Acorn Minutes for May 5, 2006

Board in Attendance: Michelle, Wendy D., Lordelyn, and Jennifer

Members of the public/members/staff: Wendy McCully, Marci Messick, and Madelyn McGrath

Call to order – Meeting opened at 10:10 am

I. Action Items

a. Review of Minutes – Wendy made a motion to approve the minutes. Seconded by Michelle. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

b. Comment from Public/Parents – There was no comment.

c. Iterim Vice President position. Lordelyn made a motion to have Jennifer Lura fill in the interim Vice President position. Michelle seconded. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion

d. Bylaws- Michelle made a motion to adopt the bylaws as they stand. Seconded by Lordelyn. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion

e. Signators on the checking account – Michelle made a motion to change the signatures on checking account 30300012 at Yosemite Bank adding Wendy Davis, interim President of Acorn Cooperative Preschool and removing Sarah Matlock, who resigned as President (effective April 12, 2006). Wendy seconded. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion. These minutes also serve to notify Yosemite Bank that Lordelyn del Rosario ahs replaced Kristin Knell as Secretary of the Acorn Board of Directors.

f. TB waiver request. A pregnant member of Acorn has requested a TB test waiver until after the birth of her baby. Michelle made a motion to waive the TB test requirements for pregnant members, until after pregnancy. Seconded by Wendy. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion

II. Treasury Report

a. Michelle reported the current balance to be $6211.05. Acorn Cooperative has outstanding bills of $267.18. Wendy made a motion to approve the treasury report. Seconded by Lordelyn. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

b. Additional First 5 grant ($7K). Michelle reported that we are waiting for the First 5 check. Regarding plans to spend the First 5 grant, Wendy made a motion to pass Wendy M/program director’s ECMD (Early Childhood’s Manufacturers Direct) order for preschool play equipment and supplies. Seconded by Lordelyn. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

III. First 5 Update

a. Letters will be going to the commission, one by Wendy and one by Jill Harry with signatures from the community regarding allocating more money to preschools.

b. First 5 – Wendy announced that there would be a special meeting of First 5 open to the public on May 16th at 1 pm.

c. First 5 monthly meeting commissioners board meeting will be on Monday, May 15th. Wendy Davis, Sarah Matlock, and Wendy McCully are the only members that need to attend.

IV. Elections

a. An announcement was made last week at preschool and on the Wiki site that elections will be taking place in June. Nominations for President, Secretary, and Registrar will be due by May 18th. Duties for each position are in the Acorn Bylaws and will be posted at preschool.

b. Wendy Davis motioned to nominate Melissa Harris to handle the election process, recording entrants, distribution, and collection of ballots and reporting the final results of the election. Seconded by Lordelyn. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

V. Parent Survey Results/Demographic Information Results

a. Lordelyn presented parent survey results and demographic information results to Board. Documents attached. She will make additional edits to the documents and results will be available on preschool table.

VI. Fundraising Items

a. Rummage sale. Madelyn and Board had a discussion on rummage sale logistics. Rummage sale will be held at the Lutheran Church on Saturday, June 3, 7 am (open to the public at 8 am – 2 pm). Madelyn went over packet including pricing items, sign-ups, and job descriptions for members (transporting, sorting/pricing, advertising (press release/media relations), advertising (flyers), advertising (signs), set up/sales, Sales/Breakdown, After Sale Collecting/Donating. Pricing Signs). Madelyn will go over rummage sale information with members during preschool.

b. Quilt Raffle – Quilt donated by Ann Oatman’s Grandmother. Each member will be asked to sell raffle tickets $5 each throughout the summer. We will hold a raffle at the first parent meeting in the fall. Need to purchase numerical tickets and make color fliers for members to use and sell tickets.

c. Bake Sale – Marci discussed bake sale logistics (sign ups, items needed). Marci will go over bake sale info/sign-ups with members during preschool.

d. Donation money – Michelle will handle and keep records of donation money from our current fundraiser (letters seeking donations. People who donate will receive receipts by the end of the year.

VII. Review Non-Profit Status

a. IRS packet on tax exemption status was sent on May 8 via priority overnight Fed Ex on May 5.

b. Wendy reminded Board and attending members that every brochure, promotional materials, and marketing materials for Acorn need to have non-discriminatory statement “The Acorn Cooperative Preschool is non-denominational. ACP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in the administration of educational policies, admissions policies and school-administered programs.”

VIII. Fees for Fall

a. A current roster will be posted in mid-May. An enrollment cap for Acorn, starting in fall is under discussion. Advertising for membership will begin in June, depending on the number of returning members and the open spots. There was discussion of including an enrollment fee Wendy made a motion to have a recurring enrollment fee of $25 per family, for every family, payable once a year/each fall. Michelle seconded. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

b. Discussion of monthly fees beginning in fall. Wendy made a motion to have fees remain the same (whatever the decision for the amount is) for children over 12 months rather then having different fees for different age groups over 12 months. Note: “Enrolled children” does not include the infant group 0-12 months. . Michelle seconded. Unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

IX. Items for Discussion

a. Discussion on logistics of May 11th celebration at preschool

b. Health notice discussion. Wendy M. will be revamping current health notices that Acorn will use to alert parents when children get certain health conditions (i.e. chicken pox, roseola, etc) that warrant member notification.

c. Jobs for Jennifer Lura as interim vice president. Jennifer will lead and oversee fundraising efforts. She will also take over Thank You cards including cards to CDF Fire Station (Mariposa) field trip, Discovery Center field trip, Woodland Co-op for the cubby holes and boards and Dr. Mosher for his recent visit.

d. Policy on communicating messages to members – We will use USPS mail for elections and relaying info to new registrants. A suggestion was made for flyers for families to be put in kids’ cubbyholes when we have them.

e. Portfolios vs. Artbooks – Wendy will be doing three artbooks this year for the preschoolers who are graduating.

f. Kindergarten assessment – this item is still under discussion.

g. End of year celebration will be the last day of school, June 15th. We will have a potluck lunch and graduation for preschoolers who are graduating. Logistics are still under discussion.

X. The next Board meeting will be Wednesday, June 7, 9 am. Meeting adjourned at 12:15 pm.