Notes from March PTO Meeting

 As is custom, we all introduced ourselves and either stated our position at Marquette and/or said how many kids we have at Marquette and what level they are at.

Allie Nanni started us off and a few down the line, the principal said, “Hi, I’m Krystin Carlson and I have 493 children at Marquette (she didn’t list all of them because we only have an hour)."

Topics covered included:

• Mrs Carlson presented Thank you notes to PTO from students
• Carlson, Cyrier, Knapp & Streeter are all attending American Montessori Society Conference, best chance to connect with other public Montessori throughout country, PTO paid registration fees because Title I Funding can’t be used for Montessori-specific prof development. 
• PTO helped pay for ISTEP treats organized by staff including “you’re one smart cookie”, “you’re a smartie pants”, staff is really trying to encourage the kids to relax, get excited, de-stress, we will rock you wristbands, Running in the hallways (which is never otherwise allowed)
• One mother shared about her daughter “she’s not a very confident learner, but she said momma, when is it my turn to take istep?”
• Safety issues - Children running across the street on Brookfield, staff doesn’t know the children are leaving if they don’t use the proper procedure, most parents are following the rules
• The street does say no parking but no tickets, Carlson relays, “I don’t know who has your child (if they leave without following procedure)”
• Staff is not traveling to Oklahoma to receive Magnet School Award, have a community event once the award arrives (mid April, can be slow), video on the web, Tracey Thomas, Allie Nanni & Deb Cyrier worked on the award, school of excellence.
• Flag retirement “trying to create a climate where an entire school is working on the enrichment.”  - the whole school on the same page for enrichment.  Goal is to enrich kids regardless of their level (advanced kids usually get more ‘enrichment’ activities – enrichment days help to bridge this)
• Scavenger Hunt - They are now designing flags for their own classroom, displays will be in the stairway.
• Bill Strunk was one special teacher guest - “I’ve taught forever, 23yrd year, special ed for 17 yrs, went to Perley first, but Kurran Strunk came to Montessori, she had a crate of books from training “the montessori controversy” was his first read, then came Gordon book, came over as 4^th grade teacher, wanted more Montessori experience, “honestly I was scared of the first graders”
• 6-9 yr olds learned new skills, expending energy, six yr olds were bouncy, but that is their job!
• 9-12 refining skills
• Studying Europe in B Strunk’s room, starting with pin, flag maps, capitols, landforms, “this is a lake, this is an island”, follow up – 1^st graders made a book of landforms, that’s the minimum they are in charge of the maximum
• ^2nd made & Defined,
• 3^rd Made, defined, had to find an example of each landform on that continent
• ISTEP, “students in my room have just gone at it.”  “louie the prompt was hilarious, about a difficult task, writing isn’t his fav thing, wrote about ISTEP.  It’s difficult being a 3^rd grader and anything after that.  There’s a test the state forces you to take that’s called the ISTEP”
• Tracey Hickey, speech/path, Marquette Teacher of the Year, speech therapy coordinator role for entire SBCSC “I want parents to know what a great opportunity it is for your children to be educated here.” – at our meetings they talk about ‘differentiated instruction’ and I can say, “(at Marquette) they’re doing this already in the classroom”  $100 is awarded from PTO to the Teacher of the Year to spend on classroom supplies
• The present group approved unanimously an expenditure of up to $750 to subsidize attendence to a KROC center pool party to celebrate the MSA School of Excellence award (needs based scholarships).  A committee was formed to work out the details of the scholarships.

Regarding Advocacy Efforts:

• Allie Nanni - “the way we do advocacy reflects Montessori philosophy, have relationships and be proactive, have small groups of parents meet with board members, give them a tour of the school & classrooms
• In the last two years we’ve met with all of the board members except two, be proactive in demonstrating achievement, ‘marketing our school’ – public education has to compete for students now, hasn’t been in that position before
• We need to demonstrate to families that this a good place to be.
• With any child that walks thru our doors, every child that will get the same opportunity
• We are able to demonstrate that we are a joint community, not renegade parents “makes downtown pay attention”, “oh there’s a community” joint unique message.
• We need to show we are “not acting superior” but also collaborating with other schools, “we’re here to help them do their job” 

• There is a Montessori based program at South Bend Center for the Homeless

• There was a grant submitted for Montessori Intermediate, perception is Montessori = expensive to setup, is it really that expensive to maintain?  Data driven advocacy, instead of screaming, we’re collaborating

• Grants are designed for a failing school, hard to get funding now that we’re not failing at Marquette

• “use this like a green house” grow them in to middle school

• We can’t just go in and take over another school to turn it in to a Montessori (Brown)

• Slow, smart growth of program

• 4/5/6 teacher are scheduled to go to Ft Wayne (Bunche-Towles to observe)

• “be coordinated about” our message

• Use doodle to build a meeting