Brown School PTO Meeting Minutes
Friday June 7, 2024
Location: Brown School Garden, 9:30 AM
In Attendance: Rachel Levitt, Madey Poss, Megan deSoto, Kate Schmeckpeper, Abby Lewis, Mary Kennedy, Bit Coppola, Karla Strobel, Katie Benoit, Marisa Colbuono, Sara Timm, Michelle Craig, Ali Fenty
WELCOME & YEAR IN REVIEW
Abby Lewis & Kate Schmeckpeper, Co-Presidents
Welcome events, student folders, Monster Mash, Enrichment
Highlights- everyone is really owning events and committees. Feels like the PTO is truly a part of the whole community
BROWN SCHOOL UPDATE
Principal Mary Maxfield
FUN RUN REPORT
Karla Strobel, Co-Vice President
8th annual Fun Run, Raised over $30k!
Highlights – Hoppy the Frog volunteers, AM was outdoors, PM was indoors due to extreme thunder and lightening. Set up an indoor course in 15 min so we could continue. Bonus, kids were allowed to run in the halls!
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Meaghan De Soto, Co-Treasurer
- Vote 2024-2025 Budget
- Motion to approve: Abby, 2nd Bit, 14 attending members approve
Expected revenue $83k, Expected expenses $95k
Question on book fair – profit from book fair to be used to replenish book worm (which will be new next year)
Holiday Shop – Jess Wilson and Sarah Timm interested in leading 2024 shop
ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE RECAP
Bit Coppola, Advisor
We worked at a reduced budget this past year, being replenished we will bring back some of the things that we missed this year. Ali and Sarah Timm will help with Enrichment next year.
MAGIC HAT SUMMER PLANS
Mary Kennedy, Magic Hat Representative
- Michelle Craig to be our Magic Hat Rep next year
- Last summer we didn’t meet our required Magic Hat hours, so we ended up with $13k less than we expected. PLEASE VOLUNTEER over the summer. We need 180 hours between now and Sept 30.
- You can do laundry, bring small furniture.
- They will be rotating books more frequently – could be good for book vending machine.
THIRD GRADE MOVING ON
Mary Kennedy
June 13th, Ooch to be DJ, dance party
Terry’s Ice Cream Truck – 4 types of ice cream
3rd grade class pics with sharpies to sign
Class Gift monogrammed towels with names (to be given to teachers)
Completely funded by PTO
STAFF APPRECIATION COMMITTEE REPORT
Katie Benoit, Advisor
We tried to do something every other month this year:
- Teacher Appreciation Week
- End of Year gift for all staff from PTO.
- They love the impromptu one off “we are thinking of you”
- Bought a new microwave and Keurig machine
- Amanda Jaffe will help 2024-2025
- Next year plan for Nurses Day, PE, Special Ed etc
BROWN SCHOOL GARDEN REPORT
Marisa Colabuono, Garden Coordinator
- Would a rain barrel be helpful for next year?
- Peas, carrots, beans planted
- Three sisters garden – buried fish this year as fertilizer
- Every class has come 2x, 2nd and 3rd grade will come for their 3rd time.
- 2nd grade did butterfly garden
- Watering Day for Summer – sign up genius
- Harvest of the Month Cara Whelan, Working with Marisa to source food directly from Brown gardens
- Next year, could we do the June Harvest in the garden for crops that we grow in the garden? Potatoes and strawberries
YEARBOOK UPDATE
Kate Schmeckpeper, Co-President
There are about 20 extra yearbooks available – first come first served by payment
We need a volunteer to coordinate for next year!
VOTE EXECUTIVE BOARD ‘24-25
Co-Presidents – Mary Kennedy & Kate Schmeckpeper
Vice President – Karla Strobel
Co-Treasurers – Michelle Craig & Meaghan DeSoto
Co-Secretaries – Liv Dolce & Kate Whorf
Advisors – Katie Benoit & Bit Coppola
We have an open secretary position!
Motion to approve – Abby, 2nd – Marisa, ALL APPROVE.
Thanks to all of the parents who have pitched in to make this a successful year for our school community. Whether you chaired a committee, volunteered at an event or came to our meetings, thank you!
Special thanks to Stephanie Callahan, Jess Chamberlin, Madey Poss & Kristen Pratt for all your work for the PTO during your time at Brown School!