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School Council Meeting

Minutes

October 15, 2008

IN ATTENDANCE:

                            Tara Candy                                                 Anne Morgan                                                                          Lesa Bennett                                                       Pat Giffin

                            Alisha Ouellette                                        Penny Messom

                            Marina Flater                                               Jody Watson

                            Shannon Dart                                              Kim Pliva                                                                                Lisa James                                                        Helen Harvie                                              

Chairperson, Pat Giffin, called the meeting to order at 7:08 pm.

1. Minutes from the previous meeting were circulated and read.  Motion to adopt with amendment changing Pat Giffin to Chairperson and Marina Flater to Co-Chairperson made by Kim Pliva, seconded by Lesa Bennett.

1. Treasurer Lesa Bennett reported an opening balance of $12,026.29 and a closing balance of $10,970.50.  The class disbursements, which have not yet been paid, will total $7, 540.00.  Motion made by Anne Morgan and seconded by Alisha Ouellette to accept the Treasurer’s Report.

1. Correspondence: there was no correspondence.  

1. Fundraising Summary from Pat:  The final deadline to hand in orders to the school will be October 27.  It is suggested to send a note home with students with the final due date and informing families what we actually use the funds raised for.  Shannon Dart mentions that she is willing to run the Hockey Pool fundraiser this winter. 

1. Family Dance:  the DJ is booked, and some volunteers are in place.  Kim Pliva is collecting the door prizes.  The glow sticks have arrived.  The entry fee will be $5.00 per family, with door prize tickets $1.00 each.  No masks or weapons allowed.

1. Hot Lunch:  Hot Dog Day is scheduled for October 16.  Pam has everything well underway. 

1. Breakfast Program: Marina Flater reports for Deanna Wipf that she has been very busy training new volunteers.  Smitty’s has approached her about catering a breakfast once a month, and feed all the students in one grade each time.  After some discussion it is decided that we would prefer that they feed only the students at the Breakfast Program once, or possibly twice because it is fewer students, monthly.  This would ease some of the food and volunteer burden on the program.

1. Provincial Achievement Test and Accountability Pillar Results: Anne Morgan reports that  the results for both were good.  The Accountability Pillar is a survey of Grade 4 students and their parents as well as all staff, rating Greentree according to such criteria as whether it is a safe and caring school, student learning opportunities, and the quality of education.  The results, which were very good, showed an improvement over the previous survey.  We had very high participation rates for the PAT’s, and the vast majority of the scores met or exceeded the percentages for the provincial acceptable  and standard of excellence levels. 

1. Aministrator’s Report from Anne included:

• The PD day in Strathmore was good, including sessions on assessment, leadership, and other topics of interest.
• AISI – three teachers will be attendings the Math Conference, to bring back ideas to the staff.  Corinne Gerling, the lead teacher, has been going to classrooms to model promising practices from the summer conference she attended.
• Assessment – Jane Smith is on the lead team.  We are all writing our outcomes in student-friendly language, so that the kids know the targets.  We are writing common assessments, so that teachers know what students do and don’t know, and so that teams can analyze their teaching strengths and weaknesses.  We are using assessment for learning practices.  Jane and Anne are attending the Assessment Conference at the end of October.
• Quest Theater will be presenting “Bird Brain” on Monday, October 20.
• Halloween – MSU pumpkins will be here for display and handout.  Haunted House will be the afternoon of October 30 and the morning on October 31.  The Costume Parade will be at 1:30 on October 31.
• There is a concern among staff about students being dropped off for school in the mornings before the 8:20 bell that signals the start of supervision at school.  Students are not allowed in the building before this time.  This is a safety issue, because there is no staff supervision prior to 8:20.  It is decided to send home a letter to parents re-stating the lack of supervision, and suggesting the before-school care rogram.
• Other:
• Photo Retakes are on October 23.  Younger siblings are welcome to have their pictures done at this time.
• AHSCA membership – Golden Hills is paying for this.
• Pat asks for suggestions for possible future guest speakers; Patricia Morgan and Barbara Colorosso are offered as ideas.  Possibility mentioned of having a speaker in conjunction with a meeting.  Golden Prairie Link provides child care for such events. 

Next meeting: Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00pm in the Library.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20pm.