Wilkinson School Community Council
Meeting Minutes
October 11, 2011
Present: Leasa Adams (vice-principal), Laura Bullard-Brezovsky, Bipasha Choudhury, Shauna Dobbie, Paul Dobson, Helen Ferraro, Liza Finlay, Sarah-Jane Gillespie, Susan Haney, Sharon Hennessey, Kris Kearns, Ruby Lederman, Jennifer Lynch, Kirsten McGoey, Bruce MacDonald, Alison Motluk, Deanna Rosolen, Martin Saxton, Jill Spellman, Erin Vaillancourt, Paula Weekes-Kahn (council chair), Karen Wiseman
Regrets: April Moon, Emma Reid, Sam Vrakking
Guests: Janet Mann, Steve Pirso, Melissa Robinson
Recorder: Deanna Rosolen
Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.
1. Welcome and Introductions: Paula welcomed everyone to the new council’s first meeting of the year. This year’s council members and guests each introduced themselves.
2. Approval of the agenda:
Motion: Paul Dobson. Seconded: Martin Saxton.
3. Approval of the minutes from Sept. 19:
Motion: Martin Saxton. Seconded: Kris Kearns.
4. Principals’ update: V-P Leasa Adams gave the updates.
A. Ms. Morgan from Room 2 is leaving. She had a long-term occasional position at Wilkinson and has accepted a contract position with the board. A supply teacher who filled in for Ms. Ault last year is now covering the class.
B. Surveillance cameras have been installed.
C. Forty Wilkinson students went to a cross-country meet and four moved on to the next meet on Oct. 13.
D. Ten boys will be attending a boys’ conference on Oct. 28. The conference is on writing skills and different career opportunities in writing.
E. The Grades 5 and 6 will be attending the Toronto Islands School in January.
F. There are students from area high schools, Ryerson and OISE on co-op placements at Wilkinson.
G. Ms. Cerqueira’s and Ms. DiModugno’s classes are working with Greenwood Secondary School on art classes on creating children’s books.
H. Wilkinson has raised close to $8,000 for its Terry Fox Run. Mr. Krentz and Mr. Cross will be having their heads shaved.
I. On Oct. 19, Tech it Away will have a trailer parked at the school and will accept any unneeded or unwanted electronics.
J. For parents: Lesley Andrew is presenting at Westwood Middle School. Lesley is a motivational speaker who is also learning disabled.
K. Wilkinson will be hosting the Young Carers Program (YCP) on Wednesdays. The program is geared to children from ages 5 to 18 who have assumed a care-giving role for a family member coping with a mental health or addiction issue; a physical or developmental challenge; a chronic or life threatening illness, or a language barrier.
5. Treasurer’s Update: Martin Saxton gave an overview of the Council’s profits and losses for the year.
6. Council administration: Paula highlighted several key points to remember.
A. The Council’s Constitution is on Wilkinson’s website. She asked that everyone review it.
B. In brief, the Council’s mandate is to enrich our children’s education by encouraging parent and community involvement. The Council is about keeping the community informed about school issues and events, encouraging respect among our whole community, raising and distributing funds and offering advice to the school’s administration.
In every decision we make, Paula reminded the council and guests that we must keep our mandate in mind. Any decisions the council makes going forward should and will be based on what is best for the whole school community.
C. Paula reviewed the council executive roles.
Council executive election
The council for 2011-2012:
Council Chair is Paula Weekes-Kahn
Vice Chair is Ruby Lederman
Treasurer is Martin Saxton
Secretary is Deanna Rosolen
D. Meeting dates: Council decided to meet the second Monday of every month. Paula to e-mail dates.
The issue was raised about guests receiving the dates via e-mail. All Council information, including dates, minutes, etc., will be on Wilkinson’s website and posted on Council’s notice board. Council meeting dates will also be posted by the main entrance/foyer.
E. Some comments regarding the Profit and Loss statement:
i) $3,000 for an art installation. Kirsten McGoey is heading this up. The installation will be for the JK/SK outdoor play space and consists of interactive stations. She is working with Home Depot to build it.
ii) Movie Night needs $1,200 to pay for the movie license; this amount needs to be added to budget.
iii) Council discussed changing Earth Rangers in the budget to something more generic such as Earth Day Event.
iv) New from last year is a $100 Emergency Fund for administration to administer as it sees fit. The purpose of the fund is to help families whose children may not be able to participate in events or school trips for financial reasons.
v) Field Trip funding. Is $2,500 enough?
vi) Greening committee: Will determine what budget it needs and will let Council know at next meeting.
vii) Ukelele club has grown; $1,500 will go towards supporting the program.
F. Monthly newsletter going electronic: The aim is to reduce newsletter costs by 25%. The move from hard copy to electronic will also help Wilkinson’s standing as an Eco School. Leasa Adams’ daughter is inputting all the e-mail addresses.
Council discussed the idea of sending parents and families an e-mail directing them to the website to view the most current newsletter rather than e-mailing them the newsletter itself. This way Council can make corrections or updates right on the website.
Also, the newsletter won’t be completely paperless; there will be some paper copies printed for those families who have requested hard copies.
G. Council discussed the idea of establishing parent-class reps. At another local school, each class shares all the parents’ email addresses and phone numbers with one parent, who becomes the class rep. So when the teacher needs parent volunteers for a class trip, for example, the parent class rep sends the e-mail out to all the parents. The rep also ensures that e-mails and phone numbers are up to date.
Leasa Adams will ask at the next staff meeting how teachers feel about the idea.
Council will follow up at its next meeting.
7. Funding Requests:
A. Susan Haney asked for $1,200 to cover the cost of the Movie Night license.
Motion: Ruby Lederman. Seconded: Kris Kearns.
B. Mr. Bartl (a new teacher to the school this year) wants to start a primary and junior baking club and will need baking supplies. He’s asking for $100 to cover the costs. Parents can also attend.
Motion: Paul Dobson. Seconded: Helen Ferraro.
C. Leasa Adams asked for $640 for Groovin’ Kids, a troupe that will put on four workshops for the day on creative movement and dance geared to Grades 1 to 6. There’s also a workshop for teachers.
Motion: Sharon Hennessey. Seconded: Erin Vaillancourt.
D. $500 for Pumpkinfest.
Motion: Paul Dobson. Seconded: Susan Haney.
8. Dandylion Daycare: No updates.
9. Pumpkinfest: Date is set for Oct. 23, from noon to 4 p.m. Ruby Lederman is heading this event. Flyers and posters will be up shortly.
Ruby has found a pumpkin supplier in St. Jacob’s and will need three to four drivers with minivans to pick up the 150 pumpkins on Oct. 22. The event is also looking for more artists to showcase their work.
10. A note on communications: Paula asked that all Council members bear in mind that any communications going out to the Wilkinson school community needs to be approved in this order:
* by the committee chair (if applicable) first
* then by Council Chair
* then by the principal and vice-principal
The aim is to maintain consistency and avoid conflicts.
11. Committee Updates:
A. Arts committee: Deanna Rosolen has put together a list of live performances for the year. Has asked April to look it over first. The committee would like $3,500 in budget again this year.
B. Communications: The committee needs to meet to discuss all communications business.
Parent Council board needs to be revamped.
The issue was raised that since parents are not often in the school, they don’t see the Council board. An outdoor board is a solution but costly. Or posting notices outside in key locations is another solution. But the point was raised that there may be information the school doesn’t want strangers walking by to see.
The discussion also turned to the lack of benches and chairs on the first floor with the JK and SK classes. They were removed last year to lessen the noise in the halls. The discussion turned to the issue of striking a balance between encouraging a welcoming environment in the school and not disrupting classes.
The discussion also turned to the JKs and SKs beginning their day outside in the playground. The teachers are testing this out this term and then will survey parents about it.
C. Movie Night: Next one is Oct. 28. Susan Haney is still heading this up.
D. Pizza Lunches: Moms have come forward to help this year.
E. Direct Donations: April Moon is heading this up. So far the initiative has raised $1,000.
Paula also pointed out that everyone on Council should pitch in when it comes to fund-raising efforts (selling tickets, raffles, etc.).
F. Tattoo sales/Leafs/Raptors Tickets: This initiative has raised $1,000.
G. Greening Committee: Kris McGoey will come up with a budget for the next meeting.
H. Health & Safety: The issue was raised that the crossing guard leaves promptly at 9 a.m. This means some children are crossing Donlands on their own. The committee has contacted Mary Fragedakis about this.
A guest raised the issue that children shouldn’t be late in the first place. Leasa Adams noted that the administration does track lateness and it has gone down.
I. Vegetable Garden Committee: Jill Spellman, who is heading this up, has asked if the same teachers from last year are still interested in the vegetable garden and are there new teachers interested? She also would like to know what they would like to see for next year.
12. Report back/Follow-up items: The next Council meeting would like to address committees and budgets, parent-class reps, communications, Council bylaws (regarding resigning and opting back in).
13. New Business/Other Items for Future Meeting: Same as above.
14. The meeting was adjourned at 9 p.m.
Motion: Shauna Dobbie. Seconded: Kris Kearns.