FOGS November 2022 Meeting Minutes

Friends Of Goethe School

November Monthly Meeting Minutes

November 3rd, 2022

In person @ 6:30pm-8:30pm Goethe School, Room 106

Virtually: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89779553313

Attendees:

• Welcome

• Quick introductions

• Historic overview of what FOGS has achieved and attempted in the past; lessons learned

  • Prior to 2018, historically held one event a year, 7-8K raised

  • Added Giving Tree (Fall campaign) + Gala/ Latin Beats (Spring campaign) in 2018

    • Recently funded: new lighting, chairs, security systems, etc

  • The expansion was taken up by the same small group, leading to people being spread too thin

    • The current group is much larger than what we have historically seen

  • Committees were not as organized as they could have been, root cause of being spread too thin

  • Recent FOGS turnover may be a factor

  • Focus: make sure what we are voting on is helping the most students and is equitable

  • Important that spent monies is tracked, reported back to treasurer (Genevra)

  • FOGS needs help from teachers (Natalie, Gabby, anyone else who wants to join us) to give us an idea of what the school needs

  • Surveys of needs (SurveyMonkey, etc) have not been fruitful

  • Budget for the year’s initiatives is currently unknown

  • Note fiscal year follows the school year and traditionally the FOGS elections would have been at the end of the fiscal year

    • This means we really need a half year budget (01Nov22 – 30Jun23)

    • Currently 87K in the account. Ideally, we would spend an amount end of fiscal year but then to get back to baseline by end of fiscal year

    • The actual budget is TBD, we need to assess which projects we want to fund. (ACTION)On-going initiatives updates

• Turf Update

  • History: Cassie and husband contacted Gabe (last year’s president) about the draining issue in the field

  • Cassie’s family has discussed what to do with Mr Elmasri

  • Artificial turn is more realistic vs natural grass

  • Maxwell family has met with CPS, Elmasri to see about fundraising

    • TIF is not an option

  • Alderman La Spata has called CPS on behalf of the school

  • Last contact with CPS was week of 24Oct, who owe us a rendering in order to get quotes. We need to get the quote in order to have a fundraising goal

  • Urban Initiatives is an option, as they helped fund Pulaski’s turf field

• Fun Run

  • FOGS + Wellness committee (parents + teachers) initiative in the Spring

  • Goal of 20K?

  • This is traditionally in honor of a late phys ed teacher

  • Fun Run owners: Joanna, Kim + Wellness Committee

• Giving Tree

  • Meeting immediately after this

  • There’s a parent initiative and a local business initiative

  • Parents can give money or volunteer

  • Giving Tree owners: Joanna, Nicole, Sara, Ashlee, Amanda

• Private shopping night at Play (on the Square)

  • A portion of the sales can go back to Goethe – Amanda as owner. ACTION for Amanda to find out percentage and then we can bring to a vote. Can she do several days due to space constraints?

• Group Brainstorm

  • How are we raising money this school year?

    • Dine and Donate - $500 to $1000 a month – Cate as owner

      • Goal of one restaurant per month

      • Maybe a postcard initiative with all the dates/ restaurants?

    • Merch – Mike (Cate’s husband) + Sally as owner

      • Not a huge money maker but a happy, mood booster

      • Goal of delivery by end of year

    • Grants – Ashley, Elizabeth, and Joanna as owners

    • Fun Run – As noted above

    • Giving Tree – As noted above

    • Recruitment Committee – Gaby, Cassie, Sara, Natalie, Kim

      • Full day PK is on the table – this meeting is on Friday (04Nov)

      • Open houses, tours, coffee with the principal, playgroups for littles, etc

      • First meeting should include Joanna, Amanda

      • ACTION for meeting to be set up. We need a committee owner; Sara will email everyone and see if we can get a committee owner

    • Fall Fest – Tabled until next year

    • Spring Gala/ LBOTS – Not on the agenda for this school year

    • Parent’s Night Out – Nicole, Genevra as owners

      • Ideas: Karaoke, Salsa dancing place, Revolution Brewing, silent auction

      • Goal of 2 by end of year

  • What are our spending priorities this school year?

    • Curriculum buckets

      • ACTION for Natalie to survey the teachers for what they need and then bring the list (including cost) to next meeting so we can move to vote on individual items, or see trends

    • Urban Initiatives - $37K for the full amount; can we set of goal of funding half of this?

      • Fun Run to fund this

    • Big ticket items from principal:

      • New blinds for Annex

      • Mini hallway libraries

• Open Actions Review

• Any Other Business

• Next Meeting: Thursday, December 1st, 2022 in Room 106