Monday, October 10, 2006 7:00 pm

Welcome and Introductions (Kristin Cleveland)

Minutes from the September 11, 2006 PTO Meeting were approved.

Proposed 2006-2007 PTO Budget:  See web site for details. 

Income: Direct Drive amount has been bumped up a little to equal $15 per child.  Grants category is down to reflect no Target grant this year.  Total budgeted income is $34,858.  There is currently $13,505 in PTO accounts.

Expenses: Funds are budgeted for a suitcase sound system for school use.  PTO will chip in $5,000 for the Ben Mays playground that students at all three schools in the Rondo complex can use.  Several categories that have not been used in the past were zeroed out so the budgeted money could be used in other categories.  Total budgeted expenses are $49,855. 

The proposed budget has a slight deficit of $1,491. 

There was some discussion of Multicultural Day, which has not happened in many years and had been zeroed out as a category.  Angela Burkhalter volunteered to work on investigating what multicultural programs exist in various grade level curriculum and to organize a brainstorming group.  We put $1,000 in this category.

The proposed budget now has a deficit of $2,491.  The amended budget was approved.

Treasurer's Report (Julie Taylor): 1st grade dinner was under budget, 3rd grade dinner receipts are not yet finalized.  Total account balances as of 10/9/06 were $11,692.61.

Web Site Updating (Julie Taylor): Julie is working with the 6th grade teachers to update information that is two years old.  This particular grade may only be updated once per year, but 2nd grade is updated frequently.  Update frequency may vary from grade to grade.  Audrey will pass along volunteer names to Julie.

Directory (Kristin Cleveland): Ayesha Shariff is hoping to get all the corrections this week and get it out to the printer next week.  It should be out in late October or early November.

Volunteer Database Status (Audrey Matson-Lies): All data entry is done.  There are about 205 people in the database.

T-shirts (Camille Feng): Inventory is low, only 59 t-shirts in a variety of sizes.  She would like to get more shirts, probably a new design for the older kids.  She will work up a proposal, but will probably need $1500.

New Business

Referendum (Louis Mariucci): Capitol Hill would receive $380,899 from the 2006 referendum.  If the referendum does not pass, we would have to cut our teacher aide, curriculum coordinator, technology money, technical support, all extracurricular funding not funded by the district, librarian, counselor, cultural specialist, nurse, and social worker.  Or, we would have to increase total enrollment by another 150 students. 

Blue Ribbon School Award: Capitol Hill has been selected as a 2006 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon School.  Mr. Mariucci and Mrs. Ochi-Watson will go to Washington, DC to receive the award.

Draft St. Paul Public Schools Strategic Plan:  Mr. Mariucci passed out the draft plan, which includes an interesting vision statement. 

Bus Accident/Safety Follow Up: Mr. Mariucci will post a summary of actions taken on his part of the web site after letters are posted to families involved.  Most discussion involved how a crisis team could have been better used.  Bus complaints should go to the office.

Ski Club (Jan Beebe): Ski club will start in January for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.  There will be two family ski days on release days and they may be held somewhere other than Afton Alps.

Meeting was adjourned at 9:25 pm.

Respectfully submitted by Randi Madisen, PTO Secretary