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BALBOA PTA
BOARD MINUTES
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Call To Order
The meeting was called to order by President
Sandie Minasian in the PTR room at Balboa at 8:40 a.m. followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
In Attendance
Raj
Schindl, Principal; Sandie Minasian, PTA President; Sharon Levy, Exec. VP; Stacey Gordon, 1st VP; Vikki George, Treasurer;
Linda Sutton, Financial Secretary; Donna Okabayashi, 2nd VP; April Blair, 3rd VP; Jill Rosen and Debby Lieber, co-4th VP Ways
and Means, Kristen Lazarian, Corresponding Secretary; Erica Arrendondo; Dagmar Perrera; Stacy Garden; Tamara Lesniak; Lisa
Cohen, Tracy Snyder - Members at Large, and Susan Jefferson, Recording Secretary.
Also Attending: Lillian Yee, Nami Wang,
Jennifer Shiotani, Kipp Shiotani, Marcie Booth, Robin Desowitz, Jodi Jacobs, Mayte Beale, Mary Ellen Bosche, Judy Groode,
Arlene Krausz
Principal’s Report
Balboa received the highest attendance award for all of LAUSD magnet
schools. Last Friday was the Distinguished School Award ceremony. An award
flag was suggested to be hung in the auditorium.
Retirements this year: Mrs. Blanks, Magnet Coordinator; Ms. Epstein,
fifth grade; Mrs. O’Shea, fourth grade, Mrs. Sacks, third grade; and Julie Otake, office secretary.
Other changes:
Mrs. Woods will move to third grade from fourth grade; vacancy of fourth grade teacher ; Mrs. Davenport to move up!!!
New
hire(s): Mrs. Davenport is promoted to the new Magnet Coordinator; and a new fourth and a new fifth grade teacher have each
been hired (no names but excellent teachers Schindl assured).
It is possible that Literacy/Math coaches will be cut
and if Mrs. Taguchi’s position is cut she will be considered for one of the open teaching positions.
Also Mrs.
Julie Otake’s replacement has been hired from Dearborn
Elementary.
Question was raised as to status of TAs for coming 08-09 school year. Currently, hiring is on hold until
budget has been finalized. Principal Schindl said that by the end of this school year she will know more. The number of TAs
we can hire for next year depends directly on how much parent organizations can commit to raising the shortfall.
Budget
Shortfall
Balboa has a deficit of about $50,000. in the 2008-2009 school year vs. the 2007-2008 school budget. A more
aggressive Direct Appeal will be planned to close this budget gap. Only 120 families gave to Direct Appeal this year. If more
families (there are more than 500 families at Balboa every year) give any amount ; then the shortfall will be covered and
all services will be maintained.
Also repeated letters to the Governor and all state senators and representatives
are needed throughout the summer. Continue writing letters. Reported at Spirit Club, Balboa is losing $50,000 ; including
at least five TA’s, the entire computer teacher’s salary and several field trips per classroom.
It was
suggested that the letter to the Jean Brown and Budget Cut Details be blown up to poster size and a petition be posted at
Open House for parents to sign as the PTR Room is currently the only available meeting place and it is already heavily used.
Also, some informational fliers to hand out were suggested.
A Million Mom March is happening in Sacramento Tuesday, June 13, in the morning. E-mail Jodi Jacobson for more information.
Public
Service Announcement
Sandie Minasian distributed sheet of commonly used acronyms on cell texting. Stacey Gordon talked
about the 1 mile long and wide area in the ocean filled with plastic bags.
New Bungalow
A new bungalow has
been promised from LAUSD but caught in red tape ; Sandie Minasian circulated a petition for parents to sign which will carry
MUCH weight in moving it along.
Mrs. Schindl reported that she called her CPM (Complex Project Manager) and regarding
the bungalow showing up on the LAUSD website for Balboa Magnet. This is NOT the one promised to us from LAUSD. It is a temporary
“swing bungalow” intended for use by teachers and students while their classroom is being painted or worked
on. Still, Mrs. Schindl acknowledged the need for a bungalow for a Parent
Center as it would provide an alternate meeting place for parents other
than the PTR Room, which is already heavily used.
PTA Convention
PTA Convention was earlier in May and
excellent: much budget crisis info; resolutions including safety issues, anti-violence in middle and high schools, age appropriate
education for HIV and Megan’s Law. Judy Groode and Holly Stuczynski also attended. There is a movement to put environmental
education into the curriculum in the future. Partnerships in business are to be encouraged. Cyber nanny is a new program to
allow parental control on-line.
Gifted Convention
Marcie Booth reported on three workshops she attended
for the Gifted Conference.
Motions
1. Sharon Levy moved to vote out an amount not to exceed $300 for the
PTA dinner; seconded by Stacey Gordon. Motion carried.
2. Linda Sutton moved to vote out an amount not to exceed $75 for
the PTA council dinner; seconded by Robin Desowitz. Motion carried.
3. Lisa Cohen moved to vote out an amount not to exceed
$700 for the fifth grade planners; seconded by Arleen Krausz. Motion carried.
4. Mary Ellen Bosche moved to vote out an
amount not to exceed $4,000 for the yearbook final payment; April Blair seconded. Motion carried.
5. April Blair moves
to ratify the deed (5/13 e-mail from Sandie Minasian) voting out donation to PTA 31st District health clinic not to exceed
$250; seconded by Stacey Gordon. Motion carried.
6. Jill Rosen moved to reimburse the school for $275 for matching funds
for CIMI; Stacy Garden seconded. Motion carried.
7. Sharon Levy motioned to vote out an amount of $6,290 for the Teachers
Assistant salary; Lisa Cohen seconded. Motion carried.
8. Linda Sutton motioned to vote out an amount not to exceed $3,700
for culmination; Judy Groode seconded. Motion carried.
President’s Report
1. New after school company
will be hired for next year. They are coming to Sports Night to do Zumba dancing and chess.
2. Parent education workshop
is being delayed until next year.
3. Thanks to Tamara Lesniak and Marcie Booth for Founders Day; Donna Okabayashi for
doing teacher appreciation lunch and April Blair for handling the budget letters and e-mail campaign.
Sports Night
3rd VP April Blair and 4th Co-VP Debblie Lieber asked everyone to sign up to volunteer for upcoming Sports Night on
Friday, June 6 (5-8 p.m.) There will be jumbo chess, miniature putting, slide obstacle course, popcorn, salad and Icees. 3rd
grade parent Rob Childers has volunteered to run a track meet this year in lieu of last year’s handball tournament.
There will be no handball tournament this year. There may be a 50/50 raffle but the chairs have not decided yet. Sharon Levy
offered door prizes and volunteer appreciation prizes from left over from a previous BCS event.
Question: will there
be jumbo bowling again? Debbie Lieber will look into it. Parents Tony Sands and Brunswick
Bowl would be good contacts for this. Coach Shari may be invited to the event. There will be no water events this year. The
chairs of the event requested the as many people as possible stay to help with clean up at the end of the evening.
Also,
Stacey Garden has volunteered to co-chair next year’s Sports Night.
Student Council Report
The
Student Council will be sponsoring a used shoe donation program at end of year. All shoes will be donated to Nike, who sponsors
a recycling program to create rubber mats for school play equipment
08-09 Slate for PTA Board
The slate
as compiled by Parliamentarian Cindy Liberty was voted on. Prior to the vote Esther Choi added her name to the slate. Debbie
Lieber moved to vote in the slate as modified. Mary Ellen Bosche seconded. Slate was approved with President position still
open.
The PTA Board Installation Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, 6/11 @ 11:30 a.m. at Lisa Nelson’s house.
Participants will be asked to contribute $20 to cover the cost of food.
Ratifying Checks
Treasurer Vicki George
made a correction to the Suspense Amount showing on her report and then asked to ratify checks 6754-6778. Linda Sutton moved
to ratify. Donna Okabayashi seconded. Approved.
Voting in of Previous Minutes
Jill Rosen moved to approve
January 2008 meeting minutes. Debbie Lieber seconded. The minutes were accepted as presented.
Meeting was adjourned
at 10:40 a.m.
Respectfully submitted by Susan Jefferson, Recording Secretary and Erica Arrendondo, incoming Recording
08-09 Secretary
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