May 2008 Minutes

A regular meeting of the EMS Parent Group was called to order by President Molly Brennan in the Office Conference room at 7:06 pm.

Attendees: Ken Sanders, Molly Brennan (President), Melody Herr, Laura Hedgecock, and Sue Coscarelly

Approval of minutes: The minutes from the April 2008 meeting were approved.

Opening Business:

• East student Destiny Rice made a formal apology for her participation in picking school flowers and offered her time and a monetary donation to help offset the costs of the flowers. We thank Destiny for her courage to come before the parent group and we also thank Destiny’s mother, Mrs. Smart, for her support.
Molly Brennan clarified the current concern with 20(j) funding…. A new bill is threatening to once again cut funding to FPS. We have not received an increase in 5 years despite cost increases of 5% per year. This proposal would potentially cut another $2.239 million dollars from our annual allocation. If passed, the legislation would eliminate 20(j) school funding. In a nutshell, 20(j) funding is the state school funding allocation given to hold harmless school districts with higher foundation allowances to receive the same per-pupil funding increases as other districts. There are 43 districts, including Farmington Public Schools, that are in this category sometimes referred to as "hold harmless" districts. 20(j) funds were created after Proposal A created a huge gap in the previous funding to these districts. The 20(j) allocation helped to fill some of the new funding gap. 20(j) funding is a critical part of FPS school funding.
Molly is asking everyone's help in getting the word out and in getting our word to those in Lansing. Sample letters have been sent via the ListServ. More background information, as well as the governor's address can be found at Gill Elementary's website: www.gillpta.com
Here are the suggestions for taking action:
1. Forward this email to other concerned citizens.
2. Start contacting Legislators Now! If everyone contacted Speaker Dillon and Governor Granholm this week, we will send a powerful message to the House. (Please copy Rep. Vagnozzi on your correspondences.)
3. Write a Letter to the Editor to The Observer and Farmington's newspaper, The Farmington Press.
-Observer, Editor Stacy Jenkins, sjenkins@hometownlife.com, 36251 Schoolcraft, Livonia, MI 48150
-The Farmington Press, Editor Anne Heitjan at aheitjan@candgnews.com, 586. 498. 1071 Feel free to point parents and contacts to Gill PTA's home page www.gillpta.com for information.

Principal’s Report:

• Thank you for your support and understanding today (during the bomb threat). It was a difficult way to start the week. Please remind your children of the seriousness of making inappropriate threats, even in jest. If you or your student has any additional information, please contact Mrs. Fox, me, or any adult at East. We assure you that any information will remain confidential.
• Due to the early timing of the event, busses were directed to Nardin Park before kids were unloaded. Because there is a protocol in place, parents who drive their children to school were encouraged to drop their children off and let the school follow that protocol. Since there was a specific time mention in the threat, the students congregated in the cafeteria. Once gathered, the students were walked over to the evacuation site by staff. The entire East staff was commended by several parents for making a difficult situation run smoothly and efficiently.
• Thank you in advance for the wonderful food to be served during Teacher Appreciation Week taking place this week. A special thank you to Laura Kahsin and Barbara Morganti for organizing it.
• Fifth grade classes from all East feeder schools will be visiting next week. This is their first “taste” of what a middle school is all about. Mrs. Fox, the counselors, and I will speak with them and then they will get a tour of the school from current East NJHS students and Student Council members.
• Thank you to Amy Card for organizing the Bonaventure Skate Parties. Although they were not as well attended as we had hoped, her coordination and planning was well done and appreciated. A big thank you also goes to Martha Leever for organizing the school dances.
• Upcoming Events:
  May 6 - Track vs. Pontiac @ East - 4:00 p.m.
  8th grade Band/Orchestra Mackinaw Field Trip Parent Meeting - 7 p.m.
  May 7 - 6th grade Academics @ the Grand Mackinaw Parent Meeting - 6:30 p.m.
  May 8-9 - 8th grade Choir Chicago Field Trip
  May 9 - Early Release
  May 12 - Combined Mackinaw Rehearsal in the gym
  May 12-13 - Mackinaw Island Field Trip (6th grade)
  May 13 - Track vs. Power/Dunckel @ East - 3:30 p.m.
  May 15-16 - Band/Orchestra Mackinaw Field Trip
  May 20 - Track vs. Warner @ East - 3:30 p.m.
  May 21 - East Talent Show - 7:00 p.m.
  May 22 - Track League Meet @ TBD - 3:30 p.m.
  All grades Choir Concert - 7:00 p.m.
  May 23 - Early Release
  May 30 - 8th grade “May Day”
  Band/Orchestra/Choir Cedar Point Trip
  June 4 - Band/Orchestra “Pops” Concert (7th and 8th grades)
  June 6 - 8th grade Cedar Point Trip
  June 8 - High School Graduations (FHS 11 am; HHS 2 pm; NFHS 5 pm)
  June 9 - 8th grade Recognition @ NFHS - 7:00 p.m.
  June 10 - 8th grade party/dance - 2:30-4:30 p.m.
  June 13 - Last day of school - students dismissed at 10:40 a.m.
  

Active Committee Updates:

• The Parent Group is in need of (2) new Vice-Presidents. Please contact Molly Brennan if you are interested.
• We would like to recognize and thank the following parents “graduating” from our East parent group community: Pam Shapiro, Laura Kahsin, Cheryl Swaim, and Tracy Peterson. We thank you for your service to our school and students.
• Due to the decreased attendance at the BonaVenture Skate Parties, East will no longer host this school event. We will no longer host this event (at least under a contract) due to the contractual guaranteed minimums that proved this year to put us financially at risk (we ended up owing BonaVenture money because we didn‘t meet the minimum student number needed to attend). A survey of students was taken to determine what evening school events the students would be interested in attending and we will compile the results of this survey. Based on these surveys, we will try to find new social events to bring the students together. Old Business: The new bylaws were approved.
• Next Meeting: This is the last meeting of the 2008-2008 School Year. Have a safe and wonderful summer with your children.

This meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by A. Sue Coscarelly