May 4th, 2023 PFSA Meeting Minutes
1.) Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance & Welcome: Current PSFA officers in attendance: Kristen Cichon (2023) Colleen Stemetzki (2024) Debbie Rau (2023) Mary Ann Doyle (2023) Janice Karp (2023)
2.) SGA Report: none this month
NHS Report: Skills USA Mr. Stengele is the advisor for the National Technical Honor Society and SkillsUSA- Mr. Stengele: I want to thank you for your support, not only in many, many areas of CHS life, but for our club as well. You guys provided the light refreshments for our speakers on Career Day which helps to make that day a great success. Thank you for doing that for us.This year, as in other years, we’ve had some successes at the state level of SkillsUSA competitions. And when our students win gold medals at the New Jersey State level, then they’re allowed to compete at the national level in Atlanta, Georgia, against students from all across the country. So I’m here tonight to introduce our 2023 gold medal winner, who in fact, was also a 2022 gold medal winner. Last year, unfortunately, Kelly had a scheduling conflict that didn’t allow her to go to Atlanta, but this year, she has made the commitment to go to Atlanta and compete for CHS at the national competition. That’s actually quite a sacrifice of time. It’s a week that she’ll spend in Atlanta, with me and other members. And there’s actually some other students from the district, not our school, who also were gold medal winners in culinary competition, who will be going to Atlanta as well. So we’ll be traveling with those other district students and advisors, too. Kelly won a gold medal last year, and this year, and this year has decided to go ahead and make the sacrifice, which it is a time and also money. So just to give you as many specifics as I can, in talking with our business administrator today, she didn’t have the final bill yet. But if, if the flyer is correct, the cost for Kelly to make this trip is around $1,550. The district pays for 1/3. And Kelly and her family have already made a $600 commitment to go to Atlanta this year. So that leaves about $450, approximately, as best as we know, of money that’s still needed for her to go. Now we are allowed to fundraise, we have also in the past, asked the PFA, if they would be willing to help Kelly, with the cost of that trips, I’m gonna let Kelly come up and tell a little bit about her experiences with SkillsUSA. Thank you. Kelly speaking: So I’d like to start by thanking all of you guys and Mr. Gleason personally for all of the support that this school encourages for creativity, and self expression. So I’d like to explain a little bit about what SkillsUSA is in case any of you or your children aren’t familiar with it. SkillsUSA is an organization that’s national and state level, that basically gives students the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency and skill in any area of their choice. The topics range from building things to nail care to what I did, which was job demonstration open, which basically means that you can demonstrate any career that isn’t specified in any of the other categories. And I decided to give a clarinet lesson, I’ve been playing since I was 10. I decided that it was important to show to other people what the instrument means to me and how important playing an instrument is to people. In my lesson I explained the technical part of it, how you would go about playing it and basically giving a general lesson to the judges. I also prepared a speech on how much the instrument means to me and how beneficial playing instrument or any kind of self expression really is to a person, to their mental health and cognitive abilities and all that stuff. Last year, I did win a gold medal for the same thing. And I had already committed to the Hugh O’Brien youth leadership program, which was also amazing. I really look forward to going to Atlanta this year and being able to see all of everyone’s talents and where I stand on a national level. And I think it would be a really great experience preparing me for college and furthering my abilities through this club. Thank you.
Kristen presiding: So we’re going to ask you, Kelly, if you can leave the room so that we can take a vote: so all in favor of providing the remaining balance that she’s looking for of $450 of a student grant. Raise your hand all “Ayes”. Okay. Unanimous. We can get Kelly back in.
Needless to say, we only had to do half of the vote ‘All in favor’, it was unanimous because everybody loves what our students do here and the success that they provide. So thank you.
3.) Principal Gleason’s Report: So SGA did a great job last week with spirit week, I don’t know whether you heard anything at home or practicing for the lip sync. I like to see kids getting prepared and doing a lot of work for something, just totally different than what they’re doing on a day to day basis. So I always get very excited. I love seeing the kids, I like to see all their participation in all the different events, yell and scream a little bit. So it’s a lot of fun. And I think SGA just did a wonderful job this year, coordinating the two different spirit weeks, sophomores you can see how much effort they do put into it just by endpoints and you know, the kids get into it. It’s a lot of fun. I think they did a did a great job. We’re in AP time right now. So the AP Art in Design deadline is tomorrow. That’s the due date. And then calculus is on Monday. So for anybody that’s involved with that, your kids are in classes for that and the deadlines are coming up. Next week is drama. So next Friday, and Saturday night, the drama productions are going to be going off, so I’m sure there’ll be selling tickets this upcoming week. And then the 19th is the prom. So it’s a busy month, with a lot of different activities along the way. But it is starting to be more concentrated on the seniors and Awards and stuff like that. We try to do our best to send them off right, as we finish up this school year. We are just looking forward to it. There’s not a lot of time left on the calendar, a lot of different activities. So exciting. So anybody have any questions?
- ) Co-President’s Report : There is not too much going on right now aside from the seniors being quite busy and get through all of the pressures of filling out their college requirements. We have a few upcoming events in Color Wars and fundraisers. Teacher Appreciation week is coming, the PSFA usually does something every day. We handle a lot of it. But please keep in mind it is Teacher Appreciation week and you are free and welcome to do whatever you would like to Show Appreciation for the Teachers. We are still looking for board members for next fall, because I need to be replaced. The women up here are leaving. So we do have a corresponding secretary. Brenda.Thank you very much. We have a co president. We need a recording secretary, which is Janice’s roll.So if anyone is interested, we can really use the help or if you know somebody that would be interested in doing the meeting minutes or organize the driver’s ed and the PSAT prep course.
In order for us to keep these things going, we really need to have some help.
5.) Recording Secretary Minutes: Janice Karp (2023) Minutes from the second March meeting (covering April) have been posted to the website and need to be approved – motioned by Kristin Cichon, and 2nd by Colleen Stemetzki.
6.) Corresponding Secretary: Janet Schneider (2025) – Not available tonight.
7.) Committee Reports:
A.) Fundraising: Debbie Rau (2023) -Gift Auction is complete.
B.) Hospitality- Lisa Lipincott (2025) and Kathy Seetoo (2025) -So coming up we still have senior breakfasts, that’ll happen towards the end of the school year when the students get sign your books and all that kind of fun. We will send out a sign of genius for that looking for donations to help with that. On to more bagel breakfasts coming up before the end of the year for final exams. Anybody who wants to get up really early and help us out. It’s really fun I promise. There’ll be a sign of genius going for that. And then we’ll also be something coming out from the Color Wars Committee through hospitality for assignment for food, and donations for Color Wars day.
C.) Color wars- Diane Makin, Carrie____?? We are on target and a survey went out to all the kids so we have those collected with information for vegetarian, vegan, those things that will incorporate into the Signup Genius. We did talk with Mr. Gleason and the cafeteria has been notified that the food will be provided that day. We can make use of the printers and such, Mrs. Sam has all the sizes and the vendor approval from the board. So she’s ordering the T shirts for the kids. I will confirm tomorrow just to make sure that the order went in. And other than that we’re on track.
C.) Membership: Teresita Weiss (2024) – So far we’ve had 12 families from the new freshman class sign up. They there was a boost during the New Student Orientation on April 28. I’m hoping that during the summer, they will have some further reminders, communications, especially the attractiveness or the initiative of having the T shirts. So that incentive for membership seemed like it did pique some of the parents who weren’t ready to sign up yet, but they were definitely interested in the T shirts. So those new members have actually reached out and asked for T shirt sizes to figure out how much we need to purchase. Other than that, I’m hoping that the membership will increase to pre COVID levels.
D.) Communique: For information to be included in the Communique please send information to : newsletter@chs-psfa.org. Look for updated links to information on the Communique & CHS website.
E.) Enrichment Education: No extra curricular at this time.
F.) Parent Chat: Marlaina Loushine (2024) -We have the Josephson’s presenting about Rideshare safety in memory of their daughter Samantha Josephson- the program is Samistrong- using her nick name of SAMI- S-Stop, before getting in A-Ask ‘what’s my name/“ they should be able to tell you; M-Match up license plate number and car model to what is on your phone; I-Inform your parents or friends that you are getting in a car service and where you are going. Be safe! If any of the items don’t match up, request another car and wait for another car to show up -it can save your life.
G.) Book Club: Patti Riddle (2026) – If you would like to join, look for the sign up on the Communique. Next meeting TBD..
H.) Merchandise: Lina Esposito (2023) -Hi, everyone. I’m really excited that I ordered new pajama pants in a new color combination of gray and lavender and that will give the kids another option. Incoming freshman orientation was a major success. So much merchandise was sold out of and that was really great. I’m reordering everything and getting ready to pass the baton because I am graduating out. Kristen presiding: So Lina is the senior parent and is leaving. We have Hope Pressler, who has volunteered to take over, she could always use a co chair. Lina is trying to prepare and reorder and get us ready for the following year. So thank you so much, Lina. We appreciate all your hard work.Any incoming freshman that signs up for membership before the beginning of the year is getting a free CHS t-shirt.
6.) Treasurer’s Report: MaryAnn Doyle (2023) -Nothing new, we have the updated P& L and need a motion to approve.Motion to approve Kristen Cichon, 2nd Lina Esposito
7.) New Business: Senior Class donuts donut date is coming. I promise. People think we skipped it. We do have it coming. I believe it’s a yearbook Signing Day.
8.) Adjournment: Kristen Cichon , Seconded by Colleen Stemetzki
Next meeting is June 1st.