PTA General Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Rush Library
Call to Order: 6:45 pm
President’s Report: President Terry Jett discussed the purpose of PTA and goals this year of personalizing PTA and having involvement by grade groups.
· Introductions: Terry introduced the PTA team as follows:
Jam Delcamber – Men in PTA Chair
Heidi Linsky – VP Education
Kim Erickson – VP Education
Tracy Shaffer – VP Health & Welfare
Kym Meade – VP Communications
Rebecca Talbot-Bluechel – Art Docent Chair
Janie Ward – Teacher Appreciation Chair
Kris Monrad – Teacher Rep
Mary Kay Weinmeister – Teacher Rep
Dan Dorsey – VP Special Events
Beth McLeod – Auction Chair
Lori Chisholm – Membership Chair
Heather Ortega – Secretary
Other Team Members:
Stephanie Strobele – Treasurer
Sapna Aggarwal – Hospitality Chair
Sean Schwoerer – Legislative Chair
Amy Smith – Kitchen Patrol Chair
· Membership: Terry explained why we join PTA and discussed where the money goes. Lori Chisholm reported that 123 families have joined (41%) and 31 out of 44 staff (70%). Goal is for 75% of families and 100% of staff to be PTA members.
· Fundraising: Doing freedom of small fundraising this year, Terry explained the concept. Kim Erickson announced that she found someone to do Box Tops for Education.
· Legislation: District wants to make this an official board position. Sean Schwoerer is chair, will be holding a round table meeting next Thursday Oct. 6.
Q & A’s / Comments:
· Teacher Representative Kris Monrad mentioned that the teacher reps would like to be on the agenda at each meeting. Kris announced the following:
o Thank you for the September luncheon on behalf of the staff.
o Spirit Day will be the 2nd Friday of each month. First one scheduled for Oct. 14th.
· Terry Jett mentioned that 4th grade parent reps are working on selling t-shirts; will work with 3rd grade parents also.
· Karen Gear, E-prep Chair, asked the teachers how she could get a better turnout for receiving comfort kits from students (now past due). Kris Monrad will send an email to the staff. Karen will follow-up with communication to parents next week if comfort kits are still missing.
Voting:
· Standing Rules proposed for 2005-2006 handed out.
· Per Standing Rule #12, Vanessa Arellano made a motion to add the following PTA appointed Chair positions (hence the people already assigned to those positions) to the Board of Directors:
1) Staff Appreciation Chair (Janie Ward)
2) Art Docent Chair (Rebecca Talbot Bluechel)
3) Auction Chair (Beth McLeod)
4) Kitchen Patrol (Amy Smith)
Motion was seconded by Kym Mead, motion approved.
· Per Standing Rule #8, Vanessa Arellano made a motion to vote the following individuals in to the new VP positions per the changes in the standing rules.
1) VP/Legislation (Sean Schwoerer)
2) VP/Hospitality (Sapna Aggarwal)
3) VP/Men in PTA (Jam Delcamber)
Motion was seconded by Kim Erickson, motion approved.
· Standing Rule Discussions:
#12 – Typo, delete the word “three”.
#13 – Safety deposit box at the bank – question came up as to whether there is a safety deposit box or not, should get one if we don’t have it. Terry will follow up on this.
#30 – Chair Recruitment team. There was discussion that adding a Chair Recruitment team would be redundant with the Nominating Committee. Vote taken by show of hands of who was in favor of this new standing rule. One in favor, everyone else opposed. #30 will be omitted.
#9 – Each co-position holders entitled to voice and vote. Wanted to make sure it was clear that if 2 people shared a position, would count as 2 votes. Terry will check to make sure it is consistent with State By-Laws.
· Standing Rule Vote: Vanessa Arellano made a motion to approve the standing rules, revised as discussed. Tracy Shaffer seconded motion, motion approved.
· Last Meeting’s Minutes: Minutes from the General PTA Meeting on 3/31/05 were distributed. Kris Monrad made a motion to approve the minutes, seconded by Rebecca Talbot Bluechel. Minutes were approved.
· Budget Discussion: There was discussion that although PTA is trying to minimize fundraising, if PTA starts charging for each service, then it is going back in the direction of “nickel and diming”. There was a suggestion to have a Budget Committee, to look at budget items in more detail. Most line items had “0” dollars because the goal was to break even. Was discussed that money cannot be spent if there is nothing budgeted for that item, even if the goal is to break even. There needs to be some dollars budgeted for staff appreciation formal luncheons, E-prep, yearbook, etc. Suggestions were made to use budget figures from last year.
· Budget Vote: Heidi Linsky made a motion that the 2004-2005 budget expenses and income (Columns A, C and D from pages 7-9 in budget hand-out) become our new budget for 2005-2006. Motion was seconded by Rebecca Talbot Bluechel, budget approved.
· Motion to adjourn by Kym Mead, seconded by Lori Chisholm.
Adjournment Time: 8:00 p.m. Minutes submitted by Heather Ortega
Page 2 of 2