PTA General Meeting — March 2026
The March PTA meeting documented a community focused on leadership transitions and essential school fundraising. The principal and parent leaders discussed the C30 hiring process for a new principal, debating how to ensure community transparency and teacher involvement versus the superintendent's power to appoint an interim lead. Fundraising initiatives were a major priority, specifically the upcoming Spring Auction, talent show, and various bake sales needed to fund teaching assistants and student trips not covered by the city budget. The committee also reviewed advocacy efforts, including upcoming guest speakers and testimony collection regarding school values. Finally, the group voted to return to morning in-person meetings to boost attendance and engagement.
Financially, the school remains heavily dependent on PTA fundraising to maintain its core pedagogical model, specifically the employment of teaching assistants and the continuation of signature programs like the Ashokan camp. With 44% of families qualifying for Title I status — below the 60% threshold required for federal funding — there is significant pressure on the community to close the budget gap through events like the Spring Auction, which is currently the school's primary revenue driver.
I. Financial Health and Fundraising Strategy
Fundraising at TNS is not for "extras" but is viewed as essential to the school's DNA and basic operations.
Critical Funding Needs
• Teaching Assistants (TAs): TNS is unique in providing TAs for general education, particularly in kindergarten. These positions are not funded by the DOE budget and must be covered by the PTA.
• The Title I Gap: 44% of families are Title I applicable, but because the school does not meet the 60% threshold for federal Title I funding, the PTA must raise funds to provide programs that would otherwise be subsidized.
• Value-Added Programming: Trips, partnerships, and the Ashokan camp are funded through community donations.
Fundraising Initiatives
Initiative Status/Goal Key Details
Spring Auction $13,600 raised so far The largest fundraiser; outperforms all others combined. Needs volunteers for data entry and procurement.
Sports Events ~$5,000 potential Includes Brooklyn Cyclones and NY Liberty events. Low effort, high return.
Direct Donations Ongoing Monthly family donations are preferred for better budget forecasting.
Specific Sales Various Pi Day pie sale, talent show concessions, and Sing bake sales (which can raise ~$500–$700).
II. Institutional Identity and Democratic Structures
The school utilizes specific legal and cultural frameworks to maintain its progressive environment.
• PROSE Designation: As a Progressive Redesign Opportunity Schools for Excellence (PROSE) school, TNS has flexibilities regarding UFT and DOE regulations. The community aims to codify democratic structures — such as the collaborative class placement process — within the PROSE ballot to ensure these practices survive the leadership transition.
• Collaborative Placement: Unlike many schools where the principal decides class placements, TNS uses a collaborative model that involves multiple stakeholders.
• The Ashokan Camp: Described as a special experience and a hallmark of the school's identity, ensuring its continuation is a high priority for students and staff during the transition.
III. Committee Updates and Community Events
Advocacy and Arts
• Advocacy Series: The committee is hosting sessions with external speakers, including the Mayor's office and leaders from the Kaufman Center for Music and Third Street Music.
• Comedy Event: Comedian Jordan Carlos is scheduled for May to discuss his book Chore Play and family relations.
Community Engagement
• Talent Show: Scheduled for Saturday at 5:00 PM, featuring 40 students. The event is open to extended family and friends to boost community presence.
• Movie Night: A screening of the Minecraft movie is planned for March 27th, focusing on popular hits to drive attendance.
• Bake Squad: Continues to support events like Sing and Pi Day to provide incremental revenue.
IV. Operational and Administrative Updates
• PTA Meeting Schedule: Following a trial of evening meetings that saw a significant drop in attendance, the PTA voted unanimously to return to morning in-person meetings. Zoom and recordings will remain available for those who cannot attend.
• PTA Leadership: Most current executive members are finishing two-year terms. There is an urgent call for new blood, particularly parents of younger students, to take over leadership roles.
• Testing Opt-Out: The current opt-out rate for grades 3–5 is 26%. The deadline to submit opt-out forms is effectively April 1st.
• Auction Donations: The community is encouraged to donate gifts and talents (e.g., photography sessions, chef-catered meals, handmade figurines) and high-quality secondhand items.
V. Comparative Analysis of Hiring Mechanisms
Participants debated between the C-30 process, a formal but rigid regulatory framework, and an interim acting (IA) appointment, which is less structured but allows for more immediate community input. Parents expressed a strong desire for transparency and influence to ensure the new leader maintains the school's unique progressive values.
Feature C-30 Process (Formal) Interim Acting (IA) Appointment
Authority Regulated and codified by the DOE. Unilateral decision by the Superintendent.
Transparency Highly confidential; participants must sign non-disclosure agreements. Informal; lacks codified rules, allowing for potential community-led vetting.
Stakeholder Involvement Includes a Level 1 committee (parents, teachers, CSA members, District staff). Allows for broad-based community input and testimony as practiced by the Advocacy Committee.
Job Posting Publicly posted on the DOE website for 15 days with candidates undisclosed. Possibility to post a job description on the TNS website and introduce candidates to the community.
The C-30 Process: Structural Limitations
While the C-30 process is the formal mechanism for hiring, it is described by some participants as performative.
• Restrictive Interviewing: The process involves pre-agreed questions for each bucket (stakeholder group) with no allowance for follow-up questions.
• Confidentiality Barriers: The strict confidentiality requirements prevent committee members from discussing candidates with the broader community, which may lead to actual division between those in the know and the rest of the school.
• Limited Power: Although the Level 1 committee rates candidates, the Superintendent retains ultimate power to select the final appointee or potentially install a preferred candidate regardless of recommendations.
The Interim Acting (IA) Opportunity
Because the IA appointment is not governed by rigid DOE regulations, some stakeholders see it as a blueprint for a more fruitful engagement.
• Lack of Rules: Since the pre-process for an IA is not codified, the community could theoretically outline its own process for meeting and interviewing candidates.
• Early Engagement: This path allows candidates to be introduced softly to the community before formal processes begin, as seen with referrals from other schools like Central Park East.