September 2017 Minutes

PTO Board Meeting Minutes

Date:  September 25, 2017
Time:  6:00 PM
Location:  Brighten Academy

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The meeting was called to order by Keena Kister, PTO President at approximately 6:00.  She gave opening remarks, welcomed everybody to the meeting, and thanked them for coming.  
**August 2017 meeting minutes were approved.      

Budget Update:  
**current balance as of 9/25/17 is $5,500.90
    -The current balance includes movie night and spirit shirt profits but
      does not include the recent spirit nights.
**$349.74 profit was made from spirit shirt sales
**There will be an upcoming budget vote for current PTO members via Survey Monkey.  The staff of Brighten has put together a wish list for items they feel are needed for the school, and this is what the voting will address - where PTO members feel the money would be best spent.  The voting dates are TBD at this time.  An AR (accelerated reader) Program will be one of the items on the wish list.  If approved, PTO has been asked to pay for half of the program which would be approx. $3,500.00


Spirit Nights:
**The first Spirit Night of the year was held at Pelican’s Snoballs on August 31st.  We made $175.00 from this spirit night.  
**“Spirit Week” at Carrabba’s was held the week of September 18th-22nd.  We made $1,250.00 total for the week.
**The next spirit night will be at Mojobas on October 20th from 6:30-8:00.
**With any of the Spirit Nights throughout the year, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO MENTION YOU ARE FROM BRIGHTEN!


(September Meeting Minutes Continued)


Community Partners:
*Box Tops - Parents were encouraged to send them in to the school.
*Shoparoo App - Parents were encouraged to continue using this phone app to help raise money for the school.  
*Amazon Smile - Parents were encouraged to link Brighten Academy with their Amazon account so a small portion of their purchase amount will be given back to Brighten.  

Membership:
**We are currently at 360 members.
**We currently have 100% staff participation and 100% governing board participation.  This is the first year this has happened in Brighten history.  
**Anyone can still become a PTO member through online registration at the
Brighten PTO website.


New Business:
**Birdies Fore Brighten - The finished auction baskets are currently in the media center and will be taken outside at dismissal for people to purchase tickets for them.  
**Oktoberfest
    -This annual event will be held on Friday, October 27th from 6-10pm.
    -There will be a “trunk or treat” section at this event.  10 volunteer hours
      will be given per trunk.
    -Each child is asked to bring in one bag of candy anytime between now
      and October 27th to ensure there is enough candy for this event.
    -The room moms will be responsible for the class games and
      coordinating parents to work at the game during the event.  More
      information for room moms will be discussed at the room mom
      meeting immediately following this meeting.
    -Performing Stars will perform, and there will also be a photo booth,
      jumpy houses, and a haunted house (put on by the Fine Arts Dept.) at
      this event to go along with the class games and “trunk or treating”.  
(September Meeting Minutes Continued)


**Mistletoe Market
    -This annual craft fair event will be held on Saturday, December 2nd in  
      the Brighten gym.  
    -Vendors will be needed for this event and can contact Keena Kister for
      a vendor application.
    -Each booth (8ftX8ft) will be $20.  
    -Brighten parents will get “first dibs” to apply to be vendors before it is
      opened to the community.


****Room Parent Meeting immediately followed the PTO meeting.  

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