, will have training after call. 
• Fundraiser for outdoor tents – not sure if this is needed yet, but will support with fundraiser if necessary.
• Explorers – registration is under way.
• No Boogie Bash this year. Instead, PTA is planning a Movie Night with Nishuane School (TBD) and Trunk or Treat.
• Book Fair – scheduled for 11/8-11/12. Location tbd.
• Parent Social Connects – The next one will be on Saturday, 10/23 at 7pm. Location TBD. 

Playground Committee (Dr. Anglin and Itai Dinour)

• Dr. Anglin apologized for the state of the grounds outdoors. She met with Buildings and Grounds before school resumed to walk the grounds together and point out overgrown and other problematic areas. The department did not keep up grounds maintenance during the time we were remote. The custodial staff can handle some of the work, but some areas require professional landscapers. The flood exacerbated the situation and the Hurricane Ida flooding did not help, as the custodial staff had to work tirelessly on building clean-up. Dr. Anglin has requested new benches and an equipment update.
• Parent Itai Dinour stated there is an opportunity for parents to be more vocal to the district about its being Hillside’s turn to get a playground from this century with shade and safety equipment. We should collaborate with the Nishuane PTA because it’s not going to happen in one year. 
• Christina Joseph Robinson (Beautification Committee lead), Bridget Placek, and Heather Miller would like to help with playground.

Fundraising (Betty Shvetz)

• Commemorative T-Shirts – We are running low on spiritwear, so there is an opportunity to order a new design, hopefully in October so shirts can be delivered by the holidays.
• Car wash – Need a lead for this. We can use the hose purchased for last year’s 5th grade picnic for a car wash fundraiser in the fall and spring. 
• Race (5K/1K) – Need a lead for this.
• Will continue to do trivia nights and talent show in some form.

SATp Agenda (Dee Thompson)

• Dee Thompson offered an overview of the School Action Team for Partnerships mission and vision.
• The SATp uses a framework of six types of involvement: Parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and community collaboration.
• Look for the upcoming Bike/Walk to School Day.
• The Social Justice committee is looking for volunteers. Please contact Jenn DiLullo at hillsidesatp@gmail.com. 
• Exciting activities are being planned for Hispanic Heritage Month. Look for information in your inbox.
• SATp will again be facilitating the successful Student Voices Book Club. 

BOE/PTAC Updates (Brian Fleischer)

• PTAC is looking for volunteers for various committees who want to work on district-wide issues.
• PTAC successfully advised the district to release the daily health form in Genesis at 8pm the day before school, rather than the morning of, to name one example of its successful advocacy at the district level.
• You can view the recording of the most recent BOE meeting for presentations on pooled testing, post-Ida clean-up, and remarks on the upcoming referendum for an elected BOE. There was a question of whether eligible students should be required to be vaccinated, and further debate on air purifiers and shields, but nothing significant was voted on.

Attendees