I apologize for missing the April meeting update! Hopefully this information will suffice to let you know what you might have missed!
Toy & Book Exchange – as always, unwanted toys were brought by members and taken home by other members! We’ll have 1 teacher at the morning meetings next year Paypal –our account is set up, awaiting changeover to switch to lower rate/non-profit status New phone number/voice mail – savings of $60 per year by switching to free service Cinco de Mayo - $170 profit selling nachos at school! Next year we need more supplies (food) and consider renting a nacho cheese dispenser as dealing with the Crock Pots was messy and time consuming Volunteer appreciation event – work with the Parent Center to combine forces on 6/1. Voted to give one of our donated grocery gift cards to Lucy to use for refreshments at the event (to do our share). Our volunteers will be honored alongside the school volunteers. Budget for next year – need to raise dues to cover operating costs District PTA gets $4.50 per member – we were only charging $5. · Voted to raise dues to $7 per member next year and to emphasize that membership only needs to be the parents, not kids, and make it WELL known that anything above the $4.50 we have to give to district PTA goes DIRECTLY to our school’s unit. · One point of confusion, which needs to be clarified in all membership drives, is that the member is the PARENT, and one doesn’t need a membership for EACH child in order to be “an active member”, AND be sure to stress that we have to pay out $4.50 per member to the district PTA, so new members are aware that we’d LOVE to have them donate more on their membership! It’s better to have one member and give an additional donation than it is to register the parents AND each kid as members · Need membership drive RIGHT at the start of school, and a second one RIGHT after holiday break (start in January). Need incentives for classes – ice cream party, pizza, etc Flyer proposal from local business – $60 fee proposed ($20-40 profit) – vote Member proposed that we charge $100 for the service (including FB, web & sponsor poster in office) and ask if they could provide the flyers, as that fee seems reasonable to directly access 500+ individuals at our school. We could put PTA stickers on them, to make them a mailing from us (not TLE), and Mrs. Bove confirmed that this is NOT an “on campus” fundraiser, so anything netted from it is strictly for the PTA. Ms. Grigsby suggested a visitation to them first, just so we’ve “checked them out” Once our proposal is clear, Beth will contact them and give our proposal Officers for next year (unless anyone else volunteers): President: Jalila Salaam-Karneh Vice President: TBD MIGHT have someone interested in this, but needs to think on it Secretary: Heisy Carias Treasurer: Chiara Cruz Non-officer positions (can change during the year): Membership: Miriam Archila Marketing & Technology: Beth Stengel School/PTA Liason; TBD PTA Dads – Ryan Bantu Fundraising: TBD Ms. Grigsby passed out the (Draft) Master Calendar for 2011/2012 – updates to be given to her after PTA has reviewed and commented PTA events planned are (still subject to change): September PTA Membership Drive – VERY important! “Back to School Night” – PTA will have a complimentary coffee bar (Beth Stengel and Heisy Carias to coordinate donations and staffing) and possibly sell food (pizza?) and/or have a bake sale. BIG push at this event will be to sign up members RIGHT THERE – offer free cookie with membership? October Halloween Parade – does PTA want to sell something at this, such as glow sticks or other trick-or-treat safety item, or food? December Holiday Boutique – PTA will sell items to kids (week before break, during lunches) so they can purchase and have wrapped small gifts for their families January PTA “New Year, New Start” Membership Drive Garden Party? – will PTA host lunch again? February Valentine’s Day – PTA will sell items for delivery to kids in class April “Open House” – PTA will sell food of some kind May Cinco de Mayo – PTA will sell nachos Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week – PTA will likely host another lunch June Volunteer Appreciation Event – PTA will work with Parent Center Graduation – does PTA want to sell flowers or do complimentary drinks/coffee for parents? Call for ideas! PLEASE email us if you think of or hear of any great ideas for us for next year! Our missions for next year are: 1) Provide information, education and value to our parents (speakers, events, tighter meetings) What would benefit our parents? What would you like to learn more about? Carnival for families? Ideas given include: · “Conflict Managers” – training certain kids to resolve conflicts on the playground (helping them work out differences between other kids; group selected from kids identified by teachers at good at solving conflicts – was done at another school to great success) · “Math (and other educational games) Game Workshop” – a night where parents come with kids and create crafts and games that are then taken home and used to educate (math skills, word skills, etc). Good community builder, definite value, fairly low cost. · “Reading Night” – come to the school with your child, first hear from an educator about “how” to read a book with a young child, then sit around and read together, have snacks, etc. Perhaps with a book exchange (or could we do a book giveaway?) · Presentation by a professional about fostering good emotional health in kids – ties in with “conflict management”, but also self-esteem, dealing with bullies, fostering positive behavior reinforcement, etc, etc · “Family Movie Night” – either in the auditorium or (with funds) as a “Drive In” on the campus (“drive” your bike, walk, etc, with folding chairs and blankets and refreshments). Per Lucy, done before as $2-3 per student, which included popcorn and a drink, or we could do it as a fundraiser (free movie, but sell drinks/popcorn/nachos/etc) · Host a “Meet and Greet” or “Kinder Tea” for the PTA to welcome incoming Kindergarten parents and help them acclimate to our school, meet the teachers and principal, etc. · School or Community Carnival (no rides, just games and activities) – use members of the community, including businesses, to sponsor booths and bring their information (fire dept could bring a truck, a restaurant could sponsor a food booth, etc) . Need to begin right away and have it for either Fall or Spring. 2) To meet our fundraising needs primarily OFF campus, with the exception of set holiday events (Open House, Holiday Boutique, Valentine’s sale, etc) Banners on school fence, sponsorships & donations from local businesses, taking our fundraising to the Farmer’s Market or other community venues · Walk/Bike/Skate-a-thon – anything that involved the kids doing something · Sell reusable grocery totes with our logo on them, especially good idea if we do it at the Farmer’s Market · “Family Movie Night” – see above · banners on school fence 3) To begin an annual service project One main thing that we’re raising funds for: playground equipment, etc · Seek input from all teachers about what could enhance education for our kids · Do they have a “leveled library”? Sets of books grouped by grade so teachers can check out for their class for a period of time · Science equipment/materials – do they have them? Per Lucy, talk to Ms. Ward, who does the science stuff. They do have science kits (don’t know details of what is in them) – do we need better/more? · Is there sports equipment needed? Ms. Bove recently got a grant from the YMCA for some equipment, don’t know specifics Other things discussed at the meeting, which aren’t really under PTA but may want to be investigated: Lucy mentioned the idea of “Cultural Fridays” in classes where a room parent brings food/talks about traditions of their culture Some schools split lunches by dividing grades into even/odd – so 1/3/5 go at one time, and 2/4/6(no 6 here) at another. This bigger break in ages leads to more good role modeling of the older kids to the younger grades vs. grades close together. Possible idea for Mrs. Bove. Student Council – student leadership We’re losing our YS services next year, which is the flexible after-school care (kids do homework and are supervised from end of school to whatever time parents want to pick up). The only options for kids next year will be the YDP program, which has a LONG waiting list AND requires kids to stay in the program until 5:30 pick up time. Is the PTA interested in stepping in with providing “Homework Club” volunteers or financial support (to raise money to hire supervisors)? Since the school always needs much copy paper, is there any way to REDUCE the amount of paper used? Why are books photocopied instead of loaned out? Are there not enough? Toluca Lake PTA 4840 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 - Ph 818-293-7821 www.tolucapta.weebly.com email: [email protected] On Facebook: www.facebook.com/tolucalakepta
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Toluca Lake PTA Blog
Here you'll find notes from our recent meetings, in case you missed! Past Meeting Notes
September 2011
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