meeting minutes 12-2-09
Douglass Middle School
Draft Minutes of 12/02/09 Meeting
Meeting called to order 6:02 by Tania Brady
Minutes of 11/04/09 Meeting approved (msc Shimada/Smith)
Principal’s Report by Jonathon Brunson
District Board is holding a budget study session on 12/3 to discuss the $3.2 million in cuts.
The Budget Advisory Committee and Administration will offer proposed cuts. A final list of
cuts is expected to be approved by the Board on 12/10.
Leadership is sponsoring a Penny War fundraiser. Last year proceeds went to the SPCA.
The Winter Dance on 12/11 has a Snowball Theme. A new disc jockey has been hired from
107.9 with clear direction on appropriate music. Chaperones are needed. Ms. Bailey has the
PTA list of volunteers to contact. More are always welcome. The semi-formal dance is
5:30-8.
The Winter Band Concert is a dessert fundraiser on 12/16 in the multi.
8th grade basketball tryouts are underway.
November 29th there was an assembly featuring Bobby Jackson of the Sacramento Kings as a
motivational speaker to kickoff of Language Arts Reading Push. 100 students will be
recommended by their English teachers to attend a free Kings game. Fundraiser Veronica
Robbins organized the event. Leadership will pay for the bus to the games.
Treasurer’s Report presented by Sarah Smith. See attached report.
Landscape: Weeding of the new planting beds in front of admin was done by Jeff Shimada
and Ann Adele Lawler. Water doesn’t seem to be getting to all plants. Mr. Brunson will look
into it.
PTA Mini-Grant Allocations: Mr. Brunson will get a $$ amount from the Science Dept for
their request. The cost for a speaker from UCD about test taking tips planned for this spring
and the Avid bus fare requests will be considered as well at the January meeting.
Student’s Art Notecards: None have been made with this year’s work due to cost of
production. Ms. Morales is looking into ways to reduce cost and simplify the process in the
future. The remainder of last year’s unsold cards will be available to buy at the Winter Concert.
Tamale Sale: Jayne reports she’s been checking prices looking for deals. She plans to have
an agreement with a provider by the January meeting. Sales will begin in mid January with
delivery the Friday before Super Bowl.
Open House Spaghetti Dinner: Ann reports she is working on welcoming our feeder
schools and others to the Open House dinner. She will assign committees to handle dinner,
dessert sales, etc as the May date approaches.
Amerigas Fundraiser: Proposed by Mike Pappas, DMS would receive 5 cents from every
gallon noted in receipts. Ms. Morales will create a flyer and set up a receipt collection box in
the office. Paula will get the program’s details. Initial $$ will go to PE Dept. Depending on
the success of the program, a system for figuring out how to allocate monies will be put in
place.
Meeting adjourned 6:55pm.
Meeting minutes 11-4-09
Douglass Middle School
Draft Minutes of 11/04/09 Meeting
Meeting called to order 6:06pm by Tania Brady
Minutes of 10/07/09 Meeting approved (msc Smith/Crandall)
Principal’s Report by Jonathan Brunson. (items not on agenda)
Science Club is planning their “Mission to Mars” trip in February to Discovery Museum.
The Washington DC 8th grade history trip has 38 students signed up. Space may be limited so interested parties should sign up right away.
Boys and Girls Wrestling season is beginning.
No school on 11/11 for Veteran’s Day and the week of Thanksgiving 11/23-11/27.
Winter Dance is 12/11, semi-formal.
Marquee project is still pending. The yellow is gold. DMS owes ½ payment and plans not to pay until the colors are corrected. Date for installation is undetermined.
Staff Hospitality was clarified. PTA has budgeted to provide 3 luncheons: back to school, midyear and teacher appreciation in May.
A canned food drive is planned for November.
Treasurer’ Report by Sarah Smith includes the 09-10 budget. See attached.
Budget Cuts of $3.5 million are set to be decided by the Board by January. Hearings are underway. Parents are welcome to give input. A DMS staff meeting takes place on Monday, Nov 16th at 2pm. Parents are invited to attend this or other budget meetings. The Board has a study session scheduled for 5:30pm on 11/5. The budget advisory council meets 11/9, 11/17, 12/8. The Board and the Council meet in the Board Room at the District Office.
Pie Sale Fundraiser for PHS reminder that pie pick ups are on Friday, 11/20 4-6pm at PHS.
PE Department request for incentive reward $$ and printers has been met according to Mr. Papas. Debbie to check with Mrs. Tsutsui to be sure her printer need is also met.
Landscaping xeroscape plan needs MO approval before moving forward. Paula will provide a plan to Jonathan to start the process. If not possible to set a date for planting this fall then a date will be set in spring for beautification. Jonathan suggests adding a mini-amphitheater to the plan for this year.
Career Day is set for 3/12. Tania will send a shout out to the membership asking for volunteers and ideas to be sent to Irma.
School Loop PTA site is linked thanks to Tania. A “critical needs” list for classrooms is included. Jonathan notes that the site is not completely finished yet and is accepting feedback from users. Staff e-mail lists, ELAC and Site Council meeting dates should be added soon. Also PTA is welcome to submit items to him for highlight on the home page.
Key Communicator Meetings are held in the District Office on the first Weds of each month at 12pm and 5:30pm. The purpose is to encourage dialog between Admin and the sites. Tania has agreed to attend representing PTA.
AVID, a college prep elective program is seeking PTA funding to help with trips planned to college campuses. See attached for program details. Ms Brink and Ms Gershater made the request. Funding sources have been cut and bus costs will total over $2400. PTA will check our other obligations for funding assistance and return to this item next month.
Tamale Sale fundraiser is set for just prior to Super Bowl. Jayne Crandall will chair the event.
Spaghetti Feed fundraiser is set for Open House on 5/12. Ann Brunson will chair the event.
Meeting adjourned at 7:25pm.
Meeting Minutes 10-7-09
Douglass Middle School
Draft Minutes of 10/07/09 Meeting
Meeting called to order at 6:05pm by Tania Brady
Minutes from 5/6/09 meeting approved as amended with spelling correction to Debra Gonella’s name.(msc Peterson/Shimada)
Minutes from 9/2/09 meeting approved (msc Shimada/Smith)
Principal’s Report by Ms.Lozano, counselor representing Mr Brunson, who was attending a conference and unable to attend the meeting. Please see attached report issued by Mr. Brunson.
Items to be clarified: Eligibility for extracurricular activities, outings, sports, what does the canned food drive specifically benefit? Screening for music played at dances and on the quad, criteria for promotion, printability of School Loop. Ms. Lozano to check and report back.
Treasurer’s Report of October 09 accepted. Ending balance $11,719.30. 106 paid members. Approval of $25 to D Peterson for staff incentive gift card (msc Shimada/Lehman)
Parent Project Report by Ms. Lozano. See attached brochure. Funded by Project Aware Grant to serve strong willed students with destructive behaviors.
Tutoring Support: Approval of funding for the fingerprinting of 3 tutors working on campus during and after school to support students. (msc Shimada/Crandall)
Pie Sale Fundraiser is now underway at Pioneer High School. Our support is requested and an order form is available on line.
Landscaping Project for 09-10 will be the dirt patch at the west end of the B wing. There is already $6,000 allocated to be spent on landscaping. A campus beautification day will be set in fall or spring to plant low maintenance items.
PE Dept requests funding for 2 printers and incentive prizes. Donations will be looked into as a first plan. If need is not met, $100 is approved for purchase. (msc Smith/Crandall)
Career Day will be 3/12/10. Ms Lozano is requesting referrals from PTA members. Please contact her with ideas or to volunteer yourself. Costs for token appreciation gifts and breakfast are approved for $350 (msc Brady/Lehman)
Budget Committee will be formed to formalize this year’s plan in keeping with direction given at PTA inservice in Sept. Volunteers are Jayne, Sarah, Paula and Amy.
Avid wants to request funding. A request for $ form will be sent to Ms Brink for specifics.
Meeting adjourned 7:35pm
Meeting Minutes 9-2-09
Douglass Middle School
Draft Minutes of 9/2/09 Meeting
Meeting called to order at 5:35pm by Paula Shimada Tania Brady is announced as co-president.
Minutes from 6/09 meeting unavailable for approval. Deferred to 10/09 meeting.
Principal's Report by Mr.Brunson
Thanked PTA for their support with orientation and for the staff's welcome back luncheon. Hospitality by Judy Randy Ortiz. PTA supplied water, sandwiches, chips and cookies.
Back to School Night is 6pm 9/9/09 beginning in the north gym with a welcome and site council vote followed by 10 minute classroom rotations with 5 minute passing periods. A reminder that the purpose of this event is to give a global summary of class content, grading and rules. Individual student progress is not to be addressed in this forum.
All classes will be graded with a semester grade. Progress reports become available on September 25th, a semester midway point. Students in danger of failing will have parent conferences scheduled on Oct. 7th 8th in the afternoon. School will be dismissed at 12:05pm on those days. Any parent wanting to schedule a conference with a teacher is welcome to contact that teacher at any point to do so. Daily contact with parents can also be arranged via notes in the student planner by arrangement with teachers.
Tutorials are offered after school on T W TH. Intervention/detention is held on Saturdays.
Douglass 2009 is a fundraiser held on Friday, Sept.18th in the afternoon. For a minimal donation of $20 students enjoy lunch, athletic games, kareokee, a raffle and an after school dance. No student is denied entry for lack of fundraising. Arrangements can be made with Ms.Bailey to waive the minimal donation on a case by case basis. 10% of the profits of this fundraiser are donated to PTA.
We have 2 new teachers this year at DMS, Ms Bracamontes and Ms.Soga PTA is requested to donate $100 ea for their room set up. Action: $100 approved. (msc. Ruiz-Dark/Rupport)
9/22 is make up photo day.
The DMS website is being revamped. School Loop is the new system. The old site remains viable until the switchover is complete.
Treasurer's Report: see attached . New income of $1080, expenses of $176.85 for an ending balance of $11859.99. report accepted (msc. Ruiz/Lawler).
Douglass 2009 Dances – lists of volunteers to be forwarded to Ms.Bailey for coordination.
Back to School: P Shimada A Lawler to work PTA table collecting dues and donations.
Tower of Tissue: requests to be made by e-mail and phone call out requesting donations of tissue and hand sanitizer be brought to Back to School Night and left at the PTA booth in the quad.
Empty Bowls: A fundraiser for the Homeless Shelter. Some of the soup bowls are made by our art students and will be available for sale at Back to School Night in the art room or the PTA table.
Old Business: Marquee Update: Mr.Brunson reports that the new electronic marquee arrived damaged. It is being replaced and should be installed soon.
New Business: Landscaping Project: All are invited to review the plans which hang inside the office on the east wall. The portion right outside the office was completed last year. We will discuss choosing a portion of the project to tackle this year at the 10/09 meeting. Mrs.Morales notes that when the project was first designed the art room wasn't located where it is now in the old Ag building. Plans call for a shaded lunch area right outside the poorly insulated Ag building. Noise from students lunching in that space would impede teaching in the art room.
Meeting adjourned at 6:15pm
