Governance - Parent Alliance

General Info

• The Parent Alliance is responsible for fundraising and fostering a sense of community among SBCS families. The Parent Alliance meets once a month and is a great place for parents to get to know each other and bring creativity to issues and challenges facing our school.

• The Parent Alliance Meetings are governed by the Brown Act or the “open meetings law.”  The agenda for the meeting must be posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting. If there is an item or issue you want to bring to the Parent Alliance, get that information to Mitch Englander, Chairperson of the Parent Alliance, a week before the meeting so he can agendize it.  His email is: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Also copy Dave Weisman on the email. ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

• With two new vacancies on the Parent Alliance Board, Diana Dyste-Seste-Anzures, volunteered to be the new Secretary. We are in need of a Chairperson-at-large Elect. This position becomes next year’s Parent Alliance Chairperson.  This is an important position that helps set direction and gives voice to Parent Alliance goals and activities.
New Business

• What is the COT? The COT is a nine member body, consisting of 5 parents elected by the school community (4 classroom based & 1 home based), 3 teacher representatives (rotates annually), and the Director of Operations (permanent position).  The Circle of Trustees is responsible for legal, personnel and fiscal issues. The COT meets once a month on the third Monday - unless this conflicts with a holiday.  The next meeting is 7:00pm on Monday, November 16.

• There was an overview on the newly created Middle School Action Team (this is a temporary name). The goal of the MSAT, which is comprised of teachers, parents and students and parents, is to focus on extracurricular activities, field trips, service learning and electives while also working on marketing and recruitment both internally externally and fundraising.  A top priority is to more fully integrate the MS with the elementary school and take advantage of natural learning opportunities between the older and younger grades.   This group welcomes all who want to participate. The contacts are Les Stickles (MS Teacher) and Lisa James (parent).  Meetings will be announced in the Wed News.

• The Auction Group gave an update on the planning for our annual fundraiser. The auction is the top fundraiser (second is the move-a-thon) for SBCS and it typically provides most of the funding for our classroom instructional aides and specialists in math, reading, music, yoga, etc for the next school year.

• In order to explore more in depth some of the Parent Alliance priorities areas, there were five break out sessions on: Fundraising; Internal Communications; External Communications, Afterschool Programs; and MSAT.  There was a great deal of creative brainstorming that originated from these sessions.

Next Meeting

• The Parent Alliance will meet on: Thursday, December 3 at 6:30-8:00 for the General meeting and 8:00-9:00 for the Board meeting.   It will be in Joel’s MS room.  If you would like to attend, but childcare is an issue, there will be a movie and pizza for kids in Les’ classroom.  
Note taker: Kirsten Z. Deshler 10.29.09