DIXON ELEMENTARY PTO MINUTES
Meeting Date: Thursday, January 19, 2023
Meeting Time: 6:30 p.m.
Meeting Location: Dixon Library or Virtually viz Zoom
Attendees: Angie Maniaci, Raheel, James Riccaboni, Dave Gross online
In person: Brian Kawa, Sara Monty, Katie Whitecotton, Shana Meidam, Connie Petersen, Jen Koch, Julie Gretzon, Brian Klappenbach, Christie Welch, Erica Wilkinson, Jacqueline Wickersham, Melissa Holland, Katrina Hergott, Carey Drees, Luke Sadowski
1. Call to Order Connie Petersen
6:31
2. Review and Approval of November 2022 Minutes Katrina Hergott
Sara motioned to approve, Jen 2nd
3. Principal Report Luke Sadowski
Music concert was last night. 684 kids at Dixon right now. The gym was crowded but lucky to have the wonderful music teachers. Will have to find out logistics going forward. Maybe budget for SLWC—nutcracker, music concerts. Dates are hard to get; need to look into moving large events there if possible.
Winter assessments are going on now-does not include 1st grade. More assessments than there have ever been and teachers acknowledge this.
Feb 16 teacher conferences, same night as all-strings.
Assignment notebooks-around $800 last time we needed them, add to budget
Thank you to all the wonderful parents helping out in the schools--Angela Black subbing, Shana, Sara for covering for Julie and Stephanie Foley, all other parents that have been helping out.
4. Treasurer Report Brian Kawa
Dec slow for treasury. Got checks for dining out, invoice for gift cards. Nutcracker did great business. Missing $1500 in sponsorship that Brian got today.
Budgeted to quickbooks online, debit card for amazon account. Amazon smile going away.
Old Business
5. Nutcracker Connie Petersen
Okay with 1 performance but was crowded, standing room only. Gwen Geissler taking over with Connie. Push for 2 performances next year. Helped having the library available.
6. Spelling Bee Katie Whitecotton
District bee feb 2nd at WI Hills. Congrats to the kids going from Dixon!
7. Committee Reports:
A. Book Fair Sara Monty
$18,000 in sales. Kept $9,000 in scholastic dollars. $400 books for each teacher. Library got $600-700. 4/11 start spring book fair
High Interest Day: Sara needs help. Katrina and Julie Gretzon will help
B. Dine Out/Pretzels Carey Drees
Dec—Naf Naf Grill—brought in $270
April—Chipotle
Pretzel Sale—book fair dates
Working on other dates
C. Destination Imagination Katie Koepsell / Sara Monty / Jacqueline Wickersham
All 4 teams registered. Workshop in Feb for challenge teams. March dress rehearsal. March 11 is the competition. Need appraisers—maybe 2—cannot be the child’s parent. Have to be over 18, great experience. Have to go through training but also a few hour commitment on the date. Also need volunteers which can be parents—1-2 hour commitment on that date.
D. Battle of the Books Christie Welch/ Kristin Parulski
45 4th and 5th graders. Transition time gets chaotic. Need volunteers—Feb 9th 930-noon is the final date. Need people to moderate, timekeepers, shuffle kids. Need prizes for the kids—ice cream tokens, etc.
E. Heart Challenge Megan Repsa
Starts next week Jan 24th. Collect cash, check, online donations. Will happen during PE classes. Week of feb 13-17. Goal is $12,000. Got close to that last year.
F. Gallery Night Marlaina Ulrich
Needs to meet with Mrs. J when artwork should go up. Rainforest theme. Same night as literacy and empty bowls. Empty bowls March 9th. Made $4063 to rescue mission last year. Choc Factory and Fresh Thyme lined up for donations. Working on getting Pete’s Pops. Need volunteers. No one has to buy the bowl, feel free to make a donation. Meeting in 2 weeks. Need extra freezer space for all the frozen treats.
G. Science Fair Amy Digman
Deadline on Jan 31st to sign up for science fair. Feb 23 is the date
H. Carnival Jeni Barto
Balloon guy, maybe in library. Everything unlimited, will have wristband for $10 per person, up to max of $50 per family. National Honor Society East will be helping also. Still working on lots of logistics. Not anticipating to make budget of $10,000 with all the changes this year.
Boy scout update by Dave Gross: boys will help at carnival
I. Raffle Katrina Hergott
Will need many helpers night of. Changing set up to have all items on tables in rectangle, will have buckets in front of each item for people to put tickets in themselves. Also trialing a silent auction for more adult items such as tvs, certain restaurant gift cards, etc. Keeping all kid items as raffle still. Using givesmart through EEF to print labels for tickets ahead of time so strongly encourage to buy tickets before night of.
8. New Business
A. EEF Scholarships Sara Monty/Carey Drees
EEF is like the PTO of the whole district. Hold 4 major events—Boos and Ghouls, Ladies Night Out, New Science Event—STEAM in March 7th—brookfield central (will replace circle of friends event,) Golf Outing late spring. Staff can apply for grants. Sensory toolkits given last year. Shared theater equipment for this year. Wanted to raise $80,000 for mobile equipment at SLWC or possibly at schools themselves. Raised 40,000 at ladies night out and then a district family matched. Another family foundation will match anything EEF makes till the end of the year, up to $20,000.
Staff appreciation: thank you Thursdays-nominate staff till Feb 4th. They get entries, every thurs in Feb names are picked for gift card to Corners. One with most entries gets $250 gift card automatically.
40 scholarships to graduating seniors. Approved Dixon PTO--$1500 scholarship--will give to former Dixon alum in good academic standing, involved in community service, preferably involved in elementary schools helping out. Applications open in February, committee of 8 people, blind application. Hope to make a plaque in future to name winners, like boy scout one in hallway.
B. Teacher Grant Requests & Approval Connie Petersen
4 requests: $6000 was set aside in budget
1. Mrs. Haskey—sleds $175
2. 1st grade breakout area—share lots of students so area used widely—need more furniture, books, magnetic letters, bins, etc. Books we have are old and outdated. Need them for all levels--$1316.58.
3. Speech pathology-2 people—conference in Carolinas--$3000—covers air, hotel, conference. School budget would cover subs plus registration fee. Questions: why this conference, what would you learn there. Do we want to spend this large amt of money? Would this set a precedent that isn’t attainable. Conference is next school year. Discussed tabling this. Give option for them to come to meeting to answer more questions. Speech path affects 70 kids at Dixon. Do we have people asking for money come to the PTO meeting? Insurance concerns of sending people on trip.
4. Mrs J—sensory wall just outside her room--$1000
Shana makes motion to approve all but speech path trip, table trip for now. Bumped 1st grade budget up to $1500. Jacqueline 2nds. All vote to approve $2675. No denies or abstain
- 2022-23 PTO Committee Needs
Next year: Sara/Carey presidents, Brian treasurer, Katrina secretary, NEED someone for publicity: displays out front, PTO facebook site, etc. Erica will do this
Lifetouch: school pictures. Got info from school/sport pics: club pictures, notes from 5th graders, artwork, etc. Julie would have to double check a lot of extras. $3 more per yearbook. Ask Julie and the company how much work do each do.
Meeting adjourned: Connie motions adjourn, Jacqueline 2nds. Adjourned at 8:06pm
PTO Meetings @6:30pm Upcoming PTO Events
Feb 16, 2023 Feb 13-17 Heart Challenge
Mar 16, 2023 Feb 23 - Science Fair
Apr 20, 2023 Mar 9 - Gallery Night/Empty Bowls
May 18, 2023 Apr 11-14 - Spring Book Fair
May 5 - High Interest Day
May 25 - Spring Sing June 2 - Dragon Days