SCI Parent Advisory Council: April 2011

Minutes

SCI Parent Advisory Council for School Leadership

February 28, 2011

Attendance: Pam MacDonald, John MacDonald, Pat Ilchena, Monica Biggar, Bob Welsh, Ross Martin, Doraine Wachniak, Kathy Andersson, Donna Walby Lawson

Call to Order by Donna Walby Lawson at 7:05 pm.

Approval of Agenda: Motion (1) Approve the agenda with the addition of Child Abuse Registry and Criminal Records Check under New Business by Ross Martin, 2^nd by Kathy Andersson. Carried.

Approval of Minutes: January 17,2011. Motion (2) by Kathy, 2^nd by John MacDonald. Carried.

Student Council's report: Cassandra Kiernicki emailed report: In the past month, student council has sold flowers and match markers for Valentine's Day. Future events include wear green for St. Patrick's day, Spring Carnival and Spirit week.
Chairperson's report: >Donna attended Chairman's breakfast hosted by MAPC at the end of January. Topics discussed: how to more effectively communicate amongst the various PAC groups using emails in order to support each other and share ideas. >Donna invited Zig Thiessen's art students to display their art work at public library. She's received positive response from community.
Principal's report: > School budget being finalized for the 3^rd of March. SCI is in a reduction mode due to the decrease in number of students (about 40 students). SCI will experience 1.35 FTE (full time equivalent) reduction. >Pat passed out the Divisional Survey results from Wayne Leckie. He asked that the information not be reviewed in an isolated fashion. The information will provide the school the opportunity to gather more in-depth information. >Monica Biggar discussed the Healthy Together Now Grant Application which will give $80,000 to Sunrise School Division (SSD) with $11,000 coming to SCI. The money will be used in 3 areas: The Healthy Schools hot lunch program will continue; a dance instructor will be hired to increase physical activity; there will be a presentation on body image (also sponsored by student council). >Kevin Kitching put on Urban Plunge where he took students to core downtown to volunteer and see how those with less advantages are living. >Fair Trade project with the social justice committee included a speaker presentation. >Upcoming dates to note: March 4, Springfield Youth Parliament; March 9, interim reports for at risk students; March 10, orientation night: 6-7:30 for post secondary education and high school graduation, 7:30 is grade 8 orientation; March 12, business class participating in Free Ride, fundraiser for Field of Visions (FOV); March 18, PD Day, no school; March 24, Course registrations are due; March 25, last day of school before Spring Break.
Treasurer's report: Kathy reported we received $.01 interest bringing our balance to $510.34. Motion (3) to accept by Kathy, 2^nd by Ross. Carried. >Kathy proposed some of the funds be used for FOV and music scholarships. She asked that we brainstorm ideas for next meeting.
Correspondence: > We discussed various emails received by SSD. >Pam shared the findings from a report on parental involvement. Monica asked that those finding be shared with the school newsletter committee for inclusion in the next newsletter. Motion (4) by Ross to receive and file all info except MAPC info and Evidence on Parental Involvement, 2^nd by Kathy. Carried. Motion (5) by Ross to have Evidence on Parental Involvement sent to school newsletter, 2^nd by John. Carried. Motion (6) by Ross to have two members sent to MAPC AGM with PAC paying their registrations fees if requested, 2^nd by John. Carried.
Business arising from minutes:

No new information regarding Code of Conduct committee.
No new information regarding lunch monitor update.
Field of Visions: Kathy said the students have presented twice to the Board of Trustees to explain the purpose of FOV. In their second meeting, they asked to hire a program leader to organize and coordinate the required effort to move forward. The project is now estimated to cost $1.5 M to $1.8M. The Board and SSD will need to spend some time processing information.
SPPA: Kathy said they've been using with a Bingo Bowl fundraiser to sponsor camp. Next fundraiser is Donelli pizza. Their next meeting is March 4. They looked into inviting the Canadian Brass, which is scheduled to come to Winnipeg, to visit SCI. Unfortunately, due to contractual obligations, they can't come. However, students were able to watch a dress rehearsal of the Canadian Brass.
Rachel's Challenge Banner: Currently, it's in Principal's office. Donna asked that it be displayed now, while student's who had signed the banner were still in school. Pat would like to coordinate with a Student Council activity, like the Body Image presentation, and would like it to hang in school library.

10.) New Business:

Youth Anti-Smoking Program/ Smoking Area: Per Ross, with Province legislation prohibiting smoking on school property, he doesn't believe students should be allowed to use smoking area. Also, the door that they are using to come back into the school is automatically locking, and smokers are using inappropriate language to intimidate students to open the door for them. Ross feels we are enabling smokers to smoke and wants students completely off school property and fence should be closed off so smokers can't smoke there. Per Pat, all high schools have smoking areas off school property, including SCI, and if students go into the community to smoke, it is still the school's responsibility. Parents of SCI and the municipality of Springfield chose the smoking area where it stands. Per Kathy, the area was supposed to be monitored with reports back to the administration, but no reports have been coming. Per Pat, the current location is the lesser of two evils: It is off school property and it's available for supervision.
Proposed Resolution for the Members of MAPC: Doraine Wachniak drafted a proposed resolution for the members of MAPC to vote on at their next AGM requesting that all minutes of both Board and Member meetings, with the exception of in-camera proceedings, be available to MAPC members. Motion (7) by Kathy to submit the proposed resolution, 2^nd by Pam. Carried. All voting was done via email. The resolution was then emailed to MAPC with email confirmation of receipt.
Thank you notes were written and signed by the Executive for Zig Thiessen, Marijka Collier and Ryan Neufeld for their presentations to PAC in November and January.
Use of SCI phone office by students: Per Ross, he wanted to know why students are being requested to make a donation for use of office phone. Per Pat, the donations are going towards Christmas Cheer to curb student's abuse of office phone. Some students are using the phone to make social plans for after school. Pat said that if the phone needs to be used for an emergency, an illness or a change of after school plans, then no donation is being requested. Kathy said that the school should provide a school phone since taxpayers are paying for phone line. Pat asked for recommendation for school phone so that students are using it between classes to schedule social events. Kathy suggested a dedicated line be available for students to use like at SMS. John suggested student's use pay phone. Donna has a prepaid card for her daughter.
Child Abuse Registry and Criminal Records Check: should be done by all volunteers on an annual basis. If supervision is one on one or chaperone position, check needs to be in place.
Status of peer groups in SCI: no request made yet by students.

11.) Date of next meeting: March 21, 2011 @ 7 pm in school library

12.) Adjournment at 9:34 pm.

SCI Parent Advisory Council

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Thursday, April 7, 2011