PTCO Meeting Minutes

April 14, 2026

Student reps: Sydney, MJ

Staff present: Principal Dr. Andre Bala

Parents present: Tracy, Kim, Sonya, Robert, Nanci, Jen, Stephanie, Antonina (three people online – Melissa, Dee, Heather)

If seniors ditch this Friday, they can’t take part in Senior Celebration on May 1. April 17 had been deemed a Ditch Day, but not organized by SHHS. It’s supposed to be cold on Friday, and because Prom is next day, it may be appealing to ditch but if a student is absent on April 17, they will have to have parents call in to excuse their absence or they won’t be able to attend Senior Celebration.
On Senior Celebration, held on the turf field, students will be scanned in via Minga
Senior Ditch Day (Senior Celebration) started 30 years ago when bad choices were made during a ditch day, and tradition started to host it at school, to make it safer and more fun than an unsanctioned ditch day. Seniors eat for free and have fun and make good choices.
Testing is Wed & Thursday, April 15 & 16
- Measures student college & career readiness, important info for school to have
Prom & After Prom
- New venue is this year
- Staff and security will be there at prom & after prom
- Student help also coming to After Prom
Award ceremonies happening
- Stay tuned for email and school website for those dates

Confirmed new PTCO board
- Nominees for President – Jen R. & Nanci R.
- Treasurer – Heather J. & there’s an opening for Co-Treasurer
- Co-Secretary – Zola & Kim to stay on
PTCO Chairs
- Communications chair – Robert C. to stay on
- Craft Fair chair – Sonya will stay on
- Dance chair — We need someone to help take over dances, mainly winter dance & homecoming. Mary B. is stepping down.
- Staff/Teacher Appreciation chair – Kim
- Concessions chair – Melissa & Sy
- Senior Celebration – Robin N.
Term of Office is July 1 – June 30
Calendar and events for next year will be discussed at next PTCO meeting
Antonina incoming freshman

Spring Craft Fair made $23,417 total
- Paid $2,550 for volunteer students/club volunteers
- Paid $1,500 for teacher scholarship
- Profit was $17K which is under what we expected. We target $20K
- We have to make a few adjustments with Cheddar Up. The fees were more hidden. We were charged a small portion even though some vendors also paid a portion
- Year to date earnings: $22K
- Current bank balance: $23,470
Spring Dance Week (after Prom)
- We are on budget. We paid out $7K with vendors, with projected spend around $10,700. If we get money from the student government tickets (we get $10 for every ticket) we’ll get $6,200 back. We’ll be at $7500 mark
Senior Celebration
- We usually have enough money to cover some drinks/snacks
Staff Appreciation Breakfast
- Just over $1200-$1500 is the budget
Money donations have been low this year
- This was felt across the board, volunteer time and donations are down with the economy
- Maybe next year, we’ll have surplus
- When we talk about grant stimulus, we might have a few thousand less. We didn’t spend as much as grants this year.
- We will break even or drop below the $30K mark to roll over next year.
Corporate Matches
- There’re some limitations but we don’t really do corporate fundraising. We don’t have anyone who can devote the time to ask for corporate donations from Costco, Walmart, etc. for events
- We used to have a sponsorship lead. She would just call and negotiate for donations. But she moved to CCHS.

After prom
- Rachel has all the volunteers she needs, except for Friday. Volunteers still needed for Friday after school.
- Good on food donations
- We have new coffee makers. We just need to brew just one of these. It takes 40 minutes to brew
Senior Celebration
- Tatum F. was in charge but this year, Erin & Tracy are taking it on
- IB Ceremony is in the morning so it cut into volunteers
- Looking for help on May 1. We need about 6 to serve food and set up.
- Did we send out a sign-up genius for shifts, food donations? Donate non-perishables the day before and drop off fresh items like pasta salad the morning of.
- We’ll be sending out emails for that after After-Prom
Staff Appreciation Breakfast – May 7
- Student Government also planning food for separate staff appreciation
- We do breakfast burritos from Santiagos. Melisa can order & someone needs to pick them up.
- Do we need student volunteers? No, not at this time
- Get there at 7 am, done by 11am
- Usually it’s burritos, fruit salad and whole fruit and coffee and juice and some Danishes
- We order 220 burritos, 210 staff, we usually only have a few veggies left over
- Coffee and donuts from Dunkin Donuts? Someone is willing to go over and ask them Do we have an electronic letter – tax exempt certificate?
- Letter and thank you for your donations — that’s all in Treasurer Drive
May 12 meeting — is PTCO last meeting!
- Wrap up and celebrate Tracy and Erin for their devotion to Smoky Hill!