Portage Northern Parents
PNP Minutes -
May 12, 2010
Principal’s Report - Jim French
·
The staff
appreciation luncheon was phenomenal.
Thanks to all the parents who worked and who donated food.
·
The summer
work schedule for construction is set.
The main office and counseling offices will move to PCEC.
The academic areas of the second floor will be evacuated. Demolition
and rebuilding is scheduled for a very tight nine-week period.
·
We
have been asked for parent volunteers to help box up the classrooms on the
afternoons of June 3 and 4.
Please contact Pat Hansson if you are
available to help.
They
have asked some student groups to help.
The total evacuation of the area is to be done by June 11.
·
The main
office and counseling offices are scheduled to move back into their new
space in the new building at the end of July/beginning of August.
Signs will be posted throughout the summer to direct people to the
proper location.
·
As always,
refer to the PNHS web site for the most up-to-date information regarding
hours and locations.
·
The Air
Quality Task Force has been asked to come back together to evaluate the air
quality in the new buildings this summer before classes begin in the fall to
ensure the best possible transition.
Counselors’
report:
·
Senior Awards
: hosted by the PNP; May 13 at 6:30 PM
·
Senior Breakfast:
will be held in the cafeteria; May 25 at 7 AM.
This is where graduation tickets are handed out.
·
Graduation:
June 4 -- Students report at 6 PM, ceremony at 7 PM.
·
Senior
sign-out sheet – see Mr. Huber after May 26.
·
The
counseling office is concluding its audit of all underclassmen to make sure
they are on track academically with the courses they need for graduation.
·
Mike
Scheidt is retiring and will be greatly missed.
The counseling department will be realigning and only staffed with 4
counselors instead of 5 in the fall.
Letters will be mailed out to the students who have been reassigned.
·
The
Michigan Virtual Classroom is available to interested students for many
required classes with exception of science classes.
·
Transcripts
for juniors will be mailed at end of school year.
Treasurer’s
Report:
·
The budget
is very similar to last year’s.
There is a request from the Student Senate for $500.
The PNP grants requests for monies based on the number of students
impacted by the request. The
budget for 2010-2011 went up for approval.
A motion was made to accept it by Diana Smith, seconded by Nancy
Sawyer. All approved.
·
Fortunately, there will be some funds from this year carried over to next
year.
New
Business:
·
There was a
plug for the Girls on The Run final event to be held on May 27 downtown
(starting and finishing at Waldo Stadium).
There are many opportunities for Community Service with this event –
either running as a community runner or signing up to volunteer.
See:
www.girlsontherunkazoo.org
·
Discussion
of Pay to Play. Special emphasis
was put on the fact that this charge to the parents in no way substitutes
for the support they have given the boosters in the past.
The monies will not go directly to the teams. It will offset the
budget deficits. For more
information, please refer to the
Portage
Public School web site.
Other Committees:
·
Grad Bash:
This has been a long-standing tradition, and
the committee is hoping parents will encourage their seniors to attend.
Currently there are 150+ students going.
District Committees:
·
Site-Based:
Atul Dewan reported they evaluated their progress based on 4 questions:
What are the students supposed to have learned.
Did they learn it? What
if they didn’t? What if they
already knew the material?
Minutes will be published on the web site.
·
District Advisory Council:
Bus
route consolidation. The
district will be limiting the number of bus stops in neighborhoods for
middle and high school students.
Also, the PN Parents was one of the largest groups to participate in the
online survey.
·
Curriculum
Council:
Tish
Boerigter reported. The science
curriculum will be reviewed in the future. There was some discussion of the
personal finance course as well.
Old Business:
·
Current
officers will be returning next year.
Margo Staunton will “shadow” Tish in her treasurer’s role so that
Margo could potentially take over the following year.