PTA Meeting Minutes - October 06, 2026

10/26/2026 9:59 pm

Oct 6, 2026

Meeting Oct 6, 2026 at 19:45 EDT

Meeting records Transcript Recording 

 

Details

  • Joint PTA Meeting Opening and Welcome: Laurie Schoeman and Joseph Hirschhorn Howard opened the October 2026 monthly joint PTA meeting for Piney Branch Elementary School and Tacoma Park Elementary School at 8:00 PM, welcoming attendees and thanking families for participating (00:12:30). Laurie Schoeman also noted a brief Spanish explanation was provided on the opening slide (00:09:49).
  • Meeting Logistics and Agenda Overview: Joseph Hirschhorn Howard reviewed meeting logistics, advising participants to use translation captions, mute microphones, utilize sidebar view, and use the mobile app for technical difficulties (00:16:02). Laurie Schoeman then outlined the evening's agenda, which included PTA introductions, calendar dates, September achievements, budget reviews, a leadership discussion with principals and vice principals, and a rebuilding project update led by Tom Hackman (00:16:55).
  • PTA Structure and Membership Drive: Laurie Schoeman introduced PTA members, including Piney Branch Elementary School Vice President Shana Fulcher and Treasurer Dan Barthmaier, explaining that the volunteer-led organization supplements the school budget for programs, field trips, and supplies (00:18:07). Laurie Schoeman also announced an upcoming in-person PTA meetup at Motorcat and shared membership registration details via a QR code (00:20:29).
  • Tacoma Park Elementary School Garden Projects and Volunteer Workdays: Deborah Press provided an update on Tacoma Park Elementary School garden projects supported by the Community Food Forest Collective, featuring an outdoor classroom, a food forest, and free native plants. Deborah Press invited the community to a major garden work party on Sunday the 18th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM to plant trees, mulch, and build fences, noting that pizza and supervised child care would be provided (00:21:33).
  • Tacoma Park Elementary School Indoor Recess Plan and Hispanic Heritage Month Event: Naomi Gohn thanked community members for donations toward new indoor recess carts stocked with games and activities for rainy days (00:23:27). Naomi Gohn also announced the upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month Big Read program on October 22nd, featuring a kickoff reading by Miss Ortega, small group stories in English and Spanish read by parent volunteers, reading passports, and stickers (00:24:20).
  • September PTA Achievements: Joseph Hirschhorn Howard highlighted September accomplishments, including a successful back-to-school social with cookies, the monthly grocery assistance program organized by Rebecca Sutton, and funded after-school activity scholarships (00:25:21).
  • October Calendar and Spirit Week Overview: Ken Scudder reviewed the October calendar, detailing spirit week themes (pumpkin patch, Philly socks and boots, and sports team/color) and upcoming events such as the October 12th open house, October 16th professional development day, 5th-grade Strathmore trip and Unity Day on October 21st, 1st-grade Sharp's Farm trip on October 28th, 2nd-grade Butler's Orchard trip on October 29th, and the Harvest Festival and Word Parade on October 30th (00:27:53). Ken Scudder and Joseph Hirschhorn Howard also noted school closures on November 2nd and 3rd for Election Day, and Joseph Hirschhorn Howard mentioned an open house timing adjustment for Piney Branch Elementary School (00:28:52).
  • Fall Fundraising and Panther Appeal Campaigns: Robert Aguirre discussed the importance of fall fundraising, introducing the upcoming Dolphin Drive and Panther Pride events (00:30:59). Laurie Schoeman and Joseph Hirschhorn Howard outlined the Piney Branch Elementary School annual Panther Appeal running from October 26th to December 1st to fund teacher appreciation, after-school scholarships, field trips, and swim lifeguards, alongside membership drive details (00:32:03).
  • Piney Branch Elementary School Membership Options and Volunteer Recruitment: HD, the Piney Branch Elementary School Vice President of Membership and Rainbow Families liaison, presented membership options including a pay-what-makes-sense membership for all tier, automatic renewals, and 5th-grade field trip support (00:35:19). HD encouraged families to volunteer based on their availability and skills by filling out a QR code form, noting specific needs in advocacy, fundraising, equity, programming, communication, and membership (00:36:39).
  • Piney Branch Elementary School Budget Update: Dan Barthmaier presented the Piney Branch Elementary School budget update, reporting that membership signups raised $3,000 in September against a $5,000 budget, while fundraising generated $2,000 through the fall panther appeal and spirit gear (00:39:25). Dan Barthmaier noted that spending remained low, covering teacher classroom setup reimbursements of up to $75 and back-to-school night child care (00:40:30).
  • Crucial Volunteer Roles at Piney Branch Elementary School: Shana Fulcher outlined open leadership and volunteer positions, including a 5th-grade Philadelphia field trip fundraising chair, 2 to 3 Geo Bowl coordinators mentored by Tom Hackman, and Readathon coordinators for a proposed two-week program utilizing online platforms (00:40:30). Laurie Schoeman added that volunteers were also needed to support school dances (00:42:33).
  • Tacoma Park Elementary School Budget Update: Robert Aguirre presented the Tacoma Park Elementary School budget update, highlighting that over $5,000 was allocated for classroom equipment, supplies, and recess equipment, while $700 was spent on a teacher welcome breakfast and break room setup (00:43:37). Robert Aguirre also noted expenses for night-in child care and dolphin gear replenishment, and reported high membership signups while the Dolphin Drive stood at zero (00:44:33).
  • Technology, Screens, and Chromebooks Curriculum Discussion: Diana Hayden and Christine Oberdorf led a discussion on technology, screens, and Chromebooks, acknowledging that new math (Desmos) and reading (CKLA) curricula are tech-heavy, utilizing box lights for projecting stories and instructional slides (00:45:35) (00:50:49). Diana Hayden noted that a countywide screen-time review is underway with guidance expected from the Board of Education in March, and explained that Chromebooks are used for approximately 10 minutes during interventions for adaptive skill practice (Boost) (00:48:15). Christine Oberdorf added that primary learning materials remain print-based, including thick Desmos math books and manipulatives, and Diana Hayden confirmed that opting out of Chromebook use is not an option for engaging in the curriculum (00:50:49) (00:53:20).
  • Teacher Perspective on Technology and Kindergarten Assessments: Jennifer Barry, a kindergarten teacher, explained that kindergarten assessments will be conducted online, making it necessary to provide students with computer time to build tech literacy with mouse tracking and logging in so testing data accurately reflects student knowledge (00:54:12). Jennifer Barry detailed that Chromebook usage is strictly limited to curriculum-based Boost reading and math games during small-group rotations, which provide adaptive challenges and allow teachers to track student data and personalize instruction (00:56:12).
  • Chromebook Placement and Curriculum Integration: Jennifer Barry, Laurie Schoeman, Diana Hayden, and Christine Oberdorf discussed questions regarding Chromebook storage and daily usage limits. Diana Hayden clarified that Chromebooks are kept inside closed Chromebook carts located within each classroom and remain in the building. Addressing questions about usage quotas, Christine Oberdorf explained that there is no daily quota because Chromebooks serve strictly as tools to support the curriculum rather than being part of the core curriculum itself. Christine Oberdorf added that device usage is determined intentionally through teacher collaborative planning based on daily or weekly scope and sequence goals, such as determining whether drafting or refining text is best completed by hand or on a device.
  • Small Group Rotation Guidelines and Indoor Recess Protocols: Laurie Schoeman and Diana Hayden addressed inquiries regarding teacher screen time guidelines and indoor recess policies. Diana Hayden stated that while no written policy exists, expectations require small group rotations during math and reading to last no longer than about 10 minutes per rotation. Diana Hayden emphasized that instructional blocks contain too much required content to allow excessive Chromebook use, and advised participants to contact teachers or administration if reports indicate longer durations. Regarding indoor recess, Diana Hayden clarified that families can opt out of screen time and that new indoor recess carts stocked with off-screen activities were implemented to ensure screen-free indoor recesses, noting that a prior instance of showing an age-appropriate movie during one of the first two indoor recess days was an isolated occurrence rather than standard policy.
  • Non-Instructional Screen Time and Brain Breaks: Joseph Hirschhorn Howard, Laurie Schoeman, Christine Oberdorf, and Diana Hayden discussed concerns raised by David Bend regarding teachers showing streamed television programs multiple times per week, such as Magic School Bus, outside of instructional focus times. Christine Oberdorf stated that all subject areas follow established curricula and offered to discuss specific concerns with parents. Diana Hayden explained that classrooms utilize box lights for brief, roughly two-minute brain breaks involving projected activities or music where students actively participate in physical movement. Diana Hayden noted that screen time is minimal and scheduled for review at the upcoming Instructional Leadership Team meeting on Thursday. Joseph Hirschhorn Howard added that first-grade students frequently highlight screen time when returning home, which can create a perception that screen usage occurs more frequently than it actually does in general practice.
  • PTA Engagement and Transition to School Reconstruction Update: Joseph Hirschhorn Howard, Laurie Schoeman, and tom hackman transitioned the meeting agenda from classroom questions to facility updates while emphasizing community involvement. Laurie Schoeman highlighted the importance of joining the PTA and volunteering to foster collaboration between families, teachers, and school leadership. Following these remarks, Laurie Schoeman introduced tom hackman to present an update on the Piney Branch school reconstruction project and associated advocacy efforts.
  • Piney Branch Facility Conditions and Capital Plan Funding Deficits: tom hackman and Joseph Hirschhorn Howard reported on the structural status and funding challenges facing the 53-year-old Piney Branch school building. tom hackman shared that a professional county evaluation of over 150 school buildings ranked Piney Branch second to last, earning silver medal status due to severe aging infrastructure issues affecting the roof, heating, cooling, design, handicap accessibility, and plumbing. tom hackman explained that although the county previously proposed a two-year rebuild requiring a holding school with construction slated to start around 2029, the project was cut by the county council due to a lack of funding. As a result, the Montgomery County Public Schools five-year countywide capital plan contains no construction funding for the project, providing only minimal planning funding during the final two years of the plan in 2031 and 2032.
  • Community Advocacy and Boundary Study Initiatives: tom hackman, Joseph Hirschhorn Howard, Laurie Schoeman, and Suzanne Reed discussed ongoing grassroots advocacy and community engagement strategies to support the school rebuild. tom hackman outlined advocacy actions taken that very day, including emailing two school board candidates to raise awareness. tom hackman noted that an upcoming county boundary study examining school closures and boundary adjustments makes ongoing advocacy critical to ensuring the school remains in a strong position. tom hackman encouraged parents to respond to requests shared on WhatsApp groups and listservs to sign petitions, letters, or email elected officials. The meeting concluded with administrative coordination regarding slide access, sharing WhatsApp group communication channels, thanking participants for attending, and closing the call.



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