April Meeting Draft Minutes

May 12

Vestal General PTA Meeting

April 14th, 2026 6:30–7:30pm

Board members present

Reece Nitschke, Justin Stoller, Nicole Hochstrasser, Irina Stignei

Community present

Christina, David, Kelly, Beth, Sarah N, Abbie C

Meeting convened at 6:34 PM by President Reece.

Minutes from the last General Meeting were accepted without amendment.

Sabrina was absent; no update provided.

Current funds stand at approximately $42,000.
Most recent expenses are related to the Soirée.
A $1,750 grant was received from OnPoint Credit Union, made possible through the work of a parent and Jake. Follow-up is needed after the Soirée to determine next steps.
Classroom reimbursements are behind schedule; $1,600 in total expenses with $600 in revenue to date.
Green Team finances are currently in the black. Nicole is reviewing to confirm no items are missing.

Jake to coordinate food pickup on Saturday; Sarah N to attend and help connect with the farmer’s market.

Sarah has been in contact with city permitting staff and the property owner. It is likely the permit will be renewed. Additional community members may be recruited to send emails in support of action.

Embark codes are returning! Each student at Vestal who opens or creates an Embark account earns $50; kindergarteners receive $150.
One code covers 250 students and is valid for six months. The target is 100 student enrollments, which would earn the PTA $2,500.
Embark accounts are tax-deferred educational savings accounts for children.
Rollout is still being planned — potentially one grade per month. The possibility of using library space and volunteers to walk families through enrollment is being explored.
Last year’s redemption rate was 23%; the board is working on strategies to increase participation.

Parental disappointment with the event was noted. PPS is still early in its process and it showed.
Community concerns center on low-enrollment schools and those requiring seismic upgrades (a recent Willamette Week article has heightened anxiety).
The board’s messaging focus: highlight how great Vestal is rather than engaging in speculation about which schools may close.
A decision is expected in December; the timeline includes a listening session in September and a recommendation in November.
Data reference: https://ppsdata.info/index.html — Vestal is among the fastest-growing schools in Portland.
Abbie C. will attend the next session. Strong community attendance is encouraged. The OPTA has published guidance on community involvement in school consolidations: https://www.oregonpta.org/advocacy/our-positions/school-closure-guidance

Tentatively scheduled for May 13th — the week following Staff Appreciation Week.
The board is discussing how to encourage volunteers to actually attend an appreciation event.

Event details are confirmed. A box truck may be needed to transport 100 chairs and approximately 16 tables — a U-Haul rental is being considered.
Reece to send a bulk email to ticket purchasers confirming that printed tickets are not required; a Honeycomb blast may accompany this.
The reptile presenter is confirmed — promotion is encouraged.
Kid care is nearly full.

Two volunteers are needed. Reece to ask Irina and/or Emma to send out a volunteer recruitment message.

The Green Team will hold its next meeting on April 21st (7 PM) and will discuss the upcoming bike fair in partnership with PBOT. A Special Earth Day Bike Bus day is also planned.
Harrison Park Middle School is doing well. They pair incoming 6th graders with 8th graders who attended the same elementary school. Their recent Open House was well received. Harrison Park teachers are visiting Vestal tomorrow to discuss elective options with students.
David attends Portland School Board meetings regularly and has noted that PSpEd PTA has reformed to support families of students in Special Education.
The OPTA holds a strong reputation and significant influence statewide. All who are able are encouraged to volunteer for an OPTA role — typically less demanding than local PTA board positions. Kelly and the Legislative Committee are doing excellent work, and the statewide conversation around school funding appears to be shifting in a positive direction.
The board extended heartfelt thanks to David for his ongoing contributions and community advocacy.

The meeting was adjourned by Reece at 7:39 PM. We hope to see everyone at our next PTA meeting!

March Meeting Draft Minutes