PTO Meeting January 7th, 2025

Board members: Jill Hegstad, Erin Bryan, Erin Hontvet, Marie Gipson, Julie Krathen, Jackie Taslim, Mitali Bixby (Zoom)

In-person attendance

Parents:  Becca Sisitsky, Dorota Strzelecki, Jenn Cohn

School: Principal Rachel McGregor (RM)

On zoom: Zoom: 17 participants - Susie Huang, Alex, Jen Neudorfer, Margaret MCNamara, Ludvie Ackerman, Sara Kim, Teri Ebersole, Stephanie Germani, Julie Verret, Panachioti’s, Javier Lopez, Arun K

 

Start time: 7:00PM

AGENDA:

1. Motions

PTO President:

2.                  Announcements

3.                  Book Club for Anxious Generation

4.                  Auction and committees

Principal’s updates:

1. Motions:

• Approval of minutes from December meeting (approved)

2.  Upcoming dates and announcements:

    Teacher Grants:

• Teacher grants: Received 5 grant applications. 

1.  Jenn Eramo

2.  Emily Bellush (Math-Ins)

3.  Emily Bellush (Math program)

4.  Michelle Mendoza

5.  Christina Gerst

 

3. Auction: Send out an email about time commitment for the auction. The auction covers a big portion of the PTO budget each year; We need volunteers to staff 11 different committees; need the Community’s help for this. Need to get everyone involved. Beginning outreach for merchant donations.

·       Auctioneer and DJ are booked.

 

4. Book Club for Anxious Generation:  Monday February 10th at 7pm – borrow the book from the library or check it out as an audiobook.

5. Bingo Night at WHS: Thursday, January 30th at WHS (cafeteria) from 6:30-8pm: bake sale, raffle, help support 5th grade fundraiser.

In the weekly Fiske Flash- families can register and volunteer online.  Families will also receive flyers in backpack mail. Cash event for raffles and bake sale.  Allison Harrison and Abigail Putnam will be taking over Bingo Night next year. Google doc available.

6. Meet the PTO: Friday, Jan 24th at Quebrada – Get to know Fiske’s PTO Board, ask questions and consider joining the board in 2025-26.

 

Upcoming Holidays:  MLK Day, January 20th and Lunar New Year, January 29th

Upcoming Fundraisers:

1.                  Scrub-a-dub:

2.                  Jan 29th: Fundraiser at Fun and Games

3.                  Fiske Day at Red Sox:  May 4th at 1:45pm, Minnesota Twins. Everyone from Fiske will be seated in grandstand.  Cost $40 per person. Some sort of tour before game starts – TBD.

 

 

 Principal’s address:

1.  Walk to school day canceled on January 8th due to frigid weather

2.  Requested families to send appropriate winter weather gear for students. Also label clothes and items.

3.  Today, January 7th, 2025, was the first school breakfast at Fiske. All students when they come in for breakfast need to be checked in at the register to ensure safety for food allergies.  About 50 students attended and the school anticipates numbers fluctuating over the upcoming two weeks. Students need to arrive early by 8:15am and back to classroom by 8:30 am in time to start the school day. Students are sent back to their classroom at 8:27am. If a student arrives at 8:27am, they take their breakfast to their respective classrooms. Massachusetts provides free lunch and breakfast. WPS decided that students would benefit from having the free breakfast option.  All elementary, MS and WHS have free breakfast and lunch.

 4.  School Arrival times:  Students need to be in the classroom by 8:30am in time for morning meeting.

5.  On January 8th (afternoon) – teachers will engage in equity mapping to ensure every child in school is connected to somebody. This is happening across the district.  This is especially timely for Fiske with new students arriving throughout the year.  We want to make sure that all students feel important and part of community.  Teachers will then participate in Trauma training tomorrow as well.

6.  MAP testing grades 3-5 on January 13-17th: This was done at the beginning of the year.  January testing will compare growth and trends from beginning of the year. Teachers discuss results with students so that students get agencies on their progress.

7.  7-8 new students started since the beginning of the school year. Across different grades.

8.  Progress Reports:  On January 31st progress reports go out. N: Not Yet, B: beginning, P: progressing M: meeting

Meeting means student has met end of year standards. Most students would be at B or P towards the standards. The school uses State standards. Progress reports will be available to access on Jan 31st in PowerSchool. School can provide hardcopy upon request.

9.  Budget Presentation for the District:  WPS School Committee website and WPS district websites.  Fiske will be down one section next year (fifth grade). Projected to have two third grade sections next year. Cap is 24 students per section.

 

Concluding remarks:

Shannon Smith and Summer Hawkins are organizing the STEAM fair on March 2nd. Rachel to send the information in the Friday Fiske news.

 

Erin B:  WPS District calendar was approved

Next meeting on March 4th, 2025

Meeting adjourned at 7:37pm

​

PTO Meeting November 4, 2024

Board members: Jill Hegstad, Erin Bryan, Erin Hontvet, Marie Gipson (Zoom), Julie Krathen (Zoom), Olga Shurchkov (Zoom)

In-person attendance

Parents:  Caroline Hon

School: Rachel McGregor (RM)

On zoom: 13 participants 

Start time: 7:02PM

 

AGENDA:

1. Motions

PTO President:

1. Announcements

2. Book Club for Anxious Generation

3. Auction and committees

Rachel’s updates:

1. Updates and announcements

2. Behavior and bullying

 

1. Motions:

• Approval of minutes from September meeting (approved)

• Motion to vote in new members (approved)

 

1. Upcoming dates and announcements: 

   1. parent teacher conferences and then Veteran’s day on Monday

   2. Blue Ribbon ceremony on Nov 18th at 8:45 (band will be playing); kids will be encouraged to wear Fiske colors

   3. November 21st: Fiske around the world (please volunteer); last year was great; not a drop-off event

   4. Book fair coming up (new book fair): Dec 9-13th; sign up has also gone out in the PTO flash this morning

   5. Spirit wear store is open! Order size L soon! (more S and M sizes available); no adult sizes

2. Book club with the community (might split it up into a couple of different times); Wait will 8th is expanding (there is a new chairperson and more information is going to come soon); Teri Ebersole is going to take lead on this; movie screening (Screenagers) in the spring

3. Auction: Covers a big portion of the PTO budget each year; We need volunteers to staff 11 different committees; need the Community’s help for this. Need to get everyone involved.

 

1. Rachel’s updates:

• Tomorrow is a big day in our country - the election. If your children need support in school, email the teacher or email the social worker/psychologist team (Michelle DeSantis ro Ryan Burne).

• Thursday and Friday, Kristin Stetzel and Rachel are going to DC to accept the Blue Ribbon Award. Will bring back a flag and, as Erin mentioned, we will do the National Blue Ribbon assembly (outside) on Nov 18th. We will have the band play; school committee members. Big deal in our community! This is similar to the flag raising/lowering ceremony. Parents are invited!

• As Erin mentioned, Around the World with Fiske is on Nov 21. Last year was really fun: rooms with different crafts and games from around the world; love the idea of people getting together! Information went home on Nov 4 via backpack mail. If you are doing something as a group of families, please let Rachel know (so that the groups get placed in one room)

• Nov 27, Turkey Trot. People bring canned food for the food pantry; kids run a few laps around the track.

• Original works came home on Nov 4 (short turnaround, but please send those in by the end of the week)

 

1. Behavior and bullying (Rachel shared screen with presentation slides - see those for more details)

• What is bullying?

• What to do in case of bullying?

• What is our response to bullying?

 

• All Fiske students have learned about S.O.A.R.

  • Self-control; on task; achievement; respect

• Now we have S.O.A.R. certificates. See slides for an example of a certificate. 

• Every morning, Rachel reads 5-6 S.O.A.R. certificates. Teachers and students can fill those out too.

• S.O.A.R. children of the month in each class. At assembly on Wednesday, the pictures of the children will be shown. Every child should be able to be recognized throughout the year (this isn’t a competition). We have no control outside the school, but at school, this is how we agree that we are going to behave. When a child asked Rachel, how did you come up with this, the answer was: I didn’t come up with it, YOU did! 

• There is a new board with S.O.A.R. certificates.

 

• Another program is second step (new SEL program). 4-lesson unit on bullying.

  • Identifying what it is

  • How to report it

  • How to be an upstander.

• Other units include material on building relationships etc.

• Lisa Humphrey: lucky to have the S.O.A.R. curriculum (wanted the two programs - SEL and S.O.A.R. to be “married”)

 

• Peer to peer reflection form - idea is to have a moment to reflect on an incident: Which Fiske fundamental was broken and what will you do next time?

 

• What is bullying? Slide with the MA law code (see slide)

• It’s really about mistreatment (physical or emotional harm; causes fear; hostile environment, infringes on rights; disrupts education) 

• Texting is where a lot of the problems show up - no phones or smart watches in the school, and not supposed to be using them on the bus, where sometimes problems arise. If see it the first time, tell them to put it away; if see it the second time, take it away; third: bring in parents

• We don’t say “a child is a bully”. We say, the child exhibits “bullying behavior.” At this age, children may not know what they are saying (like using a word they don’t understand - better not to use)

• In investigation, ask how many times is the target being targeted and how is the target being emotionally at school. Also looking at power differential (does one party have more social power over the other).

• If you are concerned about bullying, talk to your child. If the child comes home and complains about some recurring incidents, ask whether the child did something first.

• If have concerns still, let the classroom teacher know you have concerns and CC Rachel. 

• If think it’s bullying, can file a report through the WPS online system. Witnesses? Where did it happen? The report comes directly to Rachel. 

• First, the administrators will ensure everyone is safe. Then will have the children speak with the social worker to find out how the school can support both parties.

• Rachel will interview those involved to get their general feelings about how they are doing.

• Then sit down with the SEL team and sometimes with the nurse to make the determination based on the facts. Then put in a disciplinary action plan and support plan. Notify both sets of parents about the determination. 

• Note: students make mistakes every day. What one child thinks is funny, the other one does not. 

• It’s a long process. If you are unsure, it’s better just to call up someone and ask.

• All the information is up on the WPS website (bullying policy, etc.)

• At the end of the day, the school’s concern is for the children to be happy at Fiske, feeling safe, valued, and not targeted. That’s why the SEL team meets every Friday to talk about what’s been going on in the school.

Questions:

1. We know that you notify both sets of parents. If interviewing other children about the incident, would their parents be notified? No, because in a bullying investigation, you are investigating before a determination is made. Also, it’s not feasible to call every parent, because talk to children all the time.

2. Is the process any different if the student goes directly to the teacher to report? When you say the word “bullying”, it sets off a chain reaction described above. Bullying is mentioned ALL the time by kids. The teachers do a lot of work to explain that saying something unkind doesn’t equal bullying. Start with lessons in Kindergarten that become more sophisticated as the students get older.

3. Is there a record? Yes, when there is a bullying report, everything is recorded. If it’s more informal, when a child just talks to a teacher - is there a record of that (to establish a pattern). If it’s significant enough, Rachel makes a phone call home and there is a record of that. But if it’s a complaint from recess (so and so pushed me), no record, because it would be really infeasible. Teachers do notice when there is something repeated coming up though. Then teachers would email or call home.

4. What about conflict on the bus? Is that under school? The teachers can tell the bus monitor or the teacher on duty who greets them off the bus. Then Rachel spends time reviewing videos and talking to witnesses. There are videos on the bus. The reason is to help with behavior or if there is an accident.

 

Concluding remarks: 

• Lots of exciting events coming up in November, geared towards community building.

• Next PTO meeting is on Jan 7.

• Lisa Humphrey thanked all the parents for the teacher luncheon.

End time: 7:43PM
 

PTO Meeting September 10, 2024

In-person attendance: 

Board members: Mitali Bixby, Jill Hegstad, Erin Hontvet (EH), Olga Shurchkov, Jackie Taslim

Other parents: Teri Ebersole, Mike Hencke, Caroline Hon

School: Rachel McGregor (RM)

On zoom: 11 participants (including Julie Verret)

Start time: 7PM

 

AGENDA:

1.       Introductions (on zoom some new faces – Xiao Chen, Zane Zhang, Ludvie Ackerman 

2.       Approval of minutes from May and June – DONE

 3.       EH: Presentation and approval of the budget

PTO spends $200-300 on activities (without including fundraising costs)

-          40% field trips and speakers

-          30% playground and classrooms

-          15% to teacher appreciation/retirements

-          9% to PTO operating costs (insurance and taxes)

-          8% to community programs (family picnic, socials)

Specifics:

-          Income – expect about $170,000

o   Two big fundraisers

§  Western Roundup (annual) – big fundraiser (plan to raise $45,000 at this event)

§  Auction (typically every other year, but last one was 3 years ago) – single biggest source of profit; this is an auction year (plan to bring in $100,000) -KEY: still looking for co-chairs!!

o   Other sources:

§  Original art (small profit)

§  Used book fair (all profit)

§  Spirit wear (breakeven)

§  New book fair (raises some funds, but donates back to the library for new books)

§  5th grade fundraising

§  Family programs (e.g., Bingo raises some money)

-          Expenses

o   Key line items:

§  Field trips and transportation – single biggest investment ($26,000 altogether this year)

§  In-school assemblies (tape art, speakers)

o   Teacher’s classroom fund – every teacher has up to $500, every specialist $250 – towards books, etc. to enrich the experience for the students in their classrooms (about $14K)

o   Playground – field day (PTO buys supplies and equipment)

o   Grounds and gardening – it’s all volunteer-led!

o   Family and community programs – see detailed budget

-          Official approval of the budget: DONE

4.       Christine Iracheta on Western Roundup

-          Planning is well on the way

-          Takes a lot of work and volunteers

-          Slim on committees! Reach out to Jenn or Christine with questions

-          Reminder: open to the entire community so bring friends!

-          Rain or shine

5.       Rachel’s presentation “S.O.A.R. like a Falcon”

-          Last year we did a lot of work on multi-tier systems of support in regards to literacy, math; WIN = what I need – where students are given opportunities to stretch their thinking. Teachers get together with special ed, social worker, psychologist and talk about grade-level work. There is not just academic, but also the social-emotional part of it. equal focus on both – if the child doesn’t feel like an active member of the community socially, then it’s very hard for them to learn.

-          Last year, we started looking at behaviors, rooting the discussion in the FISKE fundamentals. What was lacking was how the students were supposed to act as members of the community. Rachel sees some of the behaviors come through the principal's office: how to make this a better environment and help students be better members of the community.

-          Last year we asked every class: how can we make Fiske a better place to be? Loved the Fiske fundamentals; loved the respect certificates.

-          Themes to improve the environment:

o   Wait your turn

o   Kind words

o   Use materials appropriately

o   Don’t give up

o   Be inclusive

o   Do your work

o   Participate

-          With these in mind, came back to the team and made 4 rubrics:

o   self-control: Be safe, wait your turn, use materials the right way (really emphasizing these in the first few weeks of school to teach the students what is expected of them, as well as the adults in the building)

o   on-task: participate, pay attention, do your job (starting this week on this)

o   achievement: what does it mean to achieve in school? Growth mindset (don’t give up), work hard, try new things

o   respect: be kind, be inclusive, take care of our school

-          Last week had a SOAR assembly:

o   There was a Fiske falcon and kids were trying to figure out who was in the costume! It was Rachel’s son.

o   SOAR was introduced to the students there.

o   Students’ takeaway: If we soar we can make Fiske a better place to be

-          Summary: the point is having some quick and succinct things to say to the students, so that those become ingrained.

-          This week: there is a passport with teachers walking around different locations around the school and demonstrating what each aspect of SOAR looks like à once this is shown, they check it off the passport.

-          Idea: we all start on the same playing field and all of us understand what it means to be a part of our community, and when behaviors do come in, there is a point of reference to talk to students about (a common language and understanding around complicated issues).

-          Some students might have more difficulty in understanding à tier 2 intervention at that point

-          This is an expectation we have of all of us (including adults)

Questions: Terri: Will the SOAR replace Fiske fundamentals? – No.

-          SOAR is about expectations

-          The song isn’t changing!

-          Parents should talk to the students to ask them for feedback on this initiative.

How is SOAR going in music?

-          Julie: common language; specialists see every single student, and before SOAR there was a classroom management system that differed across classrooms, but now there is a common language that simplifies communications with students.

Will this be shared at Back-to-School night? Yes.

Thinking about the start of this year – anything remarkable or different this year?

RM: We are smaller this year with the redistricting + the three preschool classrooms aren’t here anymore. There are about 50-60 fewer children. There are a lot less people in the building. It’s a very different feel. 4-5th grades are upstairs now; arts and music have their rooms back; everyone has an office this year. So, there is a sense of calm and that we are all in this together. The welcoming committee did a great job welcoming new families. We are in the process of building a new community.

Is SOAR specific to Fiske?

RM: Other schools may use it (working with Learning Tree), but all the rubrics might be different depending on the student body and the needs/feedback.

 

6.       Other announcements:

-          Back to school night – schedule on the Friday Fiske news (please pay attention to those; RM might send other reminders + PTO will resend information)

-          Instrument demonstrations are on 9/11/2024

-          Pictures are on Oct 17th

-          Halloween parade on Oct 31st (and no school the next day)

- Fiske Float

- Student Council needs three new parent members this year. They serve a two year term. 5 meetings a year (typically on Tuesdays). 

Meeting ended: 7:59 pm