PAC Meeting
Monday, May 5, 2014 ~ 6:00 p.m. ~ Art Room
Treasurer Report: Connie Wheeler reported the current balance of the P.A.C. funds is $28,180.54. This includes $7,454.50 set aside for the Nature Center. After we subtract other expenses for this school year to pay out, we still have $10,125.39 to donate. Thanks to you, we had a great year!
News from Mrs. Czech: Mrs. Czech provided an update in the changes for the elementary school’s curriculum and schedule for next year. Teacher’s were able to vote from 3 different schedules. We will be on a 5 day rotating schedule.
-Art will stay at 60 min a week for Grades 1-5.
-Physical Education will change to 2 -45 min sessions a week (instead of 3- 30 min sessions a week) plus mini- lessons during the week. Kindergarten will now have PE also.
-Music: Grades PreK and K = 30 min a week. Grades 1, 2 and 3 = 45 min a week. Grades 4 and 5 = 90 min. a week (currently 90 min a week for grades 1-5). PreK and K will now have Music also.
-Library will now include keyboarding and will be 45 min a week (currently 30 min a week without keyboarding).
They also added extra time for Math, Language Arts, Writing, Social Studies, Science and RtI.
Nature Center Update: Travis Westemeier, a Boy Scout, made a proposal to help extend the Nature Center boardwalk to help him earn Eagle Scout. He asked if P.A.C. would be willing to donate money towards his project. P.A.C. will be donating the money we have raised out of our paper recycling to help him with this project. Thank you Travis!
Staff Appreciation Week (May 5-9): Michelle Wagner coordinated 3 different days; Dippin’ Day, Muffin Morning and Dessert Day through the Helping Hands List. We appreciate all that the FES staff does for our students!
Artist in Residence – May 5-16: The papier-mâché artist, Mr. Wirtz, is at FES!! For those of you who did not have the chance to meet him and see some of his artwork, check out his website, cartuna.net. Each child in Mrs. Rudolph’s classroom gets to make their own papier-mâché fish. This past week they have covered their wire shaped fish in papier-mâché. This week, they will be covering the fish in colored paper to decorate in their own design. PAC is going to give a gift certificate and Freedom t-shirt to the artist. Co-chairpersons for Artist in Residence were Sue Mannebach and Jessica VandenHeuvel.
Spring Student Appreciation Day– May 16: Erin Lenhart is the Chairperson organizing this and will be providing Ice Pops for the students after the Juvenile Diabetes Walk.
Paper Recycling Dates for May: May 27th through June 9th will be the next paper recycling date. Thank you Connie Wheeler for all your organizing with Paper Recycling.
Fifth Grade Celebration – Carolee Baumgart is the Chairperson organizing this event. The date is set for the afternoon of Wednesday, June 4, 2014.
Other Business:
Committee Sign Up Sheets for 2014-2015 were passed around during meeting.
Fall Open House: The FES Fall Open House will be on Thursday, August 28. Michelle Wagner and Christa Uitenbroek volunteered to set up children’s raffle and P.A.C. table at the open house. We will use the Helping Hands List to get volunteers to help work at the table.
Last Day of School Recognitions/Retirees: A motion was made and approved for the following gifts of recognition: Eileen Wuellner (retirement), Mrs. Mall, Mrs. Touchet, and Mrs. Naze, parent helper, (all 3 for the 5th grade play), the Janitors, the Cooks, and the National Honor Society babysitters. Cindy Taft volunteered to pick up the gift cards.
Meeting Dates for 2014-2015: The P.A.C. meetings will continue to be held on the first Monday of each month next year (no meeting in December). During the month of September, we do not have school the first Monday, so we will have our first meeting on September 8th instead.
A motion was made and approved to set a limit for Sock Hop and Family Fun Night of up to $750 per event for next year. This year we spent just over $500 for each event and both chairpersons voiced an opinion that it was difficult to keep expenses under $500.
A motion was made and approved to carry over $3,500 of P.A.C. funds to the next school year.
A motion was made and approved to continue to provide the teachers with a gift of $100 each next year.
Teacher Requests for our additional funds: P.A.C. solicited teacher requests for the surplus of funds raised this year. A motion was made and approved to spend $1,530 on the smaller requests we received.
There were additional lengthy discussions about larger teacher requests received. There will be an additional P.A.C. meeting held on Monday, May 19 to finalize this discussion. The amount of money P.A.C. is still looking to donate is $8,032.
Meeting notes recorded by Carolee Baumgart, P.A.C. Vice President
P.A.C. Website: Please go to www.freedompac.org and enter your email address in the subscribe field and you will receive postings on the website including the meeting agendas and notes.
Facebook: “Like” us on Facebook at Freedom Elementary PAC (Parents Activity Committee)
May meeting: May 19, 2014, Room 22 (Art Room – in lower level), 6:00 p.m. Please join us!
If you have questions or concerns, contact Amy Lahay at 687-1736 or lahay5@wildblue.net.
Freedom Elementary Parent Activity Committee 