PiliStorage

**//H&S Fundraiser//**
Thanks to all the families that participated in our "Sally Foster and Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough" Fundraiser we really appreciate it. Orders will be deliver on **Monday, November 23rd**. 2009 between 2:30 pm and 6:00 pm. For more information and the letter that went home with your child, please click on @Parent Info.

Welcome Parents! Our back to school night had a very large turn-out of parents. It was a great success!!! The Cook-Wissahickon Home and School Association welcomes back our returning families and extends a very warm welcome to all the new parents!!!
 * An exciting 2008 - 2009 school year has started!!!**

The Cook-Wissahickon Home and School Association works to foster collaborative efforts between Parents, the School's Principal and Staff, to enrich the educational experience for our children. It is a Parent's organization that exists to promote the mission and vision of the school by supporting school activities, organizing HSA sponsored fundraising events and meetings in other to reach the following common goals:

// The school year is comming to its end and we would like to thank everybody for contributing to the accomplishment of an excellent year! And also wish all parents, students and staff a ** HAPPY SUMMER!!! ** // = //Next Meeting!// =
 * Provide support for the growth, education, and development of our children.
 * Enhanced the educational and physical environment of the Cook-Wissahickon School.
 * JOIN US!** on our last Home and School meeting on **Monday June 15th at 4:00 pm** at the school library. We will be thanking our current officers for the service they have provided for all this years and celebrating the end of the year as well. To have more infrormation about the recent elections click on Nominating Committee. Also to read about our latest H&S meetings, click on minutes. Every future Home and School meeting will be held on the second Monday of each month.


 * JOIN US!** on our first Home and School meeting in the Fall, **Date TBA,** at the school library. Every future Home and School meeting will be held on **Day TBA** of each month. To read about our latest H&S meetings, click on minutes.

On our last meeting on **Monday, June 15th,** we thanked our current officers Mrs. Nancy Pohler, Mrs. Liz Golden and Mr. David Ortiz for the service they have provided all these years and celebrate the end of the year as well.

Our Home and School Association has newly elected Officers, Mrs. Cheryl Dore, President; Mrs. Angela Clark, Vice-President and Mrs. Lisa Lobitz, Treasurer, congratulations!. To have more infrormation about the recent elections click on Nominating Committee.

= //H&S Upcoming Events!// = Our next Home and School event is the **"Fun Fair Day" **, where all the kids can have enjoy their time with games, moon bounces, dunk tanks, food and prices to celebrate the end of the school year. This event will take place in the school yard on **Friday May 29th,** 2009. We need many volunteers to make this year's Fun Fair an unforgettable one, if you would like to help, please contact the H&S office! To see what else is coming up please visit the H&S Calendar.

=** //Cook-Wissahickon Ways To Give!// **=

//There are many ways you can donate to Cook-Wissahickon School, you can find diferent possibilities below, thank you!//


**//- WHEN USING YOUR TARGET RED CARD:// **
Through their **TAKE CHARGE FOR EDUCATION PROGRAM**, Target Store donates an amount equal to one percent (1%)* of your REDcard purchases to your selected K-12 School. Target® Visa® Credit Card, Target Credit CardSM and eligible Target Business Card® accounts can sign up for the Take Charge of Education program by calling 1-800-316-6142 or by visiting Target.com/tcoe or an in-store kiosk to register Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School. For more information, rules and conditions go to [|Target Charge for Education]

====**//- LANDS END//** **will contribute up to 3% of the net sales of uniform orders to Cook.**  Our Preferred School Number is 9001-3184-8. //You can order by phone (1-800-469-2222), fax (1-800-332-0103) or internet// []. ==== ====**//- OFFICE DEPOT//** will contribute up to 5% of qualifying purchases to Cook! The rules are simple. When you buy online, enter Cook's number (70087832) after your purchase using the handy online form ([|here's the link]). For in store purchases, simply bring your receipt and Cook's school's 5% Back to Schools ID number (70087832) to your local Office Depot location and ask a store associate to apply your purchase to Cook. At the end of each program period, the total credits tallied will be offered to Cook in the form of an Office Depot® Merchandise Card for its use toward the purchase of any products or services from any Office Depot® store. //There is no cost to you to participate and participating in the program does not affect any Worklife Rewards Program credits.//====


 ====**//- COLLECTING BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION and CAMPBELLS UPC CODES:// ** please collect them from the products you already use at home and send them to the school any time you can.====

====**//- DONATE ONLINE: // ** A Fundraising link on this page is **coming soon**.====

DECEMBER 2008 MEETING__//
 * //__Minutes 2008

Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School 201 E. Salaignac St.**
 * Phila., PA 19128**
 * Mrs. Anna Jenkins, Principal**
 * Minutes from Home and School Meeting**
 * December 8, 2008**

The first order of business was a discussion with Mrs. Jenkins regarding next year’s school budget. Mrs. Jenkins was present at the meeting at the request of President Nancy Pohler to explain how the budget process works. Mrs. Jenkins explained that the school receives its annual budget in March or April and that she then has a few weeks to decide what to do with our allotted money. Most of the money goes toward teachers- by using the budget money to “buy” extra teachers, Cook-Wissahickon is able to keep its class sizes much smaller than average. One parent expressed concern that there is no full- time Music teacher at the school. Mrs. Jenkins stated that if there is enough money left over in budget this year that that is a priority for her; however, her number one priority is keeping class sizes down. She also explained that we get less Title I money than many other area schools because we have a lower poverty level than many. Also, lower performing schools receive more funds because they are seen as needing more help. Because Cook-Wissahickon is considered a high- performing school, we are not considered to be in dire need. The possibility of foreign language instruction was also discussed. Mrs. Jenkins said that it is a possibility only if the School District opens applications for the International Baccalaureate Program. If the District does so, she will certainly apply. Ms. Pohler inquired about the status of the “off limits” jungle gym in the big yard. Mrs. Jenkins explained that the School District gave the order to shut down all such play equipment after a Philadelphia child lost his finger on the playground( NOT at Cook).. The School District wants to be sure that all such equipment is completely safe before letting the children back on it. Hopefully, the problem will be resolved by the Spring. The Secret Santa Shop was quite successful this year, and may actually turn a small profit. The shop is not generally considered as much a fundraiser as it is an opportunity for our kids to be able to purchase holiday gifts at a reasonable price. But because many items were purchased by the H & S at very low prices, it looks as though there will be some profit left. The Joe Corbi’s Pizza sale is coming up in March. Parents are asked to keep in mind that the school receives $5 for every pizza kit sold, so it really is an excellent fundraiser. Our next Bake Sale will be in February for Valentine’s Day. Ms. Pohler mentioned that she would like to see more parents volunteering their time during school hours to help with pretzel sales and potentially re- opening the school store. The store would sell school supplies that the children or teachers may need. Treasurer Mr. David Ortiz next presented his report for the month of November. The H & S has begun providing money for bus trips for the students, and the Cherrydale Candy sale money that we owe to Cherrydale still has not come off the books. Next, parent Diana Chiti suggested that we analyze which fundraisers are most beneficial to the school and consider changing or eliminating those that seem less profitable or that generate less interest. She also suggested that the H & S try to work on more advance planning and effective communication between parents concerning future fundraisers. Parent Cheryl Dore suggested expanding the board, i.e. adding a volunteer coordinator, etc. These changes could streamline things a bit and make necessary work a bit more equitable. Parent Jeanne Ortiz informed us of a very interesting new program that will be coming to Cook- Wissahickon in January. Through the Food Trust, a farm store will be selling fresh produce at school. All produce sold will be locally grown, and it is a fundraiser for the school. Selections will vary seasonally. Finally, we were reminded that March is the deadline for those wishing to run for H & S board positions. All positions are up for grabs. In order to run, you must be a member of the H & S Association. Meeting was adjourned at 4:35. Submitted by Kathryn Faenza, recording secretary.


 * //__NOVEMBER 2008 MEETING__//

Cook- Wissahickon School 201 E. Salaignac St Phila, PA 19128 Mrs Anna Jenkins, Principal Minutes from Home and School Meeting November 3, 2008**

Nancy Poehler called the meeting to order at 6:55 PM. Parent Cheryl Dore started the meeting with a splash, graciously cleaning out the fish tank filter. Thanks, Cheryl! Treasurer David Ortiz started the meeting off with the distribution of his treasurer’s report for October. We started the month with a small deficit, but thanks to a good income due largely in part to the Cherrydale Candy Sale, we finished the month in the black. 100% of the candy sales are listed as income, while we actually owe Cherrydale 50% of that. That 50% will be seen as an expense on a future treasuer’s report. Mr. Ortiz gave an explanation for small bank fees that were seen. Ms. Pohler next discussed the Halloween Bake Sale, which was a great success despite a smaller- than- usual customer base, due to some students attending the Phillies World Series Championship Parade. A great surprise was that the fruit donations sold quickly- we are all happy to see our children making healthy choices! Ms. Poehler hopes to expand the fruit selection further for the next bake sale. Ms. Pohler hopes to have Principal Anna Jenkins present at the next Home and School meeting in December to discuss the budget for the 2009-2010 school year. Any parents with questions, concerns or requests for next year are encouraged to attend. This will be your opportunity to discuss any concerns regarding the reduction of Art and Music lessons, and anything else that may be on your mind. A meeting is being planned regarding the recent parking concerns on Righter St. Some of our neighbors would like to see an end to sidewalk parking at drop- off and pick- up times, and Principal Jenkins is working with the 5th district to set a meeting time when both sides can air their concerns. Parent Lisa Loebitz suggested that a school district lawyer should be present to mediate and to keep it official. One suggested site for the meeting was the Northern Home for Children. Ms. Poehler will call the 5th district by Nov. 24 if they do not contact the school prior to that date. Jeanne Ortiz next brought us up to date on a few Green Committee issues. The Green Committee recently met with the School District Capital Dept. to discuss a $3500 grant we have received from the Schuylkill River Project. These funds will be used to plant a garden and trees in the kindergarten play area, pending approval by the district. Great job, Green Committee! We appreciate all of your hard work. Ms. Ortiz also informed of two funding requests. The first was from Science teacher Ms. Abby Pelcyger for $200 for a Science Fair related assembly that she has organized. No vote was necessary because of the small dollar amount ($200 is the maximum amount which is not voted upon).The second was for the first $250 installment of an already approved $1,000 grant match from the Healthy Farms, Healthy Schools Initiative. The last issue of the day was the appointment of a new recording secretary. Though many clamored for the position, parent Kathryn Faenza ultimately accepted the nomination. The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 PM. Please join us at our next meeting on Monday, Dec.8th at 6:30 PM. Submitted by Kathryn Faenza, recording secretary


 * //__OCTOBER 2008 MEETING__//

Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School 201 E. Salaignac St. Phila., PA 19128 Mrs. Anna Jenkins, Principal Minutes from Home and School Meeting October 20, 2008**

Home and School president Nancy Poehler brought the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. The first order of business was the discussion of elections for next year’s president and vice- president. Ms. Poehler would like to leave her post and allow someone else to take over. Liz Golden will no longer be a Cook- Wissahickon parent next year, so her position of vice president will also need to be filled. The position of Treasurer will also be voted upon. Elections will be held in May. Ms. Poehler encouraged the parents present to consider if they would be interested in pursuing any of these positions.

Ms. Poehler requested a volunteer to type the monthly parent newsletters from the H&S Association. Parent Kelly Erb volunteered.

Donations are needed for the annual Halloween Bake Sale. All items will cost .25 cents and must be individually packaged. Please do not send in anything that needs to be cut. Parents are also being encouraged to send in fresh fruit items such as apples, oranges, and bananas. Parents are also asked to please avoid sending in items with peanuts as we have several peanut allergies in our student community. As we also have some diabetic students, sugar- free items are also welcomed. As always, store- bought items are also acceptable.

Parent Diana Chity has been taking full responsibility for the student billboard outside of the library. Each month she designs and creates a billboard containing information that is pertinent to the student body. She would like for another parent to share the responsibility with her by creating an alternating monthly schedule to do the board. Anyone who is interested in this project can stop by the H & S office.

Ms. Poehler next spent some time explaining exactly how the H & S raises money and what it is spent on. Money is primarily raised through various sales and events, NUT days and the Fun Fair. The H & S spends money on a variety of items, both small and large. Each class receives one bus trip paid for by the H & S. Money is also spent on the Fun Fair, cards and small gifts when necessary ( as thank- yous or also in cases of illness), and for children in need of financial assistance on items such as school shirts or fees for class trips. Teachers are also given assistance on items such as equipment, books, and prizes. Any funds left at the end of the school year go to something for the school, such as projectors. Leftover funds also went to small denomination gift certificates for Student of The Month awards, as voted upon by parents in 2007. Additional funds have also been placed in a savings account for a new school sign that is being planned.

Ms. Poehler next turned the meeting over to Treasurer Mr. David Ortiz, who passed out handouts of his report for September, 2008, and an Income and Expense Report for the School Year 2007-2008. Mr. Ortiz went through the expenses listed and also explained income listed. He pointed out that the H & S account must not exceed $800 at year- end or the association loses its tax- exempt status. All financial information is available for viewing in the H & S office and at our website HYPERLINK "[|http://www.cook-wiss.wikispaces.com]" www.cook-wiss.wikispaces.com

A volunteer is also needed to deal with maintenance of the large fish tank in the library. The parents present agreed upon a one- time professional cleaning of the tank as suggested by parent Cheryl Dore, to be followed up with monthly cleanings by a parent volunteer. All parents are also encouraged to explain to their children that the tank should not be touched.

Two grandparents made donations to the H & S. Thank- you notes were sent.

Parent Kelly Erb discussed an Art Show that she is organizing for the same night as the Science Fair, with a fundraising component included to raise money for school improvements. If anyone is interested in helping, she is looking for volunteers. All students are encouraged to participate.

The first West Region H & S meeting was scheduled for Thursday, Oct 23 at McMichael’s High School at 35th and Fairmount.

Help is also needed for pretzel sales on Tuesdays. Please stop by the H & S office if you can help.

Finally, Mrs. Ortiz discussed a number of grants and opportunities obtained by the Green Committee, including a $5,000 grant from the Food Trust. The next Green Committee meeting will be on Thursday, October 30 at 3:30. A task force meeting will be held on Nov. 3 to discuss the Food Trust grant.

All parents are welcome to join us for the next Home & School meeting on Monday, November 2.

Submitted by K. Faenza, substituting for G. DiDonna, recording secretary.