Poplar Tree Elementary PTA 

Hybrid General Membership Meeting Minutes

Jan 23, 2025

 

CALLED TO ORDER:  7:07 PM

 

Quorum – Parliamentary Procedures

 

General Membership: 10+ members in attendance. Quorum satisfied.

Poplar Tree ES Staff in attendance: Sue Andujar, Amy Alley

 

Approval of Minutes from March Meeting (Vote Required)

• Motion to approve previous meeting minutes from previous General Meeting

• Highlights: Budget status, fundraising updates, spirit nights

• Minutes were approved

 

Nominating Committee

• Discussed need to nominate and approve at least 3 members in the next meeting

• Communications to be send via standard methods

• Positive vote to approve adding up to a total of 6 VP positions.

 

Membership

• PTA Metrics:

  • 211 households joined/renewed as of 1/20/25 (~42%)

  • 197 households joined in the prior year

  • Goal: Achieve 200 households next year (SY26)

  • PTA Directory List to be requested

• Discussed teacher dues

 

PTA Newsletter

• An update was provided about the upcoming PTA Newsletter, the Panther Times

• Uses similar platform to the PawPrint

• Frequency and distribution updates were provided

 

 

Ongoing & Completed Fundraising

• Call to check Company Matching Donation programs

• Box Tops - ongoing

• Giant School Code - ongoing

• Harris Teeter - ongoing

• Mabel’s Labels - ongoing

• Card My Yard - ongoing

• Spirit Wear - ongoing

• Family donations - ongoing

• Completed / Upcoming:

  • Supply Kits - 247 kits sold: $1420

  • Spirit Wear $208.25 (83 items)

  • MOD Pizza 11/13 - $181.83

  • Sweet Frog 11/13 - $122

  • Chick Fil A - 9/11- $300

  • Taco Bamba - 10/9 - $222

  • Chipotle - 12/4 – $281.06

  • Panera - 1/15 – $36.23

  • Crumbl Cookie - 2/12

  • Taco Bamba - 5/7

 

 

Fundraising and Sponsorships - 2 Main Fundraisers

• Panther Prowl

  • $21,075 - still waiting for the net amount!

  • Raised ~$30,000 in SY 23-24, Current goal: $35,000

• Online Auction

  • ~$10,000 was raised in SY 23-24

  • $15,000 goal this year

  • Will link with Block Party 5/16/25; bidding ends 5/19

 

6th Grade Committee Update

• Lazy Dog fundraiser in progress

• Mod Pizza / Sweet Frog: 12/19

• Volunteer / Parent Mtg - PTES Library 12/17

• Upcoming Events

  • CFA fundraiser 1/22

  • Sock / Pajama Dance 1/31

  • Honeygrow 2/13

  • Bingo Night 2/21

  • Chipotle 3/5

  • Talent Show / Bake Sale 3/14

  • Fire & Ice 4/25

  • 6th Grade Promotion Ceremony 6/6

• Class Gift to be finalized

 

 

Block Party Update

• 5/16/25 6:30-8:00 PM

• Centralized planning and scrum style meetings

• Last year leads providing input

• Space Reservations and Finance Review in progress

 

 

Value of the PTA

• Library furniture

• Outdoor picnic tables

• Recess balls

• Staff shirts

• Camera and green screen for the News Show

• Renovated the teacher kitchenette

• Refrigerators. It would be $500-600 for similar refrigerators to what we have now. Home Depot would offer a $500 discount. Lowes is working on an offer as well. Will look at Costco and BJ’s for offers as well.

• School grants - art, music, tech

 

 

 

Volunteer Updates Provided

• Library Volunteers (Emily Vizcaino)

• Room Parents (Emily Vizcaino) - Challenges getting parent emails

• Families of FCPS Vision Group with Dr. Reid (Mike Santoro)

• Staff Appreciation (Amber Medin, Colleen Larzelere) - Bundt Cakes, Massages, Popcorn / Soda

• Assemblies (Stephanie Lampron) - January; Documentary Screening - Jan/Feb

• 6th Grade (Susan Friedman) - Theme: Level Up to MS

• Fire & Ice (Carrie Kirby) - CHS 4/25/25 6-8PM

• Before/After School Programs (Erica Rychwalski)

• Talent Show (Suzanne Leonard)

  • Date:  Requested March 14 (waiting on approval)

• Spelling Bee (Vanitha Venkatasamy) PTES is registered.

  • Date:  TBD

• Science Fair (Phil Storch)

  • Date:  Apr

• Assemblies

  • Screenagers – 3/27 in evening

 

Before/After School Programs – Coordinator Erica

• Continuing

  • Art Club (Suzanne Leonard)

  • Math Club (Rikin Thakker)

  • First Lego League (Rikin Thakker)

  • Running Club (Linda Fielding & Cat Berta) - Has Started

• New / Update

  • Sticky Fingers Cooking - Ericka to step back

  • iCode Tech Club

  • New Chess Club vendor

  • Magnus Chess

  • Environmentally Together - new at meeting

 

2024-2025 Treasurer Report

• Budget discussion summary

  • Slides to be available on website or by request

  • Membership has exceeded goal

  • EoY Fin review cmte members needed – Cat B volunteered to do audit

 

Closing comments

• Consider 6:30 PM start for future meetings

 

 

Motion to adjourn meeting – Approved

 

MEETING ADJOURNED: 8:15 PM