Meadowbrook PACParent Survey

February 2015

Purpose of the Survey:

1. To better understand interest in PAC Participation and ways

to allow the maximum number of interested parents to be involved.

2. To give parents an opportunity to communicate what they would like done with Excess Funds and how they would like the money to be spent.

3. To better understand interest in Volunteer Opportunities and what Skills and Knowledge parents bring to the school.

Survey Results:

40 surveys were completed representing 51 children.

The school currently has 159 students.

The survey was successful and got thoughtful feedback from the group of people who responded.

We average less than 10 participants at meetings; hearing the opinions of 40 people is amazing.

2/3 of the school’s families did not respond and that is a significant

majority. Reasons for the lack of response are unclear.

(It’s not too late to hand in a Survey ....)

Representation by Division – next time there will be prizes.....

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Div 1 (7)Div 2 (4)Div 3 (6)Div 4 (10)Div 5 (5)Div 6 (12)Div 7 (7)

PAC Participation

Survey Says...

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Can't Participate (8)Able to attend Meet-ings (10)Would attend with changes (5)Only email (13)Facebook (12)

I would Attend Meetings with the following changes:

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With childcare (4)Evenings (8)Daytime (6)

Favourite Evenings:

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Monday (4)Tuesday (5)Wednesday (3)Thursday (5)Friday (2)

Favourite Daytimes:

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Monday (2)Tuesday (2)Wednesday (3)Thursday (4)Friday (2)

Individual Comments for PAC Participation Section

Any evening but Tuesday

Kid free mornings Tues and Thurs

Childcare provided – Yes please!

I believe you are on the right track with childcare but normally meetings start so late that then it cuts in to kids’ bedtimes. Perhaps a.m. meetings just after 9:00 while parents are on school ground already. Parents with small children still have naps to tend to.

With most families being double income families, getting more parent involvement is difficult. Emails are the best way to reach everyone. Maybe on-line meetings? Time is harder for these families than financial support.

More Individual Comments on PAC Participation

School is very far from my home and I don’t have car. Also, I’m pregnant.

My biggest hurdle in getting to the meetings is that I don’t have a car. I also currently sit on the Arts and Culture Committee for the City of Port Moody and their meetings are the 1st Monday of each month.

Definitely open a Facebook Group for Meadowbrook PAC discussions

No! Please don’t do it through facebook! I refuse to join facebook!

It is difficult at this moment in time with my schedule. I’m hoping by April things will change with my schedule.

I would love to participate but right now I can’t. I’ll be able to next year and would like to do so.

I really like this letter home. Thank you.

Themes to PAC Participation

Parents want multiple methods to communicate and have individual preferences.

Facebook and/or Email were the most popular choices for participation.

15 people say they would like to attend meetings but there is no clear day or time that works for all 15.

Childcare helps 4. Switching days of the week once in awhile might help. Having daytime meetings once in awhile might help.

Parents unable to attend meetings would still like to be a part of the discussion and have a say in PAC decisions.

Offering Video Conferencing might be the most fruitful change we can make to improve attendance at meetings.

Discussion

What are our PAC Participation goals (meetings, not volunteering):

What info sticks out for you from the survey results:

Conclusions? Suggestions on moving forward:

Extra Funds

PAC Extra Funds (note: some people chose both options)

Extra Funds

Save the Money for a Rainy Day (6)Spend the Excess Money (37)

Individual Comments (3 people) for PAC Extra Funds

1/3 rainy day, 2/3 spend extra funds now.

If there are items the school needs that would benefit current and future students, then I would vote to spend it now. If nothing seems to be in strong demand, I would keep it for a rainy day.

Save half and use half.

Survey asked people to select their Top 3 Choices for spending the extra funds.

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Selected as a Top 3

Selected as a Top 3

Improving School Grounds (Top 3 choice for 29 people)

Improving School Grounds (29):

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Playground (7)Garden (3)Outdoor furniture (3)

Individual Comments for Improving School Grounds:

I would love to see more outdoor learning and activities

Outdoor seating not necessary, standing is better for your health!!

Playground facility upgrade (2 people suggested this)

Swings (2 people suggested)

More slides

Outdoor gym equipment (see www.canadianschoolshealthsolutions.com )

Rock Climbing structure

Repainting of Hopscotch etcetera or new ideas like a labyrinth

Wouldn’t it be great?

More Individual Comments for Improving School Grounds:

Gardens (Food!)

TOWER GARDENS: I think PAC should spend this money buying an educational tower garden package curriculum for the school www.canadianschoolshealthsolutions.com . use this for teaching about healthy food AND fundraising: *NOT* CUPCAKES. Can be used all year round inside the school!!

Gardens – maybe something with stacked tires. Re-purpose tires/recyclables to work a garden.

I would like to see a bigger garden which allow the kids taking turns to take care of it: watering, planting etc.

Gardens for students-vegetables -great idea!

And more comments for improving School grounds...

Pave the lower parking lot and paint lines- parking is limited and without lines people don’t know how to park effectively

Increase parking- perhaps in lower field. This will allow more students over time + less street crowding + student safety.

Fix stairs/pave parking/add wheel chair access?

Workshops and Lessons for the School (top 3 spending choice for 29 people)

Individual Comments for Workshops and Lessons:

Science (3 people suggested)

Science Alive has been fun!

Labs

Math fun lessons

Self defense

Dance Classes

Sports: Not that tennis/softball in Gym. We did tennis and it was terrible. Not worth it *at all*.

Percussion/Community Drumming/Drum Cafe

More Comments for Workshops and Lessons:

Leadership/public speaking

Rock Climbing

Cooking

Healthy Eating and exercise

Yoga/meditation

Carpentry/building

Pottery/clay art

Use parents as resource, rather than pay instructors

Bringing Interesting Performances/Presentations to the school (top 3 choice for 22 people)

Suggestions for performances and presentations at the school:

Global topics, multicultural topics

My son loved the “brain” guest speaker.

Perhaps partner with SFU or Douglas College? Nature or Earth Science presentations, American Sign Language presentation, presentations re travel and cultures, presentations on how things are made.

Rescue dog/therapy dog

Drum Cafe

Puppet Show

Astronaut

Filmmaker

Police officer

Scientist

Field Trips were chosen as a Top 3 spending choice by 19 people.

Comments on Field Trips:

A child only educated in a classroom is an uneducated child

They let children see the things “behind the scenes” to get a deeper understanding about life, and think “what”, “how” and “why”.

Go to interesting field trips where they can learn and it is useful.

Field trips should have on-going fundraising, not just 1 time use of extra funds.

Fieldtrip Suggestions...

Science World (8 people suggested)

Aquarium (4 people suggested)

Theatre performances (3 people suggested)

Space Centre (2 people suggested)

Disney on Ice

Museums

VSO Tots Concert at Terry Fox

Concert

Visiting artists studios, visiting musicians’ rehearsals

More Suggestions.....

Fish Hatchery (3 people suggested)

Art Galleries (3 people suggested)

Exotic Animal Rescue Centre (2 people suggested)

SPCA

Swimming

Gymnastics

Local – Colony Farms, Mundy Park, Inspiration Garden school tours, Sasamat school programs, Belcarra Beach school programs

And More Suggestions.......

Farms (4 people suggested)

Talking to the farmers

Factory (2 people suggested)

Manufacturers

Visiting some stores, Superstore

Subway offers tours

Port

Fire Station

Police Station

Improvements to School interior (a top 3 spending choice for 12 people):

Comments for School Interior:

I liked the Reggio pictures on-line that school is planning to do to the interior classrooms.

Set up an exhibition area to display children’s good art/science....projects.

Furniture for the library.

More books for the library.

A proper library.

Smart boards in rooms – Ipads.

Building room- KEVA blocks, lego, tools etc. for creating.

More Comments for School Interior:

Baseball equipment

Bathrooms updated (2 people suggested).

This is biased because my daughter needs one: but FM systems for each classroom to improve auditory processing for the children.

Kitchen for children to use.

Kitchen: 100% the MOST important. A place where kids can go to learn how to prepare healthy foods. HIRE a wonderful REAL FOOD chef to provide actually healthy hot lunches everyday.

Supplies for the Classrooms.

School Interior? All priority, I can’t comment on priority. School Interior? Um, no.

Parent Education (a top 3 spending choice for 3 people)

Comments for Parent Education:

Parent Workshops and Education? No.

I don’t have weekday time to attend this and weekends are limited.

Rather than a workshop that many may not be able to attend I would love to see a presentation (perhaps powerpoint or video) put together and posted on website. This way many current families could view it and could refer friends and family to it when they wish to learn more about this approach.

Also a list of Reggio resources/articles/websites. Ways to bring Reggio ideas in to the home environment.

Bring in Reggio Speaker for parents, teachers, students. Do the students know what is special about Reggio?

Parenting skills. (2 people suggested this).

Listed ideas Not helpful. Workshops on how to feed their kids and themselves properly. (I can help with this).

School Events (top 3 spending choice for 2 people)

Comments for School Events:

Bringing a professional children’s performer as part of fundraising fair!

No, they are too little for a dance.

School dance: not really necessary.

Perhaps involve the students in doing something useful for fundraising. Sell their own organic veggies (have a Farmer’s Market). The green Bronx Machine schools do this, MAKE LOTS! Of money AND eat healthy too!

Host a swap meet, with school vendors.

Science fair/ talent show/ school band performance

A school play

Rent ice skating arena for the school, cost is approx. $200.00 for Poirier.

What to do with extra funds:

Last parent comments.Future PAC purchases, activities or projects:

I’d like to see a mix of spending on items that will have a long lasting impact (ie. Improvements to school grounds or visual items for inside) as well as spending to bring in unique presentations, performances and experiences.

Sun run team or something similar.

I would love to see some concepts of fresh air learning. I love the outdoor classroom, but to explore nature and learn specifics is great!

I feel that the activities of PAC should reflect the values upheld with the Reggio philosophy. I was very disappointed to see the Christmas pop up shop. A lot of wrong messages were enforced with this particular enterprise (mass produced, cheap products). I would have much preferred a craft/art room where children could have an opportunity to make a decoration or artwork for their parents. Different crafts/artwork could be priced accordingly.

Parent Volunteers

Comments:Can Younger Siblings Tag along? Childcare is expensive and hard to find.

I am hesitant to sign up for a committee due to work/life/busy schedule but am happy to respond to email (or Facebook if it was used) requests for volunteers for specific tasks or events.

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Volunteer Interests

Volunteer Interests

Themes to Parent Volunteers:

We have a wealth of potential volunteers.

Gardening was picked as the most popular volunteer opportunity. 10 people would possibly help.

Library was a close second with 9 potential volunteers.

7 people offered to help with fundraising.

Somehow we are not tapping in to all our potential volunteers.

How do we get more people involved?

Parent Knowledge

We are an amazing resource just waiting to be used....

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Parent Knowledge

Parent Knowledge

Additional offers of parent skills and knowledge:

Animation

Language classes taught by our parents after school - Mandarin, Spanish, Italian

Crafts- sewing (2 people suggested), knitting, weaving, basket-making

Programming

I am a graphic designer/Artist – Art lessons

Sciences and Health is what I do in my business. I have a Masters in Biochem. and can give talks on how to get healthy from the inside out: nutrition etc. I’ve done cancer research for many years, so any biology, chemistry, bio chem. Etc.

More offers of parent skills and knowledge:

Photography

Camera operator, film maker, (my husband) has travelled the world making documentaries. He is from Italy, 1 hour from Reggio Emilia.

I’m a clinical counsellor that works with children, teens, parents, individuals, couples and families.

Speech-language pathology- assessment or social thinking group or therapy if your SLP is over-loaded.

Disability awareness

Baking

PAC Review Section

Survey Responses

PAC Review

I am Happy with the way the PAC is work-ing (28)I feel there is room for improvement (11)

Comments for PAC Review:

I am happy with the way the PAC is working:

Would love to come to meetings or video teleconference

I would love to volunteer more but my work schedule does not permit. I would like to be included via email for activities that I may be able to volunteer for on days off.

I feel there is room for Improvement:

Majorly improved fundraising ideas: the cupcake sale thing bothers me profoundly. Have to find a better way to fund raise. Celebrating sugar to kids to make school money doesn’t feel/sound right! I have spoken with 3 Moms who also hate this cupcake sale!

I would like to see a strong Reggio-inspired parent group involved in the school. A Reggio Development Committee?

As mentioned, would like to see use of email, Facebook, website. Otherwise, doing a great job!

I would like a better forum for communicating my opinions:

Even though I am happy with PAC I still would like a better forum for communicating. Maybe a blog or a facebook page where parents could post ideas and concerns and recommendations. I would not like to see this forum as a place where parents would advertise their businesses but a place to also suggest family friendly activities they have stumbled on.

I think the idea of facebook can be positive, as parents can be reminded about PAC meetings.

Communicate via Children or via on-line site

Final Comments from our wonderful respondents. Thank you for taking the time to share your

thoughts.

I want my children to get more homework and learn more so they are prepared to go to Middle School

I appreciate the email follow-ups. Thanks. I would like more notice of fundraising events!

The PAC is doing a good job but we should do a better job of spending money identified for enduring projects and try to involve parents in the decision process as we move towards a decision on what and how much (ie a follow up would be great). This survey is great- thank you!

I am very new in this area, so maybe next year I can help more.

I appreciate the emails to keep informed. With 3 small children & shift work, meetings don’t work well with us. Spend extra $ where the teachers and kids spend most of their time- at the school. I believe the teachers know where the money is needed most! Trust them.

We need to involve a larger group of parents so that we can be more effective in offering parent skills that help the school. Who cares more about our kids and their school than us?

  Thank you for all you do. It takes tremendous time, effort and networking.