September 18, 2019 - PTC Meeting Minutes

1.  Child Assault Prevention Program - Caren Nemtzow, Director

• This program has been running in Needham for 25 years.  
• It is sponsored by the Needham Community Council and the local PTC (including Eliot PTC)
• Purpose is to teach our children to be empowered in situations that are dangerous

 VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!  

• You will get 21 hours of training 
• You can be a stay-at-home parent, retired, work full-time, work part-time.  Everyone welcome!
• You will volunteer 4-6 hours/month only during the school year calendar.
• Next training begins October 20th.  
• Please read this SHEET for more information and to sign-up

2.  Understanding Different Abilities - Stacey Schneiderman

• This program promotes understanding, empathy, acceptance and respect for all people.
• Our students are introduced to a broad range of physical, intellectual and developmental differences 

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!

• We need volunteers to staff the during school workshops, work on the scheduling outside of school, and help with technology behind the scenes. 
• Please read this SHEET for more information.  
• Please sign-up HERE!

3.  Eliot Staff

• Betsy Maxwell - Eliot Teacher & PTC rep
  • Thank you for the $50 amazon gift cards given to each classroom teacher to help with back to school costs
  • Thank you for the welcome back lunch for all the Eliot Staff sponsored by PTC & organized by Tonya McKee.
• Mona Maas - Eliot Vice Principal and Special Education Coordinator
  • Once a week health office, guidance and Mona share information about our students (changes in behavior, sickness, etc) that may be effecting school
• Jen Sullivan & Monique Vullo  -Eliot Guidance
  • Try and be as visible as possible in hallways, lunch room, classroom and recess
  • They are a resource to both students and parents
  • Any child can sign up to speak to them if they are feeling nervous or worried
  • In addition to 1:1 meetings they also do lunch bunches with small groups of students and eagles nests with classroom of kids at a time
• Titi Westover - Eliot Nurse
  • Nurse's office should be seen as a "safe space" for all students
  • It's also an advocacy office.  Sometimes a kid may not be feeling well physically or emotionally and a classroom teacher may not be aware of all the factors so Titi sees it as her job to advocate for the student with the teacher
  • Titi sees it as her job to empower kids to be their own health advocates as well.
• Karen Bourn- Eliot Principal
  • ALICE training will start next week for staff
    • Needham PD's School Resource Officers will teach Kindergarten & First Grade
    • Classroom Teacher wil do 2nd - 5th
    • There will be 1 drill in October and 1 in the Spring.  All drills will be relaxed and clearly stated to students that it is practice only...just like a fire drill
  • Fun Lunch is new this year.
    • To ensure that all kids have access to a lunch even if it is not being served at school
    • Lunch will be non-perishable & available to all students at a cost of regular school lunch
    • Kids on reduced or free lunch will get it automatically
    • Lunch is to be eaten outside of school and buses.  

4. Jenn Scheck-Kahn, Nathalie Blitz & Raven Register - Eliot SEPAC liaisons

• October 7th - Meet Julie Muse Fisher, Interim Director of Needham Special Education at the Broadmeadow School at 7-9PM
• October 16th - join us for an overview of what Needham has to offer students with all types of needs at all of our schools, from preschool through age 22. This is an opportunity to meet all of the Special Education Directors, and to learn about what will be new this year at Broadmeadow School from 7-9PM

5.  Amanda Fernandes & Andrea Cunningham - Eliot PTC Co-Presidents

• Directory Request Form- In the next few weeks, you will receive an email asking for your contact information for our RED BOOK directory and our online directory.  Please take the time to fill this out. This is a great resource for contacting Eliot families for playdates, birthday parties and questions.
• Annual Fund- Please consider donating to our PTC Annual Fund.  This is our biggest fund raiser.  We are hoping that each family will consider donating any amount!  We suggest $50/students.  Our goal is to raise $15,000 so that we can continue sponsoring curriculum enrichment assemblies and family events!  You can donate by sending a check into the yellow envelope that went home in BackPack Mail or by PayPal at https://www.johneliotptc.org/annual-campaign.html
• Outdoor Learning Structure- We are hoping to create an outdoor leaning space on the grounds of Eliot.  We have support from our principal and teachers as well as the superintendent.  We are working with the town now for their approval.  In the meantime we are planning to apply for an NEF grant.  Please let us know if you are interested in helping to write that grant.