FRIENDS EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CASTLE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL         
MARCH 1, 2006

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:   HANIA BROOKS, STACY BROOKS, VALENCIA FOSTER, BARBARA KAYE, ELLEN KLINENBERG, JOHN LAZAR, GINA POLIZZI, MICAH ROBERTS, DARCIE TILLIS, TOLLY VALENTE, AND MARIA VON HARTZ

OTHER MEMBERS PRESENT:  ANN WARREN, CATHY GALPER, ERIKA HINDLE, YAEL GILAD APT

1.             OPEN MEETING WELCOME – 7:05 PM

MICAH AND MARIA WELCOME ALL.

2.             APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

GINA MOTIONS TO APPROVE THE FEB. 1ST MINUTES

HANIA SECONDS

ALL IN FAVOR – ALL APPROVE

3.         COFFEE TALK W/ MS. TANN – TOLLY

THEME – FRIENDS HELPING FRIENDS.  MS. TANN IS AWARE OF RESOURCES OF TEST PREP INFORMATON.  CA.ORDERS.COM – CAN PURCHASE TEST PREP INFO IN BULK.  THESE PREP TESTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE BOUGHT OR SOLD ON SCHOOL CAMPUS.  THESE PREP TESTS USE QUESTIONS ON PREVIOUS TESTS USED. 

JOHN SUGGESTS THAT THERE ARE FREE SAMPLE TESTS ON LINE AT THE FOLLOWING WEB-SITE: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp

ERIKA HINDLE WILL WORK ON A FLYER TO PULL TOGETHER SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR OUR KIDS.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO SPREAD THE WORD, AND LET PARENTS KNOW THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE TO HELP OUR CHILDREN GET PREPARED FOR THESE TESTS.

4.             KOREH LA - MARIA

WE NEED 20 PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THIS PROGRAM.  THEY WILL NEED TO TAKE A 3 HOUR TRAINING CLASS.  ALSO, THEY WILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK FOR 30 MINUTES AFTER SCHOOL.  THIS GROUP’S GOAL IS TO HELP KIDS HAVING ISSUES WITH READING.

BARBARA PROPOSES TO HAVE THIS TRIANING ATTACHED TO ANOTHER MEETING OR FUNCTION.

5.             DONATION DRIVE - ELLEN

PLEDGES ARE UP TO $57,000.  WE HAVE COLLECTED $44,000.  THISIS THE MOST AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE DONATION DRIVE!!!  WE THINK WE WILL MAKE THE $50,000 MARK.  THERE ARE 63 FAMILIES THAT HAVEN’T RESPONDED YET.

 

MARIA ASKS – DOES THE BOARD FEEL COMFORTABLE ASKING THOSE WHO HAVE PLEDGED DONATIONS, BUT HAVEN’T SENT IN THEIR DONATIONS YET? 

 

BARBARA PROPOSES THAT WE MAKE A COMMITTEE TO MAKE A SCRIPT TO FOLLOW AND MAKE THE CALLS.

 

TOLLY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THEM IN PERSON.

 

WE COULD TRY BOTH.  ELLEN, TOLLY, MICAH, GINA AND DARCIE ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING.

 

VALENCIA MOTIONS TO MAKE A SUB-COMMITTEE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE NOT RESPONDED.

 

BARBARA SECONDS.

ALL IN FAVOR?  ALL VOTE YES.

6.             BEAUTIFICATION DAY – COIN DRIVE - MICAH

WE HAVE MADE $367.65 IN THE COIN DRIVE DURING THE 1ST WEEK!!!  THIS EVENT WILL BE A FRIENDS AND PTA COLLABORATION.  IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING ON THE COMMITTEE? 

 

BARBARA AND TOLLY RESPONDS YES.

 

BARBARA IS GOING TO CREATE A CUTE “HELP OUR GARDEN GROW” MONEY BIN.  BARBARA WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT IN THE OFFICE.

 

IDEAS FOR CLEAN-UP:

1.       PAINT THE MAIN HALLWAY

2.       HAVE A JOB BOARD WITH THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP AND THE JOBS THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED

3.       LEARNING & TEACHING GARDEN NEEDS TO BE DE-LITTERED, AND REMOVE AND REPLACE DEAD PLANTS

4.       IN THE FRONT OF SCHOOL THE JASMINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED

5.       MAYBE PLANT TOMATOES OR SOMETHING OTHER THAN FLOWERS

6.       CLEAN THE SEATS IN THE AUDITORIUM

7.       CLEAN THE TOILETS

8.       CLEAN THE FLOORS IN THE AUDITORIUM

9.       PAINT THE HANDBALL COURTS

10.   PAINT LINES ON THE TRACK

7.             PE COACH - ELLEN

WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A PE COACH FOR THE LOWER GRADES.  HEATHER IS REALLY ONLY INTERESTED IN TEACHING THE OLDER KIDS.  HEATHER PROPOSED THAT SHE GETS PAIDE $5 MORE PER HOUR FOR HER WHOLE TIME AT THE SCHOOL, AND THEN SHE WILL TEACH THE YOUNGER KIDS.  HER HOURS ARE 9-1, IN WHICH FRIENDS PAYS HER FOR THIS TIME.  HOWEVER, SHE WORKS FROM 8:30 – 12:10.  THE FIRST HALF HOUR IS PREP TIME ONLY. 

 

MARIA STATES THAT THERE ARE 2 YOUNG GENTLEMEN FROM STAR THAT ARE INTERESTED IN TEACHING PE.  NEAL IS SETTING UP INTERVIEWS WITH THESE TO MEN.  

 

DARCIE MOTIONS TO VOTE NO ON A RAISE OF $5 FOR HEATHER.  SHE POINTS OUT THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO INCREASE PAY 6 MONTHS AGO, FOR THE LAST PE COACH, THAT WE STILL DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS FOR A RAISE FOR HEATHER.

 

ELLEN SECONDS.

 

ALL IN FAVOR – ALL VOTE YES TO NO RAISE.

 

HEATHER IS ALSO IN NEED OF NEW EQUIPTMENT.  ELLEN IS ASKING HEATHER FOR A PRIORITIZED LIST OF GYM EQUIPTMENT. 

 

MICAH WILL ASK THE TEACHERS IF THEY HAVE A LIST OF GYM EQUIPTEMENT NEEDED TOO.

 

8.             END OF YEAR PARTY - MARIA

 

THIS PARTY IS FOR ALL VOLUNTEERS TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THE SCHOOL’S SUCCESSES.  MAYBE WE COULD HAVE THIS IN THE PARK THIS YEAR.  A FLYER WILL GO OUT REQUESTING THAT ALL WHO VOLUNTEERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR JOIN US FOR THIS PARTY. 

 

MICAH SUGGESTS THAT MAYBE WE COULD DO SOMETHING ON CAMPUS LIKE THE BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC WITH THE KIDS AND FUN RACES AND EVENTS.

 

WE NEED SOMEONE TO CHAIR THIS EVENT.  MAYBE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ON THE BOARD?  JOHN WILL ASK INGRID TO BRING IT UP TO THE ELAC COMMITTEE, TO SEE IF SOMEONE FROM THAT GROUP WOULD LIKE TO CHAIR THE EVENT. 

 

IF WE USE THE PARK, WE MAY NEED $300 TO RESERVE RANCHO.

 

JOHN IS GOING TO FIGURE OUT THE LOCATION.

 

WE WILL TRY TO HAVE THE EVENT ON A WEEKEND TO ACCOMMODATE ALL VOLUNTEERS OR ON A LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

 

 

 

 

9.       TEACHERS AIDES - ELLEN

 

ELLEN SPOKE WITH MS. TANN.  THE TEACHER AIDES EVALUATIONS WILL BE DONE IN MAY.  TEACHER AIDE EDIE IS PREGNANT AND HER TEACHER WOULD LIKE A REPLACEMENT AIDE TO FILL IN.  ANNA FROM STAR IS WILLING TO TAKE HER PLACE FOR THE TIME NEEDED.  EDIE IS INTERESTED IN COMING BACK APPROX. 4 WEEKS AFTER SHE HAS HER BABY (MAYBE AROUND JUNE 11TH).  WE WILL DISCUSS THIS FURTHER AT NEXT MEETING

 

10.       SPRING THING - STACY

 

THE SPRING THING IS 8 WEEKS FROM SATURDAY!!!  DONATIONS ARE SLOWLY COMING IN.  WE ARE AT $19,000 OF ESTIMATED VALUE SO FAR.  THE NEW DONATIONS ARE SLIM.  2 YEARS AGO THEY HAD $90,000 OF EST. VALUE WHICH BROUGHT IN $50,000 OF ALL 574 ITEMS.  THE TOP 50 OF THAT YEAR BROUGHT IN 50% TO TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED.

 

WE NEED SOME BIG ITEMS LIKE TRIPS!!!  WE ALSO NEED MORE FOOD & RESTAURANT CERTIFICATES.  THERE IS SO MUCH MORE NEEDED.  PLEASE TALK TO ALL PARENTS WHO HAVE BUSINESS CONECTIONS. 

 

HANIA IS CREATING BEAUTIFUL SIGNS FOR THE EVENT. 

 

WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF BEER, WINE & MARGARITAS.

 

WE STILL NEED A BAND.

 

A SPRING THING – HATS FLYER HAS GONE OUT IN THE THURSDAY FOLDERS.  WE PROFIT ON $14.00 PER EACH HAT SOLD.

 

11.       JOG-A-THON - GINA

 

WE HAVE A SPONSOR FOR OUR WATER BOTTLES – A CHILD’S PLACE – DAYCARE CENTER.  THEY PAID FOR ½ OF THE BOTTLES.  WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF HELP FOR DAY OF THE EVENT.  GINA WILL BE CALLING ON THE INTERESTED VOLUNTEERS.

 

WILL THERE BE AN ASSEMBLY BEFORE THE EVENT?

 

MICAH WILL TALK WITH MS. TANN ON WHEN THEY WANT TO DO THIS.

 

JOHN PROPOSES HAVING THE KIDS TEACH THE KIDS HOW TO GET DONATIONS.  MAYBE HAVE A COUPLE KIDS STAND UP DURING THE ASSEMBLY TO GIVE TESTIMONIAL AND HOW THEY GET SEVERAL PEOPLE TO DONATE.

 

12.       BY-LAWS - MARIA

 

MARIA IS HOPING TO BE ABLE TO EMAIL EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS A COPY OF THE BY-LAWS BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.  THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING WE CAN VOTE ON THE BY-LAWS IN TIME FOR THE NEXT ELECTIONS. 

 

13.       DUPLO MACHINE - MARIA

 

WE HAVE ORDERED A JR. COPIER VERSION WITH A YEAR SUPPLY OF TONER & 3 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH THE $3500 WE RECEIVED FROM THE PARENT CENTER GRANT.  WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND A ROOM FOR THIS COPIER.  MAYBE THE OLD STAR ROOM OR IN THE TEACHERS’ WORK ROOM.  THE COPIER WILL BE COMING SOON.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOSED MEETING - MARIA

 

WE ARE ¾ THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.  HOW ARE THINGS GOING?  WHAT TYPES OF THINGS DO YOU WANT IMPLEMENTED FOR NEXT YEAR.  FOR THE NEXT MEETING BRING AT LEAST 2 IDEAS OF WHAT YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGED, UPDATED, OR NEW AT THE SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.

 

BOARD ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP. PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHETHER YOU ARE INTERESTED IN RETURNING ANOTHER YEAR ON THE FRIENDS’ BOARD.

 

JOHN PROPOSED THAT FRIENDS AND THE SCHOOL SITE COMMITTEE MAYBE HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET AND TO EXCHANGE IDEAS.

 

BARBARA WANTS TO KNOW HOW THE TAXES ARE GOING.

 

THE 2005 TAXES HAVE BEEN FILED.  ELLEN IS STILL WORKING ON ALL OF THE DELINQUENT TAXES FROM THE PAST YEARS.

 

END OF MEETING

 

JOHN MOTIONS TO ADJOURN MEETING.

 

GINA SECONDS.

 

MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

 

THE NEXT MEETING IS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2006.