Center for Early Care & Education, Professional Development and Research
Children’s Campus Advisory Council Meeting Minutes
May 5, 2014
Attendees:
Charlotte Ferretti
Mina Kim
Carmen Mandic
Absentees:
Eszter Balogh
Caitlin Noble
Ann Farrah
Patti Solomon-Rice
Michelle Sinapuelas
Anna Tobin Wallis
Marjorie Weiss
David Anderson
Susan Pelton
Soyeon Park
Topic
Discussion
Welcome and Call to
Order
Approval of Agenda
Charlotte Ferretti, Acting Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 3:10 PM.
Approval of April
Meeting Minutes
Minutes reviewed. It was noted that Eszter Balogh’s last name was misspelled and needs
correcting.
Charlotte reported on follow-up actions from the April 7 meeting:
 She is finalizing a flyer to send out to Deans, Chairs and faculty about Children’s
Campus.
 She and Carmen are preparing a parent survey that will be distributed in the next few
weeks.
Children’s Campus Advisory Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2014
Action
Approved by
consensus
Approved with
name correction
by consensus
1
Council Member
Nominations –
Nursing Faculty
Representative
Council Member
Nominations –
Council Chairperson
Research Committee
Report
Charlotte nominated Elaine Musselman to the Council. Elaine is Associate Director of the
Nursing Program and lecturer in Pediatric Nursing. Elaine is interested in strengthening the
connection between Nursing and Children’s Campus around students and research and can
provide expert consultation around health and safety.
Anne Farrah made a motion to appoint Elaine Musselman, Associate Director of Nursing and
a pediatric nursing specialist, to the Council. Motion was seconded by Patti Solomon-Rice
and approved unanimously.
Charlotte explained that David Anderson will be on sabbatical in the fall 2014 semester and
while he will remain on the Council, he is resigning as Chairperson. Carmen Mandic
nominated Patti Solomon-Rice for Chairperson, which Patti accepted. There being no further
nominations, Carmen made a motion to appoint Patti Solomon-Rice as Chairperson. Motion
was seconded by Mina Kim and approved unanimously.
Carmen reported on the following:
 Soyeon Park has withdrawn her research that examines children’s understanding of
death due to lack of parent permission for children to participate in the research.
 The Committee will be meeting on May 23 to review Jeff Cookston’s proposal to
continue his research at Children’s Campus in the fall 2014.
 Committee has promoted research at Children’s Campus through a variety of measures:
o Announcement in ORSP research memo.
 Graduate College of Education has distributed information about research
opportunities. The incoming Department Chair for Elementary Education, Josie Arce,
has responded with interest around thesis research opportunities for graduate students
The May 15 Edelman Town Hall is focusing on research opportunities at Children’s
Campus.
Children’s Campus Advisory Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2014
Approved
Elaine
Musselman
appointment to
Advisory
Council.
Approved Patti
Solomon-Rice
as new
Chairperson
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Family Report
Director’s Report
Michelle and Caitlin reported on feedback from the April 30 parent meeting.
 Current preschool families are less concerned about prospect of increased group size in
the preschool classrooms since this change, if made, will occur after their child
transitions to kindergarten. Some parents questioned the qualifications of the staff if a
second full time teacher is restored.
 Families responded favorably to paying tuition through automatic checking account
deductions (ACH).
 Benefit of having students working in the classroom is that they are available to fill-in
when substitutes are needed.
 Parents from three classrooms responded to Caitlin’s request for volunteers to serve as
room parents. Marjorie and Anna will assist in recruiting parents from other
classrooms. The Room Parents will be asked to promote family participation in the
End-of-Year Celebration pot luck on May 30, and recruit parents to assist with set up
and clean up.
Marjorie will
assess preschool
group size in the
centers in our
tuition survey.
Marjorie provided a summary of the April 30 Parent Meeting. Topics covered at the meeting
included:
 Plans to pay off the deficit by June 30, 2015. Priority for post-debt payoff is to return
to two full-time teachers in the classrooms.
 Possible increase of preschool enrollment to 18-20 per classroom to offset low
enrollment on TTH. There has not been great demand for TTH enrollment in the past,
year, or next year. These vacancies amount to over $50,000 in lost revenue.
 Changes to University payment system and polices, include not accepting payments at
the center, and new electronic payment options, including automatic debits from
families’ checking accounts (ACH).
 Return to weekly classroom highlights in June.
 Plans for the May 30 End-of-Year celebration and the preschool ceremony recognizing
the children that will be transitioning to kindergarten.
 Book Tree, a fee for service monthly book lending program
2014-15 Program Year Enrollment: There are 1-2 open enrollment slots in each classroom,
except for 9 TTH preschool slots. With the need to maintain high enrollment and marketing
in the community, it is projected that next year, 29% of children will be SF State families;
71% are community.
2013-14 Enrollment – No change from what was reported in April. No additional enrollments
due to not being able to serve any additional children in the summer.
Children’s Campus Advisory Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2014
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Other Business
Financial Status: Deficit is projected to be paid off by July 2015. The five year financial plan
we are developing with the Budget Office is almost complete and will be presented to the
Vice President for Finance and Administration on May 15. This will include different staffing
models once the deficit is paid off, with priority to return two full time teachers to the
classrooms.
Program Updates:
 April 30 staff training on science in the classroom.
 Funding proposal to private foundation was submitted. Requested funding to provide
coaching to Head Teachers in support of their skills in supporting the professional
development of teaching staff.
 May 30 End of Year Celebration Pot Luck (5:15-6:30 PM) and recognition of
preschoolers that will be transitioning to kindergarten in the fall (4:30 PM).
 New infant nap room doors have been installed.
Staffing Changes - Kristina Langner is hired as the new infant Head Teacher. She will begin
in late May and will work with the outgoing Head Teacher for about one week. Hoai Nguyen,
the sole Associate Teacher in one of the infant classrooms, has resigned. Her last day will be
May 15.
 Mina Kim announced that she will be on sabbatical during the fall 2014 semester.
 Anne Farrah recommended a development committee be established next year.
 The Council thanked Michelle for her service and offered congratulations on her new
position.
Next meeting will be October 6, 2014, 3:00-4:30 PM
Meeting adjourned at 4:05
Children’s Campus Advisory Council Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2014
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