Boundary Community School Association (BCSA)
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)
Minutes of Meeting
October 20, 2015
Attendees
Saba Cordina
Tia Creighton
Emily Crowne
Deb Gill
Barb Richards
Nicole Thomson
Gillian Paton
Tim McLeod
Genevieve Taylor
Heather Peets
Claire Arnold
Cynthia Mistal
Jacqueline Russell
Johneen Harris
Sheila Brown
Katia Castague
Deborah Johnstone
Karen Dupuis
Call to Order - 7:06pm
Quorum Declared
Motion to accept Oct. 2015 Minutes – Saba Cordina
First – Deborah Johnstone
Second – Heather Peets
Passed
Motion to approve Agenda – Saba Cordina
First – Heather Peets
Second – Katia Castague
Passed
Principal Report
Tim spoke about the Boundary Code of conduct of the school – the code is on the walls in the classrooms
and the students can discuss how we do things at the school. It’s in the student planner and all the
parents/students can review together at home. At the first assembly of the year, the school reviews as
well. It is mandated within the district that we review the code each year and tweek if necessary and to
see if we are following it.
This year in early January, Tim and Johneen will look at it to make sure it still fits who the school is and
does it match who the school community is. The code is also on the school website.
Regarding conflict in the school, Tim spoke on the policy that each student is an individual with no one-fitall model. If there is a situation in the school, one party may not know what is happening with the other
party. With privacy of information, the policy is a need to know basis within the school.
Last month has been very busy. Jesse Miller was here and his talk was a little different than past
presentations. He spoke on social presence out there online rather than “bullying” . Who are you
connecting with online and how do you present yourself to the world. Also that what you put out there, it’s
out there forever.
Tim was very impressed by the students at the Remembrance Day Assembly and presentations.
Last week was twin day, Grade 6 immunization shots and Brown bag lunch with the local seniors visiting
with the students. The kids did a wonderful job.
Stand – a presentation for grade 3-7 – Norm Ham visited the school to talk about his adventures
paddleboarding up and down the coast of BC.
Boundary hosted a school tour last week for new families to the community. With more than 30 people in
attendance, it was a very large turnout.
Report cards are coming up so if parents have any concerns, please connect with teachers beforehand
so there are no surprises on the report cards. Also, teacher parent conferences will happen and
communication will happen shortly. If parents have concerns regarding any situation in the school, the
policy is to connect with the person/teacher prior to meeting with the Principal or Vice-Principal.
Classes are beginning fieldtrips.
Thank you to PAC for the Emergency container that has now been delivered. An emergency committee
must now be formed and a strategy in place. Deborah Johnstone has volunteered to be coordinator for
this committee.
Basketball has now wrapped up. Volleyball is starting up in Jan. and a tennis pro will start to work with
kids in January. A gymnast coach will also be working with the kids in the spring.
H VAC units are now on the roof but the circulation is still being finished. Heat is now on, the classrooms
are painted and the cabinets are now being installed. Please look to the website for any updated
information including the weekly newsletters.
Johneen updated parents on the new curriculum. It curriculum itself is currently in draft form. The district
is focusing on three parts with its implementation: new curriculum, core competency and indigenization of
the curriculum. Boundary has decided to focus on indigenization of the curriculum this year and this will
be the focus of most collaboration days. So far, staff have spent discussing and developing lessons
around story telling as traditional ways of learning. Last Collaboration day Nancy Dale spoke about story
telling games that she had researched and discussed how it’s helpful in the child’s development.
Collaboration days are an excellent chance for teachers to share what they have been trying in their
classrooms.
Next they week, staff will look at the medicine wheel as a graphic organizer to use in teaching Social
Studies. Rather than the traditional linear way of looking at history, they will be looking at things in the
form of a cycle.
Nancy Dale and Johneen attended the Coast Metro series this week and learned more about universal
design for learning and how to plan how to use the “big ideas” in the classroom.
Chair Report
Movie Night - The movie is Star Wars VI – Return of the Jedi. We have lots of parent volunteers to help
during the evening which is great! A big thank you also to the parents who have volunteered to bake for
our bake sale. All items need to be nut-free and individually wrapped or sliced.
The doors open at 5:30pm with the pre-ordered pizza arriving at 6pm. Pizza ordering is now open on
Munch until Nov. 24th. Popcorn, goodie bags, water and juice will be sold as well.
Skate with Santa – Dec. 17th at Karen Magnussen. the PAC is starting to organize. There will be pizza
presold and we are looking for more volunteers please so that volunteers can spend part of the evening
with their families. Santa is still needed. If you know of anyone who is able to become our Santa either on
or off the ice, please contact Saba Cordina.
Emergency Bin Raffle – Saba asked the parents what they are interested for fundraising.
Newfield Farms/Two Rivers Fundraisers – Is this wanted? – One parent suggested a Purdy’s Fundraiser.
Vice-Chair Report
Christmas Week Ideas from parents – Wednesday will be a sing-along during the day. Skate with Santa
on the Thursday night and Student Counsel will do something for the kids. Any other ideas from parents?
The Grade 7s are doing a count the jellybeans contest with a prize. If you have any ideas, please send to
the PAC.
It was asked about a Christmas concert this year and because we don’t have a full-time music teacher we
don’t have a Christmas Concert. This year it’s a sing-a-long during the school day.
Samaritan Purse – Great response for the shoe boxes. 25-26 back and any other are due back tomorrow
Nov. 18th. They need to go to North Shore Alliance on Sunday and any coming after that can’t be
collected.
Harvest Project pick up – Dec. 16th – community food drive a week before. In the past we’ve sent home
brown paper bags to decorate and bring their food back. However, when the food is dropped off, the bags
are thrown out so this year construction paper will go out and kids can decorate a card to give with the
donations. It was asked if people could bring non-perishables to movie night and if it was possible. A
volunteer would need to collect it that night and take it to the Harvest Project so at this point, no.
Book Fair – Dec. 7-10 – Scholastic Book Fair and the same week as student/teacher interviews so sale
hours will be during the same time. Looking for more volunteers for any amount of time – even 8:209:00am before school and also open at lunchtime. A sign-up sheet will go out on the wall for volunteers to
sign up.
Home Emergency Prepardness Kits – Gillian researched buying kits from a company (Life for 72) who
would give us 10% of total sales in cash or 20% in product which would go into the bin. Prices seem
comparable to Costco etc. Is this an option for a fundraiser? Parents feel that if it’s a good range of
products that it would be good. The process seems simple with online ordering or paper ordering at the
school or a combination of both. There would be no credit cards fees which is a positive. Everything gets
delivered to the school separated by family names.
Deborah suggested that people could either order for themselves or order for the school.
The program could start early January with information going out and people will have their orders late
February or early March. It was suggested that we have a check list of what is most recommended so
Gillian can add that to the order forms.
It was asked if North Shore Emergency Response comes in to speak to parents. Gillian will look into
booking her for January.
Deb Gill mentioned having an emergency preparedness session on her block. She commented that
people are always able to donate their time to teach. Bernadette White, a former school parent, perhaps
can come to speak at the school.
Deborah has met with the Carisbrook Emergency Committee to learn about their 6 year plan and their
emergency bin. Deborah will look into them coming to speak at our PAC meeting.
Treasurer Report
Roughly $7000 in gaming and $12000 in General Account that isn’t marked yet. We voted last meeting
for the container ($5000) which will come out as well as projector mounting in the classroom which will
deplete our funds quickly.
Thanks to Claire, DPAC rep, we are applying for grants through the District PAC, one for Jesse Miller and
one to go against the container cost ($300-$400). Jacqueline will produce the invoices and request the
funds.
The card project has finalized and Jacqueline is waited for final figures on that.
DPAC Report
Claire attended the DPAC meeting at Seacove about alternative learning using technology based learning
system and the kids that use it presented their projects. There is another meeting next Wedensday night
at the school district offices.
Grants available through the LFI program as well and Claire will look into that as well.
Hot Lunch Coordinator Report
Deb Gill reported that a few changes have come in on Hot Lunch and the volunteering has been great.
She will be working on the milk ordering and overall it’s going well.
New Items / Open Floor / Comments
A question about readers was asked by a parent and Ms. Siddall stated that there was no funds for the
readers for the kids. Can the PAC provide funds for these classroom readers? There is a program called
RAZ kids where they can do online. Do the class parents have to raise money? Teachers in other
classrooms use the Scholastics to raise money but not all teachers do it.
Tim commented that the teachers can add books to their teacher “wish list” for PAC. Last year’s
scholastic book fair money went 1/3 to library, 1/3 to primary and 1/3 to intermediate. Teachers put
together a “wish list’ that parents can donate to the school.
Heather questioned if parents can donate old books? Perhaps a book sharing event.
The Argyle petition deadline is coming up but the meeting has changed from Dec. 1st. We don’t have the
new date but when we do it’s important to get as many people as we can to help. Lots of positives for the
Braemar community but they are against it.
Meeting Adjourned 8:05pm