Month: February 2019

Bryant PTSA Board Meeting Minutes – Jan 2019

Kathy Austin

Welcome and Introductions                                                          Kim Love & Whitney Griesbach

Approve December Board Meeting Minutes

  •  Approved

Officer/Standing Committee Reports

Treasurer’s Recap Report Brita Willis & Lorraine Sawicki

  • Continue to collect Annual Campaign
  • Collecting funds for instruments- have 5300 out of 10k needed
  • Read-a-Thon donation $2700    
  • Remaining unallocated= 9k as of 12/31
  • Reminder: Read-a- Thon is not a PTSA event. Want to clarify we are fiscal sponsors, not our fundraiser
  • Billing receipts and reimbursements need to be submitted in a timely manner or otherwise will be considered donations
  • 43k in cash reserve at this time

Fundraising Chair Report

Volunteer Coordinator Janie Booth & Tammy Shorr

  • Uptick in volunteer asks due to increased activities coming up
  • Please reach out to your network for volunteer interest and need for leadership roles         

Legislative Chairs Report Jean Charette, Yvonne Roberts &Diana Fryc    

  • Updates on next month:  get the vote out for the levy
  • Looking for volunteers for phone banks- teachers have been asked and parents can help as well.
  • Washington’s Paramount Call put out to ask people to testify tomorrow regarding increasing money for school. Hearing at 3:30 in Olympia on Wednesday Jan 16. If interested, contact Sam Fogg.

Bryant Leadership Team Kim Love

  • Discussed Testing Data and Survey Data- a lot of fluctuation in testing data, waning- trying to figure out how to course correct. Math is data is lower than Reading by about 10 points, which is unusual. Theory is social emotional/anxiety
  • Interim survey about student/staff connections/safety at school to solidify this theory.
    • Reading scores have been maintained.
    • How can we effectively look at data as an entire staff?
    • How to align educational goals                                                

Principal’s Report Melissa Samosa

  • SPS is in second year of Black Lives Matter week in Feb. Taking a look at school teaching teams to put out grade appropriate material. Historical perspective, empathy, institutional racism. Materials about BLM education will be sent home to continue the conversation

LASER Report Eric Noble

  • ED back from Maternity Leave
  • Some staff raises
  • Some promotions from within
  • New people on LASER Board
  • Things are looking good!                                                      

New Business

Playground Steering Committee Updates Mary Strazer

  • Meeting with Principal/LASER to re-form a Steering Committee, reevaluate those who have expressed interest in the past
  • Dept. of Neighborhoods is potentially reducing grant to 25k
  • Dates for submission re beginning of March or beginning of June
  • School can’t be applicant, has to be a community group. PTSA serves as fiscal sponsor.
  • Landscape plans commissioned 20 years ago are still in hand and will be helpful

Artists in Residents:  Julianna and Kristen Zweirs

Ask for increase in supply budget

  • Dollar amount per classroom teaching hour – $5.75 currently. Supplies are not as great quality as a result.
  • Ask for $7.00 per classroom teaching hour, which totals roughly $500/year increase
  • Supply Drives suggested as an alternative approach
  • Potential to order some of art supplies at Office Depot as part of overall school supply purchase
  • Tammy Shorr motioned to increase supply funds of $500, motion approved

Bryant Library Read-a-Thon Update     Anne Aliverti

  • Read- a thon collected 28k (way beyond the expectation)             
  • (Compared to last year’s book fair that raised $1500)!!!
  • Able to update history section, replacing old books, replacing books that are taken from library
  • Heard a lot of positive things about momentum to read over break brought on by Read-A-Thon
  • Missed social aspect of Book Fair, so thinking about having an end of the year Book Fair to raise money for a school that needs it
  • Very aware fundraiser fatigue and will keep that in consideration
  • Will continue planning and meeting and present to PTSA again in the future with additional ideas
  • Pledge Star was a great online platform for the read a thon
  • Will advertise to kids how much we are able to do with the money raised
  • Idea for a book stamp for books bought with Read A Thon money

Garden Shed Budget Brita Willis

  • $2500 allocated to Garden Shed, some give by Boy Scouts. Garden Shed not going to happen. Brita requesting change to unallocated funds. Boy Scouts are aware.
  • Motion to move funds by Brita. Seconded by Sam Fogg. Motion Approved.

Change in Budgeting Process for Fiscal Yr ’19-’20  Brita Willis

  • Proposing that 32k of the current 41k surplus to cover Auction and Blast income for this year, and going forward use surplus in current year for Auction and Blast for that year. (See email) This is NOT reserve funding it is surplus money.
  • Brita made motion (above), Motion seconded by Samantha Fogg, motion passed.

Speakers for Meetings Kim Love

  • Screen time speaker Emily Cherkin on 4/23
  • Working on 3rd speaker, focus on literacy- May or early June

Community Engagement Grants Kim Love

  • Each grade level will receive $500 grant to put on a community event for their families. Must be free, must involve all families in grade level. Parents to sponsor the event with whole grade level. Last year every grade level participated.

Max (counselor) grateful for SEL books for his office and sensory baskets. Sent pictures in an email as a thank you.

More positive feedback about school supplies from teachers as well.