PTA Meeting Minutes
June 7, 2017 6-8pm
César Chávez Library
I. Fred Smith called the meeting to order at 6:17pm. Quorum established. Introductions made.
II. President’s Report – Fred Smith discussed the history of the César Chávez PTA, what has been accomplished this year. Discussed PTA participation at the rummage sale, presence at Kinder Connect, assisted Coach Maya painting the playground. Discussed PTA will be involved with kinder and 8th grade promotions, will donate funds to field day. The board will be meeting over the summer. Fred thanked everyone for participation in PTA. Announcements/upcoming events from the agenda were discussed.
Keiona R Connor gave an update from the Oregon PTA conference that occurred 4/21/17 and 4/22/17. Keiona and Leah Hinson attended the conference. Workshops, networking, and Oregon PTA business took place. Keiona and Leah attended several workshops including: nutrition in schools, wellness in schools, parliamentary procedure, president’s topics, diversity in literature with the SMART program, bullying, PFLAG and PTA programs. There was a lot of information collected which will be useful for the success of the PTA. Keiona also stated that several contacts were made, especially within the Roosevelt PTA cluster. If there are any questions, please ask Keiona.
III. Approval of minutes – Leah Hinson handed out meeting minutes from the meeting on 5/3/17 which were read and reviewed by the membership. Daniel Ribeiro made a motion to approve the minutes, the motion was seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously.
IV. Treasurer’s report – Amber Clark presented the treasurer’s report. See attached report. Lengthy discussion around funds that were received from the previous PTA. Motion by Leah Hinson to move the agenda, seconded, motion passed unanimously.
V. New Business
a. Change in signers for the bank account – Fred discussed that since Amber Clark is the outgoing treasurer and Meginn Nordstrom is the new treasurer, Meginn Nordstrom should become a signer on the Cesar Chavez PTA bank account. Motion made by Daniel Ribeiro to make Meginn Nordstrom a signer on the Cesar Chavez PTA bank account at Albina Community Bank and take Amber Clark off the bank account as a signer, motion seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
b. Survey results – Leah Hinson discussed the parent survey results that were collected in February. See detailed results attached. Leah also summarized the ideas for next year that were discussed at the 6/7/17 morning parent coffee.
c. Discuss steps for next year – Meginn Nordstrom led a discussion on where our PTA should focus its efforts next year.
* Ideas proposed: improved play area and soccer field/covered play area, language-cultural exchange (through cooking or sports)/spanish-english classes, encourage literacy (reading groups/battle of the books/kid driven book reviews and curating a monthly selection of books in the library), cameras inside the school for increased safety/road safety at drop off and pick up, teacher supplies support/helping hands, auction/fundraising, timeline on fence – advocacy, homework club, engaging working parents who cannot make meetings, parent workshops.
* Discussion around possible auction next year. Several members were very excited at the possibility. Marlon Broussard volunteered to chair an auction committee. Fred Smith and Keiona R. Connor decided that this committee will be a sub-committee of the fundraising committee. The co-presidents also stated that the work of the playground improvements will fall under the School Improvement Committee.
* Leah Hinson made a motion to focus on one big idea for the long term, and two smaller manageable goals for next year, motion seconded. Unanimous vote in favor.
* Again discussed areas to focus in on from the list that was created.
* After a discussion, Leah Hinson made a motion to focus on playground improvements as the longer term goals and for the two shorter term goals: literacy advocacy and teacher support/helping hands. Motion seconded. Unanimous vote in favor.
* It was discussed that from the above list: Language/cultural exchange and support like homework club could be work that the Community Building and Support Committee can focus on. Cameras in the school and safety at drop off and pick up can be work of the Safety and Transportation Committee. Getting the fence completed, this can be work for the Advocacy Committee and the Safety Committee, and parent workshops will be the work of the PTA board for the fall. Engaging working parents and increasing membership numbers can be the work of the Membership Committee.
d. Committee formation – Keiona Connor and Fred Smith discussed the committees that have been established for next year, and the committee chairs who have been identified. Members were encouraged to sign up for committees if they have not already.
* Committee chairs that have been identified:
– Fundraising: Robbi Johnston
– Communications: Co-Chairs Shona Lepis and Jason Clark
– School Improvements: Skye Waggoner
– Transportation and Safety: Co-Chairs Danielle Arp and Amanda Telling
– Membership: Amber Clark
– Volunteer Chair: Hilda Hernandez
– PTA still needs a chair for events, advocacy and community building and support.
VI. Announcements – Keiona presented information for families about the health center, that services are free to students whether the student has insurance or not, there are physical and mental health services, and appointments are available during the school year. She presented information that was presented this morning at the parent coffee regarding SNAP benefits and the farmers markets, and gave an update on possible start time change for 2017-2018 that Mrs Schorr is considering. Surveys handed out.
VII. Adjournment – Fred Smith adjourned the meeting at 8pm.
Meeting minutes submitted by Leah Hinson, César Chávez Secretary.
