Friends of SW Charter
Summer Meeting #1
June 24, 2014
Upcoming Events:
- August 5th – FOSWCS Meeting, 6:30 pm at Lucky Lab (Hawthorne)
- August 16th – Multnomah Days Parade & Street Fair
- September 5-7th — Camp Wilkerson Family Camping Weekend
Opening/Comments
New teachers are being interviewed and hired for the 2014-2015 school year. Many of the candidates have experience in place-based education! Look for information via email from Anne later in the summer.
Open Board Position
We are seeking a Vice President for Friends for 2014-2015. This person will work with Christina and the Board to lead Friends. If you or someone you know might be interested, email Christina. No experience necessary.
New Family Liaison
Rachael Steadman will head up a new Friends position “New Family Liaison”. In this position, Rachael will be a contact person for families that are new to the school at the beginning of the school year or who join during the year in progress. She will help to ease the transition for new families by checking in with them, being available for questions, etc. Rachael will be in contact with Marlene throughout the year as new families enroll.
New families will be getting information from Marlene in early July. Rachael will look into including something from Friends in this packet.
Some present tonight stressed the importance of the school administration taking a role in welcoming new families and answering their questions, etc. as well. Rachael will remind Anne to check in with new families throughout the year.
Also, as parents, we often don’t know a new child has joined a class unless our children tell us. If this is not a on a teacher’s radar, perhaps Room Reps could alert parents to new students.
Financials – Nicki
Nicki was not able to attend tonight. By our August 5th meeting, we’ll have our financial report from Karen as well as our Friends and Auction budgets from the Board.
Camp Wilkerson
There are 12 Adirondacks are left or realistically about 8 including the families that have expressed interest but have not yet registered. All are encouraged to attend this great community building event! Christina has registration forms. They are also available on the Friends’ web site. We’ll do another reminder about Camp Wilkerson on the blog soon.
Parent Survey
Our Parent Survey never really went where we hoped. We only received 15 complete surveys. Nicki pulled out the data and created the Parent Resource Directory. Teachers requested a directory to help enrich curricula with experts from our parent community. We are also working on a Parent Business Directory to share with our community.
Hanne and Christina will look at the survey and try simplifying it. Perhaps we will give the survey another try in the Fall.
Some wondered whether there will be a general phone directory this year. Christina will contact Kristi Hansen to get background information when she compiled it in the past and/or see if she would be willing to do it again.
We’ll need new Class Reps for 2014-2015. If you’re interested, let Christina know.
Multnomah Days
The Parade and Street Fair is Saturday, August 16th. SWCS will have a booth along the parade route. Marlene manages the booth manned with parent volunteers. We’d also like to have kids and families walk in the parade. At the booth, we do face painting, talk to perspective families, and give out information about the school. Melissa coordinated our volunteers last year. A sign up genius volunteer request will go out later in the summer. Melissa and JoLea have agreed to coordinate this year.
SWCS Block Party
In lieu of the Harvest Dance, we’re exploring the idea of doing a block party. It would be open not just to our school community but to the greater S. Waterfront community as well. Dennis at Zidell might be able to help us with a location for the event. We would invite the entire S. Waterfront community with the hope of expanding our presence. We’d like to involve local businesses, have music, and food. We’d like to schedule for early to mid-September and combine the block party with the ice cream social. Christina will talk with the S. Waterfront Business Association.
During the summer, the School Board would like to have an informal get together with Friends. Jessica Nichols will set the date and place. This will be a great opportunity for the boards to mesh plans and goals for the upcoming school year.
Closing Comments
Elise has agreed to coordinate the Chinook Book fall fundraiser.
The Fulton Pub restaurant night in early June raised $1078.74.
We discussed ideas to make Chinook Book sales easier. One suggestion was to add it to an existing order form, such as the earthquake kit order form.
Harmony and Amber will head up to the Community Life Committee next year.
Melissa will do the staff like/preferences survey again in the fall.
Next Meeting
Tuesday August 5, 2014 at 6:30 pm
Lucky Lab Brew Pub
915 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
For a Google Docs version of these minutes click here.
Friends of Southwest Charter School 