MPTG meeting – 10/25/00

1. Introductions
2. Playground

• Melville volunteers earned $2,000 for their efforts at the Taste of Rhode Island, Boat Show and Octoberfest. One of the Melville volunteers won a drawing for a trip to the Bahamas.
• National Guard cleared land Oct. 14 & 15, volunteers have been cutting trees in the back of the school and the town Public Works Dept. has dropped loads of fill on the cleared land.
• National Guard returns Nov.4&5 to dig up asphalt in Kindergarten play area – the asphalt will be replaced with grass and fibar. The Guard will also prep the area for a new large playground piece for the Kindergarten area. Prep work for a basketball court and handicap walkway will also be undertaken.
• Over the winter the town will hopefully bring in more fill for the soccer field which will hopefully be put in this spring.
• The School Dept. is willing to lend MPTG $10,000 for the new kindergarten piece. This equipment is currently on sale at a savings of $3,000. MPTG will have 2 years to repay. A motion was made and passed to borrow the money and purchase the piece.
• A grant proposal has been sent to the United Way, we are hoping to secure around $14,000 for the playground. Nov. 2 is presentation day.

1. Treasurer’s report

• Report presented, a new format is being designed to more accurately reflect our current balance.

1. Fall Festival

• Chairpeople updated their progress, lists of volunteers were distributed and final concerns were addressed.

1. Movie Night

• J. Melillo reported that he contacted Blockbuster’s headquarters to inquire about rental policy. MPTG may rent a video from Blockbuster and show it if we do not charge admission or sell food.

1. Birthday salutations were extended to Pam Perras and Jamie Landsman.
2. Book Fair

• Set up will be undertaken on Nov. 8. The hours of operation are Nov. 13 – 16, 8:45-11:30. 12:30 – 2:15. Evening hours are Monday, Nov.13 and Wednesday, Nov. 15, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

1. Profits from on-line shopping

• MPTG received a check from Target through an on-line shopping program. Investigation needs to be done about these programs, e.g. which are legitimate, how do parents enroll, etc.

1. Principal’s update

• School improvement plan due end of Oct. The scheduling goal has been accomplished with the new 45-min. blocks. The goal of parental involvement has been met in that parents are comfortable coming into the building to volunteer and participate in activities. The new goal is to increase parent awareness of school curriculum and how it is carried out in the classroom. In order to begin to meet this goal, two suggestions were made: have a short meeting before MPTG meetings to discuss curriculum topics or one meeting a month devoted to a curriculum topic. The sentiment was for the separate monthly meeting.

1. Flyer promoting the Field House bond issue was distributed.
2. Pre-one and first graders sent a request to MPTG to purchase several die cuts to be used with the accucut machine in the publishing room. A motion was made and passed to spend up to $250.
3. Entertainment Books

• 212 books sold, last year’s total was 267. Profits will not meet our expectations so we may need a spring fundraiser. A suggestion was made to see if we could combine with another elementary school next year when we sell Entertainment books in order to boost the total volume sold and thus increase the profit margin.

1. Adjourned at 9:00 p.m.