PS26 Jesse Owens October PTA meeting
October 17, 2023
Attendance: 35 parents, family members, and teachers.
Welcome & Updates
we are using Google to live translate closes captions of the meeting into Spanish.
PTA President Sam Posner shares that Class Contact lists have now been completed, and that all parents should have received a sheet with names and contact information for parents and guardians received in their child's backpack. If they haven’t yet shared their information but would like to, they can scan the QR code on the phone and add their information digitally.
e. 2-Way voice translators [Ms. Moore]
Ms Moore (the science cluster teacher) and the PTA surveyed the teachers to find out what would be most helpful in meeting the needs of the growing number of dual language students at the school, and made the decision to do a fundraiser on Donors Choose to fund 15 translation devices that would help dual language students to translate lessons simultaneously.
The fundraiser raised $1471 in total, funding the devices in less than a week, and devices should be delivered and in teachers’ hands week 10/23.
Ms Moore thanks everyone who has contributed and encourages families to get involved in Donors Choose campaigns in the future - even $5 goes a long way.
Sam Posner reshares the mission statement shared at the September PTA meeting and asks participants to vote on whether to approve it.
26 people participate in an anonymous online Zoom poll, with 96% voting to approve the mission statement.
The PTA has created a Whatsapp community for families who have shared their contact details, to broadcast announcements about school and PTA activities. This also reflects the fact that families indicated that text is their preferred form of school communication in the school survey below.
b. Linktree [[Visit](<https://linktr.ee/ps26jesseowens>)]
The PTA has also created a Linktree, putting key information such as meeting minutes, the PS 26 parent handbook, and an online suggestion box in the one place.
A parent asks if the PTA also has a Facebook page. Sam says that no, it does not. He is hoping that a series of Whatsapp groups, for different class groups, committees and so on can serve as an alternative to having a Facebook account.
c. Picture Day: Tuesday,October 24
Holiday Picture Day is Tuesday, October 24th. Students are permitted to not wear their uniform that day. Family are asked to please submit forms and payments by Thursday October 19th, to help PTA know how many students to expect on the day.
A parent asks if cap and gown photos will also be taken this day. Sam says that will happen in January.