PTA Meeting Minutes 2022-05-25

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05/25/2022 MECA PTA General Meeting Minutes

Attendees: Josh E., Monica S., Shelby, Ms. Mclawren (Nina's mother, Alexandra Loredo (ELA teacher), Ms Ingram (Social Studies Teacher), Kiendra Moore, Joyce Lee Hernandez, Selina Ortega, Vivian Cruz (Parent Coordinator) Kiendra Moore, Ms Kaplan, Ms Ivonne Lacayo, Maurisa Dash, Elsa iPhone, Lourdes Torres Guzman, Rosa Torres, Nieasha Canty

Meeting started 07:05pm - Meeting Ended 8:15pm

Discussion

Greetings:

Introduction of the voted Board and attendees

Principal's Report

· Covid cases have increased. There is a new digital form to submit the information to confirm the info letter to communicate to families in real time as soon as it comes in. Backpacks and staff get covid test home and be notified timely as well.

End of year events:

· 100 students went to a trip. Next week is a Senior May 31- June 2nd to Villaroma.

· ELA 9th, 20th, first Drama showcase who will perform during the June 14 to families.

· Senior Award Tentative June 18th. Waiting for confirmation. Due to covid it will be modified to a shorter in-person

· Regents week start June 15th. Schools were just notified that US History Regents was canceled this year. A parent ask for additional information about what question caused to decide. Ms Kaplan does not know but speculate it might have been a long essay question. This test will only apply to 11th graders and all of them will get a Regent's waiver and will get credit.

·         MECA received a $16K grand to cover the Summer Bridge Program, a week long orientation Program for upcoming 9st year. It will cover the cost for teacher and at least 5

The PTA Website

Josh gave a virtual tour of the PTA website. It is a google site Mecahspta.org. It has been updated with current information of next meeting, how to contact us, how to get the Zoom link to the next meetings and notes from past meeting.

Josh showed the donation page and future plans are to fund school activities. The sites show the options to donate online to MECA with

Consider linking MECA to your Amazon purchases thru their Amazon Smile program. It looks just like the regular amazon but a portion of your purchases go to MECA

You can also donate to be a volunteer member that can help contributed by joining the PTA exec board and participated in leading of live events, with your expertise and skills that can enhance the PTA efforts.

Calendar for end of school year:

Josh showed the PTA website showing the updated calendar of events.

Is graduation still happening on June 24th? Yes

What Parents want from website, Newsletter, etc.

· A parent raised the concern/ worry of physical incidents in school and asking for communication to parents when that happen. How come there were no repercussion to the student and have the student back to classroom? The parent says there was not resolution. Is there a conflict resolution?

Ms Kaplan responded to this question and in general showed how the raise of violence in all schools. The violent event happened two months ago. She confirmed students involved were suspended for the max of 20 days and no other incidents have occurred since then.

Parents asked if there are more resources, training, special classes, organizations that can work on these resolutions, restorative practices. Other parent suggested if we should revisit the MECA discipline code. Is there wiggled room for MECA?

Ms Kaplan answered there is no wiggled room. IT is a citywide policy.

Other parent asked if this could be a reaction to the covid-19 lockdown and mental health, isolation.

Ms Kaplan answered this question that agree lockdown, social media, reactions to those social media, are producing the perfect storm.

Ms Kaplan suggested partnering with PTA to bring outside resources because the school has not seeing the funding materialized. We have not seeing more mental health provides or resources.

Reference shared: NYC DOE discipline code Discipline Code (nyc.gov)

We would like to continue the conversation where we can figure out the facts before sharing, the spread good information. We can have some way of sharing knowledge with other parents.

· Our PTA Website can host a page asking for suggestions of future topics that PTA board can research in advance to the monthly meeting.

· Outgoing class parents to provide "Things you should know.." and start building resources to 9th grade or 10th grade parents.

Call for Volunteers (for PTA, SLT):

We need volunteers for projects and SLT.

Treasurer's Report

Shelby (our Treasurer) shared that we have a couple of thousand dollars on the account. Take a look at more information about the Employee Match Program which is a way to check if your employer (type the company name) participates. This is a quick way to raise our funds. Use this link

Employee Match Program : Charity Navigator

PTA can supplement activities for the benefit of our Students.

We have a paypal link.

Question from parent: can a parent mail or send the donation physically (not electronically)? Yes, send to the school to the Attention of Ms Vivian Cruz, Parent Coordinator.

Shelby will provide a receipt for any direct donation to MECA HS PTA

Can Zoom do transcription? We can try a new app or try the DOE provided Zoom account.  

Action Items

·         Parents to try navigate the website and follow PTA thru Social Media

Next meeting

June 15, 2022