Coffee Chat Update
Thanks to all that attended!
Update on Our Chat...
In case you were unable to attend, I am still on the look out for two more parents to help with our newly formed group. We are developing a group of 4-5 parents that would serve as our LEAD PARENTS. If you are interested, please email me at jmcdouga@pasco.k12.fl.us. Thank you to Mrs. Bader and Mrs. Webb for stepping up to join as Lead Parents. They have much to offer our group and I am so glad that they have stepped forward to help out!
Here are the notes from our first meeting:
eSchool Parent Coffee Chat
March 12, 2015 – 9:30 AM
Attendees: Jeannie McDougall (host), Danielle Thomson, Jennifer Hart, Shaun Walker, Mrs. Junco, Mrs. Moors, Mrs. Bader, Mrs. Webb, Ms. Bhyat, Mrs. Desmarais
Reviewed what the role of a “lead parent” entails:
· Go-to person for eSchool families
· Create newsletter
· Oversee projects and fundraisers
· Delegate jobs to other parents
· Those interested need to email Mrs. McDougall
Mission Statement
Task: If a newspaper article was written about Pasco eSchool’s PTO two years from now, what would it say about us? We worked together in a brainstorming session on our interactive whiteboard....see picture below.
· r We brainstormed keywords, phrases, and thoughts that will be used to formulate our mission statement. The Lead Parents will work together to formulate this mission statement that will be shared soon with the group.
Field Trips
· More field trips and socializing opportunities are a wanted by the families
· Current field trip set-up in not ideal: too expensive, too far, parents want to attend, too much wait time
· Mrs. Thomson stated that is difficult to find organizations and venues that accommodate groups such as ours (1:1 student-parent w/ educational activities).
· Mrs. Bader offered to scout potential field trips
Socializing
· More opportunities for eSchool families to have “meet-ups”
· Possible eSchool PTO Facebook page
· Mrs. Bader encouraged parents to seek out local homeschool groups for a lot of those opportunities
Live Lessons
Live lessons need to be discussed by the eSchool Elementary team. One parent was not impressed with the organization and implementation of the lessons. Some possible solutions they suggested:
· Virtual live lessons only
· Not mandatory - but some parents wanted more interactions for live lessons
Fundraising
· What is the goal of fundraising? What are the needs of the school?
· How can we better organize the BoxTops
· Carnival with Bounce House and 5K were suggested fundraisers
Mrs. McDougall concluded by reviewing the date of the EOY Celebration, May 29, 2015 from 10-3. Mrs. McDougall also requested help for the event. Parents stated that they would like to have more celebrations.
Random chat box entries:
· Minecraft club?
· Class t-shirts
· Art class lessons have stalled
Stay Tuned for More Sessions!
Looking for a way to help now???
Brainstorming Session for our Mission Session
- Ask the group members to picture themselves and the PTO two years in the future. The group is running smoothly, accomplishing all its goals. A reporter from the local paper has done a feature article on your PTO. What do your members hope to see reported in the newspaper about them?
- Let them brainstorm a list of ideas or comments that they would want included in the article. What does the article say? What are the key ideas it conveys? What activities does it report on? What kind of vocabulary does the reporter use to describe your PTO and its activities? What does the reporter say about the meeting he attended?