Budget/Pledge Drive Updates

FOM Board Meeting

TuesdayJanuary 19th

Mayer Library

6:30PM-8:00PM

Budget/Pledge Drive Updates

Review dollars donated & participation % compared to last year
Communication:
Did not send communications at EOY due to situation at school
Included a brief update in “Ringing in 2016” email & on Benefit flyer to remind people they can donate at anytime
Julie will continue New parent outreach as new students enter school
Throughout Year – Newsletter updates monthly; possible email blasts at specific points during year (in btwn other fundraisers)
Need to be diligent with collection follow up this year to hopefully collect all pledges

Mayer Benefit

Tickets go on sale – February 1st – link will be in February newsletter; email blast & room parent emails from Feb 1st – March 11th
Katie – should we sell teacher tickets at cost ($73.46) or as low as $60 which is cost of food/beverage?
New communication pieces – feedback?
Banners going up this week

Business Donation Solicitation:
In process of doing follow ups from mailing that went out week of 11/30 to past donors
Auction Team sending letters/doing follow up to perspective donors in their assigned category (split up by types of business) from Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce directory
January communication to stress need for all parents to ask family/friends/neighborhood businesses for donations – donation deadline is Feb 19th
Stacey with update on current donations; areas of need

School-Based Auction Items:
Student Projects –
Photography by Kevin Hammett for EC and ELI students – i
Individual & class shots will be available
Photos will be taken Jan 26th – 28th
Sold online during online auction
Letter going out to teachers with explanation this week
Will include in EC/ELI room parent email this Friday to notify parents
Undecided on whether we will be doing ELII/MYP class projects - weigh in? – do not want to leave these students out, but do not want to take time away from their learning
Group Teacher Experiences – sell for $25 per spot
EC – after school Movie Sleep Under in gym with teachers/assistants who volunteer to participate
ELI/ELII/MYP –
mixed age after school Game Day in gym with teachers/assistants who sign up to participate
plan to play 5 games of Bingo with prizes for each round
will hold multiple days to accommodate # of sign ups
Other School-Related Auction Items – need approval
Parking Spot
Front Row Seats to EC/ELI performances

Decided to scratch Benefit Kickoff Social and have only Moms Night Out similar to Vin Party last year (Chris - how many tickets sold?)
New Business Partners participating in event:
Venue: Birch Road Cellars – owned by Mayer parent, Kim & Jeff Bosse
Wine Tasting/Cellar: Ezra’s providing tasting at event; offering 10% off on all Mayer related purchases throughout February; storing wine for instant wine cellar until Benefit
Entertainment: Spavia will be providing brief chair massages for moms at event

Mayer Supporter Updates

Mayer Supporter List –
Growing list – newly added supporters:
Spavia
Zoom Pizza Factory
Ezra’s
Birch Road Cellar & Social Club
Sweet Mandy B’s
The Paintbrush
Goldfish Swim School
State
Kendra Scott
Fairways
KH Photography
Combined recruitment effort of Kim Bosse, Ryan, Erin & Stacey
Some businesses are giving cash donations; others are raising their in-kind donation to be a supporter; some are doing a combination of the two (cash & In-kind to reach a certain level)
Zoom Pizza Factory – wants to give pizza certificates for student achievement
!st Mayer Supporter banner to go up in February & remain up until end of May (will switch for Walkathon) – all sponsors who donate $500 or more
Created new form for businesses to submit with their monetary donations
Finalizing new tax-deductible receipt to send to Supporters following a donation – does an amount need to go on this receipt?
Lakeshore Sports & Fitness Stacey Kaplan
Offer to hold a Walkathon After Party for Mayer
No cost to FOM
LSF will donate space & provide kids’ activities & staff
LSF will sell $20 wristbands that allow kids unlimited activities, food & beverage
Parents will pay for own food & beverage
Obviously will draw a smaller crowd than previous years on-site, but is a positive, easier way to have a community event on the day of the WAT

Communication Updates

February Newsletter –
DEADLINE is Friday, January 22nd
Items to go in Newsletter for January:
Benefit information –auction donation asks, ticket purchase
Moms Night Out/Build Instant Wine Cellar
Spavia – Mayer Supporter Highlight
Pledge Drive Update
Bulldog heroes – RMH Feb/March dates
Website Re-Work –
Working with James Chen (parent volunteer/owns e-commerce development company )
Sent us questionnaire to complete to help designer get a feel for FOM
Designer will create new FOM website design & FOM logos to bring to Board for review
Plan is to have a front page on FOM website that when you click on our various links on that page, it will bring you to our standalone website; seamless to end user.

Communication Re-Work Idea –
Weekly Newsletters by grade instead of weekly room parent emails & monthly newsletters
Weekly Newsletter to include logistics information about all events with a link to website page with more detailed information
Use of website as main means of communication
Email blasts go out only for main fundraisers & day before reminders for events
Get rid of sending blasts (4 weeks & 2 weeks out)
Thoughts???
FOM Event Form –
Please complete 4-6 weeks prior to event, so Robin & Maureen can pull information for various communications
Nicole has added all upcoming events to the spreadsheet for you to fill out for your event

Community Updates

Beyond the Classroom
Daddy-Daughter Dance – 1/29/16
We have 6 volunteers and reaching out to those that expressed interest at the Fall Fest.
Over 100 tickets sold
Need janitor to be available at 7:45pm

Dad’s Basketball
Katie trying to get at least one Wednesday a month for dads to play, conflicts with the park district.

Miscellaneous

Adjourn