DCES PTO BOARD MEETING MINUTES October 3rd, 2023

10/4/2023 12:02 pm

DCES PTO BOARD MEETING MINUTES October 3rd, 2023

 

Present:

Tara McConnell, Co President 

April Beauboeuf, Co President

Adam Cusimano, Secretary

Lisa Lee, Treasurer

Nicole Carey, VP of Fundraising

Courtney Schramm, VP Communications

Sophie Badgett, VP Campus Improvements

Melanie Frisone, VP of Hospitality

Casey Magargle, VP of Hospitality

Craig Doss, VP Technology

Mary Olley, VP of Technology

Whitney Graving, VP of Events

Melissa Caramucci, Teacher representative

Jamie McCrensky, Teacher Representative 

Kimberly Mills, Principal

Erin Scagnelli, Vice Principal

Paige Miller-Blum, site council representative

Amie Hegeman, Mandarin representative 



Principal Update 

Mrs. Mills & Mrs. Scagnelli

A + School Visit. More work to come to prepare for the site visit (Jan 23/24). Staff meeting to dive into the application on 10/3. Will circle back to PTO after fall break to let us know where we’re needed to engage. Parent teacher conferences coming up the last week of October, no sign ups outside of the office hours. First ROAR assembly on 10/3 in the amphitheater. Dr Menzel coming to site visit on 10/6. Mrs Rhodes replacement position - just opened on 10/2. Hopeful to get more applicants over fall break to fill the role. 



President Update

Tara McConnell

April Beauboeuf

 

Celebrations:

Butter braids! Close to 400 sold! 2300 in profit (estimated to the school).

Starting garden club on Tuesdays again (Tina). 

 

M&O Override Presentation (Shea Najafi) - from Yes to Children presented on the M&O Override. When lost 7 years ago, art and music and PE programs were cut. 1100 children left the district along with 125 teachers. 22M over 7 years; biggest funder for the override campaign is the realtors association. School A+ ratings are correlated to music and art programs. Override is coming a year early to prepare in case it is a loss. The current tax and future tax would be the same percentage, 173 USD per 500k of home values. 

 

Treasurer Update: Chase account balance 91k roughly; plus some incoming checks from butter braids and Scholastic and KTR (220 USD).Garden soil got refilled. 

 

IT: need raffle prizes to put on the PTO website. Wristbands for carnival are on the website. 

Each VP needs to update their site/page content. Mary/Craig to send presidents the instructions on how to post updates on the page (including meeting minutes).

 

Site Council: meeting series kicked off. Will present school test scores on Nov 30th meeting. Book Vending machine ordered and awaiting arrival. Significant budget for gifted (need better understanding of how the funds can be used). 

 

Mascot discussion. We’ve found mascot costumes we can purchase between $300-$5000 Do want to go the longer lasting route? Do we want to keep Melvin looking the same/similar and repurchase the same cheaper costume more often or even several of the same one? General sentiment from the board is to invest in purchasing a new costume while we have the funding. 

 

Votes for today’s meeting

Library signage (VP Campus Improvements). ROAR sign would replace the “everyone/difference” sign. DCMS is only looking to update generic signs behind the library circulation desk (read, explore, discover). What about their slogan for the wall? What is the digital print that needs to be decided from the middle school’s email to us? 

1400 dollars to do the signage for the sub-sections and signs behind the desks. Image360 is the company that has provided the estimates. This company will inspect pre-quote and provide pictures. Suggestion made to have ROAR signage similar to what is already present on campus. 

Vote to add $2859.83 to the campus improvements budget for vinyl lettering library signage over books - States, Professional, Biographies, Non - Fiction, Geography AND Wall Lettering Behind Desk Read - Engage - Discover

Wall Lettering Above Desk; Paw logo - Desert Canyon Library - Paw Logo; Panel Right Side Desk

Digital Print(image/verbage TBD) COST $2483.18. Lowest cost is 1500 with simple paw logos, DCES Library near the desk. 

Roar signage requested by Mrs Mills additional cost.

Suggestion made to have Image360 come out and do a walk through with PTO/and middle school reps to get a better visual. Only One You Garden sign has arrived. Sophie will connect with Angelika to get Pedro to install the sign. 

VP of Sponsorship: we’ve surpassed our number of sponsors from last year. Social media campaign helped bring more interest. Birdcall wants to know if we want to do an eat out; Code Ninjas interested in doing a coding night (2 hours). 

Teacher Rep Updates: stool for teachers in primary (pre-K, K-2) because the boards are very low to the ground. Would PTO be willing to purchase a small stool with wheels for teachers due to the height of the Viewboards so that we are not bending down? Maybe something like this: https://a.co/d/iXBC1i6. 

  • Sophie (VP of Campus Improvements) to follow up on the stool. 
  • Also, as the Fall Carnival is approaching how can we as teachers support the PTO? Ie selling tickets or wristbands, being present, etc. (Whitney to follow up and see with Carnival to see what volunteers they may need). 
  • Update on 5th grade cove sign. Thank you Sophie for visiting and corresponding with me, Jamie. Waiting on cost for the sign and better visual of the Mandarin characters. 
  • Pajamas update. Courtney will follow up. 

Scholastic dollars

At the end of the bookfair last year, the teachers each received scholastic dollars.  We still have $991 scholastic dollars that will be expiring on 11/3 if we do not use them. Last year when we had roughly the same amount expiring, the PTO voted to give it all to the library to purchase items. Vote to do the same this year. Or discussion. 

Vote: president called for a vote, which passed unanimously. 



Votes passed since last board meeting via email

 

Garden soil vote 

At the last board meeting, it was mentioned that there was another request that would be happening soon from Tina, our garden chair. The new drip lines went in on 9/14 (yay for the quick work of everybody involved!!) Now the beds need to be refilled. Tina says this should only be a recurring cost every 5-8 years. And in the years she has been in charge of garden, she has wheelbarrowed in a lot of soil on her own. But now the beds are particularly low. She did ask for several quotes. Another quote was $50 cheaper but the quality of the soil was not as good. The company she’d like to go with is called Farmyard and has been recommended by the SUSD school garden group and they have helped in school gardens for years. She was unable to find a company that would come in and line the beds with plastic as it was considered too small of a job. So this is just for the soil. Vote to add $600 to the campus improvements budget to cover soil for the garden beds.

10 yes

0 no

4 abstentions

VOTE PASSED




Override vote

This override if passed would be a continuation of existing override funding beyond their current terms. It is not a new tax. This override would enable the continuation of our music, arts, and co-curricular activities, further protect teacher salaries, maintain full day kindergarten and Wednesdays, appropriate classroom sizes, and classroom technology. 

A vote yes means our organization supports the override and can communicate about it in an informative way.  

Vote passed to support the M&O Override via email 9/14/2023

8 yes

0 no

6 abstentions 

VOTE PASSED




Site Council Update

Paige Miller-Blum. (see president section for update)



Mandarin Rep update

Amie Hegeman. 

 

Chinese New Year - 

  • Food Trucks- Bonsai Boyz - potentially limited menu for speed
  • Tea Snow - Boba Tea Truck. Will need to pick out 4 flavors to offer. 
  • Sell Bao - Either Bonsai Boyz or Happy Bao. 

 

Lion Dancer

  • 9 Dragons available, but potential schedule conflict.
  • One other possibility; 500 dollar quote plus more for photo opportunities. 

 

PTO Activity Station - Need to decide if PTO willing/able to sponsor a station

  • Open to ideas, possibilities are Playdough dumplings, photo session with Lion Dancers, etc.
  • Comment: need to ensure there is a point person who will man the station and own it. Amie to ask Alice. 

 

TShirt  

  • Teachers have voted on style of dragon for shirt
  • Working with designer to add characters, create vector files, etc. Will be made available through the online store. Will need to come out of the budget to pay for the teachers shirts. 

 

Budget

  • Final budget numbers will be compiled for next meeting

 

Special Mandarin Showcase evening for Global Minds, other preschools? 

 

Hospitality: Ice Machine - can it be relocated? Its in a less than optimal location in the kitchen and nobody can get to it. Need to connect with Mrs Mills and Melanie (Sophie to lead). Its a sanitary issue to enter into the kitchen. 



Treasurer

Lisa Lee

 

Chase account balance: $91,846.20

 

Votes for today’s meeting

 

Vote to add $2500 to the campus improvements budget for vinyl lettering library signage over books - States, Professional, Biographies, Non - Fiction, Geography AND Wall Lettering Behind Desk Read - Engage - Discover

Wall Lettering Above Desk

Paw logo - Desert Canyon Library - Paw Logo

Panel Right Side Desk

Digital Print(image/verbage TBD) COST $2483.18

Roar signage requested by Mrs Mills additional cost:




Votes passed since last board meeting via email

 

Garden soil vote 

At the last board meeting, it was mentioned that there was another request that would be happening soon from Tina, our garden chair. The new drip lines went in on 9/14 (yay for the quick work of everybody involved!!) Now the beds need to be refilled. Tina says this should only be a recurring cost every 5-8 years. And in the years she has been in charge of garden, she has wheelbarrowed in a lot of soil on her own. But now the beds are particularly low. She did ask for several quotes. Another quote was $50 cheaper but the quality of the soil was not as good. The company she’d like to go with is called Farmyard and has been recommended by the SUSD school garden group and they have helped in school gardens for years. She was unable to find a company that would come in and line the beds with plastic as it was considered too small of a job. So this is just for the soil. Vote to add $600 to the campus improvements budget to cover soil for the garden beds.

10 yes

0 no

4 abstentions

VOTE PASSED



Teachers

Melissa Caramucci/Jamie McCrensky

 

VP of Events

Whitney Graving

 

VP of Special Projects/ Campus Improvements

Sophie Badgett

  • Only one You sign; picking up today. 
  • Library Signage 
  • 5th Grade Cove sign in the works - tbd on costs 
  • School mural is in the beginning stages. Corresponding with a few local artists to gauge costs. 
  • Unrelated to SP/CI, Cubbies that Care will be at the fall carnival! Raising money for Marfan and Epilepsy foundation. Mrs Suderman has agreed to let the children use her room to make the friendship bracelets and we’ll have an autographed jersey in their booth. 

 

VP of Hospitality

Melanie Frisone & Casey Magargle

-Ice Machine Relocation 

 

VP of Communications

Courtney Schramm

 

  • Twin Spirit wear day, look for teacher guidance on what to wear. Mrs Mills and Mrs Scagnelli are announcing their themes. 

 

VP of Fundraising

Nicole Carey



Year/Level

20-21

21-22

22-23

23-24

Total

Bronze

3

2

3

5

13

Silver

2

5

3

3

13

Gold

4

4

3

4

15

Platinum

0

1

0

0

1

Diamond

1

0

0

0

1

Total

10

12

9

12

  
           

Year/Level

20-21

21-22

22-23

23-24

Total

Bronze

$900

$600

$1,050

$1,400

$3,950

Silver

$500

$2,000

$1,650

$1,650

$5,800

Gold

$2,800

$3,000

$2,400

$2,400

$10,600

Platinum

$0

$1,250

$0

$0

$1,250

Diamond

$2,000

$0

$0

$0

$2,000

Total

$6,200

$6,850

$5,100

$5,450

  

 

-Potential Fundraising Opportunities

-Code Ninjas - Spirit Events, 50% of ticket sales go back to school, 2 hour STEM event

-Birdcall night out




VP of Technology

Mary Olley

Craig Doss