Board and Faculty Attendees:  Carol Spillman Rogge, Lois Darbonne, Toni Johnson, Pam Hansson, Jeff Gilbert, Lisa Souther, Deb Stucke, Denise Kubick, Leslie Levy, Nancy Venecia, Joanne Fiorucci

Welcome & Pledge of Allegiance - Meeting called to order by Lois Darbonne, President, at 6:35 pm

Approval of Minutes – Carol Spillman Rogge, Secretary 
Minutes from the last PTSO Business meeting (April 14, 2008) were presented and it was MSP (Moved, Seconded, Passed) to approve the minutes with corrections. Votes: All Ayes. Motion carried. 

Principals’ Report – Jeff Gilbert, Lead Principal - Marrakech   
School News:  Busy last couple of weeks at HHS.  The Dance show was fabulous, the varsity Baseball team will be playing in the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs game in the Monterey area against PG High on Weds.  The last time HHS played a CCS game was in 2002.  The last time HHS won a game in CCS was in 1992.  The Prom was wonderful and the snacks were fabulous.  PTSO Board Historian Leslie Levy baked over 1,900 items for the event. There were very positive comments from the event location staff that the HHS students were very nice, great kids. 

HHS has given an offer to Ms. Sandy Calvo to become Kyoto’s new principal for next year. She has extensive prior experience with the first generation SLC’s and small school redesign in the bay area, speaks Spanish fluently and was an English teacher. Currently she is AP at Bayside Middle (last 3 yrs.) and will be on board July 1st.

HHS may be featured both in an article and possibly on the cover of Newsweek Magazine in the coming weeks.  Mr. Jay Mathews, a 1963 graduate from HHS and Education columnist of the Washington Post, was instrumental in making this happen.  He is involved with the Newsweek national rankings for high schools and he came back out to visit his old school and speak with the administration.  HHS is currently rated in the 700 something out of the top 1,000 High Schools (as are most of the schools in the SMUHSD.) HHS administrators talked to him about the school and where it has been and where it is going. Newsweek was running a feature story in their annual high school rankings issue on “down-sizing high schools” and HHS was chosen as a possible feature. This is certainly a validation for all the hard work on behalf of staff here at HHS.

Foundation News: The Foundation has signed up to work with a consultant to help clarify its purpose and to raise resources, etc.  This person is on contract to consult with the Foundation and committees some hours a week.  They will be looking at all of our data, alumni info and other pertinent area information to help determine how best to help the Foundation meet its goals.  The administration is relieved that there is now professional help to guide the Foundation.  HHS still needs to raise money, by August, to pay the remainder of the turf field cost.  The field will be completed by Aug. 1st, maybe earlier.  The 1st home game will be against San Mateo HS and we are considering bringing in lights and making it a special evening event to celebrate the field’s completion.  

Fundraising Report – Ways & Means – Not in attendance

Treasurer’s Report – Toni Johnson, Treasurer
This month PTSO has earned .83 in interest and received a deposit from AKOTT of $4,000.
It was MSP (Moved, Seconded, Passed) to approve the treasurer’s report as presented. Votes: All Ayes. Motion carried. 

Discussion was introduced regarding spending funds to do something for teachers by the students at, or in conjunction with, the teacher appreciation lunch Friday, May 23.  Lisa Souther, Hospitality chair suggested a Bookmark or certificate or something to be color copied on stock paper and signed by the students.  There was a general discussion of the logistics of how to get students to sign something for all teachers.   Possibly next Monday at lunch. Lisa requested funds for this item.  Release up to $500 for teacher appreciation project.  Leslie suggested use of any excess funds to be applied to any excess catering amounts for the teacher appreciation luncheon. It was MSP (Moved, Seconded, Passed) to approve the release of $500 for the teacher appreciation project/catering excess as discussed. Votes: All Ayes. Motion carried.  The HHS staff Wish list funds will be reduced by this $500 amount.

Additionally, the amount allocated for the Library will be given directly to the school as a donation for that purpose.

President’s Report – Lois Darbonne, President –
Lois attended the district PTSO President’s meeting.  Dr. Miller announced that at 4:30pm today the District finalized a budget for next year with the required 3% reserve. The district is now negotiating with the teachers union.  The impact of the state budget cuts will not be felt for this upcoming year, but the following year will be rough.  We are OK this coming year. 

Programs Report – Nancy Venecia, VP Programs – No report

Membership Report – Denise Kubick, VP Membership – No report

Booster Club Reports – (as needed)
Drama:  Not in Attendance. 
Music: .Katy Bielagus, Parent – Music student have their 20th century concert with full symphonic orchestra, wind orchestra, band and choir at CSM, 2 pm, Sat., May 17.  The HHS Choir has been invited to sing at Carnegie Hall with another group for next year.  Based on that, the orchestra and band will go to Disneyland next year as they have in the past.
Athletics:  Not in Attendance.
Dance:  Deb Strucke, Parent – Dance show is over and tryouts for next year are next Weds.

Student Report – Not in attendance 

Teacher Rep. Report – Debra Stucke, Marrakech / Mathematics –
The schedule for next week has no block periods (May 19 – 23) and Friday of that week is the 7th period final.  On Weds., May 14 from 4-6 pm, parents and students are encouraged to join teachers protesting the budget cuts in the state budget.  Also, the solar panel installation will take place on Mon., May 19th at noon.

Old Business –
Wish List Committee:  Leslie Levy, Chair - Wish lists requests were due today from HHS staff and committee meets tomorrow at 4 pm in Jeff’s office.  There are about 20 or so requests at this time.  There will be a letter going to all requestors to advise them of their status the following week, with either full or partial approval.  Tony Johnson, Treasurer, requested a copy of the full set of request grants for check writing.  Also to Carol, PTSO Secretary - a full list of the Wish List grants to be published on the PTSO page of the HHS website;  list of names, amounts, what’s the grant was for, etc.

Out of 8 applicants, five PTSO scholarships will be given out Weds., May 14 at the HHS Senior awards night, 7 pm in the Little Theater. The committee chose the five recipients after much discussion. 

New Business –
Lois Darbonne, President, met with Jeff Gilbert, Principal, last week to discuss and plan for next year.  Lois represented the board planning meeting discussion.  These items were considered:
1) Increase in PTSO dues and goal of increasing interest in the organization.  Denise Kubick, Membership, stated that of a total of around 900 families, PTSO only receives membership of 200ish, with 30 staff.  The increase in dues could take care of PTSO’s total fundraising for next year if membership increases. 
2)  Considering a possible give away item with membership signup – no costs for ideas as of yet (key chains, shopping bags, etc.).  Also, the give-away item could be sold at different HHS events.
3)  Providing an electronic newsletter to all registered members. On the membership form, there will be a sign up for the member’s email address and permission to send.
4)  Members given a discount to a PTSO special event – undetermined at this point. 
The recommendation to the PTSO Board was to increase dues to $35 per family and $15 for individuals. Also to list the benefits of joining the PTSO:  Scholarships for seniors, wish list items to staff who are members, how the funds help the school and students, etc.   An effective listing of perks that members receive, and by joining, what the funds provide and the benefits.  Clarification that the organization covers everything that is not covered by the booster groups.  The increase in PTSO dues were presented and it was MSP (Moved, Seconded, Passed) to approve the new amounts. Votes: All Ayes. Motion carried. 

Fundraising for next year:  From a Big picture/Foundation standpoint – the formula is that 10% of fundraising comes from traditional student/community population activities and the other 90% comes from other sources.  Therefore, the long-term goal should be that social events, small school fundraisers are spaced out and clearly defined.  It is not effective to ask businesses to fund 7 different events in one year.  The idea would be to start to give up the small fundraisers.  However, we need to make sure that we are not affecting the core of each booster program.  HHS needs to discuss this with all of the groups.  For this next year, HHS will most likely continue with the current programs, but the Foundation consultant will help lead the discussion about how to be more effective in the future.  A suggestion was made that we need to reduce the barriers to attend all social events.  Possibly lower prices, etc.

PTSO has decided not doing utilize the AKOTT fundraising committee next year and thinks this is a good year to make the break from booster fundraisers, as the school will be going through a transitional year during 2008 – 2009.  One comment was that it sounds more like a college than a high school.  Suggested that PTSO increase their presence in the community overall.
Deb Strucke suggested that PTSO have a table and greet students/parents on the days when people come and pick up their summer packets, particularly for the freshmen parents.  Possibly display the give away items and sign up members.

Another idea was to ask for memberships later in the year.  It was successful in signing up more people in the past.  Possibly, in an electronic newsletter targeted to other parents. Also, PTSO participating at the Athletic boosters Car show and at the HHS/SMHS home game. There was a discussion of how to include other ethnic groups without a history of participation.  The importance of their participation is not being communicated to them.  Discussion of how to go about doing so with the suggestion of finding a gatekeeper within the Hispanic community.   In addition, for PTSO to work on some type of liaison with the new principal Sandy Calvo and any replacement for Mike Durgerian, who led the Hispanic Parents group and is leaving this year.  Possibly reach out to the SDC class rep too.  It was suggested that PTSO have someone at the Best buddies 1st meeting. Another idea was to involve the students more, especially seniors.  Maybe a 1st PTSO meeting, with a great program draw where student and parents from the class with most representation would receive a class monetary gift from the PTSO. 

  Dates and times for next year’s meetings – proposed and accepted:

Discussed PTSO meeting dates for 2008 – 2009 school year: April business mtg. versus programs.  Move start time to 7:00 pm? Possibly business after the program?  Becomes an issue of achieving a quorum to vote on PTSO business.  It was suggested that PTSO should be promoting family dinners. We had some success with the programs advertised as starting later. In addition, some success with the time being consistent and widely published.  Therefore, the decision was made to go to a 7 pm start time for business meetings with 7:45 pm start for any follow on program.  Possibly publish an end time to meetings. The concept of every other month programs seemed to work, with the flexibility to add special school or district programs when and if those occur.

There was a question about how families would go about donating to the school for next year.  The Foundation will most likely not be soliciting for funds in the school packet for this coming year.

There is a May 27th Foundation meeting that will discuss this.  Most likely, there will be paperwork for each booster group separately, as in the past.  One suggestion was to not have a “tear-off” ½ sheet that had pertinent information on the reverse of the form.  Strive to keep information in the packet.
  
Business Meeting Adjourned at 8:00 pm

Next PTSO Meeting:  Monday, Sept. 8, 2008, 7:00 pm, Room 110/119

Respectfully submitted:
Carol Spillman Rogge, Recording Secretary
c.spillman@comcast.net