Parent Council Meeting Minutes - January 24, 2014

Hello All,

The Valleyfield Parent Council has been hard at work and there are exciting things on the horizon for our students - including a Dance-A-Thon and other opportunities.

Our last meeting was held on January 24, 2014, and our next one is scheduled for February 20, 2014 at 6:15 in the school library.  Come out if you can.  Remember, all Valleyfield parents are welcome at all meetings.

The minutes of the last meeting are as follows:

A.     Welcome & Introductions

·         8 in attendance

B.      Principal’s message/updates

·         Leadership opportunities for students (ie: Boys to Men club, Girls only club & Eco clubs are ongoing and yearlong)

·         Yoga club introduced for grade 2 students

·         March 4^th is the junior ski trip (grades 4-6). First 45 students to return permission forms will be allowed to go. If less than 45 forms are returned opportunity may be open to grade 3 students.

·         Skating program is beginning with a donation of $500 received and used towards skates, laces etc…(donation of additional skates are needed for older children grades 5&6)

·         Groove dance is being introduced on March 27^th, 2014 (students will learn a variety of dancing styles such as latin, hip hop, country etc..)

·         1^st semester Report cards will be going home shortly

·         Canadian Library Board Birch and Blue Spruce books are being read by our students.

·         Maintenance required for boilers, compressor and computronics (2 boilers were fixed, compressor maintained and computronics being worked on)

·         12 laptops computers were purchases for classrooms,  majority of classes have smart boards, 2 classrooms and library remain without smart boards but the goal is to have each class and the library equipped) 

C.      Committee Updates

Volunteer:

·         Parents interested in volunteering will fill out form at curriculum night for next school year to speed up process (ie.. police record check)

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

      Bus:

·         Toronto parking authority has been ticketing and towing cars that are blocking bus route.

     Tutor:

·         Curio foundation will tutor english and math based on current classroom curriculum. Grants are allocated from TDSB possibly for 2014-2015. Pending approval from principal, criminal record check, references.

·         French tutor ..Principal is waiting for references  and police record check before getting started

       Classroom representative:

·         Total of 15 parent classroom reps, list compiled of all teachers their grades and room numbers. Coordinate teachers w/parent rep.

      Fundraising:

·         Will go ahead with dance-a-thon in support of fundraising (possible date April 11^th)

·         Considering possible pizza lunches for jk/sk (tabled for next meeting) and 2 more volunteers signed up to assist with current pizza lunches

·         Movie night (possible date March 20^th), popcorn and drinks to be sold.

·         Bake sale (possible date May 1^st)

·         Fundraising ideas include sending note home requesting donation of $25 per family

Parent Engagement:

·         Conference on April 5^th for parent council members hosted PIAC model schools.

·         January 29^th is parent academy planning session for the April 5^th conference hosted by model schools

Next meeting to be held February 20^th, 2014 @ 6:15pm