PTA Minutes

Present: Daisy, Kristin- Chair (Ingrid, Otters), Lisa (Oscar, Otters & Alice, Pandas), Naomi (Boudicca, Otters), Sandy (…………) Paul (Impi, Otters), Lee (Oliver, Otters), Francesca- Minutes (Tiegan, Particles & Quinn, Otters)

Apologies: Noelle, Gracie, mark, Ruth, Dave, Jay, Emm, Jacqueline

We discussed:

NCPTA: The HAS is now a fully signed up member of the National Council of Parent Teacher Associations. (Check out their web site for more info!)

Finances:
We have a new treasurer, Paul Brown. Thanks to Paul for volunteering to do this.

There is currently £729.40 in the Home-School association account. We still need to pay for the printing of tea towels (£210), and T Shirts from this money. So far, the photos have raised £310, trash or treasure £67, T Shirts £116, tea towels £100.

Paul agreed to look into the HSA becoming gift-aided, and to check with the NCPTA regarding annual auditing of accounts.

We agreed a system for the recording of all transactions. If any parents raise funds for the HSA, these need to be put in the HSA file in the office, with the amount recorded and signed for.

Requests for funds from teachers:
The floor in the Pandas needs re-sanding, filling and sealing. We agreed that as this is a premises issue, it is outside the remit of the HSA to fund, and the school will do the work.

At the previous meeting, we had discussed the HSA funding a proportion of the equipment budget for the school, on a regular basis. Daisy reported that all necessary equipment has now been replaced, and so this is no longer needed.

The teachers have, at the request of the HSA, drawn up a list of additional equipment they would like. As these are non-Montessori items (not essential equipment), and will be used by all of our children, we agreed to fund this, in principle. Paul will clarify the costs for the next meeting.

Garden:
Ruth has drawn up plans for the garden area next to the church, and has volunteered to do this work. We are now waiting for agreement from the church to go ahead with this.

Ruth will be looking at the garden around the house, and costing improvements to this. Ruth will report back to the next meeting.

Updates from school:
New premises: Daisy has looked at a potential site in Hove. As yet there are no firm plans for the school to move.

Communications:
There are a lot of ways that school communicates with parents at the moment: 41 families receive newsletters by email, there are facebook and twitter sites, the school website, and notices pinned up at the school gates. The aim, however, is for the website to be the main means of communication. Lee and Kristin agreed to look more into this, so that information is not being duplicated. They need help! If you can offer some time, please talk to Lee or Kristin.

Fundraising calendar:
The following was provisionally agreed:
March: Ruth to organise a wine tasting
April: Jay to organise a dads pub night
May: Mara to organise a ‘soup and walk’
June: Sharn, Emm, Mara to organise a summer fair
July: ? an event to celebrate the schools 25th birthday
September: ? welcoming event at school
October: ? Halloween party
November: ? bonfire night party / swap party / harvest festival
December: ? cake sale / tea towels / school calendar

Other items:

Naomi agreed to make contact with ‘Yellow Moon’ to see if the school link with them is still active; Daisy and Kristen agreed to identify more ‘Montessori friendly’ toys to be suggestions on the school website; Lee agreed to look at having a ‘link’ to Amazon on the school website.

Actions agreed for the next meeting:

Daisy will talk to the Church Minister about improvements to the garden, which Ruth has designed, and report back to the next meeting.
Daisy will clarify costings of the ‘Big Red’ T’Shirts and inform Paul, so that invoice can be paid.
Paul will contact NCPTA about gift aid and annual audits of accounts.
Ruth will report back ideas for improving the main garden, with costings for this.
Paul will clarify costs of additional (non-Montessori) equipment requested by the teachers, so that we can agree funding next meeting.
Lee and Kristin will look at communications between school and parents, and how information is disseminated.

Things YOU can do:

If you play an instrument, or know someone who does, you can volunteer to show this to the children. You don’t have to be an expert, just willing to give some time! Please talk to your child’s teacher.
If you have a friendly pet, you can volunteer to show him / her to the children. Please talk to your child’s teacher.
If you can help with looking at how communications between school and parents happens, speak to Lee or Kristin.
Volunteer to organise or help to organise a fundraising event. You’ll get as much help as you need! If you have an idea, please run with it! If you don’t, but are willing to do organise something anyway (possibly from suggestions above) please talk to Kristin.