Hello Everyone!
We are well underway with the 2014/2015 school year. We hope everyone is having a great year.
The Valleyfield Parent Council is hard at work this school year, bringing forward suggestions from parents and helping make Valleyfield a great place for staff and students. Below are the minutes from the Parent Council meeting from October 22, 2014. Our next meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 in the Valleyfield library. All parents are welcome at all meetings...and there's even space for the kids if you need to bring them with you. Hope to see you there.
___________________________________________________________________________
Minutes of last meeting approved.
Principal’s Report
·
Budget – School has $54,117 to cover all
expenses for the year
·
Fixed expenses (heat, phone, etc.) + variables
(consumables and non-consumables)
o
each teacher is allocated a budget to purchase
consumable supplies for the classroom
o
money allocated to focus areas to improve
student achievement
o
staff sit on all committees and write requests
for purchases
o
$17k for model schools – dropped by $3000 as
schools were provided with iPad minis and charging stations plus training for 1
teacher – school will pay for 2 more teachers to be trained
·
Newcomer program starting Nov 20 – getting 1-2
new ping pong tables
o
geared toward students new to Canada < 5
years – mentor/mentee program running one day per week at lunch and one day per
week after school
·
Scouts about has started – Wednesdays
·
Automated call out from school if you do not
call for late/absent – all schools in Toronto are now part of this
program. Will continue to call you until
you respond.
·
Moving from Snack Program to a Breakfast Program
in January – will be 3 food groups offered instead of 2 food groups.
o
school has asked for a bigger fridge and a stove
for warm snacks in preparation for breakfast prep
·
Junior recorder program – 4 classes getting
recorder training
·
Professional development focussing on Math &
Science (STEM)
·
Eco focus as well – how we use energy/paper/etc.
·
Walk to school day was successful – students
& staff on-board. Police
participated as well.
·
Practiced both styles of lock-down.
·
Basketball and Volleyball Touch Football Teams –
lunch time available for practice now that we have only 1 lunch
·
New kindergarten is up and running and the
decrease in number of kinder students per class is much better for student
learning
·
Progress reports go home November 11, 2014
·
Talent show is on November 28, 2014 – auditions
are completed. Students will know what
is happening by the end of this week.
Will occur in the afternoon (1-1:30 pm).
Committee
Information/Update
·
Nadine Powers
- volunteered to be Parent Council Chair
·
Elizabeth Zaccaria had to step down as Chair
1.
Treasurer Budget/Update
- getting bank account up and running – to get cheques.
- raised approx. $7,800 in 2013/2014 – spent approximately $3200
- deposited $2,757 for pizza lunches on forms received.
- should make approximately $2,000 on pizza lunches
- last year’s dance-a-thon raised approximately $3,000\
- goal is to raise $5,000 for 2014/2015
- Recess kits were purchased for grades 1-6 – not for kindergartens. Looking to allocate money for the kindergarten classes based on needs. Dialogue between teachers/MDM and class representatives to determine what each class needs.
- Need a banner for the sports teams. On hold for now while team name is discussed.
- Looking for allocation of funds to buy bins for snack program - $500 – motion carries.
- Looking into after school nutrition program – how to make healthy snacks. Need funding to start program. To run until 4 pm. To allocate $500 for program – excess funds to go into snack program. Motion passed.
- Playground upgrades – baskets for balls and tether-balls - $1,000 – motion passed. This money will be added to the money raised by Student Ambassadors last year.
- Focussing on technology – to earmark some funds to the school’s technology needs. School needs 17 new computers/CPU’s and flat-screens. To confirm what the school budget is for technology, then Parent Council to add funds to fast-track upgrades.
- Parent Council to allocate funds for lunch for fun-day and potentially jerseys for sports teams. To vote on funds for fun day at a later date. Venessa to look at food costs.
2.
Classroom Parent Representative/Update
·
Currently trying to confirm Parent
Representatives. Trying to get
representatives up and running by next month.
·
JK/SK looking for more parent engagement. Looking at budget approval.
·
Bus 2 – issue last week. School intervened because bus did not arrive.
3.
Lunch Program/Volunteering Update
·
Jacquelyn to send weekly emails for parent
volunteers.
·
Looking for more lunch program ideas – currently
doing pizza and samosas
4.
Fundraising Ideas
·
To have 1 major fundraiser for the school year -
Dance-A-Thon.
o
Day 1 – February 12, 2015
o
Alternate date – February 5, 2015
Parent
Engagement/Meet and Greet/Update
- MDM met with Public Health – coming in to do different activities. One session to be offered is Kids with Stress. Aimed at parents to help kids deal with stress. Information coming out beginning of November. 3 nights. November 19, 26 and maybe December 3. 6-8 pm. MDM to confirm if children attend as well.
- Trustee Glover is having a meeting at Valleyfield November 4, 2014 – 7 pm – 9 pm.
PIAC Update
·
First meeting just occurred, many members
running for Trustees. Now electing new
co-chairs and chairs. Next meeting November
18, 2014.
Model School for
Inner City/Workshop Update
·
November 20, 2014 – ICAC at John Poulaney CI
(Inner City Conference)
·
Will be sending out parent surveys to confirm
what type of workshops they would like to have
·
To have Parent Academy conference at the end of
the year.
·
CPAC meeting coming up November 19, 2014
Teacher Information
·
Teachers are positive and happy.
Q&A
Next meeting –
November 26, 2014 – 6 pm.
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