MECA HS PTA General and Election Meeting- June 21, 2023

Virtual meeting (zoom)

Attendees: Josh Ehrlich (PTA President), Monica Soto (PTA Secretary), Vivian Cruz (School Parent coordinator), Sarah Kaplan (Principal), Shelby Banks (PTA Secretary), Carlean Ingram (teacher), and total 16 Parents. Complete list of attendees available upon request.

Meeting Started 7:05pm with Quorum of parent members. 

PTA President Josh Ehrlich chairing the meeting. Monica Soto PTA secretary scribing the meeting notes.

1. Approval of Motion to make one vote for all three positions simultaneously: 

Josh gave a quick overview of how today’s general meeting is the last attempt to hold election. There was no quorum of members in the May general meeting. The three current members of the PTA executive board were the only nominations received. The three members are Josh Ehrlich as president, Monica Soto secretary, and Shelby Banks as Treasurer.

Josh called out a motion that elections for all three positions be made with one vote. A parent member seconded the motion. 

2. PTA Executive Board elections: 

Josh launched the zoom poll for members make their vote with options Yes (in favor) or No (Not in favor) to elect the current PTA Executive board members to the same positions. Josh asked for any comments or opposing voices. There were none. The final vote tally 12 parents vote from the total who voted. 100% in favor of electing the three current executive board members for a new year. 

After the voting was completed and recorded no opposition, a parent asked if there are other roles available for election. Josh responded that the PTA is open for other roles such as co-positions or any other position as set up in the PTA Bylaws. Josh showed his screen of the Mecahspta.org site and where to find the current PTA bylaws. The bylaws section shows a role as vice-president. The PTA members can amend the bylaws to add any other position if any parent is interested in any other position.

A full report of the polling results showing the list of the parents who voted is available upon request.

3. President’s Report- Josh Ehrlich: 

No report

4. PTA Pending Business

   1. ByLaws Amendment of PTA General meetings Quorum:

Josh took the opportunity to bring a motion to update the Quorum set on the PTA Bylaws. The motion will be to a minimum of 5 parents instead of 8 parents. This motion reduces the number of executive board members present to 2. Currently bylaws require 3. This item was an item that required members to vote. However, we could not conduct any business due to no quorum in the last three general PTA meetings. 

The motion was seconded by a parent. The Motion was approved.

Shelby requested Josh to clarify that the quorum require 5 PTA members to be parents and school staff. Josh made the clarification and made motion to revote the Quorum Bylaws. Motion was approved with no opposition.

2. Approval Prior General Meeting Minutes:

Josh brought another business the PTA had not have chance to vote on approval of the meeting minutes for March, April and May PTA general meetings. Josh showed where in the MECA HS PTA site members can find prior meeting minutes for review. The members can also view the prior meetings recording by filling out the form to confirm they are members and will receive access to the recording.

5. Principal’s Report-: Ms Kaplan shared the following:

Updates:

• Teachers are in the process of contacting students with the Regents results.

• Report cards will be mailed by end of the month.

• The school building will be closed starting June 30th until August 28th. 

• Summer school will be in Governors Island and again collaborating with UA Harbor and other HS. Administrative and support staff will be on call to support families. 

• Summer Bridge for the new students 9th grader will be in BMCC during the week of July 24th. 

Monica asked Ms Kaplan if the school needs any help from the PTA since the graduation will be on Monday June 26th. Ms Kaplan answered that two staff will be prepping on Sunday. The ceremony will be at 1:00pm.

6. Treasury Report- Shelby: no report.

7. New Business- Request for Special Meeting for 11th and 12th Grader Parents

A parent asked for a time for parents of Rising 11th and 12th graders to meet and discuss the kids transitioning to BMCC and place to answer parents questions. 

Ms Kaplan responded that in the year Ms Laurent scheduled several events but there was low participation. And for this year the school is figuring out if remote option [of the meetings] could work best. Maybe the school can collect questions in advance. 

A parent asked about the school offering more college classes. Ms Kaplan replied that the school is limited with college classes it can offer. Due to time constraints of BMCC offering a class and time students can be at BMCC location. 

Shelby added in zoom chat that Ms Camacho and Ms Laurent have agreed to this type of meetings.

This item will be revisited in the first meeting on the school year in September and confirm the need of a special (not general) PTA meeting.

8. Old Business- none

The meeting ended at 8:00pm .

Please reach out via email to ptainfo@mecahspta.org 

Replies from our PTA HS comes from 02M280PA@schools.nyc.gov