Present:

See list attached (“Attendance”). This list will be attached to the original Minutes, as kept in the Secretary’s binder, and available to Quilchena parents on request.

 

March 2005 Quilchena PAC Meeting

 

John M., PAC Chair, called the meeting to order at approximately 7:15 p.m.

 

The Agenda was distributed at the meeting. A copy of the agenda is attached to these Minutes in Appendix A.

 

The Minutes from the January meeting are being finalized and the vote to have them adopted will be held at the next meeting.

 

ACTION ITEM: Consider January 2005 Minutes at next meeting.

RESPONSBILITY: PAC

 

John M., Chair, opened by saying how amazed he was at the spectacular event put on by the Chinese parents for the Chinese New Year.  It was a great learning experience.  He sent out 4 letters of thanks to businesses who generously donated to the festivities.

 

John M. attended a VSB Trustee’s Meeting on February 22^nd, where the VSB budget was discussed.  Among the topics raised were the necessity for renewed librarian and special needs resources and a comprehensive approach to the French Immersion program.  John M’s remarks can be found on the Quilchena website at http://www.geocities.com/qpac1999/PAC-Committee-Info-VSB-Budget-Feb-22-2005.html. 

 

There is a DPAC (District Parent’s Advisory Council) Meeting coming up this March 10^th.  John M. will attend on behalf of Quilchena PAC, and invites others to attend as well.

 

John M. commented further that he is continually impressed by the amount of help provided by parents, staff and other people to the school.   This is facilitated and nurtured by the respectful relationship between these parties.  The PAC aims to be supportive of this relationship, both financially and otherwise.

 

 

·        Mrs. Coopersmith offered up the video from the Chinese New Year, which includes both the news coverage by CTV and Fairchild TV. 

 

·        She announced that all ski trips are cancelled for the season.  The school is looking at another Grade 5-6 activity to replace this loss.

 

·        Mrs. Coopersmith announced that a Student Council has been set up, with representatives from all levels.  The first event planned is a twin and triplet day.  The current focus is for the Council to talk about the good things the school does, suggested improvements and a list of projects that can be embarked upon.

 

·        Recently, the principals attended a meeting on the issue of French Immersion enrolment.  While there are 446 spaces for new French Immersion students, an additional 241 students have registered for these spaces.  Oversubscription is not just a Westside problem.   The lottery on Monday, March 6^th, will resolve which students will be enrolled in the program, with a letter to be sent as soon as practicable.  There is not likely to be a second lottery draw.  At the principal’s meeting, future planning was discussed.  One of the dilemmas is that once extra class in kindergarten then an additional class will be required every year for seven years, requiring ample space and resources for this.  They are looking at potential schools that can hold the extra classes.

 

·        Report cards will be issued on March 14^th, with parent-teacher interviews to follow on Wednesday and Thursday.

 

·        The MAPS (Medical Attention and Problem Solving) program has been restructured.  Originally this program was set up to monitor the courtyard and field for children in need of medical attention.  This program evolved to the one of problem-solving assistance.  The students in the program, generally in grade 6/7, were given considerable training, but monitoring became difficult and some students were not following through on their commitment.

The new program works as follows:

Two students (MAPS monitors, who are in grades 6 & 7) are on duty each day.  The Principal directly supervises all the assistance offered by them.  The monitors bring referrals (problems with suggested solutions) to the Principal.  The staff also provides referrals to the Principal.  The Principal reviews the referrals with the monitors and any necessary or recommended changes are made.  The MAPs monitors then problem solve with the children involved in the incident and come to a solution.  If the matter is of a more serious nature, the Principal will deal directly with the students concerned.

There is also another group in the MAPS program, whose function is to assist with playground activities and be games coordinators.  In the morning they will decide what activities will be offered and make the announcement for the designated meeting place at recess.  This program will begin on March 14^th. 

·        Mrs. Coopersmith advised that the staff are busy doing resource planning.  Some orders have been made and received already, while the rest are impending, with hopes of receiving the new resources by spring break.

 

·        The staff has mentioned that there are excess goodies left over from events held at the school.  The suggestion is to have sales on Fridays until they are gone. 

 

Mme Mylett attended the meeting and offered thanks on behalf of the teachers for the Hansel and Gretel performance on February 10^th, which was a hit.  Likewise, the VSO performance, also sponsored by PAC, was an enjoyable experience. 

 

Mme Mylett was also taken aback by the amazing day put on for Chinese New Year and commented on the pride displayed by the children and parents involved.  John M. raised the question of whether the children could be invited to do some artwork to thank the businesses/associations who helped put on the event.

 

ACTION ITEM: Canvass teachers for artwork by children to be given in appreciation for the Chinese New Year sponsored by various businesses/associations.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC.

 

John M. spoke for Jean A. in her absence. 

 

Risers have been purchased.  They have also been used.  Mrs. Coopersmith commented that the children were so respectful of them; they removed their shoes before they set foot on them.

 

There is approximately $10,000 remaining in the PAC budget.  The PAC Executive invited parents’ suggestions as to how this money can be best used.  The surveys will be revisited to assess the priorities.  Ideas were invited. 

 

ACTION ITEM: Review the AQA surveys for suggestions on how to best use the remaining $10,000 in the PAC budget.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC Executive.

 

Barb G. reported that Principal Coopersmith and the parents in the SPC attended an evening training session put on by the VSB for the westside schools.  Approximately 200 people attended.  The VSB management led them through an understanding of the district review that is mandated by the Ministry of Education and implemented by the VSB.  Approximately 30% of the schools to be reviewed will actually receive an onsite visit, but all must be prepared because the selection of schools visited is random. 

 

A.    April PAC Meeting

 

The April Meeting is set for Friday, April 8^th at 9:10am.  The meeting time is changed for this meeting only to allow people who couldn’t otherwise attend to do so.

 

A City Plan Committee for the Arbutus region, the ARKS (Arbutus/Ridge/Kerrisdale/Shaughnessy) Community Vision Program, is conducting focus groups on issues such as retail, safety, traffic calming measures and parks in the neighbourhood.  They wish to make a presentation on the work being done and get feedback at the April PAC meeting.

 

“Q- Wear”, a set of clothing that displays a school logo, was raised again as a way to encourage school spirit.  Mrs. Coopersmith noted that the Student Council also suggested this. 

 

ACTION ITEM: Consult with people who can help put together a sample set of Q – Wear.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC.

 

 

B.     International Dinner

 

Ginny L. and Nicky S. have offered to organize this event again for the PAC.  Gift baskets were a great success last year.  Questions were raised as to whether and how to do the baskets this year, especially in view of the rather unbalanced distribution of the funds received for each basket.

 

ACTION ITEM: Consider how gift baskets will be used to raise money for the classes in an equitable fashion.

RESPONSIBILITY: Quilchena teaching staff to be consulted by PAC.

 

C.    PAC Annual General Meeting (“AGM”)

 

The meeting date for the AGM is set for May 26^th at 7 p.m. Parents were invited to bring forth suggestions for the meeting. John M. said that he would likely bring forth a recommendation that the Fundraising chair be formally made a member of the executive.

 

 

1. Advocacy

 

1.     VSB Budget

 

As mentioned earlier, John M.’s remarks to the VSB on February 22^nd are on the Quilchena website.  John M. invites people to respond to these remarks and to participate.  This is an election year for the trustees.  The budget for the 2005/06 school year must be submitted to the provincial Ministry of Education by June 30, 2005.

 

John M. has viewed and has the VESTA tape and is happy to pass this along.  The PAC is supportive of its initiatives.

 

2.     Colin Hansen (MLA, Vancouver-Quilchena)

 

Quilchena PAC organized a meeting with Minister Hansen and the 7 other elementary school PACs in his riding.  It is hoped that another meeting will take place with the other PACs and Minister Hansen. John M. canvassed for topics to bring up with the Minister if we are able to arrange this follow up meeting. He will make the same approach to the other PACs that participated in the initial meeting.

 

3.     French Immersion

 

The number of families looking to enrol their children in this program shows it be a success.  The problem is how to deliver the services to accommodate that demand.  This is another topic to be raised and discussed both with the VSB and Colin Hansen.

 

 

2. Recruitment

 

1.     Lunch Programs

 

Volunteers continue to be in demand, in particular for Safe Arrival and for the hot lunch programs.  Organizers of the lunch hour programs will also be needed as Marisa and Cathy pass the torch next year.

 

ACTION ITEM: Make a call for safe arrival and hot lunch volunteers.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC Secretary, Lisa N.

 

ACTION ITEM: Review the volunteer forms for areas where there are surplus volunteers, and determine where the needs are.

RESPONSIBILITY: Gillian K.

 

2.     Other

 

The PAC Executive offered to provide some funds for the lunch programs, which are viewed as part of the education experience.  While the arts and crafts club goes part way to provide this experience free of charge, there may be cases where additional funds could assist the truly needy to gain that special experience in the school environment.  The teachers are viewed as being in the best position to judge if there are any such unmet needs to date.

 

ACTION ITEM: To consider how and who might benefit from a bursary program.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC/Principal/teaching staff.

 

With so many truly dedicated volunteers, Quilchena needs a way to recognize their efforts.  The PAC invited suggestions as to how this might be done.

 

ACTION ITEM: Solicit ideas for a volunteer recognition tribute, in keeping with the Quilchena “Taking Care of Others” theme.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC and Quilchena teaching staff.

 

3. Initiatives

 

The PAC Executive asks the Quilchena staff to entertain the idea of promoting one or two charities for Quilchena students to undertake.  The idea is to agree on these charities well in advance so that they can be announced and promoted at the beginning of the school year.  Student Council could be involved as well.  The PAC invited ideas.

 

ACTION ITEM: Consult the Quilchena teaching staff about the possibility of working together on one or two charities next school year.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC.

 

 

Friday, April 8^th, at 9:10am in the library. 

 

ACTION ITEM: To determine if babysitting can be provided at the April morning PAC meeting.

RESPONSIBILITY: PAC Executive.

 

There was a motion to adjourn the meeting.

 

Motion: That the meeting be adjourned.

Moved, seconded, carried.

The meeting adjourned at 8:35pm.

 

ACTION ITEMS

1. Consider January 2005 Minutes at next meeting.

(PAC)

 

2. Canvass teachers for artwork by children to be given in appreciation for the Chinese New Year sponsored by various businesses/associations.

(PAC.)

 

3. Review the AQA surveys for suggestions on how to best use the remaining $10,000 in the PAC budget.

(PAC Executive.)

 

4. Consult with people who can help put together a sample set of Q – Wear. (PAC.)

 

5. Consider how gift baskets will be used to raise money for the classes in an equitable fashion.

(Quilchena teaching staff.)

 

6. Make a call for safe arrival and hot lunch volunteers.

(PAC Secretary, Lisa N.)

 

7. Review the volunteer forms for areas where there are surplus volunteers, and determine where the needs are.

(Gillian K.)

 

 

8. To consider how and who might benefit from a bursary program.

(Quilchena teaching staff.)

 

9. Solicit ideas for a volunteer recognition tribute, in keeping with the Quilchena “Taking Care of Others” theme.

(PAC and Quilchena teaching staff.)

 

10. Consult the Quilchena teaching staff about the possibility of working together on one or two charities next school year.

(PAC.)

 

11. To determine if babysitting can be provided at the April morning PAC meeting.

(PAC Executive.)

 

Attachments

 

Appendix 1 – March 2005 PAC Agenda.

 

 

 

                                                                                                        

 

APPENDIX 1

 

ESTIMATED TIME (Min.)

 

1.               Introduction

Approval of Agenda and Minutes of January 26^th PAC meeting         5

 

2.               Chair’s Report (John McLean)                                                            5

 

3.               Principal’s Report (Val Coopersmith)                                                 5

 

4.               Teacher’s Report (Mme Mylett)                                                         5

 

5.               Financial Update (John McLean for Jean Allan)

 

·        AQA Expenditures to date

·        Discussion re: further expenditures this school year?                       5

 

6.                School Planning Council (Michelle Rupp)                                        5

 

7.               Spring Events

 

·        April PAC Meeting; Presentation from City of Vancouver

·        International Dinner

·        PAC Annual General Meeting

 

 

8.               Other Business                                                                                     10           

a.     Advocacy (John McLean)

-        VSB Budget

-        Colin Hansen

-        French Immersion Kindergarten and space planning

b.     Recruitment (Barbara Grantham/Gillian Kelly)

1.     Lunch Programs (05/06)

2.     Other

 

9.               Adjournment – 8:15 p.m.