Board Meeting on Oct. 6th in Hidalgo, TX

October Meeting of Casa MAMi board

Thank you, Celia, for sharing these minutes:

On Saturday, October 6^th, 2012 at 10 am,   Maria, Celia, Elma, Abraham, Maria Cuellar and Dr. Leticia Nunez met at Elma’s home for the monthly review of budget and operations for September.

Children:  Casa Hogar currently has 108 children with 62 girls and 46 boys. 79 are residents with 49 girls and 30 boys. 

Child Behavior:  As we spoke about last month many of our children were bullied at their school simply because they were in an orphanage.  This past week, an all-out brawl took place with many of our children injured, even needing stitches.  The other children in the school took our children’s back packs and schools supplies in the scuffle.  Elma and Leticia talked with the principal who stated that she simply could not control the children ~ the school had too many kids enrolled with fewer staff.  Elma made the decision to move the children out of the dangerous situation at the school and look for another, more favorable atmosphere for schooling.

Elma and Leticia talked with other schools, but none of the surrounding schools could handle 59 children.  Additionally the threat of cartels in some schools made them not advisable.

We discussed home schooling the children (the primary age –59 total).  If the state allows us to have the license to home school, then the state would pay our electrical, which would give us enough money to hire the teachers we need.  Currently Elma is working with officials to get the proper license.

Programs: Leticia has scheduled programs each week for the following: Pregnancy prevention, drug abuse prevention, CPR, and non-violent behavior.

Parenting Program:  Programs are resuming after the summer with between 35-40 parents attending.  Dinners are no longer served.

Shared Blessings: Nothing new to discuss

Psychological:  Leticia is having to work with the children who were victims of the brawl at school last week.  

Budget: The budget was accepted.  Celia met with Elma to have paperwork revised at Inter National Bank.  Celia now has access to the on-line banking accounts at Inter National Bank.  There are cuarrently 3 separate accounts:  one for the boys unit, the active account and the Money Market account.

Staff:   Should we establish a home-school, we will need to reenlist the cook and hire 2 additional teachers.