July 2026 BOARD Meeting
Tavelli PTO Board Meeting Minutes
Date: July 13, 2026
Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM MDT
Location: Penrose
Attendees: Melissa Adams, Heather Reider, Kate Walker, Monica Smith, Elizabeth Westmoreland, Ben Irwin (notetaker)
Call to Order & Approvals
Call to Order: Melissa called the meeting to order at 3:07 PM.
Minutes Approval: Ben moved to approve the minutes from the previous board meeting. Motion carried and approved.
Facility & Renovation Updates
Media Center Renovation
Purchasing is on track for all planned items with the exception of the main circulation desk, which Mr. Deakin said is not needed.
Action Item: Melissa will connect with Linda next week for a timeline update on these purchases once Linda returns.
Staff Lounge Refresh ("Tiger Den")
Budget Status: Currently $3,000 has been spent out of the total $10,000 budget.
Current Progress: The refrigerator is officially in the lounge. The cabinet and drawer fronts have been successfully resurfaced with white vinyl and are scheduled to be reinstalled this week. The new coffee bar has arrived but requires assembly.
Action Item: Ben volunteered to pick up and assemble the coffee bar. - Complete
Upcoming Facility Work: PSD is scheduled to paint the lounge in early August (cost currently unknown). Permanent items, bulletin boards, and union information will be removed from the lounge walls and relocated to the conference room.
Next Purchases & Design Touches: The board discussed stocking and design needs, including beverage incentives (syrups, water features), floating shelving, lighting (lamps, under-cabinet puck lights), decor, plants, waste/recycling baskets, small appliances (microwaves, air fryer, tea kettle), and potentially a new dishwasher once the coffee bar and cabinets are set.
Action Item: All board members to add specific appliance and decor ideas to the shared Google Document.
Action Item: The board needs to determine a location for the dedicated PTO bulletin board.
Action Item: The board will plan a lounge refresh party and give more thought to managing expectations around beverage restocking.
2026-27 Budget & Financial Strategy
Revenue & Strategic Shifts
Corporate Sponsorships: The strategic push toward more investment in events and corporate sponsorship model slightly increased upfront costs but has already realized a significant increase in revenue.
King Soopers Cards: The board agreed to push this community rewards stream more heavily moving forward.
Action Item: Marketing Committee to develop targeted communications to increase community participation in the King Soopers program.
Fence proposal update: approved by district; planning meeting in early August.
Grade-Level Allocations & Field Trips
Buying Power Adjustment: To match inflation and maintain buying power, the board is looking at increasing individual grade-level budget totals to roughly $800. These totals will be earmarked ahead of time, with a formal mid-year review to assess spending.
Action Item: Monica to check with Linda regarding whether any carryover exists from grade-level funds.
Field Trip Policy: The board identified a critical need for a more structured process for funding field trips rather than relying on ad-hoc approvals (such as the recent $2,800 CMAS request). The goal is to articulate key budget details, values, and changes transparently.
Communication with Administration: Melissa, Elizabeth, Monica will collaborate on a message to Linda that clearly communicates the PTO's immense value and desire to say "yes" to requests, while explicitly outlining our financial constraints and the decision-making framework used for funding. A separate message will outline the benefit and approach for the teaching staff.
Financial Software & Administration
QuickBooks Transition: Monica is actively exploring a transition to QuickBooks following a consultation with Ben Walker in late June. While QuickBooks provides the regular P&L statements and financial transparency the board requires, it lacks some desired free functionality and carries a steep learning curve.
AI: Treasurers to update processes and systems as needed to provide the regular P&L reporting and easier-to-read budget sheets
The board is exploring a switch to Canvas as a local credit union
The PTO P.O. Box is established in Wellington at a cost of $90/year.
Organizational Growth & New Member Kit
Ben is leading the development of the New Member Welcome Kit to streamline onboarding.
Kit Elements: The kit will outline volunteer expectations, include a draft plan of the year's big events, list current committees, and identify the specific board lead assigned to each key budget/committee area.
Action Item: Ben to update the kit framework and share it with the board.
Calendar of Events & Pre-School Prep (Aug – Nov)
The board mapped out early-season milestones and community touchpoints:
Staff Return (Aug 7): Plan to host a grand re-opening celebration for the staff lounge once completion timelines align.
School Supply Drop-Off: The PTO will host a table with new spirit gear/merchandise on both Tuesday and Thursday of drop-off week. PTO volunteers will also assist in sorting the school supply kits by classroom.
Action Item: Melissa to email Emily to confirm final dates and details.
Boohoo Kindergarten Breakfast (Friday, Aug 21): Scheduled for the first day of Kindergarten.
Action Item: Melissa to confirm logistics and determine what informational materials the PTO will distribute to new families.
Back to School Night & Movie Night: Dates to be finalized (noting Movie Night occurred in September last year).
Fall Milestones: Coordination is underway for the Canvas Community Classic. The Fall Book Fair has been requested for the first week of November under the direction of a new contact person. The board will evaluate timing for the year's first Dining Night fundraiser.
Action Item: Ben to build a centralized online calendar. The board will reshare the finalized event list with the community once dates are locked.
Action Item: Board and Marketing Committee to work on prep for several communications toolkits for the start of the year, including a formal letter to staff/teachers, a welcome letter to families, the first seasonal newsletter, a calendar of events, and a showcase of new merch.
Monthly Meeting Structure Adjustments
Schedule: General PTO meetings will take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8:30 AM, beginning September 2.
Agenda Updates: The first meeting will feature an open house/school tour element.
Ongoing meetings will conduct core business first, a dedicated 5-to-10 minute administration update later in the agenda.
Sub-Committees & Breakouts: To maximize productivity and encourage new members to get involved right away, the final block of time at the end of monthly meetings will be reserved for breakout group discussions, brainstorming sessions, and sub-committee project work.
Action Items Summary
Facility & Renovation Updates
Media Center Purchase Timeline: Melissa will connect with Linda next week for a timeline update on Media Center purchases once Linda returns.
Lounge Coffee Bar: Ben volunteered to pick up and assemble the coffee bar. (Status: Complete)
Lounge Design Input: All board members need to add specific appliance and decor ideas to the shared Google Document.
PTO Bulletin Board: The board needs to determine a new permanent location for the dedicated PTO bulletin board.
Lounge Celebration & Operations: The board will plan a staff lounge refresh party and outline a plan for managing teacher expectations around beverage restocking.
2026-27 Budget & Financial Strategy
King Soopers Rewards: The Marketing Committee will develop targeted communications to increase community participation in the King Soopers program.
Grade-Level Carryover: Monica will check with Linda to determine if any carryover exists from previous grade-level funds.
Financial Reporting Upgrades: The Treasurers will update processes and systems as needed to provide regular P&L reporting and easier-to-read budget sheets.
Organizational Growth & New Member Kit
Welcome Kit Framework: Ben will update the New Member Welcome Kit framework and share it with the board for review.
Calendar of Events & Pre-School Prep (Aug – Nov)
School Supply Drop-Off: Melissa will email Emily to confirm final dates and details for the PTO table, merchandise sales, and classroom kit sorting.
Boohoo Kindergarten Breakfast: Melissa will confirm logistics for the August 21 event and determine what informational materials the PTO will distribute to new families.
Master Calendar: Ben will build a centralized online calendar to host the event list once dates are officially locked.
Back-to-School Communications: The Board and Marketing Committee will collaborate on prep for several start-of-year toolkits, including a formal letter to staff/teachers, a welcome letter to families, the first seasonal newsletter, a calendar of events, and a showcase of new merchandise.