PSTA Board Meeting Minutes

Fairhaven Middle School

January 13, 2009

 

Board Members:

Present: Julie Webster, Jennifer Dolese, Val Hauter, Susan Feemster, Jana Burk

 

Others Present:

Anne Seeger, member of the Parent's Advisory Committee to the Superintendent

Kate Foster and Meg Metzger, members of the Parent's Advisory Committee to the Superintendent from Happy Valley

 

Proceedings:

Mayor’s Lunch:

Top 20 fundraisers took the city bus to have lunch with Mayor Dan Pike.  Good conversation was had and the students enjoyed the trip.

 

Carnival of Inflatable Toys:

The insurance claim is still pending on the broken arm that occurred during the FunRent carnival. Let's make sure that all future PTSA activities are covered.

 

Directory Update:

The directory is complete except for a couple ads that haven't been paid for yet.  Copies are available at the front desk.

 

Reflections Update:

There were 45 submissions. 

There will be a display of submissions on Jan. 21st in the PSTA room.

 

Picture Rebate:

Rebate has not been received. 

Julie has called several times and will continue to do so.

There was a discussion concerning switching to a different photographer next year, specifically a local business.

 

Secretary Report:

Motion: To approve November’s minutes as corrected (unanimous).

 

Board Communications:

It was requested that board members respond with an “ok” when they receive a board-related email so the sender knows it was received

Board information can be found in the Grizzly Growl, a link on the school webpage, and the daily bulletins.

 

Upcoming Events:

Need coordinators for -

 

 

Field Trips:

Information from Dierdre – the staff chooses and promotes field trips, not the PSTA.  President will ask Dierdre to put something in the Grizzly Growl explaining the field trip policy.  Some questions were raised: Is there an expectation by the school for teachers to plan field trips?  Is there scholarship money available for field trips?

 

General PSTA membership meeting:

An idea was raised that the meeting should have some activity to draw people; a focus on the arts (improv, choir, orchestra), monologues the 8th graders wrote and performed at the Firehouse Theater, a dinner or dinner theater with 8th graders serving.

It was suggested that a blank template for volunteers for the 2009-2010 school year be provided at the meeting, in order to get a head start on getting volunteers.

Jennifer will do some brainstorming and talk with Dierdre about ideas; Val will talk with another person about the monologues.

 

Nominating Committee:

Job descriptions for board positions and committee chairs are needed.

An announcement will be placed in the Grizzly Growl to inform people on positions that need to be filled.

Kate Foster and Val Hauter will be on the committee.

 

Treasurer’s Report:

Tax time – discrepancy between what Susan thinks this year’s tax form should say and the form from the year before.  Needs last 2 budget year notebooks.

No bills have been submitted from DEN.

An audit is still needed – will post in the Grizzly Growl.

In the bank now: approximately $24,000

Should preserve $5000 or more in budget for next year’s start up costs.

Upcoming expenditures:

ž   8th grade event: -850

ž   8th grade picnic: -500

ž   Annuals: -1500 (with the assumption that kids will pay for part of cost)

ž   Chalk art: -250

ž   Hospitality: -179

ž   Staff appreciation: -60

ž   Assemblies: (-300)

ž   Athletics: -500

ž   Clubs: -500

ž   DEN: -2500

ž   Emergency supplies: -100

ž   Library: -1000

ž   Music Enhancement: -1000

ž   Science trip: -1000

ž   Staff allotment: -1751

ž   Student discretionary: -500

ž   Technology maintenance: (-250)

ž   Executive discretionary fund: -300

ž   Postage: -28

ž   Printing/newsletter: -155

ž   Supplies: -153

ž   Meetings: -74

Total: $-11,974

Remaining funds: $13, 026

 

Proposed Revisions for budget:

ž   Change “Magazine Drive” to “Fall Fundraiser”

ž   Revise “Science Trip” line item to “Field Trip Scholarship” and fund at $500

ž   Add $200 to “Staff Appreciation”

ž   Add $200 to “Printing and Newsletter” line item

ž   Add “Walk and Roll Wednesdays” and fund at $120

Revisions: -$670

Remaining funds: $12,356

 

Motion: To accept proposed changes to 2008-2009 budget (unanimous).

 

Susan requested that when new programs (such as Walk and Roll Wednesdays) come up, the board discusses it before receipts come to Treasurer.

 

There was a strong suggestion that excess funds should be used for direct services for students (i.e. yearbooks).  Anne Seeger volunteered to be on the Excess Funds Committee.

 

Site Council:

Meg will suggest to the Site Council that they take on recycling.

 

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, February 10, 2008. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 9:14 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Secretary, Jana Burk.