The third meeting of the Donations Policy Review Committee was on December 14, 2016.

Attendees: Amy Lenox, Betsy Johnson, Carolyn Stanley, Chandana Surlu, Chris Sampson, Connie Peterson, Dana Tavener, Debbie Romero, Elizabeth Sytman, Ellen Epstein, Jeff Lowell, Jeffrey Blunden, Jerry Hartmann, Jess Garcia, Kerri Patterson, Lisa Shank, Marie Telecky, Michelle Ball, Michelle Deerkop

Welcome and Check in

Jeff outlined the way today’s meeting will work, gathering as one large group briefly before breaking into smaller sub groups.

Next Steps

Members were given time to review the Next Steps as outlined in Jeff ‘s email prior to the committee meeting (see attached), including the five proposed areas of focus. An opportunity was also given to ask questions for clarification and/or include any topic that may have been overlooked. Members were asked to consider which topic interests them most and break into five sub groups, tasked with developing an action plan for the group over the next six weeks. The five sub groups and members are as follows:

1. BSD Policy Review and Comparison with other districts with specific focus topics

  • Betsy Johnson
  • Ellen Epstein
  • Jess Garcia
  • Lisa Shank

2. Do we have a problem from whom donations are received?

  • Chandana Surlu
  • Chris Sampson
  • Debbie Romaro

3. Does language specific to consistent training have a place in procedure?

  • Dana Tavener
  • Jerry Hartmann
  • Michelle Deerkop

4. Where does auditing fit into donations?

  • Amy Lenox
  • Connie Peterson
  • Jeffrey Blunden
  • Kerri Patterson

5. Gifts and Donations to Benefit Students Individually

  • Carolyn Stanley
  • Marie Telecky

Each sub group appointed a recorder, whose notes were collected at the end of the meeting to be added to the Meeting Minutes. Sub group notes are as follows:

1. BSD Policy Review and Comparison with other districts with specific focus topics

  • Identify and review from like districts in and out of state
  • Compare above policies to BSD policy – what is similar, what are differences
  • Make recommendations to larger committee for additional policy areas which should be addressed

2. Do we have a problem from whom donations are received?

Do we have a problem from whom donations are received? Yes.

  • Why?
    • transparency
      • documentation
        • funding
  • Identify
    • same terminology e.g tuba/uniform
      • define donor group
  • Identify limits? No
    • Title IX
    • document big $
    • local control important
    • equal hard to define e.g. Title I vs Medina
  • Notes:
    • scholarship policy
    • local control, flexibility/BSD, “slow”
    • ASB allocation vs. BSD vs. Booster

3. Does language specific to consistent training have a place in procedure?

  • Stakeholders:
    • District employees: Coaches, A.D., Accountant, Principals, ASB Club Advisors
      Outside groups: ASB, Booster Clubs (president, treasurers, VP of fundraising, PTA (Pres, Treasurer)) Any fundraising group
    • PowerPoint – coaches should be trained by AD.
      Examples for each level (elem, middle, high)
      Training should be “signed off on” so there is documentation that people have been trained
      PowerPoint should be available at any time (district website?)
    • By building for high school – w/ dates published, possibly grouped by area for middle/elem
    • Required yearly in person – on demand available
      Talking with other groups/people can be helpful
    • In person is most effective – on demand PowerPoint to fill gaps
  • Should this be moved to a different category? (possibly 1 or 5)
  • *?What is the existing structure? (coaches packet?) What training is available and relevant to topic?
    * Focus on: WHAT TO DO NOT HOW.

4. Where does auditing fit into donations?

  • Each group must be recognized by the district
    • By laws/governing documents
    • Treasurer must be bonded
    • Annual audit
    • Financial report
    • Internal controls
    • No district employee in leadership position
  • Establish cut for audit requirement (e.g. $50k)
  • Less requirements for small organizations
  • If your organization doesn’t belong to larger umbrella organization with oversight, then require audit/accountability (e.g. Bellevue Schools and PTSA belong to larger organization with requirements)
  • More specific donation form (principal/AD can use to review Title IX compliance)
  • Booster can require proof of usage of funds

5. Gifts and Donations to Benefit Students Individually

  • IRS – Non-Profit Law
  • Gov’t – WIAA – ASB / RCW / wac etc.
  • ASB – Fees vs. donations
  • Trips – optional vs mandatory educational benefit
    (Tracking individuals – how matters)
    Scholarships cannot look like inducement
  • CAPS on funds (expenditure) – budget timing and process (too much earned = issues)
  • Type of benefit – (e.g. OK all students based on HSPE scores)
  • Outside-training/clinicians/tutoring – timing
    • Season (in or out) coach communication
    • Timing – (outside groups) and (direct communication)
    • Relationships of (staff/Coach) to Boosters (IRS Law – Conflicts etc.)
    • Issues – Fed – Dept. Ed. / ADA / Board of Ed
    • Students Title IX

Next Meeting

January 11, 2:30-4:30pm ESC-West 1A

The Bellevue School District acknowledges that we learn, work, live and gather on the Indigenous Land of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Tribes. We thank these caretakers of this land, who have lived and continue to live here, since time immemorial.