October 2024 Meeting Minutes

Global Arts Plus PTA 

 Meeting Minutes

10/8/2024 at 6:00 PM

Meeting started at 6:06 pm.

1. Welcome and Introductions - Pondie (PTA president)

2. School Improvement Plan (SCIP)- Let’s link the report here - Lynn Bougoyne (assistant Principal)

• Required to share with parents a couple of times a year

• One goal is Positive School and District Culture

  • PBIS, Mental Health, Behavior, School Support, Attendance Teams that all work together to make sure that students are coming to school and, when they are here, that they feel good about being here.

  • School Survey coming out in November.  Goal is 85% participation with all answers being 3 or higher (out of a scale of 4).  

  • 5th grade

    • Literacy: CAREIALL (more info)  Training offered by the U of MN.  All teachers take this training (unless they did the LETRS training in the past).  This is reading training.  Focus is to fill gaps that were being missed before - steps to learning how to read, phonics support, etc. 

      • Realization that future teachers aren’t being taught how to teach reading, and so this is a way to address this. 

      • Literacy goal: 5 percentage points growth on MCAs as well as on FAST.

      • Question about if there is a place in the classroom for parent volunteers to help with literacy.  

    • Math:  We’ve switched over to HMH.  We started last year and while our numbers are still low, last year we saw our largest growth.  

  • Middle school

    • Reading: FAST was just done today.  Plans to dig into the FAST data to see where the learning is happening and address gaps and do small group work.  

    • Math

    • Attendance 

      • Foundations is like advisory, they have it every other day.  This is where we do a lot of social / emotional learning.  We talk about where students want to be in 5 years, how to build friendships, set goals, etc. 

        • Also thinking about how we can connect with families to make sure their child’s attendance is on track.  

3. Secretary’s Report - Stephanie (secretary)

• Motion by Stacey Cruz.  Seconded by Marueen Mullaney Vu.  Minutes approved.

4. Treasurer’s Report - Graham (filling in for Hanan)

• We have $4134 in checking, $10000 in savings.

• We’re already getting reimbursement requests from teachers (we offer $100 per year per teacher)

• We currently have 5 memberships logged in Givebacks.  We need to have 20 paying members at $10 per member to keep our membership active.  We’re not going to prohibit people from being in the PTA if they can’t pay $10.  If you are able to pay, you are welcome to do that!

• Current projected expenses:

  • Carnival

5. Carnival Update (Maureen and Maggie)

• Carnival is Thursday, October 24, 5:30-7:30 

• We are NOT charging admission.

• Everyone will get a stamp.  For kids to get a stamp, they have to come with an adult.

• Food will be available for sale.

• We’re working on figuring out lighting outside (anyone have a light tower?)

• Right now we are low on volunteers!  We can’t do this without volunteers!

  • Feel free to reach out to Maureen: maureenlmullaney@gmail.com 

  • We need a Facebook post   

6. School Gear (Graham)

• We need some more pushes to get people in the know.  

• Deadline to order is October 25. 

• We’ll have info / forms at the Carnival.

• Could we have any mock ups or samples? 

  • Graham will check on this.  

7. Organizing the ASK - (Pondie) - and other fundraising

• The ASK is our big fundraiser.

• What do we think about sending out postcards in the mail?

• How can we get people excited to give to their school?

  • Collect change?

    • We raised about $2k last year doing this for Jamaica.

    • Maybe have a specific goal for the coins

  • Different prizes for reaching a certain amount (extra recess, popcorn party, etc.)

• What if we did this NOT in the Fall?  

  • We need to do the Ask sooner rather than later because we pay $10000 for the artists in residencies every year. 

• Square is moving to the Spring

  • Many people feel that Square is good to have for holiday gifts

  • What if we did a Grandparent’s Day and lined that up with Square?  

    • Maybe have a specific goal for the money that we can raise?

    • Dr. Franks might be open to this because she seems like she wants to bring community into the school

• What about a picnic for a grade?  

  • These are things that individual teachers do.  

• We also have the Plant sale in the Spring

• Dr. Franks has had a lot of experience in fundraising for her past school (have a school store, pencil sale, teachers pay to wear jeans, etc.)

8. Conference/ Teacher appreciation potluck (Stephanie and Pondie)

• Tuesday, November 12

• We need it for both campuses

• Stephanie will take the lead and verify the dates

9. Feedback about meetings in the winter 

• Preference for in-person or virtual?  

  • Probably get more virtually?

  • Maybe alternate?  

  • Consider season/weather?

• Preference for days?

10. Other business / future meeting items?

• Ms. Kroetch needs a sound person for the gatherings, from 3-3:45

  • Reach out to Ms. Kroetch 

  • We need a Facebook post for this

• Thinking about the $10k that the PTA gives each year to the school for the artists in residences - how are we going to divide that now?

  • What is the cost or budget for each residency?

  • In the past, Principal Jones has just taken care of that

• Thinking about the Direct Ask

  • Do we know how much each campus brings in?

  • How can we get more creative in getting more buy-in?

  • Could there be different fundraisers for each campus?

• How do make the two campuses feel more connected?

  • Meet with Family Engagement @ Upper to see what ideas they have

  • Can the PTA get a presence at the gatherings at Upper?

  • 
    

Motion to end meeting: Stacey Cruz

Seconded by Maureen Mullaney Vu 

Meeting adjourned at 7:10 pm

Next meeting - November 19 - at the Upper Campus