Harriet Bishop PTO September 2019 Meeting Minutes

Harriet Bishop PTO September 2019 Meeting Minutes harrietbishoppto@gmail.com

1. Meeting was called to order. 20 people were present; everyone introduced themselves
   1. May 2019 meeting minutes were approved
   2. Minutes will be posted to PTO blog (HBPTO.net) for review
2. Board presented an overview of the PTO mission, board roles, activities, events, and ways to get involved.
3. First Day of School Social Recap
   1. Purpose of this event is to help build community.
   2. About 50 people attended at Hy-Vee. Free coffee and donuts were provided. 
   3. Discussion about potentially moving this event to before or after the parade so more families are able to attend.
4. Teacher Welcome Back Spread Recap
   1. PTO members collected donated items (office supplies, snacks, etc.) and set up a “Welcome Back” spread in the staff lounge for their first day back. It was well received.
5. Principal Essay Update
   1. There will be a referendum vote on Nov. 5. Everyone is encouraged to learn about the details.
      1. A district rep will present information at our Oct. PTO meeting. 
   2. There will be a meeting at Eagle Ridge on Oct. 2 to gather information about school closings. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
   3. School closings and the referendum are happening independently of each other.
   4. Equity conversation
      1. As the PTO plans events throughout the year, we should always be considering any barriers for people to participate and how we can eliminate those barriers.
6. Volunteer Coordinator Update
   1. Teams are asked to try to attend a PTO meeting prior to their event in order to give an update to the group.
   2. Teams that presented:
      1. Hornet Hop (Oct. 25)
         1. There is a new Hornet Hop team this year. They started by reviewing feedback from past years and are working to address any negative feedback and incorporate new ideas this year. 
         2. Theme: 80s
      2. Silent Auction (Oct. 25 at Hornet Hop)
         1. About 100 items have been collected for the silent auction.
      3. Directory
         1. There is new software this year so the directory is slightly behind schedule.
         2. Tentatively planning to charge the same amount as last year: $7 for print/online combo and $4 for online only. Final cost will be determined once we have printing cost estimates.
         3. Families will be able to contribute to scholarships or request a scholarship for a directory.
      4. Box Tops
         1. Box Tops are moving to digital only, making it hard to track for classroom prizes.
         2. Considering a no or low-cost schoolwide prize if we raise $1,000.
      5. Barnes & Noble Book Fair
         1. We will be holding a book fair at Barnes & Noble on Dec. 7. A portion of the sales will be donated to the PTO.
         2. This will replace the Scholastic Book Fair this year.
         3. Team is building a schedule of events for inside the store that day.
7. Grant review meeting will be held on 10/8 at 6 pm to review teacher grant requests.
8. Treasurer Update
   1. We are forecasting a flat budget for the year. Actuals are dependent on the amount of grant requests received and the amount of funds raised, specifically through Read-A-Thon.