PA President Stuart Leigh opened the meeting at 7:10.

Stuart announced the new PA Website (www.stuypa.org). It will list the PA Officers, the Bulletin, the meeting minutes and a calendar. Great work has been done by the Communications Committee. Lobby Day is March 2 for local visits and March 28^th in Albany. The issues are funding for facilities, universal Pre-K, reduced class size, and extended day and summer school. Seminars in Living will be held by SPARK and Mt. Sinai, starting March 6, 2000 organized by Mr. Blaufarb. There are six different seminars over two months, with sign-ups on a first come, first served basis. The Biology C-30 was withdrawn and duties will be shared within the Senior department of Chemistry and Physics. In March or April, the C-30 will be formed.

Ray Rapaport was recognized for his dedication to our youngsters in encouraging and coaching them in research. Kaare Christian pointed out that 117 students submitted original research papers for Intel. He presented Ray with a crystal bowl etched with the Stuy logo and words of appreciation on behalf of the PA. Ray graciously accepted it, speaking of his passion to foster a sense of curiosity and investigation in the students. He is available and can be reached in Room 802.

Stuart described the duties of the Nominating Committee: taking nominations, qualifying them, meeting to find candidates for all positions, forming a slate and presenting it at the April meeting. Nominations are taken from the floor, the nominations are closed, and the Committee holds the elections in May. Four of the members were selected from the Executive Board. A motion was made to vote in those four: Diane Grant, Gayle Christian, Kathy Park and Stuart Leigh. It was seconded and passed. Stuart asked for three more volunteers and they came forward: Anna White, Dr. Quyyum, and Sheldon Stachel. A motion was made to vote them in, seconded and passed.

The minutes were accepted as written.

Treasurer’s Report: The report was distributed to all members present. At the last meeting, Bill pointed out that Stuyvesant wasn’t spending the money allocated, but now it has spent about 70%; of the $307,000 allocated, $218,000 has been spent. The PA has $40,000-50,000 in excess. The Appropriations Committee will meet and make recommendations to the General Membership. Battery Park City is paying for ½ of the $50,000 project to properly light the gym. A request was made for the PA to contribute $5000 and the Executive Board passed it. A motion was made to spend up to $5,000 for the lights in the gym when a plan is presented. It was seconded and passed.

The Bulletin needs a new Editor for next year. Kaare would like to start apprenticing someone now. Two of our freshman parents, Bernard Rivers and Elise Passaroff, are working on the website.

College Committee: They have met, and are looking for someone in the food business to donate food. Please contact them if you know someone.

Phoneathon Committee: The Phoneathon is May 8, 9, & 10 at UFT offices. Please sign up to volunteer an evening or two or three.

Faculty Reception: Please send in desserts on March 23^rd. Open School Week will take place with the cooperation of the administration during that week.

Membership: Parent Buddies are needed for 300 signed-up parents. Please volunteer. All you have to be is a warm friendly person who is willing to call a new parent. Buddies are matched by neighborhood and we’re short in Brooklyn & Queens.

Seminar Living Series: on topics such as eating disorders and separation anxiety.

Scholarship: It is on the website.

SLT Report: They are dealing with instructional quality, guidance, curriculum and assessment. They are looking at block scheduling. Next meeting is 2/16/00.

A suggestion was made that we invest in headphones for simultaneous translation at PA meetings.

Old Business: none.

New Business:

The SLT is the School Leadership Team and it does the CEP and budget for the school.

The new AP for Social Studies, Jennifer Suri was introduced.

At 7:45, the AP Presentations began.

Danny Jaye, AP for Mathematics began. He has a dual role as parent and AP. He expressed that doing the Phoneathon was an enjoyable and valuable experience last year and made a challenge to all of the departments to bring teachers to help. He made an extensive outline of all of the Math courses offered and the grades when they are available. These can be found on the school website. There are also wonderful math enrichment activities available, including the math team, math fair and math research center. The math department is addressing the math standards and he is helping to write the new math curriculum for Sept 2001.

Q & A’s and discussion ensued about the recent math test, and the coaching sessions given for the math competition. Parents expressed thanks for the math tutoring.

Olga Livanis, Acting AP for Chemistry and Physics discussed writing across the curriculum. Some teachers had won grants that will fund teacher training sessions. We are waiting for the money. Staff development day is March 9^th. The ambition is for every teacher to get training, even though it is voluntary. Scientists disseminate information by speaking and writing, so our children must learn to write in the scientific manner.

Jeff Levin, AP for Technology spoke about developing technological literacy: solving problems and understanding linkages. Tech ed is a diverse discipline, it cannot be pigeonholed and he outlined some of its breadth: industrial arts, applied math, engineering, biotechnology, robotics, computer programming, computer repair and video journalism. He expressed gratitude for the parents funding so much of the technology needs. There are student internship opportunities and the graphics arts classes can even do some of the printing needed by the school. Curriculum and software will be added as funding allows.

Bernard Lieberman, AP for Music & Art, was last, but not least, as is the case for the arts at Stuyvesant. He thanked the parents for creating the environment and providing the resources, especially the Steinway pianos. The art and music offerings are limited as there are limited resources. There are no art class electives until senior year and no music theory courses. Our students are brilliant in the arts and many are constantly performing in off-site settings. The concerts are March 18^th and May 20^th and all are welcome.

Meeting adjourned at 9:05.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Schnee, Recording Secretary