St. Joseph School Council Meeting Minutes …...pg. 1 November 2, 2017 St. Joseph School Council...
Transcript of St. Joseph School Council Meeting Minutes …...pg. 1 November 2, 2017 St. Joseph School Council...
pg. 1 November 2, 2017
St. Joseph School Council
Meeting Minutes November 2, 2017
Location – St. Joseph Learning Commons
Attendees
There were attendees (including 2 Administration, 2 staff, 4 executive members and 7 parents)
Paula Robinson Principal
Brian Briggs Vice Principal
Sandra Schaffer Chair
Penny Stone Staff
Nicola MacGuinness Vice-Chair
Michelle Hunt Treasurer
Tracey Contrada-Phillips Secretary
Jennifer Dimarzo Parent
Kathy Eliuk Parent
Melinda Mamer Parent
Sheila O’Brien Parent
Karen van Steenis Parent
Michele Moon Parent
Murina Krahn Parent
** if your name has been spelled incorrectly, or you were inadvertently missed, please accept our sincerest apologies.
pg. 2 November 2, 2017
Minutes
1. Meeting Opening – Sandy opened the meeting at 6:30pm, and an opening prayer way recited by all. Introductions commenced around the table. Welcome to Penny Stone, our teacher representative.
Commendations – Thank you to the admin for allowing the kids to dress for Halloween. The school had about ½ the junior high kids dress up, which is fantastic. The children were asked to not dress scary or inappropriate and there was 100% participation. Thanks to the teacher for dressing up as well. Paula said thank you to all that coached and volunteered for the junior high volleyball games– (Ms. Bertch refereed the 2nd game). The kids second game was so close, however they lost with such grace. Our kids handled themselves very well. Kudo’s to the kids! Michelle said thanks to the team that supported the fun lunch.
2. Approval of Sept 28th minutes - Kathy motioned to approve, Michelle seconded, approved by all – motion passed.
3. Administration Report –
a) Friendship toolbox – shared with teachers as an idea at an October Professional Development day, as an elementary focused activity. The hope is that the skills will carry on as they progress to junior high. This tookbox is to be supported by Parents, teachers and children. Kids don’t have the tool to solve conflict in a healthy way, our responsibility is to help them to work it out themselves, using common language. They have 6 tools – Say Stop (firmly) , I Message (I don’t want to do that, and look at the other in the eye), Talk It Out (discuss), Take Time (cool down and go back to fix it), Walk Away (choose a different place to play), Forgive and Forget (moving on and not worrying so much) .
The Grade 5 students are taking a lead and doing skits to demonstrate the Friendship Toolbox and will share with
all elementary classes. The staff will start to use the language, and recommends that parents start to use these
as well. There is a Parent package that will go home to all K-6 families, start using the language at home.
pg. 3 November 2, 2017
b) Budget overview – over view from School Council handbook:
“School councils, working with their principals, create a community spirit where students feel the commitment of
their principal, teachers and parents working together toward common goals identifies in the school’s 3 year
plan. Early in the year a school council determines and develops its goals and priorities for the school term that
are aligned with the school plan. Goals may or may not include fundraising.”
Important Points:
The school principal is responsible for the approval of all fundraising activities undertaken by members of the school community. Principals may need to refuse to accept funds raised through a process that is not in compliance with district regulation, especially if the purpose is not in alignment with the school’s 3 year plan.
Fundraising should be undertaken following extensive dialogue with administrators, at school council meeting and among members of the school community.
Principals are to be cognizant of the frequency of both fundraising and charitable activities at school. Bothe of these campaigns can overwhelm families and their financial resources.
District Goals – Student Excellence, Wellness, FNMI, Faith Formation, Champions:
St. Joseph School Goals:
Student Excellence – Learning Strategies option in JH, LLI in elementary, Common reading and writing
assessments, literacy portfolios implementation, Brightspace (increase use), mathematics/science
focus for junior high (PAT analysis), City Hall School Gr. 5J & 6V.
Champions – Kick off with Motivational Media, Focus on CONNECTEDNESS – knowing each other more
authentically student leadership
Faith Formation – Improve Liturgy preparation/music ministry, Staff Prayer, Prayer Board, Weekly
Scripture in Roar, Strong Connection with parish, Student Faith Day April 24/18, Retreats for grade 6 &
9, Charitable giving ie. St. Vincent de Paul Relationship, Advent/Lent student calendars
Wellness – Elementary Friendship Toolbox implementation, Health nurse – grade 4 & 5 program Hope
Trees, BOKS, Gr. 3 & 4 Swimming, Active Living, DPA
FNMI – Orange Shirt Day, Cowboy Smith Presentation Nov. 14, FNMI team book study with JH,
Territorial Acknowledgement said each Thursday on intercom and at all meetings, Sitting Stones, Elder
Visits, Recognition of Aboriginal Day on June 21, Stampede school Gr. 2H & 4S.
pg. 4 November 2, 2017
School budget:
Basically, we have two money pots:
1. Scale of Issue (SOI)* – a set amount, determined by the school district and directed to the school in the
fall each year.
- Budget allocation
- Donations
2. School Generated Funds
- School Fees (agendas, locks, activities/field trips)
- Fundraising
- Grants
- $ from School Council
- $ generated for charities
Scale of Issue(SOI) pays for the following:
- Paper (largest cost)
- Office Supplies
- Textbooks, subscriptions, music licensing
- Art Supplies
- Science Supplies
- School connects – phone out system
- Library ($1000/year)
- Professional development of staff ($600/year)
- Technology upgrades eg. Bulbs for projectors, replaced broken chrome book
- Grade 6 & 9 Retreats – food, speaker, transport
- Cell phones, walkie talkies,
- photocopier repair, lamination rolls
- Presentations, tournaments
- Field trips/bussing – for those students/families that can’t pay school fees
- Waste removal and paper recycling pick up
- PE equipment
- Diverse Learning Tools – disco seats, standing desks, hoki stools, fidget tools
- Food – water, pizza parties, ice cream social, coffee/tea for guests
- Awards
School Enhancement Fund (Wish List):
Questions for council to consider?
1. How does it support both school and district goals?
2. How many students are impacted by the activity? (obviously the more students that benefit the better
– keeping in mind grade 1 and grade 9 involvement in school activities looks different)
3. What long term/life long learning results from the activity?
4. How does it help build community at St. Joseph?
pg. 5 November 2, 2017
Wish List 2017 - 2018
Item Request Grade Impacted # of Students District/School Goal Estimated Cost
Band Program 7-9 80-100 Student Excellence – Fine Arts
$6560
Into the Woods Musical 4-9 50 Actors/Chorus
10 Backstage
Whole school will
see production
Student Excellence – Fine Arts $1200
School Wide Presentations Champions 1–9
Cowboy Smith 5-9
Chris Bray K-9
390
?
421
Champions
FNMI
Faith Formation
$800 + GST
$500 + GST
$900 + GST
Open Minds School
**May get covered
through CEF Grant
Gr. 2H, 4S, 5J, 6V ~120 Student Excellence – all
subject areas
$5000
Google Hangouts 4 Classes
~100 Student Excellence – Social
Studies
$450
Mathletics Accounts
(additional 100, 200 bought
by school)
100 additional
accounts
($7/student)
100 Student Excellence – Math
$700
Grade 3 & 4 Swimming
Gr. 3 & 4 74 Student Excellence - PE $2134.90
(45 minutes @ 5 lessons
are 28.85/student)
Sacramental Recognition
(gifts)
Gr. 2, 3 & 6
? Faith Formation $150
Outside Sports Equipment Gr. K - 9 425 Student Excellence – PE and
Health
$250
Shrove Tuesday Gr. K - 9 425 Faith Formation $200
Grand Total
(with $5000 grant)
$13,844.90
Grand Total
(without $5000 grant)
$18,844.90
Grants – There has been a submission for a CEF grant worth $5000.00 to the school. If that is awarded to St. Joseph
School, the total amount of Wish List funding requested drops down to $13,844.90. Michelle stated she would love
to help and support finding and responding to Grant requests. Greatly received by the Admin!
Paula stated that the school has started off $7,000.00 in debt from last year and they will be able to overcome that.
However, if School Council is not able to support the Wish List fully, items may need to be deferred. A lot of great
ideas were generated to help offset some costs, ie Parents driving kids to swimming lessons, longer swimming lessons
on fewer days. Other ideas for school sponsored activities include Drug Awareness, and potentially sharing costs with
other schools in the CCSD.
Follow-up parent questions on the budget clarified that:
a) Hip Hop Dance Creations, while no longer on school council’s funding list, will still be happening and funded by
the school.
b) Grade 3/4 swimming funding is being requested this year of school council for the first time. Even though in past
pg. 6 November 2, 2017
years' the school supported swimming and field trips for these grades, this year the school is choosing to only
support swimming or field trips, due to the need to be more fiscally prudent
c) An allotment for activity day funding which will include a free lunch for students will be added to the budget
d) An allotment to fund a parent education night (ie drug abuse, anxiety, etc) will be added.
Sandy stated that next steps for the process will be for the Treasurer to incorporate the wishlist into a complete
budget that highlights fundraising requirements. This complete budget will be presented at the Dec 7th School
Council meeting and a motion to approve will be made at that time.
4. Chair Reporting - . e) Upcoming trustee dates – November 27/28 and Dec 5th
f) Trustee Election Ward 7 - New Trustee Pamela Rath
g) Faith Day – November 1st – extended an invite to school council chair, Nicola MacGuinness attended. All the new
trustees were in attendance. Emphasis on new theme - Ask and it Shall Be Given. “The power of prayer – don’t
worry about anything – pray about everything”. Bishop stated that he loves visiting schools and parishes and
wants to get out more. They recognized the Shepard leaders in the school system. 600 high school choir
students preformed and the Bishop Carrol Strings group performed. School superintendent reiterated why we
have our children in Catholic School (Gary Struthers superintendent). Commented on the new curriculum
coming.
h) Calendar ( Draft 2018/2019) - No calendar changes were requested by school council.
5. Fundraising Report a) Admazing - $14,120 in sales approx. ½ will be back to the school (approx $6-7K) 32 students qualitied for school
prizes with the Overall Top Sellers: #1 Wells-Curran (5-Johns) – sold 24 books ($200 Amazon Gift Card), #2
Pearson (8 – McCarthy) sold 17 books ($80 Amazon Gift Card), #3 Halek (4 – Slaney) sold 17 books (4 Flames
Tickets). Learning for next year to include having a bigger more enthusiastic kickoff to motivate sales, and also
extending the sale through at least 2 weekends. Additionally an idea was to have this fundraiser mentioned in
the Parish newsletter over the summer to garner attention.
b) Fun lunch – Little Ceasars (Oct 31st) ordered 317 pizza 112 crazy bread – profited $600, Angel donations $243.
6. Treasurer Report • Current Balance in school Bank Account is: $22,005.20 • Cheques written
- #317 - $1008.53 to Little Caesars for Halloween Pizza Fun Lunch - #318 - $122.29 to Alex Crisanti for Ice tea and Juice for Fun Lunch
• Deposits: - $1300 in ASTP sales, $14,120 in total sales, we will need to remit payment for the cost of the books out
of this income. - $1926.60 in Fun Lunch sales - Received $0.04 in Interest on the account
• Received one NSF cheque from the ASTP sales. Will be following up with Tina’s help to obtain a new cheque and to get reimbursed for the $7.00 NSF fee
• Upcoming Expenditures - ASTP payment, half of total deposits
7. Volunteer Update - Sheila said the volunteer forms are working very well, she has can now break down volunteers by
event. 12 people signed up for the fun lunch (Oct 31). WeScare volunteers, 5 with 2 St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, staff and students. Invites for the Staff appreciation lunch (Nov 30th) to go out this week. Coming up are the December St. Vincent du Paul Clothing drive, and Christmas Concerts.
pg. 7 November 2, 2017
8. Parish Liason Report - Catholic Education Sunday, Paula will be reading at the 5pm Saturday Mass, another principal for Sunday at 9am and Marina Sunday at 11am. Still needed are a parent (child) for Sunday at 5pm. Raising funds for CES and connect with the parish. Last month it was discussed that Father may request some funding to support Janice Clark coming to the school, but an anonymous donation has covered this. Potential timeframe is the month of May (month of Mary). Father has stated that there are only 12 children in his reconciliation class and has asked us for our support to encourage more attendance.
9. Adjourn –Sandy adjourned the meeting at 8:25pm, with a closing prayer, recited by all.
Next Meeting – December 7th at 6:30pm
Thank You for Your Participation!