DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL PTA – Wed., December 5, 2007 - MINUTES OF MEETING

IN ATTEDNDANCE:  Kathy Magrino, Stacey Black, Elizabeth Tinsley, Grace Salvagno, Mike Cawley, Lesli Chuck, Jenny Kobold, Susan Nicoll, Dorothy Yerxa, Cathy Louise, Sheila Smith, Courtney Tessler, Cathy Sacks, Dana Stokes, John Lammon, Lyle Wilen, Sarah Fisher, Mary Nicholson, Tyler Chuck, Riley Stille, Mohamed Buzayan, Jenna Strack

CALL TO ORDER – President Kathy Magrino called the meeting to order at 7:31 pm, followed by self introduction by all attendees.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Minutes of November meeting were reviewed, and following motion by Dorothy Yerxa for a spelling correction and acceptance, the Minutes were approved.

STUDENT REPORT / UPDATE ON STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Tyler C. reported that student activities this year have included football half-time show, homecoming parade, spirit week, t-shirt design and sell-out, mostly related to homecoming

Mohamed B. informed the group of community service by students, including Putah Creek cleanup, intramural dodgeball with about 350 students at lunch time is big success and  includes faculty - keeps spirit up on campus.  An assembly coming up is themed as love week – create a positive environment at school; Friendship Committee will promote unity,  “love our school.”  Groups will also participate in Staff Appreciation Week, Locks of Love Jan 14 – 18.

Riley S. reported on the Junior Prom.  Other topics upon which the group was informed include:     art project, possibly a mural and other ideas, International Day, Renaissance awards, Break the Record night basketball game, ASB dance (formerly bogus ball – not yet renamed) is March 7; Youth in Government will do a promo video for next year; will doa truancy assembly; Leadership Workshop for juniors is February 5; Fashion show , “Mr. Blue Devil” – encourage guys to dress up; “Every 15 Minutes”; organize BBQ for Back to School night; Red Ribbon Week presentations in health classes on topics of alcohol abuse, drugs, mental health; Canned Food Drive was just completed and raised 2500 cans; hope to expand recycling project; Car Show; there are more activities they hope for.  Every Friday they split up and go into classes to let other students know what they do.  It was suggested there be more dances, less emphasis on the three regularly held during the year.  The history of the Bogus Ball was discussed, including why it was abolished and why administrators have instituted a behavior contract for attending any dance.

TREASURER REPORT – Stacey Black distributed this month’s statement.  Current balance is $29,112.56.  Very routine fiscal month; second membership payment to District PTA will be sent.

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT – Mike Cawley is working on arrangements for graduation, which has long been held at Twomey Field at UCD.  Twomey is being dismantled to become a track facility and talks are underway with UCD to see if we can use the new stadium.  It is a beautiful facility, everything about it would work, and its capacity of 10,000 would eliminate the limitation of tickets for graduate families.  Total grad cost last year was $15K, cost for new stadium not yet known.

VICE PRINCIPAL REPORT  - Sheila Smith reported staff is working on master scheduling and the course catalog is out to the departments for review.  Staff met with Curriculum & Instruction Committee last month and are working to get counselors out to the junior high schools.  They are also preparing for the WASC review; working to put materials together for the parent committee.

COUNSELOR REPORT -  Will visit 9^th grades on Feb 13 and 14, preparing for that; also updating the Survival Guide.  Class of 2006 donated a mural which is up in the new gym, done by “Timo” and will have a signing event.  Class of 1998 is going to have its 10 year reunion and bestow new plexiglass to DHS.  Staff is also working on new plan for Open House which has seen reduced attendance over the years.  Pilot project this year includes inviting 8^th and 9th graders; like a showcase of what campus will offer; want to pass student experiences to the newcoming class to inform students of the different classes available to them. They will also disseminate info to the junior high PTA groups and listservers to talk about this new plan to get everyone to attend this new format of open house, which is April 10, 2008.

UNFUNDRAISER RESULTS FROM LAST YEAR -  Kelly Wilkerson is the HUB advisor and teaches sheltered English on campus.  She presented a slide show of a one-day field trip last year to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Steinbeck Museum, venues that most of the attending students had never experienced.  Students paid what they could of the $45 cost, with the remainder paid by the PTA with “Unfundraiser” proceeds.  The group was moved by the many thank-you notes penned by participants, some of whom had never before seen the ocean.

UNFUNDRAISER REPORT  - Elizabeth Tinsley reported in the 2.5 weeks of the active unfundraiser, PTA had received 102 donations totaling $5300; we need to raise an additional $9500 in the remaining window of the fundraiser to grant all requests.  Thus far, two small grants have been funded.  A motion was stated to increase a grant for the English department by $92.89, and Social Studies needs and additional $14.30; motion carried.  Mrs. Tinsley gave a brief summary of what we hope to fund this year and answered questions.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Very brief reports were given by Marlene Sizemore; also Jenni Kobold indicated that HRC is currently reviewing results of the District survey.  Linda Parfitt reported on state Legislative issues; not currently good news for schools as the State faces an $11 billion deficit.  State is concerned and hopes not to hit the Proposition 98 trigger.  Lesli Chuck indicated the Davis Schools Foundation Board voted on November 15^th to grant $75K to Davis schools for purposes of funding AVID program at secondary schools; expand Safe School Ambassadors program that was previously only at Holmes Jr. High; also 25K for hiring program specialist to support Special Ed. services districtwide.  Over the last two years, the Foundation has provided over $170K to local schools, as they try to equalize education for all students.

ADJOURN – The meeting was adjourned at