Summary/Highlights

– The Alternative Schools Fair is set for February 4 from 9 – 3pm  – parent volunteers are needed, and the Steller Ice Cream Social/Open House set for February 9 needs volunteers, both students and parents

– Steller’s second student-led conferences will be at the end of the year instead of at the end of third quarter

– The PG Budget is set at approximately $10,000 for this year

– Based on the discussion from the January All Community Meeting, Parent Group supported a key idea from the meeting – to provide a paid staff person to focus on developing the Steller program on this important subject.

– Parent Group identified parent volunteers for new positions – Victoria as a community service support coordinator and Rebecca as a volunteer coordinator

– Souper Friday served 125 students and staff in its first week!

What is happening at Steller (Events, Issues from Steller Groups)

•              Principal Report

– Winter prom coming up

– The Alternative Schools Fair is set for February 4 from 9 – 3pm  – parent volunteers are needed

– The Steller Ice Cream Social/Open House set for February 9 needs volunteers, both students and parents  – this is where new students can sign up to shadow a student, find out about Steller, etc.  Parent Group will host a table for questions of parents.

– Dale will be out later this month for a conference

Reminder – There will be no half days on conference days of February 15-16, student led conference will be at the end of the year (we had our first student led conferences at the end of first quarter).  February 17 will be an in service day.

Tera Nova tests are coming up, as well.

•               Staff Report

– Staff is looking at the ski and snow boarding intensive to decide what they can do since only 14 students applied (critical mass is about 20 – 25).  A meeting will be held this Friday.

– Staff is looking at an intensive scholarship – parent volunteers are needed for a committee to review of applications for the scholarships.  There is some confusion on the Whistler ski trip intensive next year, i.e. does the travel intensive count the same as the Alyeska ski trip?  If you take skiing this year, you can apply for the travel intensive next year – they are considered separate.

Staff is looking at the wording for all intensives, starting with the proposal and re-addressing the wording, so that the popular classes do not get cancelled one year due to not allowing students to take a class two years in a row. Do we open this policy for only skiing or re-write the policy for all intensives?

– Staff needs parent volunteers for the Ice Cream Social/Open House.

– There was a short discussion of the reason for holding student led conferences at the end of the year instead of at the end of third quarter.  Per feed back from the community, conferences would be better for the end of year to discuss goals for the next school year.  Staff is open any time for conferences with parents as well.

•               Ad Group Report

– Ad group did not meet due to the all-community meeting.

•               Op Group

– Lorryn reported that students were working on a policy regarding intensives, as discussed under the staff report.

– OP Group passed a proposal supporting Souper Fridays.

– A process has started for the retiring of murals in the halls.  Murals are reviewed every 5 years for possible retirement and t see if there is a need to make space and whether there are students that want to apply to paint a mural?

What is happening in Parent Group – Parent Group Committee Reports

•              Budget

– Review of budget.  Treasurer Rebecca offered a budget for consideration by Parent Group.

– One suggestion was to add a sunshine fund for get well cards, flowers that would not require prior approval, with a suggested amount of $150.  This was approved and the budget was amended to include it.

– Rebecca reported that the New Teacher Basket Fund of $300 has not been used….we would like to  know if not being used, please let us know so this can be reallocated.  Staff will check on the need.

– TOB budget $400 – Rochelle suggested rolling this into kitchen supplies as TOB is solvent on its own.  The group approved this motion as well.

– Also, the sister cities quilt receipts were never collected initially so the funds for it were rolled back into the budget.  However, the receipts have been turned in, so the money will be allocated back into a budget category for it.

– The PG Budget is doing an awesome job at about $10,000 to support our teachers and students in providing creative alternative education!  Checks have been cut and distributed from the auction. See the profit and loss statement.

– Question, what does this auction money go to ?  Is there a reporting of these funds?  51% goes to a General Fund (auction grant)/ad group.

– Loren said there was a request for funds for a project, student previously asked Op Group for support of the Fantastic Acrobats mat purchase.  Ad board will create a process to distribute the funds.

– The bottom line, Parent group has money, if students or staff needs money for special projects, submit a proposal to parent group.  The proposal forms are in the boxes by Dale’s office and on the web too.

– Parents have asked for a clear understanding for scholarships for travel.  Dale said they are in small committee re-write.  Parents have asked to see the travel policy once they have a draft completed.  Dale said we would be able to review.

– Dale reiterated his commitment to providing a summary of where the various auction monies went at the end of the year, as he was a transparent process on it all.

•                Recruitment and Retention Update on the All Community Meeting       Discussion

Alyse provided a recap of the discussion from the January All Community meeting -seven people met and brought up some recurring themes. Following the discussion from the January all community meeting, PG supported a key idea from the meeting – to provide a paid staff person to focus on developing the Steller program on this important subject.

Needs include things like electronic stories (student stories), laying out our overall plan that also includes the ice cream social, open optional fairs, etc.  The first part is getting the volunteers for these functions.  Both students and parents need to come forward and help with these fairs, socials, interviews, etc. Another idea was building a specific web site to show Stellar opportunities.  Right now the web site is being worked on to be more user-friendly. Another idea was to develop a parent-oriented pamphlet that can be given to other parents explaining what makes Steller a great school.  We have options for free printing.  Is there someone on the paid staff to take ownership and get this completed.  We have documents, but where are they, how do we get them all together in one place, etc.

There was a suggestion to hire someone to redo the web site in professional fashion.   Who is going to be the project manager of this to make sure it gets coordinated and completed?

There was continued discussion of the suggestion to hire a person to help with these projects, Mark volunteered to write up a job description to present to PG at its next meeting.

– Dale has a list of what has been discussed in the past.  Mark suggested we get with a small group of parents to do a draft, then to present to PG and Ad Board, perhaps to staff prior to ad board.  Alyse will help get the word out for a meeting for this topic.

•                Adjusting Dates of Future PG Meetings

Postponed til next meeting for discussion

How can we support Steller? (select one or two for small group conversation):

•   Steller Ice Cream Social/Recruitment Fair- How can parents support, what are the roles, what should parents know to be ready to present or answer questions?

This is scheduled for Feb. 9 from 6:30 – 8pm.  We need volunteers for the kitchen and the parent group table, etc.

The Feb. 4 Alternative Schools Fair 10 – 3pm – Boniface and Northern Lights, all schools (2 hr shifts of parents and students needed).  Contact Dale to volunteer

•    Volunteer Coordination and Community Service Coordination-what are we doing, how can we grow it?

The group discussed the need a person to coordinate volunteers, community service coordinator and who would work with teachers and students and ask the student group to get the word out.  Parents are available to assist.  Alyse nominated Victoria.  And, for the volunteer coordinator, Rebecca Johnson volunteered for the community service coordinator.

•      Souper Fridays, how can parents support the student chefs?  –

This will be on going until it warms up.  There were over 125 students who got this wonderful lunch last week.  Volunteers are welcome and needed to assist during the Friday lunch hour.  Profits are donated to AWWAC or other worthy causes.

•   Other

Lorryn presented the proposal for changing the ski intensive.  Parent group voted unanimously to support it.

Actions

•      Budget approval approved unanimously, as amended.

Sean Kelly  – requested $810 for putting on a Broadway play – awesome!,  If possible he would like to come back should expenses exceed this amount.  The motion passed unanimously.

Ideas for small group topics for next parent group meeting

Upcoming Events.

Next Ad Board Meeting Th. Feb. 2 @ 6:30 PM

Next Parent Group meeting Wed. Feb. 15 @ 6 PM