30 Oct 2007 - Minutes of Committee Meeting
St.James Cottage
Minutes of the Committee Meeting
Tuesday 30th October 2007
At the Cottage Commenced 8.00pm
Present: Sharren Jakobsen - Chairperson
Steve Wyatt - Treasurer
Michelle Jolly - Secretary 1
Emma Craigmile - Secretary 2
Carol Cross - Afternoon Team Leader
Nicky Healey - Staff
Lisa Andrews - Committee Member
Kim Dix - Committee Member
Carol Potter - Team Leader
Chris Moss-Wilcox - Committee Member
Pat Froud - Administrator
Carla Frend - Visitor
In Attendance Jill Maidment - Reception Class Teacher
Apologies
Leanne Bradford - Committee Member
Mel Coombes - PFA Liaison
1 Confirm minutes of the meeting held on 3rd October 2007.
Minutes of the last meeting were agreed and confirmed.
2 Matters Arising
Sharren thanked all the staff for rallying round whilst Sue Lambert is away.
Michelle Jolly confirmed she is happy to continue as Secretary with Emma Craigmile.
Lisa Andrews reported back on her findings regarding Retainer fees – 1 Pre-school charges £15 per child or £15-£30 for twins 18mth – 2yr old & this is deducted from the bill when they take up their place. Other playgroups agreed they have a problem with parents reserving places and then failing to take them up. Still a couple of playgroups to contact so it was decided to wait to make a decision.
Tea towels should be ready for next week.
Play area grant from Local Network Fund - £850 spent. Plans for a Playhouse and possibly a Trampoline but will be some money left – ideas required. Money must be spent by mid-January. Work on the soft play area will start on 12th November for 2 weeks.
Holiday Club fees £803 – Wages £735, Football £20 Travel costs £56
3 Finances
Bank Balance end of Oct 2007 £4258.00
Deposit a/c £8542.00
Play Area £12038.00 – Purchased: Sandpit £577 Fees £450 Play surface £5926
Invoice payments by Internet – need envelopes to be returned. Letter being sent with invoices to be amended to remind parents of this and also of Late Payment charges.
4 Questionnaire
Positive feedback was received from Parents, just a few items of information they need to be made aware where to find. Communicating with staff at drop off/pick up time and on telephone sometimes difficult. Parents not aware who their child’s keyworker is and require more explanation of development files – may need to consider a Parents evening.
5 Christmas Cards
Work on these is underway and should be complete by Friday. Proofs will be available to view at Christmas Fayre and orders will be taken there.
6 Christmas Fayre 24th November 2pm – 4pm
The Cottage is to organise Santa’s Grotto. A request for decorations, lights and old white sheets (named) was made by Sharren to be brought in by 17th November. A rota for helpers was circulated amongst the Committee and a request for more helpers will be made on the Newsletter. Other stalls to be run by the Cottage – scratch card tree decorations, decorated pine cones, decorated biscuits and lucky dip (prizes from last year). 15% profit from this event will be given to the Cottage. Sharren has arranged a Father Christmas for the Xmas Fayre and Party. PFA are buying presents for Father Christmas but may need somebody to go along from Nursery – Nicky volunteered. The Cottage Committee will need to organise wrapping of gifts. Sharren suggested setting up the grotto on Friday afternoon.
7 Nativity, Friday 7th December at Holtwood Hall
Parents to drop children off at 9.00 and they are then invited to come along and watch the performance at 10.30. This will be followed by coffee with mince pies (Emma, Sharren & Mrs Piercy offered to serve) and a raffle – Kim and Michelle offered to organise. A request was made for the Committee to provide mince pies.
8 Christmas Party, Friday 21st December at Holtwood Hall
Parents to drop children off at 10.00. Kim will book Oakey Dokey & Merlin for the entertainment from 10.15 to 11.00. Lunch to be hotdogs, ice cream and choice of diluted apple juice, water or milk. Nicky will buy the food, Sharren and Steve will serve it. Parents to return at 12.00 for Father Christmas visit. Presents - It was decided to use teddy bear bags and maybe put a bag of chocolate drops inside for Nursery children and soft toys from last years grotto for Caterpillar children. Committee members to bring in nibbles for adults.
10 Marketing
It was decided to promote the setting by supplying an article to the Community Magazine about Father Christmas arriving on the new play surface in the near future and following this up with an article in the Echo in the spring using road safety as a theme. Mr Parnell (parent) to be approached about helping place the Echo article as he is Deputy Editor.
It was agreed to continue with another years advertisements in the Village Voices magazine.
11 Shopping on the Website
Steve agreed to provide stickers to put on the front of ELC catalogues promoting the site and these could then be distributed to parents. A sheet of paper could also be put inside giving information about other stores available on the site. The online shopping website is offering prizes to those sites spending most money between 1st November and 31st January.
12 Confidentiality & Committee Details
Emma agreed to update the contact details for members of the Committee and then forward to Pat. All Committee members read and signed the Confidentiality Policy.
13 Any Other Business
Sharren brought in a “With Sympathy” card for Committee members to sign and suggested sending flowers to Sue Lambert and a donation.
A Finance Meeting was organised for Tuesday 6th November and Sue is to be asked what her future plans are so that staffing arrangements can be made.
It was agreed to replace the broken computer with a rebuilt model.
Sharren to ask John Coombes for carpet tile samples for the children to sit on.
It was agreed to hold an Open evening after the February half term when parents have seen their child’s Development file.
14 Date of Next Meeting
Wednesday 16th January at 8.00 pm.