7:07 pm

Welcome, Introductions and New Items to Agenda
New travel policy will be discussed
Op Group Report: None

Principal’s Report: Previously posted.  Click here

Staff Report: Nina stated that the Intensive List for May is published for students to sign up. The Intensives for the next school year will be in August, 2009 and May, 2010.

Earth Day this year will be on Wednesday, April 22. There will be 3 themes for the day. Re-use and Recycle, Your Local Environment and The Environment and Government. The staff is working on recruiting volunteers from the community to present on that day.

Tom Begich has agreed to volunteer time to train interested students in the art of introducing guest speakers and facilitating questions and answers. There is a possibility that Senator Mark Begich will be a guest speaker at one of the Wednesday schedules.

Nina presented the revised Steller Intensive Travel Policy. There was discussion about the following added paragraph: “In addition, all trips approved for travel in a given year shall, based upon fund availability, be awarded up to $100 per student participant. This money shall be directly deposited into the individual trip account. All money shall be returned to the Travel Fund in the event the trip does not happen as originally scheduled.” Nina specified that this money will only be available to trips requiring airfare. These are the most expensive trips. There was discussion about the expense of trips using the Alaska Ferry System. Nina said the ferry ticket was around $135 per student whereas airfare is always at least $500 per student.

Nina stated that the calendar for travel intensives was 2 years out. There was discussion about having the Travel Intensives set up at least one year in advance so that students would have time to raise funds.

A motion was made that the Parent Group support the planning of intensives one year ahead recognizing the need for flexibility. A second was made.
All were in favor. Motion Passed

Treasurers Report. We have $9,791.23 in the checking account. A total of 88 families have donated $6,460. E-Scrip proceeds through today come to $1,446.40. E-Scrip income totaled $556.13 for Jan, Feb and March so far. Earmark for the Kitchen Start Up is $1,000. Special Projects money remaining is $1,154.37. Total remaining to spend is $1,972.37 for other items in the budget.

Already approved in the budget is $100 per teacher for miscellaneous expenses. It was mentioned that this amount has remained the same for many years and maybe the teachers could use a larger sum for expenses. There is a sum of $250 also available to the staff toward training for the open optional program.

The Auction will be March 27, from 6-9. The theme will be Rock n’ Roll. Bring donated items for the Auction to Jen’s room.

The credit card terminal has been rented for the night of the Auction. The merchant fee is based on a percentage. It has been around $150 in the past. Money from the Auction proceeds will pay for this fee.

There will be no Live Auction this year due to lower parental involvement. There is a need for parent help with Set-up, Clean-up, Food Service.

Counseling groups have been assigned the following items.

Larry/Chips, Shannon/Drinks, Jen/Finger Sandwiches, Troy/Fruit Plate, Natalie/Veggie Plate, Danielle/Cookies and Brownies, Jean/Cake and Pies, Philip/Main Dish (Meat), Frank& Toni/Main Dish (Vegetarian), Gerald/Utensils(spoons and forks), Michelle/Plates, Ken/Side Dish, Nina/Napkins, Bob/Appetizers, Jennifer/Fruit or Veggie plate

Old and Ongoing Business:

Funding Request: Nina would like $75 to pay Tom Begich for training the students in introductions and facilitating.

A Motion was made to fund $75 dollars for Tom Begich’s time. A second was made. All were in favor. Motion Passed

A request was made to fund $750 to pay a guest speaker for Earth Day. An exact fee was not known or if the people would be available.

A motion was made to fund $500 for Speaker Honorarium on Earth day. A second was made. All were in favor. Motion Passed

A discussion about RECESS included statements that there were not enough academic sessions. One of the community service modules was Lucy for Providence. Students made blankets for Providence Hospital. One parent stated that there was incredible value in hands on teaching and learning during the sessions. Registration has some wrinkles that need to be worked out. Someone stated that RECESS had growing pains. The success of RECESS will be evaluated and examined at the end of this school year.

A suggestion was made to remind parents again to sign up for E-Scrip on the Flash. It has brought in $556.13 in less than 3 months.

New Business:

The revised Steller Travel Policy was discussed. A parent stated that they felt previous trips outside of Alaska had no academic value whatsoever. If the Travel fund would be giving $100 per student, they felt there should be an academic element to the trip. Another parent strongly disagreed. They said traveling and seeing new things had educational value in life lessons.

A motion was made to approve the Steller Intensive Travel Policy as presented by Nina and to add language to strongly urge an academic component. After discussion the motion stood and a second was made. The motion passed 9 in favor, 3 against.

There is currently $18,561 in the scholarship travel fund.

The Parent Group has openings for a Treasurer, a Co-Chair and a Secretary. The next Parent Group Meeting will be on April 22. An announcement will be placed in the Flash for nominations for the openings. A vote for new officers will be taken at the April 22 meeting. Discussion on the time and day of the Parent Group meetings for next year will also be on next month’s agenda.

Rosie Bryson addressed the Parent Group Meeting informing the parents that the Yearbook will be selling food at the March 20 dance. She asked if people would donate food to sell.

On Friday March 20, at 10am the Lottery drawing will take place. A parent volunteered to sit in for the drawing.

Meeting adjourned at 8:45.

Next meeting April 22, at 5:30-7:00pm