Kimball Elementary PTSAKimball Elementary PTSA
General meeting2024–25

General Meeting: Budget Gap and Summer Planning

The meeting included families and the principal.

Notes from Principal Bogan

  • PTSA funding supported a playground supervisor.
  • Inclusion and community understanding were discussed.
    • The following year would emphasize kindness and understanding.
  • Enrollment numbers -
    • Our teachers had an info table at the Beacon Hill festival and did a lot of outreach.
    • Number of enrolled kindergartners is steadily increasing.
    • There is a waitlist from families outside of geozone.
    • Tours were offered weekly and by arrangement.
  • Field Day is tomorrow!
  • Planning for Free and Reduced lunch forms for next year - need to ensure better participation to get funding.
    • Back to school potluck August 28th. - start the outreach early.
    • Potluck by alphabet
    • Opportunity to provide QR codes for school supplies and important forms.
      • May also be provided at Kindergarten promotion this week.
  • Schedule change for next year to improve lunch/recess flow and reduce congestion:
    • 3 Lunches next year, starting at 11am with K/1st
    • 2nd/3rd does recess and then lunch
    • 4/5th is last
    • 20 minutes for lunch with 5 minute passing period instead of 30 minutes. Fewer kids will mean less time waiting in line.

Kimball Garden

  • Summer garden watering volunteers were sought.
  • If you help water, you can harvest.

Ridwell Point Person Needed - see recent Cougar connection

Red Apple receipts - no one has volunteered. We raised about $500 last year and it’s time-intensive.

  • More communication about it might help drive results?
  • A volunteer considered assessing the program's effectiveness.

Fundraising focus

  • PTSA has committed to paying for Team Read, Ms Mee, special events, school supplies, etc.
  • The current budget has a $20k deficit.
  • We didn’t recoup school supplies costs last year.
  • Give backs - any fund we raise we do have to pay a percentage (5-7%) to SESSFA.
  • This work needs a subcommittee to focus. Put the call out.
  • Step 1, put up a webpage so there’s a one stop place for information, fundraising links, etc.
  • Volunteers expressed interest in fundraising and website support.
  • Hawthorn is a good example of a website.
  • The broader PTSA has a large website on which our page is blank, so that could be where it’s hosted.
  • We could start by posting the powerpoint from the beginning of the year that’s a roll up.

Planning for Next Year

  • Have a meeting in August before the back to school events start.
  • Officers/core team meeting first week in August to plan September meeting.
  • A broken newsletter link was noted for repair.