Minutes for Meeting of 26 April 1999

Present: Flavio Lopes (FL), Eliana Bentes (EB), Betty Mendlowicz (BM), Lucia Damazio (LD), Merche Clark (MC), Ralph Jennings (RJ), Fabiola Dávila (FD), Flavia Correa (FC), Karla Taylor (KT), Cynthia Fraga (CF), Beatriz Sena (BS), Angela Saraiva (AS), Erotildes Machado (EM), Regina Ribeiro (RR), Regina Helena Camargo (RC), Lucien Cohen (LC)

Apologies: Yanira Nasser (YN), Danielle Laterman (DL), Gilbert Huber (GH), Maura Xerfan (MX), Simon Clayton (SC)

Circulation: Paul Wiseman

Note: LD introduced Lucien Cohen (LC) as Company Liaison Officer following MX standing down due to work commitments.

1) FOUNDER's DAY FETE / FUND RAISING

• LD reported that donations for the FDF raffle included 1 holiday for Paiol Grande, 1 carpet from Najad. LC was requested to confirm the British Airways ticket asap so that raffle tickets could be printed.
• BS agreed to forward to the Communications Team a list of activities and donations required by Friday 30 April. J1 and J2 will probably have an Old Toys stall. Old books would be requested since many left over books are not good products.
• LD will ask for 1,000 hot dogs from the Hot Dog donator.
• LD reported that Italia are interested in coming to the FDF. She will inform them that the PTA will retain 20% of takings. A request that ice-lollies should be very keenly priced so that pupils can continue their mammoth consumption of picoles at reasonable prices.
• Discussions regarding entertainments for the FDF concluded in the following
  • No magician
  • RC will negotiate with Entrepe da Troupe (?) and the Tap Dance Duo entertainment up to R$600. FL suggested we should ask the Troupe their best possibilities.
• AS reported that Senior 10 and 11 would like to offer Face Painting and Crazy Pictures at the FDF. The PTA would reimburse materials.
• Rather than pay R$1400 for "recreadores" it was agreed only to hire toys. There will be no parking inside school grounds. RJ will talk to the church to confirm their requirements on that day. The PTA will have 1 car slot for the ice-run and the cash get-away. AS will investigate the possibilities of special parking arrangements at the Voluntarios da Patria Church car park used by some teachers.
• Everyone was requested to collect Kibon ice-cream tubs, which are great bead collectors.
• The Communication Team proposed a special FDF edition giving map and programme for the FDF. This was well supported.
• The 75 year Logo competition was won by Rafael Viera, Class 11. BM sent this to YN for scanning. YN is requested to forward to KT to include in the next Newsletter.
• LD presented costs for producing 75 year T-shirts, 4-8 years R$2.50; 10-14 years R$3,00; Adult R$3,70. (Prices based on a minimum order of 200 per age group). It was agreed that the PTA would under-right the production costs. All T-shirts would be sold at R$10 each.
• LD reported on the cost of Brindes with School Emblems: fridge magnets 500 min @ 26cts each - Agreed; Rulers - agreed; Caps 200 min R$3,50 each - Agreed (sale price R$10); mouse pads 200 min R$3,50 each - Agreed (sale price R$8); Car / Window stickers - Agreed at less than 50 cts.
• BM reported that the Senior Primary Book Bazaar had been a great success and that the Lower Primary would repeat the event.

2) PTA Assistant

• MC reported MX had a candidate and that Claudia Ribeiro also had some candidates for the position. It was agreed that Claudia Ribeiro would interview candidates and propose one suitable. It was agreed that, if possible, the School should be the contractual party with the PTA covering the costs to the School.

3) Breakfast Meetings

• EB reported that the first Breakfast Meeting had been very successful so much so that the room was too small leaving parents standing in the corridor. She made a plea that RJ investigate the possibilities of using the Hall one a month on Thursday morning once a month (perhaps the class could use the WDA room for that period).
• FL suggested that an annual series of discussions should be established to assist new parents understand various aspects of the school arising from the experience of the Breakfast Meetings from the last few years.

4) CLASS REPS

• CF reported that the Communications Team was working to re-establish the Class Reps system. She proposal was for one rep per class and one rep per year group. This would then enable telephone trees to respond quickly to any requirements. This was supported.
• MC reported that a meeting she had attended with Short-Term Expats had requested such a system for helping the integration of new families.
• RJ would formally ask Paul Wiseman to re-visit the School's position regarding divulging parental telephone numbers, on a voluntary basis, to the PTA. LC commented that much of the School policy on this issue dated from a time of high profile kidnappings and that perhaps times had changed.
• CF reported that she was working on developing the PTA Homepage. The idea of a voluntary commercial directory was also discussed and perhaps the PTA Homepage would be the place to maintain such a directory.

5) PTA HOLIDAYS

• FD reported on the offers she had received from a number of agencies which would give the School discounts on packages booked as well as donate commissions and weekend package to the Fundraising effort.
• Given the School and PTA position regarding advertising or favouring commercial enterprises, it was agreed that the PTA could support a purpose-made package for the school. Disney for the October break received support, as well as a Hotel Fazenda option.

6) Next meeting: Monday 10 May 1999 19.00

Agenda Items: Sub-committee reports, Fund Raising, Founder's Day Fete, AOB