Canterbury Public School
P&C Meeting
Wednesday 19 February at 7.30pm
Staffroom
Present: Phillippa Talbot, Amanda Barker, James Iliffe, Jennifer Eason, Adrian
Dorman, Zoe Jenkins, Cathy Miller, Lisa Soter, Jules Munro, Janette Elwell,
David Elwell, Cate Lyons-Crew, Anne Tiedemann, Nathan Wort, Marcus Dervin,
Genevieve Ginty, Natalie Bishop, David Lewis, Lorraine Lewis, Berlinda Cook
(Principal), Lisa Wright (Assistant Principal), Glenn Smith, Alan Morris,
Annabel Kain, Alexis Joseph, Ashlea Houlden, Tom Gordon, Suzanne Trimmer,
Lisa Johnstone, Rod Leonarder (Director Canterbury Network), Emma In der
Maur (minutes)
Meeting opened: 7:30 pm
Agenda
If you could do one thing for your school this year what would it be?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Welcome to new parents and citizens
Apologies
Minutes from previous meeting
Matters arising:
NAPLAN (see Principal’s Report)
Community Languages (see Principal’s Report)
Playground upgrade (Anne Tiedemann)
5. Reports:
Principal’s Report (Berlinda Cook)
President’s Report (Glenn Smith)
Treasurer’s Report (Paul Scouller)
Committee Reports:
Canteen
Music
Garden
Events and Fundraising
Agenda Item
Welcome to new
parents and citizens
Minutes
Particular welcome to Berlinda Cook, Lisa Wright and Rod
Leonarder and new parents
Apologies
Tabled
Correspondence
Federation of
Community
Languages proposal
David Taffa, Lynne Scouller
 Correspondence between the P&C and DEC
regarding FCL was tabled.
 P&C Federation Magazines
 Thank you letter from Cheryl Robens
 Garden, Canteen reports tabled. Music committee
report on website.
Standing orders were suspended to engage in discussion
with Rod Leonarder, guest. Moved James, Seconded
Natalie.
Rod Leonarder, Director, Canterbury Network (DEC)
attended the meeting to further outline a proposal regarding
the relocation of the Federation of Community Languages
(FCL) office from Marrickville West Public School (MWPS) to
Canterbury Public School.
The FCL is a not-for-profit organisation that provides
professional learning, infrastructure and support for the NSW
community languages program. The proposal is for the FCL
from term 2 onwards to occupy 2 classrooms for use as a
library/office and training room and storage space for a
period likely to be 2 years plus an extension option. FCL will
cover utilities costs. Additional background information is the
Reading Unit located above the library that hosted students
from other schools in the area was moved in 2013.
Over the summer there has been correspondence regarding
P&C objections to the proposal.
Rod outlined the role of the Department of Education and
Communities (DEC) in NSW, it’s scale and diversity and the
various uses of its properties (ie. schools) for educational
and community purposes.
The DEC believe CPS currently has capacity to host the FCL
based on current utilisation of classrooms and departmental
demographic advice.
CPS concerns include the use of the school for
administration purposes, increased number of non DEC
employees during school and before and after care hours
who will utilise the same entrances and exits as students
(unlike at MWPS), accuracy of the demographic analysis,
access protocols, the ability to continue extra curricular
activities without access to this area of the school and the
lack of any tangible benefit for CPS.
There is also a strong desire to have review points detailed in
the lease.
There was discussion and the following motion was passed:
The CPS P & C object to the proposal to provide exclusive
use of two classrooms to the Federation of Community
Languages for a lease period of 2 +1+1 years for the
following reasons:
1.The likely benefits outlined in the Community Use of
School Facilities Policy 3.3 have not been demonstrated in
this proposal,i.e. there are no clear or tangible benefits
flowing to the CPS community. P & C requests any benefits
be identified and defined.
2.P & C is concerned with the co-location and shared
entrance of three classes and the Federation. The P &C
requests a six month review of this arrangement and then
following annual reviews of the operational impact of the
operations of the Federation on the school campus.
3. P & C demands a full and comprehensive risk assessment
guaranteeing appropriate procedures which will ensure the
safety of our children at all times.
Moved: David L, Seconded by Alan Morris. Passed by a
show of hands 21 for/1 against
Minutes from
previous meeting
and Matters Arising
Principal’s report

Minutes from previous meeting were passed.
NAPLAN results were discussed. The successful swimming
carnival was reviewed, farewell for Connie Emmington
discussed, briefing on Selection panels for Assistant Principal
(Special Ed) and Assistant Principal (K-6). Christina Lever
and James Iliffe are parent representatives on these panels.
Community Languages, Language teaching and English as
Another Dialect staffing discussed. Lease proposal mentioned
for Sundays. There was also a briefing on recent professional
learning.
There was an initial discussion on P&C funding for
educational programs.
SRC policy was discussed. There was agreement to change
the terms to 1 year (from 6 months). It was decided to keep
the specification of one boy and one girl representative per
class. It was also decided to review the policy every 2-3
years.
Playground Sub
Committee report
Garden Sub
Committee report
Music Sub
Committee report
David L moved a motion of welcome to all new staff at CPS.
Seconded by Genevieve G.
Anne T updated on the progress of the new equipment’s
installation and briefed new parents on the plan. New
equipment is to be installed near the ACEBASC building in
the April holidays.
Natalie briefed the P&C about the business plan, garden
bees, upcoming Green Thumbs “Welcome and Cake Stall”
and sought input on how to recruit volunteers and on the
business plan.
David advised of the new band director, Kane Wheatley.
Meeting officially closed at 9.45pm