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Calgary Girls’ School
Parent Council Meeting Minutes
April 10th, 2015
Call meeting to order - 9:35 AM by Shoya
In Attendance: Shoya Wells, Lianne Kanters, Lisa Roberts, Barbara Morris,
Judi Hadden, Eva Erfle,
Nicole Almasi, Bindiya Shetty-Dias, Lori Zak, Leah Storrow, Colleen Rivers, Grace Tita, Wendy
James-Smith, Amy Care, Allison Williams, Sabrina Wilde, Tanya Sinnet
Approval of March 6th, 2015 minutes, moved by Colleen Rivers, seconded by Wendy JamesSmith.
Approval of April 10th, 2015 agenda, moved by Lianne Kanters, seconded by Tanya, with
addition of Jane Spice, School Nurse and moving up of photographer discussion to the beginning of
the meeting.
Jane Spice, our school nurse, introduced herself to the parents. She spoke about vaccinations for
Grade 5 & 9 girls. She can be reached through the school office. Focus for the upcoming school
year will be on whole body health – anxiety, stress, nutrition. Jane is willing to work with teachers
on these topics. Willing to work in collaboration with parent council to help girls reach their
“Pinnacle of Health”
Tanya Sinnet presented some ideas on an alternative photographer, Platinum. Able to do a
yearbook as well as photos. Gives back to the school based on total sales of portraits and
yearbooks. Offers school photos, grad photos, class photos or composites, yearbooks, rooftops
and family photos. No contracts for photos or yearbooks. Costs are comparable to our current
photographer as well as others that have been suggested.
Question – yearbook sales are low – Is there still a need?
- Need to give firm deadlines for sales.
- Not clear that the fee on the registration page is for next year (ie the 2015-16 yearbook not the
2014-15 current year one).
- Parents voiced there is a need for yearbooks, most preferred a “book” rather than a digital
format (hard to look at as technology changes)
- X
Question – If we do change photographers would be willing to reconsider the current one if they
can improve their product? Most were in agreement to allow them to put a proposal in for the
following year.
Ken Stewart is the other photographer we are considering.
Parents were invited to look at products from both providers and voice their opinions at the
conclusion of the meeting.
Treasurer’s Report - Lianne Kanters – Update on financials.
- Lianne presented an update on the budget and expenses to date.
- Judi will poll staff for needs as we have a generous surplus.
- In preliminary discussions – Bel Aire gym have decided not to go ahead with a climbing wall.
Considering a white board for gym and basketball standards.
- Looking for ways to better use the science lab and classrooms
Chairperson Report - Shoya Wells – Thank You!
Thank you!
Feed the Teachers & Staff Event Day.
To the parents who were the team who helped set up both campuses for the meals. To the
parents who made, and brought wonderful food and beverages for the 3 rd and final feed the
teachers and staff event ,on the first day of student Led in March. It was a much appreciated by
all.
Annie Production.
Thank you to all the parents who set up for the potluck meals, supplied food for the potluck
meals, and served the catered Jugo Juice dinner on the first night. This shift not only included
setting up, serving ,and tearing down, it also included walking all of the cast and crew over to
Central, and then walking back! Big shift! Thank you to the parents who supervised the girls at
the high school all evening, this included a lot of walking and standing all night. The special part
was helping to calm nerves, the high fives for remembering all their lines ,and work, doing hair,
makeup, buttons, zippers, quick changes. What a powerful and magical experience it was to
witness all of the hard work and hours put in by Ms. Charchun, Mr. Le, and the students. All the
parents who volunteered were so helpful, loving and patient!
Casino!
Leslie Marshall, and her team of dedicated parents who worked long shifts, and late shifts, to
raise a lot of money for all of our students, teachers, and admin to benefit from for years to
come.
Career Speaker Series
Thank you for Bindiya, Elizabeth, and team, for all the hard work you put in to this years’ Speaker
Series.
Women’s Eve Gala – Thank you to Nicole Almasi & her team for all their hard work!
2015/2016 Council Coordinator positions.
To prepare for the Strategic Planning meeting , I will need to know by April 24th if you as a
coordinator of a committee on parent council, intend to put your name forward for the same
committee for the following year, or put your name forward for a different committee, or to step
back from council ,and leave the position vacant for it to be filled by a new team. Wendy JamesSmith has put her name forward to stand for election as a Vice Chairperson.
The committees that are vacant as of now are; Parent Education x2,
Special Events x1, Used Uniform Sales X2, Fundraising – Amy Care has volunteered to chair { sub
committees only.} Feed the Teacher x 1.
Committees that have a confirmed parent returning, or putting their name forward are; Casino,
Special Events X1, Healthy Hunger X2. The other committees will need to confirm one way or
another by Apr 24th.
Questions for May Strategic Planning Agenda.
If you would like a question posed for new business for the next school year, please send me that
information by April 24th.
This can encompass any business that parent council plans, and governs, such as; Special Events,
Fundraising , Parent Council budget in all its categories. If you would like to make a suggestion, or
share what another school is doing that is very successful, please feel free to give us feedback to
discuss, to plan, and to collaborate .Every parent is a member of parent council, and we offer you
the chance to share your ideas, and have a voice. We like to conduct this business of
collaboration in a positive and respectful manor. We look forward to adding your ideas to our
list!
Principal’s Report - Judi Hadden
- Tech centre at Lakeview will have 12 monitors that can be used in various ways to help with
learning. Staff and students are all appreciative of this. Monies from the Gala used for this.
- Work in coming year will be around how technology works – how do we use a computer to
help us learn?
- Work with coding to show how this supports numeracy
- Provincial Budget implications: pleased with how budget came down. Separated teachers
from budget cuts. Teachers and classrooms cannot be cut. If enrolment stays the same we
won’t lose any staff. 3% cut to transportation. Surpluses sitting in school boards needs to be
spent and putting ties on boards as to how this is spent. Won’t be funding for increased
enrolment – can surplus money be used to staff the growth? Speculation that surpluses may
be called back – depends on outcome of election.
- Thank you to Nicole for all the work on WEG, Speaker series, hot lunches, financial support,
used uniforms.
-Parents expressed their appreciation for the “open door” policy.
- WEG – Tickets sold out in only a couple of days – 100 on wait list have all been given a seat.
Superintendent’s Report
Teacher’s Report – Eva Erfle
- Thank you for speaker series – girls were captivated by the firefighter.
- 3D printer has arrived and is set up
- Thank you for the new Tech space, everyone is watching its redevelopment
- Dance – went extremely well. Grade 9 girls learned a lot about organizing an event – prepping
food, supervising, parking control, etc.
- Thank you to parents for supporting the baskets for WEG
- Badminton tournaments coming soon
- Track & Field 6-9, all girls who show commitment will have a place on the team. Tryouts in
May will be a lunch and an afternoon or morning. Girls need a minimum of 2 events. Need
volunteers to help at the event first Wed in June
- Briannes run will need volunteers
- Learning Highlights;
o 7’s guided tour of downtown – Structures
o 4’s to Reader Rock garden – Grounds for change
o 6’s have worked with Grounds for change to design LV gardens
o New BP grant has been submitted.
o BA – Grade 9’s offering a field day for all girls at BelAire
Committee Reports:
Fundraising- Casino – Report
It has been a few weeks but I wanted to send a quick note to all of you that took time out of your
busy lives to volunteer at our recent CGS Casino Fundraising event. A big thank you to all of you
because as a result, our girls at CGS will benefit in a number of tangible ways.
This year, all of you made my role as Casino Coordinator the easiest of all. Many of you
volunteered at the very start and were quick to confirm when we got closer to the date. And
many of you volunteered just at the right time, when I needed to fill some last spots. Thank you. I
truly appreciate the wonderful spirit of the CGS parents and the generous gift of your time to
make this fundraising event so successful.
Judi tells me that our casino funds will be put towards new furnishings in both the learning
commons (work stations, design tables, chairs, cushions), as well as the completion of our two
tech design centres preparing our girls to work in the new dimension of the business world
known as “maker spaces”. This is the new direction of business planning and collaboration and
will be a part of our girls’ world as they move into the future. As well, some of the funds may go
to help enhance our playing fields, in conjunction with new developments with North Glenmore
Park, the City of Calgary and Calglen Soccer.
I hope I can count on some of you to again donate your time for our next Casino event, but
luckily that will be many, many months away. Please enjoy the upcoming break and, like me, take
the time to spend some quality time with your family.
Next casino will be in fourth ¼ 2016 or First ¼ 2017, Leslie has requested it be moved to the first
¼ of 2017 due to difficulty preparing for a casino in the fourth quarter.
Volunteer Coordinator - Julie Sutherland
Special Events - Dana Silver/Leah Storrow
Healthy Hunger Lunches - Lisa Roberts/Lori Zak
-Lisa & Lori want to step away. Replacements have been found
Parent Education – Julie Sutherland/Sandee Geislinger
Feed the Teacher - Shoya Wells
Career Speaker Series - Bindiya Shetty/Elizabeth Werner
WYP season finale with CFD on March 27 2015. Big thanks to all parents who stepped up to help
with bringing in amazing women speakers this year! Thanks to PC for all their support. Thanks
to Miss Hood and her Grade 9 girls and Miss Erfle and her leadership team for running a
wonderful advertisement campaign which kept our audience level at 150+ consistently. Thanks
to all staff members for their help with this program.
Women’s Eve Gala- Nicole Almasi
All going well.
Wait list of over 100 has been filled. Some tables of 12.
Dr. Judith Samson French (charity) will speak to girls on April 17 and talk about the charity
Sign up genius went out
- Still need after supper spots in the games room to handle cash (wishing well & bean bag toss)
- Art auction volunteer
Judith French will be setting up her Pearls 365 Jewelry – portion of sales to charity. They will take
credit cards. Remainder of the Gala is Cash.
Westin is doing the set-up on Friday.
Abby & Tim have program under control.
Scholastic Books/Popcorn Sales – Nova MacIntosh
Used Uniform Sales- Colleen Rivers/Nova MacIntosh –Report
May 26th sale date. 6:00-7:30 pm. Lakeview Campus.
Committee will be purchasing collapsible clothes racks for their use.
Nova will put out a volunteer call
Will be advertised to new parents
Call for donations – first sorting is next week.
Ask Me! – Sabrina Wilde
Tanya Sinnett/ Parent- Report - Would like to present work from a new school photographer
Other Business
Enhancement to Go Girls – How can we be mentally healthy?
May 20 Guest speaker to teachers and parents on mental health 3:30 = More info will be posted.
Next Meeting: Friday, May 1st, 2015
Strategic Planning Meeting ****NOTE THIS IS A CORRECTION TO THE AGENDA****
Adjournment at 11:22 am