PTSA Minutes

(For archived minutes from previous meetings, click here)

Tremper PTSA Meeting Minutes
October 15, 2007

Attendance:   Terry Harold, Patti Ault, Sharon Corso, Renee Blise, Patty Mahoney, Jay Marinan, Katie Mahoney, Janet Schoettler, Cathy Eggert, Sally Heideman, Aimee Arreguin, Keith Corso, and Carol Kok

Special Guests:
Ms. Sally Heideman: Invited all to attend the Wisconsin Way Coalition at The Brat Stop Parkway Chateau on December 4th at 7pm.  The Coalition’s goal is to fund education; make Wisconsin taxes fairer; reduce the property tax burden without sacrificing the quality of public service; and ensure excellence in education. Online registration is available.

Mr. Marinan reported on the computer program Zangle.  The next step is to develop parent access to student grades, attendance, and lunch purchases via the Zangle computer data base. 60% of staff currently uses the computer grade book.

Mr. Marinan continues to look into implementing an inventory for a centralized system to account for classroom books.

Strategic Planning Update:
Parents are welcome to continue working on the various committees within the strategic planning process.
There are five tactics within the strategic plan.  Every student will meet state requirements, graduation requirements, and exhibit ethical behavior toward a meaningful career by 2010.  This is a more aggressive goal than “No Child Left Behind.”

Intervention: There are still concerns regarding intervention since it is not required.  It is used as a study hall for kids that are doing well or want extra help, but is not working well for those who truly need it. There is no consequence if you do not attend and are getting below a C grade at this point. Mr. Marinan’s idea is to move intervention into the middle of the day so that everyone could get involved.

ACT Update: An academic achievement goal is to increase ACT scores by 1 point and provide proper preparation within the core courses, and 3 points over the next three years.  An ACT prep test instruction class has been proposed for either October or November.  The Class would be held on a Saturday, and will be run much like the Cambridge Company that Indian Trail hired. Mr. Marinan would like to see 30-40 students subsidized for this program with more minorities taking the test.

The opportunity to take the PSAT is offered to the top 20% of Juniors and the top 10% of Sophomores, plus is open to any student that hears about it and signs up.   There was some concern that students who are not in the top 10-20 % of their class may still want to take the test.  The test information is published on the school’s website and in the newsletter, so all students can sign up for the test, whether or not they get a specific invitation from the Guidance Office..

Mr. Marinan would also like to utilize Mr. Regner’s rubric as a common assessment tool.

Lesson Plans:  Mr. Marinan would like to review the new teachers’ lesson plans on a weekly basis.  This has not been accepted as of yet.

Renee Blise presented the treasurer’s report. The report was approved as written and passed. (Patty Mahoney/Patti Ault)

Secretary’s report:  Keith Corso made a motion to approve the minutes and Aimee Arreguin seconded the motion.  The minutes were approved as amended to correct some misspelled names. Carol will get the minutes to Mr. Romano to be posted on the website.

Students of the Month for November were drawn.
Kaley Cox
Kayla Schultz
Keith Smith

Patty Mahoney, Vice President’s Report:  The Tremper PTSA Bylaws were reviewed and edited. Patty will call the state to get a copy of our former bylaws.  The bylaws amendments will be approved at next month’s meeting.

Student Government Report was given by Katie Mahoney.  Homecoming went well; Teacher Appreciation Week is the week of November 11th; and there will be a holiday assembly in December.

Reflections Committee:  Janet Schoettler: Will have information at the end of the month for the Reflections Program. 

Old Business:
There were two citations at Homecoming with one given to a non-Tremper student who arrived at the dance.  Entrance procedures should be re-evaluated for next year since it took some kids 50 minutes to get through security and into the dance.  A recommendation was made to have two police officers, each with a security wand, to help get the students through the security checkpoint quicker.

Meeting Adjourned.

Respectfully submitted by,
Carol Kok, Tremper PTSA Secretary