Minutes of Nov. 1 Meeting

Piti Suksa Parent Group Meeting Minutes

November 8, 2007

These minutes consolidate information from the 3:15 and 6:30 PM meetings.

Attendees

Adisak Wittangkul, Todd Berry, Jenli Pisitkul, Jeffrey Clair, Worranart Imkiat, Kanokwan Chaiwanitkul, Suphakamol Phongphaiboon, Kate Heather, Wancharee Rattanboonchot, Anthony L., Mark de Beer, Hans Verschuur, Willem van Benthum, Detlef Beyer, Esther Hoagland, Kessuda Chatayanond, Penchan Kullasith, Charles Gardner, Jan Smit, Richard Chase, Kasemsri Wongtheptien, Saranya Suwansingh, Piyanoot Chatchawarat, Jullapong Achalapong, kroo Anne Timmer, kroo Oi, kroo Sue, kroo Matthew, Wanida Jamieson, Rinny Onsri, Steve Myers, Molly McKiethen, and 5 people whose names are illegible on the attendance sheet.

Opening

Charles Gardner opened the meeting and offered to act as secretary.

Introduction

Jeff Clair gave a brief motivation for this parent group. He described that several parents had initiated this group to give parents a way to contribute to the school and to aid communication between parents and the school.

Steve Myers described typical parent-teacher organizations found in the United States.

Open Forum

At the 3:15 meeting, several parents voiced their opinion that to facilitate communication during this first meeting school staff should not be present.

The following areas of concern and ideas for improving the school were discussed:

1. Parents don’t currently have a way to donate money to the school.
2. The school should improve its communication of needs to the parents. Currently parents don’t know what the school needs or how they can help.
3. Parents should be involved in electing members of the board of trustees.
4. Parents should have some input into the school curriculum.
5. Parents should have access to school financial records. The school should have more transparency in its financial operations.
6. The teacher turnover is high.
7. The school does not seem to put much effort into recruiting teachers. Parents could help recruit teachers through their contacts in their home countries.
8. Parents could act as sponsors for arriving teachers to welcome them and help them get settled in Chiang Rai.
9. Some parents don’t like commercial vendors operating in the school parking lot.
10. The parent organization should establish credibility and trust by undertaking projects that support the school before confronting the administration or board on other issues.
11. The school should consider teaching Chinese.
12. Parents should pursue some projects to support and show appreciation for the teachers.
13. Research the reasons families have left the school to help identify areas in which the school needs improvement.
14. Parents question whether the school is assessing students’ progress adequately.

Todd Berry and Jeff Clair volunteered to help on a fund-raising committee.

Upcoming Administrative Tasks

Charles Gardner introduced the upcoming task of drafting bylaws. Richard Chase suggested a steering committee be formed for this task. Charles Gardner, Richard Chase, and Kn. Kessuda volunteered for the steering committee. Kn. Kessuda later excused herself from the committee to avoid a conflict of interest, as she is a member of the board of trustees. Several parents said they thought the committee should include a Thai parent.

Review of Action Items

The following action items were reviewed:

1. Obtain copies of the school bylaws and the school budget – Jeff Clair
2. Translate the school bylaws into English and have copies available for review at the next meeting – Richard Chase
3. Translate the school budget into English and have copies available for review at the next meeting – Anthony L.

Plan for Next Meeting

Convenient meeting times were discussed, with several parents suggesting Sunday afternoon and several other parents preferring a weekday just after school. The next meeting was set for Tuesday, November 20, starting sometime between 3:00 and 3:30. At the 6:30 meeting, several parents agreed that a moderator should be selected for the next meeting. Items identified for the agenda of the next meeting were:

1. Progress report on drafting the bylaws
2. Progress report from the fund-raising group