Oct 19: Meeting highlights

 
It was wonderful to see so many parents at this month's parent council meeting!  Thank you all for attending and especially sharing your thoughts, ideas and offering to help!

Principal's comments:

• On behalf of Mrs. Black, Mr. Jacinto presented informed us about the 4th annual "Parents Make a Difference"  conference on Saturday November 13 from 9am to 3pm at Earl Haig Secondary School
• visit the TDSB website to view the brochure [PDF]
• from the brochure:
• "This conference is free, but pre-registration is required.  Register early as spaces are limited."
• Workshops topics include: edu babble, barriers to student success, choose wisely for the future, new report cards? Oh No!, do boys and girls really learn differently?, my child needs special education -- now what?, school council 101, parent engagement -- it's more than school council, becoming a successful advocate for your child
• you can register online at the TDSB website
• We now have 4:30pm buses available for after school activities on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
• Mr. Jacinto also presented information about the "S'Cool Life Fund" grant
• deadline for applications is December 31st
• the council will be putting together an application with a focus on drumming and / or ballroom dancing

Parent Resource Library

• The response from the parents has been very positive!  (Books are being borrowed and the demand is such that there are “wait lists” for some titles.)
• Reminders about the library will be sent out every few months.  (Targeting September, December, February?, March, April?)
• Books need to be returned to the library before the end of the school year.

New grant:  Parent (caregiver) and child engagement

• activities to increase communication and listening between parents and children
• funding received (~$900) for the educational component, not the recreational component
• tentatively hosting 2 nights, with 2 sessions running at the same time on each of the nights
• workshop idea:  parent and child communication (effective listening exercises etc)
• other ideas:  homework help, stress management
• tentative first session:  Jan 20th

Fundraiser survey results:

• approximately 5% of the families returned a survey
• top choices:  chocolate, dance-a-thon, popcorn, t-shirts
• Chocolate:
• will start in November
• bars will be $2 each (chocolate, rice crisp, boxes of chocolate mint, boxes of caramel)
• bars are all NUT FREE
• Dance-A-Thon:
• beach day theme
• targeting February (17th or 25th?  Depending upon DJ availability.)
• Popcorn:
• targeting March or April
• "popcorn days" at the school
• T-shirts with Valleyfield logo:
• will rollout as soon as possible
• consider offering adult sizes (show your school spirit at school intermural sporting events)
• consider combining with golf shirt order for staff
• Additional sources of fundraising:  Friday lunches, ice cream truck

What do we do with the funds raised?

• Funds raised between now and December typically go towards the healthy snack program at teh school
• Additional funds are typically used to bring a live performance (like a play) in for all the students and to help pay for the bussing costs involved in sending  children on field trips
• A survey will be sent to the teachers to solicit ideas about what to do with any remaining funds.  (Perhaps a banner will be made to bring to intermural sporting events, or a canopy / tent to shade the teams for things like soccer and track and field)

ECO schools:

• this is our second year as an ECO school
• we're currently at a "bronze" level
• would like to plant a garden in the front (a "V" in daffodils surrounded by perennials such as hostas) (estimated cost ~$1800)
• interest in creating a gardening club for students

Next meeting:  Tuesday November 23rd