John Black Public School - Parent Council Minutes
Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: John Black Public School Library - Fergus, Ontario
Chair: Rich Pinder
Treasurer: Andrea Brown
Co-Secretary: Catherine Shelton-Galdes and Barb Ash
Principal: Scott Preston
___________________________________________________________________________________
School Members Present: Scott Preston, Luke Kordupel
Council Members Present: Abi Tarry, Andrea Brown, Barb Ash, Beth Cruikshank, Jane Shaw, Richard
Pinder
Regrets: Angela Barrow, Catherine Shelton-Galdes, Kelli Muir, Steve Leet, Shari Knight
Minutes
1. Welcome, Introductions and Regrets
Agenda approved by Andrea and seconded by Jane
2. February minutes approved by Abi and seconded by Jane
Follow up regarding the Empowerment Day – There will be school
wide workshops/assembly upon returning with the intermediates
from the Empowerment workshop
3. Principals Report
Staffing Update:
The school organization and staffing process for next year has begun.
Our numbers for next year show continued growth. This year we began
with 346 students and we are projecting close to 360 for next year. Over
the next couple of weeks I will be receiving our staff allocations and will
be developing a tentative organization for next year based on Ministry
and Board parameters.
Action Items
Action Item: Luke to follow
up with Evi regarding the
receipts for Andrea for
Beyond the Hurt expenses.
Action Items:
Rich to include "Alan Gouk
presentation" on the next
agenda.
Scott to check to see what
the maximum capacity is for
our septic system and report
back at our next meeting.
Math Action Plan Update:
As reported earlier in the year teachers have developed a school wide
math strategy to support and improve student achievement in
mathematics. Regularly throughout the past months teachers have been
released to meet together to review math data, identify specific areas of
concern, and develop teaching strategies and resources covering grades
1 through 8. Teachers at all grade levels will be incorporating these
strategies and resources in their classrooms. Our school wide math
strategy involves: a focus on mathematics in the classrooms which
includes basic skills, problem solving, and targeted instruction; building
staff confidence around how to effectively use data to inform
instruction; supporting collaborative professional learning; designing a
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John Black Public School - Parent Council Minutes
responsive mathematics learning environment; providing assessment
and evaluation in mathematics that supports student learning. At the
April School Council meeting Mr. Gouk will be presenting the results to
date of this action plan, our next steps and the teacher resource that was
developed out of it.
4. Financial Report
Our Current Bank Balance is $10 511.95*
Activity
Beginning Balance Jan. 31
Snack Program
Ocean Jackson Respite
Ocean Jackson Donation
Fundscrip % Received
Lunchbox Orders
Tupperware
Balance as of Feb. 28
Income
Expense
$26.14
$200.00
$50.00
$154.57
$147.50
$10.00
$10 476.02
(26.14)
($200.00)
($50.00)
$154.57
$147.50
$10.00
$10 511.95*
Action Item: Andrea to
prepare a comparison of last
year's financials to this
year's for the annual
planning meeting.
*The following is a list of approximate values of money allocated or
forecasted from the balance above:
Scientists in the School - $1000
Arts Day - $1800
Grad Donation - $500
Empowerment Day - $1000
PRO Event - $1000
Contingency Amount - $1000
Community Fund - $250
Black top painted - TBA
$500 per Division - $1500
Beyond the Hurt Program - $265
Estimated Balance after above allocations subtracted is $2150
5. Funding Request Discussion
Nothing to discuss at this time
6. Parent Council Plan for the Year
a. Fundraising
MacMillans
- not as successful as we hoped
- final day for orders to come in is tomorrow (Wed. March 25)
- pick up day Monday, March 30
- MacMillans no longer does little hand out prizes instead they will fund
50% of the prize(s) to a maximum of $200; based on this the MacMillans
committee decided to have a draw for an ipod... for every $25 sold the
student receives a ballot for the draw
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John Black Public School - Parent Council Minutes
b. Social
Cyber-bullying (PRO Grant) Update
- event will be on Tuesday, April 28
- have one speaker booked - Angi Roberts who will speak on Social Media
- Waiting for confirmation of a second speaker from the OPP
- refreshments and childcare will be available
PRO Grant for 2015 / 2016
- some suggested topics included sex education curriculum,
immunizations, anti-bullying, how to prepare healthy lunches, new /
creative lunch ideas
- decided that we need to create a short list of suggestions (Rich to pull
from the list of approved grants) and we will vote at the next meeting to
narrow the list to a couple. This will then be handed out on April 28 at
presentation to have people vote on what they think we should do next
year.
Fete June 2015
- deferred to next month as planning not yet begun
- will be doing BBQ for food this year
c. Student / School Day Enrichment
Student Meal Days
- the promotional / reminder information did get sent home last month
as discussed
New Business
a. Sidewalk Issue
- Scott and Rich met with the School Board and Township
representatives
- surprised to find out that 59 out of 61 walking students are in grade 7
and 8; the rest of the students that walk are doing so by choice
- a number of suggestions were discussed to improve the safety for our
students
- the township is exploring these options and is to respond back within 2
to 3 weeks of the meeting
Action Items:
Barb to send information to
Belinda for "Save the date"
labels to go home for
parents this week.
Scott to arrange for chair
setup and tear down and
podium and microphones.
Andrea and Beth to coordinate refreshments. (Abi
Coffee Maker and brewing)
Rich to send e-mail asking
for someone to co-ordinate
the childcare (teenagers and
activities) for the evening.
Action Item: Rich to create
list of suggestions and bring
to next meeting.
Action Item: Barb to send
Scott an e-mail requesting
the date for the Open House
and Fun Night in September.
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John Black Public School - Parent Council Minutes
b. Centre Wellington Community Foundation and Internet Safety
Speaker for next Year
- Paul Davis is a recommended speaker that we considered for our April
28 event however he was not available
- his talks consist of a 1 hour presentation to the grade 4 - 6's, a 1 hour
presentation to the grade 7 and 8's and then an evening talk to the
parents, his cost is approximately $675
- it was agreed that we will book him for next year in either November or
in the Spring
- we will apply for the Centre Wellington Community Foundation Grant
to pay for this however if we don't receive the grant we will still go
ahead with the booking
- it is felt that this is an important topic to be discussed with both
children and parents
- the deadline for the grant application is April 24, 2015
c. Principal Leadership Form
- this is due the end of March
Action Item: Barb to book
Paul Davis.
Barb / Rich to contact Lis
and co-ordinate the Centre
Wellington Community
Foundation Grant
application.
Action Item: Rich is going to
forward a copy of this asking
for input from council
members and then submit
once completed.
d. Playground Line Painting
Action Item: Scott to put
request in to have the line
painting redone on the
tarmac.
8. Next Meeting is Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.
*please note the date change
9. Meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
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