PTA Meeting Minutes

September 21, 2006

Meeting commenced at 6:45 pm

Board attendance: Gary Goldsborough, John Wong, Cari Gennarelli, Robyn Lipsky, Nancy Sur, David McIlhenny, John Rothmann

Welcome

Gary Goldsborough

Review of prior minutes

• Nancy Sur read the minutes from May 15, 2006

• Minutes approval moved by John R and second by Cerise Lee with a unanimous approval.

Budget Review

• Looking to raise $211,000 to meet budget

• Higher grades need higher parent participation on per student contribution in order to balance budget

• Total assets currently >$140K, with restricted funds of $60K

• Suggestion to report by class what % participation has been seen in a letter from PTA – possibly offer a reward for the class that performs the best

• Brad Kaplan moved to pass the budget as proposed, Anne Vollen seconded. Approved unanimously.

• Question raised of moving some non-used restricted funds out of restricted into general fund. David and John W. to discuss with Cerise.

Fundraising

• Barbara Gruenwald reported on eScrip.

• Encouraged all parents to sign up for eScrip, particularly those shopping at Safeway.

• Reminder that you have to renew your eScrip account every year. Reminder will also go into Wed envelope.

• About 300 CL parents are currently registered, but many are not active.

• Currently raises approx $500/month

• Barbara asked for a volunteer to take over the program for roughly 1-2 hours/week

• MJ Call volunteered to take over the program. Offered to do additional research on credit card and other rebate to school programs.

• Reminder to have friends sign up Safeway cards, etc., as well

• Jim Fong suggested the additional information be posted on the website.

• Anne Vollen reported on Green Zebra

• A coupon book for eco-friendly alternatives in Bay Area.

• Selling for $25, $12 of each sale goes to CL. $1 goes to program for Outdoor Ed for under-served public schools in SF.

• Model for selling will be similar to Entertainment Book

• Anne requested parents be diligent about returning unsold books.

• School that sells the most will win a solar power system/weather station

• The Entertainment book will be offered via flyer at each campus office.

Tech Lab Report

• Vic D’Angelo reported on the Tech Lab

• Lab at Scott campus with 35 iBooks and mobile carts with printers.

• Students took laptops and created science Powerpoint presentations

• Madison campus Lab has iMacs for teaching younger students computer literacy skills

• Main goal is to get kids ready for high school, some of which are already moving to bookless learning

• Welcomed others to join the Tech Committee

• Mr. Hack reported that it is in this year’s Site Plan to discuss computer integration into curriculum.

Greening Committee Report

• Jim Fong reported on the Greening Committee

• Greening committee recommendation is done, program is designed and approved

• Implementation will start this year. Goal is construction drawings to be done in Spring 2007, in conjunction with ADA accessibility construction plans.

• Costs of program as currently designed exceed grant money by $48K.

• Next step is to figure out how to phase in construction or scale down plan

• A colorized version of what the garden will look like will be posted on the website

• Jim asked for volunteers to help finalize program – request to be included in this Wed envelope

• Yolanda Newman suggested a presentation to the community at large with the design of the project.

Administrators’ Report

• William Hack reported on budget – will be uploaded in early October – but budget from Spring was $3 million, with $12K left for operating

• Have since added additional teachers, which should be reflected in new budget.

• Additional money for KIP program, $1800 in ELAP funds. Plan to use to buy new materials

• Proposition H money will pay for librarian 2 days/week, 1 at each campus. Additional Prop H money for after-school athletics, about $7K.

• Additional Prop H money is available for Arts, about $7K, bringing Arts total to $33K. Goal is to maintain Arts curriculum as in past years. Would like to add middle school Visual Arts elective with remaining money. Prop H money set to increase each year till 2015.

• We ended up low and below class sizes in every grade except 4,5,6. Freeze on additional enrollment because of mistakes made last year in over-enrolling by District.

• Twice as many applicants for Kindergarten last year as previous years.

• Noted that measures being take to improve order and safety on Scott yard in morning. More supervision, and middle school students are starting 5 minutes earlier, reducing mix with younger kids.

• Amanda Bloch leading data analysis project using STAR data to adjust curriculum, etc.

Q&A Session

• Yolanda Newman asked about consistency of teacher use of MyGradebook. Mr. Hack responded that goal is to have all middle school teachers use MGB.

• Melissa Lee-Gardner asked if we should have an Arts Committee and volunteered to chair and set one up.

• Deborah Loh offered idea for fund-raising by selling Starbucks cards. She was advised to talk to MJ Call as part of her new responsibilities running Merchants program.

• Robyn Lipsky commented that the Green Zebra book might not meet the needs of all members of the CL community, and we should have Entertainment book available as well. Elizabeth Baker-Change said that the Entertainment books would be available through the office.

  • John R made motion that Green Zebra be distributed to entire school, and that a memo with order form go out saying Entertainment book is also available. Motion carried unanimously.

• Bolivar made a suggestion that each person try to bring an additional parent to the next meeting.

John R called to adjourn the meeting at 8:25 pm and Gary G. seconded the motion. Unanimous approval.