DrafttobeconsideredbyPTAGeneralMembershipattheMay2017meeting.

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WhittierPTAGeneralMembershipCommunityMeetingMarch15,2017MeetingMinutes

Meetingwascalledtoorderat7:00p.m.Propernoticewasgiventoallmembers,withquorumpresent.Seesign-insheetforlistofattendees.

1. Welcomeandintroductions.SaschaDemerjianwelcomedthegrouptotheCommunityMeetingandgaveanoverviewoftopicstobecoveredduringthemeeting.Seeslidepresentation.

2. ApprovalofMeetingMinutes.TracyYettermovedtoapprovetheNovember2016meetingminutes.Themotionwassecondedandunanimouslyapproved.

3. UpcomingOutreachEvents&Fundraising.

• TracyYetteradvisedthemembershipoftheAnnualBookDriveforBaileyGatzert.Thegoalistocollect600booksbeforeSpringBreak.

• AnnIlgenupdatedthemembershipontheScienceFaironMarch23.VolunteersarestillneededfortheScienceFair,fromset-uptobreak-downtoeverythinginbetween.Inaddition,thePTAislookingforvolunteerstotakeoverorganizationoftheFallCarnival.TherewillbeanorganizationalmeetingApril6at7pm.

• KarenGustafsonannouncedanAuctionorganizationalmeetingonMarch30atTheBarkingDogAlehouse.KarenalsoremindedthemembershipoftheupcomingSpringCarnival,anadultsonly“fun”raisercominginMay.Thereisstillaneedforvolunteerstoorganizeclassroombucketsandsign-upparties.Seethesign-upgeniusintheWildchatoronthewebsite.

• JustinFentonannouncedaJog-A-ThononFriday,June2.Thisyeartheorganizershaveamodestgoalofraising$15,000.Moreinformationwillbeforthcoming.

4. SpecialProjectUpdates.AmyBryangaveanupdateonthespecialprojectsapprovedattheNovember2016generalPTAmeeting.TheF&PreadingassessmentkidsarrivedinearlyFebruaryandarebeingusedbyclassroomteachers.Thefinalcostwas$6,500,whichwasonbudget.TheSoundSystemwasinstalledinFebruaryandisworkingwell.Thefinalcostwas$4,830,whichwas$570lessthanthebudgetedamount.SPSisplanningtore-sealtheblacktop.DeloitteisconsideringWhittierforan“ImpactDay”atwhichvolunteersfromDeloittewouldcomepaintthelinesontheblacktop,Snorkel,performgroundswork,etc.

5. Treasurer’sReport.AndyLiesegavethetreasurer’sreport.Financialreportsareavailableonrequestfromtreasurer.whittierpta@gmail.com.

6. PTABudgetProcess.TonyToppenbergandSaschaDemerjiangaveanoverviewofthebudgetprocess.Thisyear’sPTABudgetCommitteewascomprisedof9people(8boardmembersandoneparent-at-largemember).

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SaschaDemerjiangaveanoverviewoftheFamilySurveyResults.Thehighestprioritiesweremaintaining3full-timePCPspecialprograms,providingresourcestothewholechild(social,emotionalandacademic)andacommunitydesirehelp,advocate,stayinformedandbeinvolved.Shealsodiscussedtheconsiderationsthebudgetcommitteetookintoaccountwhenpreparingthisyear’srecommendationforthestaffinggrants(seeslides).

7.PrincipalsReport.MelissaSchweitzergaveanoverviewoftheschool’svaluesineducatingstudentsandhowthattranslatestotheschool’sandtheBLT’sapproachtothebudgetprocess(seeslides).Shealsogaveanoverviewofhowtheschool’sallocationfromtheDistrictforstaffingwoulddifferbetween2016-17and2017-18.TheDistrict’sexpectationisthattheschooloperatesunderthis“worstcasescenario”situation,andifthelevycliffisresolved,theremaybereallocationtoschools.WhetherthatisintheformofdollarsorFTEisunknown.InordertomaintaintheHeadTeacher,the.5PCP,the.1LiteracySpecialist,andthe.2Nurse,theSchoolisaskingthePTAtofund$177,987for2017-18.

Ms.SchweitzergaveadditionaldataonthenumberofstudentsservedbyboththeHeadTeacherandtheLiteracySpecialist.

PleaseseeMs.Schweitzer’sslidepresentationfordetailedinformation.

Question:HowwillthisaffecttheAccessprogram?Ms.Schweitzerrespondedthattheteacherandinstructionalassistantratioissetandisnotaffectedbythebudgeting.

Question:IfthePTAGeneralMembershipdoesnotapproveanyportionoftheSchool’sask,doestheSchoolhaveaback-upplan.Theanswerisno.Ifaportionofthebudgetisnotapproved,thentheSchoolwillgowithoutthatstaffing.

Question:WilltheSchoolaskthismuchnextyear?No.Fortworeasons:(1)itsnotsustainable,and(2)atsomepoint,thestatewillcarryoutMcClearywhichwillforcereallocations.

8.BudgetCommitteeUpdate.TonyToppenberggaveanoverviewofchangesfornextyear’sbudget.Seebudgetcirculatedtothemembership.Thisbudgetisnotfinal.ItwillbefinalizedinMayforapprovalbytheGeneralMembership.Thebiggestchangeinthebudgetontheexpensesidefornextyearistheeliminationoffundingproposals.

Question:WhyisthereanincomeandexpenselineforNatureBridge?Thisitemwon’tbefinalizeduntiltheMaybudgetandisopenfordiscussion.TheintentionistodiscussfortheMaybudget.Ms.ChildersandMs.SchweitzerrequestedassistancefromthePTAformanagingaccountingandprocess.

Question:Whyisthereonly$5,000budgetedforincomefortheSpringFling?Theorganizersanticipatethattheeventwillbreakeven.Itisnotafundraiser.Follow-upquestion:Whatarethebucketsandthesign-uppartiespayingfor?IsthatmoneygoingtofundtheSpringFlingorisitgoingtothePTA?Ticketsshouldcovertheexpenses,andbuckets/sign-uppartieswillgotothePTA.

Tonygaveanoverviewofthe2017-18CashFlowAnalysis(seeslides).Thecurrentprojectionsforschoolyear2017-18,intheopinionofthebudgetcommittee,arenotfeasible.ThePTAneeds

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approximately$6,000atthestartofthe2017-18schoolyeartocoverexpensesrelatedtotheauctionandotherbeginningofyearitems.

Question:DowehavetofundattheSchool’sasklevel?IfthePTAdoesn’tapprovetheSchool’sask,thentheBudgetCommitteewillgobacktotheBLTwitharevisedoffer,thentheBLTwillneedtoapprove.Itispossible,buttheconcernisretainingstaffinreducedpositions.

Question:WhatkindofincomedoLoyalHeightsandGreenwoodontheirJog-A-Thon?Theyeachmade$30,000ontheJog-A-Thonlastyear.

SaschaDemerjiangaveanoverviewofthePTABoard’sFundingRecommendations:(1)reallocatingtheplaygroundupgradebudgettogeneralfunds,(2)fundinga1.0headteacher,(3)fundinga.5PCPteachers,(4)fundinga.2nurse,and(5)fundinga.1literacyspecialist.

Question:Witha.5Librarian,willallstudentsstillbeinthelibraryonceperweek?Yes.

Question:Witha.4LiteracySpecialist,willthatpersonhaveenoughtimetodoplanningandtracking?MelissawillworkcloselywiththeLiteracySpecialisttomakesurethatallnecessaryworkflowiscovered.

Question:HowdoestheLiteracySpecialistidentifychildrentoworkwith?MelissaSchweitzergaveanoverviewoftheprocessforidentifyingkidswhoneedliteracysupport.

Question:HowdoestheSchooladdbackinstrumentalmusicforthe4thgradein2018-19?Duringnextyear’sbudgetdiscussions,thePTAcanasktheBLTtoaddanadditional.1instrumentalmusicbacktotheschedule,andtheBLTwouldhavetoworkwiththestaffonwhethertogranttherequesttoaddtheadditionalhalfdaybacktotheschedule.

Question:Couldwedoanafterschoolinstrumentalprogram?Maybe.Thereareotheroptionsfornextyearthatcouldbeexploredifparentsareinterestedinbeinginvolved.

CheriseGaffneymadeamotionforvotingtocommence.

Motion1toreallocatedtheplaygroundupgradebudgettogeneralfunds:56Yes;1-No;1abstain

Motion2tofunda1.0headteacherpositionfor2017-18:56Yes;1-No;1abstain

Motion3tofunda.5FTEspecialistpositionfor2017-18:57Yes;1abstain

Motion4tofunda.2FTEnursingpositionfor2017-18:56Yes;1-No;1abstain

Motion5tofunda.1FTEliteracyspecialistpositionfor2017-18:54Yes;3-No;1abstain

Meetingwasadjournedat9:34p.m.Minutessubmittedbyco-secretaryKateMathews.