Booster Meetings
Use the link below to see our Google Calendar listing all performances, concerts, Booster meetings, and Booster-
Booster Meeting Oct 1
Attendees: Gincie Sparks, Allysa Martin, Audrey Johnson, Anne Marie Trammell, Alinda Kelley, Tiffany Robinson, Laurie Haulenbeek, Annika Pfaender, Howard Stimpson, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. Mitchell.
Mr. Stimpson came and provided some context around funding for building improvements, how funds are allocated, the difficulties hiring and keeping maintenance staff.
Boosters can advocate in the community (PG and beyond) for voting YES for the 0.25% (one quarter of a cent) cent sales tax increase that will be on the ballot in November.
GCS and the county commissioners have enacted a Resolution that the funds generated by this increase will go to GCS to increase teacher pay and pay for classified staff (frontline workers like bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and most revelent to building improvements: maintenance workers).
The sales tax EXCLUES prescription medication, gasoline, and purchases at grocery stores. Current rate would move the combined (state and local) tax from $6.75 on a $100 purchase; new rate would be $7.00 on a $100 purchase.
ACTION: Annika will use the toolkit provided by GCS to prepare half-page flyers that we can distribute at carline, hand out to friends, neighbors, colleagues, share on social media. It has to come from the Boosters or individual parents; the school and its representatives cannot advocate for anything political. Stimpson will approve the document before we print.
LINKS to more info: from Guilford County Government or Guilford County Schools
Don’t stop sending emails to Board of Education members. It can make a difference. There are ongoing problems. Everyone does their best to address needs as they arise, but some issues take priority over others. There are 128 schools and a large number of vacancies in the maintenance department.
ACTION: When there are leaks, broken things, problems in the building that the interferes with the students ability to learn, work, be safe, create art together on the PG campus, have them write down the impact, take pictures or video, provide some details to you as a parent. Perhaps if we can compile all this evidence it might have a different impact with the District.
Make a concerted effort to invite Board of Education, County Commissioners, HP City Council, Superintendent, HP Mayor to Penn-Griffin events. Let them see the work that our students do, experience the community here, see some positivies, witness the building for themselves, and then hit them with the complaints and asks.
Definitely invite them to February 11th event, perhaps also holiday concerts. Definitely the spring concert season.
Consider having students write personal notes on these invitations.
Consider a few template invitations that students could hand-write greetings and salutations on.
ACTION: Does someone want to take on drafting some language or templates for these invitations?
Despite the historical status of the Auditorium itself, we are allowed to do INTERIOR work like painting as long as the colors match what’s there currently. A lot of what’s on the walls is plaster—which adds a complicating factor to repairs.
If the Boosters are writing the checks, we don’t have to go through a bidding process or used GCS-approved vendors. Any equipment we purchase would become property of the school and PG would be responsible for maintenance and repairs.
ACTION: Propose an Auditorium Clean Up day in January. Invite recent alums that might still be in town for the holidays. Paint the audience-facing paneling on the apron of the stage (GCS can provide paint if we provide the labor). Help purge, sort, organize backstage, clean, etc.
ACTION: Alinda Kelley has a contractor connection who will likely donate his time to come look at the interior and make recommendations/suggestions.
ACTION: Explore local resources for sound system expertise. We know Imagine is local; are there any other companies? Schedule a walk through/consultation to determine possibilities.
ACTION: Confirm that the speakers hanging from the ceiling near the front of the stage no longer work and see if we can get the broken, sketchy looking thing removed.
Continue candy sales for Addams Family and sell themed stickers/decals.
Buy candy now while it’s on sale for Halloween; we probably sold 4 bags worth of the Costco-sized candy assortments during Willy Wonka.
Allysa Martin will check with her husband about what format is needed for the graphics/images and find some possible images. Can print them for free and we’ll sell for a price to be determined.
Alinda Kelly will get her nursing home residents to stuff nitrile gloves with candy that we can sell for a higher price.
SGA will be discussing concession sales soon; my suggestion is that they sell water, soda and salty snacks since we’ll be selling candy.
Review Prop needs for Addams Family; maybe have some leads on a few things.
Penn Griffin Presents… Event Proposal
Large scale fundraiser, potentially next fall or holiday season because it will take a lot of groundwork and recruiting and planning to do this successfully. Potential for it to start smaller and grow each year.
Oversight and production help would need to be provided to ensure high quality peformances that show off the best of PGSA.
ACTION: Discuss the idea with the Arts teachers to get their feedback on the feasibility of this sort of community effort and their capacity for involvement.
Performance opportunities for students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, families:
Instrumental performances by groups of students and parents
Choral or musical number by groups of parents and students
Scenes or monologues by students and parents
Dance numbers (I know we have a pair of parents who do shag dancing!)
Stand up comedy or poetry or short stories
Student bands or songs
Auction (Silent?) of crafts, jewelry, artworks, sculpture, wood working, fiber arts, culinary arts, etc.
TO DOs:
Folks were sent home with two flyers for Addams Family (one spooky, one cute), a flyer for the Harvest Market event on Oct 15, and an informational page about Ads in the Addams Family program. PLEASE HELP US HANG THESE AROUND TOWN! Take to work, hang in your gym, on a school bulletin board, hand to a neighbor, etc. They're posted on the Home page and the Tickets page or I can email files to anyone who asks.
Once Annika has the sales tax flyer approved she’ll be in touch with the group to get these distributed. Gincie said she can help in carline.
Annika will be in touch with more details about the Harvest Market trunk or treat event on Oct 15. And will confirm the appropriate age groups for Addams Family audience.
Notes from September 3 Booster Meeting
Welcome and introduction to what we do.
Shared the website and how it'll be the source of the most up to date info.
Shared QR Codes for donations, SignUp Genius for Box Office and Booster Meals.
Talked about longer term goal of advocating for repairs to Burford Auditorium (more info to come later)
Shared Waring's wish list of needs for Addams Family.
2 fencing rapiers
black, white, gray, red paint (latex, probably not spray paint)
old Halloween decorations or character makeup
batter operated candles
black lace or black velvet clothing or fabric
black dress shoes, men's and women's, sizes 6-12
Calendars provided by Ms. Waring (rehearsal schedule, Booster meetings, informational meetings about trips, etc.)
Link to Fall 2024 Calendar Link to Spring 2024 Calendar
Hope to see y'all at the next Booster Meeting, Tuesday October 1 at 5:30!
We'll be talking about the best way to communicate,
themed concessions for Addams Family,
and a strategy for advocating for the auditorium.