Melrose PTO Monthly Zoom

Sep 11, 2024

  • PTO President: Alex Berger (president@melrosepto.org)
    • Goals: Community Building & Fundraising
      • e.g. Family Fun Night (both on & off campus), coordinating volunteer opportunities on campus
      • Community Coffee Hour
        • 1st Fri of the month after dropoff at 8am (next is 10/4)
        • Informal chat and opportunity to meet other parents
    • Valet/Carline needs 1-2 more volunteers (email musser.elizabeth@gmail.com)
    • Annual Giving (Fall Fundraiser): Jana Meyer-Miniex
      • Sept 11 – Oct 18
      • Give what you can, seeing 100% participation
      • What is funded by PTO?
        • garden ranger, PE, theater, science lab, headphones, keyboards, yearbooks, filmmaking, Catalina Trip, campus beautification, Family Fun Night
      • Last year raised $160k, 71% families participated
        • Hoping to raise $170k this year
        • Other fundraisers during the school year:
          • spring fundraiser $90k (aimed towards friends/families)
          • additional funds raised $75k
        • For those who can we’re asking $1,250/child, star science $400/two students, PE $250/student
      • Donations: melrosepto.org/donate
        • Ask your employer about matching program to double your STEAM power
        • Fully tax-deductible
        • Federal Tax ID #35-2348736
        • It’s possible to set up a monthly donation
          • Go to website and “donate to annual giving here” button will have an option to set up monthly payments
      • Incentives!
        • Popsicle party for the students when $85k reached
        • Mad Science assembly when $170k reached
    • Harvest Festival: Kate the Great
      • 5pm-7pm, Nov 1 — Costumes encouraged by ALL attendees!
      • Costume parade in the morning during school
      • Games, art, food (for purchase & bake sale to raise money for school), maze/ spooky dance party, fortune tellers, chili cookoff
      • All family members are welcome
      • LOTS of volunteers needed to make this event work
        • Signup will be distributed approx. 1 month from event date
    • Family Fun Night: Julia Wiss
      • 5pm-7pm, Sept 26 Thursday
      • Game Night
        • Game Truck
        • Circus acrobatics
          • Hula hoops, tumbling, climbing
        • Table top games
      • Food options with nearby restaurants that will donate money to Melrose
    • Philly’s Best Back-to-School Special for month of September
      • For every tastycake purchased, the retail price will be donated to Melrose (up to $500)
      • For every cheesesteak/hoagie, you will receive a free bag of Herr’s Potato Chips
  • Coffee with the Principal: Mr. Needleman
    • Covid
      • More now than 2 years ago! But none at Melrose
      • If your student has it, notify the school and upload results to the “Daily Pass” website
      • Return is ok if no fever for 24 hours (without using fever-reducing medicine) and symptom-free or improving symptoms and wear a mask for 10 days past day Zero (the first day of symptoms)
    • Volunteers (Monica Vargas)
      • District is phasing out 1-day volunteers, preference is for people that go through the whole volunteer process (even for field trips)
        • www.lausd.org/volunteer
          • TB test good for 5 years
          • Fingerprints not required
          • Attend an orientation at Melrose
    • The “Good” & the “Bad”
      • “Good”: Shutting down at 8am sharp has made a big difference & parents saying goodbye at gate
      • “Bad”: Do not park/stop on Detroit at all and don’t block driveways, no toys at school
    • Educational Software
      • iReady during school 30 mins/week of math & 30 mins/week of reading (grades 3-5)
      • Dreambox is no longer supported as a part of the curriculum
    • Schoolwide Expectations
      • To improve behavior overall
      • Star PE Coaches stay during recess/lunch to facilitate kickball, referee handball, etc. has made a big difference culturally
    • Digital Citizenship Training Curriculum due this Friday
      • Melrose is at iPad zero currently — be careful with your iPad