EPO Board meeting minutes: Oct. 2, 2009

Explorer Parent Organization
Executive Board
Special Meeting
October 2, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President, Ted Cohan.

Present: Ted Cohan, Ken Norris, Co-Pres.; Sherilee Coffey, President-Elect; Megan Blair-Cabasco, Secretary; and Cheryl Heller, Treasurer.

Absent: None

Minutes from the August 18, 2009 board meeting were distributed and approved with noted changes.

Membership: Membership in EPO by grade is: 12 – 3rd grade families, 8 – 4th grade families, 7 – 5th grade families. Cheryl to distribute membership forms to the middle school.

Volunteer forms given to Megan to cross-check addresses, compile directory.

President’s Report: Ted met with Linda Boggs. She is willing to do a review of Explorers program now, w/o growth, within parameters of current budget and staffing. Cheryl would like to see an outside person complete the study

There is a new parent/teacher nomination form this year. New CoGat test this year resulted in increased numbers. MAP test used as a screening test as well. 3rd and 4th grade look at both math and reading scores. 5th and up look at reading scores only.

Possible training for Explorers teachers: GLAD program, differentiated process training,

There is 10% less budget for the Explorers program this year.

Substitutes required for field trip days are handled like a sick day or workshop day. Ted to follow up with Linda to clarify that district pays for substitutes for Explorer field trips.

Treasurer’s Report: CD held at American West needs to be transferred to Baker Boyer and placed under Cheryl Heller’s name (see separate minutes and approval).

Mary Cortinas to schedule 3rd grade field trip. No overnight 5th grade field trip.
6th grade – no field trip this year. 7/8th grade may go to Yakima. Field trips may not follow consistent, predictable schedule or costs.

Future field trip request forms will be due by September 30 to be considered in EPO budget process. They should include: predicted costs, student-share portion (which may increase depending on EPO budget)

Other changes to budget layout: FPS pulled out as a separate line item, field trips pulled out by grade level rather than event-specific

Budget conversations deferred to November after this year’s late (Oct. 30) deadline for field trip requests.

EPO Calendar: Sherilee to look over past calendars and consider what events we’d like to do this year. Sherilee to communicate with Becci Lund-Feistner about newsletter.

EPO Logo: Middle school students designed T-shirts with original design. Discussion of new EPO logo. Sherilee to ask David Mumm if he’d be willing to work on it.

Meeting was adjourned at ?