St. Patrick School
Home and School Association (HSA)
November 13th, 2006 Minutes
I. Call to Order and Opening Prayer: Kiki Gorbatenko-Roth 6:30
II. Vice President Report
a. Kim Burn’s donut Sunday process for recruiting and training volunteers is working well. Will be tested again during November’s Donut Sunday date.
III. Old Business
a. HSA Processes & Procedures
i. HSA Constitution & Bylaws : Kiki presented suggested changes to the March 2007 revision. Changes are predominately minor in nature. Only substantive changes involve 1) striking of words in Article X of the Constitution and 2) proposed Article IX in the Bylaws. Regarding the former, the allowance for the HSA executive committee to make amendment changes was removed. Regarding the latter, the proposed article just formalizes current customary practices on voting. The active HSA Constitution and Bylaws are to be posted on the school website. A review and comment period will be opened for the proposed changes only. A formal vote on each of the proposed changes will occur at the Jan meeting.
ii. HSA Survey: Kiki presented quantitative results to date. N=54 responded, slightly less than ¼ of the queried families. Results to be made available through posting on the website. The HSA Executive Committee to study the results further, to ascertain if mandates provided for HSA changes.
Online voting option received a favorable response from a majority of survey respondents. Concern was raised in both the survey and discussion on how to allow for/manage online discussions on a topic prior to a vote. One suggestion was to develop a request form to be used when requesting funds. In the form could be a section for rationale and then a tiered approach to voting could occur: online voting to be used as an indication of the views of school families (non-binding vote) and presented during the HSA meeting in which the topic is formally discussed and presented for a vote. Further suggestions are welcomed and should be addressed to the HSA Executive Committee (homeandschool@stpatrickeducenter.org). The executive committee is to develop a draft process proposal for discussion during the January meeting.
b. Community Building
i. HSA Room Parent Liaison- Status update: Mary Piasecki indicated each room has a room parent identified who can now be used as a conduit of information to and from the HSA and each individual classroom families. This resource is especially encouraged to be used for volunteer recruitment by chairperson of HSA sponsored events.
IV. New Businesses
a. Community Building: Grace Place: Lynn Berg from Grace Place in Somerset WI presented information on the various programs administered by the agency. Her motivation for presenting to us was to increase awareness of Grace Place and their programs.
V. Question & Answer Session: 7:50- 8:40
Lively and thoughtful conversations were had regarding thoughts and feelings on various issues, three identified prior to the meeting and listed on the agenda, and the four brought forth during the meeting.
a. 1st Reconciliation and other sacrament celebrations: Discussion was had on how First Reconciliation is celebrated within the Parish and school, both in the past and possibly in the future. Ideas were generated and shared, as was concern for ‘over-celebrating’ private and highly personal events.
b. Magazine Sale Prizes: Co-chair Wendy Dernovsek started the conversation regarding her thoughts on prizes. Specifically how managing prizes is time consuming and cumbersome; how removing of ‘cheap’ prizes and replacement with experiential opportunities has been incorporated; how a different set of problems and parental concerns arise with experiential prizes; and her genuine interest in hearing from families on additional ideas for prizes and prize management. Full discussion ensued amongst those present, and there was consensus praise and appreciation for the co-chairs in their herculean efforts to date on this large and important fund-raiser to the school. Anyone with ideas or suggestion for prize management is requested to contact either of the co-chairs. It was noted by Wendy that schools who have forgone prizes in the past saw substantial drop in sales.
c. Increasing volunteer participation. The need for more volunteer involvement on many H&S sponsored activities was discussed, as were ideas for generating this involvement. Two volunteer options employed in other volunteer-based organizations were informally presented by various discussion participants: mandatory volunteer hours and financial ‘buy-outs’ of required hours. The importance of volunteering in community development amongst parents was stressed and agreed upon. It was decided that a letter should be sent to all parents, indicating the # of approximate volunteer hours spent on all H&S related activities, a description of those activities, and an average # of hours it would take per family, if each family had equal involvement. In addition, a document on the annual budget needs of the H&S will be developed. The hope is that given a volunteer goal, a greater sense of personal volunteer responsibility and involvement will occur.
d. Spirit Days: Discussion on linking a classroom’s participation in spirit days with the number of food shelf items procured was had. Mary Piasecki indicated the two classroom activities should and were intended to be separate: that charitable giving should be anonymous and not have a secondary goal of personal gain/recognition. She would discuss this with the Student Council in their upcoming meeting.
VI. Parent Education: Children’s Mental Health/Illness
a. Guest Speaker: Dr. Marjorie Law, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist. Dr. Law answered audience initiated questions on children’s mental health for approximately 30 minutes. A range of topics was covered: bipolar, Attention-Deficit, depression and others.
VII. Treasurer’s Report
a. Pennie presented highlights of the latest financial statement: $34K Ending Balance, w/ approximately $17 reserved for pending expenses.
b. A motion was made to make a $15K stipend payment. Motion carried.
VIII. Adjournment. Approximately 8:35.
