The Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
Parents have always been involved in schools, but in the 1970’s, the
administration at each school established the Parent Advisory Council
(PAC). This council was either elected or appointed to act in an advisory
capacity to the principal. Over the years, the PAC membership has been
opened up to any parent of a child attending that school. The PAC meets
once per month through out the school year to provide a forum for
parents, teachers, and administration on the direction of the school
community.
At every PAC meeting, there is an open discussion period for any new
business, questions or ideas from any parent. If you are not able to attend
the meeting you can e-mail questions to any officer and they will bring it
up during discussion and return an answer to you. Each meeting will have a
specific agenda, formulated by the PAC officers, to help achieve the
following goals:
• To provide an open channel of communication among those concerned
with the education of our children.
• To foster an understanding of all school programs and policies.
• To provide overall support to parents, teachers and administrators.
• To assist in providing funding for special events, cultural
enrichment, equipment, and materials which will enhance the
educational process.
President: Andrea Walke awalke@comcast.net
(Serves as overall administrator and spokesperson for the PAC)
Vice President: Kathy Lopes kathyml2378@aol.com
(Assumes the duties of the President in his/her absence
and coordinates the room parents)
Treasurer: Terry Desmond T_Desmond@oceansidecabinets.com
Katie Pyburn katielynne43@aol.com
(Financial agent for the PAC)
Secretary(s): Tammy Plante tamandobe@comcast.net
Tina Krasovec kras31@msn.com
(Serves as the scribe and maintains correspondence for the PAC)
Cultural Enrichment Chairperson: Erica Rossito erica.rossitto@verizon.net
(Works with other school representatives to identify through previews and
shared information, programs that correlate with the curriculum)
PAC MEETINGS FOR 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR
All meetings start at 7pm and last approximately 1 hour.
If you can attend any of the meetings though out the school year, we would
welcome your attendance. But we also understand that parents are on time
constraints with babysitters, activities and work. Please feel free to
email us for information regarding any of the meetings if you are unable to
attend. Please visit our website for the agenda and minutes of the
meeting.
www.danvers.mec.edu/greatoak.cfm (add it to your favorites!!!)
Thursday, September 24th
Thursday, October 15th
Thursday, November 19th
NO PAC Meeting in December
Thursday, January 14th
Tuesday, February 16th
Tuesday, March 16th
Thursday, April 8th
Tuesday, May 11th
Tuesday, June 8th
Also, Danvers is one of the few towns around that gives parents a regular
opportunity to meet with administrators to ask questions and get and give
feedback on our children’s education.
Our PACE meeting dates and locations for this year are:
October 2, 2009, 9:00 AM, Holten-Richmond Middle School
November 12, 2009, 7:00 PM, Danvers High School
December 4, 2009, 9:00 AM, Smith School
January 14, 2010, 7:00 PM, Highlands School
February 5, 2010, 9:00 AM, Thorpe School
March 5, 2010, 9:00 AM, Riverside School
April 8, 2010, 7:00 PM, Danvers Senior Center
May 7, 2010, 9:00 AM, Great Oak School
PAC Meeting for Thursday, September 24th 2009
• Introductions/Vote
We voted to elect Katie Pyburn for co-treasure with Terry Desmond. The vote
passed.
Thank you to Brittany Raesly for donating coffee and treats from the Daily
Harvest for the PAC meetings, again! Delicious! Dailey Harvest is located
on High St. downtown Danvers, drop by and check it out!
• PAC and what we do
We introduced the events and responsibilities of the PAC, highlighting the
events and committees above.
• Treasures Report: We have $2739.64 in the general PAC fund.
• Fund Raisers: Book Fair, Yankee Candle, Ornaments, Cookies, Etc.
We voted to look at the Innisbrook Cookie Dough Fundraiser, as an option
after Yankee Candle.
There is no tax on the Yankee Candle Fundraiser.
Kristine Cheetham presented the options and pricing for Great Oak
Windbreakers. She is going to get more information and get back to us with
the cost of the jackets. We would need to order a minimum of 100 jackets.
• Free Money: Box Tops (Kelly Wood), Tyson, Campbell’s (Marylin
Gilmore), Target
Kathy Lopes is looking into signing us up with Stop and Shop’s community
support program.
• Social Events: Halloween Party (TBD), Roller Palace (Friday,
February 5th 5-7pm), Movie Night (Friday, March 26th at 6:30pm ), Ice Cream
Social (December 3rd), Parents Night Out (Friday, January 22nd) (all dates
and times are subject to change)
We are working with Bobby Connors to try and get the Halloween Great Oak
Party at Connors Farm this year. We would also develop questions for the
maze that would pertain to Great Oak School. We could have each class come
up with the questions that we could use.
We also discussed having two movies on movie night, one in the café and the
other in the gym. One movie would be for an older audience and the other for
a younger audience.
Parents Night Out this year would possibly be in January and at the Polish
Club and raffles.
• Toy Drive—Jen Webster, Coat Dive and Food Pantry-- Ann Skinner
• PACE: Usually the First Friday at 9am: October 2nd at 9am at the
Holten Richmond Middle School
• December 4th at 9am Smith School MCAS Test and Resources
available/time is utilize benefits of Professional Development
• Cultural Enrichment: Plymouth Plantation, Jump Rope(9/25/09),
Recorder(3rd Grade Program), Up Rising, Duck Tours(May 2010)
• School Store/ Slush
School store is ready to open. Kristine is looking for volunteer help; it’s
a lot for one person to manage, all year. If you are interested in
taking a Thursday Morning, please feel free, all are welcome. Contact
Kristine at irtx2@juno.com.
Slush is being run by Katie Pyburn. Slush is offered once a month for 1.50.
You can pay for the year as soon as possible, if you would like. This is
also a volunteer opportunity. If you would like to help, contact Katie
Pyburn at katielynne43@aol.com.
• Principal’s Update: Principal’s Coffee
This year the coffees are at 8:30am
See you at the next meeting October 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PAC Meeting for Thursday, October 15th 2009
• Halloween
The Halloween Party is at Connors Farm on Oct 30th. There is no rain date;
we will refund the tickets if the weather is a problem. We have the area
from 4-6 pm, but the ticket is good all night. Please wear a costume. We
would like to get glow sticks for the Great Oak Families to help them stand
out at the venue. Bobby Connors is graciously providing tickets for families
in need.
Again, it was asked if anyone had any other ideas for a Halloween Party other
than Connors Farm and no one offered an alternative or stepped forward to run
one at the school.
• 5th grade Update
Things are progressing smoothly. The T shirts have been ordered and the
basketball game is Nov 23. Donations have been coming in for the calendar
that will be sold in January.
• Treasures Report: We have $4,396.59 in the general PAC fund.
• Fund Raisers:
The Yankee Candle raised roughly $5,200.00. We need to raise roughly $10,000
each year. With the Yankee Candle shortfall, the general PAC voted to work
with Innisbrook and send out the cookie/desert fundraiser. This will run Nov
2-13. The delivery is the second week in December. There is increased
profit and no delivery charge on 300+ pieces.
Peg Prentiss presented the Windbreaker Fundraiser for Kristine Cheetham. She
got a quote from REM. They will run between $35 (youth sizes)-$40 (adult
sizes). We voted to offer them in the spring. There is a minimum order of
50 pieces.
Slush has begun. There are 187 prepaid children.
• PACE
We need a representative at the PACE meetings. The dates and times are on
the web-site. In May Great Oak will host the meeting.
• Cultural Enrichment
The Japanese Drummers are coming in November.
• DEEP Wine Tasting
Wine Tasting will be held on October 22 at 6:00 at Jimmy Allenhurst. DEEP
requested a basket from each PAC and Great Oak donated $100.
• Principal’s Update
We have been registered for the Stop & Shop A+ Program. Register by using
your Stop & Shop Card and Great Oak will receive free money.
MCAS Discussion for District on Monday,October 19th. MCAS Discussion for
Great Oak will be held in the Library on Tuesday, October 20 at 7:00 pm.
The training for the anti bullying program Olweus has begun. The School Wide
program will begin in January. This program is run town wide in all the
elementary schools.
• Open Discussion
Hermit Crabs replaced the fish in the Library.
Thank you to Daily Harvest for donating the refreshments at the PAC meeting.
Free Babysitting will be provided at the PAC meetings.
Next meeting November 19 at 7:00pm.
• Attendees:
Andrea Walke, Tina Krasovec, Tammy Plante, Mary Walsh, Beth Ann Hilton, Kim
Cerullo, Peg Prentiss