Breslau Public School Parent Council Meeting
January 20, 2014
Attendance
Susan Davidson ( Treasurer), Frank Ewald (Principal), Nancy Allan (Co-Chair)
Marla Brooks (Co-Chair) Janet Evans, Kristen Tukums, Melissa Cowburn,
Susan Dyck, Linda Boland (Secretary), Krista Lisk, Erica Donaldson, Heather
Rowe
Welcome
-Council was welcomed to the meeting and thanked for attendance on such a
cold night
-minutes read by Marla Brooks, motion Sue Davidson, 2nd Sue Dyck
-Susan Dyck suggested minutes be sent out after each meeting, reviewed by
council prior to next meeting, necessary changes made at next meeting and
accepted, minutes will not be read at meeting
-motion Sue Davidson, 2nd Melissa
Treasures Report
-bank balance total as of today $13,623.37
-includes $1000 World Awareness balance, $517.31 School Climate, $9000
Court Yard play structure
Water Bottle Update
-50% have been sold
-a bottle will be included in top earners package for dance-a-thon pledges
-further sales will be communicated to parents after dance-a-thon
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Construction Update
-Frank reports aim is still for September 2014 completion
-portables will stay until completion but they are required at another school!
-there have been some over budget issues as can be expected in any
construction project
-classroom construction and bathroom renovations still on track, the board
are looking at various options for library, main offices and staff room
-News received prior to minutes going out Jan 22,2013 TRP Construction
has been awarded the project. More information about this company on their
website http://www.trpconstruction.ca/schoolprojects.html
-they have been involved with other school construction in the area
Boundary Update
-Frank reported projections are being made regarding student and teacher
numbers for next year after movement of students into Kitchener as per
boundary changes requirements
-as determined previously, grades 6 & 8 students may stay so as to prevent 3
different schools in 3 successive years, this does not include siblings , bus
transportation will be provided
-forms have gone home to parents to indicate their decision of where their
grade 6 or 8 child will go
-Frank will email another as there was not a big response
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Principal’s Report
-Frank announced there will be a before and after school childcare program at
Breslau next year for JK-Grade 6, Frank will send out info
-parents are asked to visit www.wrdsb.on.ca/beforeorafter to indicate
interest
-if there is no interest, it won’t happen
-prices unknown
Dance-a-thon
Melissa knows of a Breslau parent who is a DJ and willing to offer his services
for free for the dance
-since we had already booked Mary-Ann so plans will remain as is for this year
and we will look into the free DJ offer next year
-smaller committees for the various jobs will get together at the end of council
meeting to plan and delegate
-a suggestion regarding the raffle ticket plan was made after learning how
another school does theirs, there were no changes made so as not to decrease
incentive for pledges
-committees were reminded of the limits of council providing $400 for raffle
prizes and $100 for decorations
-Frank said all extra-curricular events on Tuesday and Wednesday PM would
be cancelled for that week to allow dance preparations
New Business
-there have been numerous complaints regarding snow removal on sidewalks
and lack of!, no injuries reported
-the contractor, who we have been using for 5-6 years, was contacted
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New Business cont’d
-Janet lives right next to school property and has an excellent sidewalk view
so provides Frank with real time reports!
-there were problems with bus’ on the first Tuesday of January, parents are
encouraged to use the school website or www.stwr.ca (student transportation
Waterloo Region) for information
-there was some driver confusion regarding partial route cancellation but this
has been cleared up
Playground Revitalization & Courtyard Structure Fundraising
Courtyard project: Susan Dyck reported that this will be a 2 phase approach,
report as follows
-it will be a skip, hop and climb theme
-the courtyard equipment will be funded 100% by BPS, not part of
construction dollars
Playground Revitalization-Dennis Wendland is busy but can take on our
project
-field is ours as well but able to apply for fundraising through Dennis
Wendland for that project he is employed by the school board as well so his
services are free
-Melissa emailed Dennis and has sent her 4 PDF files
-there is a lot of work to be done so Susan and Melissa feel we have to get a
move on
-it was reminded that Wendy would be a good resource as she was involved in
the plan to construct the Naturalization Area
-Frank will ask the construction firm when we should be looking at the
construction of this project
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- we will need to meet with Dennis to guide us as to where/what and when
-Revitalization Committee: Susan Dyck, Melissa Cowburn, Marla Brooks,
-the following report was compiled by Susan Dyck
BPS Playground
Marketing Communication Plan
The situation
The expansion of Breslau Public School (BPS) will incorporate a new play area for the
kindergarten children. The vision is to include a new playground that will allow these young
students a safe, entertaining and stimulating place to play and is the first step of many planned
playground improvements.
There is time sensitivity as construction of the new kindergarten playground must be done while
overall building is in progress in order to have easy access to the new courtyard.
This new playground will cost an estimated $X and to help off-set this, a fundraising campaign
has been established. The goal is to fundraise 100% of the cost of the playground by X date. To
date, approximately $10,000 has been raised. The main fundraising initiative will be the dancea-thon and awareness and parent buy-in of this campaign is critical to the success of the
campaign.
This plan reviews tactics and timelines to raise awareness, and in-turn hopefully dollars, for the
new playground.
Communication objectives
1. Inform parents of the new playground and the cost.
2. Encourage those who are interested and able to contribute.
3. Make it fun!
Target audiences
1.
Breslau Parents and Teachers
2.
Breslau Students
3. Local Businesses
4. Media
Approach and key messages
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Use a theme of “Skip, Hop and Climb!” throughout the campaign. By consistently using this
theme in a variety of ways, it will create and reinforce awareness allowing for more engagement
from the key audiences and hopefully more fundraising dollars.
• The new playground will benefit all students, in particular the kindergarten students by
keeping them in an age-appropriate, safe environment.
• The new playground costs $X
• This is primary cause for fundraising dollars for the remainder of the year.
• This is the first step in playground updates, other enhancements will follow.
• Explain taxable donation contribution process.
Tactics
Tactics could include the following starting in January 2014:
Audience
•
BPS Parents and
Teachers
•
•
•
•
BPS Students
•
•
•
•
Local businesses
•
Media
Tactics
Develop articles for monthly school emails/newsletter - include a
sketch of the playground, reiterate the key messages and include other
fun facts about the structure (how it’s using recycled materials, benefits
of outdoor play etc.)
Develop letter for teacher to inform, engage and help obtain their buyin
Develop text for teachers to provide in Monthly calendars/notes home
Develop text for BPS website with instructions on how to donate and
update results on a bi-weekly basis
Invite students to draw what they would like to have included in the
playground
Visual donations as they progress – slide – to be posted by principal’s
office
Engage student council for ideas as well
Include information on the dance-a-thon materials
Develop a letter asking for donations:
o Materials (Home Hardware on Victoria)
o Flowers/mulch (local garden centers)
o Paper and envelopes for dance-a-thon (M&T)
o Photobooth for dance-a-thon (50% of proceeds donated)
Create buzz by inviting local TV, newspapers and radio media to
fundraising launch by having Mr. Ewald on top of a digger (or dirt pile if
insurance won’t allow it) and showcase design of new playground and
encourage local businesses to take up the cause.
Next Steps
Item
Timeline
Review with Nancy
November 29
Review with Parent Council
January 13
Begin to execute plan
January 2014
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Prepared by:
Name: Susan Dyck
Date: November 2013
Revised: January 2014
Joseph Street Traffic
-it was recently reported in the Woolwich Observer that Woolwich Township
has voted to prohibit parking/stopping on the school side of Joseph Street,
anyone doing so is inviting a ticket issued by town by-law officer
-students may be dropped off from vehicles on the opposite side of the street
and safely guided across street (for younger students)
-Grades 7/8 enter through front entrance door near office end of building
-JK/SK enter through middle front entrance doors
-grade 1 enter through the end doors near the portables
Popcorn Fundraiser
-Linda presented samples and fundraising program info regarding a
Cambridge Company who makes and sells popcorn that is approved by
Foodland Ontario, pesticide free, Gluten Free, nut free and approved for use in
Ontario Schools,
-council agreed unanimously the popcorn was delicious and we would
participate in this program
-March 6th, Thursday before March Break (Friday a PD day) was the day
chosen to sell popcorn at 2nd Nutrition break in gym
-Nancy will speak to Mrs. Pelletier regarding grade 8 help.
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Popcorn Fundraiser Cont’d
-popcorn comes in cases of 40 -23g bags, it was decided we would order
White cheddar-4 cases
Butter Salt -4 cases
Kettle Corn 2 cases
-Linda will order, pick this up and deliver to school on Thursday early am, she
will help as well. Melissa has volunteered to help if needed
Teacher’s Report
-Mrs. Peats grade 7/8 intramural volleyball ends this week
-skating this week
- a field trip to a Science Fair and Hockey Game next week at UW
-Grade 8’s are working on Shakespearean plays: Othello, Taming of the Shrew
and Macbeth
-Grade 7’s are working on magazines using assorted technology programs
Balanced Literacy unit using novels about our possible future worlds
-Cubism/Picasso art
-snowboarding/skiing, skating, hockey/science fair fieldtrip, intramurals
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Teacher’s Report cont’d
-Mrs. DeVrieze Geometry-complete with buzzer!!!
-Student Council is working on Olympic play day and our spring fundraiser
already
-P.1 and P.6 are writing science letters to one another about our discoveries
-celebrating Chinese New Year Jan. 31st, check out our lanterns on the wall by
the staff room
-we are painting lucky symbols on red paper this week
-Mr. Harper grades 4-6 Boys Basketball BNAB , and grades 4-6 Girls Basketball
GNBA with coaches Lee, Bell, and Commissioner Harper
-Breslau Hockey League Feb. 1,7,14,28 Grades 7 & 8 are invited to join as
Coach Wade secured extra ice time 7-8 am Fridays at the Aud , Kinsmen Rink
-MP Harold Albrecht visiting grades 4-6 on Wednesday Jan 22,2014 to discuss
Government and social studies connection
Principals Report
-all reports, updates and information were already given at various areas in
the agenda so there was nothing further to add
Adjournment
-meeting was adjourned at 9:05pm
-next meeting March 3, 2014, 7:00 pm
-Dance-a-thon committees gathered to track progress and make further plans
-Motion to Adjourn Melissa, 2nd Kristen
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