Lincoln Parent Staff Group (LPSG) General Meeting

6:30pm, Nov 5, Lincoln Elementary Library

Welcome/Introductions
Icebreaker: What is your favorite place to eat in Vancouver?

General Membership Participation: 5 minutes for questions, comments, and suggestions from all in attendance. Example: questions/comments/suggestions/discussions about Lincoln, the LPSG, school district, a recent Lincoln event, a concern which the commenter is willing to help solve, newcomer questions, etc.

Q: What is a PTO/PTA/LPSG?
A: We’re the parent group here at Lincoln, a PTO. Explains differences between PTA and PTO. We rely heavily on resources from PTO today. We do fundraising, general meetings every other month, Board meetings every other month. Board makes decisions about the finances and budget. Volunteer opportunities and committees explained.

Q: Where to find a list of events?
A: On calendar on website, should be at least a “save-the-date”.

Meeting Minutes: Confirmation/Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
Change "meeting every 6-months” to “every other month" and spellcheck "principles" to "principal's" .

Q: On the Treasurer’s Report - Do we have a deficit?
A: John - We ran a deficit last year. Started out at 30k and ended with 24k. Being a new treasurer, not sure what exactly caused it, but a lot more was spent on the 6th grade party last year. We have a good start this year with trying to get ourselves back in balance. Have previous records, but nothing looked too out of the ordinary. Just spent more than we earned. Some events we put on don’t make money (son event/daughter dance). Money get spent on events, understaffed with volunteers, and money get spent just to make the event happen. We’re setting budgets and being more careful with spending for each event now. John gave Treasurer's email address if anyone wants more detailed information about report. Rebuilding year, we have more people on the board this year, more organization, access to PTO Today resources.

Q: What is a PTA versus a PTO?
A: PTA - Dues, national organization. PTO - no dues, every parent of a Lincoln student is automatically a member.

Vote on minutes. “Robert's Rules” explained. Motion to approve meeting minutes. Approved.

Principal’s Report: Craig Homnick - Title 1 Parent Involvement Plan
Title I School - means that 50% or more of kids are free and reduced lunch - 1 indicator of poverty. Get federal dollars, around 50k per year. It has gone down significantly and used to be over $100,000. Used to pay paraeducators. We have 5 paraeducators. Have requirements: to share information at meetings, School Improvement Plan (SIP). SIP is posted in a few places in the building - Making sure they are transparent on what they’re working on and what their goals are. See the columns on 2nd page of the handout.
Talked about data notebooks. Every student in K-5 has their own notebook. A trifold where teachers and students collect data. Can take with some year-to-year to see growth. Action step #1: Trying to find ways for students to care about their learning and show off through assessments. #4 under “Revisions”: Help kids to prep with SBA's. Interims are ways kids can practice the SBA.
Academic school-wide vocabulary list. With math and literacy.
Goal to increase math by 20% to be ready for SBA and i-Ready. i-Ready is 3 times per year.
ELA goal is 20%. Vertical team meetings twice per year. Lots of teacher communication between teams and grade levels. Purchased “Lucy Caulkins” (the new writing curriculum) - professional development day next Saturday to learn about new curriculum.
Increase student attendance rate. Still have issues with tardies and absences.

Q: What does SBA mean?
A: Smart Balance Assessment

Q: School academic vocabulary list - have not seen list for 3rd grade?
A: C. Homnick :Academic Achievement Coach, Stephanie Nicloson, is heading this and is still working on the list. Weill be released to parents and hope to post it in the school. Still don’t put a lot of emphasis on spelling. J.Blatt comments: they practice in terms of making sure that they're modeling and correcting as needed, kids corrected on their spelling are less likely to write and do the work. Have kids adventurous in their writing and explore and make small critiques are they go. No particular spelling list. C. Homnick comments: New technology and spellcheck, spelling is less important than it used to be. That is why is going by the wayside. M.Haagen: Reading program, HD word, supports a lot of spelling with vowel sounds.

Q: Should parents not focus on spelling at home?
A: Would prefer kids to write and explore rather than focus on spelling. Kids were inhibited in creative writing because concerned with spelling.On SBA there is a spell check button.
Also required to have a Parent participation plan with Title Funds. 4-6 weeks to make adjustments and revisions based on feedback. This is a document with ways parents can get involved in our school.
Formal way to complain against the school district. Also on the school district website. If you want to make a formal complaint there is an OSPI (Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction) in Olympia.
Brochures available to explain what is Title I. Also brochure for Parents rights to be informed of Title I.

Q: School funding resources cut in half, half as many para educators?
A: They try no not cut back in supervision, patrols, supervising recesses, cafeterias. Definitely less paras in the classroom supporting teachers on a daily basis. Federal dollars based on our count. Some schools get twice as much because they have twice as many kids. Not as much funding to give, at the federal level, not based on free/reduced lunch count.

Q: What is our percentage of free and reduced lunch?
A: One indicator of poverty, big difference in household incomes to get free and reduced lunch. Ranges high 50’s - high 70s depending on time of year. October 1st is when they look at data. Now around 65%. District is around 50%. Some schools are in the 90’s.

Q: 50k is for five paras?
A: Paras get funded in other different ways.
Money to fund 2 full-time counselors, money to fund Angela (math support). Allocated money for Playworks. Kids don’t know how to play. A person from Playworks comes to school a week each month to work with Mendoza. Kids learn to play games. Junior coaches meeting tomorrow. Giving responsibilities to help organize games.

Q: With only 5 paras - is there parent involvement to fill in?
A: Need volunteers to help 1 on 1 with flash cards or reading group. The 5 paras are allocated to every grade level.

Q: Other districts have gone to LAP?
A: Hough went under 50%. They are accessing district LAP funds and no Title I funds. LAP (Learning Assistant Program). LAP Reading teacher is Christine McClafferty.

Family Community Resource Center (FCRC) Report: Judit Torrents
Continue programs partnering with Trinity, All Saints, Lincoln Neighborhood Association (LNA). Connecting with families needs. Bridging that gap with housing or food resources. Holiday food drive with daily announcements for canned goods.. Family engagement -Watchdog kickoff. Had 70 dads that day. On Thursday, Love and Logic, so far 20 people interested.

Q: Green food bag program?
A: Goes to school pantry through LNA.

Q: What is All Saints?
A: Parents of Jenna Lee. Another church organization. Games in January with Trinity. Walking field trip to play board games. Trinity board games.

C: Easy way to support. Box tops, Fred Meyer rewards, Amazon. Meeting next week, Judit will share info.

Teacher’s Report: Jessica Blatt
Doing good. Loved the book fair, went smoothly. Teachers excited to get free books. Happy to have free popcorn.

C: Love getting teacher feedback from the surveys, we read and try to use information.

Officer Reports:
Treasurer - John Holmstrom
September 1st was the start of the fiscal year. John goes over the budget from a print out, fundraising totals, and donations.
Money related to book fair in budget is not really income. We collected and deposited cash into LPSG account and paid a check to Scholastic book fair.
Went over expenses: spiritwear, moneyminder, childcare, ice cream social, teacher appreciation, welcome back breakfast, Latte Da luncheon, general meeting expenses...
Average daily attendance for teacher stipends. Number of kids in each classroom?
C. Homnick: Based on allocations for the year - October. Added a whole new classroom.
Stipend designed for teachers spending out of pocket.
Book fair was for books for the library.

President - Teresa Vick
Working on LPSG Officer Manual for board members
Processes/procedures/forms
Association Bylaws and organizing documents
Officer job descriptions and timelines
Online ways to submit institutional knowledge (post event summaries)

Committee Reports:
Old/Past Events/Business
Boxtops - Lauren Staples
Just submitted fall clipped box tops. Totals down from years past. Made $140. Last year the total amount raised was $360. We are getting more from people using the apps and scanning receipts. Will get additional $33 from app. Will draw winner for gift basket.
New products may not be on box. Always scan receipts. Can get receipts from people to scan if they don’t want to. Set up to scan box tops receipts at stores.

Teacher Appreciation (teacher lunch) - Lauren Staples
Catered from Latte Da.
Q: how many people use app?
A: No idea. Can only see what store the receipt came from.
Amazon Smile, Fred Meyer, and Grocery outlet also have programs.
Popcorn Day - Katie Riley
Popped 475 bags of popcorn from 9:30 - 12:30. Where initially concerned about littering, only 2 bags found outside.
C: Recommend Regal cinemas. Can hold on to popcorn.
Q: Turning it into a fundraiser?
A: Yes, want it to be accessible to all students. Maybe give them the option to buy with logger slips. Ideas are $10 subscriptions, Popcorn Fridays, selling at events like Christmas performance, alternating days of Student Store.
Spirit Wear - Katie Riley
Kids love bows and having on hand spirit wear and selling old inventory. Socks at Santa's workshop, bows, key chains, incentives, online spirit wear. Currently trying to set up, but we would like to keep a small amount on hand and if we have to store it.
Q: Can we have a sponsor?
A: Trying to partner with a different company to have smaller batches.
C: Small batch embroidery. $50 cost to get in software. Bring your own clothing.
Scholastics Book Fair (benefiting school library)
Went well. Will purchase sets and collections that are higher dollar items, want to get numbers in the newsletter to thank parents. Contributing to literacy. $2,500 we get to keep half of the proceeds and a 5% bonus after taxes. We got a little over $2,500 that will go to the library.
Q: Book fair income and expenses are the same on income statement?
A: We just take in the cash during the book fair, deposit, and write a check for the same amount back to scholastic. Not income, we don’t make any money, just volunteer.
Fun Run
Snacks, chalk, fun course inside gym while other groups ran. Different company than last year - more profits go to school, all the kids got to participate. Out of town family that want to support can donate because payback books are local.
Letter of apology written by a student at fun run. Read by John: Spent $55 he raised from fun run and worked weekends to repay the money.
Payback books - Teresa Vick
Start earlier in the year - maybe start the third day of school. Sell at Santa's workshop.

New/Upcoming Events/Business
Introduce/Vote on 5th Grade Committee Leader & helpers
Received 2 interest form: Fundraising for the arts (Janet Lindsley) and 5th grade committee. Explain 5th grade Committee. Voting in those people doing that - maybe Kelly Sanders. Nicole Taylor did it last year and would be a resource. LPSG gives $600 starter funds for 5th grade. 5th grade day, t-shirts to wear throughout the year, licorice sales, Jamba Juice cards, Burgerville, bath bombs...
Santa’s Workshop - Katie Riley
Two evenings after holiday performances, also having open after school. Need volunteers.
Possible Community Caroling - Teresa Vick/Erik Smith. December 9th through 13th. Eric on board. Start at school, just for fun, not a fundraiser. Maybe have it at Latte Da instead of walking around the neighborhood? Safer, covered area, fire combined with a toy drive? For choir and non-choir kids.

Q: Emailing other teachers about wishlist book up to $15 value.
A: Jessica Blatt will pass on - write to volunteer Coordinator.

Jen Baker wins Latte Da gift card and Jenny Bock wins Box Top gift basket.

Closure/Adjournment: Next General Meeting - January, 7, 6:30-7:30pm