Summary
The PTA discussed several financial matters, including the full funding of the kindergarten museum field trip by parent donations, a $300 reimbursement for the fourth grade’s Wabanaki Stories presentation, and the approval of $305 for adult admissions to the Maine Maritime Museum for first and third graders. David Motel provided a treasurer’s report and announced that Sarah Staffiere would distribute $50 classroom grants to Mitchell and Hall School. Key event planning included rescheduling the October Bingo Night to October 29th, with Sarah LeVan and Erica Morrison suggesting a bake sale and costume contest, and discussions about the annual pumpkin patch event, including Jesse Meredith offering help with pickup. The PTA also discussed future field trip collaborations, with June Linscott mentioning Tyler at Greenblock working on a movement-focused trip for kindergarten, and David Motel suggesting a PTA-sponsored theater event. David Motel also informed the group about the Maine State PTA’s virtual kickoff and the need to reschedule the November meeting to November 13th, while inquiring about scheduling a teacher check-in meeting and raising the need for snack donations for the school’s food pantry, which June Linscott suggested asking attendees of the Bingo Night to bring. Erica Morrison also agreed to check with Kim to establish a more scheduled timeline for newsletter submissions.

Details

• Field Trip Funding for Kindergarten June Linscott shared that the kindergarten museum field trip is fully funded by parent donations, eliminating the need for PTA approval. David Motel noted the successful fundraising and suggested that in the future, if families are unable to cover costs, the PTA has an $800 budget per grade to support such initiatives.
• Collaboration for Field Trip Planning June Linscott mentioned that Tyler at Greenblock is working on creating a new, movement-focused field trip for kindergarten, as the Colby Art Museum trip was canceled. David Motel also brought up the idea of a PTA-sponsored theater event with the recycled Shakespeare company, considering Sara Wing’s involvement with the troop.
• Conversation with Jessica Anderson from Count Me In! Jessica Anderson, from Count Me In, provided suggestions for transportation, including carpooling and tapping into existing networks. She recommended contacting Moving Maine, a nonprofit focused on improving transportation access in the state. The discussion also included incorporating gas cards into event budgets to help families with transportation costs and the idea of a “reverse bus run” for events, where buses pick up families. Jessica shared information about Everdriven, a paid ride service for schools, and Safe Routes to Schools, a national partnership promoting safe school access. The concept of a “walking school bus” was discussed, with Sanford as an example of a district with a successful program, and Jessica offered to connect David with Leah from Sanford for insights on their program and fundraising. Which, at the time of writing she has already done!
• Treasurer’s Report David Motel provided an update on the PTA’s finances, stating that the checking account holds $7,563.98, savings has $280.91, and there is $800 in cash, totaling $8,644.89. Jesse Meredith confirmed that funds have primarily been outgoing due to teacher grants, with $2,000 recently disbursed.
• Teacher Grants Disbursement David Motel announced that Sarah Staffiere would distribute the $50 per classroom grants to Mitchell and Hall School in the middle of next week, as approved via email. Sarah Staffiere confirmed the plan to ensure teachers receive their grants at both schools.
• Fourth Grade Reimbursement Sarah St. Pierre requested a $300 reimbursement for the fourth grade’s attendance at the Wabanaki Stories presentation, which cost $575. The PTA approved the $300 reimbursement, aligning with the amount typically allocated for LC Bates, which the fourth grade opted not to attend this year.
• Maine Maritime Museum Field Trip Funding Alisa Snipe and Leslie Lloyd requested funding for adult admissions to the Maine Maritime Museum for first and third graders, totaling $305, as children receive free entry and one adult is free per ten children. The request was approved, with $180 allocated for first grade and $125 for third grade.
• Newsletter Deadline and Content David Motel inquired about a deadline for submitting content to the newsletter to include information about upcoming events like Bingo Night and the pumpkin patch, and to inform parents about PTA activities. Erica Morrison agreed to check with Kim to establish a more scheduled timeline for newsletter submissions.
• October Bingo Night Rescheduling The October Bingo Night, initially scheduled for the 22nd at George A. Mitchell, needed to be rescheduled due to a conflict with Family Literacy Night on the 23rd. The new date proposed and approved was October 29th, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, with setup starting at 6:00 PM.
• Bingo Night Volunteer Support and Activities Sarah LeVan confirmed that Carrie would likely be able to help with the Bingo Night on the new date, and suggested holding a bake sale and a costume contest, given the proximity to Halloween. Erica Morrison supported the idea of a costume contest, and Sarah LeVan offered to secure a prize donation.
• Teacher Check-in Meeting David Motel inquired about scheduling a mid-year check-in with teachers to discuss progress and new ideas, suggesting the district-wide inservice day on January 26th. Erica Morrison proposed a staff meeting on January 12th as an alternative, but the timing was not finalized due to professional development until 9 AM.
• School Food Pantry Snack Drive David Motel raised the need for snack donations for the school’s food pantry, as requested by Michelle Carr. June Linscott suggested asking attendees of the Bingo Night to bring snack donations, and David Motel proposed creating a graphic and sending out an email through the school’s “Reach My Teach” system to solicit specific items.
• Pumpkin Patch Event Planning The PTA discussed the annual pumpkin patch event, with plans to provide one pumpkin per classroom due to past challenges with transportation and pickup logistics. Jesse Meredith offered to help with pickup, as they now have a truck, and Sarah LeVan explained that Johnny Selected Seeds donates the pumpkins, making pickup times unpredictable based on their harvest schedule.
• Maine State PTA Virtual Kickoff David Motel informed the group about the Maine State PTA’s virtual kickoff on October 14th at 7:30 PM, where he will facilitate a breakout session. He encouraged others to attend for networking opportunities with other PTAs, and Sarah LeVan expressed interest but noted a conflict due to working late hours that week.
• November Meeting Rescheduling David Motel announced the need to reschedule the November 6th meeting to Thursday, November 13th, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The new date was approved by the attendees.

Next steps

• David Motel will reschedule the November 6th meeting to Thursday, November 13th.
• David Motel will talk more with the KV Cap transportation director about transportation and fundraising opportunities and connect with Moving Maine first to explore potential transportation networks and resources.
• Erica Morrison will check with Kim to schedule a regular deadline for newsletter submissions.
• David Motel will ask around for more people to help with the bingo night.
• Sarah Staffiere will send an email, CCing David Motel, regarding the dispersal of teacher grants at the hall school.
• David Motel will reach out to Johnny Selected Seeds to plan the pumpkin patch event, requesting 38 pumpkins, and asking for a pickup time as soon as possible.
• Sarah LeVan will try to get a donation for a fun little basket for a kid who wins the costume contest at bingo night.
• The group will ask people coming to bingo night to bring a donation of snack items for the food pantry, and David Motel will reach out to Michelle Carr for snack ideas and look into Hannaford’s donation program.

Next Meeting November 13, 2025 @ 6:30PM-7:30PM. If you’d like to attend, please follow the WatervilleElementaryPTA on Facebook or email us! We will be posting the next meeting on Facebook as an event.

https://calendar.app.google/nyL1spjzS1tyHkdG8