Quest Academy Gifted Advisory Council (GAC)
Regular Meeting Minutes
September 6, 2012
1. Meeting called to order by Ayasha Teague at 6:00 p.m.
2. Council Members Present and Absent:
Chairperson: Ayasha Teague
Vice Chairperson: Andrea Bahnken
Treasurer:
Corresponding Sec./GTFOC: Lori Lee
Recording Sec.: Cindy Laxton
R.E.A.L.: Dianne Azzarelli
Fundraising:
Parent Volunteers: Tasheba Kimble
Program Development:
Communication: David Patterson
PRESENT
PRESENT
VACANT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
VACANT
ABSENT
VACANT
PRESENT
Dofka, Cathy
Fearing, Tiffany
Harrison, Andrea
Holcomb, Stacey
Hughes, Marty
Khatun, Mosammat
Jensen, Anna
Jones, Pam
Lopez, Linda
Schroder, Nicole
Sierak, Cindi
Stewart, Wil
ABSENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
ABSENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
3. Motion to amend minutes to include online majority approved vote (11) for complaint of missing inventory:
L.Lee. Second: T. Fearing. PASSED.
4. Motion to amend minutes to include online majority approved vote (12/15) to order Smencils/Bracelets:
L.Lee. Second: D.Azzarelli. PASSED.
5. Motion to amend minutes to include online majority approved vote (14) to post GAC items for sale to
website & teacher fundraisers to be promoted via Email List: T.Kimble. Second: D.Patterson. PASSED.
6. Motion to amend minutes to include online majority approved vote (13) to promote Middle School dance
through email list: D. Azzarelli. Second: W. Stewart. PASSED.
7. Motion to approve May 2012 minutes, as amended. Motion tabled to allow time for May notes and
minutes to be organized for October meeting.
8. Treasurer’s Report – Lori Lee
Balance as of 4/27/2012:
a.
4-20 Car Magnet Sales
4-20 Visa – SENG webinar
4-27 Car Magnet Sales
5-09 FLAG registration
5-10 Kennedy Space Center/ Medieval Times Trips
5-10 Pizza Villa – Staff Appreciation Night
5-11 Car Magnet Sales
5-18 Parent Donation for Appreciation Night
5-24 Car Magnet Sales
5-30 Sam’s Club – Appreciation Day Flowers
6-01 Sam’s Club – Appreciation Night Cake
6-11 Parent Donation
7-23 Visa – Office Depot – Cash box purchase
7-25 Visa – Smencils Purchase
7-25 Visa – Wrist Bands Purchase
8-17 Open House - Smencils/Bracelets/Magnets Sales
$3,659.11
10.00
-40.00
10.00
-75.00
-200.00
-664.00
10.00
20.00
5.00
-19.02
-20.98
30.00
-74.19
-275.00
-64.99
168.86
Balance as of 8/31/2012:
$2,479.79
Field Trip Fund
$282.00
Mr. & Mrs. Hall's Donation for Books
14.58
General fund less Field Trip Fund & Book Fund:
$2,183.21
c. Motion to approve Treasurer’s Report: L.Lee. Second: T.Fearing. PASSED.
b.
6. Election of New Members
a. The council currently stands at 16 members with 5 vacant voting positions.
b. Anna Jensen. Quest Assistant Principal. Motion to elect to GAC: D. Azzarelli. Second: L. Lee.
PASSED.
c. Jennifer Barnes. Has PTA experience, four children, 2nd grader in Quest. Motion to elect to GAC:
C. Laxton. Second: M. Hughes. PASSED.
d. Shanna Hemmerlein. Speech Pathologist, 2nd grader in Quest. Motion to elect to GAC: L.Lee.
Second: M. Hughes. PASSED.
e. Jo-Ann Bomestar. Granddaughter in second year at Quest, past Executive Director of the Early
Learning Coalition. Motion to elect to GAC: C. Laxton. Second: L. Lee. PASSED.
f. Stacie Laviano. Kindergartener in Quest, PTA experience, Nurse. Motion to elect to GAC: D.
Azzarelli. Second: P. Jones. PASSED.
7. Election of Officers
a. Three officers have resigned: C. Laxton, Recording Secretary; L. Lee, Corresponding Secretary;
D. Black, Treasurer.
b. Chairperson – Motion to elect Ayasha Teague as Chairperson: D.Azzarelli. Second: P.Jones.
PASSED.
c. Vice Chairperson – Motion to elect Wil Stewart as Vice Chairperson: A.Bahnken. Second: P.Jones.
PASSED.
d. Treasurer – Motion to elect Andrea Harrison as Treasurer: C.Sierak. Second: P.Jones. PASSED.
e. Recording Secretary – Motion to elect Jennifer Barnes as Recording Secretary: T.Fearing. Second:
M.Hughes. PASSED.
f. Corresponding Secretary – Motion to elect Andrea Bahnken as Corresponding Secretary: C. Laxton.
Second: L. Lee. PASSED.
8. Subcommittee Reports – tabled for next regular meeting.
9. Election of Subcommittee Chairs
a. Motion to move GAC Grade Representatives to the Volunteer Subcommittee: T. Kimble. Second: D.
Patterson. PASSED.
b. R.E.A.L. – Motion to elect Dianne Azzarelli to REAL Chair: L. Lee. Second: C. Sierak. PASSED.
c. GTFOC – Motion to elect Lori Lee to GTFOC Chair: D. Azzarelli. Second: P. Jones. PASSED.
d. Programs – Motion to elect Jo-Ann Bomestar to Programs Chair: D. Azzarelli. Second: T. Fearing.
PASSED.
e. Grant Writing – Motion to elect Pam Jones to Grant Writing Chair: D. Azzarelli. Second: L. Lee.
PASSED.
f. Entrance – Motion to elect Marty Hughes & Shanna Hemmerlein as Co-Chairs: C. Laxton. Second: D.
Azzarelli. PASSED.
g. Transition – Motion to elect Lori Lee to Chair: T. Fearing. Second: C. Laxton. PASSED.
h. Fundraising & Events – Motion to elect Jennifer Barnes to Chair: C. Laxton. Second: T. Fearing.
PASSED.
i. Communication – Motion to elect David Patterson to Chair: L. Lee. Second: D. Azzarelli. PASSED.
j. Volunteer Coordinator – Motion to elect Tasheba Kimble to Chair: L. Lee. Second: W. Stewart.
PASSED.
10. Unfinished Business
a. Motion to approve the prizes for Beverage Fundraiser – Pizza Party for highest selling Quest class &
gift basket for highest selling student. Mrs. Stoops approved the idea as long as the Pizza Party is placed
on the Master Calendar with Ms. Schallenberg: C. Laxton. Second: D. Azzarelli. PASSED.
11. New Business
a. Motion for Chairperson to send invitations to School Board Candidates to the October meeting to speak
and answer questions on previously decided topics: D. Patterson. Second: C. Laxton. PASSED.
b. Motion for the format for said speaking engagement to address each candidate at separate times, to
answer questions concerning previously forwarded topics, and then to have a meet-and-greet with parents
after. Questions to be forwarded to Mr. Patterson within the week. Council will vote on questions and
topics via email: D. Patterson. Second: D. Azzarelli. PASSED.
c. Motion to invite Ken Pritz to the November meeting to discuss the dual enrollment HB7059 bill: L. Lee.
Second: T. Fearing. PASSED.
d. Quest Happenings – Anna Jensen
(1) We have new teachers in 3rd & 1st grade. Ms. Sierak is substituting the K-1 class while the hiring
process continues. Ms. Shari Meyers, a gifted parent, is also our new Middle School Assistant Principal.
(2) Mrs. Stoops noted that the year is off to a great start and the transition of new Assistant Principals
and teachers is going smoothly.
13. Open Agenda
a. Pam Jones spoke for Mr. Langley, 8th grade magnet teacher, to let us know that the Brooksville Raid
field trip will be in January; the Silly Fun Day is May 17th; and the Ticket to High School (a.k.a. *8th Grade
Graduation”) is May 29th.
b. Andrea Harrison noted that there is a very high interest in Violin/Cello lessons. She will be meeting with
Ms. Jensen and Ms. Stoops to work out the logistics of an afterschool program.
c. Judy Preuss mentioned that one of the football players noted that they are unable to attend dances due
to practice schedules and had asked if at least one dance could be scheduled for later in the evening.
d. Shanna Hemmerlein and David Patterson’s daughters attended the SIG summer program in Tampa and
highly recommend it. They would like to look further into getting SIG to come to Hernando.
e. Dianne Azzarelli noted that FLAG.org offers several groups that would come in for Summer
Programming and there are free webinars for FLAG members, plus discounted tickets for the conference in
Tampa on April 5 & 6, 2013.
f. Lori Lee noted that the new Quest Counselor this year is Mrs. Mause. The Guidance Staff has again
been divided by grade for Quest: K-2 – Mrs. Eppley; 3-4 – Mrs. Wilson; 5-6 – Mrs. Stratton; 7-8 – Mrs. Moore.
g. Motion to forward the Florida Gifted Network (FGN) Action Alert on the Dual Enrollment bill through the
Quest Email List: L. Lee. Second: D. Patterson. PASSED.
h. Lori Lee also noted that GAC will continue to offer the SENG webinars through our website and that
NAGC is now offering webinars on Wednesdays.
i. Wil Stewart made the recommendation to all parents of gifted on how important it is for gifted students to
get outside, become active and just play, due to so many gifted kids tending to want to read books rather than
socialize and play sports. The play and camaraderie can make for a much more well rounded child.
12. Motion to adjourn: W. Stewart. Second: L. Lee. PASSED. Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m. The next
GAC meeting will be Thursday, October 4, 2012 at 6 p.m. in the Media Center for a Regular Meeting.