Fireside PTO

Parents and faculty working together to provide a quality scholastic experience for all Fireside Elementary School students!

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December Meeting Minutes

Attendance

1. Boulder Valley Lunch Program - Ann Cooper, Deb McCormick and Lexi Kermani presenting.

• Overall, parents thanked Ann Cooper and the BVSD Nutrition Program for a much improved meal plan for our children with healthier items and more variety.
• Complaints included: Small serving size, temperature of food and cost for additional servings. It was explained that along with the actual food we also need to pay for services. A meal at BVSD costs $3.75 per child to prepare, while it only costs a student $2.75. Food Services is trying to work on serving size, giving the larger pieces of chicken (for example) to the older children because they tend to eat more and smaller portions to those that are younger and tend to eat less. Students now have the opportunity to purchase additional “main” servings for and additional $1.50.
• They are doing waste studies on the amount of food thrown away. However, they are only 100 days into the program, and they will do more of these studies next semester.
• The issue was raised about the length of time children have to eat. Ann Cooper said this is not an area that she can impact, however Pat HP responded. She said that we are required to give the kids 25 minutes of afternoon recess and 15 minutes to eat. Right now we are trying 20/20 because so many parents are asking for more time. Lexi Kermani informed us that we now have two checkout lines to move the kids through faster.
• The adult salad bar cost has gone up because of the overall costs of the new lunch.
• Nutrition Services is trying out new recipes and trying to make less favorable items tastier by changing the recipes and reintroducing the meals.
• The PTO recommended more marketing of the Lunch and Breakfast programs in order to increase use.

Here are the Hot Lunch Highlights that the PTO is recommending for this month’s CHAT:

1. There are absolutely NO NUTS used in any of the ingredients that go into BVSD food. Nothing is prepared in facilities where peanuts have been prepared. It is a completely NUT-FREE food program. Food Allergen and Nutrition information are available on the Nutrition Services homepage; the address is: http://bvsd.org/food/Pages/default.aspx
2. Students can use the money in their lunch account to purchase milk ($0.50), soy milk ($1.25), side salad ($1.00), piece of whole fruit ($0.75) or juice ($0.50). Money can be put on your student’s account using cash or check at the school (please write your student’s name and lunch account number on the check/envelope), or at www.payforit.net.
3. BVSD Nutrition Services is listening! For example, they have heard that students aren’t crazy about the macaroni and cheese, so they are working feverishly to improve the recipe. Another thing they’ve heard is that the hamburger and hot dog buns are kind of dry. Therefore, beginning next week they will be rolling out a new Rudi’s Organic Wheat Bun (50% whole wheat) to replace the Rudi’s Organic 100% Whole Wheat Buns.
4. The pizza on Monday is no ordinary Blackjack pizza. It is specially prepared for BVSD schools with 50% whole wheat crust and lower fat cheese.
5. Tastings are going on regularly in the Fireside Cafeteria. ALL students (whether they brought or bought their lunch) are invited to taste new food options during these tastings. Rest assured that students are asked before being served a sample whether or not they have food allergies.
6. Coming up in January are three FREE PARENT LUNCH DAYS! Come join your child for a complimentary lunch on January 26, 27, or 28. A parent letter will be distributed explaining how to make a RESERVATION for lunch for one of those days. Reservations will be due by Wednesday, January 13th.
7. This new program needs more school lunch eaters in order to survive. Encourage your child to try some of the new choices during the tastings! If you did not receive a calendar menu, please let the kitchen staff know and they will be happy to provide one to you.

2. Principal’s Report – Pat Heinz-Pribyl

• Breakfast Program at Fireside - The program started this week with 8 children eating on Monday and 57 eating on Tuesday. They are still working out the kinks, but so far it is a success.
• Giving Tree - 39 mittens were created for the "There with Care" Program that supports critically ill children. 43 mittens were also created for wishes of Fireside families in need. Participation has been great, and all mittens have been “adopted.”
• Student Council – Working on new school colors. The three finalists are green and silver, red and silver, and red and gold. We should know by the end of the week once all classes have voted.

3. Impact on Education – Margretta Risi

• Dean Stankovic has been chosen as one of the 10 finalist for the Impact on Education Excellence Award. The nomination was written by Heidi Day and a number of other contributing authors. Notification of the final 5 winners will be announced this week. Thank you Heidi for all of your hard work. And a congratulations to Amber Billington for also receiving a nomination for the Award.

4. Capital Improvements – Tam Dalle Molle

• The PTO would like to donate monies toward a school improvement project. They want to make sure they DO NOT choose something that will be covered by the BVSD Bond passed some three years ago. Here is the list of ideas:

List of School Improvement Ideas:

• An outdoor classroom (Stankovic)
• An electronic outdoor reader board (Duran/Giggey/Dalle Molle/Risi)
• New exterior paint (especially on wood trim) (Dayhoff)
• Dishwasher in the Staff Lounge (Johnston)
• Hot/Cold filtered water dispenser in the Staff Lounge (Rudkin)
• Shadow Boxes to showcase our diverse population at Fireside (Fernandez)
• Grade level bulletin boards throughout the school to showcase student work (Stankovic)
• Trophy Case in the front lobby (Risi)
• Wheeled baskets for each classroom to transport lunch boxes (Dalle Molle)
• Two centralized Zero Waste stations (one for recycling, one for composting) (Wisotzkey/Andresen)
• New benches around the flagpole (Sagrillo)
• New “Falcon's Nest” Playground sign - on chain link fence (Hardwick)
• New Rugs in front lobby to prevent slipping (Sagrillo)
• Xerox Machine (Day/Dalle Molle/Haley/Risi)
• Spoons (everyone!!!)

5. Winter Social – Ashley Elder and Lucy Floyd

• Ashley Elder is heading the event up but was absent from the meeting. No date has been set, however Lucy Floyd will contact Ashley to nail down the event and dates as Lucy has offered to help with the event.

6. Green Team Update – Julann Andresen

• Compostable Cups, Plates, napkins and silverware have been purchased by the Green team for all school events. This includes classroom parties and is free to those that request them. The Green Team bought in bulk and will be storing the items in the boy’s locker room in the gym. There is a count of 2000 for the paper items and only 300 forks as there were remaining silverware in the closet from the Grill ‘n’ Bid. The Green Team is requesting that a Louisville parent bring the bag of “compostable” garbage home and put it into their curbside recycling. Fireside has no compost pick-up as of yet.

7. Garden to Table – Lucy Floyd

• Great November meeting. Lucy will forward minutes to PTO Chair. Garden currently frozen but planning for coming spring has begun.

8. Parent Engagement Network – Lisa Hardwick

• Next Event is Monday, December 14th from 6:30-8:30 pm. “Celebrating Diversity and the Power of Community.” Open to all. Tam will send e-mail out to entire school. Flyer for event listed on the Fireside Bulletin Board.

9. T-Shirts - Shana Sagrillo

• Shana is waiting on the choice for new school colors before moving forward. She will be asking for design ideas from parents for the t-shirts.

10. Treasurer's Report - Ashley Elder absent. Tam Dalle Molle reporting.

Checking Balance: $18,043.68

Savings Balance: $41,838.22

Big deposits we have made this past month were:

$ 4,000.00 Grocery Certificates

$14,883.49 Final $ made for the Grill N Bid

$ 203.70 Gear Swap

11. SIT – Pat Heinz-Pribyl

• Nothing really new. Reviewed goals for Fireside during interview with the District.

12. Fireside Babies

• Gregory James Mahoney – born Monday December 7th at 7:15 a.m., 7lbs 3oz.
• Baby Girl Sehnert (no official name yet) born Monday, December 7th at 2:19 a.m., 7lbs 1 oz, 20 inches long.
• Both mom’s and babies doing great!

Next Meeting: January 12th, 2010, 6:30 P.M.

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