Minesing School Council Meeting
September 10, 2014
Meeting Minutes
Council Members Present: Yvonne Stahlman, Diana Smith, Sara vanKolfschoten, Lindsay vanImpe, Carol
Clemens, Jennifer Fairbairn, Kirsten Phillips, Tracy Hexemer, Tamara Molloy, Lori-Closs Philips, Tara
Sutton, Jody DeGrechie
Staff Present: Sonia Kadela, Christopher Kemp
Guests: Joletta Thompson, Angela Hilts, Janey Snelgrove, Sarah Horner, Sarah Carisse
1. Welcome
Co-Chairs Lori Closs-Phillips, Tara Marshall-Sutton
2. Parent Council election process
a. Maximum of 12 members
b. Chair nominations: Lori Closs-Phillips and Tara Marshall-Sutton to be co-chairs
i.
Jen moved to elect, Sarah seconded
c. Jody DeGrechie for Secretary
i.
Lori moved, Tracey seconded
d. Kirsten Phillips for Treasurer
i.
Lori moved, seconded by Jen
e. Tracy Hexemer for grade 8
i.
Tara moved, Tamara seconded
3. Introductions of attending council members and non-council attendees
4. Review of Council minutes from June 14, 2014
a. Book tags from summer take home reading bags weren’t at correct level for all kids
b. Bus patroller training
i. Mark Kinney, police supported training started in June
ii. Starting to plan for patrollers, per Christopher who will contact Mark for fall
training
c. Septic plans for this year
i. No plans to upgrade, means no new portables for another class
ii. Class sizes meet board requirements for capacity, but are getting near
maximum sizes
d. Motion to approve minutes by Yvonne, Tamara seconded
5. Principal’s Report
a. Roof was done over summer, issues with company, resulting in leaks and damage
i. Issues were fixed over the summer, caretakers worked very hard
b. Teachers and staff worked hard to get ready for school – thank you
c. Tires were impaled on the fence; neighborhood kids causing damage
i. Should not be loose in schoolyard, have been removed temporarily
ii. Plan only for 5 tires, were actually 17 tires
iii. Tires will be returned
d. New teachers: Ms. Raven, Miss Shaver, Mr. Moxham, Ms Bowen, Ms Elson, Ms.
Kennedy, new EA Linda Drown
e. Reorganizing September 22: Board has allocated 2 JK/SK classes, 18 classes Grade 1-8
i. JK/SK maximum of 30
ii. Grade 1-3 must be 20 students
iii. Grade 4-8 can have 33 maximum
iv. 488 students this year, up from 467 last year
f. Concerns from parents about children in split classes (kids in higher grades of split)
i. Need to educate parents on how split classes are operating now – not old model
of teaching each grade material separately
ii. Combined Grades for Parents is on website; communication in newsletter for all
parents
g. Minesing students going to Joan of Arc
i. Snow Valley Rd and south can still attend
ii. North of Snow Valley Rd is St. Joe’s
h. Camp Kandalore for Grade 6s week of Sept 15th
i. Plowing Match for entire school
i. Need volunteers, can use one time police clearance form in office if police
clearance not already on file
j. Suggestion to send statement of no criminal activity home to existing volunteers
k. Terry Fox, September 25th
i. On-line donations, increase amount donated
l. Meet the Teacher Night, Oct 1 5-7pm, not 5-9
m. Twitter account for school
i. “minesingtweets”
n. School Cash on-line
i. Being loaded on line with class lists – request to organize by teacher, not
classroom to help parents find class
ii. Last week of September to go live
iii. Resend letter home to parents with information to sign-up
iv. Investigate if paper orders and online payment are possible
6. Plan for Year Ahead
a. Lunch Program
i. Days/Responsible Volunteers
1. Monday: Pita Pit – Lindsay (needs training), Jen, Sara
2. Tuesday: Nicholyn – Tamara, Angela, Jody (data entry)
3. Pizza: Jen Burns, Sarah will support
4. Thursday: Grade 8 fundraiser
5. Subs: Jen Burns, Sarah will support
ii. Tara and Lori will contact Pita Pit to confirm cost; let Mucho know that they are
not cost competitive
iii. Motion from Lori to revisit lunch program in January to evaluate response to
new line-up; Jody seconded
iv. Milk orders: Diana, with help from Carol and Angela
v. Put request for volunteer drivers in newsletter - new section for council:
“Council Corner”
b. ProGrant
i. Status known on approval; Sonia will check again
ii. Revisit last year’s plan for literacy night at next council meeting
c. Pizza Q
i. Hosted by teachers, not council
ii. Sonia/Chris will discuss with staff for food, time
iii. Suggestion to toss to Grade 8s for fundraising opportunity
d. Picture Day
i. Moved to Oct 15th/16th
1. Oct 15th JK-Gr. 5; Oct 16th Gr. 6-8
2. Update in newsletter
e. Fundraising
i. Move to next meeting
1. Vista
2. Nicholyn Meat
3. QSP (kick-off assembly Oct 1st); Tamara and Angela to support
f. Grade 8 fundraising plan
i. Tracy to review plan with Principal and VP, then council for approval
g. Playground status
i. Climbing wall denied due to safety and liability (need training, helmets,
supervisors)
ii. Money for playground is not lost
iii. Tires that were removed will be returned to be planted in a ‘wave’, as per intent
iv. Sonia will reconvene the playground committee to decide how to spend
remainder of money
v. No commitment of money until status reviewed with council
7. New Business
a. Music program
i. Are there any plans for a music program?
1. Last year choir didn’t last
2. Council put money in for workshops
3. There are 2 ‘Colours of Music’ workshops Sept 29th
8. Closing
a. Next meeting October 8th, 6:30pm
b. Meeting Adjourned 8:20pm