Reinforcing Learning At Home

Principal’s Update: Student learning doesn’t just happen at school, it happens everywhere. Parents play a key role in enriching their child’s education. Here are some tips to help support your child’s learning: Have them teach you. Find out what they are studying at school and ask them to explain it to you. As children retell something they learned it helps reinforce the concept. Another strategy is to put their knowledge to use by exposing them to new things. For example if they just finished a chapter in fractions, invite them to cook with you and explore the real-life application of measuring and adding fractions for recipes. A fun strategy to practice higher level thinking skills is to have a family movie night. Expose them to a new film and facilitate their critical thinking skills by analyzing the characters, pausing the movie and making predictions about what might happen next, and creating alternate endings to the story.

Parents' Club October Meeting

Meeting Highlights: October 13, 2017

• Call to order at 6:30 p.m.
• Jenna Punke-Bendt distributed Secretary Report.  Approved.
• Jessica distributed Treasurer’s Report: Approved.

Upcoming Items

• Box Tops: September 18 – October 13.  Michelle Weber Committee Head.  Currently at 5,013 Box Tops.
• Legendary Pie Sales:  9/25-10/16.  Jessica Arnstrom Overseeing.  Delivery date will be week of 11/13.  Ballgames will be on the 14^th and 16^th, so pickup date will try to be on the 13^th or 15^th, in the evening.  Last year we made $1,206.40 profit.
• Parent/Teacher Conferences: 10/26-10/27.  Luncheon for staff (Subway).  Jenna is finding volunteers for homemade desserts for both schools and help with Subway delivery.
• Halloween Parties:  10/31.  Room Reps have been instructed to contact their volunteers, and make class allergies known for those bringing snacks/drinks.  Parade starts at 2:00, Parties start at 2:15.
• Responsibility Parties:  Jenna Overseeing.  3^rd and 4^th Grades.  November 3^rd.  Jenna will purchase supplies and drop them off at the grade school, and touch base with Room Reps for volunteers. 
• Halloween Candy Buy Back:  As in years past, unwanted Halloween candy can be brought to the school.  Luri Maier-Lorntz takes collection to dentist, he buys back the candy, and sends it to the troops.
• Christmas Tree Auction: We decided we would have wooden trees made.  Jessica’s husband, Sean, has donated his time to making them for us.  Barn wood has been donated by a contact of Amanda.  She is checking for more materials for the center rod of the tree.  Since we will not have to pay for these trees, we will give each grade $25 to start their fund for purchasing their tree items/decorations.  Approved.  Jenna will write a letter to give to each grade explaining the $25 head start.  Amanda will contact Bob Hintze to auction the trees for us. 
• Spirit Wear: Crystal Aukland Committee Head.  Brought in $1,424; Paid Barb $891; Parents’ Club made $533 profit.  Will make orders due before Thanksgiving break to have all orders completed in time for Christmas break. 
• By-Laws: Distributed By-Laws last month for review.  Discussion on whether or not Article VIII, Section 4.  Discussion also on Article X, Section 2, Subsection m.  Unanimous vote to accept the By-Laws.  By-Laws are now in effect for the 2017-2018 school year. 
• Shoparoo:  Received a check for $182.  As of 10/11, we have 8,105 points.  Need to look at promoting this so more people use it.
• Scholastic Bucks:  $3,918.59 in Scholastic Bucks.
• Schwans Cares:  Must order through the link for it to count.  Need to look at promoting this so more people are aware.  Only had 1 person start their order through our link since the new campaign opened. 

Fundraisers

• Beer and Wine Tasting Fundraiser: Set for 4/14/17 at the Morris VFW.  Will be working with Westside Liquors again this year.  Jenna will check with Shanna at VFW about the following:  When the rental deposit is due, whether or not renovations on the VFW will be completed by our event date, and whether or not we can utilize the kitchen’s new ownership for catering services, and/or the use of the kitchen if we use an outside caterer.

Old Business

• Banner for Sports Awards Night:  Nancy thinks it would be better to use the plop printer to make a laminated sign.  We decided to table this discussion until talking with Michelle Weber, who has done the work on vinyl banner mock-ups but had to leave the meeting early. 
• We received Thank You’s from student Aidan Beaird for everything Parents’ Club does. 
• Mulch for playground is waiting for a path forward.  Amanda will give Nancy contact info so she can follow up on this issue. 
• Pickleball Tournament: Would like to hold this as a wintertime fundraiser.  Tony will look into a gym schedule with Ms. Siedentop. 

Requests

• Student – Tether ball for Grade School and Middle School.  Parents’ Club would be responsible for the purchase, installation, and maintenance/repairs on both units.  At $299 per unit, plus the cost of materials for installation, Parents Club has agreed to grant this request.  Approved.
• Nancy Dillow – Cash Donation of $100 for Debbie Paulsen, whose husband is ill with cancer.  Approved.
• MVK Christmas Basket Fund- Discussed donating unwanted spirit wear items and $100 cash.  Approved.

Open Discussion: 

• Jessica brought up Parents' Club's desire for large purchase items for the schools: Ga-Ga Ball and Water Bottle Filler Station with filters.  Nancy will review the details and logistics of said items. 
• Nancy verbalized that she must have forgotten to submit her request for the AR program that Parents Club pays $2,000 towards annually.  Deadline is sometime in December. 

Meeting adjourned at 7:48.  Approved.