Meetings & Minutes

Meeting Schedule

Our 2024-25 board meetings are typically every third Thursday* of the month from 6:30-8pm in the school library along with a virtual option to join via Zoom. Childcare for potty independent kiddos is available via our school’s onsite child care provider, Salmon Bay Boys & Girls Club (fka Coho). Childcare RSVP’s are not required, but are helpful for headcount. The cost of childcare is covered by FOSB. Check the Weekly Bulletin email and the website calendar for RSVP info. Contact fosbchair@gmail.com with questions.

*Meeting dates, times and locations may vary and will be posted on our calendar and communicated in the Weekly Bulletin.

Meeting Agendas/Minutes

All FOSB meeting agendas and minutes are filed by school year. For archived minutes, please contact us.

2024-2025 FOSB Meeting Agendas/Minutes
2023-2024 FOSB Meeting Agendas/Minutes
2022-2023 FOSB Meeting Agendas/Minutes
2021-2022 FOSB Meeting Agendas/Minutes

Two Types of FOSB Meetings

  • Monthly board meetings: Our monthly board meetings enable our directors to focus on planning and implementing all the activities and programs that FOSB supports, and provide an opportunity for school administration, teachers and our volunteer coordinator to provide updates to our parent community. Board meetings are open to all FOSB members. (If you’re an adult with a student at Salmon Bay, you’re automatically a FOSB member.)
  • Annual membership meeting: Each May, the monthly meeting expands to include planning for the next school year, electing officers and directors, and voting on the annual FOSB budget. We encourage all FOSB members to attend, participate and vote.

FOSB Meeting Norms

Before the meeting:

  • Read the agenda so that things are less likely to surprise you.
  • Review accompanying documents so you are prepared to participate (including our meeting minutes).
  • Participate in agenda development if you have news to share.

During the meeting: We ask Salmon Bay students to be safe, kind, and responsible. As role models in this community, we ask the same of ourselves. At FOSB meetings, we aspire to:

  • Speak respectfully to each other as we engage in constructive, honest discussions.
  • Maintain a focus on student benefit.
  • Listen to understand other’s ideas, not to contradict them.
  • Share our experience and expertise to help create workable solutions.
  • Honor time by communicating clearly and working efficiently and effectively.
  • Trust and respect that the Co-Chairs will make appropriate choices about how much time to spend on a given topic.

Month-by-Month Meeting Topics

Most FOSB meetings include relevant updates from our principal and/or assistant principal, our volunteer coordinator, a teacher, and FOSB committee chairs. Here are some other topics that may come up at FOSB meetings:

  • September: Welcome back existing families, welcome new families, planning for Pizza on the Playground, FOSB committee introductions, FOSB roles and general information, volunteer opportunities and application process
  • October: Budget 101 and FOSB 101, Direct Giving launch dates, slate of incoming directors, auction planning starts
  • November: Vote on slate of incoming directors, Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) planning
  • December: FOSB survey (as needed), Direct Giving update
  • January: Discuss survey results and plan for coming year, Direct Giving results
  • February: Auction planning, finance committee/budget meetings, recruiting for directors and officers
  • March: Auction update, budget updates
  • April: Staff Appreciation Week plans, slate of incoming directors and officers
  • May: Vote on slate of incoming directors and officers, vote on budget for the next school year, volunteer appreciation (outgoing directors, officers, committee members)

How We Vote

When FOSB members vote in a meeting, we use a three-tier consensus system:

  • Thumbs up: This is a “yes, I support it” vote.
  • Thumbs sideways: This is an “I can live with it” or “I abstain” vote.
  • Thumbs down: This is a “no, I’m blocking it” vote.

If all members vote thumbs up or sideways, consensus is achieved and the vote is approved. If someone votes thumbs down, that is a blocking objection and discussion continues in an effort to reach consensus. We will make three attempts to reach consensus to ensure that members wishing to speak can be heard. Read more about this process in FOSB’s bylaws.