Hilltop School
Parent Council April 2019
Attendees
David Heller, Jen Walsh, Amy Shammas, Julianna Korunovski, Vanessa Cerchio, Cheryl Brown, Vidoushi Curtil
Positive Feedback
- “Spring Snapshots” sent out by grade levels were very helpful and informative. A suggestion was made to provide additional copies via email, in addition to a printed copy, for next year.
- The Harlem Wizards game was well received by families. Many liked the more “child-centered” approach to this year’s fundraiser. Some families are wondering if there is still a way to win the “Teacher Treasure” packages, as well as the grade-level VIP packages and live auction prizes, that were available in the past. Mr. Heller will follow-up with the HSA board.
New Business
Change of Dismissal Notes
- In an effort to make dismissal changes easier for both parents and the office staff, Mr. Heller is researching various app’s that are currently available. This change would eliminate the printed “Change of Dismissal” notes that are currently being used and would go into effect for the 2019-2020 school year.
Room Parents
- Some people seem unaware of how they sign up to become a room parent. Because this is an HSA committee, Jen will contact the HSA board to see if they can “advertise” the room parent role more as well as the process of becoming one. A suggestion was made to have Mr. Heller include the Room Parent Coordinator’s contact information when class lists are emailed in August.
Pizza Lunch with Mr. Heller and 3 Friends – can this process be improved?
- Mr. Heller will continue to think about how to manage this better so that parents and teachers are more involved in helping the winners select 3 friends. This will hopefully prevent more than 3 friends being invited and feelings getting hurt.
Kindergarten Screenings
- The Kindergarten screening process is changing this year. Incoming students will meet one-on-one with a Kindergarten teacher for 20 minutes to look at the student’s understanding of letters, colors, numbers, gross motor and fine motor skills.
Next Year’s Parent Council Members and Selection Process
- Mr. Heller will send out an email from the Parent Council with the updated list of grade level representatives the Parent Council is seeking for the 2019-2020 school year:
§ Preschool – 1 representative needed
§ Kindergarten – 1 representative needed/Pamela Diaz-Barriga will serve her 2nd year.
§ First Grade – Vanessa Cerchio and Amy Shammas will serve their 2nd year
§ Second Grade – 2 representatives needed
§ Third Grade – 1 representative needed/ Cheryl Brown will serve her 2nd year
§ Fourth Grade – 2 representatives needed
- Mr. Heller will make Mrs. Toth aware that Julianna Korunovski and Christine Schwartz will serve their 2nd year as the 5th grade representatives at Mountain View for the 2019-2020 school year.
- Once the new representatives are selected, they will be invited to our final meeting of the school year.
- A joint Parent Council Meeting will be held on May 28 at 9 AM with the current and future members.
What is Parent Council?
The Parent Council serves as a liaison to the school community in Mendham Borough. The primary objective of this Council is to facilitate communication that positively impacts our school and enriches the environment for our children and community. Some of the changes that have resulted from our meetings include the format of Back-to-School Night, the new Parent FAQ newsletter, arrivals of our kindergartners, and the snapshots of the year pages you received on Back to School Night.
The Parent Council discusses school-wide concerns or ways to make school events or procedures more effective. Parent Council is not a substitute for individuals having direct contact with the appropriate school personnel. Your representatives are a good place to start with any questions or concerns and are available to guide you through the proper channels should you need assistance.