Wilkinson School Community Council
Meeting Minutes
November 14, 2011
Present: Leasa Adams (vice-principal), Laura Bullard-Brezovsky, Bipasha Choudhury, Shauna Dobbie, Paul Dobson, Liza Finlay, Susan Haney, Sharon Hennessey, Allan Kelly (principal), Ruby Lederman, Jennifer Lynch, Bruce MacDonald, April Moon, Emma Reid, Deanna Rosolen, Martin Saxton, Jill Spellman, Erin Vaillancourt, Paula Weekes-Kahn (council chair), Karen Wiseman
Regrets: Shauna Dobbie, Helen Ferraro, Sarah-Jane Gillespie, Raihana Ingar, Kris Kearns, Kirsten McGoey, Alison Motluk
Guests: Steven Pirso, Sarah Hoac (Dandylion), Mary Hart
Recorder: Deanna Rosolen
Meeting called to order at 7:10 p.m.
1. Welcome and Introductions: Paula welcomed everyone. Council members and guests each introduced themselves.
2. Approval of the Agenda: Motion: Ruby Lederman. Seconded: Martin Saxton.
3. Approval of the Minutes from Oct. 11, 2011:
**Amendment**
Under the “Profits and Loss” section, number vii) the entry should read: “Ukelele club has grown. $1,500 will go towards supporting the program.”
Minutes approved.
Motion: Martin Saxton.
Seconded: Jill Spellman.
4. Principal’s update:
A. A parent has asked about restoring the War Memorial in the front foyer. Some of the soldiers’ stars have fallen off and the memorial has sustained water damage. How can we go about restoring it? Should we recruit a parent? The community? Right now, it’s not a priority for the school. Jill Spellman has offered to look into this.
B. Wilkinson has received its Eco School plaque, which will be mounted in the front foyer. The school community and students who were involved are very proud of the achievement.
C. The Healthy Eating program is moving along and running well. Other schools have expressed interest in it.
D. Wilkinson will have a full-time secretary. Jennifer has moved into one school. Susan Buchan will likely be applying for the position.
E. Wilkinson is looking for a Grade 5 extended French teacher to cover for Ms. Mahovlich.
F. The Smart Boards are a big hit. The school is looking to get more students and teachers involved in using them.
Wilkinson also received one Smart Board free of charge this year as part of a pilot project and will get to keep it. This one is in Room 6. The school now has five and would like to obtain one more this school year.
G. Safe & Caring Schools had its first meeting and discussed what the committee carried out last year and its role in the school and community.
As part of Wilkinson’s bullying prevention program, the school:
• has surveyed the Grades 4, 5 and 6
• has designated time at each staff meeting to discuss the issue
• is working on ways to get parents involved
• has adopted a new incident reporting form
• is tracking incidents
• is looking at prevention
• is looking to have monthly assemblies
The committee is also looking at ways to help teachers deal with the issue and come up with a definition of what constitutes bullying.
H. Leasa Adams has organized a Family Literacy Night on Nov. 24. There will be a guest speaker (Kean Soo, a Toronto-based illustrator and graphic novelist) and break-out sessions afterward. The aim is to give parents and guardians strategies and tips to support their children’s reading development at home.
I. The school is also organizing an event with Toronto Public Health. This event will be geared to parents and guardians who have children with stress or anxiety. The date is still to be determined and will likely be in 2012.
5. Treasurer’s Report: No final figures yet.
6. School Board Improvement Plan: The plan is a Toronto District School Board directed initiative. It’s based on EQOA (Education Quality and Accountability Office) results. Schools are being asked to take four specific pillars – numeracy, literacy, safe & caring schools and pathways (refers to children’s transitions from primary to middle to high school) – and come up with a plan to improve in those areas. The plan is a three to four year plan. More information is posted up on the Parent Council board.
7. Discussion and vote on Parent Council Budget: Treasurer Martin Saxton delivered an outline of the budget for the 2011-2012 year. Council went through each item. There were some changes/additions:
i) Teachers’ Lunch – end of school year luncheon for teaching staff. The allocated amount for this was changed to $500 from $300.
ii) Movie Night License fee of $1,500 was added.
i) A $200 Emergency Fund was added for school administration to use 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.
The budget was approved. Motion: Paul Dobson. Seconded: April Moon.
8. Funding requests: Ruby Lederman, who runs the Wil-Kitchen events, has asked for $375 for supplies for the next one on Dec. 8. The theme is Multicultural Holiday Baking.
9. Constitution discussion – resigning of committee members: This issue has come up because some council meetings have not been able to meet quorum. And this is mainly because of members who cannot attend and don’t send in their regrets. At present there is no way to deal with these cases.
Ruby Lederman has been conducting research on the issue.
In the discussion, several points were raised:
i) How should council deal with a member who does not send in regrets and misses several meetings in a row? After three consecutive absences without sending in regrets should council ask the member to resign? In case there is a reason, council is prepared to support that member.
ii) Do members have the ability to resign?
iii) Does council have the right to ask a member to resign?
iv) If a member resigns, how should council address the vacancy?
Questions/concerns can be directed to Ruby. She will prepare a new set of proposed by-laws to be circulated.
Council may vote on the issue at the next meeting.
10. Guest and parent, Mary Hart, asked to discuss the junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten playground. Her concern is that the only structure for the children is the Teepee. Mary offered to help in fundraising/revitalizing the space. Mary and Leasa will discuss the issue further. Discussions may include Kirsten McGoey and Paul Dobson who are working with parent volunteers and students on creating and installing more interactive elements in the space.
11. Parent Conference: Bipasha Choudhury attended the conference. Bipasha has offered to head the Council’s education committee.
12. Dandylion Daycare: The centre would like there to be more communication between the daycare and the school on illnesses and lice.
Dandylion will have two vacancies in its after-school program starting this December.
13. Committee Updates:
**The council meeting had to adjourn and will begin its next meeting with the Committee Updates.
14. The meeting was adjourned at 9 p.m.
Motion: Martin Saxton.
Seconded: Karen Wiseman.