Parent Council Meeting Minutes - November 21, 2013

The second meeting of the Valleyfield Parent Council was held on November 21, 2013.  The meeting was very productive with a number of topics having been covered.  The minutes are as follows:

A.    Welcome & Introductions

·       17 attended

B.     Principal’s message/updates

·       Working on manners for children

·       Enforcing parents to call in when child/children are late or absent and families with chronic problem with lates, notes will be sent home (5 lates until home is contacted)

·       Leadership opportunities for students (ie:Boys to Men club, Girls only club & morning announcements)

·       Collecting cold weather clothing (ie:socks, pants, shirts, mitts, hats etc…) for those students who come to school unprepared for weather.

·       2 Pizza lunches both were a success and going smoothly.

·       Building up keep…bases of lockers have been painted and rust removed, carpet in staffroom replaced w/tiles. Site funded money will be used to paint other rooms and replace carpet w/tile, possibly put up cork stripping to display student work and line painting in driveway

·       We have signed on to be an ecofriendly school (ie:waste reduction and responsible power usage)

·       Mileage club and morning walks around the neighbourhood to keep students fit and active

·       Character education assembly (award given for responsibility, empathy is next)

C.     Committee Updates

·       Volunteering (parents need to be aware of few simple steps before volunteering in the classroom ie: sign up, police record check etc..)

·       Bus pick up/drop off times are confusing for parents and children (has been tabled for next meeting)

-buses have assigned seating for students, if there is an issue with late pick up and drop off times parents should contact the bus company first

·       French tutor ..Principal is waiting on references  and police record check before getting started (Ms.Drimmie-Miller to follow up)

·       Math/English tutor still waiting for the budget approval of grant. Possibly no cost to child/or $50 per child/mth

·       Total of 15 parent classroom reps, list to be compiled of all teachers their grades and room numbers. Coordinate teachers w/parent rep. (tabled for next meeting)

·       Parent engagement committee proposing workshops for first aid, food handling, family fitness and for Grade 4,5,6 cartooning., cost will be handled by Model schools for Inner cities

·       Considering possible pizza lunches for jk/sk (tabled for next meeting) and 3 more volunteers signed up to assist with current pizza lunches

D.    $1000 approved for Parent Reaching Out grant (proposed bullying workshop presented by Lorna Bloom cost app $600, tentative date April 2014, census to be created to determine which weekday to hold the workshop, what time and additional topics for next grant.

E.     Fundraising ideas include sending note home requesting donation,  dance-a-thon by professor jams , bake sale at the talent show, family games night (karaoke, game show) and family movie night. Popcorn and juice would be sold at some fundraising events. Tentative date is January 2014. (Tabled for next meeting) 

F.     Next meeting to be held January 23, 2014 @ 6:15pm

The next meeting of the Parent Council will be held in the school library at 6:15 pm on Thursday, January 23, 2014.  All parents are welcome to attend.  We hope to see you there.