September 2, 2008

Bradley Elementary School Home and School Club Meeting minutes

Attendees: Bob Williams, President; Melissa Scott, Vice President; Holly O’Brien, Treasurer; Lisa Dove, Secretary; Jennifer Wiley, Parent Volunteer Coordinator; Ashley Selck; Jen Meltzer; Lupe Collins; Maggie Nelson; Kellie Minnie; Ennuy Nunes; Julie Stewart; Bart Meltzer; Stephen Harrington; Jennifer Gavin; J. Goodheart; Jana Stefanini; Joni Martin; Carissa Medina; Juan Morales; Liz Hansen; Jen Stewart; and Joe Stewart.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT:

Kathy Arola gave the following updates:

• APT test scores are up 18 points!  CST scores are also up in English and Math.  A discussion is being held to explore interventions for kids with low test scores.
• Site Council is in place to ensure that the school is following the school plan.  Kathy made copies of the plan available at the meeting.  The Site Council meets the first Tuesday of the month at 4:30pm.  Anyone can e-mail Kathy an agenda item for the council to review.  The Site Council passed the school budget.
• General Business.  The Bugle is out- please read it!  It is a connection between school and parents for information.  The School Web Site is being updated and will have more information on it this year, as teachers will be able to update it.
• Kathy thanked the HSC for the Back to School luncheon for the teachers.  Special thanks to Ashley Selck for purchasing and bringing the food and Sherry Bruce for the floral arrangements and the table coverings.  Teachers posted a large sign of thanks also.
• School Pictures are on 9/4/08.
• Yearbooks will be this spring.
• Parent to Parent Newsletter.  This is a combination of the HSC and the Site Council- each group has one side to contribute information.  This will also be accessible on the web site.
• Campus Supervision. Kathy provided a daily schedule of who is doing what and where.  The supervisors have bright orange vest so the kids know whom to go to if needed.
• Traffic Situation.  Due to the efforts of parents and the new drop off/ pick up design, the guidelines for the Clean Air Grant have been met!  County Supervisor Ellen Pirie worked with the school and state to get this in place.  The school will be rewarded with a new left turn lane.  Driscoll’s will donate part of their land for a third turn lane.  Site Council sent a letter of thanks.
• Driscoll’s- Bradley’s Community Partner.  Driscoll’s has donated $7,500 to the reading intervention teacher and $2,000 to the library for books.
• Back to School Night- Good turn out!
• Conferences- They will be held in October.
• Walk for the Arts- This will be held on 10/8/08 at the school.  This raised $9K last year.  The teachers put this on as a fundraiser.
• HSC fund raiser- Reader’s Digest QSP is in place and active.  There was big assembly last week and the students are really ready to sell!
• Kathy welcomed the New Site Council Members and the New Home and School Board members.

Home and School Club Meeting

1. MEETING called to order by Bob at 6:07pm.

HSC members were welcomed.

New HSC Board introduced self and then each member introduced self. 

2. AGENDA APPROVAL

Modifications to the agenda:  6. F- Auction added; 6. G- Fall Festival added; 6. B- Readers Digest QSP replaced Red Apple.

Bob made a motion to approve agenda.

2nd by Melissa Scott.

Motion passed.

The Agenda for 9/2/08 HSC meeting was approved.

3. ANNOUNCEMENTS

a. Bob complimented Jen Melzter and Ashley Selck for their summer work for the HSC club and transition to the new board.

Kathy complimented Joni Martin for organizing the Bradley 4th of July Parade participation.

b. Vice President Position issues.  Bob explained the vice presidency and the issues that arose during the summer due to how the vote was taken and the By Laws.  He stated that the election was done with honest intent, but not completed according to the By Laws.  The position as technically vacant at that time and HSC Board appointed Melissa Scott to the position at the last HSC board meeting.

Bob said a proposal for the By Laws would follow in the next couple of meetings.

4. APPROVAL OF JUNE MEETING MINUTES

Ashley Selck moved to approve the minutes.

Melissa Scott seconded the minutes.

Motion passed.

The June 08 HSC minutes was approved.

5. TREASURER’S REPORT

Holly reported that she was working on a new format and handed this out to the member’s of the HSC for review.  The changes were positive.

The budget is being worked on. Kathy and Holly will meet to discuss line items- some of these will not be needed any longer.  The budget will be a guideline to implement the HSC goals.

Bob stated that the By Laws state that the budget needs to be adopted at the first HSC meeting.  The budget is not in concrete and can be adjusted as needed.

There was an extensive discussion about the budget and how this will need to be explored, devised and implemented.  Bart Meltzer shared many ideas and issues regarding the budget to include: that the budget will create a targeted spending plan; initially the budget may not have enough money in it to cover the planned spending; that there should be a discretionary fund that may come from a small percentage of all fund raisers; that after the budget is approved the HSC can site a need and fund raise for the specific need and can re allocate if all the funds are not used on a line item; and that the Academic Achievement fund do their own budget also.

Bart also wanted to make sure that the HSC agrees at this time the HSC is in a budget vacuum.

Kathy stated that there are certain line items that cannot be reallocated.  There are several line items that will need to be taken from one area and put into another.  eScrip is dedicated to the library and walk for the Arts is also dedicated so this should be taken out of the Academic Achievement Fund.

Bob asked that Kathy send a list of people who are in charge of the dedicated/ fixed funds to the HSC Board per legal financial issues for the HSC.

Kathy also stated that there is a budget crisis in California.  This needs to be considered when doing the budget for the next year.  Mr. Bunner could be at risk.  There are many unknowns so she would like to make sure that there is a way to deal with these unknowns at the end of the school year.  The budget needs to be monitored and adjusted as needed.

At the end of the year, any HSC surplus can be amended to the budget for spending.

A committee will need to be formed to do a budget with equal representation from HSC and teachers.  The committee members will have Holly, Bob, and Bart on it.  Kathy will submit at least two teachers to also be on the commitment.

Jennifer Gavin moved to postpone the adoption of a budget for one month.

Kelly Minnie seconded the motion.

Motion Passed.

The Adoption of the HSC Budget will be postponed for one month.

Holly reported that the Audit and Taxes will need to be done for the HSC.  She reported that Bill, former Treasurer, said that he had an estimate for $900.  Bart suggested that the HSC get more quotes for this service.  Liz Hansen suggested a Tax Person in Santa Cruz.

Holly reported that the Monte Foundation five year payout was received and it was for $3600.00 approximately.

6. OLD BUSINESS

     a. Corralitos Kids Day

     Ashley commented that $84 was made on this day.   It seemed that people did not come to purchase items.  It was suggested that future plans should include kid’s booths.

b. Reader’s Digest QSP

Sale kicked off 8/29/08 and will go through 9/19/08.  Late orders will be accepted, but is not encouraged.  2-3 volunteers are needed for counting and processing.  Jennifer Wiley- has some volunteers and will get those names to Ashley.  There is an e-mail system in place for the orders, but this does not count towards the student’s totals.

Maggie asked about the % earned.  It is 50% on products and 40% on magazines.  Red Apple was approximately 44%.

The goal is to raise $20K.  If this happens, then the students will get he BMX bike show!

A suggestion was made to have a thermometer to show the kids how close to their goal they were for the BMX show.

If 50% of the class participates, then the class gets one pig in the race for the pizza party.

Holly was given input to clarify how this works with the treasury and the bank and will coordinate with Carissa.

c. Back to School Night report

Jen gave input on the table opened for volunteers.  She has some volunteers signed up for various committees.

Kathy needs volunteers for lunch time on Tuesdays from 11- 12:30 for the salad bar.

Parent coordinators of each classroom will be point person for activities. Kathy will make contact with the teachers.

d. eScrip

Kathy received only 5 eScrip sheets back so far.

Kathy will coordinate the eScrip program.  This is direct deposited into the HSC account.

Discussed motivators to get people to sign up.  Table outside of Safeway or Starbucks?  Table set up during conferences and book fair?

Does it affect any other accounts ( eg Upromise)?  Kathy will check on this.

e. Tech Committee Report

Kathy stated that this committee meets four times per year and put a call for parent’s to join the committee.  The committed oversees how the funds will be spent.

The first meeting is 9/17 at 2:15pm in the computer lab.

There are two separate funds- the Tech Fund, which supports hardware and software.  The Tech Support which funds the technical support from the teacher.

Kathy thanked the HSC for the 2 laser printers.  Bradley also funded 2 laser printers.  There is now I laser printer per wing and all the teachers in that wing are connected to the laser printer.  They now have 8 total.

Accelerated Readers- $800 for HSC last year.  It is a $2300 program that connects with the STAR assessment.  Books are being marked according to levels.  The students are being asked to check out at least one AR books per week.  Then they can take the quiz that goes along with this book.  This will be used for grades one through six.  There is a reward system in place- assembly and picture with the bear.

The Library League is working together to Celebrate Reading!

f. Auction

Jen Meltzer- Auction will be on 2/7/09 from 5pm- 10pm at Seascape. Auctioneer- Rod Hayborn from First Class Fund Raising will do the live auction again.

There was discussion about placement of live auction items versus silent auction items.

Jen will put together a November meeting to start the process of classroom baskets.

g. Fall Festival

Ashley informed HSC that this will be held 10/26/08 from 12pm- 4pm at Bradley School.  The festival will have a fall twist to it with games and booths.  Each classroom will have a booth.

Ashley needs assistance with food help- she is thinking that this will be pizza.  They will ask for donations of drinks.

They need pumpkins donated also.

There is a possibility of a Farmer’s Market also.

If any one is interested in helping- contact Ashley/ Jen M.  The committee will meet next week.

Kathy asked about costumes- could the students wear them?  This will not be a costumed event.  The students will be asked to wear their costumes for the school parade.

The committee is seeking a rock climbing wall and a bounce house. There may be a connection with Todd Wilson of Lakeview School.  Contact will be made with him.

7. NEW BUSINESS

a. Adoption of Budget-

Budget will not be adopted tonight per vote.

1.  Kathy made a proposal (which helped start the budget talks) for $300 per year on going    ($100 per grade level first through third) for the funding of the home and school folders.  After much discussion about the budget, Kathy stated that since this proposal cannot be entertained at this time due to no budget being in place, that she would fund the folders out of her discretionary fund.  She wanted to make sure that the HSC understood that it was agreed that the HSC would entertain this proposal after a budget was in place.

b. Parent to Parent Newsletter Coordinator

HSC needs a person to volunteer to coordinate HSC piece.  Liz Hansen volunteered. 

8. PARENT WISH LIST

Discussed what this list was for.  It is a basic a list of items that funds may be raised for by the HSC.

Lisa Dove- Hand washing stations for the portables.

Kathy Arola- Annual metal picnic table.

Kathy Arola- drinking fountain by bridge and clump of trees.  Kathy will check with district about this.

Lisa Dove- picnic tables washed on a regular basis?  Liz H. said that maybe this could be done for a service by older students needing community service.

OTHER-

Fun Hoop purchase in process.  District has to come out and see where this can be mounted.

HSC purchased the Art Cart and Mrs. Nelson is maintaining this.

Metal Picnic table on order.

9. ADJOURNMENT

Meeting adjourned at 8pm.

Minutes submitted by Lisa Dove, Bradley HSC Secretary

Minutes Approved by Bradley HSC on 11/4/08.