Kimball Elementary PTSAKimball Elementary PTSA
General meeting2024–25

General Meeting: Fundraising, Heritage Night, and Staff Training

Attendance included families and the principal.

Principal Bogan’s Updates

  • Conferences begin this Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.
    • Family Survey
    • CNEB forms will be available.
  • A fifth-grade outdoor education trip was planned for February 3–6, with grant support sought.
  • Kimball’s current enrollment is now 432.

SESSFA Update

  • SESSFA is Kimball’s biggest source of fundraising and the Move a Thon is its biggest event. Kimball is responsible to get the word out about SESSFA fundraisers, including this upcoming event:
    • Holiday Market 11/30 at South Shore k-8, 10-3pm

Reflections Art Program

  • National PTA arts recognition program is now happening at Kimball in partnership with our art teacher.

Trauma informed practice

  • Training for Kimball Staff - planned for December 17th - normal cadence for PTSA meeting so this would replace it and PTSA could provide childcare via Launch.
  • Covers how trauma affects learning and brain development, how to build resilience, impact of ongoing exposure to vicarious trauma as an educator.
  • The Race and Equity Team was supporting the training.

Heritage Night - April 3, 2025, 5-7pm

  • Looking to open up how the presentations happen - could be “poster” or gallery style, storytelling, etc. not just stage performing.
  • Volunteer planning for Heritage Night was underway.

Other Announcements:

  • Tee shirts ordered and being printed.
  • Class-parent sign-up remained open.
    • Entails creating a communication platform for the class. Trying to connect parents, send reminders, nag about snacks, etc.
      • Fundraising appeal
  • Kimball does have to contribute a certain amount to SESSFA
  • We fell short of our class rooms supplies fundraising at the beginning of the year, and we’re now being asked to provide funding for office supplies for the school as well.
  • In general, giving has fallen off and it’s important that we make it easy for parents (QR code for giving at events) and let people know funding is needed for core functions.
  • There were questions about what the shortfall was and how many parents give for school supplies so we can be more transparent.
  • Year end giving - a midyear reminder soon would be great.

A question came up about connecting with preschool families in our building.

  • Preschools in our building - AM and PM developmental preschools and a Head Start preschool. All are invited to our events.

Communications - how to ensure PTSA is getting the word out?

- Talking points
- Principal Bogan’s monthly email
- Cougar Connection (PTSA) - email with its own distribution list - will post QR code so families can sign up at conferences.
- Cougar Connections - half sheets - have gone away. We’d like to bring them back but paper is budget intensive. How can we drive families to Talking Points?