Participants

Lisa Kornetsky

Catherine McKenzie

Mike Hertting

Don Crary

Michele Hughes

Kris Ellingson

Kelly Cooke

Matt Silvern

Mike Dsida

January Minutes

The Board approved the January minutes.

PTO Budget

Kris Ellingson reported on the status of the budget. The Sock Hop netted $102.33. The profit from Market Day for the period of September through December is $1,124. This figure is in line with expectations for this time of the year. Picture Day profit for this year is $344.00.

School Directory

Catherine McKenzie will contact Terry DeSitos to have her deliver the directory to Lisa Stec. Lisa will copy the directory and give it to Michele Hughes, Lisa Kornetsky and Nancy Kopecky to copy.

Upcoming Activities

The carnival meeting scheduled this month went well. Catherine McKenzie met with Scott Peters and Ann O’Rourke. Some of the items discussed at the meeting include:

Ø Coordinating volunteer parents to rooms

Ø Efforts to obtain 40 cakes from parent volunteers

Ø Organizing mystery gift donations

Ø Obtaining donations for a bike, a Holiday Inn pass, and an American Doll

Ø Obtaining little prizes for a raffle

Principal’s Report

Dr. Hertting reported that Tap-It New Works is working with a diverse group of fourteen third graders from February to mid-March. Ultimately, this program will involve all third graders. Ray Blum will also perform February 25^th.

The school will be celebrating Dr. Seuss on Monday March 4. Some of the activities include door decorating, bookmarks and tattoos, a treat at lunch, and a guest reader in each room.

The Student Council continues to be active. School sales are continuing. The Council consists of 4^th and 5^th graders.

The Geography and Spelling Bees were a success. Don Crary will be working on the Battle of the Books. Fourth and fifth graders will compete. This competition will be held within the school only this year. Orchard Ridge will not compete at the district level.

Gabby Bosben put together a wonderful In-service luncheon for the teachers. The staff is grateful to her and the parents who contributed food.

Dr. Hertting also described a program which has been implemented at ORE. Children are given blue tickets when a staff member observes the student engaging in positive behavior. These children’s names are kept, and they get a chance to win a prize if their name is drawn.

sThe business meeting was closeds

PTO Program Meeting

Kirt Kiefer, Director of MMSD’s Planning, Research and Evaluation Department, spoke to the PTO about testing at Orchard Ridge. He gave a lengthy and organized presentation that included many facets of testing. The main goal of MMSD’s testing is to improve student education. Mr. Kiefer discussed MMSD’s testing theories as well as specifics about which grade levels are tested and how.

In 4^th grade, children take a test to determine if they will be retained in 4^th grade or pass on to the fifth grade. He noted, however, that legislative changes were made that allow a teacher to determine if a child is in fact ready to pass to the 5^th grade, even though that student did not pass the standardized test. The teacher basis this assessment on the child's classroom performance and grades.

More information about testing can be found at MMSD’s website at http://www.madison.k12.wi.us