PSR ADVISORY BOARD

Notes from meeting 10/17/06

Present:

Eilenn Munoz, Cindy Mesnier, Bob Brown, Julie Dimitry, Julie Ellis, Michelle Foster, Anne Maria Obermeier, Lisa Ferbert, Anne Miller

Not Present:

Christine Plohr, Colleen Biggs, Jim Gissy, Fran Crowley, Father Bob, Tina Jones, Carrie Salwasser

Michelle opened the meeting with a prayer called Bless my Children. Meeting began at 7:03 p.m.

REPORTS:

Father Bob: Michelle reported on his behalf that he intends to begin working with 4^th and 5^th graders and 7^th & 8^th graders to go more in depth into the Liturgical Calendar.

He will most likely start with the 5^th and 8^th since they have ACRE testing and then do 4^th and 7^th.

CRE: Michelle / DFF Report (Michelle gave for Carrie)

Topic 1: Registrations

Michelle reported that we are currently at 466 students registered for PSR:

Breakdown:

33 (Sunday)

59 (Homeschool)

374 (Monday)

Michelle also compared the stats from last year and year before .

She also indicated there are 33 Families which would amount to 41 kids that were registered last year for PSR who still have not registered. Michelle shared that this year was an exceptionally bad one for registrations, there were very last minute ones – a lot who showed up the first night of PSR……She explained this is a struggle for her and Debby to get prepared / ordering books, etc. . . .She said this year, when it was 3 weeks out from PSR to start, 100 plus families still had not registered.

We have 48 new families to PSR this year – Frank Flemming did contact these families (with an initial phone call……then followed up with e-mail invites…..e-mailed questions to see how the year was going…..) Michelle needs someone to continue communication process. Julie Dimitry suggested dividing families up among the board.

Michelle indicated she sent out a letter about registration to families who haven’t registered and did not receive one single response. She included on there a question to see why registration was not completed and if she had to guess she said they probably would have chosen the “Just didn’t get to it” response. Michelle said she wishes she would have included the numbers of how many families at that point had not registered so they could see it was a significant number.

Michelle opened the floor for suggestions on what to do from here…..

Suggestions:

• Charge a Late Fee up to 2 weeks before PSR starts. Fee proposed: $50.00

• Have a closing program versus a closing mass. Maybe more families would come to see their child, for example, in a music program. We could solicit registrations heavily at this gathering.

• Ice Cream Social: at closing get together, have a registration table and try to catch people then.

• Michelle informed us we have a new family in PSR and the father is a Cardinal Trainer……and his wife said to let them know if we ever need a Cardinal Player to participate in anything…….maybe we could tie get an autograph at registration.

• It was also suggested to have a raffle at registration for those families who do register in March to win FREE tuition for the year.

Topic 2: Parent session update: (Michelle Gave update for Carrie)

Carrie Salwasser indicated the 1^st grade turnout for Parent Session night was small this year. Moms at the meeting shared when they attended last year, the video was good, but the screen was really hard to see.

Carrie indicated that 4^th Grade Human Sexuality had 18 who attended – more than last year.

Carrie and Michelle had a discussion on how parent’s have asked for more Adult Faith Formation opportunities, but when they are offered, it seems turnout is low. Carrie suggested having Adult Formation programs available on-line. From this discussion, it was also suggested having a “rent out library”. The mom’s who attended the 1^st grade session last year said that would have been a good video to watch at home.

.

Topic 3: Jr. High Youth Group

Carrie Bajzath has permission to attend South Middle’s “Wyldlife nights” which is general information session with about 10 minutes of it geared to very simple teachings of Jesus. We’ll learn more about this after she attends.

Topic 4: Confirmation Retreat

This was a huge success for most of the students (full time and PSR students). It has spurred them on to do service oriented projects.

Topic 5: Speaking of Service….

Students and Catechists are on fire with service!

Examples:

• Miller has several projects planning
• Faust has had one successful and planning more (Snack Night)
• Bunten has SVDP as huge parish project at Thanksgiving
• Sandwich Ministry is being used as a resource for the full time’s start of this ministry
• 2^nd graders are doing homebound communicants (stamping cards)
• Lego service to benefit St. Louis Children’s Hospital (for All Saints)
• Smith’s class toy collection added to Donut Sunday’s (they will serve a Christmas Party to whichever class collects the most)

Topic 6: Goals for Michelle
Michelle wants to make a Liturgical Banner which would change colors and have icons for that particular time of the church visible at closing prayer….so the kids will notice when colors change and she can make reference to it. Anne Miller will help make this.

Eileen and Michelle need to discuss the formation of the social committee.

One more person is being added to parking lot duty.

Old Business:

Board Presence at Functions:

Julie apologized for not devising/sending the list of events where board presence is needed. The next activity we need help is the All Saints Mass on 10/30. Many of the board members present said they will be there. Julie asked they be in the back of church and wear their nametag and greet people as they come in.

Donut Sunday

Will be held December 10^th. Frank Flemming has offered to help. Eileen Munoz is spearheading this. Will have tattoos available for the kids. It was suggested to order 10 units of 72. Can always use extra for other things. Anne will be out of town on Dec. 10^th, she will get parent help to watch her 7^th grade class. We will not have a coloring “station” this year, rather we will put coloring pages at several tables the way they are currently set up and have crayons, too. The tattoos will be at a “station”. Eileen already has coloring sheets. In e-mail, Fran suggested having pictures used to make centerpieces for the tables and this turned into having a slideshow highlighting various “kids in PSR action”, therefore, no centerpieces will be made this year.

New Business:

What did hear at Open House/Parent Feedback?

Julie Dimity talked with one father who gave this feedback:

1a. Does not like Monday night

1b. Dismissal is crazy

1c. Parent’s could help with classroom newsletter

1d. Have more fun activities to tie in the PSR themes / topics together.

( upcoming Family Advent Activity is something that was brought up which ties in Advent and is a family oriented activity)

Bob Brown had one parent say “everything is fine”.

Other board members present had no other comments.

Based on some of this feedback, Anne Miller suggested moving the closing prayer to an opening prayer (not this year – but thought for next year). This way the younger students can be dismissed via the intercom and head out first – then continue with older grades on up…….

Jeff Bunten’s PSR Parent’s Night Out

Jeff holds this each year and has at Notre Dame House – has 100% participation. Only parent’s attend: it is a pot-luck: this year Jeff is discussing Advent / they will eat / then socialize.

Parkway Realities information to parish

Anne Miller will be setting a meeting with Father Santen to discuss how we can make available an informational meeting be held for the people of St. Joe who do not have children in public schools to understand the issue on the ballot. Home values could be affected by the outcome of this proposed tax increase.

Overall general safety check on PSR program (from Archdiocese)

Michelle handed out a form to be reviewed and to give feedback at our next meeting.

Future Business:

December Meeting is set for Tuesday, December 5^th .

Any suggested topics from Board:

None at this time.

Meeting adjourned approximately 9:10 p.m.

Notes submitted to Tina Jones by Julie Ellis.