PTO Meeting:
• LJES PTO Meeting Called to Order at 7:40 am
• Meeting adjourned at 8:55 am
Executive Board Members Present: Dana Hourani, Sarah Topol, Christal Duimstra,
Virginia Price, Cher Jabbari, Diana Brunmark, Liz Copperman, Stacey Gubernator,
Anna McDivit, Erin Sullivan
Absent: Kaitlin Barr, Dorothy Tse, Amani Bernstein, Ashley Schell, Dr. Stephanie
Hasselbrink
Approvals:
October Financials approved at 8:12 am. Stacey motioned first, Virginia seconded – All
in favor. September and October 2025 Meeting Minutes approved at 8:13 am.
Stephanie motioned first, Liz seconded – All in favor.
Co-President’s Report: Dana Hourani and Sarah Topol
Science Night Recap: A fantastic evening filled with excitement and hands-on learning.
There was a strong turnout and excellent feedback from both families and staff. Huge
thanks to Samantha Oblander, Zainab Khan, and Jennifer Lin for leading the event. The
5th Grade Committee supported with food and snack sales, which were a big hit.
Winter Market – December 5: Approved by Dr. Hasselbrink and the PTO Board. A
festive community event replacing the OAM Winter Carnival. Highlights include: Holiday
crafts, live artist, Santa or Grinch appearance, 5th Grade Bake Sale, food trucks (OAM
vendors, 10% proceeds back to PTO), and LJES small business booths (15% proceeds
back to PTO).
PTO Military Drive & Spirit Week – November 17–21: Organized by Dana Hourani and
Sarah Topol in response to a request from a staff member from a military family. The
drive will benefit local military families in need and run alongside themed Spirit
Week to encourage student participation.
Staff Appreciation & Birthdays: Esther and Coach Wiskus celebrated birthdays last
month. PTO provided $180 in gift cards to Ester as a birthday gift. Lunches for both
were covered by Dana and Sarah as a gesture of gratitude.
Bulletin Board Updates: Ms. Vela and Ms. Steph requested a shared bulletin board
between their UTK classrooms. Ms. Lansky’s board was removed per her request. PTO
covered installation costs for the updates.
Mural Project: The Ms. Aspasia Nicolaidis Memorial Mural is almost complete. PTO and
Friends are each covering half the cost of the project. Sketches will be sent to Chris
once the mural is complete.
Parent Volunteers & Allies in Action: The parent volunteer program is expanding beyond
UTK/K to all grade levels. Allies in Action leaders will lead training sessions for
volunteers. Appreciation to Cher, Dr. Hasselbrink, Nicole, and Kaitlin for their support and coordination. The program continues to receive positive feedback from teachers
and students.
Open Chair Positions for 2025–2026 (Shadow This Year): To ensure smooth transitions
next year, the following roles need shadows this year: Social Media Chair (Liz), Garden
Chair (Kira), VP After-School Programs (Amani), and Social Chair for Dad Nights
(vacant; previously handled under Friends, now PTO position).
Holiday Party – December 11: The PTO/Friends Holiday Party will be held at Stacey
Gubenator’s home at 6 PM. Potluck style — attendees are encouraged to bring a dish.
Open to all PTO and Friends members; a great opportunity for community connection
and volunteer appreciation.
Hospitality: The Staff Holiday Luncheon is scheduled for Dec 17. Hospitality chairs are
coordinating the menu and décor, and PTO will assist with setup and provide funding.
Teacher’s Report: Erin Sullivan
No updates
Treasurer’s Report: Christal Duimstra
No updates
Auditor’s Report: Virginia Price
No updates
VP Communications (Social Media): Liz Cooperman
No updates
Friends Liaison and VP Volunteers Report: Kaitlin Barr (Update by Cher Jabbari)
AGC cocktail party is this weekend for those that donated $1800 or more. LJAWF was a
great success! OAM just celebrated their 27th year. Legacy Day has been postponed.
The Enrichment Wheel is going great!
VP Room Parent: Diana Brunmark
New guidance sent to room parents about personal communications vs room parent
communications.
VP Tidings: Stacey Gubernator and Anna McDivit
The first Tidings issue is out!! Deadline for content of the next issue is 12/5!
Garden Committee: Kira Higgins
Garden Committee needs more parent involvement and discussed ways to get that.
Discussed ways to incorporate the teachers into the planning of how they would like to
see the gardening program for their class.
Additional Business:
With the co-president’s leaving their posts next year, everyone is asked to be on the
look out for the next candidate(s) who can take on this role. The ideal is to have them
start shadowing