Get Involved/School Council

Attendance: Rebecca, Holly, Janet, Desarae, Lisa, Dianna, Carleigh and Nancy.

January meeting minutes amended by Rebecca to say: Total projected for all 3 playground areas will range from $103,000 to $163,000.
First- Lisa, Second- Desarae

Chair’s report

• Donation letters sent to 40 local businesses asking for monetary support of our playground initiative. Public recognition and tax receipts will be issued unless otherwise requested. $100 secured to date.
• Desarae created a Survey Monkey capturing information requested by Dianna at the Jan 25th meeting. Desarae to send to Dianna to send to guardians.
• Boston Pizza offered Easter shaped pizzas type event. Will support our next large event with kids free meal coupons and pizza at discounted prices for resale. BP team welcomes any suggestions to continue a supportive partnership.

Principal’s report

• ABC’s re-quote came in at $110k. Majority voted to, if possible, have a $15k ground prep in-kind donation offer from a local business accepted, to bring the cost below $100,000 to avoid tender. Dianna will ask Tracy to reconsider allowing the school to accept the in-kind offer to save the school council $15k fundraising dollars allowing those funds to be used for equipment. Need clarification why an in-kind offer of this amount is being declined.
• If ground prep can not be donated, then the majority voted to take an item or two off the ABC quote resulting in the total being under $100k to be able to move forward with a purchase. Should more funds be raised before delivery, pieces can be added back on to the purchase order. ABC will be awarded if their quote is under $100k. Dianna will reflect via email to the Board that the school council would like all three areas completed at once to save on site-prep, shipping, installation and ground cover costs. Also, the school council would like to have the playground project completed asap for the students to enjoy and the community to see their contributions used.
• Maintenance contingency fund will be funded by HST rebate.
• Mid year assessments completed.
• Starting an “author’s box” to encourage writing.
• Kinders will receive IPADS via school board as part of the 5 year technology plan.
• Bulletin board at front lobby for school council communication with beechgrove community..

Treasurer’s report

• $31,090.13 in Nevada account, $41,501.83 in fundraising. Total $72,591.96

FUNDRAISING:

• Purdys chocolates hosted by Beechgrove, not council. Total raised towards end of year school trips was approx $1700.
• Special occasion card fundraiser is next with Janet as the lead. One sample card and pamphlet will be sent home with each student in the next month.
• Gravette’s test drive event is secured. Will be coincided with an end of year fun night. SAVE THE DATE poster to be put on communication platforms. Event will be JUNE 20/24. Extra bouncy castles may be donated to entice more attendance. $500 parent engagement money to be used towards this event.
• Lisa to ask Katrina about borrowing the inflatable archery for fun night.
• Two cotton candy machines running to speed up the treat line.
• GPS movie nights are well attended and have covered the public performance license fee. Suggestion to inquire if GPS would be interested in alternating locations monthly/bi-monthly so families could support both schools and the workload would be shared. Beechgrove would need to apply soon to have our own license for 2024/2025.
• Also, GPS hosted a BINGO night, which was well received.

New business

• Offers given by school council to be extra bodies in the school or recess for extra supervision and adult presence to hopefully help avoid problematic situations. Due to privacy and confidentiality, this is not possible. It was recommended that instead, parents and volunteers (once cleared with police check), can start small groups within the school eg: reading groups, music lessons, yoga, games, etc. Bronco homework helper during the day at school is also an option. Other options/ideas welcomed.
• Survey Monkey template created by Desarae will be sent to Dianna to send to all guardians. This will give the school feedback to their enquiries made at our last meeting.
• Council asking the staff to develop a wish list of items needed that council can focus fundraising on for next year. Pinnies for sporting events have been requested so far.

Adjournment

• Next meeting date is not set, communication will follow.
• Request to adjust meetings to only 5:00/5:30 pm. Alternating meeting times each month has not increased attendance as hoped. Virtual components will also become a regular option.

Attendance: Lisa, Amanda, Carleigh, Dianna, Shaun, Nancy, Chantelle, Katrina

Minutes approved from last meeting: First- Amanda, Second-Katrina

Chairs report

• Discussion re climate survey results re bullying
• Staff seem to be utilizing the opportunity for First Aide training offered by the board

Principal’s report

• Introduction to new learning approach to math “Math Talk, which doesn’t belong?”
• There’s a steady increase in ministry standard success for math, writing and reading.
• Our school is looking at a goal to increase attendance
• Schools is looking for family feedback on the following: how to support families with
  academics at home, how to engage parents to support, how to support and promote
  attendance, how to support and promote students mental health, how to improve school
  communication/ newsletter ideas
• Purdys Chocolates fundraiser will be run for a month by grade 7⁄8 for their end of year trip
  (Feb-March)
• Bike racks were delivered today!
• Our school is looking for a parent to be a part of their Safe and Caring School program
• Playground: Board is giving us $25,000.00 towards this project. We can re apply
  annually for $25,000.00 more. Total projected for all 3 areas will exceed $163,000.00.
  Locates and grounds walk through done. More info to follow for voting.
• There are lots of clubs are activities happening at the school for students to be involved
  in
• School Council receives $500 from the board each year for Parent Engagement
  activities. Suggestions welcome on where to spend it. Eg: math/fun night, end of year
  school party, spring event?

Treasurers report

• $74801.18 School Council account total

Fundraising 

• Pointsettias made $518.12
• Greeting card fundraiser presented. It was decided that the most realistic way to
  approach this would be to ask families to preorder. Request made to wait until after
  Purdys is finished after March. Lisa to take this info back to Janet.
• Feedback requested on another Easter event. Suggestion made to consider making it a
  spring event rather than Easter since timeline is tight (it would have to be March 23 or
  24th). VOLUNTEERS are mandatory to make any event successful. If you are available in any capacity (day of or behind the scenes) we NEED help. Funds raised all go back to our school. Lisa to look into car dealerships possibly willing to do another test drive approach to maximize our success.
• New fundraiser ideas are always needed! Please share your thoughts.

New business

• Christmas concert new format was well received by most that attended. Some families
  are missing the traditional approach. This will be brought back to teachers for
  consideration for next year, but in general; times are changing, our population is
  increasingly diverse, there are many aware of germs ect since COVID. Communication
  needs to be better regardless of the format, as many people were not aware of the
  details this year.
• Some concerns over kids watching TV during lunch hour at school or on Snow days.
  There are times where supervision of some areas requires teachers to be overseeing
  multiple classes at once. If there are shows on a screen, they are educational eg:
  Alphablocks, TVO. Should any families ever have concerns of this not being the case,
  please reach out to your teacher or the principal.
• Electives are not going to look the way they used to. There are activities planned for this
  winter, but they are predecided through the school. Blocks of students will attend
  together.

Next meeting

March 7/2024 at 3:30 pm