JOHN F. ROSS C.V.I. – SCHOOL COUNCIL MINUTES
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
7:00 pm
Attendance: Deb Drake, Charmaine Whitmore, Kelly Lee Burton, Rachel Thompson, Terry Hadaway,
Mary Livingston, Mary Zahedi, Heather Janes, Elizabeth Price, Patty Strome, Paul Deacon, Arzu Dolanay,
Victoria Adjei-Afriyie, Francis Adjei-Afriyie, Arezoo Aram, Carleen Gunn-Carr, Nancy Kidar, Cory Veinot,
Hien Veinot, Susan Moziar (Trustee), Angi Roberts (Guest Speaker), Tom Dagg (Principal), Richard Kaune
(teacher), Elise Z. (president Student Council), Maddy G. (Junior Executive Council Co-President)
Welcome and Introduction
• Kelly Lee Burton welcomed everyone to the School Council meeting.
Student Council
• Student Council representatives announced the following: (1) Tech Drive - over two tonnes of 3waste was collected, generating a $300 revenue for Student Councils; and (2) Homecoming
Dance (approximately 250 students in attendance) and Pep Rally - raised approximately $5,000.
• Information on upcoming events was provided: Halloweek – Oct 27-31, will include activities
such as pie-your-teacher, trick or treating, classroom decorating, costume contest, haunted
house and zombie run; Ontario Student Leadership Conference – Nov 9 to 11; Winter Clothing
Drive – Nov 10 to14; Movie Night – Nov 14; and Senior Survivor – Nov 17 to Dec 5.
• To improve communication between Junior and Senior Student Councils, Executive Council
meetings will occur weekly with select members of both council groups in attendance. General
council meetings occur the first Wednesday of every month.
• An e-newsletter is expected in the next couple weeks, from student council to be distributed to
our mailing list.
Guest Speaker – Angi Roberts, Social Media
• Ms. Roberts advised that as social networking continues to grow, teens will continue to engage
in self-expression, grapple with privacy, and share information. When teens exert their
independence they orient themselves away from adults and toward their peers.
• In addition to mainstream social media such as Face Book, Instagram and You Tube, teens are
using other social networks including Snapchat, Vine, 4chan; WhatsApp, Kiks, Imgur, Yo, Twitter,
Ask.Fm, Whisper, Yik Yak, and Tumbler. All of these networks are easily accessible on mobile
and smart phones.
• Ms. Roberts provided valuable information on each of these networks to help parents
understand how they work and to assist our teens take control over what they’re encountering
online.
• The following recommendations were provided: (1) Privacy is key – educate students on the
importance of privacy, enforce that they abide established rules around protecting privacy, and
to not invite strangers; (2) remember who your child is and who you were at that age; (3)
familiarize yourself with new and usual apps, add them to your mobile device; (4) discuss with
your teen posting images, understanding that they will be online forever and everyone has
access, and be aware of information in the background of an image that may provide location
such as address, telephone number, etc.; and (5) be open minded – open for discussion and
willing to compromise.
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Additional social networking resources were provided:
 Commonsensemedia.org
 Mediasmarts.ca
 Getcybersafe.gc.ca
 Google.ca
Ms. Roberts provided her contact information to address any questions or concerns:
 @Angi510
 Robertsangi
 angipanji@gmail.com
School Board Trustee, Susan Moziar, thanked Ms. Roberts for her informative presentation and
addressed related issues current in the school board.
Administrative Report – Tom Dagg
• Communication and Technology:
 Mr. Dagg provided copies of the new monthly school newsletter in glossy print
developed by the year book class and produced by a local publisher;
 Course outlines with a common format will be available on the website effective
semester 2;
 Richard Kaune provided information and a demonstration of the new internal school
power point presentations available on monitors in the main halls. The information
cycles through, is content driven, is specific to the location (e.g. guidance department,
technology department) and also contains general information encouraging student
involvement and parent engagement. Mr. Dagg explained that “Ross TV” is in response
to improving the school’s public image as outlined in the Achieving Excellence report.
The content is within the walled garden and therefore within privacy guidelines;
 Mr. Kaune clarified for parents that there are no restrictions on student access to apps
within the school. Students are encouraged to use UGcloud, as it is within the walled
garden and therefore considered safe and private. Mr. Kaune stated that Google Plus is
not turned on in the school for students. In addition, Mr. Dagg has access to this type of
activity within the school and is made aware of any inappropriate content, which he
reviews and determines the most appropriate course of action.
School Council Report
• Deb Drake provided an overview of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) meeting, which
occurred September 29, 2014. Guest Speaker, Sean Hamilton, provided tools for parents for
online homework help: homeworkhelp@ugdsb.on.ca. Michelle Campbell is the library services
supervisor and provided information on the UG2GO website and homework help available here.
It is considered a good resource for parents and students: www.ugdsb.on.ca/UG2GO.
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Also discussed at the PIC meeting was the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and how it
affects School Councils. Deb explained that it will be difficult getting information to parents.
Parents are required to be aware of what is being shared and provide written consent to receive
information. They must also be provided with the option to opt out of receiving emails.
Deb also advised that Pro Grant funding has allowed for parent information from the school
council to be translated in 2 additional languages for ESL parents. Deb is currently in contact
with the ESL department to access the translations. A parent advised that he was available to
provide a talking book version for sight impaired parents. It will be determined if there is
currently a need in the school for this type of service.
Attendees were surveyed for any barriers to involvement, areas of interest and to assess
effectiveness of various methods council uses to communicate with parents.
Guest speakers are scheduled for the November 2014 School Council meeting. Mr. Dagg will
arrange for speakers from the school support services including guidance, child and youth
worker, social worker, police, mental health and addictions worker.
Next School Council meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2014 at 7:00pm