St. Clare School Advisory Council and Parent Teacher Club

1/6/05 Minutes

 

Present: David Blaskowsky, Renee Cline, Linda Fanning, Fr. Tom, John Ferraro, Tom Fitzpatrick, Jaye Fraser, Tom Griffith, Sr. Moe, John Oswald, Phil Ralston, Vicky Werner,

Absent: Cartie Beckett,

 

1. Call to Order and Opening Prayer – The meeting was called to order and the opening prayer was said by Father Tom.

 

2. Recommended Actions

      a. Routine Matters:

            i.  The Agenda was accepted.

            ii. The Minutes for the November 10, 2004 and December 9, 2004 meetings were approved.

 

      b. Old Business:

      i. Policy Review: John Ferraro pointed out that most of our policies are actually procedures.  Many schools do not have policies but procedures instead.  Sister Moe noted that we have to follow the policies as set up by the Archdiocese.  Sister Moe determines the procedures that are in compliance with these policies.  Accreditation standards assist with this.  She will defer to the SAC, any questions related to these procedures that effect Program Development, Finances, Family Life, etc.  The SAC will post on our web site that the Archdiocesan policies are available for review in the school office.

ii. Summer Care –Linda reviewed information gathered on the possibility of having summer care offered in the BASC program.  Linda and Sister Moe will continue to gather information and report at the next SAC meeting.

 

      c. New Business

i. The Town Hall meeting is scheduled for 1/11/05 at 7 pm.  (SAC will review the format and possibility of earlier marketing for this meeting for next year.)

ii. The Open House is scheduled for 1/20/05 at 9 a.m. and 7 pm.

                  iii. St. Clare Website – SAC specific – Each committee was asked to review the website to insure the work plans were up to date.

 

3.  Information/Communication Reports

      a. Pastors Report – Father Tom gave the following report:

• Nancy Cretsinger and Father Tom discussed the primary focus of Lent as a Relationship Building campaign within the St. Clare community.  Every week at mass during Lent, there will be a safe format to assist with this focus.  Follow up on what we have learned will occur after Lent.

•A letter from Archbishop Vlazny was sent and notice was in the Oregonian this week related to making claims against the Archdiocese by April of 2005 as part of the Chapter 11 proceedings.

•The Annual Archdiocese appeal is targeted for specific programs (not connected with Chapter 11). 

•The Quad Council will address the place of the preschool in the St. Clare community. A date for this meeting will soon be set.

•Each parish count has been down this year as compared to last year.  Encourage those that you haven’t seen at mass as we have missed them.

•An unannounced collection for the Tsunami occurred at mass last weekend.  Approximately $4500 was collected.

•The Parish has a positive balance related to the budget (as there is no youth minister).  The next budget will include a decrease of 4%. The budget presentation to the Pastoral Council will occur on 1/19.  Tom G of the SAC will be present.

•Matthew Seguin read an inspirational message at a Loaves and Fishes fundraiser and did an amazing job.

•The Preschool will introduce a religious curriculum next year.

•The Preschool is excited about their new relationship with the Auction.

•The “Lay Voice” is a group of parishioners.  They are considering joining a national organization, “Call to Action”.

•Deacon Andrew will be ordained on June 11th at the Cathedral.  On June 19th, he will say mass at St. Clare.

 

      b. Parent Teach Council Report: There was no new information to report.

 

c. Principal’s Report: Sister Moe gave the following report.

•Enrollment Update:  As of December 17th, we lost 1 student in the 7th grade and 1 student in the 5th grade.  Reasons: social for one and retention of second language for the other.  We have gained one student in 5th grade as of 1/5/05.

•Preparation for Open House: Registration materials with the Parent-Teacher Council (new name!) are being updated for the school.

Patty sent out invitations to 22 people.  We have RSVPs from 23 families.  So far, only seven plan to attend the a.m. presentation while the rest will be at the 7:00 p.m. meeting.  Patty has also sent those on our potential new families database issues of our Dragon Post, Christmas greetings, and other such contacts.  We are also posting in this weekend’s parish bulletin the invitation flyer.  Student Council will assist at the a.m. session, and volunteers will be asked to attend the p.m. session.

•Endowment Board:  Wayne Graham, Todd Woodruff, Tim Coleman and Chris Cline comprise the Endowment Board, and their sole role is to manage the school’s endowment fund.  What is lacking is any activity to help build the endowment.  It is the role of SAC to help the Endowment Board increase its membership to begin to address new activity when we get the go-ahead to do so.  For now, the only activity has been to ask those who have made pledges in the past to continue their support.  Money received from the last solicitation was around $5,000 and this is being put into a designated line item in the school’s budget.  No other solicitations are planned at this time.  The SAC will begin to address the long range strategy the with this task being assigned to one of the SAC committees.

•A clear definition of what we are asking for with Grant writing (as separate from the Endowment) is a task for SAC.

•Curriculum Development:  We are beginning a study to determine if we will adopt a new religion series.  Silver, Burdett, Ginn is a likely pick, but until we have the representative meet with our teachers, and Sister Moe and Kathy Kowash review the process, no decisions will be made just yet.

•Parent Education: Sister Moe has asked the faculty to join in presenting a round-table presentation of how we create a positive spirit in our school.  It will involve explaining our discipline policies, how we counsel kids, our Steps To Respect and Second Step programs, classroom management, and peer mentoring program.  This will take place sometime in March or April as a Parent-Teacher Council sponsored event.  The goal of this event is to explain further than what is stated in the handbook how we go about creating a positive, cooperative learning environment.  It’s also a chance for our parents to see what a great professional team of educators we have serving our school.

•Tsunami relief -The school will designate a week in the near future where the money raised by the children will be donated to tsunami relief organizations.  The children can purchase a free dress ticket for $2 a day during that week.

•Sister Delores is back and doing well. 

 

d. SAC Committee Reports

i. Finance Committee Report:  There is nothing new to report.

ii. Marketing and Enrollment Committee Report: This information was addressed during the discussion of the Open House.

iii. Process and Policy Committee Report: This information was presented in Old Business.

iv. Development Committee Report:  The information related to the Endowment and Grant writing was discussed during the Principals report.

 

e. Chair Report: When the Quad Council meeting is set, the SAC will participate.  This will occur in April or May. 

 

 

Next School Advisory Council Meeting:  Thursday, February 10th at 6 pm.

 

Meeting adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted,

Linda Fanning