Minutes – General Membership Meeting
Wednesday March 4th, 2009 
8:30am
Media Center

Pending Approval

President Lisa Kauffman called the meeting to order at 8:35am.  Board Officers present: Floriana Martinez, Tim Orrange, Amanda Kleidermacher, Nely Martinez, Bruce Barham, Mary Porges, and Toni Anderson.   

Agenda item #1 – Welcome – Lisa Kauffman
-    Nominating Committee will identify / nominate officers for next year, new blood is good, Committee will recommend officers in May meeting, individuals can also come forward at meeting.  The 5 Committee members are Monica Duran, Leda Barham, Ana Luisa Velesia, Toni Porro and Deanna Christensen.  Motion to approve committee by Toni Anderson / Ana Gonzalez seconds.  Lisa appoints Monica as Chairman
-    March 18th is Tallahassee Rally to protest education cuts

Agenda item # 2 – Approve February’s General Membership Meeting – Mary Porges
-    Motion to approve by Monica Duran / Lisa Kauffman seconds.

Agenda item # 3 – Treasurer’s Report – Tim Orrange
-    Distributed budget
-    Keep track of deposits, keep copy of deposit receipts, keep track of budget

Agenda item # 4 – Gala:  Friday March 13th – Floriana Martinez and Amanda Kleidermacher
-    Logistics complete, need to sell tickets, sell to friends and family, e-mail flyer, great auction items, 200-230 people target, Amanda needs volunteers, 48 tickets sold and 38 teachers and staff coming so far, 80 auction items so far, need all items by Friday, need pens, 15-20 class baskets, night of event we have 2-5 hours for set up
-    Katia needs ads by Friday, send e-mail reminder

Agenda item # 5 – Earth Day April 24th – Suzie Sponder
-    1st meeting held, line up – Lenny Smith, Vanishing Species, exotic pets, drum circle, Miami Children Museum, Jungle Island, electric car, shredder truck, etc.

-    Kids can only win Green T-shirt if they recycle 10 electronic items or buy / sell green bags
-    Need to generate money at event, open event to vendors, need to make decision about vendors
-    Move event to park because of the grass situation in courtyard
-    Every class has 2 Green Rangers that runs lights off, etc.

Agenda item # 6 – Festa Junina, May 8th
-    Ana Luisa will captain, will assign booths to classrooms

Agenda item # 7 – SIPA Update – Carmen Partridge
-    Sunset, Coral Way and Ada Merritt participating in 5th Grade Spain trip, $2,800 per person
-    Several fund raising efforts – ice cream sales on Friday, March 17th wear green for $1, car wash and pizza sales
-    Books for library have been purchased
-    Two students need $1,000 PTA scholarships for trip, Carmen will research criteria and report back at next meeting
-    Need Portuguese program, Katia interested in knowing how to set up organization

Agenda item # 8 – School Updates – Principal Garcia
-    Next year apps – 780 mostly Kindergarten, negative letters for older kids went out, will hear soon on random picks, Spanish Nationals then sibling are given priority
-    Teachers would like opportunity to attend future PTA meeting
-    Black History month was a great success
-    Reminder that calendar is only available via school website
-    AM will be undergoing PYP Re-certification, need parents to complete PYP survey on website (send e-mail), will need group of parents to meet with PYP group to answer questions
-    SAT and FCAT testing throughout the month



The meeting was adjourned at 10:35 am.