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