FRIENDS EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING MINUTES
CASTLE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

OPEN MEETING

NOVEMBER 6, 2007

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: ANN WARREN, DIANA TOOTHMAN, GINGER BOWER, KELLEY REYNOLDS, GINNEAN SHAW, STEVE ROOT, LAURENCE DEMERS, LORI BERMAN, YAEL APT, DAWN PLEW

MEMBERS PRESENT:   ANNE GOLDRING, TINA TEODORESCU, ROBYN LEWIS

FACULTY PRESENT: --

GUESTS:  Bill Ring

1.  MEETING WELCOME – 7:10 PM

ANN WELCOMED ALL, THANKED THEM FOR COMING AND INTRODUCED OUR GUEST SPEAKER.   ALSO, ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO ATTEND THE UPCOMING WINE & CHEESE AND BRING A SNACK/APPETISER.

 

2. BILL RING – PCAC PARENT COMMITTEE ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

BILL IS CURRENTLY A HAMILTON PARENT.

 

THE DISTRICTS WERE DECREASED FROM 11 TO 8 – VENICE/HAMITON/WESTCHESTER/PALISADES/LA/CRENSHAW/DORSEY/UNIVERSITY COMPRISING ABOUT 100 SCHOOLS IN OUR LOCAL DISTRICT 3.

 

NEW SUPERINTENDeNT FOR DISTRICT 3.  THIS DISTRICT HAS HAD 6 SUPERS IN THE PAST 7 YEARS.  SUSAN ALLEN IS THE INTERIM SUPER.  ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO, THE COUNCIL EXISTED BUT DIED.  OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, BILL HAS BEEN REBUILDING THE COUNCIL AND NOW IT HAS REACHED A CRITICAL MASS.  THE MAIN CONCERNS OF THE COUNCIL INVOLVE CURRICULUM, SAFETY, PROBLEMS, BUDGET AND STAFF.

 

THE COUNCIL WILL MEET ABOUT FOUR TIMES A YEAR TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL DISTRICT LEVEL.  THE PROTOCAL IS IN PLACE TO DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES.  TURNOVER AND PERSONNEL MOVEMENT IS A BIG CAUSE.

 

THE HOPE IS THAT THE NEXT SUPER WILL COMMIT TO A MINIMUM OF FIVE YEARS AND WELCOMES PARENT INVOLVEMENT.  ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE DOING WELL; MAJOR CONCERNS ARE WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

 

BILL WAS A FOUNDING PARENT AT NEW WEST CHARTER MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH WAS NOT OPENED IN TIME FOR HIS CHILDREN, BUT HE DID HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE AT PALMS.

 

PCAC MEANS TO CONNECT WITH LOCAL DISTRICT, ADVISE LOCAL SUPER, AND PARTICIPATE IN EVALUATION OF LOCAL SUPER.

 

BILL IS WORKING ON A NEW GROUP CALLED “TRANSPARENT” A GROUP OF PARENTS TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.  WHILE THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET IS PUBLIC, HE WANTS THE CANCELLED CHECKS TO BE PUBLIC AS WELL – CREATING ACCOUNTIBILITY - TRANSPARENT.

 

HE PASSED OUT NOTICES ABOUT TRYING TO SAVE THE DISTRICTWIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL (THIS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED VIA EMAIL) AND IS WORKING ON UPDATING A HANDBOOK CALLED:  GETTING READY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL:  A GUIDE FOR PARENTS. THAT COULD BE PLACED IN A PARENT CENTER ON CAMPUS. 

 

BILL EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE FOR A PARENT CENTER AT SCHOOL – YAEL IS FOLLOWING UP ON THAT POINT.

 

SOME SCHOOLS ARE TRYING TO BECOME MORE AUTONOMOUS “INNOVATION DIVISION.”  WESTCHESTER IS PARTNERING WITH LOYOLA MARYMOUNT; WEBSTER IS MAKING POSITIVE CHANGES; PALMS IS A GOOD SCHOOL BUT NEEDS SUPPORT AND NURTURING.  THE  SEPARATE 6TH GRADE AIDS IN A MORE GENTLE TRANSITION.

3. APPROVE THE MINUTES

 

TINA MOVED TO APPROVE THE 10-2-2007 MINUTES AND LARRY SECONDED.  THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

4. ELAN: REPORT ON GARDENER

 

ELAN TO REPORT ON GARDENER NEXT MONTH.

 

5. MS. WOLFF’S REQUEST – VACUUM CLEANER

 

A SCHOOL PURCHASED VACUUM FOR 4TH GRADE BROKE AND SHE PAID FOR THE REPAIR.  SHE WOULD LIKE FRIENDS TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THIS EXPENSE.

 

ANN IS GOING TO TALK TO MRS. TANN TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW TO PROCEED.  THE ISSUE WOULD BE TABLED UNTIL WE FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

 

 

6. GINNEAN -- SHELVING

 

A BIG THANK YOU TO ANN DIANE AND LORI WHO CLEANED UP THE ATTIC AND AUDITORIUM  NOW WE HAVE A HUGE AREA WE CAN USE FOR STORAGE.  THE USE OF THIS SPACE MADE FALL FESTIVAL SET UP/CLEAN UP MUCH EASIER.

 

$500 WORTH OF SHELVING WAS PURCHASED LAST YEAR BY FALL FESTIVAL BUDGET.  WE NEED MORE SHELVING, AT LEAST 3 UNITS.  JOHN TOOTHMAN CAN BUILD BANNER SLOTS TOO.

 

STEVE MOTIONED THAT FRIENDS SPENDS UP TO $500 FOR NEW SHELVING IN THE ATTIC AND DIANE SECONDED THE MOTION.  THE MOTION CARRIED.

 

THE BALLROOM – MARIA IS OVERSEEING.

 

 

UPDATES:

 

TINA -- SCRIP

REQUESTED THAT WE INCREASE OUR SCRIP INVENTORY FROM $25K TO $35K FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

 

THERE ARE SEVERAL CARDS THAT ARE NOT SELLING…DUDS.  WE DISCUSSED POSSIBLY LETTING FRIENDS USE THEM; INCLUDING THEM IN BASKETS FOR SPRING FLING; “PROMOTE” CERTAIN STORES; ADD LOGOS TO THE LIST; GET GIFT CARDS TO ALBERTSONS AND VONS.

 

TED – DONATION DRIVE

NOT HERE FOR UPDATE.

 

YAEL -- GRANTS

YAEL IS CHECKING ON GRANTS FOR THE LIBRARY AND A PARENT CENTER.  BEAUTIFICATION GRANT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED WITH 2 BENCHES IN FRONT, PAINTING THE HANDBALL COURTS.

 

STEVE IS COMPILING A LIST OF POTENTIAL GRANT WRITERS.

 

FOR SECURITY REASONS, WE ARE LOOKING INTO GREEN WIND SCREENS OR REDWOOD SLATS TO BE HUNG NEAR THE HANDBALL COURTS.  ROBYN LEWIS’ SUGGESTED HER HUSBAND’S COMPANY COULD PUT UP SOME DECORATIVE CEMENT FENCING, POSSIBLY DONATE IT TO THE SCHOOL

 

LARRY – FINANCIAL UPDATES

FALL FESTIVAL SO FAR HAS GENERATED $3K MORE THAN LAST YEAR.

FAMILY DONATIONS ARE $7K AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

GIFT WRAP IS CURRENTLY ABOUT $2K SHORT FROM LAST YEAR, BUT STILL ACCOUNTING

 

WE NEED JAY SHAPIRO TO ORGANIZE AN ADULT NIGHT OUT!!

 

WE RECENTLY RECEIVED INCOME AND EXPENSES FROM SPRING BINGO; JOG-A-THON 2006

 

SPRING EVENT:

ANNE GOLDRING HAS AGREED TO CHAIR THIS EVENT.  STILL LOOKING FOR A CO-CHAIR.  KHE MAY BE INTERESTED.  OTHERS TO HELP INCLUDE TAMAR, LAUREL; AND ROBYN LEWIS.  WE NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO RECRUIT KINDERGARTEN PARENT VOLUNTEERS.

 

THE BUDGET IS $30K.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO SET A PLANNING MEETING NOW TO ORGANIZE VOLUNTEERS AND START PLANNING.  THERE WILL BE A BAND, AND SILENT AUCTION.  THE EVENT IS SET FOR MAY 3, 2008.  AFTER THIS MEETING WE HAVE LOST THE INNER CITY ARTS CENTER DUE TO RENOVATIONS.  A NEW PLACE NEEDS TO BE SECURED AND SECURITY.

 

MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:55 PM.