September 21, 2023 

PTO Meeting Minutes 

• Call Meeting to Order
• Introductions and Attendance

• Jillian Washuta
• Christina Carbal
• Niki Kanis
• Monica Tarbell
• Jen DeFazio
• Jen Loutrel
• Maggie Pultorak
• Charla Hixson
• Cristina Caporale
• Jessica King
• Alexis Colton
• Jessica Malsch
• Sarah Keefe
• Kristen Cromwick
• Scott Blanchard
• Steve Grant
• Emily Benjamin
• Lorah Linnell

• Treasurer Report

• Account Balance: $68,457.54
• Allocated Funds: -
• Remaining Balance: -

• Funding Requests

• Field trip funding:

• $15/student
• Passed unanimously

• Kindergarten field trip

• $213 ($3.25/student)
• Passed as part of the $15/student field trip assistance

• Literacy prizes for elementary

• $300
• Passed unanimously

• Back to School Staff Room Restock

• $200
• Passed unanimously

• Welcome Kits

• $50
• Passed unanimously

• AIM Insurance renewal

• $475
• Passed unanimously

• Booster Update

• Fun run on October 27th

• Need to decide on theme

• Meeting with teachers on 10/5
• Meething with admin on 9/22
• In-school 10/18 - 10/27
• Goes live on 10/04
• Principal incentive - $12k

• Duct tape to wall

• Welcome Committee Update

• Davis Farmland Event
• 11 new families

• Sent family guide  

• Send to all new kindergarten families

• QR code on kindergarten flyer

• Enrichment Update

• 2023-2024 Funding

• $20k
• Passed unanimously

• Lancaster Enrichment Event

• Charla will apply for $5k split between two applications
• Two applications

• Historically more successful when

• Booked

• Pre-K: Discovery Museum Bubbles Workshop

• October 17th

• 1st Grade: Discovery Museum Sound Workshop

• November 7th

• 2nd Grade: Wingmasters

• April 3rd (pending MCAS dates)

• 3rd Grade: Plimoth

• April 9th Colonial First Families (pending MCAS dates)
• April 10th People of the Dawnlands (pending MCAS dates)

• 4th Grade: Author Visit - Jason Viola

• March 13th

• 5th Grade - Harriet Beecher Stowe or Tales from African Traditions

• Date TBD

• 7th Grade

• Speaker - $250

• 8th Grade - Justice at War

• Date TBD

• Senior Center has one volunteer

• Judy Elwell
• October 17th @ 9:00, Jill will meet with her

• School Council Election(s)

• MRE - 1 spot open

• John Murphy nominated
• Nikki will solicit for bios
• Week of October 2nd
• Results on the 6th

• LBMS

• Jill will follow up with Sean

• Upcoming Events

• Claytime Fundraiser

• October 13th
• Niki will stuff flyers in teacher’s mailboxes
• Do pizza

• Sell pizza (Mr. Z’s), chips, drinks
• Volunteer

• Jen DeFazio
• Jillian Washuta
• Jess Marsch
• Kristen Cromwick
• Alexis Colton

• Trunk or Treat/Book Fair

• October 29th
• Volunteers?

• Friday set-up

• Jillian
• Niki
• Jen L
• Jess Marsch
• Kristen Cromwick
• Alexis Colton

• Trunks

• Newsletter
• PTO Corner
• Stay with your car

• Candy

• Donate
• Approve budget for next meeting

• Sam Pawlak 5K

• Mandy stepping down
• November 18th

• 10:00 AM for kids
• 10:30 AM for adults

• Maggie will reach out for sponsors
• Monica will connect with Mandy for info on to-dos and vendors

• Sip and Shop

• December 2nd
• Need raffle license

• Niki will follow up with town hall

• Volunteers

• Jill will do bakesale
• Christina C
• Niki
• Jess Marsch
• Kristen Cromwick
• Alexis Colton
• Maggie Pultorak

• Future events

• Railer’s Night

• January 13th

• Nashoba Night

• Reach out to district PTOs
• Christina Cabral will be day-of contact

• Talent Show

• March 26th-28th
• Jen DeFazio will lead committee

• Jill, Niki, Maggie, Jess, and Christina on the committee

• Lancaster’s got talent

• Literacy Night

• Silver Unicorn Book Fair

• Date TBD

• Auction

• $3,500 budget

• Passed unanimously

• April 6th
• Committee

• Board members
• Maggie
• Cristina
• Kristen C
• Jess Marsch
• Kristen Cromwick
• Alexis Colton

• Staff Appreciation Week

• May 6th-10th
• Coffee Cabin truck- Sarah will look into it
• Christina Cabral will chair committee
• Staff appreciation raffle

• scholastic dollars

• Spring Fling

• May 17th
• Monica Tarbell will chair committee
• Pre-sale only
• Price per ticket as opposed to per family
• Jill will follow up with Scott about fire capacity

• Suggestions for other events

• Hot Cocoa Bar

• Friday before December break

• PTO directory

• Digital directory

• Tie ads to auction sponsors

• Jill will follow up with Scott re: families who have opted in         

• Other literacy events

• Not scholastic book fair
• Something with Thayer Library
• Perhaps not needed?

• Volunteer event for repainting the playground

• Maybe a girl scout troop
• Maybe Middle School Student Council

• Consider coffee cart for teacher’s planning time

• Maybe friday before a vacation week

• Resolved Business

• Chalk the Walk
• Staff Room Restock

• Consider doing two shifts
• More breakfast things

• Summer Literacy Prizes

• SEPAC Update

• New Lancaster Liaison, Charla Hixson

• SEPAC had first meeting
• Focused on making events more inclusive
• Bringing back ADHD speaker
• Considering programming on anxiety
• Charla will look into getting Jill meeting minutes if/when SEPAC and PTO meetings clash

• Meeting Adjourned