CalendarLawton Elementary PTA
Board Meeting Minutes
December 8, 2009
Attendance: Melissa Denke, Marla Master, Kirsten Dumo, Jenasys Newton, Kimball Mullins, Britta Bowman, Julie Keaton
Guests: Laura Thomas, Beverly Raines
Minutes: Melissa moved to approve the minutes from November 10, 2009 Board meeting. Marla seconded and all in favor.
General Meeting Minutes (10/22/09): Voted on and approved via email. Copies of emails attached to General Minutes
Presidents’ Report (Melissa and Kimball)
PTA Workstation – discussion still in process
Commons update –
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.$5026.90 still left in budget.
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.Mics arriving today. Martin has trained staff on system and it’s ready to go for tonight’s concert.
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.Tiles funded out of Commons money.
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.Kimball to follow up with Ramona re any further electrical work. New outlets? May not be worth a few thousand. Need to prioritize what to do with remaining money. Beverly will check with school district re their paying for a necessary electrical update.
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.District employees mounted 100 lb. speakers into drywall. Lawton paid $500 for contractor to shore those up.
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.Priority List –
-More mics (see how tonight’s concert goes then talk to Tracy and Elaine)
-Ramona’s electrical work
-Acoustic treatments on East and West walls. Kirsten knows of an acoustical treatment company. Can order panels on line or could make them at home. Kirsten can get special fabric wholesale.
-Gym Painting – Bid = $4700. Has been 15 years since it was painted. Beverly will check with District re having the painting paid for through them. We would get to pick the colors. Laura Thomas reports the library is in need of painting too. Since the gym is part of the Common area of the school perhaps the surplus in the Commons budget could be put to good use in paying for the painting of the gym.
-New screen to go along with the new projector. What about window covering material with blackout material behind? Kirsten will bring in a sample as email acoustic treatment company info to Melissa and Kimball.
Tree Sales Update – have sold half the trees for $8215 (cost was $6000). 153 trees left to sell. Unsold trees will go to Lawton families in need. Britta and Melissa have trucks and offered to help deliver. The rest can be offered to the District for community outreach.
Entryway Pillows – Emmy Misner and Nancy Knoll would like permission to recover the pillows in the front hall. Beverly will look into new furniture for the front hall from the district. Kimball moves to allocate $150 to lobby improvements. Kirsten seconded and all in favor. Kimball will email Emmy and Nancy.
Newsletter – PTA needs to review requests for charitable causes on a case-by-case basis before they go in the newsletter. Also need to make it clear that the PTA does not necessarily endorse all items in the newsletter.
Marla raises the point that all of the same newsletter information in on the website and do we really need to distribute a newsletter too? Will continue to send out newsletter but increase plugging the website. May phase out newsletter by end of next year.
Principal’s Report – (Beverly Raines)
Math Tutors – for grades 2-5 we have hired Judy O. $18,000 for math tutors will be split between Judy O and Jane Salnick. Dorcas will continue to work with the younger students. Money for a reading tutor was reallocated for the additional math tutor.
Re-Teach – Kathy Dial has started Re-Teach
New Students – Four new students have arrived in 2nd grade. Total student count is at 437.
Staff – Lawton “traded” in their counselor so Ms. Schumer could be in the office full time and Mr. Davenport on the playground. Beverly believes the school does need a counselor and will address this with the BLT.
Playground Parking – Needs to be better lighting if parents are going to be parking on the playground for evening events.
5th graduation – is there enough space or do we need to consider an offsite location this year?
Grants – Did not get the Hero’s Grant. Still need to hear back from Home Depot
Parent Handbook – 8½ X 11, cardstock cover, with no date. Just a handbook that a family gets once unless there are changes. Beverly will edit and get to Kimball so this can get to the printers.
Employee Training – staff members need to be careful when speaking in front of parents about other staff members and/or students.
Morning Drop Off – Scott is great at trying to keep parents from parking in the turn around to drop off students in the morning. Kimball will put out an email reminder re parking/traffic.
Kindergarten Tours – Connie is thinking Feb 4 for an evening open house. Beverly will check this date with the district.
Fundraising Chair Report (Jenasys)
Collaborative Fundraising – Jenasys attended an SSIA meeting where they discussed:
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.The cluster receiving printer discounts if all the schools use the same printer for fundraising printing needs
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.SSIA website could have links to each school’s events, maybe try to coordinate big events so not double booking
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.Auctions – helping staff each other’s auctions
Treasurer (Kirsten)
Budget – distributed.
Parents’ Night Out – Need to schedule. Marla will put in the newsletter
Spring Fundraiser (handout attached) –
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.No deposits required ahead of time
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.$55/ticket covers the cost of the Space Needle, the Gaming Company and Scrip for gaming.
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.Cash bar
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.We can bring desserts and poker snacks in
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.Current budget is $10,000 but expenses come out to $16,867. Melissa moves to increase the budget to $18,000. Marla seconded and all in favor.
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.Will need Lawton volunteers to work that night. Kirsten will check whether volunteers can attend for free if they are not eating.
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.Will generate reservations/excitement about the poker tables.
Audit – has been completed for the 2008/2009 school year Treasurer books.
Enrichment Update (Melissa and Kimball for Lisa Reeves)
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.World Cultures – Artists in Residence scheduled
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.Won Ldy Paye is here first two weeks in January
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.Seattle Opera here with 5th grade January 25th
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.4th grade will have Living Voices later in the year
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.5th grade legacy, Enrichment committee working on this
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.Visiting Author – Kimball will follow up with Lisa Reeves on budget amt for this. Marla and Kimball will schedule author.
Liaison (Laura Thomas)
Ms. Cooper needs a volunteer to help her coordinate the music program and recruit other volunteers. Britta will talk to Elaine about her needs. Essentially Elaine needs a “room parent” for the music program.
Meeting Adjourned.
Minutes respectfully submitted by
Julie Keaton
Recording Secretary
