Bright Prospects Co-op Preschool tag:,2010:/2 2010-02-19T19:24:47Z The website and blog for the Bright Prospects Co-Operative Preschool in Minneapolis, Minnesota Movable Type 3.31 February Board Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.135 2010-02-19T19:21:51Z 2010-02-19T19:24:47Z BPCP Board Meeting Minutes February 7, 2010 Attendees: Janel Newell, Suzan Koroglu, Amy Cichanowski, Nicole Henry, Peter Witt Absent: Meeting called to order 4:43pm 1. Welcome Peter as Board co-chair 2. Membership Report – JN • Open House update: 3... cdwitt BPCP Board Meeting Minutes February 7, 2010 Attendees: Janel Newell, Suzan Koroglu, Amy Cichanowski, Nicole Henry, Peter Witt Absent: Meeting called to order 4:43pm 1. Welcome Peter as Board co-chair 2. Membership Report – JN • Open House update: 3 families attended; one had already applied, another turned in application next day, 3rd family was very interested, but hasn’t applied yet; • Still have 3 openings for Tues/Thurs • Holy Trinity will publish a blurb about preschool in their newsletter; JN’s church will also • AC-Discussion of the 4-day option; question about whether the process is fair, what to do when a family wants 4 days but can’t find another family to swap with • Explore sources/marketing for new families o PW-is there a budget for marketing/advertising; i.e. publications o JN suggests ad in Lonfellow Messenger; LCC on-line newsletter o AC suggests flyers at the Y and library o JN – St Albert’s Fish Fry February 19th ; will bring BPCP flyers o SK – Question about whether BPCP attends ECFE-sponsored preschool information fairs – discussion. Will be added to Board calendar to ensure that we attend next year 3. Treasurer's Report – AC • Most families have been paying tuition on time; still hasn’t looked at February; still hasn’t received many deposits for 2010/2011 4. Review of ongoing Board calendar – NH • Discussion of board calendar; additions made. NH will make revisions and distribute 5. Teacher Contracts – NH • Need to renew teachers’ contracts sometime in spring; unclear as to exact date • Need Mpls school calendar for ‘10-11 school year to determine days off, prep days, etc. • Need to clarify length of parent-teacher conference days; Board expectation was for a longer conference day • NH will prepare a new contract for board to review at March board meeting • Plan to begin negotiations with teachers April 1 6. Overview of Timelines - NH • Lease Renewal— o current lease is for two years, ending in August 2011. o Current lease includes a stipulation that church may increase rent by as much as 10% for the 2nd year of the lease (increase would take effect Sept. 2010) o Need to establish a committee to negotiate immediate rent increase with church, as well as to begin negotiating a new lease. • Licensing- o BPCP is due for inspection by DHS October 2010; unsure about process, need to consult with Sonji Sackett, teachers, perhaps others to determine what needs to be done by the board and/or parents between now and October 7. New Business • SK – question about by-laws review committee; discussion. NH will add to membership meeting agenda Meeting adjourned 6:01 February Membership Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.134 2010-02-19T19:18:43Z 2010-02-19T19:30:17Z Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool 4th Membership Meeting February 9th, 2010 Attendees: Cindy Dahlen, John Hoch, Colin Kreuziger, Peter Witt, Nicole Henry, Suzan Koroglu, Mai Matsumoto, Thaine Dirks, Jesse Morgan, Janel Newell, David Greenberg, Tracy Bradfield, Olga Bergovskaya, Anna Reith; Peter... cdwitt Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool 4th Membership Meeting February 9th, 2010 Attendees: Cindy Dahlen, John Hoch, Colin Kreuziger, Peter Witt, Nicole Henry, Suzan Koroglu, Mai Matsumoto, Thaine Dirks, Jesse Morgan, Janel Newell, David Greenberg, Tracy Bradfield, Olga Bergovskaya, Anna Reith; Peter Meilahn, Mark Beitz Absent: Bodkin, Beeman, Buchanan, Sackett, Wurdock, Avery Meeting called to order: 6:35pm 1. Teacher’s Report ~ NH • Appropriate dress for playground: o Thank you to all parents for dressing children appropriately; but many parents are not prepared for playground weather; reminder that temperatures above 10 degrees kids and parent helper will go outside • Bathroom cleaning during Parent Helping: o bathroom has not been getting cleaned daily; bleach is in cupboard with Mr. Yuk stickers; two spray bottles for bleach water (1 for bathroom, 1 for snack tables); bleach water must be refreshed everyday in order for code compliance; ratio of bleach to water is different for tables/bathroom; • Valentine’s Day party Friday Feb. 12 at 11:00am: o bring generic Valentines (not addressed to specific students), makes distribution easier 2. Membership Report ~ JN • Open House and 2010-11 enrollment update o 3 openings for Tues/Thurs; one application received today; please still encourage friends to apply, we need a waiting list • Ideas for finding new members o Will advertise in church bulletins, Longfellow Messenger o Continue to post flyers, coffee shops, ECFE, etc. 3. Treasurer’s Report ~AC (absent) • JN reports on behalf of AC that all returning family application deposits for 2010-11 have been received 4. Committee Reports • Parent Helper Coordinator (CK) o Electronic calendar for parent-helper sign-up? Soliciting feedback; how far in advance should it be available; do families object to creating a Google account login, etc; discussion o March calendar is out o Have had difficulties filling open spots; reminder that parents need to sign up; parent helping is an obligation for all parents o Question about teachers taking days off - discussion • Fundraising at Large (Bauers/Greenberg and Bradfield/Morgan) o Coffee: sold 109 bags, profit $327; approx 3 bags/wk; at current pace school will probably make about 400; short of budget • Website – EA (absent) o JN reports that EA and TW have been working on site; creating a much simpler version; currently revising content • Craft Show Fall 2010 (Bruch/Reith) o Timeline: Feb: secure date and location; idea is to charge artists for booth space, discussion o Once location is set, need to recruit artists; primarily in summer o Will need parents to help set up, decorate, provide goods for bake sale, advertise 5. Committee to Revise Bylaws ~ NH • We need to create a committee to revise our bylaws, including o meeting legal requirements o creating samples o guidelines for running Board and membership meetings o CK is interested, but will check with employer 6. Cookbook proposal ~ PM • Idea is to gather 2-3 recipes per family - discussion • NH-was a cookbook many years ago, teachers are interested 7. Next Membership Meeting ~ Tuesday, March 9 6:30 p.m. 8. Next Board Meeting – Sunday, February 28, time and place TBD 9. New business? Meeting adjourned: 7:24pm Membership Meeting: January 12, 2010 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.132 2010-01-13T23:57:48Z 2010-01-14T00:14:14Z Attendees: Elizabeth Avery, Tracy Bradfield, Sam Buchanan, Tom Wurdock, Mai Matsumoto, David Greenburg, Cindy Dahlen , Jesse Morgan, Sarah Beeman, Peter Witt, Sonji Sackett, Colin Kreuziger, Cara Kreuziger, Janel Newell, Nicole Henry, John Hoch, Suzan Koroglu, Judy Lapham, Olga Berkovskaya,... cdwitt 1) Teacher's Report - EA
  1. Teacher Evaluation Report:
    1. 19 respondents out of 21 families
    2. One family "strongly disagreed" to all questions; encourage that family to approach EA with concerns, or if it's a mistake to let her know
    3. Comments: going outside in all weather; having snack earlier; limiting show and tell time; discussion
    4. Suggestion for a bulletin board for various family announcements; discussion
    5. Comments about communicating with teachers....teachers emphatically encourage parents to talk with them...they are very open and don't feel "bothered"; also available by phone and email, will set up appointments outside of classroom time as well
  2. Valentine's Day Party - Feb 12 11:00am
    1. Bring Valentines for all kids or no kids
2) Membership Update - JN
  1. 4 applicants so far; anticipate 9 openings
  2. Open House Jan 26th 6:30pm
    1. Need flyer...any volunteers to create? SS volunteers, will distribute flyer soon
  3. Returning family applications due Feb 1 for priority placement
  4. Alumni family applications due Feb 1 for priority placement
  5. SS reports that several families have inquired about open house, another tour scheduled for next week
3) Elections - NH
  1. EA's co-chair, secretary, and treasurer positions must be elected
  2. Call for nominations; description of position for co-chair
    1. Peter Witt nominates himself
    2. By show-of-hands, Peter Witt is elected co-chair
    3. Question: what happens to website? EA will take over
  3. Secretary -- by show of affirmative nods, Suzan Koroglu is re-elected secretary
  4. Treasurer--by show of hands, Amy Cichanowski is re-elected treasurer
4) Treasurer's Report - AC
  1. Budget update:
    1. Slightly under and slightly over budget on Blue Sky Guide and Grandparent letter, respectively
    2. Additional 400 dollars from other donations, plus unknown amount for coffee; probably a few hundred dollars
    3. If garage sale meets budget (1000), fundraising goals have been met, do we need to have another at-large fundraiser?
  2. Teacher Salary Increases/Tuition Increases
    1. Distributed spreadsheet with financial info; discussion
    2. Ballot vote to determine amount of raise: 3%
5) Parent Helper Committee Report - CK
  1. Participation is good so far, CK keeps track of families that double-up in a month
  2. If families have difficulty scheduling days, email CK
6) Grandparent Letter Update - JH
  1. 1100 dollars in donations from letter; Small Hands Catalog proceeds are still unclear, need to check with teachers
7) Website - PW
  1. Need re-design, navigation is difficult, aesthetically unpleasing
  2. Suggest forming a subcommittee with web designer, developer who can code, and a board member --discussion
  3. JN-site needs to be hosted somewhere else; TW agrees to host and would help develop a new site 8) Garage Sale - NH
    1. Need new site; anybody with a corner lot??
    2. Church would charge for the space to have it there
    3. EA's house is a possibility—has double driveway with a neighbor
    4. TB-has double-garage and concrete slab on 42nd Ave and 42nd St;
    5. Reminder: no adult clothing
    9) New business? Meeting Adjourned: 7:50 Minutes prepared by Suzan Koroglu

    ]]> Open House tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.131 2010-01-13T14:11:39Z 2010-01-13T14:13:07Z Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool Open House 6:30-7:30 PM Tuesday January 26th Join us at Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool for an informal Open House. Tour the space, learn more about our Cooperative Preschool and meet Teachers Jakki & Mary. Contact Sonja... cdwitt Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool Open House 6:30-7:30 PM Tuesday January 26th Join us at Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool for an informal Open House. Tour the space, learn more about our Cooperative Preschool and meet Teachers Jakki & Mary. Contact Sonja Sackett for more information at sonji98@yahoo.com or 612-721-6581 Enrollment for 2010-2011 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.130 2010-01-13T14:10:34Z 2010-01-13T14:11:07Z Request days for next year by February 1 To participate in a tour, RSVP to: Sonja Sackett 612-721-6581 sonji98@yahoo.com... cdwitt Request days for next year by February 1 To participate in a tour, RSVP to: Sonja Sackett 612-721-6581 sonji98@yahoo.com Board Meeting Minutes - January 9, 2010 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2010://2.129 2010-01-11T19:24:35Z 2010-01-11T19:34:35Z Attendees: Janel Newell, Elizabeth Avery, Suzan Koroglu, Amy Cichanowski, Nicole Henry Absent: Meeting called to order: 3:17pm 1. January Board Elections - EA Co-chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary positions up for election at January 2010 meeting; discussion. EA may not run for... cdwitt Absent:
    Meeting called to order: 3:17pm
    1. January Board Elections - EA
    1. Co-chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary positions up for election at January 2010 meeting; discussion. EA may not run for re-election as board co-chair.
    2. Teacher Evaluations - EA
    1. One survey respondent replied "strongly disagree" to all questions; hope it's a mistake? Will mention at membership meeting and encourage any dissatisfied parents to talk with the board about their concerns.
    2. Survey comment about going outside when it's cold; regardless of temperature. Discussion.
    3. Survey comment that conferences were too short. Discussion of having a full-day of conferences in the future.
    4. Discussion of teacher prep days
    3. Membership Update - JN
    1. Anticipate 9 openings for next year; 4 applicants so far. Some families who toured decided against BPCP for various reasons. Discussion of advertising to generate more applicants
    4. Treasurer's Report - AC
    1. Discussion of teacher salary increases/tuition increases/rent increases;
    5. Garage Sale - EA
    1. Need new location due to Sacketts' departure; Possibility of having sale at church? May have to pay for space there. SK suggested a corner lot if any are available. Discussion
    6. Website - NH
    1. Moving host server; needs updating badly, many pages are old. Discussion.
    Meeting adjourned: 4:52pm

    ]]>     Board Meeting Minutes - November 22, 2009 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.126 2009-12-03T20:24:34Z 2009-12-03T20:29:43Z Attendees: Janel Newell, Elizabeth Avery, Suzan Koroglu, Amy Cichanowski, Nicole Henry Absent: Meeting called to order 3:35pm 1. Membership update - JN Discussion of procedural details related to schedule changes that were approved at previous membership meeting JN has notified... cdwitt 1. Membership update - JN
    1. Discussion of procedural details related to schedule changes that were approved at previous membership meeting
    2. JN has notified interested prospective families that we are accepting applications now; updated application and procedures will be posted on website shortly
    3. EA-Question about schedule and possibility of a 4-day sharing option; what happens if one family drops? Discussion
    4. AC-question about rule that limits the number of children under 36 months to 1 at a time
      1. Discussion of whether we should "save" a spot for a child who will turn 33 months during the first half of the year
      2. Discussion of possibility that two returning or alumni families could by vying for the single 33-36 month spot
    2. Treasurer's Report-AC
    1. A few families paid late in November; families should pay by check while they are waiting for direct deposit set-up
    2. Teacher salary increase
      1. Need to pull reports of teacher salary median/means - Discussion
      2. Will present numbers to membership, then vote on a pay increase
      3. JN-Question: is yearly increase assumed, is it performance based or cost of living increase? Discussion
      4. AC-Board should determine a minimum for school's reserve savings
      5. Bonus is collected at Christmas and end-of-year; donations comw from families
    3. EA-Due to high interest in school for next year, is it still necessary to have an open house in January?
    1. JN-Open house is a good way to ensure that we have an adequate waiting list to cover drop-outs
    2. Decision that JN and Sonji Sackett should attend open house; as well as teachers.
    3. Need to advertise - discussion
    4. January Board Elections - EA
    1. Discussion of board position terms; dates, etc.
    2. EA's, SK's, and AC's terms expire in January; discussion
    5. Process to update bylaws - EA
    1. Suggestion to create a by-laws subcommittee
    6. Parent Helper Calendar - AC
    1. Need to create a technological solution to simplify process and avoid confusion; especially when last-minute changes are needed
    7. EA- Discussion of spring assessments (teachers performing developmental assessments of the children and how it compares with Mpls Public School pre-kindergarten assessment. Meeting adjourned: 5:17pm

    ]]>     Membership Meeting: November 10, 2009 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.125 2009-11-25T00:58:09Z 2009-11-25T01:00:16Z Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool 3rd Membership Meeting November 10th 2009 Attendees: Sonji Sackett, Cara Kreuziger, Janel Newell, Elizabeth Avery, Derek Hanson, Lori Robinson, Amy Cichanowski, Olga Berkovski, Kiara Buchanan, Peter Witt, Nicole Henry, Mai Matsumoto, Gabriel Bodkin, Sarah Beeman, Amy... cdwitt 1) Teacher's Report - EA
    1. Reminder that children are going outside, please remember to provide hats, mittens, etc. as well as extra socks in clothes bags
    2. Older siblings may not accompany parents on helping days due to licensing
    3. JN - Same for other adults; if they are going to be in the classroom accompanying another parent, they need to have submitted a background check
    4. Emergency contacts need to be physically able to come and pick up children from school.
    5. If someone other than parents are picking up children (grandparents, etc) please make sure teachers have that person's cell phone #s as well
    6. Teacher evaluations coming up in December
    2) Treasurer's Report - AC
    1. Blue Sky Guide fundraiser is done, $923 were raised, which is more than last year, but just short of projected $1000.
    2. Other small fundraising activities have covered the gap in budget; AC considers fundraising on track
    3. Coffee Report (DG)
      1. 43 bags of coffee sold so far with profits of $110
      2. If current rates continue, approx. $700 projected for the school year
      3. Looking for feedback on coffee, label, procedures, etc.
      4. LR-question about fair-trade certification; whether the coffee is certified, what does certification really mean?
    4. Direct deposit transactions must be initiated by families, BPCP can't "pull" money from individual accounts, deposit slips are in cubby, let AC know if they run out
    5. Reimbursements: receipts should be stapled to paper summarizing expenses with explanation, name, etc, go in Ursula's cubby or treasurer's box
    3) Membership Report - JN
    1. Schedule Change proposal -
      1. Discussion of proposal to change BPCP schedule from "individualized" where parents chose any days to one where parents must choose from 3 set-day options (TTh, MWF, or M-F).
      2. Vote on the question: 12 in favor, proposal passes
    2. Application procedure proposal
      1. Discussion of proposal to use a lottery system to determine placement in school; would replace current 'first-come, first-serve' system
        1. Vote on the question: do members want to continue with first-come, first-serve placement: 14 in favor, proposed changes will not go into effect.
      2. Decision to start doing tours and accepting applications for upcoming school year October 1st
      3. Decision to have prospective parents tour school before applying
    4) Cookbook Proposal (PM)
    1. Nothing to report at this time.
    5) Committee Reports
    1. Parent Helper Coordinator (CK)
      1. All slots filled; calendar for January will be up in cubby room soon
    2. Grandparent Letter (LR)
      1. Will be in cubbies soon, extras will be available as well; unneeded letters can be returned to Eva's cubby
      2. For Small Hands Catalog (LR)
        1. Reminder about signing up for a big group order; will place order towards the end of November
      3. At large subcommittee
        1. EA reports word from her husband that the coffee is very fresh, flavorful
        2. KB seconds, coffee is very good
    3. Party planners (GB, PM)
      1. EA thanks party planners for the Halloween Party
      2. Next party is usually the day before holiday break; teachers will plan a program that includes children doing a play, singing songs, etc.
      3. Art Show (JL)
        1. Art show will be Friday, May 21st in small gym
      4. Garage Sale -
        1. EA reminds parents to save your stuff now so we can sell in the spring
        2. MM - reminder to keep stuff clean; don't give soiled or broken items, etc.
      6) Call for New business Meeting adjourned 7:53pm

      ]]> Board Meeting Minutes - October 25th 2009 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.124 2009-10-30T22:04:28Z 2009-10-30T22:09:12Z Attendees: Elizabeth Avery, Suzan Koroglu, Janel Newell, Nicole Henry, Amy Cichanowski Absent: 1) How did potluck go in small gym? -EA 12 families attended Discussion of chaos, kids running around, possibility of moving back to big gym next year 2)... cdwitt 1) How did potluck go in small gym? -EA
      1. 12 families attended
      2. Discussion of chaos, kids running around, possibility of moving back to big gym next year
      2) Membership Update - JN
      1. 8 people on waiting list/wanting to apply for next year
      2. Discussion of how to prioritize applications
        1. Decision to use a random lottery drawing to place students when applications exceed openings
        2. Decision to do create five applicant pools and assign deadlines (for application and 50-dollar deposit) to each group as follows:
          1. Returning students - Feb 1st
          2. Siblings of returning students - Feb 1st
          3. Alumni Families - March 1st
          4. Previous year's applicants- March 1st (families who had applied by March 1st of the previous year, but did not win a spot)
          5. New applicants - March 1st
          6. New applicants after deadline (seated first-come, first served as space allows
        3. Decision to stop accepting applications for current year on Oct 1.
        4. Decision that previous year's wait list will not rollover; applicants will have to re-apply
        5. Decision to start accepting applications on January 1st
      3) By-law Review - EA
      1. EA distributed copy of current by-laws and example of by-laws from MN Council of Non-Profits
      2. b. Board members will review by-laws in preparation for a discussion at a future board meeting
      4) Board Calendar - EA
      1. Discussion of BPCP Board Calendar and need to review, perhaps create a new version, will be addressed at future board meeting.
      5) Teacher days off reporting-AC
      1. Discussion of current policy for notification to AC when teachers have requested days off.
      2. Decision that teachers are responsible for contacting AC if they did not take a previously-requested day off
      6) Treasurer's Report - AC
      1. a. Reminder that when tuition is paid late, checks may not be cashed right away
      7) Parent participation tracking-NH
      1. a. NH would like to create a system with which the Board can review participation regularly and make decisions about whether any action should be taken. Discussion.
      2. Decision that committee members shall report attendance/participation to NH, who will maintain a "master" participation spreadsheet and act as the primary contact for members if concerns arise
      3. Decision to add a "Participation Report" to Board Meeting agenda
      Meeting adjourned 5:20pm

      ]]>       Membership Meeting: October 6th, 2009 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.123 2009-10-20T17:18:52Z 2009-10-20T17:26:43Z Bright Prospects Cooperative Preschool 2nd Membership Meeting October 6th, 2009 Meeting called to order 6:36pm 1. Introductions 2. NH-Big Clean Report - thanks to all who helped 3. EA-Board Meetings have been set for the year, will take place at... cdwitt
    4. Reminder that kids will go outside when it's cold, make sure children dress appropriately; cut-off for outdoor play is 10 degrees, temperature or windchill
    5. Add socks to extra clothes bags…they are often neglected
    6. Pair of inside shoes and outside shoes is great…suggest crocs or other shoes for indoors; children are required to wear shoes in the classroom, but their boots get too hot
    7. Show and Tell: encourage children to bring one thing; purpose is teaching children to speak in front of others, expressing own ideas, develops language, many other skills; no weapons, please.
    8. Board outside classroom has info about school themes; can be a conversation starter for parents and kids
    9. Conferences coming up in November; sign-up sheet will be in cubby room soon
    8. LR-Fundraising Committee Report
    1. Blue Sky Guide fundraiser report
      2. i. Still waiting for some money, last year we made 840 dollars, this year we may not reach that point. (750 collected so far)
      ii. Seems to be much more competition from other groups
      iii. Farmer's Market was less successful than Seward Co-op in sales, but lots of info about preschool was handed out.
      iv. Thinking about other venues for selling next year
    2. Grandparent Letter
      3. i. Coming out in November ii. Letter to friends and family soliciting funds
    3. "for small hands" catalog; school would get 10% of any order over 25; 15% of any order over 500
    9. T.Bauers and T.Bradfield: proposal for coffee fundraiser-discussion 10. EA-Potluck moved to Weds. 10/21 so that it could be moved to small gym 11. AR-craft show fundraiser - Looking for venue ideas-discussion 12. EA-Change in meeting dates to 2nd week in the month; next meeting is November 10th Meeting adjourned 7:30pm ]]>     Board Meeting Minutes September 27, 2009 tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.118 2009-10-01T01:49:27Z 2009-10-20T17:15:34Z Attendees: Elizabeth Avery, Suzan Koroglu, Janel Newell, Dawn Wieczorek, Amy Cichanowski Absent: Nicole Henry 1) Introduction of Board Members 2) EA distributed teachers’ job description for reference 3) Discussion of BPCP by-laws (EA) AC suggests consulting MN Council of Non-Profits... cdwitt
  4. AC suggests consulting MN Council of Non-Profits website for by-laws formats, legal requirements, etc
4) Discussion of what to do with board and membership meeting minutes
  1. Decision: all minutes shall be posted on website and in binder in cubby room, members will receive email when minutes are available to view on-line, members can receive a copy via email attachment upon request
5) JN reminds board members that inquiries from membership or from prospective families should be directed to her 6) JN reported status of website; Christa Witt is in charge of revisions; is free to change format etc, as she sees fit 7) Discussion of how things are going at school:
  1. JN reported that families are inquiring about more days but we are completely full, 3 families on waiting list
  2. AC reported a question from teachers about whether the license permits a child to start on the first day of the month of his/her 33-month birthday, or must wait until the actual day.
8) Discussion of parent participation tracking
  1. EA reported on past concerns that some families have either not participated as much as others, or have been perceived to participate less; may be a need for more objective tracking to verify that all families are contributing to school operations
  2. AC: Parent Helper Coordinator should track parent helping; when open days remain in a month, parents who haven’t helped that month should be contacted first; parents with two kids should “double-up”
  3. AC: for other activities, committees should keep meeting minutes and should report to membership meeting after events; should acknowledge participation of families who helped with various events
  4. Play-dough should be tracked by Parent Helper Coordinator
  5. Board should keep track of big-clean attendance
  6. Need to send copy of committee assignments to membership
9) Discussion of Teacher Evaluations
  1. Decision to conduct evaluations in December and April
  2. Decision to borrow language from teachers’ job description in evaluations
10) Discussion of licensing and inspection
  1. JN questioned whether inspection will happen this year due to backlog at DHS..still uncertain
  2. Discussion of citations from last year’s inspection
  3. EA will contact DHS to check on status of licensing for this year
11) Dawn Wieczorek introduced herself – member of church council and various committees, took over for Ron Johnson as liaison to preschool; would like to be invited to meetings and will attend if we request 12) Decision to move potluck to small gym…big gym was too much space last year 13) Discussion of proposal to change school schedule
  1. Proposal would include 2-day, 3-day, or 5-day option for families
  2. Discussion of including 4-day option
14) Treasurer’s Report – AC
  1. All tuition paid, a few members haven’t taken 25-dollar “rebate”:
  2. AC signed letter of intent with accountant for taxes
15) Decision to set board meeting dates for the year. All meetings will occur at 3:30pm at the church: 10/25; 11/22; 1/3; 1/31; 2/28; 3/28; 4/25 16) Decision to change membership meeting dates as of January 2010.
  1. New dates for membership meeting are: 1/12; 2/9; 3/9;
  2. Calendar will be revised and distributed to membership
17) Discussion of whether we should more strongly enforce hand washing upon arrival at school Adjourned]]> May 2009 Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.115 2009-05-13T14:55:48Z 2009-05-13T15:02:55Z PPCNS Board Meeting /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in;... katsumi http://brightprospectspreschool.org PPCNS Board Meeting

Elizabeth Avery calls the meeting to order at 6:37

 

  1. Committee Updates

a.    Fundraising

       ~ Garage Sale (May 16th) ~ Kate Grzywacz and Tom & Amy Wurdock

-          Kate G. has printed out fliers and posted them around the neighborhood, and emailed them to all of us

-          Kate will print some and leave them in the cubby room for posting

-          The garage sale has been advertised on Craigslist

-          Sonji has some large signs that we can cover and write on to put out on Lake Street and other high-traffic areas

-          Drop items off on Thursday and Friday morning (earlier in the week is OK) – feel free to call first and you can put things right into the garage, otherwise put things on Sonji’s front porch.

-          There is a non-profit willing to come and pick up unsold items after the garage sale.

-          Garage sale 8 am – 4 pm

-          Toward the end can do a ‘bag sale’

-          Need a bit of help still with set up and tear down

       ~ Blue Sky Guide for next year ~ Lori Robinson

-          We are planning to sell them next year, happens at the very beginning of the year

-          Lori reserved a community table Sept. 5th and Sept. 12th (two Saturdays) at the Midtown Farmers Market for us to sell the guides.  Folks can take 2 hour shifts.  We cannot call people towards the table!  $25 for the table.

-          Seward Co-op again? A morning – this worked well this past year.

-          Perhaps get a small kid activity to encourage folks

-          Seward elementary school sold donated cookies at the CSA fair.  Perhaps we could sell cookies at the table in addition to the Blue Sky Guide?  Lori will look into this as a way to raise a bit of extra money at the Farmer’s Market.

b.         Year Book Committee ~ Mike Gitler

- not here yet. Should be ready mid-June.  Once graduation happens it will get ready.  Mike will email us with cost per yearbook

c.         Plates ~ Judy Lapham & Thaine Dirks

-          siblings have an option to do plates

-          plates have already been completed by kids, probably wont be finished until after school is out.

-          Jude and Thaine will deliver plates if they arrive after the end of May.

d.         Art Show May 22 ~ Judy Lapham & Thaine Dirks

-          Might need an extra server and additional treats. 

-          On Monday May 18th, Judy and Thaine will be putting works on paper – any additional help would be appreciated.  Over 1000 pieces of tape are needed!  Bring your own tape (masking).

-          Thanks to families that have volunteered!

      e.    Parent Helper Coordinator: TOMORROW we need a parent helper (sick child) – got a fill in!

  1. Returning families ~ Elizabeth Avery

a. Please notify Janel of any changes as soon as possible.  We have a waiting list, but folks are needing to commit to other places.  We need a full house to keep the co-op going, and to get the schedule set.

b. First month’s tuition due with the completed paperwork August 1st. Don’t necessarily need to make a doctor’s appointment, can just send the doctor the paperwork.  This is for all families. 

c.  Summer playdate:  every Tuesday 10 am at Brackett Park.

 

  1. Treasurer’s Report ~ Amy
    1. Not able to be here this evening

 

  1. Teachers’ Report
    1. Kids going on to kindergarten—feel free to contact teachers with issues. Kids will often regress (crying, wetting the bed, sucking thumbs) or acting out (aggressive, crying, power struggles).  This is normal! Please ask teachers if there is a concern.
    2. Graduation May 28th, 11:00—inform teachers if you will not be attending.  The teachers would really like help cleaning up after the graduation this year!

 

  1. Elections -- New Parent Liaison; Craft Show Committee (New!). 

-          New parent liaison:  Sonji is willing to do this job (unless she moves).

-          Craft show committee:  our last meeting discussion was a big inconclusive.  Mary makes clothes and is very tapped into craft network.  Teachers are interested and would put work into it. The idea is to charge a set fee per table, and allow sellers keep all their profits.  Most folks set up their own spots.  We would need folks to help set up and sign up sellers. 

o        Sonji looking into church basement and Danebo (Danish institute at corner of Lake and River Road).  Please let her know if there are any other suitable locations you can think of!

o        Lots of artists guilds, Etsi, Mary has contacts at other local fairs.

o        Artists, not garage sale or imported items. 

o        Minnehaha Academy craft sale – very upscale, but expensive for the artists.

o        There will likely be an expense at any location (church or Danebo) – on the order of several hundred dollars. 

o        The big effort will be marketing and advertising.  Teachers are willing to help organize kids activities at the craft fair.

o        Amy Wurdock will be willing to be on the Craft Show Committee. This would basically be spending time with Mary to prepare/plan!

o        No volunteers! Elizabeth will send out an email to recruit other families.

 

 

New Parent Liaison: Organizes a new family orientation prior to the beginning of school. Helps new families learn how the preschool works and the important role each family plays in the operation of the school. Checks in with new families monthly to see how things are going. Serves as first contact for prospective parents. Gives tours and organizes evening open house in January.

 

Craft Show Committee: Work with Mary and Jakki to define and publicize craft show, collect registration and fees, work with church to set up basement, come up with children’s activities, organize bake sale among membership, organize volunteers on day of event.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.  Minutes respectfully submitted by Kelly MacGregor, Board Secretary.

]]> April 2009 Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.114 2009-05-11T20:27:38Z 2009-05-11T20:28:15Z BPCP Membership meeting /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:"Lucida Grande";} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria;} p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:9.0pt;... katsumi http://brightprospectspreschool.org BPCP Membership meeting

Elizabeth Avery called the meeting to order at 6:39 pm.

1.      Committee updates:

a.       Fundraising:  Garage Sale (May 16th) – Kate Grzywacz and Tom/Amy Wurdock

                                                               i.      Save all kids stuff, household, childrens items, books, media

                                                             ii.      Sort kids clothes by size

                                                           iii.      Price items yourself except for books and clothes!!!

                                                           iv.      Amy & Mark have tables

                                                             v.      Need help setting up on Friday evening; shift signup for Saturday

b.      Yearbook/Plate Committee – Mike Gitler

                                                               i.      Not clear the plates are going to happen!  Probably needed to be done by now….Mike is not here so we don’t know

                                                             ii.      Mike and Judy will try to make it happen

c.       Scholastic book orders and Art Show (May 22) – Judy and Thaine

                                                               i.      Friday May 22 is Art Show

                                                             ii.      11am-noon

                                                           iii.      Thursday May 21 is good for setup – already arranged with church

                                                           iv.      Need folks to help set up, move furniture, tape, set up cookies/juice, take down

                                                             v.      Ask families to take down their child’s art work

2.      Membership Update – Karen

a.       5 boys on waiting list; could accept more (typically bring 2-3 families in)

b.      Requests have begun to slow for tours

3.      Treasurers Report

a.       Amy printed out a sheet on budget

b.      We are ahead because of Grandparent letter, have $1000 budgeted for garage sale so total budget will depend on how it does.  We have not been paying IRS, so that will be dealt with this summer (may have to pay a penalty). 

c.       Essentially doing fine this year, but may have many changes for next year.

4.      Teachers Report

a.       Earth Day – talking about this next week (recycling & composting)!  Feel free to talk to kids about these issues

b.      May Day float walk:  May 1 at 11:30 am – will take kids around the block with floats, and bring baskets to elder apartments.

c.       Change of shoes – each child needs a change of shoes because of wet and muddy feet!  Bring an extra pair to leave here.

d.      Graduation May 28th at 11 am (THURSDAY)– let teachers know if you CAN’T be there!  Play about rainforest, lots of fun for ALL children, not just those graduating.

5.      Fundraising

a.       We are going ahead with Blue Sky Guide, Grandparent letter, Garage Sale.

b.      Pastor will definitely sign lease with us for next year, but may be some increase in rent (still negotiating with church).

c.       Tuition is set for next year, still need to do fundraising for next year.  Next fall we should aim to talk about whether we want to continue fundraising.

d.      What are our priorities for fundraising? 

                                                               i.      What is the goal?  Money from outside the membership? Involve the kids?

                                                             ii.      Disco party made $549, but was a lot of work.  Less than last year, but only because last year we required all membership to purchase tickets.

                                                           iii.      Success of the Disco seems to depend entirely on the membership – primarily members and their guests that attend.  Also the overhead costs go up each year.

                                                           iv.      What do we value more: our time or our money! 

                                                             v.      Would love to ‘can’ an event – an expectation that we will keep doing an event!  Easier if the fundraising committee is given a choice what to do???  Not necessarily!

                                                           vi.      Set of priorities: amount of $$$, how much outreach, involve our kids and the community. 

                                                         vii.      Tense to be on committee:  there is pressure to make the amount that is budgeted.

                                                       viii.      For next year, we’ve raised tuition and rent will go up, so next year we’ll need to deal with this.

                                                           ix.      Any grant writing? Pretty difficult to find, few exist.

                                                             x.      Used to have the Ice Cream Social in Prospect Park: is there anything else that is similar in the area?  Corn feed?

                                                           xi.      Try to do the survey monkey to see what the membership feels are the priorities for a fundraiser.

e.       Should we do the Disco Party again?

                                                               i.      Poll: 9 vote for doing the Disco again!  Not a majority!

                                                             ii.      About 9 folks would be happy to raise tuition and get rid of middle fundraiser

                                                           iii.      Longfellow corn feed is a really good idea.  Matthews Park has Kings Fair.  Brackett has another smaller event

                                                           iv.      Midtown Farmers Market:  every Tuesday and Saturday.  Can just table there. 

f.        Should we choose a fundraising committee to work over the summer?

                                                               i.      Nicole will ask Longfellow director about participating in the Corn Feed.

6.      Elections

a.       Membership chair

                                                               i.      Anyone interested in membership chair?  Janelle is elected unanimously!

b.      New Parent Liason: Sonja was nominated.  She would like to think about it further.  We can do elections at May meeting.

7.      New business           

a.       Any other business for next meeting?

b.      We will know about rent by then and will need to discuss how we will cover an increase for the next year.

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:35 pm.  Minutes respectfully submitted by Kelly MacGregor, Board Secretary.

]]> March 2009 Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.113 2009-05-11T17:13:33Z 2009-05-11T20:27:28Z /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:"Lucida Grande";} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria;} p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:9.0pt; font-family:"Lucida Grande";} @page... katsumi http://brightprospectspreschool.org

Elizabeth Avery (co-chair) calls the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.

1.      Walking tour permissions

a.       Teachers want kids to walk around the block with the floats to the elderly apartments.  Elizabeth sending around permission form to sign.  Need help during conferences, and folks may have to double-up on parent helping at some point.

2.      Committee updates

a.       Parent helper coordinator:  Please check the schedule, we need help in March and April

b.      New family liason: no update

c.       Web master: no update

d.      Party planning: Not sure when the next party is!

e.       Fundraising:

                                                               i.      Disco party: went well!  Good turnout even with the snow the night before.  Hello Kitty photos turned out very well! Profit for the disco:  Nicole estimates $650 income, but 10% must go to Minneapolis finance department.  Total gross revenue:  $867, so ~$90 to the City.  Big thanks to Nicole for organizing!

                                                             ii.      Garage sale: hoard clothes and ORGANIZE!  No adult clothes. We will send out a pricing guide so folks can pre-price.

f.        Handy parents:  nail on top of tree house that needs to get fixed (on stairs). Pinch guard on the door hinge would be a great idea!

g.       Marketing and grant writing: not here

h.      Yearbook: going well, Mike is getting plates organized (should be done in the next month). Wants a quote from each child.  Email Mike the way you want your child’s name to appear.

i.         Purchasing: all is going well.

j.         Scholastic book orders and Art show: Thaine & Judy.  They are doing book orders every 2-3 months – is that OK? Not tons of orders. Probably one more order. For the Art Show: need to get volunteers.

3.      Membership update

a.       8 new families next year 

4.      Treasurer’s report:

a.       Amy hands out statements to membership.  Added tax ID number on statement. Few folks that haven’t paid tuition for March; due today.  Right now our budget is looking good for the year.  Amy will look into how she is assigning expenses.  Art projects can add up, so it might be worth keeping closer accounting of this.  Fundraising still looks good as long as we have a decent Garage Sale.  Blue Sky: few $100 over; Grandparent letter was ~$1000 over.  Blue Sky replaced Bake Sale.  We have budgeted $1000 of fundraising for Garage Sale. 

5.      Spring Potluck

a.       March 17; bring a dish to share. It will be here in the church basement (big gym) from 6-7:30 pm. Maybe have one person get beverages.  Also sparkling water left from the Disco.  Apple juice left from last year’s Disco.  Bring plates and utensils if possible to reduce waste.

6.      Spring Cleaning: 

a.       Saturday March 28th from 10-12. General questions about cleaning:  it would be nice to have a write-up and explanation of what to use for different kinds of cleaning.  Printed instructions! Most folks use paper towels and bleach. Still need to clean the floor.

7.      Teacher conferences: 

a.       March 23-27th.  Still need extra helpers for those days!  Kids need parents to help organize activities during this time. Stories? Activities?

8.      Board positions opening next year:  co-chair, secretary, membership. 

a.       Membership would be split into two (membership and new parent liason). It would be ideal to have the new membership position start soon!  Co-chair will be elected in September, but let Elizabeth know if you are interested and come to a board meeting!

9.      Membership feedback for 2009-10 teachers contracts:

a.       Board is rewriting contracts for teachers, and we want feedback from membership.  Next year we could get Minneapolis to come here and test kids onsite.  So….how many conferences to have? Do we want to keep it at the early morning for a week, or cancel school for two days and have it during that time.  Any thoughts?  Some discussion and support for cancelling school for two days.  What about evenings?  Might be tricky! So what is the purpose of the conference and why do folks want them? Lots of opportunity to drop off/pickup, but it is nice to have the chance for parents to both come and hear how the kid is doing.  Could we incorporate the conference into your parent helper day? Most folks like at least 2 conferences.   Perhaps stretch out the schedule over a longer period (4 weeks), some before and after, maybe focused on the end of the day.

10.  Teachers taking days off: 

a.       Is there a sense that there are too many teachers absences? Is it a problem for the kids? Parents think it is going very well this year.  Each teacher is allowed 10 personal days (PTO’s: personal time off) on top of 20 paid days off.  Not really intended for a vacation.  Has happened in the past, but not this year.  If we want to encourage teachers to NOT take days off, we could reduce the number of PTO’s, or agree to pay them out. Most days off have been scheduled; so not really sick days.  Most folks don’t think it is super-disruptive; a few feel it is. 

11.  Fundraising:  tabled for next meeting.

 

Elizabeth ends meeting at 8:20 pm.  Minutes respectfully submitted by Kelly MacGregor, Board Secretary

]]> February 2009 Meeting Minutes tag:www.brightprospectspreschool.org,2009://2.106 2009-02-13T14:40:18Z 2009-02-13T15:05:29Z Meeting called to order at 7:10 pm Present Sonji Sackett, Janell Newell, Amy Cichanowski, Chris Engen, Judy Lapham, Thane Dirks, Anthony Weilangruber, Michael Gitler, Laurie Rottach, Karen Barnes, Amy Wurdock, Mai Matsumoto, Nicole Henry, Kate Grzywacz, Eliabeth Avery, John Hoch... katsumi http://brightprospectspreschool.org Meeting called to order at 7:10 pm

Present

Sonji Sackett, Janell Newell, Amy Cichanowski, Chris Engen, Judy Lapham, Thane Dirks, Anthony Weilangruber, Michael Gitler, Laurie Rottach, Karen Barnes, Amy Wurdock, Mai Matsumoto, Nicole Henry, Kate Grzywacz, Eliabeth Avery, John Hoch

  1. Committee Update
    1. Parent Helper Coordinator ~  Elizabeth Weilandgruber ~going good
    2. New Family Liaison ~ Kris Kiel ~not present at meeting
    3. Web Master ~ Katsumi Matsumoto ~party updates have been added to site
    4. Party planning ~ Alison & Peter Meilahn ~ coming along Dallas ’s family is helping out

e.   Fundraising

~ Disco Party (February 21st) ~ Nicole Henry & Erik Rogers, Sara Beeman ~Extra shifts needed for serving food, hello kitty will be there again this year, trying to get photo taking with hello kitty pulled together, need a laptop and camera and work out who will take pictures and burn cd’s, Judy and Thane are willing to take photos, may need to do some swapping of jobs to get the right talent where it needs to be. Amy wurdock is willing to donate her camera and take pictures.  Talk about different ways to get the photos to patrons. Need to test time involved in burning cds.   Rent a disco ball or buy…rent for now. Bigger disco ball better.   Tickets are being sold by parents but no outside calls have been received for tickets.  Hoping more will be sold at the door.  Pizza juice, fruit, brownies will be served for money.  Bead necklaces will be passed out at the door.

~ Garage Sale (May 16th) ~ Tom & Amy Wurdock & Greg & Laurie Rottach ~ start holding items for the sale.  No adult clothes or shoes.  All childrens items are to be in good condition with no holes or stains.  Will send out info about prepricing.  Toys with loose parts should be secured in ziplock bags to prevent separation.

f.        Handy Parent ~ Chris & Mary Engen ~going good

g.      Marketing & Grant Writing ~ Janel & Mike Newell ~ have not found grants to apply for but will check on target

h.       Year Book / Plate Committee ~  Mike Gitler ~will check with teachers on the plates and yearbook is coming along

i.        Purchasing ~ Cindy Dahlen ~ not present

j.        Scholastic Book Orders & Art Show ~ Judy Lapham & Thaine Dirks  ~new book flyers in cubbies

  1. Membership Update ~ Karen ~ we are full with a waiting list of an additional five families on waiting list.
    1. Child attendance for Fall 09 was due February 1st no spaces are being held for membership if you have not already requested your days and paid your $50 application fee. 
    2. Application and fee for new families due by March 1st.   
  1. Budget Overview and Update ~ Amy ~ would like families to have their tuition payments in by the 5th instead of the 10th.  Would like to officially change this for next school year.
    1. Two families still have not paid February tuition.  Please include a $10 late fee when you write your check. One family did pay and check was lost in transit.  Working to find it
  1. Teacher Update ~ Sonji
    1. Conferences have been moved up one week to March 23-27  Dates are noted on parent helper calander
    2. Remember we need extra parent helpers those days.
    3. How does membership feel drop off is going? Have heard some complaints again about teachers not greeting students and continuing prep time after 8:45.  Teachers would like parents not to linger but some feel they need to stay due to lack of interaction.  This has been an ongoing problem.  How to fix it?  Library offered to put a satellite collection at school so teachers wouldn’t have to check books out from the library. Sonji will follow up with the library. Have teachers be at school for the hours they are paid would help too. (8-12:30). Rewriting teacher contract to make expectations clearer.  Use part of next years salary increase to pay them for attending membership meetings as they are contract to do.
  1. Valentines Day Party this Friday 11-12
    1. Please have your child bring a valentine for each child in the class or none at all.
  1. Spring Potluck Date  ~ Tuesday, March 17th (Saint Patrick’s Day) from 6:00 – 7:30 PM
  1. Board positions ending in September
    1. Co-chair (sept-sept)
    2. Membership (sept-sept)
    3. Secretary (sept-may)

If you have any interest in any of these positions contact a board member or you can sit in on one of the board meetings to see what they are all about.  We may spin off school tours to the new parent liaison next year.  Sonji expressed an interest in this.  Janel Newell expressed an interest in the Membership Board position. 

****Next Meeting Tuesday, March 10th

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