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Hixson PTO Meeting

May 11, 2023

6 PM

Hixson Library and by Zoom

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Zoom Information

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Meeting ID: 960 2459 8440

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Agenda

Welcome & Introductions
Board Updates

Principal/Administration
Presidents
Vice-Presidents
Treasurers
Secretaries
Communications/Social Media
Fundraising
Teacher Appreciation

Committee Updates

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Principal/Administration

*Check out pictures of Glow Party on FB! Great DJ! Silent disco would be fun for future events – Dr. Mayes has done one before at another middle school. Steph Slonka asked about cost; Dr. Mayes estimated it was between $1500 and $2000. Steph wondered how that compares to what was spent on the Glow Party. A vast majority of the 8th graders attended. Sarah Middendorf said her daughter had a great time. There are leftover snacks and the admin will make good use of them.

**One 8th grade team at a time will be able to enjoy a one-day Camp Wyman experience in April. This grade was the only class in 75 years that hasn’t been able to go due to the pandemic. The cost is $30 per student. PTO agreed to contribute $3400 to defray the cost of the 8th grade Wyman experience. The attendees voted to approve this expense. Hixson and the PTO will pay for roughly half the cost and the families will pay the other half. The cost is $50 per student if they bring their own lunches. Hixson is paying for bus transportation and the Wyman balance.

***PTC conferences: Tuesday will be the in-person day, Wednesday will be the Zoom day.

****Rebecca Dohrman asked where the walk-a-thon funds will go. Dr. Mayes said to earmark it for student activities. Steph suggested making funny promotional videos to generate donations for not only the walk-a-thon but also for the annual fund.

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Presidents (Sarah Middendorf & Steph Slonka)

2023-2024 PTO

Board - Vote to approve proposed 2023-34 board (Note: Still looking for Co-President)
Committees (including Holiday House Tour, Fundraising, Social, Staff Appreciation, Fortnightly, Equity)

THANK YOU 2022-2023 BOARD!

We’ve been busy this spring recruiting Executive Board members to help run next year’s PTO. As of today, the following people will be serving on the 23-24 Board and we’d like to approve their membership tonight:

Co-President: Julie Blank (OPEN)
Co-Vice Presidents: Vicky Holway, Becky Piening
Co-Treasurers: Chantal Hoffstein & Kathryn Drennen
Co-Secretaries: Dorothy Carlin & Amy Estlund
Co-Communications: Lindsey Consentino & Jen Levine

We’ve still got several Committee Chair positions that are open. If you or someone you know are interested, please let Vicky Holway or Julie Blank know and we can chat about the role and responsibilities.

Co-President
Holiday House Tour Co-Chairs
Fundraising Chair
Social Co-Chairs
Welcome Committee Chair
Staff Appreciation Chair
Equity Committee Chair

We’d also like to take a moment to thank this year’s PTO Board!

This year’s Board has been AMAZING! I’d like to thank the entire Board for all of the ways that they helped to make our Hixson Community Stronger! We set out this year to strengthen connections among parents, students and staff, build some new traditions and events to increase the fun factor and to increase fundraising revenues so that we can help fund more programs for our students and faculty. I’d say that we’ve done a terrific job at meeting these goals. We’ve added several new fundraisers including: Puzzles, Pizza & Pop, Walkathon and Hixson Heroes Coupon Book, all of which will be happening next year (and beyond, hopefully). Thank you, Julie Blank, Rebecca Dohrmann, Kelly Dunsford, Vicky Holway, Kay Horner, Lorna McClellan, Sarah Middendorf, Lindsay Moody, Steph Slonka and Elisa Tomich

This year’s PTO Board and Committee Chairs have done an outstanding job of building community, traditions and fun for our students and families. We’re excited that the work we’ve all done is ensuring that our students and faculty have the resources they need to make the middle school experience special. We look forward to continued efforts for the remainder of the year and beyond.

*Slate of officers for 2023-24 year approved.

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2023-2024 PTO Board - Vote to approve

Co-Presidents - Julie Blank & OPEN
Co-Vice Presidents - Vicky Holway & Becky Piening
Co-Treasurers - Kathryn Drennan & Chantal Hoffsten
Co-Secretaries - Amy Estlund & Dorothy Carlin
Co-Communications/Social Media Chairs - Lindsay Cosentino & Jen Levine
Co-Fundraising Chairs - OPEN

We’ve been busy this spring recruiting Executive Board members to help run next year’s PTO. As of today, the following people will be serving on the 23-24 Board:

Co-President: Julie Blank
Co-Vice President: Vicky Holway
Co-Treasurers: Chantal Hoffstein & Kathryn Drennen
Co-Secretaries: Dorothy Carlin & Amy Estlund
Co-Communications: Lindsey Consentino & Jen Levine

We’ve still got 2 Board positions to fill and several Committee Chair positions that are open. If you or someone you know are interested, please let myself or Sarah Middendorf know and we can chat about the role and responsibilities.

Co-President
Co-Vice President
Holiday House Tour Co-Chairs
Fundraising Chair
Social Co-Chairs
Welcome Committee Chair
Staff Appreciation Chair
Equity Committee Chair

PTO Bylaws:

The Board has gone through the process of reviewing and updating the bylaws, which hadn’t happened for a number of years (to our knowledge).
We’ve adding “Co” positions to all of the Executive Board seats so that going forward, we continue to work as teammates for each position on the Board.
The only other thing that was changed was to remove the day of the week that all events had to be held, as this was outdated information. Julie Blank, one of our current Co-Secretaries helped to spearhead this effort.
Insert the possibility that Fortnightly name might change.
We’d like to take a vote to establish these new bylaws.

Will someone make a motion to approve the updated bylaws?
Do we have a second?
All in favor?
The motion to approve the updated bylaws has passed.

Upcoming Events:

May 5 (next Friday) are the final Student Social Event - Social Committee to share more
May 8 - Tentative date to begin sales of the Hixson Heroes Coupon Card
May 10 - Staff Appreciation Breakfast
I’m happy to report that because of the tireless efforts of our PTO Volunteers and our generous donors, we’ve been able to fund ($12,000!) some fun end-of-the-year programs & events, including:

Cardboard Regatta (7th)
8th Grade Celebration activities & t-shirts
Field Trips
Nurse Supplies
Counseling Supplies
Field Day

Rebecca is putting together a google form to streamline and simplify requests.

This year’s PTO Board and Committee Chairs have done an outstanding job of building community, traditions and fun for our students and families. We’re excited that the work we’ve all done is ensuring that our students and faculty have the resources they need to make the middle school experience special. We look forward to continued efforts for the remainder of the year and beyond.

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2023-2024 PTO Committee Chairs

Equity -
Fortnightly - Dorothy Carlin, Dagny Stangl
Fundraising -
Social -
Teacher Appreciation -
Holiday House Tour -
Welcome - Planning meeting for incoming 6th grade families Monday, June 5th at Global Brew Tap House 7-8pm

We’ve been busy this spring recruiting Executive Board members to help run next year’s PTO. As of today, the following people will be serving on the 23-24 Board:

Co-President: Julie Blank
Co-Vice President: Vicky Holway
Co-Treasurers: Chantal Hoffstein & Kathryn Drennen
Co-Secretaries: Dorothy Carlin & Amy Estlund
Co-Communications: Lindsey Consentino & Jen Levine

We’ve still got 2 Board positions to fill and several Committee Chair positions that are open. If you or someone you know are interested, please let myself or Sarah Middendorf know and we can chat about the role and responsibilities.

Co-President
Co-Vice President
Holiday House Tour Co-Chairs
Fundraising Chair
Social Co-Chairs
Welcome Committee Chair
Staff Appreciation Chair
Equity Committee Chair

PTO Bylaws:

The Board has gone through the process of reviewing and updating the bylaws, which hadn’t happened for a number of years (to our knowledge).
We’ve adding “Co” positions to all of the Executive Board seats so that going forward, we continue to work as teammates for each position on the Board.
The only other thing that was changed was to remove the day of the week that all events had to be held, as this was outdated information. Julie Blank, one of our current Co-Secretaries helped to spearhead this effort.
Insert the possibility that Fortnightly name might change.
We’d like to take a vote to establish these new bylaws.

Will someone make a motion to approve the updated bylaws?
Do we have a second?
All in favor?
The motion to approve the updated bylaws has passed.

Upcoming Events:

May 5 (next Friday) are the final Student Social Event - Social Committee to share more
May 8 - Tentative date to begin sales of the Hixson Heroes Coupon Card
May 10 - Staff Appreciation Breakfast
I’m happy to report that because of the tireless efforts of our PTO Volunteers and our generous donors, we’ve been able to fund ($12,000!) some fun end-of-the-year programs & events, including:

Cardboard Regatta (7th)
8th Grade Celebration activities & t-shirts
Field Trips
Nurse Supplies
Counseling Supplies
Field Day

Rebecca is putting together a google form to streamline and simplify requests.

This year’s PTO Board and Committee Chairs have done an outstanding job of building community, traditions and fun for our students and families. We’re excited that the work we’ve all done is ensuring that our students and faculty have the resources they need to make the middle school experience special. We look forward to continued efforts for the remainder of the year and beyond.

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Treasurers (Rebecca Dohrman & Kay Horner)

Budget Link
Vote on 2023-24 Budget
Current Bank Balance: $24,653.67
Annual Fund Ways to Donate

Check to Hixson Office (payable to Hixson PTO)
Paypal to hixsonmiddlepto@gmail.com

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April 2023 Ledger

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Secretaries (Elisa Tomich & Julie Blank)

Monthly general meeting minutes: in weekly newsletter (Hixson Happenings, the PTO Edition) and on the website. Please see the Slides presentation and the speaker notes boxes for details.

Revised bylaws were approved at the April PTO meeting. Should these be made available to the general membership?

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Communications & Social Media (Kelly Dunsford & Lindsay Moody)

Hixson Middle School PTO Facebook Page (scan below)

Please “like” and react to posts

Unique Content

Parents socials
Get to Know You Series

How can we help you?

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Fundraising (Steph Slonka)

Ongoing:

Hixson Heroes Coupon Cards - ready for pickup
Annual Fund - 100% Parent Participation is the goal! ($15K)

Currently hovering around $4,500

Holiday House Tour - PTO Executive Board set date for Sunday, December 3, 2023
Parent/Family Social Events - Looking for hosts for Grade-level backyard get togethers for future

Fundraising Chair Needed for 23-24

Hixson Heroes Coupon Card has already raised over $1K!!
Annual Fund

We have been working to raise funds all year through straight donations by check and Paypal. Our goal is 100% parent participation and $15K.
We’re hovering at $4,500 raised with only a small percentage of families that have given.
We’re hoping for one last push before May 26, the last day of school and are encouraging families to give $27, $28 or $29 for the year of their child or ANY amount. If everyone gave $10, we’d reach our goal!

As we said at the beginning of the school year, now that we’re a school with 3 grades, we’d like to launch more fun Parent Social Events this year and beyond so that we can connect with each and raise some $ for our PTO programs. We’re still hoping to have a couple of hosts step forward for a fun/low-key event for moms, dads or parents in general. If you’re interested, please let Steph Slonka know (scorwinslonka@gmail.com)

backyard event like a Dad’s Corn Hole Tournament or a Mom’s Wine/Plant night. If you’re willing to host something, please let me know.
Backyard Gameapalooza with fun games like cornhole, giant jenga or Spikeball
Mom’s Wine Night
Coffee Crawl (a couple of neighbors host a light brunch)
It would be great to make some new traditions!

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Social (Nytasha Taylor & Melanie Revene)

Feedback on May 5 Events:

6th grade - dance at Rec Plex
7th & 8th grade - movie at Galleria

Takeaways for next year?
Looking for Social Committee leaders for next year!

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Hixson Staff Appreciation (Julie Blank)

Teacher/Staff Breakfast: Wed., May 10th; Bagels, scones, pastry & coffee from Bread Co. plus fruit trays; thanks to Cindy Oleshak, Michelle Willis and Rebeccas Dohrman for helping with set-up and clean-up!

Gift Cards: PTO will not be funding end-of-year gifts; parents/teams are encouraged to do their own thing

Retirement Gifts: Hixson cutting boards are wrapped and ready for delivery to Srah Magruder for the end-of-year celebration

Mr. Atterberry
Ms. Reif
Ms. Rodriguez

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Equity (Elyssa Sullivan)

2023 - 2024 Considerations

Nytasha, Elisa, and Liz will continue to be parent leaders for rising 7th and 8th grade cohorts; the organizing committee will need a rising 6th grade parent volunteer.
Should Equity Cooperative have a representative on the PTO Executive Board? All elementary school PTO Boards have an equity committee member, so it might be something to consider.

Events

Hoping to have a June local Black history tour opportunity for parents/caregivers led by Dr. Mayes. If this is finalized, we will email those who signed up for equity Cooperative emails

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Fortnightly (Sarah Middendorf & Steph Slonka)

It’s been a great season! Let us know if you have feedback.
Final Dinner Dances were in March
We need to start planning for next year and reserving spaces and our instructors.
Email us if you would like to be on the planning committee.

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THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING!