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    Col. Zadok Magruder High School PTSA, Inc

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    mhsptsa
    1) The PTSA meeting covered officer and committee reports, including approving educational grants for the art, theater, and humanities departments. 2) The principal reported on enrollment declines, honor roll numbers, and summer facility renovations including the cafeteria, science labs, and locker rooms. 3) Safety concerns were addressed regarding a newspaper article from the previous year, and efforts to increase security and address tardiness issues.

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    Col. Zadok Magruder High School PTSA, Inc

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    mhsptsa
    47 views5 pages
    1) The PTSA meeting covered officer and committee reports, including approving educational grants for the art, theater, and humanities departments. 2) The principal reported on enrollment declines, honor roll numbers, and summer facility renovations including the cafeteria, science labs, and locker rooms. 3) Safety concerns were addressed regarding a newspaper article from the previous year, and efforts to increase security and address tardiness issues.

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    PTSA_MINUTES_FEB_2011

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    1) The PTSA meeting covered officer and committee reports, including approving educational grants for the art, theater, and humanities departments. 2) The principal reported on enrollment declines, honor roll numbers, and summer facility renovations including the cafeteria, science labs, and locker rooms. 3) Safety concerns were addressed regarding a newspaper article from the previous year, and efforts to increase security and address tardiness issues.

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    47 views5 pages

    Col. Zadok Magruder High School PTSA, Inc

    Uploaded by

    mhsptsa
    1) The PTSA meeting covered officer and committee reports, including approving educational grants for the art, theater, and humanities departments. 2) The principal reported on enrollment declines, honor roll numbers, and summer facility renovations including the cafeteria, science labs, and locker rooms. 3) Safety concerns were addressed regarding a newspaper article from the previous year, and efforts to increase security and address tardiness issues.

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    Col. Zadok Magruder High School PTSA, Inc.

    5939 Muncaster Mill Road ● Rockville, Maryland 20855

    Magruder HS PTSA Minutes 2/15/11

    mhs-ptsa.org
    I. Call to Order - Linda Kuserk, PTSA President, called the meeting to
    order at 7:30pm. She announced that tonight's meeting is being broadcast
    live via webinar. Anyone at home with an internet connection can watch the
    meeting and send questions/comments
    to the moderator. People viewing from the internet can view the meeting
    but are not
    allowed to vote on any issues that arise during the meeting.

    II. Approval of October, 2010 minutes - the minutes from the October 2010
    meeting were
    approved as written.

    III. Treasurer's Report - copies of the current budget and Treasurer's report
    are attached.

    IV. President's Report -


    1. The PTSA received 5 applications for educational grants. Two of the
    requests were
    denied - the first one because the request was for money to pay for
    substitute teachers
    and the PTSA is not allowed to pay salaries. A second request was
    denied, but the PTSA
    is going to hold a mid-year school supply drive to attempt to fulfill that
    request.
    The grants awarded are -
    1. Mrs. Sailer was granted $500 to go towards the purchase ofa
    color printer for the Art Department.
    2. Mr. Hodge was granted $250 to help pay for transportation for a
    field trip.
    3. Ms. Spheen and the Arts and Humanities Academy were
    granted $250 as start up money to begin an after school program.

    A motion was made to approve the grants as presented. The motion


    passed. The term
    "grant" was defined as money raised by the PTSA throughout the school
    year that is
    used to support the school staff.
    2. Linda shared thank you notes that were received by the PTSA from staff
    members and
    the Leo Club.
    3. There are 3 officer positions that need to be filled for the 2011-12
    school year. They are President, Vice President and Secretary. A nominating
    committee is being formed,
    please let Linda know if you are interested in being on the nominating
    committee or if
    interested in one of the open positions.
    4. The communications survey is still available online. Approximately 60
    responses have been received. Linda encouraged others to complete the survey if they
    have not already done so. The final results will be shared at the March
    PTSA meeting.

    V. Special Guest - Jake Sherman, President, Magruder SGA


    Jake shared that the SGA at Magruder is responsible for planning all of the
    Homecoming
    activities that take place in the fall, including Battle of the Classes, Float
    competition and
    the Homecoming Dance. They are working on a date to hold the Mr.
    Magruder competition sometime this spring.

    VI. Principal's Report - Mr. Evans announced that Magruder's enrollment


    has dropped
    from 1,839 to 1.797. A total of 1,328 students made the Honor Roll for the
    last quarter.
    In the first quarter, 16% of all students were ineligible to participate in
    extracurricular
    activities. In the second quarter, 17% were ineligible.
    The 3 lunch periods seem to be going well.
    Important dates coming up include:
    - 3/4 Early Release day
    - 3/11 Interim reports mailed
    - 3/17-18 Every 15 Minutes
    - 3/31 No school - Professional Day

    Facilities update - The auditorium was updated last year. This summer the
    cafeteria will
    be renovated. The cafeteria manager was able to make some suggestions
    of changes
    that she wanted and MCPS accepted those recommendations. Outside of
    the courtyard,
    an area with picnic tables, etc will allow students to eat outside on nice
    days. The heating
    and air conditioning units will be replaced this summer and the
    greenhouse will also be
    updated. In the science wing, all of the labs will be renovated and updated
    over the summer. The locker rooms and bathrooms have also been
    renovated and the Project
    Lead the Way classroom, room A108 will also be completely renovated
    and updated.
    VII. Safety and Security Report - Mr. Seestad
    In December 2010, there was an article in the Washington Examiner that
    stated Magruder
    students do not feel safe at their school. Some parents raised concerns
    about this article and Mr. Evans said it had been based on a school survey
    that was sent to parents in the
    Spring of 2010 when there had been a lot of fights and turmoil at the
    school. Mr. Evans
    is not sure where the reporter got the information for this article, but they
    did not attempt
    to contact anyone at the school for comments. The staff at Magruder
    responded to this article by looking at what parents/students are currently
    thinking about safety at Magruder. There has been a significant drop in the
    number of incidents because of specific actions that have been taken. For example,
    Magruder is the only school where
    staff monitor the halls during the change of classes and there are more
    security cameras
    throughout the school this year. A big concern now is the number of
    students who arrive
    late to class - there is a new MCPS policy that has abolished the L/C (loss
    of credit) for
    students who are habitually late or absent. The students are aware of this
    change in policy and are taking advantage of the situation. The staff
    members are trying to address
    this issue by giving teacher and/or administrative consequences.
    There is going to be a more concerted effort to get the cluster elementary
    and middle schools involved in activities at Magruder, for example the cluster
    football game that
    was held in September 2010. Also, Magruder students will be visiting the
    middle schools
    to let the incoming 9th graders know about activities they can get involved
    in when they
    come to Magruder.
    Mr. Evans and Mr. Seestad encouraged all parents to downplay the rumors
    of negative
    behavior at Magruder and to share with their neighbors the positive
    experiences their
    students have had while attending Magruder.

    VIII. Committee Reports -


    Staff Appreciation - Sue Martin- in February, a chocolate fountain
    dessert is planned for the staff. A list of needed items has gone out via email
    on the listserv.
    Every 15 Minutes - Patty Winters - There will be 47 students
    participating in this event
    being held on March 17 and 18. Two mandatory student meetings have
    already been held. There are many opportunities for volunteers to get involved
    and help during this
    time. Please see Patty if you are interested in helping.
    After Prom - will be held on Saturday April 30 from 1am-5am at the
    Bauer Drive
    Community Center. Many volunteers are needed to make this event
    successful also.
    Parents of underclassmen are encouraged to get involved even before their
    own children will be participating in After Prom.

    IX. New Business


    Ted Willard, MCCPTA Representative, reported that the budget outlook
    for MCPS in the
    2011-12 school year is very bleak. The Board of Education approved a
    budget for next
    year and sent it to the County Council but there is an $80 million gap
    between what the
    school board wants and what the county has to give.
    Possible cuts would be made by increasing class sizes, cutting staff
    development positions, cutting media assistant positions, cutting high
    school administrator and
    security positions, reducing the number of ESOL counselors and
    vocational support/
    career counselor positions, cutting all high school activity buses, reducing
    building
    service positions. All of these cuts would only amount to a $47 million
    reduction in the
    proposed budget.
    The possible solutions are - 1. Receiving all $80 million requested from
    the County Council. 2. Staff concessions or possible staff furloughs 3. Cuts to
    current programs.
    All PTAs have to advocate for the school system so that the cuts are as
    minimal as
    possible. PTA members will be able to testify at the county council
    meetings in April.
    Information as far as times/dates of those meetings will be sent out
    through the listserv.
    A full copy of Ted's information will be posted on Magruder's PTSA
    website.

    Interactive biology notebooks were requested but not funded through the
    educational grants program. The PTSA has decided to instead sponsor a mid-
    year school supply
    drive to try to acquire these items. A list of desired supplies has been
    posted on the
    listserv and a collection box will be in the main office to collect donations.

    A parent asked how Magruder can be more proactive in welcoming the


    incoming 9th
    graders to our school. The 9th grade initiative that was started this year is
    designed
    to ease the transition from middle school to high school. A "Freshman
    Welcoming
    Committee" will be formed, headed up by Martha Schaerr and Robin
    Mesnard, and
    will look at events that have happened in years past and try to improve on
    them. The
    9th grade staff is working together to try to insure that all 9th graders have
    a smooth
    transition to high school. They work on skills to be successful in school;
    study skills,
    organization skills, writing skills - all fundamental building blocks so
    students can reach
    their full potential.

    X. Adjournment - the meeting adjourned at 9:04pm

    Respectfully submitted,

    Fidelia Romanowski, Secretary

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