South PAC meeting minutes for 9-18-08

The next meeting is October 23rd at Wilder School (34th and Chicago). See sidebar for more info.

Attending: Christy P., Elise R, Jessy S., Vanessa, Jenny C., Tony A-W, Sharon M., Sarah S., Jill H. Rachel I-H, Catherine M., Sarah S., Ranjana, Sue H.

Christy P – Welcome and introductions; PAC overview. Yay, SIX NEW PEOPLE!! Christy’s phone# is 612-728-5976. Invitation to the LAC (Leadership Advisory Council); meetings immediately before PAC meetings with dinner and free childcare. Become a member by attending 2nd meeting and signing up for a committee. PAC accomplishments 2007-08: Hosted four public events, two advocacy events, two fundraisers, three member events, multiple communication outreach, and one speaker event. Plan to do similar events for the coming year. [see orange flyer]

Jessy S – Preschool fair. Will be Nov. 15th at Burroughs. Representatives from area preschools all in the same room for parents to tour and gather information. Free childcare! Letters are ready to go out; list was passed around for anyone familiar with a school on the list to make a personal contact. Jessy needs some assistance for the day of the event itself in case she has a baby coming.

Jenny C – Blue Sky guides. Made ~ $900 last year; this year’s goal is $1000 (or 100 books). Members asked to take 5 guides and try to sell them to friends and family. Checks should be made out to South PAC; unsold books and checks can be brought back to next PAC meeting. Books are $20; $10 goes directly to the PAC (and is tax-deductible).

Christy P – Introduction of Officers/Committees. Reiteration of invitation to LAC meeting. Committee work – two categories: Event work and ongoing committee work. Events: Speaker event(s); Preschool Information Fair; Gingerbread House; Cinco de Mayo; Vehicle Day. Committees: Advocacy, Fundraising; Membership; Scholastic Books; Newsletter.

Cinco de Mayo. Evening potluck at Wilder; last year’s was very successful with games and PAC supplied some basic food/drink/dishes and staffed the event.

Heather C – Gingerbread House. Fun event, very popular. $3 suggested donation, kids get a kit with directions, then they build a house. Committee members make phone calls to stores for donated supplies or gift cards. There will be one short meeting in October with explanations, prep the night before, plus the event itself (including setup and breakdown). Good committee for getting to know people.

Catherine M – Advocacy committee. Great committee, trying to hold an event this Fall with legislators, giving them information to help them support ECFE. Also working on the Referendum for Mpls. Public Schools. Referendum for $60 million needs to pass. $30 million will go towards reducing class size; $30 million will go towards supplies. PAC is advocating for this. They are looking for families to host house-parties – contact Christy for details.

Christy P – Membership committee. THE PATH TO POWER. Recruiting and welcoming new members, and taking care of current members through nights out/potlucks.

Sue H – Online Parenting Education Class. Often waiting lists for ECFE; PAC & staff developed idea for an online class that could address some of the same topics as ECFE. Developed course and send out information with denial letters, but there was no response. Got some feedback from parents and from similar program in St. Paul. Still have not gotten much of a response – need input from PAC members. (Ideas – open it up to non-waitlist parents; start talking about it now for Winter; contact via email as well as snail-mail; include and emphasize social component – play group or other parent meetings; have the online option year-round to cover summer lack of classes and keep local connections.) Need some members to sign up for a Task Force to further develop this project.

Christy – Year-Long MELD Parent-Led class. Another response to long waitlists. Christy and Heather facilitating one at Sullivan. Once you’re in, you’re IN for the year. Weds 9-11 am, age birth to 5. Designed for seasoned ECFE parents. There are still openings! Sign up now even if you’re already in a class! Call 688-3927 for more info.

Christy P – Trish (Speaker Event Chair) is looking into getting Jennifer Fox as speaker in January. Will try to get approval for this soon, poss. online.