Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 9 2016, 6:30-8:00 pm General Meeting Minutes Agenda: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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Acknowledgement of territory (1min) Introductions (3 min) Acceptance of the agenda (1 min) Principal’s Report (10 min) Executive Reports a. Treasurer’s Report (5 min) b. VCPAC Report (Amy) (5 min) Business/Action items arising from previous minutes: a. Movie night Feb 25 (Amy) b. VIPC Feb 27 –Amy, Coral and Chantelle c. Playground/ grant writing team (Aaren/ Maria) d. Walkathon May 6 New business a. Book fair April 18‐22 b. Instruction hours (SJD letter)
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WELCOME TO THE MEETING! Attendance: AH, AA, AB, CM, CF, MM, Mrs. Courville, Mrs. Gerber 1. Acknowledgement of territory (1min) done 2. Introductions (3 min) ‐ Not needed 3. Acceptance of the agenda (1 min) ‐ 6a. Emergency funds and 7c. Nutrition Education Night added 4. Principal’s Report (10 min) ‐ Aboriginal ways of doing and knowing is part of the new curriculum. Our school has started a collaboration box for teachers to share teaching ideas around this. The spirit of alliance is 4 animals which symbolize 4 goals of the aboriginal community. Children will receive a rock with the animal’s illustration if they are demonstrating that trait (i.e. honesty, kindness, etc.). The bulletin board outside of Mr. Edwards’ classroom will display this new way of promoting good behaviours among the students and meeting curriculum guidelines. ‐ The Book Fair will run from April 18‐22nd during parent teacher conferences. It will be taken down on the 27th. Volunteers will be needed—contact Brianna Perry. ‐ The Movie Night was a bit of a disappointment due to running around and unsupervised children. How can we do better? Is it worth hosting Movie Nights? They are not fundraisers for the PAC but instead meant as raising school spirit and community building, are we accomplishing this? Yes, previous Movie Nights have been terrific. This month we forgot to block off the “no Go Zone” around the projector and so the cables got pulled out. We also need to shut down the movie if there is too much running around. Try communicating in every possible way that adults must
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Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 9 2016, 6:30-8:00 pm General Meeting Minutes
supervise children. They cannot be dropped off alone. Do we need to have tickets and a sign in system? (Can also pre‐pay for treats) Action item: Revisit Movie Nights and the communication of the rules in September. ‐ 235 students are registered for the 2016/2017 school year ‐ Our choir sang at the Songhees Wellness Center last Sunday and did very well. ‐ The family in need after a fire has found a home and will continue to receive support from the school and community center. The PAC donated all of the proceeds from the last Movie Night to the family. ‐ A PAC member asked whether there is a minimum requirement for teacher’s comments on a student’s report card. The Administrator said ‘no’, but that Parent teacher conferences are coming up (April 20 and 21st). Parent is feeling frustrated especially because report cards are the only touch point for parents who work full time and cannot spend time in the classroom. 5. Executive Reports a. Treasurer’s Report (5 min) ‐ General: $8376.31 ‐ Gaming: $3888.33 ‐ Playground fund: $1535.32 b. VCPAC Report (Amy) (5 min) ‐ did not attend last VCPAC meeting ‐ Nominations for directors are due April 22 ‐ Sir James Douglas PAC has drafted a letter to the school board regarding the deficiency in the number of instructional hours this year. Our PAC decided not to join the fight and agree that we are not concerned about the number of instructional hours varying from year to year. 6. Business/Action items arising from previous minutes: a. Movie night & emergency funds Feb 25 ‐ Already spoke about Movie Night during Principal’s report ‐ Will open another bank account for “families in crisis” where all of the proceeds for Movie Nights (pending September decision above) will go until they are needed. Will create a cap on how much can be given to a family in need. b. VIPC Feb 27 –Amy, Coral and Chantelle (20 min) ‐ AB and CF spoke about a few of the highlights and big ideas from the conference: the need for students to be more creative, more “human” to have jobs when they graduate (most manufacturing type jobs are now done by machines) and how the new curriculum is trying to reflect this change in the workforce. Emergent vs. core curricula and how core curricula (basic math, literacy skills universally known) can come out of emergent curriculum (more spontaneous, www.vicwestpac.com vicwestpac@gmail.com FB: Vic West Elementary PAC
Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 9 2016, 6:30-8:00 pm General Meeting Minutes
student‐led teachings). Importance of homework that has real‐world value and importance to the student. Action item: Next year, look at setting aside some PAC funds for student led projects or fieldtrips c. Playground/ grant writing team (Aaren/ Maria) (5 min) ‐ The City of Victoria grant information will be ready in early April ‐ AM contacted the Sutton Group and Rotary Club ‐ Concept drawings will be completed soon and need to be viewed extensively before go ahead. d. Walkathon May 6 (15 min) ‐ CF looking into Esquimalt Rec passes and Spiral cards ‐ CM has Cost‐co card and so can pick up movie passes ‐ AM almost ready to order 200 water bottles ‐ CF to remind students about collecting pledges at April 1st assembly ‐ CF to write WWW reminders in morning announcement book ‐ need volunteers for money counting and coin rolling at AM’s on Sunday, April 17th and then bagging incentives at CM’s on Sunday, May 1st 7. New business a. Book fair April 18‐22 (5 min) ‐ led by Brianna Perry again this year…she will need volunteers! b. Instruction hours (SJD letter) (10 min) ‐ See VCPAC report above ‐ the local contract with teaching staff stating that the school year will begin after Sept. long weekend and end on the last Friday of June will be renegotiated before the next year that they will fall short of the legally required instructional hours. c. Nutrition Parent Education Night in the Fall (Amy) ‐ AB has been in contact with Jenelle from Island Health (Healthy Schools coordinator) and she will be happy to lead a parent education night for our school next year. (October, 2016?) ‐ extend the invitation to the entire family of elementary schools? ‐ Possible topic: healthy eating on a budget?
Thank you so much for joining us!
NEXT PAC MEETING: April 13, 2016 6:30 – 8:00 pm www.vicwestpac.com vicwestpac@gmail.com FB: Vic West Elementary PAC