Wells Elementary PTA – Board Meeting Minutes 

December 3rd, 2021 

The board meeting of the Wells Elementary PTA was called to order on December 3rd, 2021 at 8:01 am via zoom by president, Annamarie Saavedra, with secretary, Joanne Carrasco, being present. A quorum  was not established. 

The minutes of the previous board meeting from November 12, 2021 were presented but not approved. The treasurer’s report showed:  

Annamarie Saavedra informed the board that she has heard back from the the bank regarding  the fraud investigation. She has to provide a notarized statement that she did not write the  check along with the comptroller stub which is what the original check was issued for.  Annamarie Saavedra is also going to get Natalie Drake to draft a statement that she was the 2nd  signatory on the check that was meant for the comptroller and not the person that stole the  check, the statement will be notarized as well. Annamarie Saavedra has put in a request to get  an IRS Determination letter or to see if the Texas PTA will allow Wells PTA to fall under theirs.  This notification should take about 1 week and once this is received we can open a new bank  account. This is the final piece before a new account can be opened. Once Annamarie Saavedra  provides all the documentation they requested the bank will release the full amount or part of  the amount from the funds that were stolen while they continue the investigation.  

No treasurer report was presented.  

There were a few correspondences to share with the membership. These were thank you notes for  spooky spuds lunch and from the specialist team thanking the PTA for snacks. 

President’s Report was presented by Annamarie Saavedra. In the spring semester, recruiting to find  replacements for PTA positions will begin for the next academic calendar year. Once we return from  winter break if you have reached your term limit please keep people in mind that you might feel would  be interested. Annamarie Saavedra and Keith Williams will meet and put a plan together however Keith  Williams will have to take the lead on it as a neutral party.  

Programs Report was presented by Annamarie Saavedra. An eye glass drive is underway that is being  led by the student council. The information for the event is in this weeks newsletter. The upcoming  spring programs coming up is a camp out in the spring, carnival and field day.  

Communications Report was presented by Paige Reagan and Elizabeth Conrad. Paige Reagan is working  on getting 5th grade shirts approved. Once approved Paige Reagan will work with Annamarie Saavedra  to get it on the PTA website. Ms. Surowic has asked to wait on placing the order for 5th grade shirts until  everyone returns from winter break because there will be new students joining.  

Volunteers Report was presented by Annamarie Saavedra. We have been given the OK to host winter  parties. They will take place on Thursday December 16, grades K-4 will be at 12:30-1:30. Grades 1, 3, 5  will be at 1:30-2:30. There will be planned activities and snacks for each class. The GLC’s are working 

with team leads on plans for the winter parties. The team leaders are bringing ideas to the table and will  be getting their final plans to Sara Meyer by December 6. Annamarie Saavedra will let the GLCs know  that December 6 is the last day. This will allow for time to purchase supplies for activities. There will be  3 main things the students do: snack, small group/individual activity, craft activity, large group activity  such as bingo. Volunteer parents are allowed in. 3 volunteers per class per 45 minute sign up. There  will be a volunteer sign up genius for parents to sign up. GLC’s are allowed to stay for the entire party  time. Badges will be pre printed for a faster check in at the front. If a GLC is not able to be there another  parent can sub in for that GLC. Amy Carter has been doing a great job with hospitality. For December  the staff is being treated with their favorite snacks.  

Ways and means Report was presented by Annamarie Saavedra. Thank you to the parents that  purchased Sole(Sweats or Leave Early) passes. More than 100 passes were distributed and around $700- $800 was raised. These passes are redeemed by teachers. The book fair chairs: Callie McDougall and  Carla Hackaday did a great job with the book fair. They had a phenomenal response to the book fair.  More than $5,000.00 was deposited in the bank account from the cash sales, there were also electronic  funds from credit card sales and that number is still being finalized from scholastic. It was a very  successful book fair! The PTA took some of the money raised and made sure that kids that aren’t able to  purchase a book had the opportunity to purchase a book from the fair. A feature Friday will go out with  the book fair chairs picture as a thank you for their wonderful help.  

Wells Administrative Staff Report was presented by Principal Sara Meyer. She expressed gratitude for  the partnership with the PTA for the book fair. It was exciting to see the kids excitement. We appreciate  that the Librarian: Angelia was able to help with one final book fair. Sara Meyer thanked the PTA for the  Sole passes that were sold. The teachers were excited to received them. With the retirement of Marie  the CTA a replacement is underway for her position. Her name is Meg Miller, she is a former teacher and  former Wells parent. She will start January 4th. The new librarian Bethany Watts will start January 4th.  She has been a prior librarian at an elementary school. She is a Plano resident and has students at the  elementary and middle school level. The 2 staff members retiring will be celebrated in a way they would  like at the staff luncheon on December 17th. Mid year MAP testing will begin the week of December  13th. With the upcoming winter parties Sara Meyer expressed appreciation for the volunteers that will  be helping. Friday December 17 is an early release day. On December 16 and 17 Some schedules might  shift but there will still be specials on this day, lunch and recess. Due to winter party schedules and early  release on Friday day there is no parent lunch opportunity for these days.  

Questions, comments, new business: If there are any volunteers on campus, the background checks  need to be completed. Ms. Clardy thanked the PTA for the snacks, pies and the wonderful book fair.  This makes things feel a bit more normal. Wednesday December 8th is the next staff meeting, the PTA  will donate snacks for the staff meeting. For the next semester there will be volunteer sign up to donate  snacks. There has been a request for the PTA to help support with Wells Reads One Book. There is  $1800 budgeted to purchase books. If the bank issue can be resolved before the books need to be  ordered, the PTA could donate more funds toward the purchase of books as long as the board members  are ok with covering the entire purchase. This would take place during the mid spring semester, late  February - March time frame. In the past $3750 is what was used towards this event. In mid to end of  January this will be looked more into. Should the membership approve to increase the budget for this  event we have the funds. 

Announcements: 

Important Dates: 

Board Meeting Dates: 

• Friday, January 14th at 8:00am 
• Friday, February 11th at 8:00am 
• Friday, March 18th at 8:00am 
• Friday, April 8th at 8:00am 
• Friday, May 6th at 8:00am 

General Meeting Dates: 

• Thursday, December 9th at 8:00am 
• Wednesday, March 30th at 8:00am 
• Thursday, April 28th at 4:00pm 
• Wednesday, May 18th at 8:00am 

Meeting adjourned at 8:52am.