TRANSLATION AVAILABLE – TRADUCCION EN ESPANOL

Meeting called to order at 6:10 Larry Wood & Juanita Douglas, Co-Presidents, Presiding

Minutes from the 4/6/06 meeting approved pending any changes emailed to MBW by the end of business 4/7/06.
Principals Report

Playground Update
Beginning Monday 4/10/06, the school yard (Parks Department playground) will be closed for approximately 9 months for renovation. The school is working with the Parks Department on possible alternatives. For the remainder of April, children will be in the auditorium for recess. Other possible alternatives being explored are:

Closing 107^th Street during recess. Issues are the active businesses on the street, sufficient supervision by school staff, limited play options.
Lunch clubs
The flag yard was raised as a possible outdoor venue; but there is problem with the noise disturbing classes
The 108^th street playground was suggested; it is too small for the entire grade.
The gym has classes scheduled during recess time.

Parents expressed concern that children will not have adequate physical activity. The state education requirements mandate three gym periods for 6^th grade; currently they have one gym class a week with recess being considered physical activity. Discussion of PTA hiring additional staff to assist; determined not to be a viable option.
Graduation

Graduation is set for 6/15. Same day as Math A Regents. 8^th grade dance is 4/27. Graduation trip will likely be to Bear Mountain, no date set as yet. Chaperones will be needed.

Extended day: DOE is considering alternatives for the Fall. Parent involvement and input is requested. There may be some flexibility within the DOE for changing the structure for extended day.

MS54 has 440 students in extended day.
Issue of security between dismissal & start of after school programs was raised.

Outdoor lunch. Under review for next year. May be ending the policy of outdoor lunch for 7^th & 8^th grade due to security and safety issues.

Discussion of whether to delay decision for one year due to unavailability of playground.

Looking for additional parents to volunteer for a parent-teacher committee looking for improving the conference structure for next year.

Lobby Day update. Two lobby days this year. One DOE sponsored, the other sponsored by CFE, Presidents Council and CPAC. The parent lobby day was successful; felt legislators heard parents’ concerns. Important to contact legislators between now & election, make sure that the state complies with the Court order.
5/11 Evening with our Legislators at PS 75
6/10 Region All Day Conference at PS 84. There will be a variety of panels and workshops that parents can attend. More info coming.

Expenditures during the month: $3,500 for the ID card system. $2,400 for portable tables (approved at last month’s meeting).
International Dinner added as line item, expenses approximately $500.
Budget for 2006-07 being worked on; will be presented and voted on in June.
We are 20% over capital drive target.

Nominating Committee. Juanita Douglas and Larry Wood are chairing this committee. We need parents to run for all positions. Some parents will be returning to the board, but there are a number of positions: Co-Presidents, Vice President of each program, treasurer/co treasurer, recording secretary, and corresponding secretary. Please contact Juanita or Larry if you are interested.
Auction. May 5 at Synod House, St. John the Divine. Tickets are now on sale for the auction. If you have not received your invitation in the mail, please contact Anne Pejovich. $3,570 in ticket sales for first week. Donations are still needed, volunteers are needed. We will need a number of people (and vans) to move tables on the morning of 5/5, and again on 5/8.

Many thanks to Columbia University Press, who donated printing for the invitations.
Many thanks also to Triserve Party Rental, they are donating many items for the auction.

Two boys were attacked on 3/1 during lunch at 107^th & Amsterdam. Perpetrators wore ski masks.
More police presence needed at lunch and dismissal. There is one squad car/two officers available for precinct.
Another meeting with police proposed.
The 24^th Precinct Community Council meets the third Wednesday of each month. The next meeting is 4/19 at 7 pm. Parents are urged to attend and speak out on this issue. Suggest that this information go out on the ms54 mailing list.
Researching possibility of conflict resolution programs such as Peace Games. Will present options to faculty to get their buy-in, determine cost.
Ryan Center has started a group on Respect of Self, Respect for Body.
ALL attacks – during or after school day - must be reported to School Administration, Safety Officers and Police. If you don’t report and document it, they will not have the statistics do justify additional personnel.

DID YOU MISS A PTA MEETING BUT WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING? GREAT NEWS! YOU CAN READ THE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS ON THE WEBSITE: www.ms54.org/pta.htm

All meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month unless there is a conflict on the calendar. The executive Board Meetings are at 6:00 PM and the General Membership Meetings are at 7:00 PM.

If a meeting needs to be changed due to an unforeseen reason, a notice will be sent out as early as possible to let you know of the change