Fr. Gary Regula, Pastor

Shelley Conner, Principal

Lynn Beck, President
Lynn Grennen, Vice Chair
Joyce Petrowski, Recording Secretary
Kathy Boyle
Greg Hayes
Bill Mager
Mike Rafford
Eduardo Gamez
Collin Bottrill
Chris Bowen
Faculty Representative Scott Brandt
St. Benedict’s Parish Council Member Mick McLaughlin

What does it mean to be a board member?

PERSONAL

PROFESSIONAL

BOARD

TIME COMMITMENT

Still interested? We need you!

Application

Applications are also available in the front office.

October 26, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal and Faculty Representative; Development, Technology, Communications and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs and PTO, at its October 26th meeting.  The highlights follow. 

Principal Conner reports that ITBS results are in and our students did a great job.  82% of our 8th graders are exceeding standards.  ITBS has established a reporting system where the school can look at results filtered by school, diocese, state and nation.  The reporting system breaks down into four categories – below basic, approaching standards, meeting standards and exceeding standards.   

Thank you to everyone who took the survey – you have given the school very valuable information.  In the coming weeks, the accreditation teams are taking the survey results and using them as they prepare their accreditation reports.  Administration and teachers are also using the surveys as tools for improvement.   

Scott Brandt reports that all staff members attended an in-service over fall break – Catholic First, Catholic All The Time.  This in-service was very powerful and moving and packed full of information. 

All the classes are busy finishing up the first quarter and report cards went out.  The Science Fair projects are beginning.  The 6th grade led the school community in praying the Rosary and Father Hoorman attended the Blessing of the Pets.  The 6th grade students completed their Multi-Cultural projects with an evening meal for the families. 

2nd and 7th grade students are working on saint projects.  Pre-K spent time in the Chapel and had fun with their 7th grade buddies.  1st grade students celebrated United Nations Day.   

Of the 7 entries that went to the Arizona State Fair, 3 took ribbons – Maggie Young, Honorable Mention; Andrea Peterson, 2nd place; Elizabeth Hopwood “Best of Fair” A big congratulations to these winners and all that entered. 

Cap is hosting the Arbor Day Foundation on Thursday, November 5th for the planting of about 70 trees on campus. 

In Spanish, the students are learning the Song of the Body of Christ to be sung at masses. 

In PE, the 8th graders went to Tempe Town Lake for a field trip.

Facilities Ongoing traffic safety.  Fixed CMU masonry cracks at ends of five canopies and cracks high on MPR wall.  The landscape plan was completed for the Trees.  Holes for the trees will be dug on Friday, October 30th, thanks to Ditch Witch graciously providing their equipment and manpower.  On Saturday, October 31st, volunteers from the school community will finish up the holes and prepare for the planting on Thursday, November 5th.   

Development The Tree Planting Event, scheduled for Thursday, November 5th, is on target. The magazine sales are being run through the scrip office. Working on Wells Fargo and Target Field Trip grants for teachers. 

Technology   The committee is testing a networked storage solution.  Began performing upgrades using the new Vista software.  If you would like to be a part of the technology committee, please contact Greg Hayes at . 

Communications The committee has been working on improving communications with the parishes and has put together a list of contacts from each parish.  They are also working on how to get more media attention for the school.  Continued work on the marketing/PR plan. 

Dads' Club  Oktoberfest was a great success.  Father-Daughter dance has been moved from 2/12 to 2/19.  Reservations for the summer family campout have been made at Whitetail campground on Mt. Lemmon.  Turkey bowl is Friday, November 27th.  Dad’s will be cooking breakfast at Winter Wonderland. 

Moms' Club The complete calendar of events is listed on the SJB website.  Planning for Winter Wonderland is well underway.  Please contact Laura DeCaro (ljdecaro(at)gmail.com) or Angelina Brown () if you can help.  Date is Saturday, December 5th and tickets sales will begin soon.  Corporate sponsorships are being sought to pay for the event. 

PTO Harvest Fest was well-attended and lots of fun as always.  Mother-Son bingo had over 100 people in attendance.  November meeting will be on Wednesday, November 4th at 6:30pm.  Family Movie Night is Friday, November 6th in the courtyard.  Next Family Dinner Night is Wednesday, November 18th at both Native New Yorker locations in Ahwatukee.  

The November meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 23rd at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Lynn Beck 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda. 

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Lynn Beck, President; Lynn Grennan, Vice President; Joyce Petrowski, Secretary; Bill Mager, Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes, Collin Bottrill, Chris Bowen, Eduardo Gamez and Kathy Boyle.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Member Mick McLaughlin.

September 28, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal and Faculty Representative; Development, Technology, Communications and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs and PTO, at its September 28th meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report.  Principal Conner reports that we have begun our WCEA Accreditation.  Parents are encouraged to take the survey by the end of school of Friday, October 2^nd and their children can get a free dress day.  Students will also be taking a survey during school. 

The ITBS tests are finished and reading inventories are almost complete. 

Continued work on repairing the security, fire alarms and clocks. 

Partners Breakfast is this Saturday, October 3^rd.  This is an adult-only event, no children.

Conferences are scheduled for the end of October.  Open Houses are scheduled for Saturday, November 14^th from 2-5pm and Saturday, January 30^th from 11am-2pm.

October 30^th schedule is busy with a noon release that day.  Please be mindful of this when scheduling Halloween parties and remember the wellness policy when planning for food. Teachers asked to keep parties to crafts or activities that are curriculum-enhancing, simple and approved.

Faculty Report.  Scott Brandt reports that all grade levels are actively involved in all of their academic lessons.  A traveling exhibit of Antoni Gaudi was on display for the Evening of Hispanic Culture.  For Dia de los Muertos, there will be an altar set-up in the Chapel to be opened at Harvest Fest. 

Curriculum Night was great with lots of parents in attendance.  Teachers loved being able to communicate with parents as to what their child’s school year will look like and what is expected from the children, the teachers and how everyone can work together to support the children.   

Facilities.  The lights are on and construction is substantially complete on the Ballfield Project!   Installed garden irrigation timer and installed irrigation and wiring for trees and future landscape.  Fixed underground water leak at front gate.  Completed pushbutton faucet installation in restrooms.

Development. The committee is continually looking for new members.  The Tree Planting Event, scheduled for Thursday, November 5^th, is on target. The magazine sales are being run through the scrip office. Looking for volunteer(s) to coordinate the Box Tops and Campbell’s Labels program.

Technology.  The committee is working diligently to determine our technology needs and complete repairs from the lightning strike.  If you would like to be a part of the technology committee, please contact Greg Hayes at ghayes(at)microsoft.com.

Communications.  Scott Walker was elected chairperson for the 09-10 school year.  They reviewed their strategic plan and discussed the drafting and implementing of SJB’s marketing and PR plan.  Primary focus for this school year will be making progress on the marketing plan in efforts to optimize and enhance our communications with the greater community.  The committee is also working to outreach to the parishes and strengthen the lines of communication to/from SJB.

Dad’s Club. The Diamondbacks game had a great turn-out with over 100 tickets sold!  They also had a great turnout for their first poker night.  Everyone had a fun-filled night at the Oktoberfest.  The next Dad’s Club event is the Turkey Bowl.

Mom’s Club.  The first evening and morning socials of the year were well attended.  The complete calendar of events is listed on the SJB website.  Planning for Winter Wonderland is underway.  Please contact Laura DeCaro (ljdecaro@gmail.com) or Angelina Brown (brownspider1(at)yahoo.com) if you can help.

PTO.  The first monthly meeting and Family Dinner Night at Macayo’s was well attended.  Harvest Fest is almost here (Saturday, October 17^th), if you can volunteer please contact  Monica Van Bruwaene at mvanbruwaene@aol.com or Connie Allison tallison4(at)cox.net.  Mother-Son Bingo is Friday, October 2^nd in the MPR from 6:30-8:30pm.  The October PTO meeting will be on Wednesday, October 7^th. 

State of the School Address – We were pleased to have had over 35 families represented at our State of the School address.    The feedback that we received from having the evening has prompted us to make sure that we have another one sometime in February.  We will also be holding 2 sessions, one during the day, and one in the evening so that we can make it more accessible to more members of our community.  We will also be planning a “coffee talk”  as more of a general questions and answer session.  As always, if there are any questions or issues that you would like to discuss, please feel free to contact administration or Lynn Beck at Lbeck76363(at)cox.net. 

The majority of the Advisory Board recently attended an in-service at the Diocesan of Phoenix.  There were multiple breakout sessions and we were able to have a member attend every session.  The take-away information from each one of those sessions was discussed at the Advisory Board meeting on Monday evening is being disseminated to the appropriate committees.  It is worthy to note however that St. John Bosco was mentioned in the Diocesan presentation as a school that has a very “solid financial foundation” and that the Diocesan is very pleased to see us moving forward with our construction projects in order to grow the school for the future.  We will continue to use all the information and resources we have available to us to make sure that we are making St. John Bosco the best environment for our children both academically and physically.

The October Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, October 26th at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Lynn Beck 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Lynn Beck, President; Lynn Grennan, Vice President; Joyce Petrowski, Secretary; Bill Mager, Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes, Collin Bottrill, Chris Bowen, Eduardo Gamez and Kathy Boyle.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy Fletcher.

August 24, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Technology and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs and PTO, at its August 24th meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report.  Principal Conner reports that we have a new lunch program with Sodexo.  The school collects the funds and administers through RenWeb.  We will need a volunteer to help administer the processing.  Students seem to be pleased with the new lunch program and numbers of lunches served are up compared to last year.

The new Ambassador Program is up and running.  The training was done the week before school started with a total of 20 students in grades 4-8.  Training included shaking hands, eye contact, lots of information on the school, and some presentation skills.

The grading scale changed and we now have Academic MakeUp for grades 5-8. 

The Spirituality Committee is reviewing the purpose and standards to teaching the once-a-month Stewardship Focus.

Pastor’s Report   Fr. Gary reports that St. Benedicts will be hiring a full-time Development Director in the near future.  Eucharistic Minister training is being held on Wednesday, August 26^th and Altar Server training is being held on Wednesday, September 2^nd.

Faculty Report.  Scott Brandt reports that Meet The Teacher Night was successful and the teachers loved the half day all schedule for the first week of school.   Mrs. Mahoney is very happy to have her art room back.  CAP and Kenya will start in September.  The 3^rd Annual Service to Life event will be in September.

Facilities.  The committee is working with the contractor on the ball field project.  The roof parapets, downspouts and safety glazing has been completed.  Diocese is still working on the parking lot improvements – unfortunately we have no control over this, as this is a Diocese project.  During the summer, there were 4 classrooms that were painted and the kitchen had a deep cleaning.

Development. The committee is looking for new members.  We received a grant from the Arbor Day Foundation for 40 to 100 trees. The tentative date for planting the trees is November 5, 2009.  Mrs. Harvey received a grant for the library.  Mrs. Hamilton received a grant to bring the woodwind section of the Phoenix Symphony to the school.  The magazine sales are being run through the scrip office.  New LASER awards for the kids – such as, Dairy Queen, Wendy’s, Subway and Dunkin Donuts.

Technology.  The committee is working very hard to fix the damage from the lightening strike.  Dr. Carl Bohman donated some computers to the school.  The server room was cleaned out and reorganized over the summer.  Cox upgraded our internet service.

Dad’s Club. The Dad’s Club is looking for someone to fill the President-Elect position.  Oktoberfest is their first fun-raiser.  Total membership is at 166.  They are helping the Mom’s Club with Winter Wonderland breakfast.

Mom’s Club.  The Mom’s Club is having their first Meet ‘n’ Greet, Game Night and Social on Friday, August 28^th.  They have planned a Friday night social each month and a weekly Friday morning coffee.  The complete calendar of events can be found on the SJB website.  Laura DeCaro and Angelina Brown are planning this years Winter Wonderland event to be held on December 5^th.

PTO.  The PTO is holding their meetings the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm in the SJB Library.  The first meeting is scheduled for September 2.  They are working on a shade structure for the carpool.  Plans are underway for a mother-son event of bowling on Friday, October 2 from 4:30 to 7pm.  Harvest Fest planning meetings are underway.  The meetings are held at 7pm in the Library on Sept. 9, September 23, October 7.  This year's Harvest Fest will be held on Saturday, October 17.

Two guests attended the meeting.  Guests are always welcome.

The September meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 28th at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Lynn Beck 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Lynn Beck, President; Lynn Grennan, Vice President; Joyce Petrowski, Secretary; Bill Mager, Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes, Collin Bottrill, Chris Bowen, Eduardo Gamez and Kathy Boyle.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Donna Defruene and Amy Fletcher.

June 1, 2009

New Advisory Board Officers were elected as follows:

President – Lynn Beck; Vice President – Lynn Grennan; Secretary – Joyce Petrowski

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, Technology and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs and PTO, at its June 1st meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report.  Principal Conner reports:  Spirituality included closing the year with a Mass.  Administration will be reviewing eighth grade year-end events (i.e. graduation, retreat, dinner, awards, etc.).  Liturgy committee is reviewing and planning for next school year and will focus on what we are actually trying to teach the children (somehow including CDA).  Honor Roll will be mailed and sent to Parishes for the bulletins.  Lack of award ceremony will be addressed in a future of the Bite.  Survey went out to all 4-8 grade parents and students, and the results are being processed.  Kim Silver has accepted a teaching position in the Pre-K classroom.  Staff is reviewing mission, philosophy, LASER and Student Handbook.  We ended the year with 573 students.

Pastor’s Report s and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Report. Fr. Gary reports:  Summer mass schedule is Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:15am at St. John Bosco chapel.  During the summer months, the parish office hours on Fridays will be as follows: June:  9am to noon;     July – closed;     August 9am to noon

The Parish Council is working on the strategic plan with all sub-committees.  Currently looking at additional sub-committees to improve strategic plan.  Jay Iole and Michele Edison are leaving the Parish Council as Mike Kulikowski and Mick McLaughlin are new Parish Council members.

Faculty Report.  Scott Brandt reports:  Teachers loved all the events during Teacher Appreciation week including duty coverage, pancake breakfast, gifts, flowers, etc. 

Kindergarten is wrapping up year with “Around the World” imaginary trip.  Miss Krakora’s class had chapter book study on Charlotte’s Web, scripture skits and poems.  4^th grade held a Living Museum and students completed their novel study.  8^th grade students taught 7^th/8^th grade students about their trip to Washington D.C.  PE is preparing for “Summer Fun” by teaching badminton, Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee Golf.  Additional items were added to the wish list.  Mrs. Reichardt and Mrs. Neumann would like to thank the St. Benedict’s Knights of Columbus for purchasing a classroom set of dictionaries and thesauruses.

Facilities.  The committee is continuing to work with DL Withers on the new building addition.  They are on schedule for opening in August.  Bids for parking lot and roofing systems (Piper Grant) went out.  Site Plan amendment was approved on April 13, 2009 and building permit approved by City of Phoenix on May 13^th for the Ball Field project.  Summer maintenance projects include classroom painting and investigating motion sensors for bathroom lighting.  Push button faucets will be installed in PE and MPR bathrooms.  Looking at suppliers to replace courtyard furniture.  Warranty work for MPR roof is being pursued.  

Finance.  The committee welcomed Greg Herriman as a new member.  Bruce Lincoln was elected as the new Finance Committee Chair and Patrick Ramirez was elected for the role of Finance Committee Secretary.  Based on the online survey, it was determined that there is not enough interest in a part-time Pre-K class for the upcoming school year.  Kitchell Corporation has committed to giving St. John Bosco $20,000 by using their corporate tax credit.  There are other corporations looking into this as well.

Development. The committee is actively pursuing grants and planning for next years annual campaign and CTODP.  Miss Krakora received a $500 Staples gift card from the Got2B Safe Contest.  We have applied for a few library grants, reading intervention grant, classroom sound reinforcement system grant and a Target Arts grant.

Technology.  The committee is updating the server and testing battery backup/UPS.  Cox upgraded our service to 3.0Mb.  Committee is getting Vista software and also installing Photo Story 3 software.  UPS testing and server installation and cutover to be done during summer break.

Dad’s Club. The Dad’s Club is wrapping up the Bosco event.  This event netted $71,000 to be used for the current building project.  The 2^nd Annual Poker Tournament raised $500 which opened the Tom Dillon Scholarship Fund.  The 5^th Annual Family Camping trip at Mt. Lemmon Whitetail Campground is June 13th-15^th.  Club elections were held in May for ’09-’10 officers as follows:

President – Mark Schmisseur; President-Elect – TBD; Immediate Past President – Eduardo Gamez; Treasurer – Peter Grossgold; EC#5 – Fred DeCaro.

Mom’s Club.  The Mom’s Club held their 2009-10- elections with the following results:

President – Renee Feil (re-elected); Newsletter – Angelina Brown; Winter Wonderland Chair – Stormi Cornelius; Social Chair – Caryn Flores; Treasurer – Laura DeCaro.  There is still an opening for Sunshine Committee Chair.  The members voted to donate $300 to MAP and $300 to the PE Department for supplies.

PTO.  The PTO had their final meeting in May and participated in Teacher Appreciation Week, held Family Movie night and end of year pool party at Kiwanis Park in Chandler.  Working with EZ School Supplies again this year.  Mentor families have been assigned for the upcoming school year.  Most popular date for Harvest Fest is October 17, 2009.  New ’09-’10 board members are:

President – Lynn Grennan; Vice President – Kymberli Mendenhall; Secretary – Nan Marchello; Treasurer – Stacey Lynkins; Harvest Fest Chair – Kristin Hamilton; Harvest Fest Co-Chair – Heather Garrison; Family Dinner Night Coordinator – Marita Loughran/Alicia Figueroa; New Family Welcome Coordinator – Tonya Kelly; Special Topics Coordinator – Tracy Ryan; Volunteer Coordinator – Monica Van Bruwaene/Connie Allison; Hospitality Coordinator – Darlene Nimsger; Special Events Coordinator (New position) – Chris Grossgold.

Community  Issues- None reported at this time.

The August meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 24th at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Lynn Beck 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Lynn Beck; President, Lynn Grennan; Vice President, Joyce Petrowski; Secretary, Bill Mager, Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes, Collin Bottrill, Chris Bowen, Eduardo Gamez and Kathy Boyle.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy Fletcher.

April 27, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, Technology and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Dad’s Clubs and PTO, at its April 27th meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report.  Principal Conner reported on the end of the year liturgy celebrations planned including First Communion reception, May crowning and graduation.  The administration is reviewing the strategic plan to make sure goals and objectives are being met based on benchmarks identified by the committees. The ball field lighting project is on target with submittal to the City of Phoenix of the plans for the construction permit. Principal Conner discussed the marketing efforts being done for Pre-K and Kindergarten and the possibility of adding a second Pre-K class. Parents are being surveyed now.  Decision will be made by early June.  Enrollment is expected to be 556 to start the school year.

Pastor’s Report s and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Report. The Bishop officiated over the First Communion/Confirmation celebration at the church. The Parish met its CDA goal.  The Parish gave parishioners recyclable water bottles in honor of Earth Day.  The parish website is under construction to save on printing and paper, making the website the source for announcements and news.  The Anointing Mass is May 9^th  at 11:00 am.  The Parish Mission is May 21-23, featuring Kevin Saunders and focusing on the Acts of the Apostles.  The Sanctity of Life Committee is sponsoring a baby shower for Elizabeth’s House.  The Parish Council and Finance Committees  are meeting in early May to work on the parish’s strategic  plan.  The Seder meal, hosted by Life Teen, was a success.  Elections are being held for two new members to serve on the Parish Council.  An open house is scheduled for April 29^th for new families.

Facilities.  The new Pre-K building construction is on target.  Bids for the ball field lighting project are expected to go out in early May.  It is the desire of the committee to have the project underway at the same time as the parking lot project.  The Piper Grant projects (parking lot and roofing systems) will start this summer.  The Eagle Scout projects are completed.  Thanks to Kurt Broer for replacing and welding the batting cage stanchion pipe.  Discussions are continuing on the carpool shade structure by the PTO.  A grant has been submitted for a shade structure for the swing set area.

Financial.  Carin Wolph is a new member of the Committee.  The March financials were reviewed. Our budget is on track, considering the anticipated ebb and flow of construction payments throughout the building project. The committee is expected to give the Advisory Board a recommendation on the ball field lighting project in June once the bids process concludes and the Bosco results are finalized.  The school, along with St. Benedict’s Parish, is in the process of moving the banking account to Arizona Business Bank  to save $$ on fees.

Development. The committee is discussing the development of a document to give to everyone at the beginning of the school year that would identify stewardship, development and fundraising projects which are offered at the school.   It would help families plan accordingly with their own family budgets.  

Dad’s Club. The Dad’s Club is working on its second annual poker tournament on May 9^th.  The Mom’s and Dad’s Club camping trip is scheduled for June 13-15. The Bosco event was deemed a success despite the economy. 

PTO.  The PTO-sponsored New Family Orientation was held in April.  The teachers will be scooping gelato at Dolce Luna this week.  Plans are underway for Teacher Appreciation Week in early May.  The Family Movie Night is May 8^th.  The pool party is May 21^st at the Chandler Aquatic Center.  The PTO is in need of a Hospitality Chair for next year and will be advertising in the Bite.  The PTO will be sponsoring the back-to-school promotion with Easy School Supplies again.  Discussion is underway for a Mother-Son event.

Faculty Report.  A slew of field trips in various grades are underway as the school year winds down. Various grades are working on biography projects.  The 6^th grade is creating a website based on the Roman Empire.  The 5^th grade science brochures on the solar system will be posted on the website.  Cinco de Mayo celebration is in the planning stages for K-4, featuring food, music and folklorico dancing for 4^th graders.  The Music Department’s spring recital program dates have been announced.

Technology.  More committee members are needed.  The committee is scheduling meetings in May to provide input on the strategic plan with regards to technology issues.  A standard maintenance schedule is being drafted.

Community  Issues.  Any changes in the awards and honors recognition have been tabled for now.  Questions for the student and parent surveys are due to President Klee by May 6^th.   The Board would like to thank the individuals who have submitted applications to serve on the Board.  We are blessed to have so many wonderful parents who wish to share their time and talent.  An announcement on the selected individuals will be forthcoming.  The Board will also conduct officer elections in May.

The June meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 1st at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy Fletcher.

March 23, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs, at its Mar. 23rd meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal Conner reported on the 8th grade high school placements.  She encouraged members to attend the on March 27th at the school.  Principal Conner explained the Diocese’s request to have all schools participate in the CDA campaign this year. A report is expected to be published in September in the . Since the school already has a plan on stewardship (a particular charity/effort each month) and the effort made by our students and families, the Board directed Mrs. Conner to contact the CDA chairs and report on what our school has done already for the year.

Life Teen is hosting a seder meal on Palm Sunday.  Registration is required.  Reconciliation is this Wednesday at St. Benedict’s at 7:00 pm.  Fr. Gary reported on other parishes’ reconciliation dates. The Parish Council is continuing to work on its strategic plan.  The parish staff served food at St. Vincent De Paul recently.  Fr. Gary hopes to continue the practice of closing the office for a day with staff volunteering their time at a local charity.  The parish is in need of liturgical ministers and a lector coordinator.  Holy Week schedule was announced. Bishop Olmstead is presiding over the Confirmation/First Communion service on April 18th.  A health care ministry is being formed. The parish luau is this Saturday.

The committee is continuing its efforts to identify and submit for grants, recruit more members to help with stewardship and endowments, plan for the Annual Giving and CTODP campaigns for next school year; and researching a 10 year anniversary celebration for 2010-2011, employer matching programs and hardship fund.  The committee is developing a database of nonprofit organizations that students could access in order to complete service hours.  The next committee meeting is April 9th.

The Diocese has selected DL Withers Construction for the new kindergarten building. The City of Phoenix is reviewing the second submittal of plans – waiting on permit so we can move dirt.  The Board authorized the Facilities Committee to spend up to $1500 for permits with the City of Phoenix for the ball field lighting project.  The Piper grant projects (parking lot, roofing systems, etc.) would begin this summer.  The Eagle Scout projects by Matthew Rainey and Ryan Murphy are ongoing with significant progress made so far.

The committee has reviewed the finances to date along with the budget.  No problems were reported to the Advisory Board.  The committee is recruiting for more members.

The Dad’s Club is working on its second annual poker tournament on May 9th.  The Mom’s and Dad’s Club camping trip is scheduled for June 13-15. The Bosco planning is underway.

The PTO sponsored a summer activities fair during the March 4th K-4 Science Fair.  Katrina Zero is the speaker on March 24th.   The New Family Orientation is April 7th.  Family dinner night is April 30th at Chuck-E-Cheese.  May 1st is the family movie night.  The board was advised of the rising costs associated with the year-end school pool party and offered suggestions to the PTO to explore.

The Math Counts team won a trophy in their competition.  Spring sports continue.  The 7th graders and Mrs. Lynch are going to Arriba’s Mexican Restaurant this week for a Spanish lesson in ordering food. The Spanish Spelling Bee is this Thursday, March 26th.  The 5th graders are traveling to JABiztown on April 2nd to learn the art of running a city and local businesses using economic principles.  The 6th graders are planning a field trip to an aquarium at the end of April.  The school is receiving a donated ATV to use in dragging the infield for baseball.   For safety reasons, staff will be required to wear a helmet while riding the ATV.

Mr. Regalado is continuing his efforts to clean smart board projectors and install new light bulbs.  The committee is discussing upgrading the software and server.

The board spent time reviewing the final version of the board Constitution.  President Klee is working on the year-end school survey.

The April meeting is scheduled for Monday, Apr. 27th at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, Greg Hayes and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt, and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy Fletcher.

February 23, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs, at its Feb. 23rd meeting.  The highlights follow.

The board welcomes Greg Hayes as a new member of the board.  Greg has graciously offered to serve on the Technology Committee and lend his IT experience to the school.

Principal’s Report.  Principal Conner reported the administration is tracking 8^th grade high school placements.  Board members were encouraged to attend the Diocesan School board meeting at SJB on Feb. 24^th.  Coordination of an end-of-the-year survey is underway as part of the strategic plan.  Principal Conner reported the inventory has been completed by the teachers and Mr. Regalado on the use of technology in the curriculum for grades 6-7-8, based on last month’s board discussion with community input.  More information is to come to the board on identifying any gaps along with professional development for teachers. The board was provided a list of professional development programs in the area of technology that teachers have attended in the past two years. The board reviewed current enrollment figures and the latest figures on re-enrollment for next school year.

Pastor’s Report. Lenten season was fast approaching.  Fr. Gary reported on electrical work being done at the parish and the continued efforts by the Parish Council on a strategic plan.  He also reported on the recent layoffs at the Diocesan office.

Development.    The committee was continuing its efforts to identify and submit for grants, recruit more members to help with stewardship and endowments, plan for the Annual Giving and CTODP campaigns for next school year; and researching a 10 year anniversary celebration for 2010-2011, employer matching programs and hardship fund.

Facilities.   The Pre-K building project was on track for solicitation of bids, selection of contractor, and granting of building permits with the expectation to “move” dirt in April. The ball field lighting project was ongoing with resubmission of information to the City of Phoenix and a second bid from Qualite for financial purposes only.  The Piper grant projects (parking lot, roofing systems, etc.) would begin this summer.  The Eagle Scout projects by Matthew Rainey and Ryan Murphy were ongoing. A thank you will be sent to the Chicago White Sox organization for their assistance in getting the baseball field ready for play.

 

Financial.  The advisory board approved the Finance Committee’s recommendation to increase tuition for FY 09-10 by 2% for all students, Catholic and non-Catholic.  The tuition amount will be $4490 for Catholic and $6220 for non-Catholic students.  A separate e-mail notice would be sent to all families from Principal Conner.  The committee was in need of more members (contact Lynn Beck, if interested).

Mom’s and Dad’s Club. The next Mom’s Club event was the Bunco Social/Night of Chocolate on Tuesday, Feb. 24^th in the MPR.  The Dad’s Club was working on its second annual poker tournament on May 9^th.  The Bosco planning was underway.

PTO.  The PTO was sponsoring a summer activities fair during the March 4^th K-4 Science Fair, a speaker on March 24^th, family movie night on May 1^st and school pool party in late May (location to be determined). 

Faculty Report.  The 4^th grade is to continue the tradition of the overnight zoo trip in March.  Science Fair for K-4 is scheduled for March 4^th.  Power point presentations in class by 5^th graders are underway for Social Studies.  The 8^th graders are working on the SCAMP project (Story about a Cultural Artifact from a Mathematical Perspective) this month and then class presentations. The Spanish spelling bee is scheduled for March 26^th.  The 7^th graders are going to Arriba’s restaurant on March 25^th to use their Spanish speaking skills to order food.

Community Issues.  The board spent time amending the bylaws and reviewing the final version of the board Constitution.

The March meeting is scheduled for Monday, Mar. 23rd at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

January 26, 2009

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative, Development, Finance, and Facilities committees, plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs, at its January 26th meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report. The recent student alumni meeting revealed areas that SJB was doing well and where improvements were needed.  Overall, the students felt prepared for high school with students commenting, “You told us, but we didn’t believe you.”  The administration has been directed to take the feedback from the alumni and to incorporate the suggestions for future years.  We do plan on having the alumni return each year for a focus group type event.  Enrollment stands at 568.

Pastor’s Report. Plans were underway for the Lenten season and work was continuing on the parish’s strategic plan by the Parish Council.

Development. The Annual Giving campaign goal was met (goal - $54,000; received - $55,200).  CTODP funds totaled $275,800. Discussion occurred on the status of the magazine drive and was there a better way to raise funds.  The Advisory Board provided comments and directed the Development Committee to further explore the issue.  Updates were provided on pending grants.  The committee needed more volunteers.

Facilities.  The Diocese had given approval on the ball field and Pre-K construction projects.  The drawings for the Pre-K building were at the City of Phoenix for review. Once the drawings were finalized, bids to contractors could be initiated.  We hoped to “move dirt” around late March. The ball field lighting project was proceeding with a desire to have it started by late February. The Piper grant projects (parking lot and roofing systems) would begin in the summer.  A big thank you is extended to AZ Treeworks (Marchello Family) for completing all tree pruning on campus.

Financial.  The Board discussed a preliminary budget for FY 09-10 including tuition for the next year.  More information to come.

Mom’s and Dad’s Club. Preliminary results were given on the Winter Wonderland event by the Mom’s Club.  The Dad’s Club sponsored Trivia Night was a huge success.  Plans were underway for the Feb. 20th 2nd annual Father-Daughter Dance and for the Bosco, April 25th.

PTO.  Nan Marchello was now President for the remaining school year, Stacey Lykins was serving as Treasurer (2 yr. commitment) and a volunteer was needed to serve as Vice President.

Faculty Report.  The schedule for National Catholic Schools Week was highlighted including the first annual Activities Day hosted by the Student Council.  The sports program was in need of a 5th grade baseball coach.  The Student Council was reviewing the proposed awards rubric for input.  For future Open Houses, the teachers preferred to be in their classrooms to highlight curriculum and use of Smart Boards.

Community Issues:  Parent input was presented regarding the adequacy of our math challenges to advanced upper grade students as well as concerns over the use and teaching of technology in the classroom.  Discussion ensued regarding the positive impact of our Accelerated Math Program, ITBS scores and use of an individual approach with teachers to create and promote academic advancement and challenges. It was agreed that students should be encouraged by teachers to use the Accelerated Math and to encourage alternate use of study time toward that end.  Principal Conner will re-evaluate the goals and objectives of the current Technology Committee in light of the Board discussion and present a course of action for improvement at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.          

The February meeting is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 23rd at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy Fletcher.

No December Meeting

November 24, 2008

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, and Facilities committees; plus updates from the Moms' and Dads' Clubs at its Nov. 24th meeting.  The highlights follow.
Principal’s Report. The school was still waiting to hear from the construction firm on figures for the building addition before decisions could be made to proceed.  The Accelerated Reading program was now online. The administration intended to communicate to parents on how the program would now operate and how important it was for parental oversight of age appropriate reading.  Ms. Kim Silver had agreed to serve as a permanent sub for the school.  Principal Conner reported on the accreditation visits that she and others at SJB were completing and the type of information gathered to assist us when our accreditation time came.  Enrollment was at 569.

Pastor’s Report. St. Benedict’s parish had received a draft of the internal review performed by the Diocese.  Only minor things needed correction. Fr. Gary provided a timeline to complete the review and corrections.  Biblical scholar Kevin Saunders was conducting an Advent Mission on Dec. 5th -6th – all were welcome –bring a Bible.  Fr. Gary provided a schedule of Reconciliation services at various parishes in the area for the upcoming Advent/Christmas season.  The Parish Council was continuing to work on strategic planning.

Development. Speakers were set for the various parishes to discuss CTODP, now a focus of the Development Committee. The Committee was continuing its efforts to identify Foundations that support Catholic schools.

Facilities.  The school must start by May on the ball field improvements based on the permit timeline by the City of Phoenix.
Financial.  There were no surprises on the financial reports. Discussion occurred on the allocation of available funds for the ball field improvements and kindergarten wing.

Moms' and Dads' Club. Moms' Club is feverishly planning the Dec. 6th Winter Wonderland event at the school.  Dads' Club is sponsoring Turkey Bowl (flag football) on Friday, Nov. 28th.
Faculty Report.  Several classroom projects and events were highlighted including the 7th and 8th grades’ assembly on cyberbullying, the Winter Showcase and Christmas programs by the Music department, and the class wish lists were now on the website (start on the home page).  The faculty was also asking for a computer lab teacher to assist with computer instruction.  The Board reviewed a draft rubric on student awards for future implementation.
Community Issues.  The Board discussed the recording of volunteer hours for chairpersons of major SJB events or committees, to provide incentives to volunteer, asked members to contact Dorothy Abril if they noticed out-of-date items on the SJB website, recommended to the PTO to establish a policy for student alumni to volunteer for the Harvest Fest and receive free admission, and assist the administration with a policy and procedure handbook.
The Board made further changes to the first half of the bylaws and approved the revised Constitution.

The next meeting would be set via e-mail and would only discuss the building project and updates on strategic planning.  The January  meeting is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 26th at 5:30 pm. Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.
SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Members Linda Korwald and Amy FletcherOctober 27, 2008 

 

The Board received reports from the Principal, Pastor and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, Technology, Facilities and Communications Committees; plus updates from the Moms’ and Dads’ Clubs, PTO, and on the strategic plan at its Oct. 27th meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report. The school enrollment stood at 570 with the budget based on 580. The board reviewed the timeline for the building addition.

Pastor’s Report. St. Benedict’s was in the midst of a financial/internal review that the diocese performs for every parish.  The parish fall festival was scheduled for Nov. 14-16, 2008.

Facilities. Stu Rayburn was thanked for his efforts in site plan development.  The committee was waiting for feedback from the City of Phoenix on the ball field project.  The board was apprised of the two Eagle Scout projects – garden relocation and south baseball field improvements.  The Kindergarten canopy had been repaired.  Tree pruning was ongoing.

Financial.  Scrip revenue was down for the year; possible reasons attributable to timing when the reports were generated and the economy.  The Committee was looking at growing endowment fund options and other fund options.

PTO. Everyone congratulated the Harvest Fest Planning Committee for a job well done including Ringmaster Eamonn Ahearne.  Financial figures weren’t available for the board meeting but 665 children attended the event (the attendance seemed larger this year than last year).  The PTO was searching for a volunteer to serve as Treasurer for the remainder of the school year.

Development.  Speakers were set for the various parishes to discuss CTODP.  The Annual Giving campaign had reached 1/3 of the goal; announcements in the Bite and teacher newsletters.  The committee needed more volunteers.

Mom’s and Dad’s Club. The Moms’ Club had held elections.  The next social meeting was November 11th at The Cork Wine Bar –The Promenade at Fulton Ranch at 6:30 pm. The next Dads’ Club event was Poker Night on November 14th.

Faculty Report.  Several classroom projects and events were highlighted including the United Nations potluck lunch, saint reports, Nov. 4th voting, cultural fair, community service, and grossest food contest.

Community Issues.  Plans were underway to survey recent graduates and parents at an upcoming social event around the first part of January, to find out how well the students were prepared for high school and to receive input for improving SJB.

The discussion/action on the revisions to the Board’s Constitution and bylaws were tabled till the next meeting.

The next meeting was set for Monday, November 24th at 5:30 pm.  Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative Scott Brandt and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Member Linda Korwald or Amy Fletcher.

September 22, 2008

The Board received reports from the Principal and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, Technology, Facilities and Communications Committees; plus updates from the Mom’s and Dad’s Clubs, PTO, and on the strategic plan at its Sept. 22nd meeting.  The highlights follow.

Principal’s Report. The Board spent time discussing the awards ceremony and the amount of awards given to students each semester because Principal Conner had received mostly negative feedback from the community.  A special task force was formed consisting of Chris Klee, Lynn Beck, Scott Brandt and Principal Conner to review the award process.  The Board received an update on the engineering plans and drawings for the proposed campus expansion (4200 square feet of classroom space near the Kindergarten wing) as a contract had been signed with ADM.  Before a decision to build could be made, the Board needed to know costs.  Positive feedback received on the Partners' Dinner held last week.

Diocesan School Board Leadership Meeting. The Board received valuable information from those who attended the meeting on board recruitment, board self-evaluation, and posting of committee reports for the community to see on the website using a common report template.

Facilities. One site plan was being developed for the City of Phoenix that included ball fields, lighting, and parking lot.  The administration was waiting on estimates to replace the Kindergarten Canopy that was recently damaged by a monsoon storm.  No major loss of trees from this summer’s storms but pruning continued by an outside firm.

PTO. Harvest Fest planning was going smoothly.  The Oct. 25th school-wide event would start one hour early this year, 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  Eliminated the chili cook-off, petting zoo and DJ but added pumpkin walk and selling T-shirts of the winning artwork.  The Air Band and Costume Contests would return along with the Dunk Tank (get those throwing arms ready).   Classrooms were expected to decorate doors for the event but not for competition.

Faculty Report.  Besides classroom activities, Mr. Brandt informed the board of the various class wish lists.  The administration would post links to the various wish lists on the website.

Community Issues.  Discussion occurred on the mentor program for new families, continuing education on how to keep families informed, and bulletin boards outside each classroom.

The next meeting is set for Monday, October 27th at 5:30 pm.  Please contact President Chris Klee 10 days before the meeting to request an item be placed on the agenda.

***

August 25, 2008

Chairing this year’s SJB Advisory Board is Chris Klee.  She opened the meeting by offering five areas that she wanted the board to accomplish this year:

 

The Board received reports from the Principal and Faculty Representative; Development, Finance, Technology, Facilities and Communications Committees; plus updates from the Moms’ and Dads’ Clubs and on the strategic plan. 

It is the desire of the Board to begin communicating in more detail to the SJB community this fall on the ball field lighting and parking lot renovations, and Pre-K building and campus expansion.  On the procedure side, the Board will be posting the meeting agenda and minutes on the website a week prior to the meeting for the community to see.  Lastly, the Board has directed the Communications Committee to develop a Community Bulletin Board on the website.  The call for more volunteers to serve on committees will be posted in a future Bite.

SJB Advisory Board Members:  Chris Klee, President; Lynn Beck, Vice President; Kathy Boyle, Secretary; Eamonn Ahearne, Joyce Petrowski, Bruce Lincoln, Bill Mager,  Mike Rafford, and Lynn Grennan.  Ex-officio Members: Father Gary Regula, Principal Shelley Conner, Faculty Representative, Scott Brandt and St. Benedict’s Parish Council Member Linda Korwald.

St John Bosco Interparish School
16035 S. 48th St., Phoenix, AZ 85048
480-219-4848

Copyright © 2006-2009 St. John Bosco Interparish School