Wilkinson School Community Council
Meeting Minutes
December 12, 2011
Present: Leasa Adams (vice-principal), Bipasha Choudhury, Shauna Dobbie, Sharon Hennessey, Allan Kelly (principal), Bruce MacDonald, Kirsten McGoey, Deanna Rosolen, Martin Saxton, Jill Spellman, Paula Weekes-Kahn (council chair), Karen Wiseman
Regrets: Paul Dobson, Helen Ferraro, Liza Finlay, Sarah-Jane Gillespie, Susan Haney, Kris Kearns, Ruby Lederman, Jennifer Lynch, April Moon, Alison Motluk, Emma Reid, Erin Vaillancourt
Recorder: Deanna Rosolen
Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.
**Tonight’s meeting is a continuation of the Nov. 14 meeting. At that meeting council did not have enough time to discuss the committee updates. Tonight’s meeting will focus on those updates. Also, with such a small turnout tonight and being so close to the holidays, some other topics on tonight’s agenda will be discussed in January instead.**
1. Welcome and Introductions: Paula welcomed everyone.
2. Approval of the Agenda:
3. Approval of the Minutes from Nov. 14, 2011:
4. Principal’s update (from Allan):
A. Winter concert taking place on Thurs. Dec. 15 from 6-7 p.m.
B. Wilkinson’s Intramural program for the primary grades has started. Program will run during lunch for the next few weeks.
C. Island School visit is scheduled for January. Representatives from the Island School came in with a presentation on what the school has planned for Wilkinson students. Two groups will be going: one group will be there from Monday to Wednesday and the other from Wednesday to Friday.
D. The play, “Danny, King of the Basement,” will be performed at Wilkinson on Dec. 21.
E. Wilkinson had its Kindness & Caring assembly on Dec. 8. During the assembly, the school paid tribute to a special guest: retired former principal Tanya Sterioff. After the assembly, everyone went outside where a newly planted tree was dedicated in her name.
F. There have been several cases of lice in the school, mostly in the younger grades. With new cases, a letter is discreetly sent home in the child’s knapsack. Since it is not a communicable disease, children are not sent home. Parents and guardians are asked to begin treating the lice immediately and admin staff will check scalps the next day the child is in school. With each new case, parents and guardians will only be called if they request a call from the school.
There have also been cases of children “bullying” or teasing the children who have lice. Children are encouraged to report these incidents to school admin staff or their teacher.
5. Treasurer’s Report: Parent council has $22,000.00 in the bank.
6. Funding requests: Will be discussed at the next meeting in January.
7. Constitution discussion: Will be discussed at the next meeting in January.
8. Dandylion Daycare: No updates.
9. Committee Updates:
A. Arts Committee: The first event is taking place Dec. 16 with a Taiko Drumming and Storytelling group.
B. Communications: Jill Spellman, chair, would like to conduct a review of Wilkinson’s website and has asked for volunteers.
C. Education Committee: Bipasha Choudhury will be chairing this committee. This is the first time Wilkinson has had an Education committee. According to Council’s constitution:
“The role of the education committee is to inform members of the school community about education policies and issues at the school, board and provincial level. The committee will organize parent information nights, make submissions on behalf of the council to boards and hearings (as required), and provide education information to the community through articles in the newsletter.”
Bipasha would like hold a parent-information session early next year and has asked for ideas for topics. Allan suggested the first session be an overview. Other topics that came up include: special education, safe schools, and what all-day kindergarten will mean for the school and parents/guardians.
D. Fundraising: Will be discussed at the next meeting in January.
E. Movie Night: Next movie night date to be announced.
F. Direct Donations: The school has received $1,485 in cheques made out to the board. $200 has come directly to the Parent Council.
G. Greening: Kirsten McGoey, chair, has held eight workshops on painting panels with the under age 5 group. The panels are part of the JK/SK playground revitalization art project. She’ll be organizing workshops with the Grade 1s next. Paul Dobson has done a mock up of what the back wall will look like. Project is coming along.
Wilkinson’s garden sign was destroyed. Kirsten to work on repairing it.
H. Health & Safety: Sarah-Jane Gillespie is following up regarding crossing guard (having him stay a little after 9 a.m. for those who are running late).
I. Wil-Kitchen: For the first time, there was a holiday-baking themed Wil-Kitchen. The night was a huge success.
10. The meeting was adjourned at 8 p.m.
Motion: Jill Spellman.
Seconded: Kirsten McGoey.