Coronado Foundation for the Future
Board Minutes: December 2, 2009
Members in Attendance: Karen Beckvar, Thomas Dunbar, Dave Hochstrasser, David Ortega, Mike Sanfratello, Kevin Schirmer, Dixie Swan.
CHS Administrator: John Biera
CHS PTO President: Keri Beracy
After an informal discussion of various funding sources for CHS, the meeting was called to order by CFFF Board President Kevin Schirmer.
Treasure’s Report: There was no formal Treasure’s report but Tom Dunbar is still working on the best direction for CFFF banking. The Board is not satisfied, nor is the treasurer, that our funds are in the best place, in terms of interest generated and services rendered.
Principal’s Report: Principal Biera reported that the solar panels designed to be installed at CHS are very near completion.
In football, CHS was defeated in the first round of the play-offs, but it was a good season.
The theater dept. production of Grease was a sell-out success!!
CHS’ band once again proved that it is a state champion. It won the award of “Superior” in all but one area. The band currently has 86 musicians, and those numbers are expected to increase.
Principal Biera has instituted a program of “focus groups” to provide strategic planning input. Persons interested in participating are asked to contact Principal Biera by email.
Old Business:
Scholarships and Grants
Scholarships: Board member David Ortega will be in touch with CFFF Board member Carl Couch to make sure previously agreed to arrangements with Scottsdale Community College about summer school tuition waivers are still viable.
Board member Ortega will prepare a flyer to announce the Coronado Foundation/Scottsdale Rotary Scholarship. It was determined that the recipient of this scholarship should be determined before CHS’ Spring Break in early March.
It was suggested that the contents of the brochure and a timeline for application be put on the CFFF website.
Grants: Principal Biera will look at the needs of CHS faculty and students and will identify those needs to CFFF.
Fundraising: CFFF Board member Mike Sanfratello emphasized the importance of cultivating our alumni base for donors. Various ideas were enthusiastically received and discussed. Mike mentioned the possibility of engaging CHS retirees and current faculty, of having an alumni committee, of having a “champion” for every class, of intentionally pushing CFFF on Facebook (“Please forward this to a CHS alumni or friend.”), utilizing the resources of the growing PTO site, with a small percentage going to them for “referrals”. More discussion needed.
CHS 50th Anniversary: CFFF will appropriately participate and will enthusiastically support festivities honoring the 50th anniversary of CHS in 2011. Mike reminded us of the opportunity this presents for raising much needed funds for CHS.
New Business:
Unused CFFF funds: CFFF Board President, Kevin Schirmer, reminded the Board that $3000, previously funded for after-school tutoring, had not been utilized because that need was funded elsewhere. He proposed that those funds be redirected to underwrite the initial charges for fencing for the experimental garden, proposed for the CHS campus by faculty member Julie Stephan. After a fruitful discussion, the question was called. The motion to make those funds available to Ms. Stephan for fencing passed.
With no further business, our meeting was adjourned at 6:40pm.
Next meeting will be Wednesday, February 3rd, at 5:30pm at CHS’ Principal’s conference room.
Please let Kevin Schirmer or me know if you are unable to attend.
Dixie S. Swan
CFFF Board Secretary
