Nov 9, 2011:

Parent Council Meeting minutes:

1)      Introductions – 13 Parents Attended

2)      Review of last meeting’s minutes

a.       Everyone agrees with last meeting’s minutes

3)      Officers duty clarification:

a.       Abra Cooper and Sheryl Berman will be Co-Chairs

b.      Volunteer to take meeting minutes? Toña Augilar will take minutes when she is attending. Principal Kaminski is always at meetings and can take minutes if she is not attending. Parent Council can use office laptop to take minutes. Office asked to please put a link to the minutes on the website.

4)      Nominees for Slate: (Representative for council at Board meetings.)

a.       There are 10 Board meetings including a retreat this year.

b.      Meetings are every third Wednesday at 5:30pm. They run 1 to 1 ½ hours.

c.       Topics that are discussed: policies, hiring, budget, formal complaints, teacher’s handbook.

d.      Sheryl nominates Carma Douglas and she declines.

e.      Principal Kaminski nominates Abra Cooper (She is undecided)

f.        Toña encouraged anyone thinking about volunteering to be the Slate should go to a board meeting to understand how the meetings run.

5)      Holiday Fundraiser Idea:

a.       Heathir Brown discussed raising funds through a company called Fundraiser Exchange.

b.      She passed out a catalogue of the products they sell and says she can coordinate selling by herself.

c.       She will pass out catalogues for orders for the holiday season then gather them to send in.

d.      The company will ship orders to her and she will then pass them out.

e.      40% of profits will go to school.

f.        This would be a way to fund parent council proposals.

g.       There are other holiday fundraisers happening now as well: Greens wreaths, and gift baskets with coffee. The Fundraiser Exchange would be a great compliment to these. The coffee portion of the Fundraiser Exchange will not be included so it doesn’t conflict with gift baskets.

h.      Council Vote: Unanimous Yes!

6)      New council business:

a.       Last meeting we spoke about how to put forth proposals to the Parent Council. 

b.      Question: Is there anyone who has any examples of this from previous years?  None noted.

c.       We should look at the previous years to see if anything on file.

7)      Volunteer Coordination Updates:

a.       HeArt of the Village Planning Meeting will happen on Thursday, November 17^th at 5pm.

                                                               i.      This is a meeting to go over each grade’s responsibilities and start in on generating donations for the event.

b.      Class Coordinator Meeting update:

                                                               i.      The meeting held in October was held for introductions, updates on coordinator responsibilities, and to give clarification for each class’ roles in upcoming events/festivals.

8)      Updates from Class Coordinators on what grade is focusing on:

a.       KG: Lantern walk is happening on Nov 10th

b.      2nd: Class Play

c.       3rd: Shannon hasn’t asked for much help right now. There’s a bunny in class.

d.      4th: Lots of field trips happening. 4th grade student Logan is sick. Trying to do things to help support the family.

e.      5th: Field trips (Opal Creek). Indian style shadow play happening.

f.        6th: Mr B. is back. Presentation about Central American countries.

g.       7th: Field Trips to EMU.

h.      8th: (No class coordinator represented at meeting.)

9)      Recap of Parent Council meeting dates and who will take the lead for programs:

a.       Dec 14th: Meeting is cancelled

b.      Jan 11th: Internet Safety theme: Alison Cantril and Susan Fox working on coordination.

c.       Feb 8th: Regular meeting to be held

d.      Mar 14th: Simplicity Parenting: Ann Magee working on coordination

e.      Apr 11th: Regular meeting to be held

f.        May 9th: Humor: Will decide who will do this

g.       June 6th: Regular meeting to be held

10)   Childcare for Council: If parents need it, they need to sign up beforehand.

a.       Notes: Signup sheets have been at office and should also be posted outside of classrooms.

11)   Families with hardships:

a.       Many families with difficulties financially or are in need

b.      Anyone to take control of helping families now? (No volunteers)

12)   Volunteer Recognitions:

a.       We will be bringing back the picnic in June as well as one in December (TBA).

13)   Site Cleanup: Nov 19th (9am-Noon)

a.       Signups sheets are across from office and at KG, 1st & 2nd grade classrooms

14)   Meeting adjourns to Humorist performance.

Oct 12, 2011

Parent Council Meeting Minutes:

1. Bob’s Welcome & Introductions
   1. Thanks for walk-a-thon & Cosmic Pizza Fundraiser
   2. Andy Peara sends his regrets for not attending. He is attending the Eugene Coalition for better school food meeting.
   3. Reminder to tell everyone to turn in Free/Reduced applications in by this Friday, Oct 14th.
2. Classroom Coordinators:
   1. Email will be sent out to organize a meeting with Sherri to start organizing events and festivals.
   2. What are the best times to meet as a group?
   3. Sherri will be sending emails to class coordinators to schedule best date and time.
3. Village Zap
   1. Check it out. We spent 2 hours filming and Sherri edited it for another 3 hours. It is located on The Village School’s Home page.
4. How our School Works:
   1. Committees: Garden, Safety, Kitchen, Grounds, Building, Site Search, Development/Fundraising.
   2. Classroom coordinators are so important because they are part of the parent council.

                                                               i.      When they report back to the Parent Council they should have challenges, proposals and ideas so we can support the school.

3. Parent Council members to have a selected person that runs to be a part of the Board of Directors.
4. Title I School Plan Council: They help oversee the curriculum and programs and make sure the proper education is accessible to all students. They govern the curriculum. They also write the school improvement plan, which is a document the school is required to have. There are meetings all year long to work on this.
5. The council will bring their prospective to the board that is from the side of the parents. 

5.   What does the Parent Council Do?
   1. Create programs that parents are interested in to educate out families
   2. To support the teachers with some proposals. (We have two tonight)

                                                               i.      Example getting the books cataloged in the classroom libraries.

3. Place to find ways to support what is happening in the classrooms.
4. Question: Other school PTA’s do fundraising, how about us? We have HeArt of the Village, Seed fundraisers, Book fundraisers, etc… We try to tap into things we would buy into. Don’t have a person now that focuses on it. The funds go into Parent Council fund.
5. Question: What are we doing to help our parents/students? Last year we got around $2,900 from HeArt of the Village. We should be focusing on doing more to get people involved and bring education to our parents. There is more room to make HeArt of the Village bigger and more of a community involvement.
6. We received the Garden grant this year.
7. The council will be a big part of the Heart of the Village, not just 5th & 6th grade.
8. If parents see things that would be nice to add, it should be brought to the Parent Council
5. Survey Results in order of importance:
   1. Work/Family Balance (31 count)
   2. Internet Safety (29)
   3. Humor & stress relief (27)
   4. Preparing Healthy meals (22)
   5. Willamette Valley growth for our future (16)
   6. Health and fitness (14)
   7. Emergency Preparedness (13)
   8. Home & Children with special needs (7)
   9. Other interests:

                                                               i.      Waldorf parenting tips

                                                             ii.      Social Issues for kids

7. Abra Cooper and Shannon Boyd are absent tonight.
   1. Abra is to be the Chairperson. She wasn’t able to make it.
   2. Shannon is co-chair and couldn’t make it.
8. Council attendees now brake up into groups and discuss which of the important issues should be discussed in future Parent Council mtgs and how many. Here are the groups thoughts:
   1. Maybe we can start with the top three topics as our focus in the upcoming meetings.
   2. Lara knows a couple that does Comic relief and could do some improve humor for the group and donate their time. Susie thought that maybe we could pay and admission fee of $2 to come and watch.
   3. Internet safety: This is a darker subject and people might need a step-by-step information sheet on how to do it. Make sure there is a handout and explain the basics on blocking sites on the Internet and such. Then, make sure to end the night on a happy note.
   4. Focusing on the top three survey results would be best because the calendar is already pretty full. Maybe we should have the comic relief before the holidays. Make sure to integrate humor with Internet safety. If there weren’t handouts for Internet safety they could have a list of sites that parents could go to. Internet Safety should possibly be a class that we could use our computer class to learn how to deal with Internet safety.
   5. Having a standup comedy team would be fun.
   6. Simplicity Parenting could be advantageous. Anne Magee knows in who teaches this and is Waldorf based. She will check into it.
   7. Is there a method of finding out what the attendance might be before the meetings or do a survey? This way we will have an idea of whether or not it would be a good night for the presentation.
   8. Bring in some kind of stress balance into the beginning of the meeting like someone playing music, art break or some kind of stress relief to set the tone of the meeting.
9. When should we plan the presentations?
   1. We should possibly have meetings every other month (Nov 9, Jan 11, Mar 14 & May 9) so they don’t interfere with other events. (Susan Fox seconds this motion to only do it those dates and everyone agrees).
10. Presentation Nights and Subject for Presentations:
    1. Nov 9: Humor working into Work & Family Balance.
    2. Jan 11: Internet Safety & How to talk to your kids about safety.

                                                               i.      Need to make sure the Jan 11 meeting has someone working on it over the winter break.

                                                             ii.      Possibly have a police officer or public safety person from South Eugene High or Eugene Police Dept to talk. (Alison Cantril & Susan Fox to check on who can come in and start looking for someone for this presentation).

                                                            iii.      Make sure to have a handout with steps if you can’t attend the workshop with the date of the meeting so parents can attend.

3. Mar 14: Simplicity Parenting/Special Needs: Anne Magee to check in with teacher to see if she would come to speak to us.
4. May 9: Humor and stress relief. Possibly getting massage therapists do free massages. “Come early and get 7 minutes in heaven”.  (Going to put our heads together to see who can coordinate this one.)
5. Events should go from 6:30-7pm for the meeting then 7-8pm for the presentation/program.
10.   Who wants to help Abra out to run meetings and checking up to see that everyone is doing their part to get the presentations together?
    1. Everyone nominates Sheryl Berman to help Abra out.
11. If a class coordinator can’t make it, find other parents to come in your stead.
    1. Notes of the meeting should be placed on the bulletin board so that parents get information on what happens in the meeting.
    2. Class coordinators will get the notes and will pass them out to the parents in class.
    3. You need to talk to your parents to see what the best way to get information to the parents should be.
    4. Make sure that there are good signs out that draw your attention.
12. Proposal #1:
    1. Hospitality package for coffee and supplies for staff and guests. Have coffee and tea for staff in staff lounge and have available for guests. $425 for coffee maker, coffee and tea to cover costs.
    2. Thoughts:

                                                               i.      It would be nice for moral and brings together.

                                                             ii.      Astounded with teachers and if they want coffee and tea they should get it.

                                                            iii.       Everyone here would also benefit from this at the Village Café.

                                                           iv.      The money comes from the Parent’s Council money.

                                                             v.      It’s unusual for parents to provide and not school. Is this something that happens every year?

                                                           vi.      Being charter school is different.

                                                          vii.      Why wouldn’t it come out of the general fund and not the Parent Council? The general fund should be for payroll, curriculum and benefits. In other school PTA’s have given to the teachers in different ways so this is one way the parents can show an appreciation for our staff.

                                                        viii.      Are there any other discretionary money to use from other than Parent Council and General Fund? No, the other funds are designated to different areas such as the Site fund, the fund for the Kitchen, etc…

                                                           ix.      Will it be organic? Yes it will be.

14.  Microphone, condenser, mixer & computer system were bought for students for $450 by Justin Boe. Would the council like to pay for this?
    1. What prompted it?

                                                               i.      It was bought with the thought that it might be funded.

2. Comment: This sounds more like a general fund. –

                                                               i.      Bob’s Response: There isn’t much room in the general fund for these things. At Bob’s last site the PTA bought the sound system.

3. Comment: Doesn’t the microphone help with sound for events?

                                                               i.      Yes.

4. Comment: They can produce CD’s to sell for fundraisers.
5. Comment: If we agree to fund we should ask that they should always ask in advance before we agree to fund. That way we could find out the costs, warranty and how it would work.

                                                               i.      Comment: We need to work up a draft on how to bring proposals to the Parent Council. (Sheryl to work up a draft)

15. Voting on Proposals:
    1. Coffee proposal: 11 Yes, 1 No
    2. Microphone/Computer system: 11=Yes, 1=No 

16. Positives of the meeting:
    1. Lots of humor
    2. Accomplished a lot
    3. Organized
    4. Sheryl stepped up
    5. Food
    6. Childcare 

17. Improvables for the meeting:
    1. It was hot in the cafeteria
    2. Tea wasn’t made
    3. Guidelines for proposals needed