October Meeting Minutes

Presidents’ Forum Meeting Minutes

October 16th, 2024

9:30 p.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Rockwood Administrative Annex

Welcome and Introductions:

Kate Moore, Presidents’ Forum Co-President, welcomed attendees.
Dr. Curtis Cain, Superintendent of Rockwood Schools, provided a welcome address.

Superintendent's Remarks:

Dr. Cain discussed upcoming legislative issues, the new Dignity and Belonging Cohort in Spring, and the Rockwood Learning Council.
He highlighted the Superintendent Student Advisory Councils, emphasizing the importance of student input.
Dr. Cain focused on the district's commitment to student success and outlined strategies for measuring progress.
He noted Rockwood's high ranking in Missouri and its strong college readiness scores.
Dr. Cain also mentioned new vocational learning strategies, the district's 25-year budget award, and upcoming facility improvements.
He addressed safety measures, including exterior door keypads and a campaign to recruit highly qualified staff.
Dr. Cain emphasized the importance of addressing swatting/hoax threats and the district-wide implementation of the Dignity and Belonging program.
He concluded by highlighting Rockwood's positive trajectory and the importance of supporting all students.

Board of Education Update:

Lynne Midyett, Board of Education President, provided an update.
She discussed the new partnership with the student advisory group and highlighted its importance for direct communication with students.
Midyett mentioned the Advocacy Committee's activities in Jefferson City and the need for active community engagement.
She noted the recent tax rate decrease and the upcoming presentation of the Presidents’ Forum at the MSBA conference.

Financial Update:

Andrea Kraus, Presidents’ Forum Treasurer, presented a financial update.
She noted the Forum's small budget and the availability of carry-over funds.
Kraus explained that dues are used to fund the leadership conference and encouraged proper labeling of food items.

Insurance and IRS Updates:

Tom Hawver, Presidents’ Forum Secretary, provided insurance and IRS updates.
He highlighted the need for additional B&O, bonding/crime insurance, which is available through PTO Today.
Hawver encouraged attendees to contact PTO Today with any event-related questions.
He mentioned a group deal for PTO Today insurance and advised contacting Kate Moore for details.

Presidents’ Forum Updates:

Kate Moore, Presidents’ Forum Co-President, provided updates on the Presidents’ Forum.
She discussed the possibility of inviting vendors to the May meeting for a fee, with revenue shared among Title 1 schools.
Moore suggested creating a vendor directory and charging a higher fee.
A proposal of forming a committee to plan the May meeting was mentioned
Moore encouraged PTO representatives to attend the upcoming community meeting on November 12th and mentioned the availability of Swank videos for PTOs.
She announced that the Presidents’ Forum would review bylaws and standing rules this year and invited feedback from PTOs.

Rockwood PIE Department Update:

Shelley Willott, Assistant Superintendent of Learning and Support Services, provided an update on the Rockwood PIE Department.
She discussed the 12th-grade career fair, summer internship program, and job shadowing opportunities.
Willott mentioned an upcoming School Links tool talk at the November meeting.
She encouraged attendees to contact her with information about businesses that could connect with Rockwood.

Creating Norms within a PTO for Successful Conversations:

Kate Moore led a discussion on creating norms for productive PTO meetings.
She emphasized the importance of establishing guidelines, including timekeeping and welcoming disagreement.

Adjournment and Upcoming Events:

Kate Moore and Karen McBride adjourned the meeting.
They announced the next meeting:
- Date: November 13, 2024
- Time: 9:30-10:30 a.m.
- Location: Eureka Early Childhood, 442 W 4th St, Eureka, MO 63025