​Langley Elementary PTO Meeting
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 7:30pm

Welcome-Maryam Oladipupo (5 minutes)
● Ms. Oladipupo welcomed Langley parents and staff to the meeting.
● Ms. Oladipupo also asked participants to utilize the chat feature for asking questions.

School Administration Updates-Principal Kellogg (20 minutes)
● Ms. Kellogg wanted to focus on some highlights:

• Created the Langley Family Q&A form to send questions directly to her. Here is the link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=7kagKk6zM0qSt5
  md8rwKMsCvu3PGB8pPq_kW9Rkl-4hUM0RJUUVWUEpWSjRaSEFVNE
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• Still working on the elevator project but it is happening. More updates to come.  The proposed completion date is slated for June/July 2021.
• FoodPrints will be providing virtual classes.
• School has been hosting whole school family assemblies which has been very beneficial for students on Fridays.
• Principal Kellogg will be starting a Virtual Coffee chat session every other Saturday via Teams so parents can join and chat and pose questions to the school administration.
  

Reopening:

• HVAC System-Chancellor has scheduled assessments for each building next week. Langley will probably get a schedule for completion of the assessment next week at that meeting but there is a target date to have everything completed by the reopening of schools on November 9, 2020.
• Things are changing daily so it is difficult for school leadership to give updates in a more timely manner.
• DCPS is choosing students and they are prioritizing students who are at a higher risk to determine who will be able to return onsite to the schools. Families will be informed by DCPS by October 23. Langley administration will be following up with selected families to offer them an onsite seat. Langley administration does not have any say on the selection process.
  
• Students need to be immunized before coming back to school. There are schools offering immunizations on site. Ms. Kellogg will refer families to those schools.
  

Q&A

• Langley ReOpening school plan has not been approved yet. Plans have to have operations, staffing and schedule components. Components have not been approved yet by DCPS. The preliminary plans are with DCPS for review and approval. As soon as those components are
• approved, Ms. Kellogg will share with the Langley community.
• HVAC work includes repairs and new units. DCPS is still working on the assessment. Once they have the assessment they will let the school know. Hope DCPS honors their promise to have everything ready by November 6.
• Bathroom sinks are TBD. School has submitted work orders and they are still outstanding.
• Once we have a solid staffing update then we can say who is going to be the teacher for the students for each environment (classroom and virtual).
• A representative of each PTO and LSAT will be able to participate on the school walk thru. Principal Kellogg is exploring the option of live streaming the inspection.
• School does not have any access to the lottery. DCPS has created the algorithms to choose the students coming back onsite.
• If families decide not to take the seat, then the opportunity will go to the next student on the list.
  
• School has the job of making sure that all siblings in a family can attend in person if both are not selected on the lottery.
• Regarding staff’s choice on whether to return onsite or not, there will be several options available to staff that will cater to their preferences and circumstances.
• Ms. Oladipupo reminded Principal Kellogg to view Langley Parents as a resource to be used to facilitate matters and represent Langley’s interests to city leadership as needed.

Introduction of Kindred Partnership-Mr. Carr (15 minutes)

•  Mr. Carr introduced Ms. Kinder from Kindred.
• Kindred is a nonprofit organization that supports schools in facilitating conversations on racial and economic segregation among families and staff.
• In normal school years, they provided dinner and childcare for parents so they can participate in meetings. Now, it will be all virtual.  It includes facilitators.
  • Year 1-Facilitate small group conversations on these topics.
  • Year 2-Train participants from first year to conduct these conversations.
  • Years 3 and 4-Implementation.
  • The First sessions are about relationship building.
• They are looking for 12 parents for these sessions to host at Langley.
  • Contact information to volunteer: Azeb Kinder- azeb@kindredcommunities.org / Phone: 610-573-8966

Introduction of Flex Academies-Annie Wright (20 minutes)
Mr. Joshua Chernikoff from Flex Academies was presented by Ms. Wright.

• Currently doing virtual after school activities. Not a lot of signups but some parents signed up. Particularly for STEM activities.
• Several families are participating in programs on The Line and The Arc.
• Will have additional offerings in November.
  

Q&A:

• All Langley Spring and Summer refunds should be processed at this point. If you
• are experiencing issues, please email info@flexacademies.com
• Hope to have summer camp next summer for Langley.
• Tried to put together a full virtual schedule and only got very few sign ups around
• all 82 schools. Hopefully Flex Academies will get more signups for November.

Review PTO budget as of September 2020-Patrick Fritz (10 minutes)

• Currently have $9,932 in the bank. Some of these available funds have already been earmarked for other expenses, but PTO members are still encouraged to submit requests to the board. There are a variety of alternatives for funding member priorities such as fundraising and grants.
• Total expenditures have been $8,200 and revenue has been $1,800
• Recent expenses:
  • Garden shed and other supplies
  • Masks will be distributed at school during next supplies distribution.
  • Got extra adult ones that will be given to teachers and staff, and used for fundraising.
    
• Teachers were encouraged to reach out to the PTO with items for the wishlist.

Updates from committees (20 minutes)
Family engagement: Melissa Bisagni

• Instead of having a “Family Movie Night” like last year but committee is planning a “Family Bingo Night”. Bingo Cards generators will be used and most likely uploaded on students devices. Looking into getting some prices for the students. 
• Looking into raising funds for Covid relief for families affected by the pandemic.
  
  • Mr. Carr said that the school still has spring funding but will work with the PTO FEC to supplement these funds if needed. He also mentioned that the School’s family engagement committee will be meeting next week. He will include Meg, Melissa and Maryam in the invitation. There is a need to synchronize the plans of both committees to avoid duplication of effort.
• Would like to organize a dance party with the school devices and also a teacher’s appreciation activity. Another idea is to have an outdoor concert.
• Committee would like to decorate school before November 6 to make it fun for returning kids.
• Uniform drive went great.
• Looking into having a Facebook group to exchange ideas and supplies/clothes.
• Still need parents representatives from Second and Fourth grade. Contact: meg.dunne@gmail.com if interested.

Fundraising: Christina Robbins
Ms. Robbins gave an update of advocacy related to traffic issues around school.

• Adding a bike line.
• Additional parking restrictions.
• Any feedback on the T street one way street conversion + support for this effort email - any feedback to Kelly Jeong-Olson (DDOT Community Engagement Specialist for Ward 5) at kelly.jeong-olson1@dc.gov by the end of the month
  

Planning for the Virtual Tiger Trek is going on. Start fundraising the week after the election. Will not be individual classrooms, just grades.

Looking for the take out option to raise funds. Reached out to several restaurants.
Also, working on online auction and an online Scholastic book fair (around January/February)
Want to join the Fundraising Committee? We'd love to have you! email svop18@gmail.com 
Garden & Wellness Cmte: Chair, Katie Gima
On Saturday the contractor will be putting the concrete on the ground of the garden. This will be the area where the garden shed will be located.
The shed will be arriving at the end of November/early December.
Still looking for volunteers to get the shed ready.

School Forest project, Coordinator is Julia Hedlund
Still going on!
About 70 trees will be delivered to the school around October 31. Not a big event as it was originally expected. But will be working on planting that weekend. Folks can sign up to volunteer at staggered times.

Sign up sheet for Fruit Tree Planting days (10/31 & 11/1)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FBeXvpIcq2_kOgNMK7BZ0xlTrX7tPQ20dt6f-45jWEU/edit?usp=sharing

Grants Cmte: Chair, Lauren Kunis
Last year obtained grants for supplies for classrooms and PE equipment./
This year looking at grants opportunities in art, music and anything that was obtained in the past.
Four applications open right now.
Only 3 members so far. Please, volunteer! No experience necessary!
Also, we need ideas from teachers on specific needs, as the more specific the
request, the easier to identify the grants.
To join the grant writing cmte contact Lauren: lauren.kunis@gmail.com

Langley Elementary
PTSA Meeting
Feb 25 2020
Decisions & Action Items

Summary & Decisions 

• The committees gave updates about their progress. We submitted 15 grant applications this year and just won $3,000 from the Whole Foods Foundation for the Garden. Some classes were also able to visit the newly opened Children's Museum. Our wonderful chair of the Garden Committee is moving to the West Coast. We are therefore looking for three new leaders to ensure our garden remains beautiful. The family engagement committee will help the school to organize a health & wellness fair in the Spring.
  
• Pr Dumm shared that enrollment of students is projected to increase for next school year. This is great news and means that Langley was able to keep and slightly increase its school budget for school year 20/21. As a result Langley was able to add several new positions, such as making the music teacher and another social worker full time, and adding 3 new positions (inclusion teacher, EEL teacher, 1 floating educational aid). The school will also invest heavily in technology, such as smart TVs and ipads next year. They will also supplement DCPS curriculum and requirements by investing more in literacy and science by buying additional resources and training teachers. This year DCPS made World Languages optional and the school decided to not continue with the half-time Spanish position. Pr Drumm explained that having one hour of Spanish every other week will not help kids to develop their foreign language skills. However, the school is looking for partners to offer after-school clubs and enrichments in Spanish. The school is also starting a partnership with McKinnley Tech for tutoring students.
  
• The PTSA will support the Langley Cheer Team by purchasing over $3,000 in needed equipment, co-sponsoring a ski trip for 30 kids, doubling the budget for staff appreciation week, continuing to improve the garden, and improving the playground with wood chips.
  

Detailed Minutes

Committee Meeting Updates (Kathrin)

• Grants (Lauren)
  
  • This year we applied for 15K grants aligned with school priorities; aftercare, literacy, garden
    
  • We raised 3K from the Whole Foods Foundation for the garden
    
  • Made a partnership with a group in MD that provides us with a lifetime of access to a facility that has Sports Equipment 
    
  • We need more volunteers for this committee
    
• Family (Meg)
  
  • Meeting next Wednesday, March 4th at the school
    
  • Committee will do a uniform drive and is also asking for new underwear 
    
  • Cmte will assist Mr. Dwaine Carr with the Health & Wellness Fair - tentatively planned for April 10
    
  • Meg also coordinates room parents who help get information to the classrooms
    
  • Events in SE where many of our kids live who come via bus. We will do another fair with Martha’s Table to target families in this area.
    
• Garden (Dawn)
  
  • The garden is nearly complete
    
  • Handicap accessible path still needs to be built. It’s a major expense (over 10k)
    
  • We will have a chalkboard for use during outdoor classroom - kids get to paint it.
    
  • Started to plant cover crops which will look really nice.
    
  • There is a Garden Club at McKinley Tech. Dawn & Foodprints teacher, Courtney, met with them & are planning a partnership. They have a greenhouse which we hope to use to grow seeds for our garden.
    
  • Dawn is moving to Westcoast - trying to get leaders for committee
    
    • 1st Garden Position: Food Forest Liaison to be in touch with Lincoln for coordination/meeting about the Food Forest 
      
    • 2nd Garden Position: The Chair of the Committee: organizing volunteers, maintaining email list for committee, weeding, harvesting, upkeep of garden.
      
    • 3rd Garden Position: Neighborhood Steward: an interested neighbor, who would help with upkeep of the garden, knowledge of gardening, harvesting, watering, and weeding over the summer.
      
    • In the summer - every three days we need to water the plants!
      
    • Next big gardening meeting is Sunday, March 8 at 2pm - meeting in the Langley Garden.
      
      • Agenda is to set up a plan for Wednesday afternoon & Sunday afternoon garden maintenance for spring-fall.
        
    • We will have a list of tasks month by month 
      
• Fundraising (Christina)
  
  • Tiger Trek: Raised nearly 16K, online fundraising went well, also great learning experience - so can adjust the actual Walkathon next time. We got a Langley banner and a selfie-station that school & PTSA can reuse.
    
  • Boundary Stone (Meridith): Our goal is to raise 5K. Last year we raised about 4K. Will have a silent auction. We have 40 donations. Our family band will be playing & Drumm City. We sent out a sign up genius, pls help with set up and clean up. We expect up to 150 adults. 
    

6.20 Pr Drumm &  team updates 

• FY20/21 school year budget
  
  • 2 week turnaround, 2 LSAT meeting, teacher input.
    
  • Enrollment growing: 317 students projects for Oct 1 2020 (this year we were at 308). This comes with more funding and we did not have to make any cuts
    
  • We get ESSA money for one more year but then it will stop b/c we got our 2nd star.
    
  • The Connect School Budget is separate from the Mayor and can hopefully keep it for many more years.
    
  • Next year focus on academics & positive school culture.
    
  • Academics: Tech focus: removing smartboard (costs 6K) & invest in smart board, will invest in ipdas & other tech (document camera, laptops for teachers) as we can keep this for coming years. Invest in furniture b/c it will last even after ESSA ends. Continue literacy intervention, writing workshops (starts in K) which is a writing curriculum - it’s an extra thing that we are doing that goes beyond DCPS requirements & teachers get trained in it, scient kits for science curriculum, reading interventions to get them to grade level & level literacy intervention in small groups - all research based: they are the best ones and are expensive, we trained teachers.
    
  • Additions
    
    • 0.5 social worker - making it 3
      
    • 1 inclusion teacher
      
    • 1 floating educational aid
      
    • 1 EEL teacher
      
    • 0.5 Music Teacher making it full time at Langley for first time
      
  • Deletions
    
    • 1 kindergarten education aid to share between the two classes.  We will have partners from universities and foster grandparents to help as well.
      
    • Deleting World Language from our curriculum: Students are not getting the exposure needed with a part time position for it to be successful.  The curriculum was less interactive than we had hoped by DCPS.
      
      • If families are interested we can offer a Spanish after school club several times a week. 
        
      • School is looking for an afterschool partner to offer Spanish or another language
        
      • Move towards learning music or another language in Spanish or another language
        
  • Questions
    
    • Big next step would be 400 kids, school hold over 500 kids
      
    • Big turnout for open houses for prospective parents
      
    • We try to keep classes around 25, often below 22.
      
    • Retention is improving
      
    • Langley is geared towards younger kids: what are we doing for older kids? We open some seats for older kids and in-boundary kids are guaranteed. All of our classes are now around 20.
      
    • Test scores: strong instructions, training for teachers, investing in intervention for kids and teachers. Teachers have been trained. Will start in January.
      
    • Any aftercare support for teachers: We have tutoring after school that is optional for teachers & they get paid. Also starting that 10  high scholars/students from McKinley Tech are coming to tutor. We learn from Cleveland and Langdon and other schools based on our needs. 
      
    • PARCC testing will start the Wednesday after Springbreak.
      

6.40 Upcoming Events (Kiyana)

• Black History Month
  
  • Feb 27: Dress like your future self; Feb 28: Living Museum
    
• Open House for Prospective Parents: Feb 28, March 13
  
• Boundary Stone Make Some Noise: March 7
  
• Next PTSA Meeting: March 25
  
• Volunteer Day with North Highland Consulting Firm - April 4
  
  • Bathroom refresh
    
  • Spread Wood chips in playground
    
  • Weeding front of school
    
  • Touching up paint
    
• Enrollment Saturday Playdate: April 25
  

7.00 Budget Update (LaChelle)

• Tiger Trek: 15,725$
  
• Boundary Stone - hope to raise 5K
  
• Spending:
  
  • Ski trip: 1,500$, partially selfpaid (25$) for 30 kids
    
  • The PTSA will fund the key items needed to have a Langley Cheer Team 
    
    • Tumbling mats ($292)
      
    • Cheer floor mats ($992.80)
      
    • Cheer floor mat fasteners ($45.10)
      
    • Wedged Mat ($320.80)
      
    • Tumbling Trak ($1,325)
      
    • Pom Poms ($179.76)
      
    • Total: $3,155.46
      

Garden expenses
Will will spend 1,500 bi-annually for mulching.
Pathaway - looking for a better deal. The two current bids are around 11K

• Staff appreciation
  
  • Increased budget to $2K  as staff has increased since last year.
    
• We want to support teachers/classes/grades by providing PTSA funds for enrichment/after school activities.
  
  • We hope next year teachers will ask for more support from the PTSA.
    

7.15 Any other matters 

• Playgrounds
  
  • We will add wood chips to the playground to replace all the sand and dust.
    
• Update to bylaws
  
• May elections
  

7.30 End

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