PARENT / TEACHER COUNCIL Minutes In Attendance: Sammie, Button, Cheryl Cader, Lee Ann Cook, Suzanne Denomme-McGreal, Mary Anne Gage, Sara Haliuk, Rebecca Hargot, Heather Knowles, Jennifer Lee, Sara Pettigrew, Kate Post, Sharon Pynn, Paul Reilly, Jenn Smith, Paula Hall, Eileen Clement, Dawn Pielechaty Regrets: Kelly Bruckner, Christina Carter, Dwayne Helm, Katie Griffiths 1. Approval of Minutes & Agenda Previous Meeting – September 23, 2014 – Minutes Approved. (S. Pettigrew) 2. Principal’s Report (M. Gage) Ms Gage commented on how the size of our council is great and thanked everyone for their support with the fundraising. Staffing update: Mrs. Stabile has taken another position, she has since been replaced by Mr. Root. Mrs Hurren is back four days a week and Ms Gage is still interviewing a replacement. Technology Update: 14 sets of speakers and all laptops have been received, just waiting for the Board to image the laptops appropriately. We have been assessed for our Wifi and we are on target for the end of November as planned. Progress reports will go out on November 18th with parent/teacher interviews taking place on the 20th and 21st . Intermediates will be getting a Pre Progress report so that they can make appropriate learning goals. 1 Student Council has had their elections the council consists of 2 grade 8’s, 2 grade 7’s and 2 more grade 8’s as a “cabinet” Junior Swim Meet coming up. The volleyball team is practicing now. Literacy game at the Bulldogs is coming up for the grade 4, 5, and 6 students. There are literacy based activities in the classroom leading up to the game. FDK Students are off the farm Primary division is going to the Brott Music Festival at Mohawk College Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 are off to Theatre Aquarius to see Anne of Green Gables We have a dance club run by Mr. DeMan and Ms Johnson and they will be performing at the Remembrance Day Assembly. 3. Teacher’s Report No Report. (M. Gage for D. Helm) 4. Fundraising Report After Halloween we will start collecting for the basket fundraisers. Looking for ideas for basket themes. Ms Gage will take a poll with the older students to see what they might be interested in. (J. Lee) Thanks to Cheryl and Heather for assisting with the Lamontagne order, not including the online orders we raised approximately $4000. We will get online order figures at a later date. This figure doubled what we normally make on the magazine orders, more families participated and that helped make it successful. Posted a message on the facebook pages asking for fundraising volunteers. We will need volunteers to sell basket raffle tickets. 5. Treasurer’s Report Currently approximately $24,000 in the bank, there are some outstanding items to come out of that, by the end of December we should be at between $11,000 and $13,000 (H. Knowles) Pizza sales are up this year which is huge, every 6th order we place is free. National Sports no longer carries the balls we wanted to order, they are trying to locate and order more for us. 6. Community Liaison Report (S. Dennome-McGreal) AST – Program through Smart Commute Hamilton and Publice Health. A grant of up to $600 that can assist us with purchasing bike racks as we have previously discussed. Susanne will contact the representative and have him come to a council meeting to do a presentation on the program. This requires school participation such as promoting walking or riding a bike to school instead of driving. Possibility of having a sub committee to work on this project, Susanne with connect with Ms Prosser as she is the Green Team lead for our school. 2 ME to WE – This is a global foundation that two brothers began to get children to make a difference in the world by doing small things to help the community. Is this something we can have our students participate in locally? Ms Gage will see is the Board has an affiliation with the foundation. 7. Other How to spend our Fundraising Dollars? Some suggestions were submitted by Sammie Button and Sara Haliuk were; trip subsidies, even just $5-10 per child, if parents see this on trip forms, they may be more likely to particpate in fundraising next time around. Updating/maintaining our music department do they need instruments, or maintenance to ones that are there right now? Mad Science, could the council fund for them to come in and do a one hour session with some of the grades. Our gardens need some sprucing up in the spring, maybe a small amount towards that? Ms Gage did a presentation on how we can possibly allott our funds and this can be adjusted as needed; 20% Arts programing, such as the instruments that need purchasing and maintenance 20% Community Outreach, such as subsidizing the trips on an ongoing basis, keeping in mind that the school does have a fund aside for families in need 20% Healthy Living, bus costs for extra curricular activities, sound system for the gym, matts for the gym 40% Technology, Ipads, Apple TV, maintaining what we have All of these amounts can be reassessed and adjusted accordingly. Next Meeting: Tuesday November 18, 2014 6:30pm – 8:00pm School Library 3