St. Nicholas Catholic School
Advisory Council Meeting
MINUTES
UNAPPROVED
Meeting Date:
Meeting Start:
Chair:
Attendees:
February 19, 2009
7:06 pm
Meeting Adjourned 9:00 pm
T. Sunseri
Minutes: J. Nielsen
T. Sunseri, C. Santarossa, M. De Amicis, J. Nielsen, T. Macri, G. Romeo, M Sarri, J.
Brocca, J. Gatti, B. Gawlik, J. Franco, J. Armstrong, E. Fisher, M. Vecchiarino
S. Peelegrino, K. Lisozzi
Guests:
Regrets:
Item
Welcome / Opening
Prayer
Approval of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
(June Meeting)
Treasurer Report
Notes
 Meeting called to order
 Opening prayers – Virtue of Respect
 Call for additions
Motion to accept agenda: C. Santarossa
2nd: J. Franco
All in favour - carried
No minutes for approval
January 14 – February 18th statement of receipts and
expenditures handed out (attached)
C:\Users\Owner\
Documents\Parent Council 2008 - 2009\St Nicholas Feb 19 2009 cash stmt.pdf
Key points:
Santa photo’s – netted $69.80
Total: Pennies for Library – $476.86
Books purchased for All Star reading
Life skills program – 3 trips total
Motion to approve $300.00 budget for administrative costs
throughout the year.
Carried
Principals Update –
Month in Review
Motion to accept Treasurer’s Report: C. Santarossa
2nd: J. Nielsen
All in favour - carried
Faith Formation in February
Curriculum:
 Mad Science was 2nd week of February
Action



Staff have been engaged in various training –
o Grade 3 & 6 Teachers went to EQAO
training
o A number of teachers went to ASD training
o Intermediate teachers went to Differentiated
Instruction Training
o Grade 1 Teachers to balanced literacy
workshop
o January professional activity day focused on
supporting diverse learners
o Grades 2 – 6 teachers continue their focus
on higher order thinking and extending
understanding
Continuing with student let monthly virtue
assemblies – recognizing the achievement and
involvement of a number of students
A couple of intermediate students were recently
successful at the CWL speech competition
Community Building – Sprit Week:
 Held spirit week 2nd week of February
 Carnival Day February 20, 2009
 Different themes throughout the week – with
special activities
 Limbo competition was very well received
 Tomorrow will have a staff / student volleyball
game
 Also seeking to raise funds for ShareLife
Sports:
 Intermediate boys and girls basketball started this
month
 Practicing has started for the junior boys and girls
basketball
 Hockey team had its debut
Upcoming:
 Planning a curriculum evening for parents, March
5, 2009 - Math
 DARE assembly will take place on March 9, 2009
Evacuation update:
 Number of staff came in the building at 8:30
smelled odour similar to gas
 Called board staff, plant department and consumers
gas
 Seemed to intensify before school day started




Decision made to evacuate and initiate emergency
evacuation procedures
Teachers placed at 4 corners of property
Took all children who did come to school to
evacuation centre by bus
Contacted all parents of children to advise at
evacuation centre.
Cause: Chimney exhaust pushed back into the building.
Board committed to resolve issue and raise chimneys
higher above roof. Board and Consumers Gas changed
meters.
Detection monitors are in the school: 1 for CO2 and 1 for
gas – both monitors where clear.
Lessons learned: Challenge re: communication out to
parents therefore looking into ways to improve.
Updates
Pizza Days
 Initially concerned not enough volunteers to do 2 /
month. Fortunately able to recruit additional
supports, therefore will be continuing with 2 /
month
 Next pizza day - March 25 (one due to March
break)
 Subsequent dates: April 15, April 29, May 6,
April 20
Winter Carnival
 Request for hot chocolate and cookies
 16 cases of cookies ordered ($425 approx)
 Making hot chocolate in Urns ($50 approx)
 Volunteers required to serve
Motion to approve expenses for the Hot Chocolate and
Cookies: All in favour - carried
Fundraising Committee:
 Wish list from Music Teacher (all grades up to
grade 6)
 Recommendation to ensure consider all requests
from all teachers
 $500.00 received from School board to help school
grow – previous uses (parent resources in the
library); broadening school events where parents
attend; volunteer recruitment; communication

o Recommendation to purchase TV for front
entrance way re: information
o Need to be spent by June 30
o No decision made – deferred to next
meeting
Approvals requested for allocation of funds (13
voting members)
o Recommend review of requests in light of
areas of focus for the school
o Music program $1000 (10 in favour –
carried)
o Sports equip. $1000 (11 in favour – carried)
o Virtues assembly $1000 (9 in favour carried)
o Chapel – actual room – aim towards end of
year for further consideration - deferred
o Alter – on wheels $2000 - $3000 (1/2 or to a
maximum of $2000 – 9 in favour - carried)
o BBQ – end of year $500 (10 in favour –
carried)
o Will consider line painting closer to spring
(deferred)
o Request consideration of emergency
blankets for evacuations (deferred)
Fundraising recommendations:
 March – movie night
o Madagascar 2 –
o Free movie – only charge for popcorn $2.00
and water $2.00
o Recommended Thursday March 12th 2009
o All children must be accompanied by adults
All in favour – carried

April – spring photo
o 8 x 10 (10.00 charge / $5.00 to school) incl.
disk
o Thursday April 7th – 7:00 – 9:00
o Turnaround time is 48 hours
o Choice of backgrounds
All in favour – carried

May – Bake / Craft Sale
o Mother’s day promotion
M. DiAmicis to
draft for item in
newsletter
outlining
expenditures
M. Vecchiarino To review
licensing
agreements to see
if allowable
Information
received –
licensing in place
– viewing
allowed
o Friday – May 1st
o $50.00 / per table
o Council will receive $ on rental of the table
not sale of products
o Look to using school tables
o Intentions due by March 27th internal –
depending on response may go external
o Bake sale – request for peanut free – will
ensure however that there will be one
peanut free table
All in favour – carried
 Penny Drive:
Approval requested to do a pizza day for the winning
class - $50.00 approved
All in favour - carried
 Zehrs tape collection:
Mr. DiVincezo class won – provided movie party for
class
Motion to approve $250 to be put aside for class contests:
C. Santerossa
2nd: M. Sarri
All in favour - carried
CCCSC
Updates
New Business
Next meeting:
Date: April 16th, 2009
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm


Attached for review
CCCSC
o Minutes distributed
 Fundraising ideas
o Deferred to next meeting
High school update
 Committee established to open with all 4 grades at
the same time
 Meeting held to discuss options
More info. to be
forwarded out to
Council members
St. Nicholas School Council
Statement of Receipts and Expenditures
For the current period of October 15 to November 19, 2008
Current
Period
Receipts
Pizza days:
Product sold
Product purchased
Net proceeds
$
5,990.50
(3,230.34)
2,760.16
Year-to-Date
$
8,801.00
(5,083.00)
3,718.00
Halloween dance-a-thon:
Donations
Dj, prizes etc
Net proceeds
13,044.60
(889.42)
12,155.18
13,044.60
(980.48)
12,064.12
TOTAL NET RECEIPTS
14,915.34
15,782.12
(51.15)
2,152.58
6,435.50
3,310.80
(51.15)
2,152.58
2,101.43
11,847.73
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH
12,813.91
3,934.39
Cash position at beginning of period
4,138.97
13,018.49
Expenditures
Paving of school grounds
Student agendas
Bank credit memo
Rainbow program transferred
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
Cash position at end of period
$
16,952.88
$
Funds designated for specific purposes
Un-restricted funds
Completed
Designated (over) under
Budgets
Budget
16,952.88
519.52 <--------
$
519.52
16,433.36
$
519.52