Desert Mountain Elementary Executive PTO Meeting
February 6, 2007
6:05 p.m.
Board members present : Teresa McQuade, Patty Campbell, Kristen Dawson, Kris Wells, Quincy Nelson, Sharon Erwin, Sheryl Grothe, Mary Elrod, Michelle Hunt, Principal Bill Schultz, and Courtney Shurtz representing Student Council
Agenda :
1. Treasurer's report from Teresa McQuade
2. Valentine's Day
3. Spirit Night-Cold Stone Creamery. Next “Spirit Night” day and location. Kristen/Patty
4. Box Top/Label contest. Party ideas. Kristen
5. Spring Book Fair. PTO/Student Council, Family Fun Night- D.J., food, decorations, pictures, and games. Student Store. Sheryl/Mrs. Shurtz/Kris
6. Discuss e-mail protocol and By-laws
7. New camera battery and memory card
8. Schultz time
9. Late night conferences and teacher appreciation week in May by Sharon
Meeting :
1. Current balance after projected budget: $8,500 . So far, we have collected $960 for yearbooks and $734 from Box Tops. Since the January meeting, Ms. Jack's wish list request, first grade's listening center, and AR enterprise subscription have been funded. Not all teachers have submitted a request for the $65 Coyote Fest profit share.
2. To celebrate Valentine's Day, Student Council will be selling Valentine grams beginning Thursday, 2/8/07 . The cost per “gram” will be $0.60 or 2/$1. An additional $1 will add other goodies such as a balloon with either a pencil, mini puzzle, or a valentine fruit snack. Grams will be sold in the morning in front of parent pick-up/drop off and at recess. On Thursday, Feb. 8 th grams will also be sold after school. Student Council will borrow the PTO helium tank and return it filled after the event. On Valentine's day, Mrs. Shurtz will need some assistance with inflating the balloons. Those that can help may arrive at 12:15 .
3. January's Spirit Night at Cold Stone Creamery was a success. Desert Mountain students are awesome!!! Our school earned $350. Cold Stone would really like to have us back. Quincy will post the amount earned in her next newsletter with a big “Thank you” to all of those who come out and support our school during these events. For upcoming Spirit Nights we are currently trying to have them at Barros Pizza for February, Cold Stone in April, and Chik –Fil-A in May- to coincide with a Yearbook signing party (thinking Thurs., May 17 th ). For the month of March, we are trying to find a new place to hold Spirit Night. Some ideas that Kristen will check into are Red Robin and San Tan Flats.
4. We have another Box Top/Label contest. Quincy will put out a whole new flyer promoting the contest to start now and end March 9, 2007 . Deadline for box top submissions is March 31 st . The prize will be an ice cream party for the primary (K-2 nd ) and intermediate (3-5) class with the most labels. The party will take place after spring break. Kristen will also need help with cutting and counting the labels and box tops.
5. A beach themed Book Fair will take place March 26 th -30 th . This book fair will be double the size we have had in the past. A flyer requesting volunteers for shifts during the days will be going out very soon. If we don't receive enough response, Patty will assist with calling from our volunteer list. In order to decorate the library with a beach theme properly, Sheryl requested money for decorations. Kris motioned a cap of $100. Motion was seconded by Michelle and passed. Desert Mountain recently hosted a Book Fair workshop that earned the library a $100 credit from Scholastic!
Family Fun Night will take place Wednesday, March 28, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. PTO members will need to arrive around 4p.m. for set up. The event will have a beach theme to coincide with the book fair. A joint effort between Student Council and PTO will run the event. Student Council will be paying for the D.J., firedancer, and decorations for the event (not necessarily for the photo backdrop and props). Students will promote the dance via broadcast announcements. Some items discussed: Profits from the evening will go to PTO. Photos will be $1 each. Events: Face painting, limbo contests, hula hoop competition, bingo, find a hula dancer (Sheryl), popcorn machine, and the menu to be discussed in more detail at the general meeting on 2/13/07 . Kris to research cost on decorations and leis for Mrs. Shurtz. Kristen to contact Gail Merrill for a firedancer.
Before Mrs. Shurtz left, she proposed the idea of Student Council running a student store that would sell items such as school supplies and healthy snacks. The idea was welcomed and will also be presented to Mr. Schultz.
6. In some instances, board members have needed to conduct business via email involving money issues and voting for PTO business. Many members have found the by-laws to be rather vague as to the proper protocol for the above said. What we as board members have considered and decided is to go through the “chain of command” before anything is motioned or voted upon. All items must go through the acting President. Once business conducted via email is finished we must post it. Since the by-laws are unclear, Mary will draft a proper “item” to be amended into the by-laws. This will be voted on at the next general meeting.
7. Kris Wells requested funds for a larger memory card and longer life battery for her camera which is used for school photo functions. Sheryl motioned for a cap of $130 for both items. Motion was seconded by Michelle and was approved by the board.
8. This agenda item was addressed at the beginning of the meeting by Mr. Schultz before his departure to another commitment.
Mr. Schultz briefly discussed his concern with open meeting law. In events that we as the PTO conduct and finish business via e-mails, we must make that information available by posting it.
Upcoming events :
February: 2/7 school pictures, 2/13 parents of 5 th grade students visiting middle school, 2/14 “A Kid's Life” performance at the Performing Arts center, 2/23 Student of the Month broadcast on school t.v., 2/26 thru 3/2 Galileo Testing,
March : 3/7- 3/9 Parent/Teacher conferences with 3/8 being late night conferences
3/12-3/23 Spring Break
3/26-3/30 Beach Themed Book Fair
3/28 Family Fun Night
April : 4/13 possible field day
4/9-4/13 Aims testing- Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds
4/19-4/20 5 th grade Space Challenge field trip
4/23 4 th grade musical performance
4/26 Ronald McDonald assembly
4/30-5/2 Dibels
May :Working on a date for talent show and “Pancakes for Parents”
5/7-5/11 Teacher Appreciation week
5/14 Kindergarten performance
5/23 5 th grade-Sunsplash
5/24 Last day of school
9. March 8, 2007 will be late night parent/teacher conferences. Sharon will get some estimates from a few Mexican restaurants to cater 50 people. During May 7-11 th , it is teacher appreciation week and Sharon will be working on doing something special for each day for all teachers.
Meeting adjourned: 7:45p.m.
Next executive meeting: 3/6/07
Desert Mountain Elementary General PTO Meeting
February 13, 2007
6:00 p.m.
Agenda :
1. Treasurer's report by Teresa McQuade
2. Teacher requests
3. Valentine's Day balloon grams- assistance with inflating balloons
4. Spirit Night events
5. Box Top/Label contest
6. Spring Book Fair and Family Fun Night events
7. Feed the teacher night
8. Amendment to by-laws
9. Question regarding tax credit dollars donated for year 2006
10. Calendar of events from Mr. Schultz
Meeting :
1. Current balance: $10,032.20. Yearbook funds collected to date: $1425.00. Nine vouchers have been paid to teachers requesting them.
2. Ms. Whittleton: requesting $1,163.22 for 2 scantron machines and scantron sheets. The machines are priceless to the teachers and the accelerated math program due to the luxury of saving time on grading tests. A motion was made by Sharon and seconded by Kris. Majority vote approved the request for $1,163.22.
Mr. Johnson: from his own funds, Mr. Johnson has purchased his own scantrons in the amount of $56.27. Quincy motioned to have the funds reimbursed. Motion was seconded by Kris and passed.
Ms. Ojeda and Ms. Jack: on behalf of these teachers, Teresa McQuade requested window treatments (4) for the portable classrooms that they are using. The sun exposure can be blinding and hot. Teresa found two estimates: Home Depot: $120 for Faux wood with no guarantee for product and E.V. Window Treatments: $215 guarantee for product. Mr. McQuade would donate his time to install the blinds. As the discussion progressed, Kris Wells said that she will check into the cost for blinds through her company. Ms. Shurtz also has a contact through her intern for window treatments. No approvals made at this time.
3. To celebrate Valentine's Day, Student Council will be selling Valentine grams beginning Thursday, 2/8/07 . The cost per “gram” will be $0.60 or 2/$1. An additional $1 will add other goodies such as a balloon with either a pencil, mini puzzle, or a valentine fruit snack. Grams will be sold in the morning in front of parent pick-up/drop off and at recess. On Thursday, Feb. 8 th grams will also be sold after school. Student Council will borrow the PTO helium tank and return it filled after the event. On Valentine's day, Mrs. Shurtz will need some assistance with inflating the balloons. Those that can help may arrive at 12:15 . Sheryl and Kris will arrive in the morning to inflate balloons for the am kindergarten classes.
4. Kristen is working on upcoming Spirit Nights for the remainder of the year. May's Spirit Night will be combined with the yearbook signing party at Chik-Fil-A.
5. We have another Box Top/Label contest. Quincy will put out a whole new flyer promoting the contest to start now and end March 9, 2007 . Deadline for box top submissions is March 31 st . The prize will be an ice cream party for the primary (K-2 nd ) and intermediate (3-5) class with the most labels. The party will take place after spring break.
6. A beach themed Book Fair will take place March 26 th -30 th (“Ride the Reading Wave”) . This book fair will be double the size we have had in the past. A flyer requesting volunteers for shifts during the days will be going out next week. Scholastic will give the library a $150 voucher when we get the kids involved with games or contest promoting reading for the book fair. Some ideas Sheryl presented were: poster decorating contest and a door decorating contest
Family Fun Night will take place Wednesday, March 28, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. A joint effort between Student Council and PTO will run the event. Students will promote the dance via broadcast announcements. The events will also be posted out on the scrolling marquee. Promoting this event is crucial since Book Fair is right after we return from Spring Break. Ms. Shurtz will follow up on the D.J. to have them at the event from 6-8p.m. At this time we have not found a hula dancer or fire dancer. Lori Call will be approached to make a photo background for pictures. Grass skirts and 400 leis will be purchased. Odessa Hurd and “company” will charge $0.50 for face painting to go toward her classroom. PTO will be purchasing food for the event. On the menu: pizza, popcorn, cookies, soda and water. We are planning for approximately 50 cheese pizzas. Ms. Shurtz will speak with someone at Barros for a price. Until we receive the quote, we will not set a price on the meals. Silent Auction baskets will be used when we coordinate the walk a thon.
7. On March 8, 2007 , Sharon will have a dinner for teachers. She is working on some quotes to have the event catered. The board approved a $400 budget.
8. Mary Elrod composed Article 12 and 13 to amend into our by-laws. All had a copy to review and discuss. Any changes to her copy are attached as finished and ready to post. The suggestions made were motioned by Sharon and Quincy and passed.
9. “If a parent donated monies to the tax free credit for the year 2006, can they use it this year prior to May 2006. Example: 5th grade field trips or for music." This question was presented to Mr. Schultz. At this time, he did not have a definite answer for Patty.
10. Upcoming events :
February: 2/7 school pictures, 2/13 parents of 5 th grade students visiting middle school, 2/14 “A Kid's Life” performance at the Performing Arts center, 2/23 Student of the Month broadcast on school TV., 2/26 thru 3/2 Galileo Testing,2/28 in service day
March : 3/7- 3/9 Parent/Teacher conferences with 3/8 being late night conferences
3/12-3/23 Spring Break
3/26-3/30 Beach Themed Book Fair
3/28 Family Fun Night
April : 4/13 possible field day
4/5 Meet an author in your school library
4/9-4/13 Aims testing- Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds
4/18 in service day
4/19-4/20 5 th grade Space Challenge field trip
4/25 Secretary Day
4/23 4 th grade musical performance
4/26 Ronald McDonald assembly
4/30-5/2 Dibels
May : Working on a date for talent show and “Pancakes for Parents”
5/7-5/11 Teacher Appreciation week
5/14 Kindergarten performance
5/23 5 th grade-Sunsplash
5/24 Last day of school
9. March 8, 2007 will be late night parent/teacher conferences. Sharon will get some estimates from a few Mexican restaurants to cater 50 people. During May 7-11 th , it is teacher appreciation week and Sharon will be working on doing something special for each day for all teachers.
Meeting adjourned: 7:20p.m.
At 7p.m. a motion and vote was made to continue the meeting
Article 12 and 13 below:
Article 12
Conducting Business via E-Mail
Article 13
Book Fairs
1. The PTO, with help from volunteers, will organize and oversee not more than two book fairs in a school year.
2. All proceeds received from the book fairs belong to the Desert Mountain library. The librarian will oversee the disbursements of funds.