HARBORDALE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
GENERAL MEETING
October 18th 2025 AT 8:05AM
IN THE HARBORDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA & ZOOM
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HSA General Meeting Minutes
September 18th 2025
Start 8:08am
Welcome (Stephanie, President)- Good morning. Talia makes a motion to approve the
August general minutes, Kerri seconds, all in favor, I. Any opposed? No. We have a
quorum, 11 people present.
Presidents Report (Stephanie) Thank you to everyone that has attended and chaired
the events we have held in the past month. Really thrilled how everyone is connecting.
Parent social. Amazing event. Thank you to Ariel. Also, thank you to Kerri, Nicki,
Maryann and Heather all helped day of. When we come together these events work
well. We did a thank you on Facebook to the businesses that donated. Kerri- thank you
for the recess bags. You researched, organized and delivered to classes. Thank you to
Mary Kah and Anick who helped on picture day. Alison, thank you for organizing the
Marlins game. Room parent meeting- thank you to Julie who organized. Really good
turnout. Everyone that attended took something away. Thank you to Stacey who
coordinated the Dine Out to Donate at La Bamba. It was a huge success! Thank you to
anyone that attended one or both open houses. Alison sold merchandise, MaryAnn took
memberships. Nicki and Jill were there getting people to sign up for the HSA.
Kindergarten social. Food was amazing. Made meaningful connections.
Open Positions- Still in need of a Spanish speaker and eastern European speaker to
run our international What’s App chats. People are using them. We do not have anyone
monitoring them. The volunteer would need to share information about the school to
them and answer in their own language. Please let me know if you’re interested.
Melanie- can you send out the link so I can share? It’s on the Link Tree. We have a flyer
in the front office, too. SAC/SAF chair. Potential fundraiser scheduled for March. Need a
person to step up and organize it. Grant coordinator- renovating secondary playground.
Also interested in primary playground. Researching grants for playground companies.
Someone that can do stuff from home and looking for a way to help out. I have some of
the names. See if we qualify, start some applications, etc.
International Night (Melanie)- 9/26, 18 tables representing their country. Most of the
tables are bringing food, donated from restaurants/caterers. Drinks/entertainment.
Probably have 6 or more people performing on stage. Sign up sheet went up for
volunteers. Most of the people participating our 4 th grade. This is 4 th grades event so we
need them to step up so we can get our $1K towards our 5 th grade graduation. Asking
for all of the paper goods. Just need people to buy their tickets. Not a lot of volunteer
positions, but need paper goods.
Hispanic Heritage Month- pinata making. 2- 5 th grade. We need hands. Over a couple
of classes. Need to adjust the sign up one more time. Sorry for all of the up in the air with the sign up. Go take a look, snag a spot. A few teachers split into groups for
specials. They attend specials with another teacher. If your kid is one of those please
ask your child or ask your teacher.
Display My Art (Mary)- fundraiser bringing back from years past. Square1 Art.
Hardison is working with kids to create masterpieces to print on gifts for the holidays.
Items are delivered to your home. T shirts, ornaments, mugs. Students begin artwork at
the end of month. When company receives the artwork, they will send us brochures. We
will need a few volunteers to assist the students.
Pumpkin Pizzazz (Kerri)- 10/24- event itself will look a little different. In the past we
used a company called Fun Services. Bring carnival games. When we reached out we
were not getting a response back. Health issues. Hoping to still use for holiday shop.
Kerri arranged a different company. In the past, we have used Quarterdeck to provide
food and sold food tickets. Not doing that this year. Food truck with a limited menu. Only
thing we are selling our entertainment tickets. Doing wristbands. One is for carnival
games/inflatables. $20 pre-sale. There will also be a VIP wristband get games,
inflatables, pumpkin painting, fairy hair, pie eating, etc. it will be listed on the website. I
encourage you to purchase the pre-sale as the lines get super long at the event.
Baskets (Alison)- looking for donations. Reach out to local businesses. Created a flyer
to go out next week. Donation ideas, gift cards, spa, sporting events, vacation stays,
etc. Collective grade baskets. 10/3 basket meeting with room parents.
Change Challenge (Alison)- make it competitive for students/parents. 3 days in
November. Kids will come in with spare change. Coins will go in each bucket. Other
grades can cancel out by dropping in checks and $ bills.
Merchandise (Alison)- just replenished our closet. Any issues with product or don’t feel
it’s good enough, size issue, please reach out to me or call the office. We will try and
make it right. Please do not dispute it.
Sports (Alison)- thank you to everyone that attended the Marlins game. A Harbordale
3 rd grader caught a ball. They’re happy to provide another game if we want. Dec 17 th
Panthers game. Pushing to buy now. They may sell out. Miami dolphins discounted
tickets will be running the whole season. It’s on the Link Tree.
Reminder that 10/10 is an early release. Denim day. Kids can wear denim bring their $1.
We usually make around $50.
Barnes and Noble/Zona Fresca (Stacey)- dine out to donate 11/13 runs along Barnes
and Noble night. Offer arts and crafts. Chose to do Zona Fresca which we can use both
locations. Great turnout for La Bamba. Barnes and Noble flyer will have all of the
details.
Communications (Stephanie) SAC/SAF- HSA does fundraising and volunteer. SAC is
a committee, mainly school employees. They cover academics, budget and safety sort
of things. SAF school advisory forum. Made up of community members. When things
come up act quickly. Boundary changes. Basically any sort of business type thing that
doesn’t fall under fundraising/volunteers. They cover more with the policies and school
board type things. Jill would like to bring something to our attention. My daughters are in
2 nd and 3 rd . Broward decided that 53 elementary schools do not need a school nurse.
Saving 3 million dollars. We are now relying on office staff to take care of our children if
there is an emergency. If there is a serious injury. My child has an epi pen. Going to the
SAC meeting today to make a motion. Let them know how we feel. Starting a petition. If
anyone is interested in signing, please do so. Let them know how we feel. Are school
nurses allowed to give out medication? What can they do or not do? Kashdin- still
limited. Sign a separate consent for nurse to see your student. We will call 911 to air on
side of caution. We can administer basic first aid. We have to have authorization to do
any medical assistance. A nurse is always helpful. District moved to an alternative
Hazel Health. Tela doctor available if parents authorize. As the principal I have to
support district policies and practices. Front office staff has training to give epi pens.
Medical background with a nurse more accurate info. Prior to pandemic this was the
practice. Last year we had a nurse. A district nurse comes once a week. District has
determined what certain medical conditions warrant a nurse at their school. We may
potentially have someone that would fall into that category but it hasn’t been approved.
Nurse did come and look at our medical concerns. Looking at all schools and making
that decision. What if a kid gets cut and needs more than a band aid? Big gash that
needs to be cleaned. We can do soap and water. Does nurse come out of school
budget? No, district budget. Kerri – my main concern is we have students on the
spectrum. Can develop seizures out of nowhere. Office will not know how to handle the
seizure. The time it takes for 911 to get there, child can swallow their tongue, vomit, etc.
Jill- talking to other parents district is putting new carpets in their office. Where is our
savings going? Kashdin, big concern SAF group is the forum. SAC meets once a month
school board policies. SAF is how parents have their input into the district. First Tuesday
of the month at 2:15 in media center. Highly encourage you to come if you have the
time. Very quick. Really good overview of what is going on. Central area meeting Jill will
go today.
Membership Report (Stephanie)- Nicki couldn’t be here. As of Monday, 1 st Place
Webb/Carmona, 2 nd Santos, 3 rd Suarez/Kurth, 4 th Samuels. This is until Tuesday, 9/30.
We can’t tell you which parents have signed up, but we can tell you how many families
have signed up. Every class has different amount of kids. What you can do is ask the
membership person, Nicki, how many have not signed up.
Graduation Committee- made signup sheets but never printed them out. 5 th grade has
a bunch of graduation activities. Need parents to step up plan Snyder Park picnic, day
of graduation activities, ceremony, organize t shirt, etc. If you want to join let Stephanie
know. Starting committees for 3- 5 th grade. You’ll be the voice of HSA. You need to
volunteer for Bingo night (3 rd ), Pumpkin Pizzazz (5 th ), Internation Night, etc. 4 th grade
was holiday shop but since changed our minds to International Night. Volunteering your
time or $. Let Stephanie know if you’re interested 3, 4 or 5 th grade.
Public Relations (Talia)- yearbook cover contest. Theme is Leveling Up (gaming).
Sending out flyers next week. Runs for 3 weeks. Closing out the cover contest right
before Pumpkin Pizzazz. We ask students to draw a cover for this year’s yearbook.
Flyer will have all of the details. Big colorful box to submit the cover in front office. Send
photos when you have an activity or at an event. Printing out a tabletop display with QR
code. Super easy to use.
Treasurer (MaryAnn)- $79K in checking account. Restricted $10,280 money holding for
different organizations. Our balance is $69K what we have in our account. 1 st column
what we took in, 2 nd is what we budgeted. Banners going strong $2050, Dine Out $1234
for one event, Membership $808. Dated 9/9 #s have gone up. Parent social $2817,
Sporting Events -$22 because of printing. Yearbook came in after 6/30 so went in this
year’s budget $4753. Expenses- field trip buses pay for those. Every grade gets a bus.
General fund $25K. approved for the sound system in the cafeteria. Reading program
AR program $3676. Recess equipment $2025, Science Assembly $1049,
specials/teachers all got $200 from HSA. Tech programs spent $949. Any questions?
Typo on “Website” should be $2K, not $200. What do we pay for AR? License fee for
every student.
Adopt a Class (Mary)- Hopefully you are all very familiar with Adopt a Class by now.
Parents contribute directly to child’s class. Once teacher receive $500 considered fully
adopted. I will receive list. Found on HSA website. Increments of $50 and above. Fully
adopted- Webb, Edler, Hartman, Vaughn, Rothenberg and Kurth. Thank you for your
support. A few teachers with little or no adoptions- Carmona, Joyce, Suarez, Ayala,
Fitzgerald, Dixon. Specials also included. Continue to push to your classes. Stephanie-
have a lot of fundraisers going on. Don’t feel like you have to go to every event. Really
about what is right for you with your family and participating in those.
Administration Update (Kashdin)- thank you to Nicki and her team. Great parents to
host Kindergarten social. Great turn out. Kindergarten parents appreciate opportunity to
meet with people. Thank you to Ms Peters for coordinating the parent social at Phat
Boy. Great event, great staff. Thank you to Stacey for the great dine out at La Bamba.
We had a tie Santos and Samuels. Fun night. Emergency supplies are in the classroom.
Thank you to Alison for coordinating the sporting events. Marlins, Panthers and Dolphins. Staff updates- Ciotti selected teacher of the year. Well deserved honor. School related Ms Leah Patti. Works in our classrooms and cafeteria. Honored to have them representing. Ms Joyce has replaced Ms. Singer in 3 rd . Transferred to us from
Mirror Lake elementary. Loves kids.
Construction- thank you for your patience.
Company did furnish the state troopers and flaggers. Impacts local traffic. Request
everyone’s patience. Doing our best to move everyone around. Ft Lauderdale police
observing to provide recommendations. 500 kids in one spot. If you have suggestions
email me or drop a note in parent suggestion box in front office. Help spread the word.
Come on Miami road from 13 th . City thought that was the safest option. We have sent
out flyers and emails. Project # to call. We will constantly be working on it. In by 8:10am
yesterday and today 8:07am. Maryann- noticed this morning a lot more people on Miami
Road parking cars and walking down. The lady at the corner and cars get backed up.
Fort Lauderdale police applauded her method. Safest way to cross pedestrians. Always
dangerous situation. Talked to her today. Hold until you get a group of people. A little
better today. Stephanie- have a complaint? Outside of campus call construction
company. It’s on the emails and flyers. FAST PM 1 training on Friday. We will talk about
Focus too. If you need help have a parent group to sit and chat navigate these
platforms. Intermediate playground project with the city. Planning phase. Parents give
input. Get rid of sand and get more shade. Come up with renderings. It is about a
couple month installation project. Coordinate over the summer because playground will
be shut down. District safety inspection. Great reviews with security team and door
locks. Need to look at our front door. Familiar with families, but we will need to start
asking every person for their ID. A little different. For safety. Capture your ID. Open
house thank you for attending. HSA merchandise for sale, what is going on in your
class. Post the power points one for each grade level. Melanie- really low attendance
last night in my class. Why don’t we do it closer to the beginning of the year? Good
feedback. We like a little lag time to get to know the kids. We can look into it for next
year. Alison- feedback from single parents who can’t attend because they don’t have a
sitter. Maybe offer a video link? We can look into. Having kids in cafeteria. Have
Sunshine after care stay longer? Look at the cost? If we paid Sunshine to stay we would
have to charge a fee. Reservation thing for sure. Stephanie- online- are the troopers
there to tell you where you can’t and can park on campus? 15 th they are there to remind
parents shouldn’t be stopping on 15 th . Drop off all children in car loop. Troopers are
changing every day. Jill- I love the game room. I’m glad you did it. We did get funds from
HSA and donations from City Furniture. 3- 5 th grade for I Ready goals. Look at doing at
lunch. Motivate the kids and reward them. Any ideas for more games.
Good of the group? Alison thank you to everyone that helped with merchandise at both
open houses.
Next meeting is on 10/16
Adjourned 9:28am