hardy pto agenda minuteS

Hardy PTO Meeting Agenda

March 19, 2025

 

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT Gretchen Saunders

  • Grateful for the PTO’s amazing Literacy Night and PTO funded field trips that are coming up.
  • Starting to think about next year. Actively starting to take feedback from staff and families on what’s gone well and what we’d like to see next year. Internal structures on how we support teachers and families, how voices are heard, how we welcome new families. Question from Becky- will a survey go out? Gretchen answered that we’ll try to reach families in multiple ways, including a survey.
  • MCAS coming up. This is one data point for us to notice how we’re doing as a school and how we’re reaching all students, including multilingual learners and students with disabilities. 
  • Happy we’re getting outside and enjoying the spring weather. 

TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE’S REPORT Emily Vecchione & Susie Smith

  • Thank you for lunch last week. Particularly liked it on a Monday so they didn’t have to think about lunch that day. 
  • Recess resets- second grade has started and other grades will start too. We have a slidedeck that has pictures of different equipment and how to use it safely. Important to note that rules while at school might be different than when you visit the playground outside of school hours. This is mostly because of the number of kids using the playground during school and the number of adults supervising. Soccer fields are always a discussion. Gretchen noted that two more lunch monitors were just hired.
  • Book Character Assembly coming up next week. 
  • Kindergarten - Stone Zoo coming tomorrow. Started doing lunch recess on the big playground a few days a week.
  • First grade - going to the Stone Zoo in April. Learning about birds.
  • Second grade - Learning about plants.
  • Third grade - Field trip to Concord Museum. Wrapping up the frog module.
  • Fourth grade - Talking about different perspectives of the American Revolution. 
  • Fifth grade - Author Celebration. Teachers visited and read some stories and gave feedback. 
  • Art Show is coming up in April. Bulletin boards are cleared and ready for art.
  • PE - 4th and 5th grade health conversation happened last week. 
  • Music - May 23rd concert, maybe 9-11am. Evening chorus concert May 20th 6-7pm.
  • Library - ordering new books with funds from the Book Fair.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

  • President - Becky
    • Hardy Auction/100th Birthday - Saturday March 29th, Donut Villa 7-10pm.  Preview document for students prepared. Raffle for students during lunch on March 26th.  One free ticket per student.  Tickets for sale on the auction website and at caregivers’ night out. Silent Auction will go live tomorrow.
    • 5th Grade: 4th Annual Trash pick-a-thon - April 13 2-3:30, rain date May 4, Annie to deliver pledge sheets next week and will need 5th grade teachers to email caregivers
    • 5th Grade:  Glow Party May 2 6:30 at the Hardy gym. This event is being planned by 5th grade caregivers instead of the Skate Night (couldn’t get rink time this year).
    • Field Day Fri June 6 - Lisa Cleary’s last year. April 1 meeting with school admin about inclusivity 
    • Hardy Arts Night Wednesday April 16th - Ms. Fleming needs a few volunteers to set up and clean up. Will be in the art room, in addition to being in the front hallway. Want to expand without having kids running all throughout the school!
    • 25/26 - co-president position open. Please reach out to Becky if interested.
    • Planning a meeting to review the PTO’s bylaws and potentially propose updates to vote on - open to all.
  • Voting
    • Treasurer position
      • Julia Twarog has stepped down as the treasurer. Voted on Brian Gibree to take over as treasurer. This vote was approved. 
  • Fundraising - Ashlin
    • Book Fair: We won't have the final number for about 3 weeks or so (teachers have until the end of this week for their online shopping) but we’ll share the final amount in April. Sales are about even with last year, at $2400 so far for our commission. Made around $11,000 total. Emily and Susie will ask teachers to spend their money by Friday in the notes they send out.
    • Upcoming Fundraisers:
      • March 25th: Daily Bloom
      • April 22nd (Spring Break): Flatbread Pizza, 4PM - 10PM, Donate $4 for all Large Pizzas, $2 for all Small Pizzas, 50/50 Raffle? Book a lane soon if you want to bowl!
    • Setting dates for other fundraisers -
      • Maxima Shopping - waiting to hear back from Maxima for a Spring Date (likely May)
      • Chateau - Mary Beth has offered to coordinate (5/1, ⅚, 5/12, 5/15, 5/20, 5/22, 5/27) or Jake and Joes (5/4, 5/5, ⅚, 5/7, 5/12, 5/15, 5/18, 5/21, 5/27, 5/28)
  • Treasurer’s Report - Julia/Becky
    • 24/25 Budget Review- Enrichment money is being spent. Teachers are spending their funds. Big purchases coming up- art supplies and books for the library. Teacher and staff appreciation week in May, which is usually a big spend. Spending is in line with where it should be. Auction is to raise extra money for large wishes, like a poster printer for the school (around $3500). The school had one, but it is broken and can’t be fixed. Other wishes include whiteboards that stick to the wall to make easels, OT alternative seating that gets distributed to classrooms, etc.
    • New online reimbursement form allows submission of all information plus receipts in one place: https://forms.gle/iY7V5JZzWrzvZRi37 OR https://bit.ly/3WXdnEw 
  • Communications - Ashlin, Abi, Desiree

Newsletters 

  • Humming along - Please submit write ups by Friday
  • DIG - Abi 
    • March is Women’s History Month & noting District Wide activities including:
      • APS Rainbow Task Force Community Conversation - Thursday, March 20 @5.15pm at Dallin
      • APS Pride Logo Competition - March 28 - submit design deadline
    • Connecting with Thompson DIG and Arlington Human Rights Commission including AHRC’s Schools and Education Workgroup. “The Commission convenes topic-specific workgroups to maximize transparency and collaborative efforts discussing updates, recent issues, and long-term planning for human rights-related concerns in Arlington's schools and educational community.” Topics covered include APS Communications and actions noted below & cover AMB question:
      • APS Commitment to Safe and Inclusive Schools - Superintendent email 1/27
      • APS Superintendent: Our Commitment to an Inclusive, Safe, and Supportive APS 2/7
      • A parent asked this to a board member: In light of how many recent immigrant and refugee families we have, could we coordinate a “Know Your Rights” session? Or put posters at the school?  Can we have Gretchen re-share some of the messaging from the Superintendent on these issues?
      • From Gretchen: Her husband is a Watertown educator, so she is aware of the communication that has gone out. She will look back through emails from Central Office and the Welcome Center. Some of the information in emails Watertown sent out was internally discussed in Arlington. At the Hardy school, we know who our families are and we internally know what supports they have, what supports they need, and what status they have. Internally, administrators are getting trained by educational lawyers on a regular basis and have procedures in place to keep students safe if ICE shows up at Hardy (reach out to Central Office, reach out to police department, will not release the names of any students, etc.). Know Your Rights trainings- will reach back out to the Welcome Center to get this information available again. Multilingual educators are a great resource on this too. 
  • Safe Routes to School - Marloes & Ashley
      • Happy Crossing Guard Appreciation to Linda and Katherine!
      • Please email saferoutes@hardypto.com with issues/observations
      • Need to plan pedestrian and bike training assemblies
        • Last year they did it in the parking lot. If kids leave school grounds, we would need parent permission. Waiting on more information from Safe Routes.
      • Kiss and go signs - will reach out to Julia 
      • Parking map of the neighborhood provided to Gretchen - need teachers and staff to not park in kiss and go zone on Chandler (please)
      • Waiting on follow up for No-Idling Signs from Gretchen
  • Enrichment - Becky, Mary Beth, Katey, Aparna & many coordinators (thank you!)
    • Animal assembly - booked 
    • Mr. Simon and teachers may be able to perform at Hardy - TBD (Becky)
    • Kirsty Bennett’s idea - astrobiologist enrichment - 1st grade interested 
    • HS student reached out to have a table about climate change - asked if it could be enrichment for 5th grade 
    • Need input/direction from teachers - if they want to reach out with ideas/timing/requests, please email Becky (president@hardypto.com) to get connected with the correct volunteer
  • Classroom Coordinator - Kate Allen 
  • EATS - Annie Clarke-Lauer
      • Beats for EATS:  tickets available.  Event is Saturday March 22
      • If teachers need extra snacks for MCAS, please ask your classroom coordinator if they can buy some with their class funds (or get some donated)
  • Spirit Wear - Emilie
      • Spring pop up - March 7-31
      • Last Friday of every month is a spirit day to wear Hardy gear!
  • SEPAC - Tunde
      • Louisa Popkin - Hardy/Thomspon Sped coordinator - casual coffee chats  April 15 (topic is school refusal), and June 18 - 8AM - location will be Gretchen’s office or staff lounge
      • Survey is out and the deadline is approaching.
  • Garden - Alham, Amisha, and Erica
    • Grant won from Delta Airlines- $500 in garden center supplies + Vitamix, cooking hot plate, food utility cart, garden wagon/gloves/tools!
    • Spring cleaning and planting TBD—--winter sown seeds have started to sprout, will hopefully be used in the Hardy garden plantings in late April with classrooms and maybe plant sale in late spring!
  • Buddy Program - Megan Rucupero - we had some requests (yay!) 
  • Green Team - Emily Lapolice 
    • Hardy will be participating in a Savers FUNDrive this spring as a fundraiser for the PTO!  We will be collecting gently used clothing, books, and household goods that Savers will buy from us.  It’s an incredible way to keep usable items out of landfills, help families clean out their closets, AND raise money for Hardy at the same time! 🙂
    • Collection date will be in early May.  If anyone is interested in helping, please reach out to Emily Lapolice 

 UPCOMING EVENTS/PLANNING

  • Need to plan or need volunteers:
    • Auction (Ashlin, Becky, Karen) - will need donations and night-of assistance
    • TA Week May (May 5-9) - (Jennifer Kupiec) - need other organizers for 4 days of activities
      • Ashlin said that Jenn Convery is checking with Dunkin Donuts about donating breakfast one day
      • Friday- Gretchen provides a treat
    • Field Day (Lisa Cleary) Fri June 6 - new PE teachers - start planning in January.  Need an apprentice to the lead planner. Last year, we had 100 volunteers. Looking at ways to simplify things.
    • Email to get high school volunteers:  AHSCommunityService@arlington.k12.ma.us

THANK YOU & RECOGNITION

  • Teacher Appreciation Lunch - Jennifer Kupiec & volunteers/donors
  • Book Fair - Rachel Miller, Kate Allen, Emilie Codega, volunteers
  • Literacy Night - volunteers
  • Caregiver coffee (4th grade) Becca and treat train (1st) Paige & Ashley
  • Alham - garden grant and thoughtful thank you emails to STEAM sponsors

Please find archived minutes here:

 

PTO Agenda Minutes 2024-2025 School Year

 

Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2023-2024 School Year

 

Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2022-2023 School Year

 

Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2021-2022 School Year

 

Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2020-2021 School Year

 

Archived PTO Agenda Minutes 2013-2019