OTA Parent Foundation
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Meeting called to order at 6:00 PM
Present:
Monika Hanft, President
Cindy Stullich, Treasurer
Gail Warrick, Auditor
Clarissa Shanner, Secretary
Jon Centofranchi, Advisory
Sonia Mahmud, Communications
Heidi Weaver, Parliamentarian
Annie Davis, 1st Grade Rep.
Matt Johnson, Fundraising Chair
Ken Morris, OTA Board President
Approval of Minutes: Not discussed
Upcoming Events
Family Dance (Saturday Feb. 4th): Gail Warrick spoke about the upcoming Pokemon-themed dance. About 200 people are estimated to attend. There will be pizza and she has a sign-up sheet out for desserts. There will be music, face painters, and a scavenger hunt. The lower grades are particularly excited for the event.
Parent/Child Event: Skateworld – Sunday March 5th 10 A.M -12 P.M. $5 per person at door. Tricia Ornelas is heading up.
Grandparents Day: Friday, April 28th – Lucy Covington
$500 Classroom Grants
The board received six (6) applications for the two $500 classroom grants as follows:
1. Anthony Kanester: Applied for consideration for the SmartMusic software program that would benefit 7th and 8th grades in piano.
2. Turner Watts: Requested funding for a school newspaper publication that would cover the remaining quarters of the 2016-17 school year. Estimated cost $441.64. Predominantly for upper grades.
3. Mirelle Desrosiers: In need of a locked art cart with wheels that can be stored in a locked cabinet or location on campus.
4. Taylor Schlose: Request for coding curriculum
5. Diana Pham: Teacher edition textbooks
6. Kevin Killacky: Lacrosse equipment
The board voted to approve the lacrosse equipment application from Coach Killacky and the newspaper publication from Mr Watts. Upon giving the grant to Mr. Watts, the board wished to make a counter proposal to request that the publication bring in some of the younger grades as well. All agreed that lacrosse equipment would be a big benefit to our physical education program. The board felt Mirelle’s request could be accommodated in another capacity but needed further discussion on where we could store the cart. It was generally thought (with concurrence from Mr. C) that Ms. Schlose’s and Mrs. Pham’s requests would be covered costs in the budget and felt that Mr. Kanester’s request isolated a majority of the students but still wish to improve the music program at OTA in a more inclusive way.
Treasurer Report
Bank balance as of 1/31/17: $114,456.78
Foundation finances: The financial obligation that the Parent Foundation has to OTA for 2016-2017 school year has been met by $60,000 in July 2016, $20,000 Jan 2017 and final $10,000 to be considered in the funds being spent for biology and robotics
• Jog A Thon:
o Final total: $40,413.40
o 20,000 transferred to OTA
o 10,000 to be reserved for Yearbook/Uniform
• Biology/Robotics purchases
o Biology
v $8,748.75
v $1,184.20
v $9,932.95
v $3,000
Total $13,000
• Robotics
o $3,536.84
o Originally raised:
v Robotics: 16,965
v Biology: 21,963
• Budget Meeting Update
o Currently have
v 114,000
v ~20,000 in JAT account (10,000 reserved from)
v Potentially $20,000 from grants (see below Henrickson/Bridges)
o Expenses
v 5,000 – art consultant
v 10,000 – Parent Foundation Base (includes $5000 Gala startup fund)
v 3,000 – Parent Foundation Supplies/Purchases
v 3,000 – Heart Safe School
v 5,000 – Taxes & Accounting
v 1,000 – Teacher Wish Found
v 5,000 – Robotics
v 20,000 – Biology
v 53,000 total
o How much do we have to possibly spend this year??
v 110,000
v 10,000 JAT
v 10,000 Henrickson
v 130,000 – 50,600 = 74,000
Cindy and Monika discussed donating $90,000 yearly to OTA if fundraising efforts allow; $70,000 in July and $20,000 in January. Mr C agreed those were the best months to take in funds for the school.
Budget - Action items:
The field trip account needs to be closed and field trips need to become a line item in the budget worksheet instead. (Jog a Thon funds can be used towards field trips). Upon transfers from Foundation account to OTA, OTA needs to give donation letters to the Foundation for tax purposes. The Foundation also needs to give OTA a letter stating the funds were donated to the school. There is also a Principal’s account which needs to be canceled; Cindy to work on closing extraneous accounts.
Gala 2016 Funds:
There are still funds to spend from money raised at last year’s gala. After all budgeted expenses, approximately $44,000 remains. Some thoughts on how to spend:
• Playground equipment
• Fencing – new fence? Extend fence?
• New turf / rubber
• Improving kindergarten play area – sand box, etc.
• Art/painting on asphalt
• More classroom grants
• Net on fence preventing balls from going in street
• School Library
• Principal discretion fund - Principal needs a principal’s fund of approximately $5000 for activities. Principal cannot use state money so best he uses a specific fund for that purpose. Still have funds this year but would consider in budget next year
• New front door entry system
• Carpets, chairs, entryway furniture
Grants:
In the past we have received grants from two donors – Henrickson and Bridges. If OTA is to receive again this year, Monika stated it would be best to designate what their grant went towards and following up with a thank you letter. The idea was that Henrickson’s donation (which comes in an unrestricted form) could go towards a new playground and Bridges’ donation toward curriculum. Heidi Weaver volunteered to write the 2 grant letters and will consult with Chris Celentino and Mr C.
Parent Survey:
A survey was sent out to parents in January and Monika shared the results. There were more responses to this than previous surveys (approx. 90) so the board felt positive about the increased parent involvement. The results are as follows, ranked in importance to parents on what is offered at OTA:
1. Project Based Learning
2. Music
3. Robotics
4. Arts
5. Foreign Language
6. Brick and Mortar
Comments Summary:
School General
· Relocating – 3
· 2 classes/grade – 1
· Upgrading classrooms 1
· Bigger field 1
Sports – 1
· Teams 1
· Older kid sports 1
Science
· Chemistry
· Project based Science/geography for 3rd grade
Robotics- 8
· Coding 3
· Computer Programming 1
· 3D Printing 1
· STEM Enrichment 2
Other Classes
· Entrepreneurship 1
· Home Ec/Finances 2
· Speech/Debate 1
· Chorus 2
· Theatre 3
· Journalism 1
· Creative Writing 1
· Songwriting 1
· Filmmaking 1
· Philosophy 1
· Gardening 1
· Keyboarding
Music 11
· No real music for 3/4th grade
· Piano
· Violin/Orchestra 2
· Reading music 3
· Guitar 1
Foreign Language 7
· Advanced Spanish 1
· General 2
· Chinese 2
Playground/PE 8
· More PE equipment
· Kindergarten
Field Trips 4
· More and project based 2
· East Coast 8th Grade trip 1
Teachers 2
· Well paid 3
· Teacher training 2
· GATE certification2
After school
· Tutoring 5
· Subsidized after school
Community Service 2
Building
· Front Door System 3
· OTA sign
Fundraising:
Marisa Calderon has resigned from the fundraising chair position. Matt Johnson has volunteered to fill the vacancy and brings with him vast experience and new ideas to the position. A few things he discussed were the gala, attempting to take a more proactive approach to fundraising, public relations, and creating corporate sponsorships in the future. Matt Johnson was voted in by Council as new Fundraising Chair.
Meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM