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PTO MEETING MINUTES 2006-2007 May 29th, 2007 7:00 p.m. Prayer: The meeting began with the Our Father lead by Ramallah Mission Update: Linda Hyde addressed the group regarding an update on the Ramallah Mission. She stated that since only one family has volunteered to be a host family, Father Bob has sent out letters to families that he believes would be interested in being host families. The children from the Holy Land are tentatively scheduled to arrive approximately during the third week of September. She also informed the group that the Usher’s Club has donated $500 towards this mission. Teacher’s Desks Update: Two prototypes were delivered. Each teacher has had the opportunity to see the desks and to choose if they would like their desk to have a right or left return. The desks will be ordered and delivered around the 20th of August. Donna Salerno stated that the desk prototypes are very nice and that the teachers are thrilled and excited. Family Movie Night Update: Lisa Riachi was not at the meeting to speak. Barb Corona is in the process of booking “Dippin’ Dots” for the occasion. The date is scheduled for Friday, June 15th at 7:00. The movie, A Night at the Museum, will begin at dusk. Jim Ososkie will be putting on a power-point-presentation before the movie. It will be a “know your teacher” quiz. Michele Milam will be looking into ordering glow-necklaces from the Oriental Trading Company to be sold at the event. Cafeteria Painting: Lorrie, the Business Manager, is scheduling the school cafeteria to be painted over this summer. It will be painted a solid base color. Parents interested in painting various works of art on the walls should submit their idea/examples to the PTO. The PTO will then submit them in the form of a proposal to Father Bob for permission. Youth Choir Hymnal Update: Doug McKay of SLEFI has stated that they will donate $4,000 towards the purchase of the new hymnals. PTO will be covering the balance, which is currently at $3,000. We are purchasing 800 books. We may be able to order less than that because Kindergarten and First Graders do not use hymnals. Grace Palomino would prefer them to be stored in the classrooms; however, the teachers strongly stated that they do not have any extra storage space for them. Book plates will be offered for purchase to reduce PTO’s costs. (Note: Following the PTO meeting, the cost of shipment of the Hymnals was reduced, thereby reducing PTO’s share to $2,500.) Expenditure Report Update: Barb Corona is currently trying to “close out the books” for this school year’s expenses. There still remain various expenses not yet turned in. The PTO would like to give each family a detailed expense report upon its completion. One side will be the numbers; the other will contain wording describing our costs, expenses, and various purchases. Summer Market Day: The proceeds for this summer’s Market Day will be going towards this year’s 5th graders for next year’s 6th grade camp. Only the students/parents who help will receive the credit towards their camp bill. Unfortunately, there were only two 7th grade parents that showed up today to help out with Market Day. The 7th graders did, however, earn $500 this month. So, they reaped the benefits even though they did not earn it through helping out on deliver date. Cyndi Popp stated that one upper-el teacher commented at the Accreditation Dinner that she was not happy that the upper-el’s Market Day earnings do not go towards their classrooms. Michele Michellutti stated that the upper-el teachers have not attended any PTO meetings to voice their concerns. The upper-el Market Day earnings have been designated to go towards their special events, such as camp, graduation, etc… Chuck E. Cheese Update: This Wednesday, May 30th, from 3:00 to 9:00. St. Lawrence will receive 15% of all sales, including token sales from the register. Cici’s Pizza Update: The last Cici’s night was not too profitable, most likely due to the fact that “Cici’s Fundraiser Tonight” stickers were not passed out. Passive Fundraiser Committee Updates: Andrea Rowinski stated that Fuddruckers offers 20% back on all sales, as does Deneweth’s Nursery. Deneweth’s will do it on one designated day/night in May. The NED Show will be rescheduled for the Thursday following IOWA testing of the 2007 – 2008 school year. Applefest Raffle Ticket Sales Update: George Sokolosky and his wife Lisa have taken over all raffle sales, as Bob Walz has stepped down. He has stated that the tickets will soon be disbursed. Cookbook Update: Julie Randazzo informed Amy Comito that the books are in and are currently being packaged-up according to classrooms. The stands are not in yet, but as soon as they are, everything will be delivered. Probably one day next week. By-Law Revisions: On May 23rd, 2007, the PTO Board called a special meeting to vote on proposed changes to the current by-laws. The meeting began at 7:00 p.m. Amy Comito explained the following to the group: As it currently stands, the by-laws have not been reviewed, changed, or edited since 1996. Since then, various issues have needed attention. The following items have been presented and voted on. They were unanimously voted in favor of and will be adopted into the current by-laws immediately:
Elections: Michele Decker’s Presidential term will be expiring at the end of this school year. Amy Comito has agreed to move up to the Presidential Post. Michele Milam offered to be the Vice President. She was elected. Barb Corona has agreed to one more year of her Treasury position, as to keep the staggering system in check. Michele Grillo has one more year on her Secretarial post. This was the last PTO meeting of the 2006 – 2007 school year. Tuesday, April 24th, 2007 Prayer: The meeting began with the Hail Mary lead by PTO President Michele Decker.
Next PTO Meeting Date Change & Elections: Our next PTO Meeting has been changed from May 22nd to May 29th, 2007 at 7:00. We will also be holding our elections for next school year’s PTO President or Vice President. Michele Decker’s term is expiring, so if Amy Comito (current vice-president) moves up to the position of president, then we will need to elect a new vice-president. If she remains as V.P., we will need to elect a new president.
Recipe Book Update: The recipe book proof is in and currently being reviewed. After it is proofed, it will be immediately sent to press. Although we’ve requested expedited service to receive them before Mother’s Day, they are not expected to arrive until the following week.
Christian Service Project & Flea Market Proceeds: The Christian Service Project (Peace Grid) made $4,000, which was given to Father Bob to go towards the Children’s Peace Project/ Ramallah fund. The seventh and eighth grade classes showed minimal participation, which was disappointing. All other grades showed much more participation. The Flea Market sponsored by PEPC will take place this weekend. The proceeds from that will also be given to Father Bob for the Ramallah fund.
Tiger Family Fun Day: The school profited $1,000 from the Tiger outing.
Playscape Update: Many SL dads answered our cry for help and spent the better part of a Sunday afternoon making many and much needed repairs to the playscape, including the replacement of various boards and chains used throughout the structure. The supplies needed for the repairs cost approximately $1,000. In June, the playscape will need to be power washed and re-stained. The cost for both will total more than $5,000.
Summer Market Day: June, July, and August Market Day sales will be dedicated to the current Fifth Grade classes, with funds going towards next year’s Sixth Grade camp. Only the students who help with the summer Market Day process (i.e., helping with unloading the truck on delivery day, reminder phone calls to those who placed orders, and pick-up procedures) will receive credit for camp. Simply placing an order will not entitle a fifth grader to receive credit. The students are not required to work all three of the months, they simply have to help out during at least one of the summer sale months. All sales during these months will be internet sales.
Dino Dig Update: The prep day is scheduled for May 30th, 2007 at 6:00. Vanese Ibrahim has ten volunteers who offered to help with that. A few more volunteers on the 30th would be optimal. The next day, May 31st, is the Dino Dig. Six parents have volunteered to help that day, as well as Jim Ososkie loaning out two tents for the event. Various members of the press have been notified, so hopefully they will be there to report on the event.
Family Movie Night Update: Lisa Riachi wasn’t present at tonight’s meeting to report on Family Movie Night, but June 15th, 2007 has been set aside for it. More details will be forthcoming.
Chuck E. Cheese Fundraising Night: We have scheduled a fundraising night at Chuck E. Cheese’s of Lakeside on May 30th, 2007 from 3:00 to 9:00. The establishment will give 15% of all St. Lawrence sales back to our school, including all tokens purchased from the register. They have also offered the teachers free dinners if they attend. Chuck E. Cheese himself will make an appearance on that day at school during dismissal to promote the event. Students have the opportunity to collect free tokens. On the day of the event, they will be given reminder stickers, which can be turned in that night for ten free tokens. Also, if each child brings their report card, they will receive three tokens for each A, two for each B, and one for each C, up to fifteen tokens. Various coupons are also available on-line. Much more information will be forthcoming.
Christian Service Committee Volunteerism Plea: Lisa Marcopoli spoke on behalf of the CSC explaining that St. Lawrence Church provides free funeral luncheons in the Social Hall. These luncheons are provided by various parishioners who are on a call list. Once contacted, they are asked to make/provide various food/dessert items. Lisa was passing around a list to fill out if anyone would like to be included on the call list. The CSC also needs volunteers to set up, serve, and clean up the luncheons. If anyone is interested in being placed on this call list, please contact Lisa Marcopoli. The time put into helping on these projects can be used as Christian Service Hours.
Vendor Show: The Spring Vendor Show made $1,750.
Student Enrichment Committee Update: Andrea Rowinski explained that she would like to get a jump-start on next school year’s events. She is currently speaking with various authors, such as Mike Thaler of the Black Lagoon Series, to come visit our school. She also suggested a Family Bingo Night or after-school art classes. More details are forthcoming.
Next Meeting May 29th, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. ELECTIONS
Please plan on attending.
Thank you in advance.
Tuesday, March 27th, 2007 Prayer: Karen Pawlak led off our meeting with the Hail Mary. Mark Hornbacker, our Seminarian, was at the meeting explaining to us the meaning of the Exposition of Christ. He explained that since we as Catholics believe that the bread and wine does actually transform into Christ’s body and blood. So, there is a “gap” while the bread and wine needs to be held in repose, from after Mass on Holy Thursday, until He has risen and come back to life on Easter Sunday. Therefore, after celebrating Mass on Holy Thursday, the Blessed Sacrament is taken from the Tabernacle and placed onto the “altar of repose” during a procession from the Church to the Social Hall. There, various groups will be present to worship and pray, just as the disciples did after the Last Supper with Christ, as he prayed in his garden. This symbolizes us praying with Christ during his last hours before his arrest. COSI: The board voted to have COSI return next year, even though it was almost a NO-GO this year, due to lack of volunteerism. However, next year should be a little more promising, as we will be able to utilize 8th graders to help. This year we were unable to use them, as the programs required the volunteers to be at least 16 years old, since the “theme” was Chemistry. Family Movie Night: Lisa Riachi gathered much information regarding the equipment needed to host a Family Movie Night at St. Lawrence. The hopes are to play the movie outside, weather permitting. If not, we will be able to move the equipment and audience indoors, as well. The total estimated cost is $575. The date was tentatively voted on for Friday, June 15th. Beth Nantel and Michele Milam volunteered to be in charge of popcorn. Other volunteers are needed for other concessions. Please contact a PTO officer. Internet Safety Seminar: Ricci Ososkie wasn’t at the meeting to update us. St. Lawrence Flea Market of Treasures: Set for the last Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of April. On Sunday, the patrons will be able to “stuff a bag” for $2. Anything left over will be donated to St. Vincent De Paul. Collections will be taken at Father Bob’s garage. Anyone interested in helping, please contact Sharon May or Barb Corona. Any student in need of service hours, please apply. You are needed for set up and clean up, as well. Playscape Update: Desk Issues: The PTO has decided to purchase new desks for the teachers. Prototypes are being constructed and will be ready in May. After the teachers have had a chance to see/test each model, they will then choose the one most suitable for their classroom needs. The desks will then be ordered and delivered sometime in August, before the next school year begins. Tiger Game: Michele Milam has put out various announcement and invitation for the event. If SLS could purchase 150 tickets, the Detroit Tigers would donate $1,300. Please contact Michele Milam if you are interested in purchasing tickets. Painting of the Cafeteria: It has been suggested that the school cafeteria be painted a more cheerful color. Some parents have already volunteered to do artwork on the walls, with hopes of having the children participate somehow in the decorating of it, as well. We would LOVE if a local paint company would step up and volunteer to donate either the paint and supplies, or the labor, or both. If you would like to participate, please contact a PTO Officer. Thank you. Lack of Volunteerism: The same group of parents that come to mostly every PTO meeting and other SLS functions are the same people that volunteer to help. We truly appreciate their time and talents and are so thankful for them. However, we honestly need many more volunteers to step forward. This school is not state funded. Nor, does the tuition even cover the cost of educating each child per year. Therefore, we rely on parents to help out a lot. COSI nearly had to be axed this year because it was only at the 11th hour that the PTO got enough parents to keep it “a go”. The Pumpkin Patch didn’t happen last fall because no one volunteered to handle it. At the beginning of the school year, parents seem so eager and enthusiastic to participate. Then, when they are contacted, they are “too busy”. We completely understand that things come up, but we need the parents to realize that without their help, some very important events will not be able to occur. Simply put: No Volunteers, No Programs. Please take some time out of your busy schedules, get your SOS hours, and VOLUNTEER. Thank you!!! Christian Service Committee Update: The children were given “Peace Grids” to work on. This grid contained various chores for them to do and “x-off” once completed. After which, they were to collect money from their parents for each “x”. The grids and money will be turned in tomorrow. On Friday’s Mass, the total amount collected will be announced and a video of the Ramallah Mission will be shown. The class with the most “x’s” will also win a special prize given to them by the PTO. Dino Dig: This event has been scheduled for May 31st, with the set up day being on May 30th. We need volunteers to help on both days. Please contact Venise Ibrahim or any PTO officer if you are interested in helping. Thank you. Field Day has been scheduled for May 22nd. Please mark your calendars and plan on volunteering for this very special St. Lawrence Tradition. Contact any officer if you would like to participate. Thank you. Vendor Show: Set for this coming Saturday, March 31st from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. There are 46 vendors scheduled to participate. Jean day passes will be issued to all parents and teachers who attend. Open Discussion: It was suggested that a mandatory meeting be held each January to appeal for help and additional volunteerism. It was also suggested that the students of St. Lawrence participate in a Returnable Can Drive, where the children would go from house-to-house asking for empty pop cans/bottles to be donated. Kristi Lathers thanked everyone who has donated to the Grace Center and also those who purchased tickets for the Fashion Show on April 28th. A proposal for a day in which the Protecting God’s Children class can be offered to “special persons” has been suggested. This would also be a way that could create more volunteers, i.e., if grandparents took the class, they could help out. Next PTO Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24th at 7:00 pm. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending. We need you. Thank you in advance for your support. Tuesday, February 13th, 2007 7:00 p.m. Prayer: In the absence of Principal Karen Pawlak, the PTO President, Michele Decker, lead the prayer to commence our meeting. Playscape Maintenance: An evaluation of the playscape was performed. The total cost of the parts and repairs is $2000. $1000 is the cost of the supplies needed, and the other $1000 is the cost of the labor. Since a handful of dads have finally stepped up to help with the repairs, we can deduct $1000 from the cost. The parts are going to be ordered and Amy Comito will be contacting the volunteers and coordinating dates with them, once the parts have been delivered. The PTO has put aside $20,000 into a separate fund for a future playscape. This money must be saved and added to each year, so when it’s time for the new playscape, the funds will be available. Christian Service Committee: The Lenten Christian Service Project has been determined to be the raising of funds for the children from Ramallah (the Holy Land). The projected cost is $15,000. A monetary donation of some sort will be collected each week. Kristi Lathers has also suggested ways for St. Lawrence to participate in helping out Gracie House. She will be advertising the collection items needed in the News N Notes. Fundraising Updates: Gloria Looman has schedules four more Cici Pizza nights. February 27th, March 29th, April 26th, and May 24th. Parent Enrichment Committee: The previously scheduled bowling outing has been cancelled due to lack of interested participants. Reasons expressed were that it was on a Saturday afternoon instead of a weekend night and that it sounded like a tournament rather than just a fun social event. Also, various events were occurring during that time slot, such as Brownies, Basketball, Forensics, etc… The committee may now be shifting their focus onto a “Family Movie Night” that may yield better results, as far as participation is concerned. Ricci Ososkie will be setting up a date with the Sheriff’s Office to give an Internet Safety Course for parents. Student Enrichment Committee: Andrea Rowinski is still awaiting a response from the teacher representative in regards to Upper L. ideas for an in-house field trip in place of COSI. “The Ned Show” has been tentatively scheduled for next year, October 4, 2007. This show will be free if we agree to sell their “products” and if we refer other schools to schedule the show. Market Day Freezer Raffle: The drawing for the freezer took place at tonight’s meeting and the 1st place winner was the Walczybock Family, who won the freezer. The 2nd place winner was the Muglia Family, who won $50 of Market Day products for March. The 3rd place prize went to the Zinn Family, who won $25 worth of Market Day products for March. Hats Off Gala Raffle Update: All school families and parishioners should have received their packets of raffle tickets by now. There are 30 tickets selling for $2 per ticket. The proceeds of the sales are going to pay for the computer shortage. Spring Vendor Show Update: March 31st has been set as the date for the Spring Vendor Show. The 8th graders have been given the concessions and bake-sale for that day. They will be able to keep all profits to be put towards Graduation. If anyone would like to help out and gain some service hours, please contact Barb Corona. There are many possible help options, including set-up and break-down. COSI: Mrs. Sekela has teachers signing up. The dates are March 6th and 7th. Volunteers are GREATLY needed. Our next meeting is
March 27th at 7:00 p.m. January 23, 2007 Prayer: Our meeting began with the Hail Mary lead by Principal Karen Pawlak. Committee Updates:
Science-Olympic’s Request for a SLS Banner : Cyndi Popp will be getting St. Lawrence a Banner for FREE! This banner will be used for all of our events, and the artwork will be designed by Frank Slanczka.
Raffle Update : The raffle committee is about ready to begin sales. It will consist of 30 tickets, at $2 each, given to each Saint Lawrence Family, school and parish wide. It will also include athletes who are not parishioners. Even Father Bob will be receiving a packet to sell. The profits will be split 50/50 between the athletic department and the school. The portion that the school makes will go towards paying off the balance from the computer upgrade. There will be a $5,000 prize. Jim Ososkie is heading up this endeavor.
Scripps Program : If someone is interested in running the Scripps Program at St. Lawrence, please contact Karen Pawlak or one of the PTO Officers. Barb Corona will be gathering all the information from Debbie Baranski. Then, Father Bob would need a proposal and it must go to Stewardship. There may be a tuition credit for the person who heads this up, or even a paid position, as it will most likely be at least a part-time position.
Catholic Schools Week/Open House Update : PTO will have a table set up at the Open House on Sunday, January 28 th, from 1:00 to 2:30 to answer questions, offer tours, hand out pamphlets and maps, etc… During the following week, there will be various activities for the students and teachers, including spirit day, dress up day, pep rallies, bands, singing groups, the Morley Money Machine, teacher appreciation Mass and a Mexican Teacher’s Appreciation Luncheon.
Open Discussion : Principal Karen Pawlak updated the PTO on the Accreditation Process that will be occurring in May. There will be a team of professionals visiting St. Lawrence sent to examine every standard. Many people are needed to help out during this. The school will be serving them breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Anyone interested in helping, please contact a PTO Officer or Karen Pawlak.
Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 27 th, 2007 @ 7:00 p.m.
December 19 th, 2006 Prayer: Our meeting began with a prayer lead by Principal Karen Pawlak. Hospitality Committee: The PTO put out a call for help to form a committee in which a group of people would help out at different functions with the ordering of food and beverages for the workers at the events. As of this meeting, no one has yet to respond. Christian Service Project Update: The items collected for Children’s Hospital was a great success. There was an article about it in the Advisor/Source with a picture. Christmas Shop Update: Meg stated that this year’s event was a great success thanks to Mrs. Pawlak and the PTO. The PTO stated that it was a success because of Meg and all her hard work and dedication. Many agreed that it was the “best ever”. Inventory is now low. Shopping must be done throughout the year to replenish the supplies. Wreath/Poinsettia Sales: All poinsettias have been sold. Gloria Looman did a great job with the organization and selling of them. The Martin Family really did a great job with supplying the Poinsettias and passing them on to us at a great cost. Many liked the idea of them being “memorials”. All the wreaths were also sold. Kevin Karwowicz suggested the idea of donating a portion of the sales next time to a cancer fund. We do need someone to take over these sales next year. It is not labor-intensive at all. Open House: January 28 th after Mass from 1:00 to 2:30. Everyone is invited. Barb Corona is planning on showing video snippets of various St. Lawrence happenings during Open House. A variety of things will be going on the following week during Catholic Schools Week, including a Pep Assembly, “Yellow Day”, De LaSalle Band coming to play, etc… DVD Players have been donated for each classroom by Robert Lathers from ABC Warehouse. They have been delivered and installed. Teachers Desks are being purchased by the PTO for all the teachers. The PTO is in the process of determining where/when to make the purchases. Parent Enrichment Committee: The bowling night has been scheduled for February 10 th at 1:00 p.m. at Van Dyke Bowl. The cost will be $25 for 3 games of bowling. Open Discussion: A suggestion to do a Penny Drive or a Candy Drive was brought up by Kristi Lathers, with hopes of the proceeds going to the Grace Center of Hope in Pontiac. This is a charity that helps with Drug/Alcohol rehab. It’s a Christian-based charity. The kids department is known as the “ Gracie Home”. It was also suggested that the left-over items from our various bake sales be donated there, as well. Next Meeting: November 28 th, 2006 7:00 p.m. PRAYER: Our meeting began with the Hail Mary lead by Principal Karen Pawlak. HOLY LAND STUDENTS TO VISIT ST. LAWRENCE: Father Alex Kratz & Jim Nihem addressed the committee regarding students from the Holy Land visiting St. Lawrence next fall. The mission is called the “Children’s Peace Project”. It is a non-profit organization that “bridges” our children (of the West) with those of the Middle East. It helps them understand each other, with respects to our different cultures. They explained that just as we Americans solely hear about all the “bad” aspects in the Middle East, they too only hear terrible things about America. This would be a great way to demonstrate some “good media attention”. We, as Christians, “have a message that the world needs to hear”. We have to show our children how blessed we are and how to spread His word to other parts of the world. We must preserve Christianity in the Middle East. There are 12 to 14 million Christians in the Middle East, and 300,000 in the Holy Land alone. That is enough voices to get our word heard. Our influence is far greater than our numbers. We are in partnership with the Holy Family of Ramala, which is 20 miles north of Jerusalem in the West Bank. This is where the 5 children (8 th graders) and 1 teacher representative will be from. These 5 will be the “ambassadors” to their people. The Holy Family of Ramala will screen these children for maturity, knowledge of the English language, as well as their ability to be good ambassadors. They will be coming to stay with St. Lawrence host families (probably those of an 8 th grader) for 4 to 8 weeks in September of 2007. The teacher will also be staying with a host family. All the student’s medical insurances and other liabilities will be legally covered. The cost of this project will be approximately $15,000. This amount will cover everything needed, other than boarding. Each host family will also have a “buddy/assistant” family to help out when the host family will not be able to accommodate their student for whatever reason. The students will be able to present their life-experiences to the students of St. Lawrence. This will be a personalized, live-human approach to learning, rather than reading about other cultures in text-books. Father Bob is in complete support of this enrichment and learning experience for the children of Ramala, as well as the students and families of St. Lawrence. COSTUME ORDER UPDATE : This fundraiser made approximately $100 profit. It wasn’t a great money-maker, but it wasn’t bad for doing nothing due to the fact that it was passive. WREATH/POINSETTIA SALES UPDATE:
FAMILY DINNER NIGHT: Dinner at CiCi’s Pizza made $253 and was a great turn-out. It was the biggest fundraiser CiCi’s has ever had, to date. January 25 th has been scheduled for the next event at CiCi’s. The school will be getting 10% of all sales, not just those of St. Lawrence patrons, that day. The start time may change from 5:00 to 4:00, so families can head straight over there after school and dine or request carry-outs. The children really enjoyed themselves, as did the parents. Other ideas for dinner/dessert nights include Max & Erma’s, Pizzeria UNO, and Coldstone Creamery. These places cost more money, but return a greater percentage of their profits. FREE CARDS TO OUR TROOPS: The web-site was given out (letssaythanks.com) for those who would like a quick, easy, and free way to send a post-card to our troops over-seas saying, “thank you”. This project is funded and sponsored by Xerox. CHRISTIAN SERVICE COMMITTEE PROJECT UPDATE: The committee is currently collecting monetary donations for winter coats as well as various items for baskets to be given out to the kids at Children’s Hospital. These items will be blessed given to a representative from Children’s Hospital at the 9:30 Mass on Friday, December 8 th, 2006. (Just a side note: The coats must be new due to germs/allergies, and other medical conditions. That is why the committee is collecting monetary donations, rather than coats.) PARENT ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE: The St. Lawrence Bowling Tournament will be on Saturday, February 10 th from 2:00 to 5:00. The location will be given at a later date, once it is scheduled and secured. It will cost $25 per mixed-double. There will only be 120 spots available, on a first-come, first-served basis. This will not be a fund-raiser, but there will be various cash prizes given out to the winners, including $100 for first place. The committee is also working on an Internet-Awareness Program for parents. STUDENT ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE: The Dino-Dig is all set up and scheduled. TEACHER ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE: The teachers’ conference dinners went well and were greatly appreciated. DIRECTORIES : The directories were dispersed to the families. The cost a little more this year, but are of a much better quality. There are a few left being sold for $2 each. MARKET DAY UPDATE: Sold over $6,000 worth of products, of which $600 profit will be going to the 8 th graders for their graduation costs. MORLEY CANDY SALES: Still wrapping up the final numbers, but sold more than $15,000 worth of products. MATURATION PROGRAM DONATION – 5 TH GRADE: The PTO donated the money to purchase hygiene kits, which included toothbrushes, water, deodorant, (& feminine napkins for the girls), and other items. The program included a movie that the children watched. “Always” will provide the kits free of charge if they are notified in advance for next year. VENDOR SHOW UPDATE: The vendor show made approximately $1,600 this year, which is a few hundred less than last year. There were many other “craft-shows” going on that day at other local schools, which may have influenced our turn-out. The bake-sale from the vendor show made $300 for the 5 th graders. TREASURER’S REPORT: A PTO treasurer’s report will be available at each meeting, if anyone would like to see it. COOKBOOKS : 67 have been sold to date. We get 50% of the profit from each sale. Fifteen minutes of SOS time will be credited per each recipe turned in. Next Meeting: Tuesday, December 19 th, 2006 7:00 p.m. Market Day Samples will be available! Please join us. October 24 th, 2006 7:00 p.m. Prayer: Our 2 nd PTO meeting of the year began with a prayer lead by Principal Karen Pawlak. Parent Orientation Update: The Parent Orientation meeting went well. There was not a large turn-out, but those who attended really loved it. They thought it was very informative and helpful. They suggested that next year’s meeting should take place before school begins, maybe the last week of August. PTO Email Address: We are trying to establish a PTO email address. This email address would be forwarded to each of the officers’ home computers, where they will address/answer PTO related questions. They will not be answering questions regarding policy or procedure. When the email address is up and running, a notification will be announced in the News N Notes. PTO Web page update: The much needed updates for the PTO web page were emailed to Lorrie Goetzinger, the office manager. She was forwarding it to the correct department. Mrs. Karen Pawlak stated it will be done soon. The minutes and agenda are already on-line. Father Alex was supposed to address the members of the PTO regarding the student from the Holy Land coming to visit St. Lawrence; however he was unable to make it to the meeting. Father Bob was there to answer a few questions “off the record”. He stated that the cost may be around $15,000 for 4 or 5 middle-school-aged children. They would stay for 4 to 6 weeks. The parish and school will be looking for host families. The Parish would pay for the tuition and text books of the students. The PTO is considering doing a Lenten Christian Service Project to support some of the costs of this project as well. Committee Updates : Student Enrichment Committee: Venise Ibrahim has secured May 31 st as the date for the Dino Dig. First graders will participate from 9:30 – 11:00, and the Second graders will participate from 1:30 to 3:00. The cost is $800. We are in need of tents, if anyone has one that we could borrow, please contact Venise or any PTO officer. Thank you. Teacher Enrichment Committee: The Teacher Conference dinners are all set and planned out by Cindy Popp & Kristin Mullens. Each of them is in charge of one night. Parent Enrichment Committee: George Sokolosky briefly addressed the PTO at tonight’s meeting suggesting a St. Lawrence Parent’s Bowling Night. It would probably take place around Valentine’s Day, either on a Saturday or a Sunday afternoon. This could either be “just for fun” or it could also be a fund-raising event where the proceeds and profits would go to the school. This topic will be put on the agenda for a future PTO meeting. However, if this sounds interesting to you, please contact George or any PTO officer. Thank you. Other that that, the Parent Enrichment Committee has not officially met yet, but they are discussing ideas. Any thoughts or ideas can be addressed to Ricci Ososkie. Playscape Maintenance Committee: The playscape is in need of some repairs. The “S” hooks desperately need replacing, as the old hooks that have been “clamped shut” continue to open due to the weight of the children. Mike Decker, Tom Crepeau, & Frank Slanczka will help out in the replacement of the parts, but the Playscape Committee members will also be contacted. Christian Service Committee: Lisa Marcopoli and Jackie Piontkowski have selected Children’s Hospital as their Advent Mission. The Committee will be putting together packages of “necessities” that the children wouldn’t receive because they are either in the hospital during Christmas, or just getting discharged. Many of these children do not get gifts, do not have gloves, etc…. Items may be donated, but must be new and must come from a “smoke-free environment”. Morley Update: So far, Shelley DeFour has reported a $15,000 profit. Fifteen children earned a chance in the “money machine”. Last year we made about $500 more. The Vendor Show: The Vendor Show is on Saturday, November 18 th. from 10:00 am till 4:00 pm. The 5 th grade is in charge of the bake sale. Their earning will go towards their 6 th grade camp next year. The spring vendor show’s bake sale will be handled by the 8 th graders, with earnings going towards their graduation. There are already 30 vendors signed up. Help is needed on Friday, the 17 th for set up of the tables. Please contact Barb Corona or Cherie Johnston if you are able to help out. Also, any 8 th grader who would like to earn service hours can volunteer to help on Friday evening, as well. Same goes for clean up, beginning at 4:00 on Saturday. Dads: we need you for this too! The scrap booking workshop will cost $20. It will include materials and lunch. A few people are needed to help with the concessions. Please contact Barb or Cherie if you are interested. Mr. Pita was ordered for lunch. Any parent who attends the show will receive a “blue-jean pass” for their children to be able to wear jeans on a regular uniform day. Pumpkin Patch: No one stepped forward to head this; therefore, there was no Pumpkin Patch this year. If you are interested in heading it up next year, please contact an officer. Trunk or Treat: Over 500 kids are scheduled to attend this year’s event. It will be held in the gym if it rains. Please contact Michele Milam with any questions. Passive Fundraising ideas were suggested by Gloria Looman. She stated that it would be fun and profitable if St. Lawrence could participate in a family dinner night at Chuck E. Cheese, where 15% of the sales that night would be put towards the school. We discussed the possibility of maybe every-other-month having a “St. Lawrence Family Dinner Night” somewhere. A Parent/Student activity was also suggested for a Bingo Night, where the children would win prizes and/or candy. This would not be for a profit, but simply for family fun. Admission could be a canned food for donation. Cookbooks: Julie Randazzo has only received 15 responses so far. One reason for this may be that the deadline is too far from now, and parents may have put the form on the “back-burner”. A contest for the kids to encourage their parents to turn in a recipe was suggested. Market Day: The October sales have made over $6500, in which the 2 nd graders will be receiving over $200 per class! St. Lawrence has also won/earned a Freezer Chest, which will be delivered in January. If the school cannot find a spot for it, it will be raffled off or given to someone/someplace in need of it. Next month’s Market Day earnings are going to the 8 th graders, to help with their graduation fees. Poinsettia & Wreath Sales : Flyers have gone out for the Wreath sale options. They can be direct-shipped or picked up at the Decker House the week of November 27 th. The prices range from $20 to $65 and come in different sizes and lengths of garland. Gloria Looman and the Martins are heading up the Poinsettia sales. They will come in a variety of different colors. They will be arriving the 1 st weekend of December. More information will be coming. Costume Orders : We are waiting to hear from the company to see how many orders they received and how much we made from the sales. Those that did order from them stated that their order arrived remarkably quickly, and that the costumes were of great quality. Camcorder Purchase : The PTO has purchased a Camcorder for the school so it can be used for the recording of various events, such as the dino-dig, the Morley Money Machine, etc… It was suggested that these videos be played during Open-House, so that those touring can see what else St. Lawrence offers, besides the obvious 9:00 to 4:00 school day. The teachers who attended this meeting stated that they are very grateful for this purchase, but would love a little “instructional” on how to operate the camcorder. There was a GREAT teacher turn out at tonight’s meeting, as well as a huge amount of parents! Thank you so much for showing your care and concern for the students and for our St. Lawrence FAMILY! Please plan on attending the next meeting, Tuesday, November 28 th, at 7:00 p.m . September 26, 2006 Prayer : Our first PTO meeting of the year began with a prayer lead by Principal Karen Pawlak. We then discussed that Father Alex Kratz plans on attending our next meeting to address the PTO regarding the possibility of St. Lawrence families hosting students from the Holy Land. Committee Sign-Ups : Various sheets were passed out for those interested in signing up for the following PTO sponsored committees. There are still openings if anyone is interested. Simply call any PTO officer for more information. Christian Service Committee : This committee does two projects/missions per year; usually for Advent and Lent.
Playscape Maintenance Committee:
Student Enrichment Committee:
Parent Enrichment Committee :
Teacher Enrichment: This committee is also in charge of showing the teachers the great amount of appreciation that we have for them through:
Passive Fundraisers: Passive fundraisers are those that don’t take any extra effort from the students/parents to participate in. Most of these fundraisers are handled by Shelly DeFour, such as
Debbie Baranski has volunteered to begin the SCRIPPS program at St. Lawrence, in which parents would simply purchase gift cards to local businesses, such as grocers, and use those cards to make their purchases. In turn, that business will credit the school a percentage. If you would like to help Debbie form this committee, please contact her. We are always looking for different ideas for Passive Fundraisers. If you know of any, please contact an officer. Morley The Morley Fund Raiser is off to a great start. The top three sellers, in addition to the prizes they win through the program, will also be awarded these prizes donated by the PTO:
In addition, every student who sells a minimum of 40 items is able to go into the “money machine” and try to gather as much as they can in a set amount of time. There is a maximum of $100 available in the machine each time. Christmas Shop: The Christmas Shop is an annual event at St. Lawrence the first Friday of December. It was designed to be an event where the students can go into the gym and shop for their parents, grandparents, and siblings for Christmas. The gifts in there are shopped for by a group of “shoppers”, as well as many gifts donated by parents. It was never intended to be a profit-maker, although in recent years it has. This money, however, is never in the PTO account, as it is put right back out there for the shoppers to use throughout the year. A suggestion was made that a company take over this venture and come in, set up, sell, and clean up, as to eliminate all the help that is needed to make this endeavor a success each year. However, this proposal was UNANIMOUSLY voted against. Therefore, Meg Avromov, the committee head, will continue to use and need the support of all the parents each year. This included the dads as well, as we need their “muscle power”. Vendor Show: Barb Corona & Cherie Johnston have received approval from Stewardship to hold the Vendor Show again this year. It will be held on November 18 th, as well as another undetermined date in the spring. Last year, this event was a success, as it made over $1600 with little advertising. This is NOT a craft show, but a high-end sales event with local vendors. Each vendor will pay the PTO $25 per table, as well as including a basket of their merchandise worth a minimum of $50 to be raffled off. Mr. Pita will also be there selling lunches. There is also the opportunity for a bake sale to take place. The November bake sale will be sponsored by the 5 th grade for camp next year. The spring bake sale will be sponsored by the 8 th graders. Any questions, please call Barb Corona or Cheri Johnston. Pumpkin Patch: Last year, the pumpkin patch sales spread over three weekends. This year, it has been determined that the sale will take place over one weekend, in addition to the weekend before Halloween. The event brought in approximately $1700 last year. There are pumpkins, gourds, & cornstalks for sale on the softball diamond. If you are interested in heading this committee, please call Amy Comito, as she has all the information regarding the company who wholesales us the products, and delivers them. Poinsettias/Easter Lilies: The sales of the Poinsettias last Christmas brought in about $1500. The Martin Family has offered to head this committee this year, and add the Easter Lilies sales to it. Gloria Looman has also offered to be part of this committee. These arrangements can be purchased “in memory” of loved ones. We simply need some parents to stay after mass on the two Sundays before Christmas and Easter to help in the sales. Please contact Diane Martin or Gloria Looman if you are interested. Cookbooks: Julie Randazzo will be requesting recipes from all families (school & parish). The cookbooks will be $15 each, and the school will receive $8 profit per book. Market Day: Market Day sales for September have made $530. This money will be donated to the 6 th grade camp fund. October’s profits will be donated to the 2 nd graders. November’s go to the 8 th graders, Decembers go to the 5 th graders, January’s go to the 1 st graders, February’s go to the 4 th graders, March’s profits go to the kindergarteners. April will not have a sale, but May will have two. The first sales of May will go towards the 3 rd graders, and the second sales of May will go towards the 7 th graders. June sales will go for the 5 th graders, to be used towards their camp for the following year. Each PTO meeting will have various Market Day samples available for attendees to try. They are delicious. Open Discussion: The committee heads/sponsors will be published in the News N Notes.
Our next meeting is October 28th, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. 
All parents and faculty are welcome at the General Meetings.
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