April Cape Report

April 24, 2020

Zoom Teleconference

In attendance:  Board Members:  Betsey Vinson, Paulette Hanton-Brooks, Barb Seiden, Joanne Baker, Atiya Young-Coleman, Erinn Henes

Administration: Tom Hernandez, Lane Abrell

Board of Education: Heather Drake, Kevin Kirberg

Call to Order:  Meeting called to order by CAPE President, Betsey Vinson at 9:31 am.  All present recited The Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call: Roll call taken.

Administration:

Dr. Abrell

• Thanked everyone again for efforts and understanding to keep some semblance of education and routines.  Information and updates will continue to be sent out.  Seniors should have been contacted by building principals re: all of the big senior activities – graduation, prom, etc.  There are still a lot of outstanding questions that are being figured out as information and parameters become available. 
• It is really difficult to put together a solid plan in this environment, so we recognize this is a challenge for those who are natural planners.  We will get information out as quickly as possible.  Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns.
   
  Tom Hernandez
• Parents have been incredibly understanding and supportive.  I hope that a silver lining of this process is that parents have a greater appreciation of the value of our teachers.  We are dealing with closing out this school year, summer, and next year.  The last 2 still have a lot of state guidance that is still pending as the situation evolves. 
   

School Board:

Kevin Kirberg

• I appreciate all that our community is doing and a special shout-out to our teachers and staff.  We are all very appreciative.  This has not been easy and there have been many difficult decisions that have been made and will continue to be made.  Planning is ongoing and we don’t have answers readily available in all cases, but that doesn’t mean that planning isn’t going on.  As we get more information and guidance from the state, we will continue to make decisions and share information as quickly as we can.  We look forward to a time when we can all come back together and celebrate.  Our shared goal is to ensure our students and families are supported.
   
  Heather Drake
• Echoed Kevin’s comments.  The old saying “it takes a village” is highly applicable.  Our staff and admin have put in a lot of extra hours and hard work in recent weeks.  Tom has done a fabulous job of getting the ever-changing messages out.  Our teachers, students and parents are all going that extra mile now to do what’s best for our students.  Our caregivers, first responders, local businesses deserve thanks.  We are 202 Strong.
   

Community Report:

Library, Veronica Defazio, Head of Youth Services

• Thanks for all you are doing.  Even though the library building is closed, we are still here to support you.  Current offerings include:  response to inquiries via phone, email or text; page of at-home resources for youth fun and education; virtual classroom visits with the grade schools; social media content and virtual programs – cooking, crafts, etc; virtual college visits program next Monday with registration; and adult programming.  Some vendors are offering their resources even without a library card.  All area libraries are still offering library card registration through their websites.  The library has a lot of materials composed of a variety of materials – paper, plastic, etc and these go from home to home when we are open so we will be very careful in how we open to take virus lifespans on various surfaces into account.
   
  Plainfield Park District, Brock Stein, Marketing Manager

• E-sport league will be held for 4 weeks on Saturdays at 2 pm – kids can sign up as a team or individuals – free registration starting today.  Other e-recreation opportunities are available on our website.  Playgrounds, swings, basketball and skate parks are closed currently out of an abundance of caution – remind families not to use them or take down tape.  Green space and trails are open as long as people maintain social distance.
   

Presidents Report:

Betsey Vinson

• Tom, Lane, Glenn Wood, Tim Albores have been working seven days along with many of our teachers.  In a normal school year our administrators and staff are concerned about specific students in their homes – they are continuing to reach out to those families in addition to all the other things we see.  Don’t assume something is cancelled until it has been cancelled.  Yesterday was our last mass distribution of laptops – there are still laptops available for individual cases.  Number of days a week for food service has been cut back but the number of meals is still the same….75,600 meals through Wednesday.
• Lorrie Walker posed the following questions:
  • Is there any plan on rescheduling the Cape Awards dinner this summer?  We are still hoping to reschedule, but limits on how many people can gather will drive the decision and kids’ stuff comes first.
  • What should we do about the award certificates for our Cape Award winners?  Keep for now.
  • Should we just plan on returning the table frames at the next in-person meeting?  Keep for now.
  • Is there any advice for schools that started the board position re-election process just prior to the school shut-downs?  Position nominees were received but the vote could not take place because we were in shut-down prior to the meeting.  Per Betsey, most by-laws were written in preparation for a pandemic.  You need to follow your bylaws on dates and communication/voting methods.  Per Robert’s Rules, if your bylaws need to be changed to move forward, you can do so waiving the 30-day notice, they can be changed by 2/3 majority.  Googleforms captures email addresses that can be used in lieu of a signature for confirming that a voter is a member.  One school
  • Is it OK to delay elections until August or September?  It again depends on your bylaws.  Roberts Rules is a great resource and there is a simplified version on PTO Today.  PTA’s should ensure they are following the PTA bylaws. 
  • At least one yearbook company is currently closed so schools using that one will need to wait until fall for distribution.
• Cassie – my principal wanted to know how to handle yearbook distribution.  Betsey recommended practicing social-distancing in distribution decisions and Tom concurred.  Betsey asked if any other schools had made decisions on yearbooks – no responses.  Betsey reminded that while the principals do not have direct authority over the parent groups, we are still operating in conjunction with them.  Principals should be consulted and their input followed unless it is in direct violation with bylaws or other regulations.
• Is the plan to continue eLearning through May 22?  Tom believes that is the case, but a more definitive communication will be made next week.
• When seniors pick up caps and gowns, they will pick up their awards as well.  CAPE will be sending our scholarship certificates to the schools.  We will ask winners’ parents to take a photo with the certificates.
• We have begun the process to review the CAPE Bylaws.  The Board will fine-tune our input and we will then be forming a bylaw committee to go through the full bylaws and the Board input – we should have in place by our next meeting.

Treasurer’s Report:

Joanne Baker

• 0 deposits and 1 check for CAPE Reception items.
• Ending Bank Balance:  $10,557.06
• Ridge Elementary check for extra attendees will be returned to the Ridge PTO.  If anyone else has sent additional guests checks, please contact Betsey or Joanne with instructions for how you would like it to return.
• Motion to file: 1^st:  Veronica        2^nd:  Kirstyn

Secretary’s Report:

Barb Seiden

• Minutes – Minutes were emailed.  There was one spelling correction noted and made.  Revised minutes are posted on the CAPE Google Drive.
• Motion to file: 1^st:  Melissa           2^nd:  Lacie

Old Business:

• Parent Group Filings – Barb thanked Eagle Pointe for providing their overview sheet.  We are still missing filings from the following schools – if they have not yet been submitted, please have your board email the documents to capepsd202.org: 
  • Central Elem
  • Creekside
  • Eagle Pointe
  • Liberty
  • Lincoln
  • Walker's Grove
  • Heritage Grove
  • Indian Trail
  • Timber Ridge
  • PHSCC - all
  • PEHS – all
  • PNHS – Athletics, Choir 
     
• Betsey showed a sample program
• CAPE Scholarships – 4 have been chosen.  We will reach out to their schools and post after the winners have been notified.
• All of the Middle Schools are doing signs for 8^th grade graduates – these are parent purchased unless provided by the parent group.  Betsey posted examples of a few.  There has been no information on any schools besides Wesmere & Freedom doing 5^th grade signs complements of the PTO with the funds that would normally go to 5^th grade celebration.  High school signs were supposed to be a surprise, but some parents began ordering them separately so they had to communicate that they were coming.  If your school is doing signs, please send information on the vendor that we can pass on to other schools.
• Tonya and other CAPE Reps have been making masks and swag bags.  Lifetime Fitness just delivered a large number of items for swag bags for those on the front lines.
• Shout out to Liberty for donating excess food donation to the Northside Micro Pantry.  Eagle Pointe has also done a large donation.  Per Heather, the pantry’s items have been emptied almost daily.  Tom mentioned Plainfield Interfaith, Green Harvest and Bags of Hope (in 28 of 30 schools, processed over 400 backpacks this week, all volunteers).
   

New Business:

• Question asked about doing virtual elections.  You should follow your bylaws the best you can and you may want to update your bylaws if they don’t address this.  Zoom or Facebook live would be an option to hold a virtual election. 
   
  Adjournment: 10:27 am, Motion: Melissa & Blair

Next Meeting is:  Friday, May 15, 9:30 a.m.