November 2025 PTSA Community Meeting Minute

November 13, 2025

Called to order 7:04PM

School Updates & Programs

• Principal Shelley Dulsky reported 70+ families signed up for school tours

  • Student leaders participating in tours, providing authentic perspective

• SNAP benefit crisis response

  • Community raised ~$10,000 in hours through PTSA pantry and DPS Foundation grants

  • 5% of school population (17 families) received grocery gift cards

  • Additional distribution planned before Thanksgiving

• School choice enrollment opens December 2nd-January 20th

  • Enrollment up ~40 students this year vs projections

  • Added extra ECE primary class (30 kids)

  • Sibling priority available for current families

SOAR Program Launch

• New intervention program: Support, Opportunity, Achievement, Resilience

• Structure: 20+ groups, 6-12 students each, twice weekly for 45 minutes

  • Morning cohort: grades 1-3

  • Afternoon cohort: grades 4-6

  • Mixed grade levels based on individual needs, not grade level

• Current focus: literacy skills (reading fluency, phonics, narrative writing)

• Data-driven placement with ability to move students mid-cycle

• Next phases: SOAR Science (before winter break), then math in spring

• Students assigned “bird names” for groups (snowy owls, magpies, etc.)

Budget Changes Approved

• Reallocated $10,500 from $14,000 surplus, leaving $4,000 cushion

• New allocations:

  • Special events: increased from $3,000 to $5,000

  • Merchandise budget: added $1,500

  • School assemblies: $2,000 (covers ~half of costs like Cleo Parker Robinson at $1,500)

  • School improvements: $5,000 total

    • $2,000 for recess equipment

    • $600 for free library improvements

    • Fence cups already purchased for LAX event

Financial Performance

• Current profit: $54,000 (vs $51,000 same time last year)

• LAPS fundraiser: raised over $56,000 (exceeded goal and last year)

• Restaurant nights: $4,000 raised (above expectations)

• 31% toward annual fundraising goal of $202,500

• New financial structure: moved $100k to 6-month CD, earning interest

• Monthly donors increased by 5 from SNAP crisis response

Teacher Grants Program

• Budget increased to $8,000 for classroom supplies (from $5,000)

• Separate $2,500 budget for professional development ($500 grants, first-come basis)

• First round (October 15th): $3,200 awarded to 6 teachers

  • Ms. Amy: sentence builders, math materials

  • Ms. Francie: puzzle maps for geography

  • Ms. Erin: tree of life science bundle

  • Ms. Heidi: decodable readers for differentiated levels

  • Ms. Rollins: classroom rug (major need - hadn’t had one in 10 years)

  • Ms. Aljo: name tag holders for 4th/5th grade transitions

• Next deadline: December 1st

• 3 professional development grants still available ($500 each)

Community Events & Engagement

• Fall activities completed:

  • Family picnic at Wash Park

  • Movie night returned

  • Fall Fest raised same as last year despite expanded programming

  • 75+ volunteers participated across events

• Upcoming events:

  • BASH fundraiser: April 25th, 6-10pm at Skylight Event venue

  • Winter performance: “We Are Monsters” theme

  • Monthly assemblies featuring multicultural performances

• Lincoln Experiences (formerly Bash Experiences) launching earlier

  • Community-hosted events with ticket sales benefiting PTSA

  • One remaining: gnome-making

Action Items & Next Steps

• School choice promotion: take yard signs, encourage friend referrals, rate school online

• Teacher grant reminders: parents should encourage teachers to submit requests

• Committee volunteers needed:

  • Finance committee meeting December 3rd

  • Nominating committee for board elections (April)

  • BASH planning committee

• Holiday gift collection begins (info in Friday’s Ledger)

• Next PTSA meeting: January 29, 2026