Summary of parent meeting
Mar 12, 2006

Attendance: Shih-Wei Kung, Steve Lin, Irene Wong, Esther Lee, Seng Tan, Lina Chu, Terence Chu, Sharon Wilkinson, Nancy McSherry, Lillian Stauber, Suzanne Zurasky, Kin Wong, Roberto Kong, Sheila Au, Jayson Lee, May Tong

Started out with mention of the financial situation our school is in. We are basically doing OK. We mostly broke even this year because more kids signed up through the bilingual program and we were able to maintain our numbers to pay the teachers. Also since the church waived their rent, we may have some surplus to pay them a donation at the end of the year.

Next we talked about the need for leadership and volunteers for next year. After much persuasion, Esther decided to be principal next year. Lena has spoken up that she will be the treasurer, but has mentioned that she does not want to be principal.

A suggestion was made to help the new staff with transition was to make a matrix of all the duties of the principal and vice principal with timelines so they could know better how to proceed the next year. Shih Wei, (Irene ??) and Esther will work on this.

Also at the beginning of the year, have a chart for the parents to fill out as volunteers so they could handle more of the week to week operations of the Chinese school and take some of the load off the staff. Shih Wei, Irene and Esther will work on this.

We need a Board of Directors. Shih Wei will contact those members on the board and see if they want to serve anymore. We will reactivate the Board and have them plan the vision for the school. Possible new board members include: Nancy McSherry, Kin Wong and Roberto Kong.

One of the thought came up for the Board of Directors to take a good look at the bylaws and revise them especially since they call for a Principal who can speak English AND Chinese. Possibly work on this during the summer months?

The idea came up for parents to take committee chair positions to make the bigger events happen. It is starting this trimester with Nancy McSherry taking the reigns for the End of the Year Picnic. Several people have volunteered to help her organize this and they already had their first meeting.

Irene Wong has volunteered to be committee chair for the curriculum committee for next year already.

Mentioned the possibility of raising tuition and then giving the parents who help out a 10% discount in order to get more parent participation.

Steve ended the meeting aptly by reminding us that we are in Chinese school for our kids and if anything doesn't help them in their learning of the language and culture, we shouldn't necessarily do it.