***Attendees:
Heather Way, Kelli Brown, Patty Drew, Frank Twarog, Kate Dodge, Andrew Denison, Bob Goudreau, Sue Hoeppner, Carla Wuthrich, Betsy Knox, Nancy Pollack, Margaret Spivak, Jen Prue
***Agenda:
Welcome/Intros
Middlebury Savings Account
Grade Level Reps Check-in
Initiatives Check-in: Enrichment, Nutrition, Playground
Open issues
***Middlebury Savings Account:
Margaret Spivak introduced a program “Learn while they Earn” sponsored by the National Bank of Middlebury to encourage and facilitate savings for students. The program provides a procedure for students to establish a savings account and contribute to the savings account through a weekly process at school. The program has been successfully implemented at a number of schools in Vermont. Parent volunteers would be required to manage this program and assist with the logistics. Click here for more information about this program; please email hcspie@gmail.com if you are interested in this initiative.
***Grade Level Updates:
K-2: Students are preparing for 100th day celebration; lots of enthusiasm for this milestone
3-4-5: Students are preparing for a bake sale on Monday 2/7 to benefit Haiti (specifically clean drinking water); 3-4-5 Literacy Enrichment Kick Off Celebration is Monday 2/7!! The kick off meeting will provide an overview of the program and an introduction of the technology tools that will be used in this program. Betsy Knox (literacy coordinator), Barb Spaulding (Young Writer's Project facilitator), Corinna Stanley (librarian) and Jessica Wilson (technology integrator) will lead this new model for literacy enrichment. Parents volunteers will participate by monitoring groups and/or online discussions. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer, please contact Betsy Know at bknox@cssu.org.
6-7-8: Students are preparing for Science fair on Thursday 2/17.
Jen Prue read a letter from 6-7-8 team expressing their support of PiE, while they are unable to attend meetings. A facebook page called hcspie has been created as a possible way to connect outside of regulary scheduled meetings.
UA The Spring drama presentation of Annie Get Your Gun will be April 1-2. Jenny Cianciola suggested that the production may be presented for a third day (Thursday evening?).
Steve Hyde and Jenny Cianciola are working with student council to put together a HCS talent show.
Alice Trageser is supporting 7-8 students in an art/craft show fundraiser.
***Initiatives Check-in
Enrichment – Nancy and Betsy shared a compiled list of enrichment activities currently being implemented at HCS; included was a section of possible (wish list?) activities that PiE may or may not be able to help support. Carla Wuthrich and Becky Cook are working to define a group and scope to move forward with enrichment initiatives. Please contact Carla at cwuthrich@gmavt.net for more information or if you might like to participate.
Nutrition – Kelli Brown and Deb Bissonette are having conversations around how to improve school nutrition. Initial proposal might start with a school garden and nutritional education; Kelli will explore grant funding for this potential initiative. Kelli will also engage with VT-Feed to find how their program may parallel our overall goals.
Kelli also reviewed plans for Friday's Staff Appreciation/Welcome-to-Wellness breakfast.
Playground – we ran out of time and were unable to have a meaningful discussion about the playground initiative. Kate Dodge assured the group that progress was steady
***Open issues: to be addressed at next PiE meeting, and/or at subcommittee discussions mid month.
Parent Sharing Role Description (Patti Drew)
Fundraising
Middle School connection
Communications process – there still seems to be some missing cogs in the works.
***Next PiE meeting: March 1st 6:00-8:00 in the HCS library. Childcare is provided.
