What is BPAC

BPAC stands for Blueridge Parent Advisory Council.

Every parent with a child at Blueridge Elementary is a member of the Blueridge Parent Advisory Council (BPAC).

The Blueridge Parent Advisory Council aims:
  1. To promote/facilitate communication between parents, the school (teachers/administration) and the District.
  2. To actively and positively support Blueridge school spirit, and social responsibility.
  3. To support the enrichment of the elementary school experience for our children through volunteering at the  school, coordinating events or programs, and through fundraising.

MEETING MINUTES

How spending decisions are made by BPAC


Spending/budget priorities are made each year at a Finance Committee meeting which is made up of the Principal, Vice-Principal, PAC Treasurer/Co-Treasurer, PAC Chair and any other Executive Member- at-Large who is interested. This meeting is held in May or June and each line item of the budget is reviewed to determine the amount needed for the following school year. 
 
Each year, BPAC requires the school administration to come to this meeting with a prepared “wish list” that they have gathered from the teaching/support staff.  Based on forecast income from BPAC fundraisers, it is determined how much of the “wish list” can be fulfilled.  For  example, some years ago we were asked by the P-VP to replace many old heavy wooden tables with the current folding ones (with a trolley). The VP came to the meeting with a written price quote for what was requested and we were able to put it into the budget. Once the budget was approved at the September BPAC meeting, the VP was then able to place the order based on the quote. 
  
The Finance Committee also instituted a policy in 2009 that BPAC would only be willing to provide funds for wish list items that were “portable” in nature and not specific over its lifetime to the current school. This was implemented to ensure that any large expenditure that was made by BPAC to benefit Blueridge students would be able to follow them to a new school in the future. During 2011, the Finance Committee asked for and received a letter of commitment from the District Superintendant that BPAC assets will proportionately follow Blueridge students to where they go once a new school is built. 

Parents are informed as to how the funds raised by BPAC are spent first and foremost at every BPAC meeting.  Each month’s agenda includes a Treasurer’s report.  If you are curious or have questions about how we have made specific decisions, please feel free to attend a BPAC meeting and raise your question.  BPAC also publishes and distributes a newsletter that highlights the previous month’s activities and expenditures. 

We want Blueridge to be the best it possibly can.