The Expedition School Community Association Steering Committee

AGENDA

Date December 15, 2014| Time7:00 pm|

Steering CommitteeMembers

Time

Item

Owner

7:00 pm / Discussion: Potential spring arts festival / Gina & Wendy /
7:20 pm / Fundraising Committee – Scholastic book fair update / Casey & Bessie /
7:30 pm / Grounds Committee - update / Gina & Janell
7:50 pm / Discussion: New Committee for Educational Enrichment / Aimée
8:05 pm / Planning for the new year:
-Committee Request
-Steering Committee Priorities
-2015-2016 TESCA Budget
-Nominations Committee
-Interest for next year’s positions? / Aimée
8:25 pm / Communications Update / Jonathon /
8:45 pm / Room Parents Update / Jennifer /
9:00 pm / Adjournment / Aimée /

Draft committee request:

Between now and the Steering Committee meeting on January 12th, we’d like to task each working committee chair with bringing their entire committee together for one meeting. At this meeting, the committee would be asked to:

1. Write a mission statement – one or two sentences that explain the committee’s overall goal.

2. Outline the number of events/projects they plan to sponsor each year and approximately when those events will take

place. This will look different for each committee: While the social committee should plan events, Yearbook committee can

plan deadlines for each piece of the overall project.

3. Brainstorm ideas the group would like to pursue to fill those events/projects, if applicable (probably not applicable for

Yearbook).

4. Determine who among the group will act as co-leads on each of those projects/events.

A Committee Coordinator or a Steering Committee Co-chair can attend to help facilitate, if needed.

We believe this request would get us closer to establishing an overall vision for each committee, a timeline of events that can be planned in advance, and an outline of things the next committee chairs can take over and implement for next year.

Thoughts for Educational Enrichment Committee:

Science Fair/Share
Odyssey of the Mind
Destination Imagination
Spelling Bees
Geography Bees
Quiz Bowl
Battle of the Books
Hands for Habitat
Putting together academic enrichment that may be outside classroom learning...
Assisting with Project-based learning:
arrange subject matter experts
guest speakers/visitors to the classroom
Work with other committees and groups
Arts committee
Wednesday Enrichment Club planners
Teaching teams

Aimee’s meeting notes, to do items highlighted in yellow:

Potential spring arts festival: Wendy presented the idea of a spring arts festival. Steering Committee liked Wendy’s proposal. Aimee & Nicole will review the idea with TES admin to see if this is something they would support before moving the idea forward. Wendy would like to co-chair but she needs an assistant. Check with Charity to see if this would be something the Community Liaison could help with. Steering Committee encouraged Wendy to recruit a planning committee, including reps from the arts, social, and fundraising committees. Room parents can help as well.
Scholastic book fair update: Bessie gave an update on the scholastic book fair. Bok fair will take place February 9 – 13. February 13th will be the culminating event: an author’s night. Three local authors have already confirmed. Two additional authors are considering. Need to include a ‘save the date’ and a call for volunteers in the next newsletter. Bessie will provide text to Jonathon.
Ground Committee update: Janell provided an update on the grounds. Gaga ball pit is up and working. There is still a little work to be done: saddle-entry, seats on top of wall, and ground outside the pit. Also needs to post rules near the pit and distribute them to teachers to share in the classroom. Janell will reach out to Tammy with info to distribute to teachers. Aimee asked Janell to address the question about the posts that was posted on the FB page. Aimee agreed to tag Janell on the post. Local grounds architects Ben & Leah Gibbons have agreed to do an architecture and site plan. TES has agreed to use the funds generated from spirit gear to fund this effort. Janell would like to request time on the January 12th agenda to review two proposals.
New Committee for Educational Enrichment – Aimee presented the idea of establishing a Committee for Educational Enrichment. The committee would assist with educational issues such as:
Science Fair/Share
Odyssey of the Mind
Destination Imagination
Spelling Bees
Geography Bees
Quiz Bowl
Battle of the Books
Hands for Habitat
Putting together academic enrichment that may be outside classroom learning...
Assisting with Project-based learning:
arrange subject matter experts
guest speakers/visitors to the classroom
Work with other committees and groups
Arts committee
Wednesday Enrichment Club planners
Teaching teams

Steering Committee liked this idea and voted to approve, pending agreement by TES admin. Aimee & Nicole will discuss with Tammy.

Planning for next year: Aimee reviewed the committee tasking:

1. Write a mission statement – one or two sentences that explain the committee’s overall goal.

2. Outline the number of events/projects they plan to sponsor each year and approximately when those events will take

place. This will look different for each committee: While the social committee should plan events, Yearbook

committee canplan deadlines for each piece of the overall project.

3. Brainstorm ideas the group would like to pursue to fill those events/projects, if applicable (probably not applicable for

Yearbook).

4. Determine who among the group will act as co-leads on each of those projects/events.

A Committee Coordinator or a Steering Committee Co-chair can attend to help facilitate, if needed.

The Steering Committee voted to support this tasking with two changes: move the due date back to February to provide committees with more time and ask committees to share meeting dates with committee coordinators so SC co-chair can attend. Aimee will send email to co-chairs with tasking.

Aimee explained that after the new year Nicole will lead a planning session on SC priorities and budget planning for 2015-2016.

Aimee reminded the SC that a nominating committee needs to be appointed at the next all-community meeting. That meeting is currently scheduled for Feb 9. See slide from all-community meeting:

Aimee asked SC members to consider whether they would like to hold TESCA position for the coming year. Janell volunteered to assume a place on the nominating committee. Aimee asked folks to consider who else should be asked to serve on the committee.

Communications Update:
Jonathon lead a discussion about who can create EVENTS on the TESCA FB page. Steering Committee voted to change authorization on the FB page so that only admin can create events. This will: (1) further distinguish between informal gathering and TESCA-sponsored events, (2) highlight events that need further emphasis – with reminders, additional information about the events, and opportunity for comments, and (3) allow Jonathon to more easily align EVENTS with notices on the TESCA website calendar. Jonathon will change the permission requirements on the site, post an announcement about the change and amend the terms of use on FB to reflect the policy change. Also a reminder: notices for the newsletter must be submitted to Jonathon by Thursday to be included in the newsletter that Sunday. Aimee will add a FB event to the “communications” template and update the proposal form accordingly.
Steering Committee discussed inclement weather policy and communications. Bessie shared that the TES Board is discussing robo call capabilities at Wednesday’s meeting. Several attendees requested TES admin consider a school app like HES has – Bessie demonstrated. Bessie agreed to mention this at the Board meeting.
Room Parent Update: Jennifer and Heather were unable to attend.
Additional items:
Bessie asked if TESCA would help support TES admin with potential TES parents. They need current parents to help give tours of the school during school hours and have telephone conversations about their experience at the school. SC agreed this would be a good job for room parents – 3rd grade parents, for example, could speak directly to potential 3rd grade parents. Bessie will draft a request for Jennifer and Heather to distribute to room parents this week.
Aimee adjourned the meeting at 9:10pm.

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