Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home & School Association

Coffee with the Principal

Meeting minutes dated 3/7/2008

 

ATTENDEES:  Mr. Reese, Kristin Dundon, Tina Sauer, Suzanne Bettermann and about 25 parents and siblings

 

Kristin Dundon thanked The 2nd Grade parents and Room Mom Kelly Pohl for hosting this month’s coffee. 

 

Tricky Tray:  TT is next weekend March 14 –16.  Gave ideas for baskets if anyone hasn’t decided on their theme.  Gift certificates to gaming stores, American Girl stuff, teenager type stores American Eagle. Lucky Brand or anything you would like to win are great ideas.  We distributed small signs for Tricky Tray to put at highly visible intersections and well traveled streets.  This is a new advertising technique for this year.  Tricky Tray is also looking for more door prizes.  They can be turned in to Meg Edwards any time next week.   Most importantly tell everyone you know to come and support our school! 

 

Upcoming elections:  Talked about the upcoming board openings: President, Treasurer, and new position of Public Relations.  Next executive board meeting Wednesday, April 9th for anyone who is interested in joining the Home/School Board this year or in the future.  Invitations will go out after Tricky Tray with nomination forms.  RSVP Kristin at 610-865-6674.  H/S A will also be forming an events committee to replace the now defunct Hospitality Committee.  This new committee will help organize and attend to the details of such events as Back to School Night, Catholic Schools Week, National Young Readers Day, Christmas Liturgy and Arts Festival to name a few and maybe even add some new events!  Look for more information coming in the spring and early next fall.

 

Bullying Prevention:  The Center for Humanistic Change came to present “Supportive Ideas for Bullying Prevention” to parents last month.  After a productive meeting the executive board had some tips that should help with concerns that parents discussed with our facilitator.  Mr. Reese will be editing and expanding the section of the school handbook that deals with acceptable behavior to identify what constitutes bullying and what the consequences are.  Students and parents will get a copy to review and sign at the beginning of next school year – similar to the CYO pledge or computer use paper. 

 

Mr. Reese then talked about the following topics.

1)      Friday 2/29.  Mr. Reese had met with other district principals and used tighter security and “lock down” procedure.  Of course everything went smoothly.  Mr. Kovacs was on site to help.  The kids were given ice cream at lunch to keep their minds off of it.  Thanks to H/S A for the security system, which made being able to be prepared for this situation easier.  Had talked to the 3rd, 5th –8th graders about the situation.

 

2)      Registration for next year went out – it goes out early in order to help plan the budget for next year.  ESPF -Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund info will be coming home soon.  Please apply for this if your income falls within the requirements. You just need to submit it with a copy of your PA State income tax return. 

 

3)      Lenten Activities- Silent Dismissal, the kids are making this sacrifice during lent and are doing very well with it.  Living Stations of the Cross Thurs 3/13 and Friday 3/15 at 7:00pm.  8th Grade doing a very nice job with this.  Confessions are on Tues 3//18 and Seder Meal will be on Wednesday 3/19.  Mr. Weiner is going to help with it this year.  Please send in your items on Monday 3/18. 

 

4)      Leslie Tintle an 8th grader and one of our Bishop’s Scholarship winners won a diocesan essay contest where she was asked to write about her experience with Catholic education.  She will be presenting it this weekend.

 

5)      5th Grade went on a field trip to Becahi this week for and art and music day and a faculty member there made a point in letting Mrs. Generose know how well behaved our 5th graders were.  We are very proud of our students representing our school like young ladies and gentlemen.

 

6)      We are very proud of our Basketball Teams this year both girls and boys as they are both advancing toward the championship.

 

7)      Calendar for school year 2008-2009 is set.  The first day of school is 8/25 and the last day is 6/5/09.  8th Grade graduation will be June 3rd and Kindergarten Graduation will be June 4th.

 

8)      It is exciting to see our parish growing so much that the entire parish is being used quite a bit.. It is hard to even get time scheduled in. 

 

9)      Finally,  Mr. Reese overheard two first graders talking.  One said “ Sen. Clinton said ….” And the other one said “Well, Sen. Obama is talking about change …”. Maybe you think they aren’t listening but they really are!  Please take time to vote in the upcoming Pennsylvania Primary and exercise your right!