Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 4, 2015 6:00-8:00 pm General Meeting PAC Meeting Minutes Agenda: 1. 2. 3. 4.
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Introductions (10 min) Acceptance of the agenda (1 min) Principal’s Report (10 min) Executive Reports a. President’s Report (5 min) b. Treasurer’s Report (gaming funds?) (5 min) c. VCPAC Report (Amy) (5 min) Business/Action items arising from previous minutes: a. Movie Night‐ update manual b. Review of Parent Education Night c. Vote on meeting times for September 2015 d. WWW‐ update/logo clarification & general ideas‐ last chance! e. Discussion on policy around emergency support f. Seaquarium funding update New business nd a. World Labyrinth Day‐ May 2 b. Additional movie night date? c. Seaquarium Sign d. Building Resilient Neighbourhoods‐ Father’s Day event e. 2015/2016 exec f. New Ideas/Questions
WELCOME TO THE MEETING! Attendance: 6 members: CM, MC, Natalie, AB, AH, CF, Maria; 1 Admin: Ms. Courville 1. Introductions (10 min) ‐ None needed 2. Acceptance of the agenda (1 min) ‐ No additions 3. Principal’s Report (10 min) ‐ Deb met with Yvonne, the Grounds Foreman and a Head Gardener to discuss and tour the Rain Garden. They believe that the garden needs one week of work to get it in shape and then volunteers can take over the general maintenance (such as digging up grass and other weeds). Patti Parkhouse will help with the replanting. Classes are already using the space, but we are hopeful that more teachers will incorporate the garden into their day once it is cleaned up and the weather improves. ‐ The Growing Chefs program is coming back to the school (late March or April)! Ms. Carrico (gr. 3) and Mr. Edwards (gr. 3 / 4) will host the program. Mr. Edwards will partner with the First Things First class which has more light. PAC had already budgeted for program, so money is available if needed. ‐ Deb has put in a request for the covered bike racks. Will likely just move our current bike rack under the shelter. ‐ Bikes are still available from Optimist Bob – see Emily if you are interested. ‐ $1300 has been donated to the Breakfast program! www.vicwestpac.com vicwestpac@gmail.com FB: Vic West Elementary PAC
Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 4, 2015 6:00-8:00 pm General Meeting PAC Meeting Minutes
‐ 3 English classes of grade twelve from Esquimalt High will be coming to work with Mr. Dicicco, Ms, Kosh and Ms. Crust’s classes. The students will work on projects together. ‐ The school logo will be changed; probably next school year. The “I heart Vic West Elementary” is not the new logo and will only be printed on white t‐shirts (grey more expensive). ‐ There will be a Kindergarten orientation in May. PAC magnets will be available and also list the school contact information. Need to work on recruiting more PAC members, especially those with younger students. Action: Send out invitations in the students’ backpacks for the first PAC meeting in September. Emphasize that the meetings are a good way to know what is happening at the school, especially if parents aren’t able to pick up or drop off their children. Action: Feature profiles of school staff on the PAC blog to help parents feel more familiar with the school and its teachers and Administrators. 4. Executive Reports a. President’s Report (5 min) ‐ Nada b. Treasurer’s Report (gaming funds?) (5 min) ‐ Chequing ‐ $4163.07 ‐ Gaming ‐ $5622 ‐ Playground fund‐ $530.33 c. VCPAC Report (Amy)
(5 min)
- February's VCPAC meeting was held last week at Rogers Elementary School. About 20 people were in attendance, including VCPAC executive and trustees Orcherton, Paynter, and Whiteaker. - VI PARENT CONFERENCE The Vancouver Island Parent Conference was a success, with 210 attendees. Next year they are hoping to get Yong Zhao from the Institute of Global and Online Education (at the University of Oregon) to speak. He recently presented at the BC Education Forum in Vancouver. - VCPAC ELECTIONS The call for nominations is now open for anyone wishing to run for VCPAC executive. All positions are open each year. Elections will be held at the annual general meeting in April. - FEATURE FILMS There was a discussion about a tentative arrangement reached between the district and the Greater Victoria Teacher's Association regarding feature films in classrooms. Previously, teachers had to inform parents if any feature-length film over a G rating was going to be shown in class. Under the new tentative arrangement, teachers are only obligated to share this information if a parent asks. PACs are encouraged to discuss this
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Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 4, 2015 6:00-8:00 pm General Meeting PAC Meeting Minutes change and report back to district PAC whether any action should be taken to challenge this. Action: Our PAC voted that we are more comfortable with the original policy - NAMING OF PHYSICAL ASSETS There was a discussion about a motion voted down by the school board which would have allowed the naming of physical assets in schools in recognition of financial contributions from businesses/corporations (for example 'The Coast Capital Basketball Court,' or 'The Spiral Cafe Reading Room'). A parent put a motion on the floor to send a letter congratulating the board on voting it down, but the motion failed. Many parents felt that donations from private individuals were acceptable, but that donations from community businesses/corporations were not. I spoke on behalf of Vic West Elementary, saying that some schools in the district may not be as idealistic about where the money comes from, and that while some schools enjoy assets that are heavily funded by PACs, other schools may only be able to acquire such assets from community and business partners. The issue may go to public consultation in future. - VCPAC AWARDS Nominations are now open for the annual VCPAC awards. Last year, our Vice Principal Jana Dick won the School Partnership Award, and Vic West kindergarten teacher Nicole Stead was nominated in the Parent's Choice category. Nominations are due on May 3rd. Actions: AB to invite the VCPAC to list our school as a possible location for a meeting. AB and CF to attend next VCPAC meeting.
5. Business/Action items arising from previous minutes: a. Movie Night‐ update manual Action: PAC Exec to edit manual re: Movie Night. Manual will then be posted on the blog for easy access (AB and AH to sort). b. Review of Parent Education Night ‐ CF and AM were happy with the turn out; even some new faces! ‐ Money left and lots of presentation options if anyone wants to host another one in the spring. c. Vote on meeting times for September 2015 ‐ Majority voted to start PAC meetings at 6:30 pm next school year. Make correction to school calendar by May. d. WWW‐ update/logo clarification & general ideas‐ last chance! ‐ The font of the I heart Vic West Elem logo can be used for the crew necked sweatshirts as an incentive for the WWW www.vicwestpac.com vicwestpac@gmail.com FB: Vic West Elementary PAC
Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 4, 2015 6:00-8:00 pm General Meeting PAC Meeting Minutes
Actions: Deb to speak to Shelley re: preparing something for the WWW sweatshirts. CM to follow up with Deb and then get an image to the printing company once we know how many sweatshirts we need. Deb was open to the I heart Vic West Elem logo being used in its entirety for the WWW buttons, but the WWW Committee will discuss and decide on the buttons’ design later. Deb will check with Shelley regarding the cost of printing colour pages for the buttons. AH to research the cost of having the printing done elsewhere (we’ll need approx. 57 pages for around 300 buttons). e. Discussion on policy around emergency support ‐ MC spoke to other PACs as well as John Bird to see how other PACs respond to tragedies within the school community. What exactly is our role? How do we decide what our response will be considering every situation is different (acute vs. chronic needs, etc.) ‐ The PAC will always follow the lead of the school and Deb has assured us that she will keep us posted as needs arise. At that time, we will have to figure out how we will respond (throw a fundraiser, volunteer to help the family (yard work, cleaning), or using our connections in the community to help them (Optimist Club, Save on Foods, etc.) ‐ PAC members supported preparing a more official policy on emergency support Action: CM and Maria to prepare an official PAC policy that is aligned with our current mandate f. Seaquarium funding update ‐ We currently owe the first payment for the Seaquarium ($750?) ‐ Tori plans to ramp up the go fund me campaign
6. New business a. World Labyrinth Day‐ May 2nd ‐ AM absent, will add to next meeting’s agenda b. Additional movie night date? ‐ Voted against a Spring Movie Night because of poor turnout in the past
c. Seaquarium Sign ‐ MC has been working with Beth Threlfall to spruce up the Seaquarium. Bright and fun paper Mache sea creatures have been proposed. All PAC members agreed that it would be a good use of gaming money and also could be the PAC’s present to the school this year. ‐ The frame of the aquaria could also be painted Action: MC to check with the owners of the tank regarding painting it. www.vicwestpac.com vicwestpac@gmail.com FB: Vic West Elementary PAC
Victoria West Elementary School Parent Advisory Committee March 4, 2015 6:00-8:00 pm General Meeting PAC Meeting Minutes
d. Building Resilient Neighbourhoods‐ Father’s Day event ‐ AM and MC have been representing the PAC at the Building Resilient Neighbourhoods meetings in Vic West. ‐ A street festival is being organized and the PAC has been asked to participate. Possible activities: street hockey, soccer, chalk fest, chess? Action: MC to get back to the members re: the activity and the number of volunteers needed. e. 2015/2016 exec ‐ need to use the Communication Board more effectively to reach out to parents to join PAC and fill the gaps on the Executive (President!) Action: AB to create bright headers for different topics on the Board (send her ideas) f. New Ideas/Questions ‐ need more volunteers for Breakfast Program ‐ Rocks and Rinks curling is coming to school on April 20 and 27th ($175x2)
Thank you so much for joining us! We hope to see you again.
NEXT PAC MEETING: April 8, 2015
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