Sep 24, 2024 | CSA Meeting

Attendees: Liz Lohman, Christine Schultz, JJ Scarbrough

• Welcome- Please sign up to volunteer for the book fair and the mile run parking!

• Principal & Building Updates- We raised over $22K at Walk-A-Thon! Yay!  Curriculum night went a lot better than years prior and overall was a very successful event. Mile run is this Thursday and we need to make sure no parents park in the high school parking lots.  Dr. Hadfield talked about “No Place for Hate” this will be a district-wide initiative (year 1) something we will continue each year- all buildings will participate.  Oct 24th is our pledge day.  THere will be an assembly, lessons in the classrooms, and student leaders who drive the initiatives we (Conway) wants to focus on!  Conway is looking for a parent liaison that will meet once a month during the school day to meet with the 14 students on the group committees. 

• Financial Update- 

• Sponsorships-  We currently have 20 sponsors and LY we had 14 sponsors.  Right now we have brought in $19,250.

• Financials- Christine- We are still pushing family dues and would love for everyone to pay their family dues $75/family is the suggested amount. 

• Review of Past Events

• Our goal was $21K and we raised $22,585!!!  Sarah H. reported we had consistent donations coming in this year.  
• Everything ran smoothly and they will meet with Coach B tomorrow to report out on the whole event.

• Upcoming Events

• Mile Run- Please DO NOT PARK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL!!!! We need volunteers to sign up for parking patrol.
• Book Fair- Oct 14th- 17th- online sales are open right now.  The CSA newsletter will have more information about the book fair.  Ms Coates will have buddy classrooms and have the little ones on the preview day- so we don’t need as many volunteers on the 14th. 20% off if you volunteer! Gift cards are a great way for kids to shop during the day!  After the Book Fair is over we will still have an online Conway store where you can use your gift card throughout the year.
• Conference Meals- Gina- the 15th we will do a taco bar from QDoba- we will have a sign-up for desserts, drinks, and non-perishable items.  For the 16th we will have 5 sandwich platters and sides- and have sign-ups for fruit/veggie tray, desserts, etc.
• Trunk or Treat- Cara- Saturday Oct 26th, 3:30-5pm.  It will be held on the large parking lot at the middle school.  The rain plan is for the new gym. This year, if you are planning to attend, please bring candy to help supplement the cars/parents who signed up to participate in the trunk-or-treat supplies.

• Room Parent Update

• Sarah held an onboarding meeting and it was very successful- all teachers have room parents. Sarah H is creating a flyer for the Friday folders with QR codes to sign up with their email addresses and save the date for the holiday parties.We will get a limited directory from the district and can upload it to MTK.

• Staff Appreciation

• Curriculum Night Snack Bar- We need to switch to a more substantial grab & go meal instead of snacks.
• Potential PD Day Event- all the elementary staff are getting together and we are trying to plan a breakfast with everyone.

• Fundraising

• We are still recruiting hosts for Ram Rallies.  We really need 1st and 2nd grade party hosts.  Sign Up to participate will take place on Nov 1st.
• Trivia Night- We are hoping to have the event at Chaminade Fri, Feb 21st.  Same trivia host as last year. Save the Date! 2/21

• Dad’s Club

• They had their first meeting and hopefully it was a good turnout. 

• 4th Grade Committee

• The 4th grade flyers were passed out on curriculum night and some donations have started to trickle in. 

• Grant Requests:

• Fritz & Garner- $200 Mark Twain Books (2) copies of each of the Mark Twain Final Nominees.- YES FUNDED.
• Armbruster- (3A, 3U, 3L, 3M)- Benefits 4 classrooms $494.34- YES FUNDED
• Schlobohm - KG - Interactivity Literacy Station Materials benefitting 60 students $390- YES FUNDED
• Lombardo- 10 sets of magnetic marble runs- benefiting 22 classrooms- 499 students. $279.90- YES FUNDED
• Ward- Soft Start Morning Items- benefitting 21 students approx $300- YES FUNDED
• McDonald- Generation Genius Membership- benefitting all 2nd grade 80 kid- $299- YES FUNDED 
• Lafferty- Stem Supplies/Legos - $493.42- YES FUNDED
• Armbruster- Breakout EDU software - $390- YES FUNDED
• Armstrong & Coated- Little Free Library Benefiting 21 Classrooms $610- YES FUNDED

Aug 27, 2024 | CSA Meeting

Attendees Liz Lohman Christine Shultz JJ Scarbrough 

Conway School Parents

Notes

• Liz Lohman (President) welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced herself. Following her lead, each person in the room introduced themselves and shared the ages of their children.
• Dr. Tom Devitt (Principal)- Thanks yous and shoutouts to the CSA for hosting this meeting right after school.  The school year has started off really well and the staff has been really excited to have our kids back in the building.  Dr. Devitt mentioned how well and aligned the CSA is with the Conway staff so we can work on common goals. We have 3 goals:

1. Create a safe and controlled climate- We want to create stability with safety initiatives, and add some positivity with collaboration.
2. Professional Learning Communities- Groups of teachers who have like-students (grade level PLC)- what are the grade levels talking about, what data are they looking at, are the students growing, are the students achieving?
3. Engagement- Looking at Panorama data - engagement is good but not great- this is across Ladue elementary schools, not just Conway. How do we create classrooms where our students are excited to learn.  

• Dr. Hadfield- Walk-A-Thon is coming up and Mr. Bianca will be sending out more information in the next coming days… Thank you to everyone for coming out!

• Financial Update (Liz, Devon, Christine,)- 
  • Questions- Did we not have dues last year- we did but they weren’t pushed out and not advertised.
• Devon reported that we have 15 sponsors this year and blew through our goal of 15,000 with $17,250.  We are still taking sponsorships, but its too late to get your logo on the Walk-A-Thon T-shirt, but you can still get VIP seating and parking.
• Christine Shultz - we are less than a ¼ of way to our donation goal- which is our recommended fee/due per family.  4th Grade fund is low- not a big deal right now- the communication will start going out 2nd quarter. Sponsorship goal has been met and exceeded.  Anyone who is running a committee this year please come and talk to Christine about budget or needs…
• Grant requests are just coming in now and they are due at the end of this month.  Next month, Sept, we will be reviewing them and voting on them.  Last year we bought a lot of chair kickbands, gym mat, legos, etc..
• Review of Past Events
• Meet the Teacher $6,236 of spirit wear sold during popsicles on the playground and Principals on the playground.
• First Day Coffee- Lots of parents came and enjoyed first day coffees and signed up for committees- thanks to Devon for helping during that event.
• First Friday - great location - thanks to Gussie Fava for setting that event up!
• Review of Upcoming Events
  • Dr. Hadfield - would like the parents to come out and volunteer during the week of the walk-a-thon.
    • A question was asked if there still be the golden shoe??  Yes!  Awarded to the class with the most laps during the week!
• Walk-A-Thon- Mile Run kicks off the event on Friday, September 13th- The kids walk over to the high school, parents bring signs, cowbells, and cheer on their kids. We will have a CSA table for kickoff to celebrate Walk-A-Thon! T-shirt orders have been submitted- teachers will have their own classroom goals and the total building goal will be $21,000.  There will be theme days sent out from the PE Department.
• LEF ‘DUE RUN- LEF is the Ladue Education Foundation. They provide funding through grants to teachers, schools, and staff.  Last year they funded a portable planetarium.  Our biggest fundraiser is the ‘Due Run- it takes place on Sat 9/21 and starts at 8/8:30 there will be mascot races, coffee trucks, and NO pets! Bring your kids, strollers, 5K option, and 1 mile option! You can visit the Ladue Foundation website for more information.  A lot of teachers and staff show up - low commitment - $25/adult, $15/child- if you come to the Homecoming game and you wear your ‘DUE run t-shirt your kid gets to run out on the field before the game.  
• Picture Day- September 10th- Sandy sent an email via ParentSquare with the times by classroom.
• Book Fair- Is the same week as parent/teacher conferences- we believe Oct 14th.
• Trunk or Treat- This will take place at Ladue Middle School at Ladue Middle from 4-5:30 pm- sign-ups for trunks will come out soon.  
• Room Parent Update- 
  STILL NEED:
• KG Room - Strauss, Armstrong
• Ruzicka- Has a form in her mailbox-so she may have one.
• McDonald- still needs 2
• Brooks- 1 more, Lafferty- needs 2, Ulichnie- needs 2
• How does Sarah communicate with the school teachers- you can email McKenzie and she can send out communication.
• Staff Appreciation
• Alice Marie has emailed her new committee so she can plan out the entire year.  We are working on having a coffee truck for voting day 11/5 when the teachers will be in the building but the students will not. We are waiting to hear back from the coffee truck company.
• Fundraising
• Catherine Aplington- Ram Rallies are the new name for Sign Up Parties.  We need Conway parents to host fun parties and raise money for the CSA.  We will not be tying the Ram Rally parties with trivia night.  We are hoping to have some in the fall and the spring. There were printouts of ideas on how to host Ram Rallies on the tables and parents were able to take some away.
• Michelle Novof- Trivia Night is in Feb this will be the third annual trivia night!  The J has thrown a curve ball and they will not be holding events in the gym during basketball season. We are hoping to hold trivia night on 2/21/25.
• Dad’s Club 
• Brian Tash and Larry Gast are in charge of Dad’s Club- The first informal meeting will take place on Sept 5th at 7:30 pm at Lester's.  They will be talking about future events and fundraising.
• Fourth Grade Committee Update
• We are in the VERY early stages to start talking about the 4th grade party, etc. Liz mentioned that as far as she knows there has not been a date set for the party. 
• MADCO- books in motion- the CSA pays for ½ of this event and this will take place again this year.
• Curriculum Night Feedback- Will be taking place this year in September.  Liz asked for feedback on how to get maximum participation from the parents and here were some ideas:
  • Jennifer Duncan suggested as an incentive to attend Curriculum night we could offer preferential times for parent-teacher conferences and babysitting.
  • Maybe we could condense both curriculum night and meet the teacher.
  • Could we possibly livestream/zoom curriculum night?
  • Can we add the goals that the parents filled out- before the school survey?
• Liz gave a broad explanation of curriculum night and Dr. Devitt asked the CSA on what we like about Curriculum night- what would the parents like added, etc.?
• Ms. Mintzer said the attendance has dropped over the past few years.  Teachers view this night as a way for parents to get to know them, what they are going to teach that year, etc.  We need feedback on ways to make this a better-attended event. 
• IF you have ANY other feedback regarding curriculum night please reach out to Dr. Hadfield
• Teacher Liaison- Ms. Mintzer
• If you have anything to communicate to the teachers you can email McKenzie to send them out to all or certain teachers
• QUESTIONS 
• Do we still have grandparents day?  No we have never done it.  

MEETING ADJOURNED 5:04PM.

Action items

• Book the J for the 4th Grade Party - ASAP