Minutes from 4/28 Meeting

Attending:

Frank S
Mary Anne L
Gail L
Jonathan N
David G
Mary-Jean
Jim K
Ellen M
Jane W
Mary

Talent Show / Auction:

PTO expressed appreciation for the effort of the King staff in organizing this event. Everyone is looking forward to it. Members of the PTO have collaborated with Sue Carlson to support the event.

Celebration of Learning:

The group made a commitment to evaluate sponsorship opportunities for next year’s event.

Other fund raising ideas were discussed including a spring plant sale, selling seats at the site seminar to the public, recycling opportunities for the school, shaw’s 1% rewards.

Join the Adventure: Support the King Auction

We are asking the community to “Join the King Adventure” by supporting the auction through solicitations. Full information about how you can help is available here.

King PTO’s role at WinteRush cancelled

King will not have a concession stand on Feb 7 as previously announced.

PTO Minutes 1/27/09

Attending:

Frank S
Mary Anne L
Mary M
Gail L
Jonathan N
David G
Mary-Jean
Kathryn M
Ellen P
Ellen M
Jane W
Helen P

Winter Rush:

The PTO has committed to participate in the WinteRush on Feb 7 at Post Office Park from 11 – 3. The King will sell hot chocolate and food provided by the city. Dave Grant agreed to look into a banner from King. The group also needs three folding tables (Dave will see if King has) , and a cash box (which Jane will provide).

The crew for the event includes Jonathan, Gail, Farbers, Liz F, Kristen A, and Nori G. Jonathan will send out another email to try to get a couple of more volunteers.

International Community Dinner:

February 26th 5:30 to 7:30. This is a no fee, bring a dish, community builder. The goal is to engage with of the King community and learn more about each other.

MJ shared some of the translations of the flyers. Dave agreed to check in about how we will get the word out in the school community to all kids and parents. MJ agreed to get the flyers to Dave by the 30th. Dave also agreed to look into whether on not the school has coolers.

The group agreed to meet on Feb 24 to problem solve any last minute items.

No Cake Bake Sale:

The group discussed the next steps in dealing with the checks from the fund raiser. The first discussion was around how to create an account for the money or whether it wouldn’t be better to let king deposit the money and keep track of it for the PTO.

The question of how the money is distributed was discussed. The group decided to run the question by Mike McCarthy for suggestions.

2 Projects for Winter / Spring

Two projects are on the near calendar in addition to this months PTO next Tuesday January 20 at 7PM in the Library.

1. Winter Rush: Saturday February 7th the King PTO will represent KMS at Portland’s first winter festival; think ice sculptures, music and winter fun.  All the concessions at this event are supported by Portland Public Schools.  King will sell hot chocolate from 11 to 3PM at Port Office Park, taking home $1 for each sale.  We need eight volunteers for the event and the Nolan family will provide 3 plus entertainment.  This should be a fun way to represent King in the Portland community and make additional money for the school.
2. International Community Dinner: February 26th 5:30 to 7:30.  This is a no fee, bring a dish, community builder.  The goal is to engage with of the King community and learn more about each other.  With Joe Farrell’s help, students and community members will perform in a cabaret setting.

We’ll talk about both of these items in more detail at next Tuesday’s meeting.  If you can’t make this PTO meeting but can help for a few hours on Saturday the 7th, please contact me.  We need to stand up with the rest of Portland’s Public Schools at the Winter Rush event.

No Bake Cake Sale Total

We are thrilled to announce we collected just over $2300 in our first annual fundraiser.  This is a great start and gives us the fuel to start supporting the school in tangible ways.

The Telling Room presents new Free media production workhops

These look like three great after school workshops  in photography, documentary, and music for your kids and mine.  I’ve put them on the blog under a new category: Activities for kids.   Please read on if interested.

Minutes from 12/16

Attending:

Frank S
Mary Anne L
Deb S
Mary B
Gail L
Jonathan N
David G
Mary-Jean O

Content:

Fund Raiser

The meeting began with a discussion of the on going fund raiser — the No Bake Cake Sale.  The state of the fundraiser is at just over $1000.  

Deb, an ELL teacher at King, described the challenges of raising money to bring students to cultural / arts events, for example.  

The group discussed the need to develop a process for determining how money from this and future events would be allocated for work in the school.

 

International Potluck Celebration

The event, which was initially scheduled for the 29th of January, is now being considered for February, date uncertain.  It was clarified that the event is not a fund raiser.

Deb S talked about being in touch with the multilingual translators to get out the word about the event, and to encourage the translators to come to planning meetings for the event.  One is tentatively scheduled for January 8.  Jonathan, Deb S and MJ agreed that that could be a good start date.  Deb will be in touch with Jonathan to confirm.

Dave and Deb agreed that King staff and kids would take responsibility for advertising / PR, and that the process of creating PR would be a way to get kids excited about the event.

It sounds like Deb, Joe F, and Marcia S from King are going to be the principle energy building-side for the event.

Winter Rush

The Winter Rush is being planned district wide as a celebration and community fundraiser for PPS.  The event is being scheduled for some time in February. Jonathan was contacted by the district and members of the school board to consider the King PTO’s role in the event.

Jonathan asked the group to think about what group or body associated with King might be able to take on  King’s role at the event.

More to come.

Growing PTO Involvement

The meeting finished with an acknowledgement of the scope of upcoming events and our needs for planning.  It was suggested that each person who attended this meeting be sure to ask another community member to join us for the next meeting.

PTO sends out appeal letter for No Cake Bake Sale

In an effort to meet the school’s on-going financial needs, the PTO has organized a No Cake Bake Sale this holiday season.  Full information about the event, including how to make a contribution is available in the attached letter.

Minutes from 11/18

Attending

Jonathan
Mary
Mary Anne
Dave Grant
Frank
Jane
Mike McCarthy
MJ
Ellen
Pandika
Gail
Beth
Christina

Topics

No Bake Cake Sale

The meeting began with a discussion of the letter Jonathan drafted to ask for contributions, and to explain the PTO’s fundraising goals and strategies for the year.  The letter announces the No Cake Bake Sale.  It was agreed that the school would distribute the letter to all parents through conferences, on the web, at the school concert, and through backpacks at the beginning of December.  Mary Anne agreed to have a donation box available in the front hall for receiving donations during conferences.  It was agreed that the No Bake Cake Sale would end with the end of the calendar year.  Mike and Dave agreed that they would provide language for the letter that would clarify how the money raised would specifically support learning at King.  Jonathan agreed to redraft the letter to include the finish date and get it to the school by Weds morning.  Mike explained that a translation sheet will be included for families that need it.  Pandika might be able to print the letter, and will be in touch in the morning.  Otherwise the school will do it.

Talent Show Fundraising Event

The proposed date for the Talent Show fundraising event is April 30.

Potluck Event

The proposed date for the potluck is January 22, from 5:30 – 7:30.  The intention of the PTO is to make this event a celebration of King’s diverse community.  The PTO discussed strategies for inclusion in bringing people to the event and for helping people feel included at the event.  One area of particular interest of the group was doing something to help people feel included through language.  The group discussed being in touch with Joe Farrell and Deb Simmons (King faculty who have organized the King cultural celebration program) to set up performances by kids for the event.  PTO members who volunteered to help organize this event included Jane, Mj, Ellen, Pandika and Christina.  Jonathan is happy to help the group too.  Mary Anne encouraged the group to look into getting environmentally responsible plates, spoons, etc.

Next Meeting

It was mentioned that the group would like to have an ELL teacher at the next PTO meeting.