Beacon School Parent Association General Meeting

October 17, 2017, 6:00pm  /  Library

A. Meet and Greet Parents in your grade.  

1. Tables were set up by grade. Parents had the opportunity to connect.  Worked exceptionally well.
2. Welcome and Introductions: Bonnie Scarborough, PA Co-President

B. PA Business

1. June 2017 and September 2017 Approval of Minutes.  Approved.
2. Expedited election of additional board members. Slate identified and Proposed. Approved, no opposition.

C. News from Grade Reps and Neighborhood Reps

1. 9th Grade Potluck 10/26/17.  Exceptional Evening, even though switched to Library at last minute due to SNAFU with cafeteria rental.  Parents outdid themselves with fantastic ethnic dishes and camaraderie. Two Speakers: Elysha Weissglass and Maylin Fernandez re: Freshmen stuff.
2. 10th Grade Potluck 10/25/17.  Not too dreary assortment of cheese crackers, fruit bowls and crudités.  Obviously not their first rodeo.  Speaker was Kevin Jacobson, history teacher and co-director of the Sophomore grade’s Community Service Advisory class requirement.  Outlined optimal service positions (non-religious or selective group), such as council person’s offices, soup kitchens, annual community events such as fun runs or medical awareness fitness efforts, etc.  Sophs cannot use summer work to meet 50 hour requirement, and must create resume to submit to organization, must secure formal retention letter, and must have supervisor tracking of hours served.
3. 10th Grade Reps bought up discussion about Beacon clubs: Parents want to see a master list of clubs available to students. Thoughts that the PA could get this posted to the website. Inconsistent information with regards to Sports teams. Concern for safety of the kids for some of the sports activities. Parents unaware of where the meets or game are. Looking for a parent coordinator to facilitate this information. Disseminating information of game and meet whereabouts would lead to more school spirit.
4. 11th Grade Reps had nothing to report.
5. 12th Grade Reps reported STRESS (college applications). 98% of Beacon Seniors going to college. Concern expressed that with increased class size (405 incoming Freshmen in 2017) that College Office will be stretched even more that it is now.

D. PA Budget Discussion

1. Needed to approve the PA Budget – budget approved with modifications (see #3).
2. “How does the PA come up with the budget?” What are the current PA expenses?.
3. Discussion of supplying paper by the pallet to the faculty.  Approved $1500 expense out of budget for this item (to be added to modified budget).
4. Discussed Principals Discretionary Fund (paying procession, extra staff, paying for part time AP (Mitchell), specific rules on what the DOE does and does not allow PA to pay
5. $ 35,000 cost to Beacon to interview 8^th graders.
6. Students with IEP – currently 11% (Doe looking to increase to 16%). Services for IEP students mandated by DOE.
7. Fundraising ideas: Virtual auction through PA website via giving tree.

E. Announcements

1. Beacon 25^th Anniversary in 2018 – need parent volunteers.
2. Establishment of Alumni Association/ Foundation – need parent volunteers. Looking to get alums together as well as getting them to donate
3. STEM/ Academics Discussion – making sure that the academics are covered as well as the arts.
4. November 14^th – PA General Meeting 6 – 7:30pm
5. December 19^th – PA General Meeting 6 – 7:30pm

F. Closing

1. Sign In Sheet passed around
2. Meeting Adjourned

October 2017 Beacon Parent Association General Meeting minutes prepared by
Co-Recording Secretary Tracy Hattem, some detail added by Co-President Daniel Power