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Minutes of PTA Meetings

Minutes of a meeting held on Monday, 11th March 2002, at Rua Real Grandeza 99, Rio de Janeiro.

Present:
Executive Committee: Lúcia Damázio (LD), Flávia Rodrigues (FR), Karla Taylor (KT), Cynthia Fraga (CF), Flávia Miranda Corrêa (FMC), Jenny Byers (JB), Roberto Steinfeld (RS), Yanira Nasser (YN), Ralph Jennings (RJ), Susan Malpas (SM)
Subcommittees: Kátia Salen (KS), Paola Fox (PF), Regina Helena Camargo(RHC), Ana Cecilia Meireles(ACM), Luciana Ribeiro(LR), Virginia Dias (VD)
Also present: Rodrigo Morais, Laura Reis Fagundes, Suzanna Portella, Lizanka Marinheiro, Cristiana Amoroso Lima, Ma.Elizabeth Castro, Andrea Braga, Flavia Lobao Costa, Luciana Marinho, Jeanne Levier, amongst others

Circulation: P.Wiseman, T. Pientznauer, G. Pollard, L. Dimmock, S. Clayton, C. Ribeiro, S. Malpas, D. Platt

Item   Action
1. Election of officers LD proposed RS for Treasurer; RS proposed LD for President; LD proposed JB for Secretary. The nominations were approved.  
2. Catering A number of new mothers were present who wished to voice their concerns over the menu at Botafogo. Following a morning meeting consisting of LD, FR, the Nutritionist, Lesley Dimmock and Therezinha Pientznauer, LD was able to inform the meeting of the changes which will be instituted immediately:
  • Sweet desserts only once per week. No chocolate - ever. Birthday cake once per month as before.
  • Fish once per week. The only kind the children will eat is breaded so that will remain.
  • If one of the main courses is fried, the other option will always be stewed or grilled. Never two fried options.
  • One hot vegetable every day, served without sauce. All sauces to be served separately.
  • No more sausages (frankfurter style) - ever.
  • Stewed meat will be cut into very small pieces.
  • Snacks - to consist of fruit or fruit juice and yoghurt for the morning, and a "vitamina" in the afternoon.
  • Sodexho to produce menus by the 10th of the previous month.
Sodexho is under considerable pressure to improve the quality of its service, or be replaced.
A Breakfast Meeting will be organized for the end of April with the nutritionist to clarify any further questions.





























RHC, LR
3. Health and Safety
  1. The buses which take the children to PE are not properly equipped with seat belts. The belts are often knotted or tied up and impossible to use. The buses are also filthy.
  2. Tooth brushing - mothers are concerned that no time is made available for the children to brush their teeth after lunch. No conclusion was reached.
 SM to check with admin
4. After-school activities
  1. Teachers will get a discount of R$10 per month on ASA.
  2. A Homework club was suggested, whereby children stay on for an hour or so and do their homework, while being monitored. There was mixed opinion on this and it was felt that finding a space and someone to run it may be a problem. It was suggested that Class 11 might like to do it.

SM to check
5. Events
  1. Founder's Day - LD will get a quote for the cost of amusements and caterers. A pamphlet needs to be made for publicity and sponsorship purposes.
  2. Queen's Jubilee - SM informed the meeting that the British community is planning a special weekend on 14-16 June to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and it was hoped that the PTA would be able to get involved and perhaps have a stall at the Fete on the Saturday. There was unanimous agreement. SM also mentioned the refurbishment and inauguration of the Margaret Mee Gardens at the front of the Church. The children are getting involved in an exhibition for the inauguration on 17th April and are learning about the artist and the importance of her work.
 LD, KT, FMC
6. Charity
  1. Renascer - there is a new scheme this year whereby each year group from Reception to Class 5 will support one child. The list of requirements will be sent out soon.
  2. Florescer - a new crèche for children up to age 4 being set up in Rio Comprido by some mothers from the school. They need equipment, toys and food. Any extra food collected for the Renascer children can be passed on, and collection boxes for toys and equipment to be placed. PF suggested Nursery take it on as their Charity project, since the children are the same sort of age, and Nursery is not involved in Renascer.
 PF, VD



PF to coordinate with Debra Platt
7. Communications
  1. KT and FMC are proposing a folder to be distributed at the beginning of the year, after the AGM has taken place, listing the committee, the aims and missions of the PTA and general information. Towards the end of the term another document would be published outlining the PTA's activities and achievements during the term. The summary at the end of Term 2 would also feature the date of the AGM for the following year, so this MUST be booked ahead of time, unlike this year when it was all left until the last minute. New parents joining during the year would also get copies of the main pamphlet.
  2. It was proposed that a PTA member attend the induction meetings for the new parents and spend a few minutes explaining what the PTA is all about, gathering names and phone numbers and generally getting the new parents used to the PTA being an active part of the school. Eventually, things like class lists and class reps will happen almost automatically.
  3. KT is preparing a survey to circulate to all parents in order to try and gauge the level of awareness that exists about the PTA.
 KT, FMCto finalizeJB to check English copy


















KT.JB to translate
8. Urca LR raised the question of drugs, alcohol and AIDS awareness amongst the older children, as she has heard concern expressed by parents that children are regularly overdoing things at parties. She proposes inviting professionals from the health sector, as well as recovering addicts to come and talk at several Assemblies, to try and raise the children's consciousness. RJ stressed that there is continuous education on these subjects through the PSHE programme, and during tutor group discussions. However he agreed that outsiders coming in to talk would be an excellent way to reinforce the ideas.






RJ, LR to organize
9. Sub-committees The following were elected, or re-elected to sub-committees:
*=New committee
Bold = New officer
Normal =Re-elected officer
After School Yanira Nasser
Archives * Rodrigo Moraes, Cynthia Fraga
Breakfast Mtgs Luciana Ribeiro, Lelena Camargo
Catering Lisanka Marinheiro, Luciana Marinho
Charity Paola Fox, Virginia Dias
Communications Flávia Miranda Correa, Karla Taylor, Cynthia Fraga
Company Liaison Kátia Sálen
Educational matters * Flávia Rodrigues, Ana Cecilia Meireles, Debra Platt, Cristiana Amoroso Lima
Events Lúcia Damázio
Newcomers Jeanne Levier, Flávia Lobao Costa
Urca Jenny Byers, Jeanne Levier, Cristiana Amoroso Lima
There are two new sub-committees. Educational Matters will provide a link between parents and heads of department to deal with concerns over staff or curriculum issues. Archives will organize official videos of school events, official photographs, general photographs and website material. It is also hoped that the PTA can organize and distribute the Student Cards from now on. There was some discussion over price, proof of age, and other details which will be decided once permission is obtained to proceed.





























SM to seek authorization
10. Any Other Business
  1. Pick-up and Drop-Off
    A new parent complained about the chaos at admission and dismissal times. Nursery parents have to take their children to the classroom, which means having to park. Drivers double-park the whole length of the Real Grandeza from about 1.30 p.m. onwards. Those who are not aware of this join a queue at the end of the road which never actually moves because the drivers are waiting for the babás to bring the children out. It is a perennial problem and only temporary solutions ever seem to have been found. Suggestions are welcomed from anyone willing to take this problem on.
  2. Security
    It is felt that in spite of the letters home every term, children are still leaving school with any parent who looks familiar to people on the gate, i.e. there is no real control at all. New gates are planned at the end of the driveways either side of the church buildings and it is hoped this will improve security.
  3. PTA Meetings - these were set for the first Monday of each month, at 7p.m. in the Hall.
    4. Thus: 1st April, 6th May, 3rd June, 5th August, 2nd September, 7th October, 4th November, 2nd December.
 ALL

There being no other business, the meeting was closed at 9.20 p.m.

NB -Date for next meeting: MONDAY, 1st April at 7 p.m.

JB 14/03/02

 
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