DCES PTO BOARD MEETING MINUTES September 5th, 2023

9/6/2023 11:57 am

DCES PTO BOARD MEETING MINUTES September 5th, 2023

 

Present:

Tara McConnell, Co President 

April Beauboeuf, Co President

Adam Cusimano, Secretary (Absent)

Lisa Lee, Treasurer

Nicole Carey, VP of Fundraising

Courtney Schramm, VP Communications

Melanie Frisone, VP of Hospitality

Casey Magargle, VP of Hospitality

Craig Doss, VP Technology

Mary Olley, VP of Technology

Whitney Graving, VP of Events

Kimberly Mills, Principal

Erin Scagnelli, Vice Principal

Melissa Caramucci, Teacher representative

Jamie McCrensky, Teacher Representative 

Paige Miller-Blum, site council representative

Amie Hegeman, Mandarin representative 

 

Absent: Adam Cusimano

 

Principal Update 

Mrs. Mills & Mrs. Scagnelli

First Responders Event - now occurring September 27th due to the high heat advisory. Moving ROAR assembly to week of October 2nd.

Campus Improvements. Will make changes to primary playground. Building shade structure and taking out second swing set; making it turf and an area for the kids to run. May not occur until after the ball court work is completed. Ball court work is hoping to start in October but diagram is having to be redone due to irrigation requirements. 

A + Application. Submitted last week of August! Teachers have been working on it since the end of May. Committee will review end of September and school finds out if they move on to a visit in October; if the visit isn’t next step then feedback will be provided (for re-application the following year). 

Attendance. District wide focus on attendance, at DCES PTO may need to connect with PBIS committee also to find more ways to remind and encourage parents to make sure their kids attend school every day. 95% average attendance rate, goal is 96% for the school.  

 

President Update

Tara McConnell

April Beauboeuf

 

2023 SUSD Override - paying for people (former override paid for things). 

 

Yes vote for Sophie Badgett to replace Ellen as VP Campus Improvements via email passed on 8/21/23. Sophie introduced to the board!

 

Change in date for first responders event from 9/8 to 9/27

 

Weekly email newsletters go out on Tuesdays. Please email Courtney with any information you’d like to have included in our newsletters before then.

 

Q for teacher reps from spiritwear: How do teachers want spirit wear delivered to their classroom? Per Katie: There isn't really space to put something in their mailbox and the campus it's basically only open during school hours so my thought is they would prefer to have spirit wear delivered before school starts but if they have a different preference I could accommodate. Response (MCaramucci): just put outside the teacher door, the kids can pick it up at the end of the day. 

School calendars are being reviewed on the 12th of September and Mrs Mills/Mrs Scagnelli will re-issue with some updates. 

Site Council Update

Paige Miller-Blum. First meeting will occur end of September. Still need reps for K1, 2, and 3. Google Form online under school website. 

 

Mandarin Rep update

Amie Hegeman. Still working on plans for Chinese New Year. Connected with middle school PTO on a lion dance for the new year celebration, trying to figure out if we can split costs with them? Will raise at SPC the lack of district marketing for Dual Immersion learning. Mrs Mills and Mr Akhbari met with Kristine Harrington to discuss how to further market selected school events (Vet Day, 25 Year Celebration and Chinese New Year). Using the school website more for marketing, as opposed to as a parent tool. 

 

Treasurer

Lisa Lee

 

-Chase Checking Account Balance: $91,823.85

 

**Vote needed: budget items***

 

The garden needs new drip lines. Tina has found a company that can do the job for $600 + a bronze level sponsorship. Question on whether or not to move ahead with the vote based on multi-vendor asks; aprillbe emailed Tina to ask for clarity on drip line repair costs. Vote to add 600 dollars to budget (under campus improvements) passed by majority. 

 

 

Since the cost is not ongoing, it will go in the campus improvements bucket (on a side note, she needs to fill the garden and possibly line the garden with plastic, but we don’t have a cost for those yet and we’d like to move on the drip lines since that’s set up, but these are also not ongoing - tilling happened every 3-5 years) Vote yes/no to add $600 to the campus improvements bucket to replace garden zip lines. 

Budget items APPROVED via email since last meeting

 

Yes vote for carnival to increase their spending budget by $1000 from $10k to $11,000 passed on 8/11/23 via email

Yes vote for increase to teacher reimbursements from $10,000 to $10,400, this doesn’t include special area as they have their own budget bucket. We have 24 K-5 teachers and 2 pre-school teachers. K-5 teachers receive $400 from PTO and preschool teachers receive $200. We would like to balance that out and everyone will receive $400. With that said, we will have increase our budget to $10,400, an increase of $400. So we are asking all of you to respond yes or no, to approve a $400 increase in the teacher reimbursement budget - raising it from $10,000 to $10,400. Passed 8/20/2023 via email

Yes to increase our specials reimbursement budget from $4,825 to $5700,  -  a $875 increase in the special areas/support staff reimbursement budget - raising it from $4,825 to $5,700 passed on 8/29/23 via email

 

Teachers

Melissa Caramucci/Jamie McCrensky

1. 5th is missing their cove sign, I was told that PTO purchased the original signs. Can we get a replacement? Maybe replace all of them? Some are sun damaged, faded. Sophie to connect with Mrs McCrensky on sign needs and requirements. Also need to replace U Rock sign from the garden (Sophie to own). 
2. Was a style of PJs ever decided on for staff? No follow up email ever came out so we could survey staff. Teachers to vote on 09/06. 

 

VP of Events

Whitney Graving

• 25 year Anniversary Movie Night: 12/1/23. We have 2 food trucks and looking for a 3rd option. Swank movie license approved for “A Bugs Life.”  Sports field reservation - work in progress with the city and the district. Nicole: Lou Malnati’s has reached out to VP sponsorship with food truck option to support events. Could also ask Birdcall to support. 
• Carnival in November: 
• Butter Braids fundraiser: Kicks off on 9/18 and ends on 10/2. Butter braids will be delivered to school on 10/19. Table to set up outside with samples one day next week. Connect with Courtney on social media, newsletter, email Room Parent Coordinator, Hospitality, and put on morning announcements. Flyers to be hung around campus too. Order forms will be given to teachers next week to put in student Friday folders on 9/15. Will be delivered in mid October. Mary/Craig: can post on the website also. 

 

VP of Special Projects/ Campus Improvements

Sophie Badgett

• Scope.  Aprillbe to email Craig/Mary to set up VP of Campus Improvements account. 
• Mural. Tina Chu also had some ideas for a mural. 
• Budget. 

 

VP of Hospitality

Melanie Frisone & Casey Magargle

• First Responders Event 9/27. 
• Room parents can use sign up genius; teachers cannot as there is functionality already present on ParentSquare. 

 

VP of Communications

Courtney Schramm

• Recycling used/good condition Spiritwear for teacher’s discretion? Would it be helpful.MrsMcCrensky: could be a good idea for younger grades. Give teachers access to stock, to use at their discretion. Mrs Mills suggested giving good condition spirit wear to our social worker Luz DiClenno as she knows families that would have a need. 

 

VP of Fundraising

Nicole Carey

• PTO Sponsors on Webpage - Please add Code Ninjas (new logo) to the PTO webpage. 
• New Potential Sponsors 
• NikkiB Realty
• Landscaping company doing garden dripline, Bronze level sponsorship in exchange for discount 
• Replace “Hole Sponsorship” with individual sponsor banner in pickup/dropoff lane for Gold+ packages starting next year.MCaramucci suggested a flap in the banner to avoid need to use zip ties. 

VP of Technology

Mary Olley

Craig Doss