6:30 - 6:45 – Warm Welcome Ice Breaker and Introductions

 

6:45 – 7:00 – Principal’s Report 

  • Rachel Berkshire – School Board Liaison to JES attended the PTO meeting
    • The ECC School Board unanimously voted to put forth the referendum
    • Board chose to put the max amount available to them in the referendum by the state of MN to help preserve activities and grow existing and NEW programs
    • Early voting is underway! Have you made your plan to vote yet? Learn more about how to vote early, request an absentee ballot, and where to vote on election day by visiting: https://www.district112.org/vote2025
    • Request an absentee ballot at mn/absenteeballot.
    • EARLY In-Person Voting 
      • Carver County Government Center
      • 4th Street, Chaska
      • Monday-Friday, September 19-October 31, from 8 am-4:30 pm
      • Saturday, November 1, from 9 am-3pm
      • Monday November 3, from 8 am-5 pm
      • VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4, 2025
      • Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 4. Polling locations for this special election may be different from where you typically vote. Visit mnvotes.org to find your polling location.
      • Polling Location
        • Carver City Hall (316 Broadway, Carver)
        • Chanhassen Recreation Center (2310 Coulter Blvd., Chanhassen)
        • Chaska Event Center (3210 Chaska Blvd, Chaska)
        • Victoria Recreation Center (8475 Kochia Lane, Victoria)
  • Conference meals – Thank you! Teachers very much appreciate it!
  • $42K+ was raised - continually amazed year after year at the amount of money raised.
  • Pete will be pied in the face!
  • Conference night – one more on 10/23 – please sign up if you haven’t already.
  • Discussion was had with the group on in-person vs. virtual conferences and the pros of both.
  • Please VOTE in the referendum – voting through 11/4
  • In 4th or 5th grades, we’ve had some issues with group texting and subsequent issues that have transpired lately. Be aware of and mindful of if your student is participating in these conversations.
  • JES policy on phones is that they are put away – if it comes out, it gets taken away.

Watches can also be an issue – same policy applies.

  • Parents are encouraged to work through the school office if they need to communicate with their child to help enforce the no phone/watch policy.
  • Potential for speakers/topics around technology.

 

7:00 – 7:05 - Treasurer’s Update

  • Over our read-a-thon goal!
  • We are cleaning up some spirit wear with some staff
  • Community Sponsorship – we have hit our goal as of next month.
  • We required a Kick-back for all the food trucks at the Fall event of 10%
  • We are taking some funding for continued community space improvement.
  • Also considering funding an outdor learning space
  • Fall conference meals were paid for by PTO funds
  • Skating program (happens every other year) funded by PTO

 

7:05 – 7:25 PTO Team Updates

  • Fall Event recap
    • Fall event went great! Still getting numbers from the food trucks. Some had better business than others.
    • Bubbles were a hit!
    • Maybe do llamas and bubbles next year.
    • Assign volunteers for crowd control with the bubbles if we repeat.
    • We had a break space inside, which was well utilized, for those kids that needed a break from the crowd and chaos.
    • Music playing next year would be nice.
    • NO need to have RAT sign-up at the event next year. Only 6 people signed up at the event.
  • Read-a-thon recap
    • $42K was raised!
    • 71% donor credits – helped cover the fee
    • Total profit was just under $41K
    • 63% of students registered – that is much lower than is year’s past
    • Would be great to have teachers help communicate it – reminders only go out to people that are already registered.
    • Average of $144 raised by people who had an online account
    • 55% of the total student population raised funds.
    • PTO can add a few targeted emails next year to help encourage registration.
    • Bfast with Diggity next week Tues, Wed, Thursday
    • Magician show will be in November
    • Pie the principal – date and logistics TBD
    • Superstar drawing prizes have been drawn – winners will be notified
    • Feedback is that everybody loves the new format without tracking exact minutes
    • Book Reviews were a hit with kids
    • Perhaps someone gets pulled into planning from the building leadership committee to help encourage participation
    • Theme was appreciated
    • Maybe next year we incorporate school-wide participation – example: one Friday the entire school stops and reads for 15 minutes
    • Could we have guest readers read books and record them in a video
  • Conference Meals update/recap
    • Went great – very appreciated!
  • Restaurant Nights update
    • Culver’s 11/18 – 5pm - 8pm
    • Include in upcoming events in weekly newsletters
    • January – Jersey Mikes – Aim for 1/13 or 1/14
      • Avoid week of 1/19 because we don’t have school that Monday or Tuesday
    • Winter Event Planning
      • Sarah Olson will chair this event in 2026
      • 1/29 date
      • Dance party
      • Bingo
      • Crafts
      • Pizza
      • Gym time

 

7:25-7:30 - Open Forum - Questions, Feedback, Concerns….

  • A google form will be going out to people to understand what they may be interested in volunteering with
  • Agenda and Treasurer’s report will be sent the day prior to the meetings
  • Meeting notes will be sent after every meeting and posted on the website
  • Spirit week was suggested – exact week TBD
    • Maybe in November
  • If anyone would like more info on what the referendum money will help fund, they can visit: https://www.voteyeseccs.com/ for more information

 

 Next Meeting: 

  • Tuesday, November 11th @ 6:30 pm in the Media Center. Feel free to contact us anytime @ jonathanelementarypto@gmail.com