Hillside Elementary School PTA

Gifted and Talented Magnet

|

Hillside PTA/SATp Meeting Minutes– October 20, 2022

Hillside PTA/SATp Meeting

October 20, 2022 – 6:30p

 

Meeting began at 6:35p (virtual via Google Meet)

 

  • Overview of recent accomplishments (Justin)

 

  • 10/12 Bike Walk to School Day
  • Explorers Program – updates to come from Explorers team
  • Boogie Bash Planning  – Lots of activity in prep for event
    • 250 pre sale tix sold
    • Big bump expected leading to close of pre-sale
  • PTA membership drive – 113 members currently pushing for 200
  • Beautification committee continues planting, mulch on Hillside Ave. 

 

  • Justin ran through meeting minutes from previous meeting. Minutes approved unanimously

 

  • Principal’s Report (Dr. Anglin)

 

  • Farewell to Mr. Adamo – Anglin/Adamo led a conversation and talk with staff. Montclair losing a tremendous advocate. 

 

  • Timeline for new AP hire
    • Candidate was approved at October 17 BOE meeting: Edwyn Acevedo. Must give his 60 days notice. (~Dec. 16 start). Will do a soft transition. 
    • Will need to have an interim AP. Priorities: schedule alone is a big lift, also have a lot of communication with families, one person can’t continue to do that, holding meaningful weekly meetings with teachers which happen by grade level and are driven by data. 
    • Mr. Martire will be interim. Has been in district for 20 years, at Hillside for 10. Worked hands-on in pupil services dept. Does a tremendous amount of work to help us keep track of children in a longitudinal way, also CI data, CI assessments. Helps us think about how to grow and accelerate children
    • Considering a meet and greet with Mr. Acevedo once he’s fully onboarded. Mr. Martire’s role has been advertised for, goal is to backfill it but will come up with a couple ways to be creative as needed. Major periods are 3,6,8 for him. Hoping to find someone to do math intervention work while he works as interim AP.

 

  • Boogie Bash – affected in a major way by having ground floor repairs happening. Construction crew is working from 3p-11p. 

 

  • Field Trips – Daily meetings being held regarding field trips, they will return this year. Teachers are actively planning for them.

 

  • Communication style – what you’ll get from me is timely responses. If I don’t have the answer, I don’t have the answer, but I will try to get it or direct you to the best resource.

Priority to keep communication open, hold pre meetings with PTA leadership to discuss hot topics. 

 

  • Maternity Leave
    • Due date is Feb 10. 
    • Interim principal position has been posted, there have been some applicants. Goal is to have someone in place by January 15. 
    • Will return from leave this school year
    • Regarding personnel decisions: BOE board secretary wants to move personnel updates from 2x month to 1x month

 

Q: How do teachers and administrators feel about bond referendum? Is there support at Hillside, in the district among teachers and administrators?

 

A: We’re not going to be out there cheering for it. There’s the per pupil budget, staffing budget, then capital budget. Every year there are things I have always asked for. The walk through with superintendent captured my wishlist for building improvements for Hillside. Exciting to see it happening.

 

  • Boogie Bash (Caitlyn)

 

  • This is a building year for us so spending more on Boogie Bash than we expected to. Still quite nervous. Thank you to parents who have stepped up to volunteer, admin and office staff, buildings and grounds. 
  • Volunteer numbers – in good shape, expecting to get more over next week
  • Updates
    • Concern that people don’t know what it is given that most current Hillside families have not attended a BB 
    • Worry about chaos given set up restrictions
    • Heading to Costco to pick up last minute things
    • Parent child meetup area? Put up a sign. Will brainstorm during check in meeting on Friday
    • Will not advertise more given current numbers and space limitations. Next week’s eblast/ FB posts will be about needs for volunteers, conduct expectations. 
    • Amazon wishlist will close on Monday, looks like all item requests have already been fulfilled
  • 250 kid tickets – 280 adult tix sold to date
    • Buildings and ground capacity was 400, so need to update them. Make a last push as early as possible tomorrow. Don’t want to extend pre-orders but tix can still be purchased at door.

 

Q: Do we want to push another blast to get kids talking about it?

A: Two more FB posts scheduled as well as e-blasts, volunteer push

 

Q: Congestion in hallways, air ventilation might be a concern. Since we’re advertising that parents need to attend with kids, there will be more parents.

A: (Anglin) Not having gym is huge amount of sq ft. that’s lost. Ensuring that adults supervise their children is important. We can increase air flow by opening doors but feeling like we shouldn’t advertise anymore given current numbers and having auditorium off limits. 

 

Q: Were tix set aside for families who can’t afford to attend Boogie Bash?

A: Working with Ms. Best in office. She is working on a list of families who want to attend and we will provide tix. List is about 19 families, 13 or 14 said yes

 

  • Treasurers Update (Mike)

 

  • Collected $5,600 to date
  • Explorers – jump in revenue from $17k last year to ~$24k this year
  • Reimbursement form updated. 
  • Field trips – use a budget number from 2000 ($2k), needs to be revised to $3k ($1k per grade). Need to figure out how to plug that hole.

 

  • Event Updates 

 

  • Rescheduling car wash to Spring
  • Cast of characters – 10/31
  • Student council elections – 11/8

 

  • SATp Updates (Stacie)

 

  • October 7: Hispanic Heritage celebration in collaboration with Nishuae was great success
    • Over 100 people attended
    • Watching booksellers had books available 
    • Performance by Ms. Pereira; craft from Ms. Daniels
    • Bake sale from girl scouts – $400 proceeds donated to to Taller Salud to support families in PR affected by Hurricane Fiona
  • Hillside Cares coat drive. October 17 – Nov. 18 – received 173 coats last year, goal is to collect 190 this year. Donations go to Montclair PD Community Service Unit
  • Upcoming events
    • 11/1 – Thanksgiving meals food drive. Working with Stacy best to identify families in need
    • Book drive – donating to Montclair Mutual Aid. Will take place week before 12/12 PTA Book Fair
    • November – Native American Heritage event. Collaborative event with Nishane at Nish. Looking to get Red Hawk nation to perform and provide history on Montclair. Grateful Hike of the Lenape trail – 11/19
    • 11/28 – Make A Wish and holiday meal helpers
    • Pop up workshops and MHS students to help tutor students
    • Email hillsidesatp@gmail.com if you want to volunteer

 

  • BOE/PTAC updates (Lani)

 

  • BOE meeting was jam packed with presentations:
    • Learning communities – shifting ways in which they’ve done PD to train principals to do PD themselves
    • Architects who have been working with district on renovations that will happen for bond referendum. Also presented at Town Halls
    • Discussions about BOE’s goals for the years
    • Passed policies re: health and sex education. Voted on and passed.
    • PTAC gave updates – huge push for bond referendum.
    • MFEE has 3 different grants available to teachers – SEL among others
  • PTAC is looking for $ and volunteers to support bond referendum. If you’re looking to donate, visit their website.
  • PTAC wants to add Hillside PTA to the list of supporting organizations 
    • Didn’t have quorum to vote
    • Suggestion was made to say “PTA Exec Board” which was approved

 

  • Next meeting date announced – 11/18, 9:30a

 

Q: How do we get more people to come to PTA meetings?

A: In person is helpful. Trying to do hybrid at minimum. Carrot is opportunity to hear from, ask questions of Dr. Anglin

 

  • Discussed, brainstormed ways to drum up participation including:
    • Short FB posts with meeting teasers, highlights. Kim Marsh willing to be interviewed about value she sees in attending PTA meetings
    • Behind the scenes, wondering what’s happening, want to ask questions. Demystifying – what PTA is, isn’t. What is the role of PTA meetings especially when people are otherwise engaged?
    • Nishuane has 147 members – offer giveaways, promoting opportunities to socialize to encourage people to join and participate if their friends are, combining PTA meetings with other events e.g. Principal’s Tea to bolster participation
    • Could we do once a quarter in person? We will do in person in January. Should all meetings be in person, not hybrid?
    • Suggestion of all in person meeting for November
    • At Nish, room was packed for PTA meetings. Coming off pandemic, a lot of new families figuring out ways to get engaged. Some fatigue on part of more established families

 

Q: What was thought process in going hybrid for Nishuane PTA meetings? Did you see results?

A: Not conflicting with getting kids to bed, etc.

 

Attendees:

 

Thomas Adamo

Samanthaa Anglin

Michael Barrett

Alexa Capeloto

Sarah Chamberlin

Tsihai Hanson

Stacie Hawes

Jill Marcus

Kimberly Marsh

Mendi Obadike

Christina Robinson

Allison Silverstein

Lani Sommer-Padilla

Justin Taylor

Tawaina Turner-Dones

Josie Williams

Anita Fee Willis

Caitlyn Yekal

 

Meeting adjourned at 8:06p

 

*meeting minutes approved by PTA Membership in 11/18/2022 Meeting