BRIER PTA MEETING MINUTES FROM THURSDAY OCTOBER 12TH , 2006
*Meeting was called to order @ 6:05 pm
*All members were present except Cathy Jackson and Gayle Gray - excused
*Reviewed and approved by general consent the PTA minutes from 9-19-06.
PRESIDENTS REPORT:
*GE Elfun is sending us a check for approximately $1800 from this summer's Lemonade Stand fundraiser.
*PTA & the Law class on Saturday 21st , please let Debbie know who will be attending.
*Keys for the PTA room are in the office and will be kept in a locked drawer. Ask Julie in the office or Debbie Dunne or Penny Ebright have the keys for the lock box located kin the office. If you need to check them out to count money see either person. Remember - Two PTA members present at all times when money is being counted.
*Debbie discussed being approached by the Cub Scouts organization and being affiliated with the PTA. Discussion occurred. It was agreed by everyone that connection should be with the school or administration not our group.
PRINCIPALS REPORT:
*The Artists in Residence days were a fabulous opportunity and a huge success thus far.
*Open house may be shifted from March 6th. We will try to keep it with the spring book fair.
*Arts committee in the process of applying for a grant for additional art program funding from NEA foundation.
*The changes to the Lunch time schedule is still a work in progress. The goal is to make it run smoothly. Not quite there yet.
TREASURERS REPORT:
*New budgets were passed out to reflect what actually happened in August and the new approved plan for the remainder of September based on the general PTA meeting. (See actual budget for changes)
MEMBERSHIP REPORT:
*256 members have joined to date. Cathy is now targeting members that have joined in the past and are not yet members as well as students/parents that are new to our school.
COMMITEE REPORTS:
Programs:
*Bobcat clothing website for ordering online this year will be up and running soon. Contract is ready to sign. We will also be able to link up directly from the Brier web site.
*Kiln is up and running. Training can begin on new users. The goal is to still have one parent from each classroom knowledgeable in using the kiln.
*Reflection committee is meeting next week. Thinking about evening workshops for families. The theme is: "My Favorite Place". There will be an assembly to announce the entries that go on to council, and all entries will be displayed in the library, same as last year.
Fundraising:
*Fall catalog sales have yielded about $17,000 to date.
*Survival Kits will be assembled at Julie Wymans on Friday October 13.
*A request for an additional $120 was made to print the 2006-2007 directories. We received a $180 from local businesses and it costs $300 to print. Discussion occurred. Approved by general consent.
*Opportunity to participate in the Alderwood malls "Festival of Giving" on Sunday December 3rd. tickets are $5.00 and 100% goes to the school. We all agree to participate. Kami Otis will get all the necessary information.
*Box tops collection begins next week.
Social:
*Back to school bash brought in about $1000.
*Monster Mash is moving ahead.
Volunteer:
*Volunteerism is still down. Brainstormed ideas on how to recruit more help. Julie will have sign up sheets at conferences. Maybe start some sort of personal contact (i.e. phone call, referrals, etc.).
Assemblies:
*Money is in the budget for 1 commercial assembly. We will be working on generating our own assemblies and feature some of our own groups, or invite other schools like middle and high schools that have minimal to no cost associated.
UNFINISED BUSINESS:
*Still working the track progress. A new issue has risen regarding the funds matching grant and how much the school district is matching. Debbie Dune is gathering information before we move on to phase 2.
*Community coffees will begin advertising in the Buzz and Cindy Marum's news letters. Cathy Fiorillo will host the first one next month and we can move forward from there.
NEW BUSINESS:
Copying:
*The school received two new copiers. Cost is 2 cents per side. Cindy will check if that includes paper. PTA's budget for copying is $750 and we would be way over budget. Cindy will let PTA just grant $750 to the school for this year, but we will use this year's copy data to make an accurate budget for next year. Debbie will place a usage notebook by each copier to keep track. (The machine does that too.) Other ways to communicate were suggested: expand our e-mail list and make a web page. It was suggested that a "communication coordinator" be found to find the best way to put together what needs to be copied. Cathy F. will send an e-mail telling people to write their copy machine usage in the notebooks.
Arts Enhancement:
* Kiln training for teachers and parents will be soon. Each classroom could do at least one or two projects, and we are asking for a parent from each classroom to learn how to use the kiln. The reflections program will start soon. The assembly committee will be meeting to put together a plan. At the staff meeting(s) the best way to use the PTA grant funds for art enhancement has been discussed. Two specialists are already working with classrooms, but would like to expand on that. Other ideas were:
1. For a poet to come in. It would cost $2200 and could include a dance component. Grant funds from Edmonds Comm. College would need supplement the PTA grant. A poetry book "book fair" in addition to the regular spring book fair was discussed.
2. We could bring in an African dance group for end of the year celebration, but that wouldn't include the training element like to other two artists already in place.
More discussion will need to be held regarding the end of the year art celebration. What we will do, and what kind of ambiance we want. It was suggested that each class have an "art docent" to keep students art work portfolios to show at the art celebration.
Carry-over allocation:
*The PTA started this year with about $7700. $2500 will be the reserve carry-over for next year, so $5200 to spend. We also made $800 over budget on the lemonade stand, $200 in donations, and about $1000 from the round-up. So about $7200 to spend total. This will be discussed at the next meeting.
Review
Staff News: Date for Open House is still being discussed. If anything needs to go in the staff newsletter, get it to Cindy by Thursday of each week
Brier Buzz: Next one will be Nov. 7th. Articles are due by Oct. 28th.
To Do List: Cindy will write something about the "Community Coffees" in her letter for the bulletin. Debbie will get notebooks for the copy machine usage. Debbie will continue to communicate with the arts committee and get updates about the track situation. Penny made a motion to participate in the Alderwood Mall fundraiser to target funds to the Arts Enhancement program. Motion passed with all in favor. Kami will be the chairperson for the Alderwood Mall fundraiser.
Meeting adjourned 7:50pm.