PTO Meeting tonight at 7PM

Our March meeting is tonight in the Art Room, 7:00-8:00pm. PTO is a great way to stay connected with the Lucas community including getting updates on the Lucas building renovations. 

Babysitting is available!

April Agenda

March Meeting Minutes

Plan ahead to attend the Nov. 12 PTO meeting

The next PTO meeting is a week away, Monday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at the school. As always, free babysitting will be available in the kindergarten room. The meeting agenda is available here. Those who attend are asked to review the minutes for the September and October meetings ahead of time so that we may vote to approve or amend as needed.

PTO hears two presentations about outdoor education

As a late addition to the monthly meeting agenda, two students from Horn and Weber schools spoke to the Lucas PTO Monday about their participation in Planet Recapture, which is a new and growing youth environmental group in Iowa City. After starting last spring as a group of kids who love to play Capture the Flag, they've expanded from their initial commitment to spent 15 minutes before each game cleaning up their play area. In the fall, they partnered with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources IOWATER program to test water quality in Willow Creek Park. They also held a clean up that removed 1,000 pounds of waste and recyclables from the creek.

Now they are seeking additional participation and have petitioned all Iowa City principals to include Planet Recapture groups among their student organizations. They are looking for parent volunteers to lead each school chapter and will host members from all schools at their monthly meetings and activities. Contact information for the two students who started the group as well as their parents is available on the website linked above.

In addition, Fred Meyer with Backyard Abundance, spoke about his group's efforts to create and support natural playscapes and other opportunities for children to become immersed in nature. He cited examples of the group's collaborations with other schools including Willowwind here in Iowa City and Maharishi School in Fairfield. In addition, Backyard Abundance created an edible forest maze in Wetherby Park on Iowa City's Southeast side.

Additional details are outlined in the PTO meeting minutes. Natural playscape/outdoor classroom will be one of the items under discussion at the next meeting, Monday, Feb. 13, when the PTO finalizes its decisions for spending the money raised through the Make a Mighty Difference campaign. Technology and other classroom needs will also be under discussion for funding.

Draft Minutes from May 9 PTO Meeting Now Available

The draft minutes from the May 9 PTO meeting -- the last of the school year -- are now available. To view them, click here.

Reminder: Last PTO Meeting of the Year is Monday, May 9

Just a reminder that the last PTO meeting of the 2010-11 year is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, May 9 in the Lucas Art Room. As always, free childcare will be provided.

Ahead of the meeting, please take a moment to review the minutes from PTO's April 11 meeting. Click here to view.

Thanks!

Stephen and Melinda Pradarelli

Minutes available from Feb. 14 PTO meeting

Minutes are now available from the February 14 PTO meeting. Please review them ahead of this coming Monday's (March 7) PTO meeting at 7 p.m. in the Lucas Art Room -- please remember this date as the meeting was rescheduled so it wouldn't conflict with spring break. Also, if you are interested in any PTO chair positions -- including PTO president! -- PTO will be taking nominations this Monday.

 

Lucas PTO Minutes

Monday, Feb. 14, 2011

Present: Ashley Cahoun, Joey Young, Sarah Holmes, Heather Roth, Amy Greazel, Deb Manning, Mara Goodvin, Ania McComas, Ruthina West, Dave Snyder, Carol Greve, Sara Glenn, Joe Pavelich, Stephen and Melinda Pradarelli

Opening

January Minutes approved

President’s Report

·       DPO Scholarship proposal due 3/1. Barb Holderness nighttime janitor approved as person to be submitted.

·       Kindergarten registration- 3/1, will have PTO table at Roundup

·       ICCSD calendars on blog and Lucas web site

·       Dance Marathon earned $1402.00

·       February was Paraeducator Appreciation Month-PTO gave $10 Panera gift certificate to each Lucas paraeducator

·       Coin Drive will be in April – Brooke Hill in charge.

·       Fundraising Subcommittee roles have been identified: Ben Hill is coordinator; Dave and Ruthina are working with the budget; Renee is doing donor thank you’s; Joey will identify businesses to offer lead gifts; Julia is providing lead goals. Steve and Melinda Pradarelli will handle communications and marketing, and help to bring definition to the three major goals. One of these goals involves developing a scholarship and funds for children and families in need at Lucas. The committee also requested that PTO board members each consider an early financial contribution to this campaign.

·       Upcoming events: 3/3 Spelling Bee; 3/7 PTO meeting; 3/10 visiting author Robert Van Soucie (paid for by PTO); 4/8 Family Fun Night

·       School directories prepared by Elise and Julia (paid for by UICCU)

·       PTO nominates full Board in March- please consider serving in leadership position

·       Bowling for Kids 2/26 and 2/27: Big Sisters and Big Brothers (27 in Lucas), need team from PTO and DEED, tell Elise if interested in being on a team or donating to our team

·       Kernels game August 20- DEED organizing

·       Lucas cookbooks- Tres received large numbers for potential purchases and recipes

Principal’s Report

·       9 new children started in school last week

·       2 requests from upper grade students: 1) pancake supper; 2) “East Side Got Talent” night, maybe coordinating with Hoover and Lemme. This may be in the summer at Mercer or at City High during the school year. Asking for PTO support and assistance.

·       March Madness, Read Across America, calendar next week

·       SmartBoard training for staff last week, 9 working currently, K-2 classes and one 5^th grade class still need SmartBoards. Developing classroom technology plans.

·       ICCSD is establishing more secure networks.

·       ICCSD has a new emergency notification system: dial 688-1234 to get updated emergency news such as early closures due to weather. Can also sign up for tweet and email notification.

·       Requests for specific teachers will not be accepted next year. Class assignments will be posted a week before school begins, on exterior of school building.

Teacher’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

Corrections:

1.     Hills Bank balance as of January 31, 2011 was $23,102.62.

2.     In 2010-2011 budget the expense line item labeled “fun night expenses” should read “free family night”.

Ruthina has started the annual tax form 990 with FREE assistance from an accountant.

 

Discussion Items

-       Report on plans for Fun Night, April 8^th

-       Fundraising Committee Report

-       Lucas Cookbooks update (Tres Brown)

Committee Reports

• Fundraising: see President’s report above
• DEED – Save the Date: March 3 Spelling Bee (note date change)
• Big G Labels- can shop online and credit Lucas
• Can Recycling Drive- coming up in spring
• Labels for Education- will combine contest next time with Big G
• Free Family Events-
• Fun Night- Amy and Sarah: April 8. Theme is Mighty Hawks (black and gold school pride), 5:30-7:30. Need volunteers to chair activities, for particular room, or for food component. Will have bounce house. Raffle tickets will be available after spring break
• Hospitality –need volunteers for 2 conference meals,
• Newsletter/Yearbook: Emily needs photos for yearbooks ASAP, newsletter items to Emily before end of week
• Volunteer/Room Parent Coordinator- need volunteers for March 2 spring photos

Adjourned at 7:55.

Submitted by Renee Speh

 

Upcoming PTO Meeting Dates (Mondays at 7:00 p.m.):

March 7 (scheduled 1 week early to avoid a conflict with Spring Break)

April 11

May 9

Minutes from January 10 PTO meeting now available

The minutes from the January 10 PTO meeting are now available online, ahead of tonight's PTO meeting at 7 p.m. in the Lucas Art Room.

You can view the minutes as a Word document or in PDF format.

Minute from Monday PTO meeting available online

The minutes from the Monday, Nov. 8 Lucas PTO meeting are now available.

To view the minutes as a Word document, click here. To view them in PDF format, click here.

October 11 PTO minutes now available

Minutes from the October 11, 2010 meeting of PTO are now available for review either as a Microsoft Word document or as a PDF. Also, a reminder that PTO is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Monday, November 8 in the Lucas Art Room. Childcare will be provided.