MINUTES: Parent Meeting - October 28
Sian, Meagan M., Megan, Simon, Paula, Glen, Jane, Jane, John, Shannon G., Sue G.,
Irene, Mieke, Alexis, Kelly, Barb
Brief Review of the Spider History and Core Values
-We are all responsible for our own and each other’s learning
-Family-based learning
-Consensus-oriented decision making
-Building a respectful learning environment
-Developing a sense of community
-Parents are the primary educator and guide
-Experiential Learning
-Parent participation
-Fostering environmental connections and awareness
Confirmation of new staff: Simon Hocking and Shari Fader (EA)
Recognition of current staff
Brief Budget Overview and Field Trip Costs
Things looking much better now, cutoff was last Friday, over 50 students in K-6 and
at least 15 in middle years. Glen responsible for Jane and Simon’s program, and
middle year’s Carolyn responsible for budgeting. Working on how learning costs
will be shared.
Glen meeting with district for “internal audit” to review how much $ is left over to
put towards the other programs.
Things need to be “tightened up” for purpose of future auditing. All accounts need
to be justified (SPIDER has never been audited).
Budget committee: parents who volunteer/are interested in learning about
Website update
Some “glitches”, so apologies from Glen, he’s working on it. Has been posting things
the last little while. We need to make sure we have approval with the media release.
Communication
Issue has come up from both parents and staff. So many different things going on .
If groups want to have outside meetings/discussions, that’s OK. It would be helpful
if someone were willing to give documentation (who was there, issues discussed,
questions/concerns) and that way the staff can be aware of what concerns are
happening.
Some parents are sending messages to Glen that the “reply all” is filling their
mailboxes.
Good to just pick up the phone if there’s an issue of concern, as it can be cleared up
more quickly that way.
Students should not be part of the SPIDER parent email list .
$1000 - $600/student – what do we want to do with the extra $$
There has been a significant decrease in per/student funding (history of this:
originally we got full amount for students, but that changed; now it’s more of a pergrade amount, plus a “skim off” for other “things”…Sally worked hard to try to figure
out how things had shifted; now, K’s get a bit more than the 7’s etc.); SPIDER will
receive part of the surplus that came to all schools ($17,000). Older DL is funded
“per course”.
There are some online programs (Reading Eggs, IXL—do we make these available
outside of learning resources?)
Rosetta Stone has Rosetta World where you can have conversations with people all
around the world. Conversation classes. You do your RS lesson, and then do a
follow-up conversation.
Are there suggestions as to what parents would like to spend that money on? Ideas:
-resource library that can be shared by all families
-reserve it for something really “great” at the end of the year
-major lag between billing (swimming) and board office and us (3 months)
-Resource Library suggested by parents
-things to do more science experiments (science KITS being made), non-consumable
stuff
-catalogue system so that you know what’s out
-take pictures of things so you know what’s there
-Committee to do all of this?
-online copyright for textbooks? They’re more interactive (videos, links etc.) and
cheaper.
-how to have common resources: one reference set, and if there’s a request for the
resource, you would need to bring it back and share
-have the catalogue online for access and review by anyone who needs something
-this would take a lot of work and time. Would it be worth paying for this to be
organized?
-maybe some of the students would take on photographing things?
Talewind has educational catalogues, and they will give a discount and doesn’t
charge shipping
Originally the money was intended for student resources
Update from SPIDER teachers: Jane/Simon; Kaia
Jane: .8 SPIDER and then .1 special education (support families, write IEP’s,
review, coordinate with occupational therapists etc.). Tends to work Monday to
Friday, and then the Friday alternating. Because she’s the .8 person, Jane is doing
the coordinating with the committees and talking with the presenters. Simon won’t
have as much time. Registration forms. Lots of new families.
Simon- background in home learning; he’s .5; can come evenings to peoples’ homes.
He’ll be grades 4-6.
Kaia-full-on with programming Tuesdays and Thursdays; Blog has lots of
information for all ages, so will send link to ages
Parents happy to be part of the big spider “family”.
Questions/Clarification
Committees/Reports
Middle Years Program—Kaia, Carolyn, Parents
Strange communication going on in the group; instead of coming together as a group
to discuss it, some parents feel that it’s been “kept quiet”. As parents, people want
to be on a similar page. Feel good about what offerings are coming to the Middle
Years kids. Don’t like the feeling of “sides”. We need to work things out as a group
and not feel fractured.
As a community we began as a core, and have evolved greatly (people have joined,
administration changed, teachers changed…there’s unschooling all the way to ivy
leaguers…history of spider and support and acknowledgement of the community,
and flexibility offered by a group of people who run the risk of being audited. A lot
of changes have happened all at once. We need to take a deep breath and keep it in
perspective.
Speaking to emails—to admin and staff, the alternate to the emails was worse for
parents who feel the programs don’t support both of their kids. We want positive
communication as much as we can, even if they’re hard. Feels wrong to some that
their kids are in two different places, don’t want to drop off. Want teenager near,
not have separation.
Feeling that the older kids are “gone” from the group. We don’t have tea with the
parents anymore who have gone home. Sense of loss around the community.
Brainstorming last year for the older group. Seems like a cool program, but
fundamentally different form the values of the program that were joined originally.
Is this what we want? Parents still want to be the primary educators. Sometimes
the older kids will be at spider and sometimes not…budget? How will that work?
We keep track of the money and when older kids contribute to Byng. Love the idea
of multi-age groups, and the different ages mixing.
Students in the ProjectSPIDER have a wide option for the directions they can take
(some work from home fully, and join what they can/interests them; some are
travelling and working online).
Individual families can’t have their needs fully met, as it’s impossible to make that
happen with all of the varied wants and styles in the group.
If this goes through the trial period and it doesn’t feel completely right, it could be
that things evolve to a Wednesday as well as the Byng on Tuesdays.
If changes happen this drastically, then it won’t work for some people. We were
asked for a trial period.
Some feel that there wasn’t any involvement of parents;
People say it was shocking.
What about consider the monumental task of coming out of job action.
Some parents feel they wanted more say/vote in how things evolve.
The spring was very confusing for all sorts of people in all sorts of ways. Sally was
doing her best to communicate with Carolyn to do best to create what would meet
everybody’s needs. As educators we have to sit back and weigh the fact that it is a
DL school, and a lot of leeway has been give to make it a “home learning”
program…but if this were under the microscope, we’d be in serious funding re/
funding. All of that had to be balanced as well. Also, the increase in the academic
needs of students getting closer and closer to the 10-12 diploma option. Heard
clearly form some that people want “more” on the academic front (how better to do
that without interruption and without lugging things, and having a “home” space for
kids).
Many emails are positive. Some families aren’t happy, and aren’t coming. It’s not
possible to meet everyone’s needs.
Question: Where is this coming from—the district setting up a program? Is this for
Spiders who are moving up or for students coming out of the high schools? A bit of
both. Would love to see Kaia’s program happening at Byng, and have in another
place. Know that your part of our community at Byng.
There are kids in Spider who want the autonomy—some who are coming up
through Spider as it has been and now want something different.
We’re trying to meet everybody’s needs.
Nobody is trying to pull a fast-one.
-Is it time again to have a new discussion about core values? We had a look at where
we’re at with Mark Lebbell in the past, and with Jane Osborne. Talented
communicators might help us work to find that common ground again.
It’s important to include and hear the voices of children in all of the different places
that they’re in (the ones who are ready for more academics and ones who aren’t).
The K’s and 6’s need to have a voice too. Their needs need a voice too (they bring in
lots of funding).
There aren’t many meetings around younger kids needs.
Parents are always able to speak to consultants about their kids’ needs.
Jane will do some sessions, but she’s not hired to actually teach the kids. Middle
years is a different model. Learning plans: finding out kids’ interests.
Adjournment