November 2005 Minutes

Capital High School Parent Organization November 15, 2005 Minutes

Co-Chair Debby Pattin called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone. In attendance were: Debby Pattin, Ed Thorpe, Teri Weaver, Janice Sharp, Tammy Questi, Anne McMullen Raub, Judy King, Lynne Alfasso, Tammy Corning, Lisa Fenton, Susan Lindskog, Vada Aldridege, Ann Wessel, Peggy Martinez, Lynette Elze, Bette Hall, Dawn Hooper, Peter Sanderson, Paddy O’Brien, Brenda Hayward, and Principal Teri Poff.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Senior Class: Tami Quest reported that 20 students have already signed up for the 2006 Grad Night, and the committee has received several generous donations. Grad Night takes place immediately following graduation. The graduates board buses and travel to an undisclosed location for an all-night party with entertainment. The party is safe and sober. The party costs about $20,000 total; graduates pay a fee to attend.

Junior Class: Will be meeting on Dec. 6. Will discuss 2007 Grad Night options, including whether to hire an event planner. Will also discuss the Father-Daughter dance in April, which is a joint fundraiser for the Junior Class with the CHS Foundation.

Sophomore Class: No representative present. A mailer to class members for donations (No Bake Bake Sale type) happened recently.

Elizabeth Siegel Browning, who had to resign due to other commitments, will remain on the class committee.

Book Fair: Bette Hall reported that our fundraiser at Barnes and Noble is on Saturday, December 3, from 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. The CHSPO will get a generous percentage of all purchases made that day that are accompanied by the Capital fundraising voucher (café and gift cards are excluded.) The voucher has been sent out in the newsletter and via email; more copies are available at the CHS library and the ASB store. It was suggested that vouchers be sent home with students at the Capital-area middle schools. Our goal is to raise $1,000. The Capital librarian has a “wish list”, for anyone interested in purchasing books for the school library. Barnes and Noble also offered us the gift wrap table that day. The store provides all supplies, and we provide volunteers, who wrap gifts in return for donations. The freshman class will do this as a fundraiser. Minors may wrap gifts so long as an adult volunteer is present. NOTE: CHS shoppers can pick out their purchases up to three days before the Sat. 12/3 sale and keep them on hold until Sat., thus avoiding the rush to make all of their selections that morning.

Cougar Connection: The CHSPO is selling extra copies of the student directory to members for $5. Nonmembers can buy a copy for $20 (or join the Organization and get a copy free!)

Newsletter: The deadline for the next issue is Dec. 2; please get your articles to the editor by then. The work party to mail the newsletter is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 12.

New Fundraising Proposal: Brenda Hayward, who is the mother of a Capital freshman, presented a new fundraising idea. She has a vending machine business; the machines deliver a handful of gum, candy, nuts, etc. in return for a coin. She is willing to donate a percentage of the profits to the CHSPO from machines placed in businesses solicited by the Organization. No action was taken on this proposal.

Grocery Cards and Escrip: CHSPO is still selling Top Foods gift cards; we receive a percentage of all sales. We also participate in the Safeway Escrip program; register at www.escrip.com and a percentage of all of your purchases when you use your Safeway card will go to the CHSPO. This also works with Von’s cards, if you have California relatives. We also have Thriftway cards; swipe the card when you pay for your purchases and the CHSPO receives a percentage.

Treasurer’s Report: Ann Wessell reported that our current balance is $12,395.00. This balance does not include funds from our merchant rebate program. We have $3560 from memberships (178 members) and $960 in donations.

Storage Issue: Ed Thorpe reported on research he did on the cost of storage space for the CHSPO. Many items are currently stored in the Quest workshop; they are willing to keep them only till June 2006. Items include extension cords, decorations, hangers, red and yellow painted rocks, signs, banners, etc. Commercial storage space will cost us about $39/month for a 5’ x 5’ unheated space. We will continue to look for donated space; anyone with suggestions can contact Ed at 866-2216 or Ed.Thorpe@comcast.net.

CHS Foundation: Pete reported on the Foundation’s Sees’ Candies fundraiser, which is taking place now. The Foundation raises money for scholarships for Capital students. Orders are due by Nov. 19. Contact Cynthia Sanderson for more information or to place an order (556-4142 or Cynthiasa@comcast.net) or contact any Foundation officer.

CHSPO Monetary Grants: Bette Hall presented the report of the Grant Committee, which reviewed 10 proposals and made the following recommendations to the membership:

  1. Library: Requests $2000-3,000 to purchase books on tape; the library currently has no such items.
    Recommendation: Give $1500 now; suggest they reapply in spring for additional money.
  2. Drama Dept.: Requests $1200 to purchase a new ticket printer. The current one is inadequate. The Drama Dept. has purchased all other equipment for the theater and box office; this is its first CHSPO request.
    Recommendation: Approve $1200.
  3. Social Studies/World History Dept. : Requests $601.02 for two class sets of Upfront newsmagazine.
    Recommendation: Approve $601.02.
  4. Scott LeDuc: Requests $300 for a new microphone and $300 for software upgrade for A/V Tech Department.
    Recommendation: Approve $600.
  5. WASL Coordinators: Requests $901.01 for 100 calculators, 200 dictionaries, 200 thesauruses, 300 rulers and a case of printer paper.
    Recommendation: $600 for dictionaries and thesauruses.
  6. English Dept.: Requests $314 for a camera with a memory chip.
    Recommendation: Approve $314.
  7. Math Dept.: Requests $476.92 for four TI graphing calculators. Currently has two classroom sets of 30 apiece; usually has 32 students per class.
    Recommendation: Approve $476.92, with stipulation that calculators be available to entire department, not just two classes, and with request that department shop around for best price.
  8. Yuko Nelson, Japanese Instructor: Requests $1,098.90 for textbooks for levels 3 & 4. Because the previous instructor did not use a textbook for these classes, the World Languages department did not budget for these books. Ms. Nelson prefers to use a textbook.
    Recommendation: Not approve. It is the responsibility of the school to furnish textbooks. Ms. Poff stated that she is trying to find carryover school funds for this purchase.
  9. Science/Chemistry Dept.: Requests $2, 094 to purchase two Analytical Balance Scales. The ones currently owned by the school are 20 years old and falling apart.
    Recommendation: Fund $1100 and request that the department obtain the rest of the money elsewhere. The department is unsure whether other funds are available.
  10. Health and Fitness Dept.: Requests $2,889 for free weights for weight room, to complement existing weight equipment. This cost includes $440 to ship the equipment from Texas (!)
    Recommendation: Approve $1200; request that department seek remainder of funds from another source.

    It was moved and seconded that the committee’s recommendations be approved. That motion was amended to delete the approval for the $1200 for the weight equipment. The motion was further amended to include a proviso that if the Science department cannot find the remaining $994 for the Balances, that the CHSPO will make up the difference without coming back to the membership for approval.

    The motion, as amended, passed.

Arts Recognition Night: The School and the CHSPO jointly sponsor this event to recognize student achievement in academics, scholastic clubs, service clubs, fine arts, music and performing arts. The event includes art and writing competitions. Last year, about 300 students were recognized, and about 400 people attended. It costs about $2200 for this event. There are live performances by students, and displays of art and writing. Participation in the art and writing competitions increased by 100% from 2004 to 2005. Organizers hope to leave the art displays up for more than one night in 2006.

Parent Education Night: Will be on Jan. 12, on the subject of Cars, Cops and Courts (Juvenile Justice). Parents and students will be invited. Dinner will be available. The Site Council will co-sponsor this event with the CHSPO.

State Your Concern Time: One parent was concerned that her daughter’s Spanish I class did not prepare her for Spanish II; the Spanish II teacher has dramatically different expectations than the Spanish I teacher. Ms. Poff said that the department is developing common standards for all classes at the same level; all students in Spanish I will have standard expectations to meet and will (hopefully) be able to pass a common assessment. A common assessment will give a teacher feedback on whether or not a teacher needs to adjust his or her curriculum to meet the common standards. The administration receives grade reports from each class. If a class has an average of 64% (a D) than the principal would probably talk to the teacher to find out why the average was below average, so to speak.

Ed Thorpe shared a letter he had written to the Olympia School Board about the proposed technology levy. Mr. Thorpe would like to see the Board’s levy proposal include software for teachers to use to post online student grades, homework completion records and current class assignments, that parents could access from home computers, to give parents a simple, immediate and meaningful way to monitor their students’ performance and provide support at home for what the schools are trying to accomplish. Mr. Thorpe would like other parents to write the school board saying they also support having the tech levy include such a provision. Many school districts, such as Seattle, already use such technology and parents love it. The Board will be voting on whether to put the tech levy on the ballot at its next meeting. You can email your comments to the Board on this subject (or any other) at PREX@osd.wednet.edu.

Due to the absence of the secretary, minutes were taken by Lynne Alfasso.