pg. 1 November 2, 2017

St. Joseph School Council

Meeting Minutes November 2, 2017

Location – St. Joseph Learning Commons

Attendees

There were attendees (including 2 Administration, 2 staff, 4 executive members and 7 parents)

Paula Robinson Principal

Brian Briggs Vice Principal

Sandra Schaffer Chair

Penny Stone Staff

Nicola MacGuinness Vice-Chair

Michelle Hunt Treasurer

Tracey Contrada-Phillips Secretary

Jennifer Dimarzo Parent

Kathy Eliuk Parent

Melinda Mamer Parent

Sheila O’Brien Parent

Karen van Steenis Parent

Michele Moon Parent

Murina Krahn Parent

** if your name has been spelled incorrectly, or you were inadvertently missed, please accept our sincerest apologies.

pg. 2 November 2, 2017

Minutes

1. Meeting Opening – Sandy opened the meeting at 6:30pm, and an opening prayer way recited by all. Introductions commenced around the table. Welcome to Penny Stone, our teacher representative.

Commendations – Thank you to the admin for allowing the kids to dress for Halloween. The school had about ½ the junior high kids dress up, which is fantastic. The children were asked to not dress scary or inappropriate and there was 100% participation. Thanks to the teacher for dressing up as well. Paula said thank you to all that coached and volunteered for the junior high volleyball games– (Ms. Bertch refereed the 2nd game). The kids second game was so close, however they lost with such grace. Our kids handled themselves very well. Kudo’s to the kids! Michelle said thanks to the team that supported the fun lunch.

2. Approval of Sept 28th minutes - Kathy motioned to approve, Michelle seconded, approved by all – motion passed.

3. Administration Report –

a) Friendship toolbox – shared with teachers as an idea at an October Professional Development day, as an elementary focused activity. The hope is that the skills will carry on as they progress to junior high. This tookbox is to be supported by Parents, teachers and children. Kids don’t have the tool to solve conflict in a healthy way, our responsibility is to help them to work it out themselves, using common language. They have 6 tools – Say Stop (firmly) , I Message (I don’t want to do that, and look at the other in the eye), Talk It Out (discuss), Take Time (cool down and go back to fix it), Walk Away (choose a different place to play), Forgive and Forget (moving on and not worrying so much) .

The Grade 5 students are taking a lead and doing skits to demonstrate the Friendship Toolbox and will share with

all elementary classes. The staff will start to use the language, and recommends that parents start to use these

as well. There is a Parent package that will go home to all K-6 families, start using the language at home.

pg. 3 November 2, 2017

b) Budget overview – over view from School Council handbook:

“School councils, working with their principals, create a community spirit where students feel the commitment of

their principal, teachers and parents working together toward common goals identifies in the school’s 3 year

plan. Early in the year a school council determines and develops its goals and priorities for the school term that

are aligned with the school plan. Goals may or may not include fundraising.”

Important Points:

The school principal is responsible for the approval of all fundraising activities undertaken by members of the school community. Principals may need to refuse to accept funds raised through a process that is not in compliance with district regulation, especially if the purpose is not in alignment with the school’s 3 year plan.

Fundraising should be undertaken following extensive dialogue with administrators, at school council meeting and among members of the school community.

Principals are to be cognizant of the frequency of both fundraising and charitable activities at school. Bothe of these campaigns can overwhelm families and their financial resources.

District Goals – Student Excellence, Wellness, FNMI, Faith Formation, Champions:

St. Joseph School Goals:

Student Excellence – Learning Strategies option in JH, LLI in elementary, Common reading and writing

assessments, literacy portfolios implementation, Brightspace (increase use), mathematics/science

focus for junior high (PAT analysis), City Hall School Gr. 5J & 6V.

Champions – Kick off with Motivational Media, Focus on CONNECTEDNESS – knowing each other more

authentically student leadership

Faith Formation – Improve Liturgy preparation/music ministry, Staff Prayer, Prayer Board, Weekly

Scripture in Roar, Strong Connection with parish, Student Faith Day April 24/18, Retreats for grade 6 &

9, Charitable giving ie. St. Vincent de Paul Relationship, Advent/Lent student calendars

Wellness – Elementary Friendship Toolbox implementation, Health nurse – grade 4 & 5 program Hope

Trees, BOKS, Gr. 3 & 4 Swimming, Active Living, DPA

FNMI – Orange Shirt Day, Cowboy Smith Presentation Nov. 14, FNMI team book study with JH,

Territorial Acknowledgement said each Thursday on intercom and at all meetings, Sitting Stones, Elder

Visits, Recognition of Aboriginal Day on June 21, Stampede school Gr. 2H & 4S.

pg. 4 November 2, 2017

School budget:

Basically, we have two money pots:

1. Scale of Issue (SOI)* – a set amount, determined by the school district and directed to the school in the

fall each year.

- Budget allocation

- Donations

2. School Generated Funds

- School Fees (agendas, locks, activities/field trips)

- Fundraising

- Grants

- $ from School Council

- $ generated for charities

Scale of Issue(SOI) pays for the following:

- Paper (largest cost)

- Office Supplies

- Textbooks, subscriptions, music licensing

- Art Supplies

- Science Supplies

- School connects – phone out system

- Library ($1000/year)

- Professional development of staff ($600/year)

- Technology upgrades eg. Bulbs for projectors, replaced broken chrome book

- Grade 6 & 9 Retreats – food, speaker, transport

- Cell phones, walkie talkies,

- photocopier repair, lamination rolls

- Presentations, tournaments

- Field trips/bussing – for those students/families that can’t pay school fees

- Waste removal and paper recycling pick up

- PE equipment

- Diverse Learning Tools – disco seats, standing desks, hoki stools, fidget tools

- Food – water, pizza parties, ice cream social, coffee/tea for guests

- Awards

School Enhancement Fund (Wish List):

Questions for council to consider?

1. How does it support both school and district goals?

2. How many students are impacted by the activity? (obviously the more students that benefit the better

– keeping in mind grade 1 and grade 9 involvement in school activities looks different)

3. What long term/life long learning results from the activity?

4. How does it help build community at St. Joseph?

pg. 5 November 2, 2017

Wish List 2017 - 2018

Item Request Grade Impacted # of Students District/School Goal Estimated Cost

Band Program 7-9 80-100 Student Excellence – Fine Arts

$6560

Into the Woods Musical 4-9 50 Actors/Chorus

10 Backstage

Whole school will

see production

Student Excellence – Fine Arts $1200

School Wide Presentations Champions 1–9

Cowboy Smith 5-9

Chris Bray K-9

390

?

421

Champions

FNMI

Faith Formation

$800 + GST

$500 + GST

$900 + GST

Open Minds School

**May get covered

through CEF Grant

Gr. 2H, 4S, 5J, 6V ~120 Student Excellence – all

subject areas

$5000

Google Hangouts 4 Classes

~100 Student Excellence – Social

Studies

$450

Mathletics Accounts

(additional 100, 200 bought

by school)

100 additional

accounts

($7/student)

100 Student Excellence – Math

$700

Grade 3 & 4 Swimming

Gr. 3 & 4 74 Student Excellence - PE $2134.90

(45 minutes @ 5 lessons

are 28.85/student)

Sacramental Recognition

(gifts)

Gr. 2, 3 & 6

? Faith Formation $150

Outside Sports Equipment Gr. K - 9 425 Student Excellence – PE and

Health

$250

Shrove Tuesday Gr. K - 9 425 Faith Formation $200

Grand Total

(with $5000 grant)

$13,844.90

Grand Total

(without $5000 grant)

$18,844.90

Grants – There has been a submission for a CEF grant worth $5000.00 to the school. If that is awarded to St. Joseph

School, the total amount of Wish List funding requested drops down to $13,844.90. Michelle stated she would love

to help and support finding and responding to Grant requests. Greatly received by the Admin!

Paula stated that the school has started off $7,000.00 in debt from last year and they will be able to overcome that.

However, if School Council is not able to support the Wish List fully, items may need to be deferred. A lot of great

ideas were generated to help offset some costs, ie Parents driving kids to swimming lessons, longer swimming lessons

on fewer days. Other ideas for school sponsored activities include Drug Awareness, and potentially sharing costs with

other schools in the CCSD.

Follow-up parent questions on the budget clarified that:

a) Hip Hop Dance Creations, while no longer on school council’s funding list, will still be happening and funded by

the school.

b) Grade 3/4 swimming funding is being requested this year of school council for the first time. Even though in past

pg. 6 November 2, 2017

years' the school supported swimming and field trips for these grades, this year the school is choosing to only

support swimming or field trips, due to the need to be more fiscally prudent

c) An allotment for activity day funding which will include a free lunch for students will be added to the budget

d) An allotment to fund a parent education night (ie drug abuse, anxiety, etc) will be added.

Sandy stated that next steps for the process will be for the Treasurer to incorporate the wishlist into a complete

budget that highlights fundraising requirements. This complete budget will be presented at the Dec 7th School

Council meeting and a motion to approve will be made at that time.

4. Chair Reporting - . e) Upcoming trustee dates – November 27/28 and Dec 5th

f) Trustee Election Ward 7 - New Trustee Pamela Rath

g) Faith Day – November 1st – extended an invite to school council chair, Nicola MacGuinness attended. All the new

trustees were in attendance. Emphasis on new theme - Ask and it Shall Be Given. “The power of prayer – don’t

worry about anything – pray about everything”. Bishop stated that he loves visiting schools and parishes and

wants to get out more. They recognized the Shepard leaders in the school system. 600 high school choir

students preformed and the Bishop Carrol Strings group performed. School superintendent reiterated why we

have our children in Catholic School (Gary Struthers superintendent). Commented on the new curriculum

coming.

h) Calendar ( Draft 2018/2019) - No calendar changes were requested by school council.

5. Fundraising Report a) Admazing - $14,120 in sales approx. ½ will be back to the school (approx $6-7K) 32 students qualitied for school

prizes with the Overall Top Sellers: #1 Wells-Curran (5-Johns) – sold 24 books ($200 Amazon Gift Card), #2

Pearson (8 – McCarthy) sold 17 books ($80 Amazon Gift Card), #3 Halek (4 – Slaney) sold 17 books (4 Flames

Tickets). Learning for next year to include having a bigger more enthusiastic kickoff to motivate sales, and also

extending the sale through at least 2 weekends. Additionally an idea was to have this fundraiser mentioned in

the Parish newsletter over the summer to garner attention.

b) Fun lunch – Little Ceasars (Oct 31st) ordered 317 pizza 112 crazy bread – profited $600, Angel donations $243.

6. Treasurer Report • Current Balance in school Bank Account is: $22,005.20 • Cheques written

- #317 - $1008.53 to Little Caesars for Halloween Pizza Fun Lunch - #318 - $122.29 to Alex Crisanti for Ice tea and Juice for Fun Lunch

• Deposits: - $1300 in ASTP sales, $14,120 in total sales, we will need to remit payment for the cost of the books out

of this income. - $1926.60 in Fun Lunch sales - Received $0.04 in Interest on the account

• Received one NSF cheque from the ASTP sales. Will be following up with Tina’s help to obtain a new cheque and to get reimbursed for the $7.00 NSF fee

• Upcoming Expenditures - ASTP payment, half of total deposits

7. Volunteer Update - Sheila said the volunteer forms are working very well, she has can now break down volunteers by

event. 12 people signed up for the fun lunch (Oct 31). WeScare volunteers, 5 with 2 St. Vincent de Paul volunteers, staff and students. Invites for the Staff appreciation lunch (Nov 30th) to go out this week. Coming up are the December St. Vincent du Paul Clothing drive, and Christmas Concerts.

pg. 7 November 2, 2017

8. Parish Liason Report - Catholic Education Sunday, Paula will be reading at the 5pm Saturday Mass, another principal for Sunday at 9am and Marina Sunday at 11am. Still needed are a parent (child) for Sunday at 5pm. Raising funds for CES and connect with the parish. Last month it was discussed that Father may request some funding to support Janice Clark coming to the school, but an anonymous donation has covered this. Potential timeframe is the month of May (month of Mary). Father has stated that there are only 12 children in his reconciliation class and has asked us for our support to encourage more attendance.

9. Adjourn –Sandy adjourned the meeting at 8:25pm, with a closing prayer, recited by all.

Next Meeting – December 7th at 6:30pm

Thank You for Your Participation!