Meetings

President - Ren Kuntz

Vice-President - Beth Chambers

Secretary - Kasey Heuschkel

Treasurer -  HaiVy Thompson, Tracey Lindfors (reimbursement form)

Website Coord.- Suki Akers

PTA email - highlandparkel.pta@gmail.com 

PTA Website

Parent Liaison -

Principal - Matthew Severns matthew.severns@spps.org 

Teacher Rep - 

1. Translators needed

   1. We are actively looking for translators for our PTA meetings. We are in need of translators for Somali and Amharic.

   2. This is a PAID position and would be needed the second Tuesday of each moth from 6:30-7:30 pm.

   3. Please email us at highlandparkel.pta@gmail.com if you are interested or have any suggestions for filling these roles!

2. Restaurant Night: Tuesday 9/16 @ Davanni's

   1. We will be having our first restaurant night of the year on Tuesday, 9/16 between 4:00-8:00 pm at Davanni's on Cleveland Ave + Grand Ave.

   2. 20% of proceeds will be donated to the PTA

   3. This will be valid for dine in and take-out as well as online ordering! Just be sure to add "HPE Fundraiser" in your online order notes!

   4. There will be a PTA representative at Davanni's from 5-7 pm. Come meet and share a meal with other HPE families!

3. Fall Carnival: Friday 10/24

   1. Our yearly Fall Carnival will be Friday, 10/24 from 5:30-7pm!

   2. We are in need of many volunteers (sign-ups to come) but are looking specifically for some "core" volunteers to help with some fo the bigger logistics for the event. Please email highlandparkel.pta@gmail.com if you are able to on our core carnival team.

4. HPE yard signs

   1. We voted "yes" to ordering HPE yard signs!

   2. We will have these available, at no cost, for families to pick-up during our fall carnival! If you are unable to attend the carnival, but would like a yard sign, we will have other opportunities to pick these up.

5. Next meet will be Tuesday, 10/14, 6:30-7:30pm

President - Ren Kuntz

Vice-President - Beth Chambers

Secretary - Kasey Heuschkel

Treasurer -  HaiVy Thompson, Tracey Lindfors (reimbursement form)

Website Coord.- Suki Akers

PTA email - highlandparkel.pta@gmail.com 

PTA Website

Parent Liaison - Amanda Podkulski amanda.podkulski@spps.org 

Principal - Matthew Severens matthew.severns@spps.org 

Teacher Rep - Michelle Strecker michelle.strecker@spps.org 

1. Welcome and Introductions

2. Ms Napierala would like to give a survey to students to show some positive things that are happening at HPE. The playground has been a hit with the students and there are other great things happening at HPE despite the construction project. Jennie Ward recommended having student council gather the data of positives at HPE to send to The Villager so neighbors in the community can hear some good news from our school.

3. Principal report:

1. Fall review of the SCIP

Dr Flynn shared that flexible grouping will be taking place of reading and math.

She shared that it’s of course hard for any teacher to hit all ability levels as one classroom teacher. Starting this year we will be targeting the skills the kids need in a smaller group size.

Dr Flynn also shared that the SCIP included a plan to do goal setting conferences before the school year began. Due to the delays in the building these conferences were not able to happen at a school wide level. The hallways were not done nor that bathrooms to have people in the building. The 5th grade teachers are doing these conferences on their own. Dr Flynn said that next fall we will still be under construction so unfortunately goal setting conferences may still not ben an option. 

A question was asked about how flexible grouping will work. It will be classroom to classroom within a grade.  Within a classroom there will also be even smaller and more targeted groups.

Ms Napierala shared benefits of the goal setting conferences the 5th grade team is doing.

MCA scores went up 2% to over 50% proficient in math and remained the same 49% for reading. The slide we had been on with MCA scores did not happen this year! 

2. Revise Compact for 2017-18

Kara K passed out compacts from last year for us to look at. She shared what will change for sure this year due to construction. She has updated dates for the 2017-18 compacts and asked parents and teachers to give input on what would make the compacts more helpful.

Time was given to look at compacts

A parent shared that she would like to see the classroom essential agreements sent home.

The agreement was reached that these vary from class to class so they will not be included in the compact but instead should be send home in the beginning of the year from the classroom teachers so the parents are aware of the agreements in their child’s class.

Another parent shared that she thinks a Twitter account would be beneficial to show parents some of the highlights of things that are happening

A parent shared that in the As a HPE family we will section we should add some bullets of new ideas to invite new families to come up with their own ideas on how to support their students. An ending bullet that says-How else can your family contribute to/support the HPE community? This parent also thinks the –have fun with math-play games together and practice with flashcards sounds a bit overwhelming to some parents. She suggested removing this. Another dad suggested changing it to: Read the classroom newsletter and do suggested activities and then take out some bullets because teachers send helpful ideas in their newsletters so if those are read and followed, we don’t need to suggest activities in the compact. Another parent suggested adding Use math and reading skills in everyday life.  For example, play “I Spy” and “20 Questions”, read signs/billboards, count groceries as you put them away, cook with your kids and let them do the measuring, read out loud and read on your own in front of your kids, so they see you enjoying books.

Another parent suggested adding that each family should try to visit the classroom at least once during the year. Another parent added that the compact should include information on how to volunteer in classrooms or with the PTA.

A Kindergarten dad mentioned wording about daily homework was not accurate since the Kindergarten teachers have weekly homework packets.

Two other parents provided some minor grammatical feedback. 

Principal Report: 

*We talked about the changes that need to happen in the new bathrooms. They are no longer gender neutral but are instead now male/female. Dr Flynn would like to have the doors cut so staff and teachers can see under the doors.

    4. Budget Report:

Not a lot has changed since September. Not a lot of $ has gone in or out. We need to add a line item for $500 for academic events which would cover spelling bee and geography bee.

5. Openings: Vice President, directory help, movie night, end of year picnic

 Michaela Ahern will help with Movie Night. 

Eleanor M. will help with the directory. 

6. Fall Festival: Thursday October 12-we need volunteers!

7. Fall fundraiser will be discussed at the November meeting. Kris is going through the packets and will have an update for us at the next meeting. 

Next meeting: November 13, 6-7:30

*Next meeting we need to vote on the PTA bi-laws. All who plan to attend the November meetings were encouraged to read through them before we meet.  

November 11, 2025 6:30pm - Zoom

President - Ren Kuntz

Vice-President - Beth Chambers

Secretary - Kasey Heuschkel

Treasurer -  HaiVy Thompson, Tracey Lindfors (reimbursement form)

Website Coord.- Suki Akers

PTA email - highlandparkel.pta@gmail.com 

PTA Website

Parent Liaison - Amanda Podkulski amanda.podkulski@spps.org 

Principal - Matthew Severens matthew.severns@spps.org 

Teacher Rep - Michelle Strecker michelle.strecker@spps.org 

• Welcome - Ren

• Future Interpreter needs - Tracey

• Principal's Update - Mr. Severns

• Treasurer Update - HaiVy/Tracey

• Fall Conferences Recap -

• Fall Carnival - Recap

• Restaurant Night

• Read-a-thon - Beth

• Give To The Max - Ren

• Questions - Ren

• Sendoff/shout outs