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R – Regrets
X – Did not attend (did not send regrets)

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OPENING REMARKS
- Meeting was convened at 7:05pm by Afreen Shaikh
- Agenda was approved
- Principal Profile was reviewed by all members; Chris Bridgen made a motion to approve the Principal Profile without any changes, motion was seconded by Kim Gyuraszi, all members in favour
INTRODUCTION TO BRIARBROOK MORGAN’S GRANT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
- A representative from the BMGCA, Marge Sambol, spoke to council about the association and upcoming events including community cleanups, tree planting, a Halloween decorating contest and Winter Family Fun Day (to be held in January at the
Sandhill Rink in Briarbrook)
- Meetings are held once a month with the next one (which is the AGM) scheduled to take place on Oct. 19 th , 2011 at
7:30pm at the Old March Town Hall
- Membership is available to all residents of the area and costs $10 for 1 year or $15 for 2 years
- For more information the Association’s website is www.bmgca.ca
, or there is a Facebook page (search BMGCA), or Marge
Sambol can be contacted directly at pr@bmgca.ca
- Please note: the BMGCA is looking for volunteers to help maintain (flooding/clearing) the community outdoor rinks this winter
TREASURER’S REPORT (MU WANG)
- There have been no changes since the last report
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT (DOROTHY BAKER)
1. EQAO
The following tables indicate the percentage of students at the school, board, and provincial levels who attained Level 3 or 4 on the EQAO assessment. While there are many variables yet to be disaggregated, gender has emerged as a potential for consideration. A reminder is also given that any significant trends are only relevant when one has 3-5 years of data.
Grade 3 Reading Boys Girls Writing Boys Girls Math Boys Girls
School 77% 80% 74% 76% 74% 78% 77% 80% 74%
Board 67%
Province 65%
Board 78%
Province 74%
62% 72% 73%
60% 70% 73%
67% 80% 68% 69% 69%
67% 80% 69% 68% 69%
Grade 6 Reading Boys Girls Writing Boys Girls Math Boys Girls
School 79% 73% 90% 74% 65% 90% 60% 57% 67%
73% 82% 74%
69% 79% 73%
67% 81% 63% 61% 64%
64% 82% 58% 57% 60%

Overall, in Grade 3, our students performed above the board and provincial results in Reading, Writing and Math.
Furthermore, we are not seeing the gender differences that were evident in last years cohort. The number of Grade 3 students was approximately the same as the year before.
In Grade 6, our students performed approximately the same as the board and provincial results in all three areas of Reading,
Writing and Math. There were significant gender differences in the areas of Reading and Writing. There were approximately twice the number of Grade 6 students as the year before.
Further analysis of percentages of ESL, Special Education, and student and teacher survey data is pending. This analysis along with report card data, PM Benchmark, GB+ and CASI data, as well as on-going formative assessments will comprise the information necessary to focus our School Improvement Planning for the coming year. The following is a link to the full school report: http://eqaoweb.eqao.com/eqaoweborgprofile/Download.aspx?rptType=PBS&_Mident=204901&YEAR=2011&assessmentT ype=6&orgType=S&nF=R0piYS0I~plus~SBdfrY3SNd3X~plus~nP~plus~7ZcvDsvkvXgKBk66B8=&displayLanguage=E
2. School Reorganization
Due to an unanticipated decrease in enrolment in the Primary Regular English program, we were informed that we had to collapse a class. Mrs. Sarah Honsberger has been moved to Barrhaven PS and her students redistributed to the other Grade 2 and 3 classes. Miss Wilson’s Grade 1 students were moved to Mrs. Nordman’s class to make room for some of the Grade 2’s.
3. School Improvement Plan
Our plan is summarized as follows:
SIP Goal – Student Learning Focus
Kindergarten: Students will state their opinion about a text
Grades 1 & 2: Students will begin to identify the speaker and the point of view presented in a text and suggest one or two possible alternative perspectives.
Grades 3 – 6: Students will identify the author’s point of view, an alternative or missing point of view, and their own point of view in various texts by using stated and implied ideas from the texts and their own ideas.
Students will communicate thinking in a variety of ways (i.e. oral, pictorial, media and written) as measured by a qualitative/criterion based rubric.
Teacher Learning Focus:
Using Higher Order Questioning
Co-creating Success Criteria
Giving Descriptive feedback
Using Accountable Talk
Utilizing Exemplars
Leader Learning Focus:
Look fors in Literacy Classroom
Co-constructed success criteria
Exemplars
Learning Goals
Growth (Learning) Goal
By June 2012, I will use Look fors to identify the components of an effective literacy program and give strong descriptive feedback to teachers (including next steps) related to generating student friendly learning goals and success criteria with the commensurate exemplars to support assessment. In this way I will be promoting a collaborative learning culture and engaging in courageous conversations.

How might I learn to do this?
Strategies and Supports
Book Study: The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades – Gail Boushey and Joan Moser;
Guiding Readers and Writers: Teaching Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy – Irene C. Fountas and Gay Sue
Pinnell; Conferring: The Keystone of Readers’s Workshop – Patrick A. Allen
Consult with curriculum services department
Visit exemplary literacy classroom
Teacher moderation with staff
Network with other schools
Collaborative Inquiry with staff
4. Terry Fox proceeds
We are proud to have raised just under $4500 for Cancer research. There were 10 staff who participated in the annual
“Sundae” celebration where top fundraisers decorated heads with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
5. City of Ottawa skating rink at the park
The rink will be open this year and discussions are underway as to scheduling possibilities for SMPS students.
6. Area Review Committee
The next public meeting will be held at Earl of March SS from 6:30-8:30. Various options will be outlined in carousel format.
Here is a link to the Kanata North ARC page. http://www.ocdsb.ca/sch/as/Pages/KanaNorthEleAccomRev.aspx
7. Library Initiatives
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Our new library technician respectfully requests consideration for funding for the following items:
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93-113 Upshire Rack (to mount on wall for graphic novels) – $145.00 ea
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Two of these racks would fill the available space nicely. Below is the link to the photo and details on the website. http://www.carrmclean.ca/CategoryGroupBrowser.aspx?GroupNo=4205
25-912 Acrylic Easels – 9.45 ea.
The library could use 20-30 of these. They are expensive but will last. They are used to make books visible to the children and generate interest. Below is the link to the photo and details from the website.
• http://www.carrmclean.ca/CategoryGroupBrowser.aspx?GroupNo=2125
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Forest of Reading (Silver Birch Program)
The details for this year will be announced next week. Based on the last two years, the anticipated cost would be approximately $1200
Laura Lafantaisie made a motion to give $540 to the library for the Upshire Racks and Acrylic Easels, motion was seconded by Chris Bridgen, all members in favour
FUND-RAISING UPDATE (NATALIE GRIEVE)
- The Fall Donation Campaign is going well with many families of SMPS making contributions. Contributions are still being collected and are much appreciated.
- The date of the “Jars, Jars, Jars!” event has tentatively been set for Wednesday, November 23 rd , 2011, with an alternate date of Wednesday, December 7 th , 2011, to be approved by our librarian Sharon Streatch as it will be held in conjunction with a Scholastic Book Fair
OCASC REPORT (CHRIS BRIDGEN)
- There was no report at this time as there have been no OCASC meetings since our last School Council meeting
KISC REPORT (KAY BROOKS)
- There was no report at this time as there have been no KISC meetings since our last School Council meeting

PIZZA REPORT (LAURA SCHLINGMEIER)
- Student participation in the pizza program is 63%
- It is Laura’s recommendation that we continue to offer gluten free pizza to those families currently receiving it until the end of this year, after which time we should not offer specialty pizza. She also recommends that we should continue to only offer one type of pizza (cheese) instead of adding a second choice (chicken and cheese). These recommendations were made after careful consideration of the amount of interest expressed by students and parents at South March, as well as ease of program management. Council will discuss and decide on these recommendations at a later date.
NEW BUSINESS
- There will be an information night to be held at Jack Donohue Public School on Wednesday, October 26 th , 2011 from 6:30-
8pm about Internet Safety and Cyberbullying with guest speaker Angela Lorusso. Anyone is welcome to attend and there is no cost for this event. For more information contact info@jackdonohueschoolcouncil.com
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- Concern about changing the time for the singing of “O Canada” and announcements from 9:15am to 11:15am, during the first nutrition break. Dorothy explained that this change means not as much instructional time is lost and the day begins more smoothly.
- Concern about lack of music program (ie. recorder). Dorothy explained that this is not a mandated program so depends on teachers willing and able to offer such a program.
- Possibility discussed of offering babysitting services (high school volunteers) during School Council meetings so that more parents might be able to attend.
- Alison Goodfellow made a motion to change the date of two Council meetings, (Tuesday, February 14 th , 2012 to be changed to Tuesday, February 21 st , 2012 and Tuesday, March 13 th to be changed to Tuesday, March 20 th , 2012) motion was seconded by Anja Davis, all in favour
Meeting was adjourned at 9:05pm