Mutchmor School Council

Minutes

Monday June 20, 2011, 7pm-9pm

Mutchmor School Council Meeting

Computer Lab

 

Present: Cindy Kirk, Barb Massey, Larry Stonebridge, Sherri Bonneville, Margaret Back, Hetty Mannethu, Judith Haney, Margo Williams, Chris Solar, Connie Bruce,

Late: Andree Marhessault, David Baar, Anna Curtner

Regrets: Liz Doyle

 

1. Approval of Agenda: approved.

2. Approval of Minutes & Business Arising from them: wording about Works BBQ – they rented the grill not us – correct that. Approved.

Reports:

1. Principals Report – Ms. Eacrett spot filled by contract by Mr. ? He has done ECG before. He was CAT so now needs a full time position. Lost .5 of EA position.

Track and field on June 6, June 24 = MM has talent at 10am, June 28 Gr 6leaving ceremony. June 29 is field trip for gr 6. Wed June 29 = report cards, June 30 = play date in morning.

Operational: Strategic plan & SIP focus for next year – teacher met with Instructional coaches last week. Focus would be math next year.

Classrooms moved on June 29.

IRover is in.

Thurs Sept 22 is Meet the Teacher night.

2. Treasurer Report:

See Judith’s reports.

3. GGGS – Hetty

Lots of volunteers throughout the year. Weather was ok in afternoon so vendors did not want to leave due to late shoppers.

4. BBQ & teacher lunch – Margo

BBQ had more food orders and better food than before. The Works needed parent volunteers to help. The Works wants to do it again next year! Chips and drinks and pies were a good idea. They ran out of coleslaw and ketchup.

5. Tree maintenance – in the works.

 

Discussion:

6. Spending:

Ideas:

1. singlets for kids the proper sizes, ones with numbers on are easier to track who has them.

2. Pop-up sun shade $300 or $400.

3. Food Bank $ from GGGS ($234).

Singlet discussion – cost may be too high. Put off until Sept to get a quote.

Pop-up sun shade – ask GNAG where they got theirs. Put off until Sept.

Food Bank – approved $234 to Food Bank from GGGS monies.

 

7. Council positions:

Treasurer: Judith Haney nominated as long as a Assistant Treasure is available.

Assistant Treasurer: Pray Bindhi nominated

chairs:

vice-chair: David Baar nominated

Secretary: Anna Curtner nominated

OCASC Rep: Hetty Mannethu

Zone 9 & Accommodations: Barb Massey

Community Representatives: Margaret Back, Cindy Kirk

Past co-chair – Barb Massey

Webmaster & Director of Communications: Chris Solar

Parent Member: ??

Staff Rep: Andree, Larry tentatively

Non-teaching staff: Connie

SEAC Rep: ?

 

Ideas: ask class reps if they know anyone who would be interested in positions. Ask around in the pickup yard for recruiting.

 

 

8. Accommodations:

3 meetings have occurred since our last Council meeting.

Jennifer Adams addressed one meeting and spoke about each program the Board offers. States the Board used to cap EFI numbers but doesn’t anymore. The Board also values choice. She said optimal programs are 2 classes per grade. She said split classes can work depending on the teacher. She said that the group should stay away from triple grade splits. The teacher makes the most difference in the education of children.

Jennifer said the Board has not done a good job of messaging to parents and will produce a video about all different programs offered.

Two meetings ago we examined scenarios but English numbers were not being addressed. It seemed like a theme was emerging.

At last meeting, no scenarios were examined. A process was developed with staff to ascertain priorities (via votes) based on a rubric of themes. Strongest themes were access to neighbourhood school (with recognition that some would have to travel for some programs) and strong programs (at least 1 class per grade). Staff indicated they could add 2 classrooms to FA and approx. 4 at Mutchmor to add more capacity. Both schools would have 22 classrooms.

 

Idea: Maybe Corpus could be used for B4 and after school care by DC.

 

–Board would rather add more rooms by an extension rather than inside since then all building would need to come up to Codes.

What do people want to see here if we had extra rooms?

 

Discussion ensued around priorities in terms of Neighbourhood school and strong program?

Comments:

• no easy solution to this, neighbourhood school is important and see moving gifted as an option to fit more local children in. Bring in English, MFI, and potentially EFI and put less emphasis gifted assuming something comes into to replace it. Moving HW older grades makes sense.

• MFI classes have less behaviour problems than English classes.

• expand English boundaries and add MFI

• keep gifted it adds a new dimension. Not enough girls in some classes

• Like choice. Like idea of gifted and strong English program. MFI would be good to support English and still work well with gifted.

• have one program with lots of EA’s. English program with core French with proper instruction. One single program in the OCDSB everywhere. No EFI, add MFI. Keep gifted and keep MM as is mostly.

• English 4-6 from HW moved here, see gifted here because it reinforces English here. MFI added but it takes a while to ramp that up – will Board give it time it needs?

• English program gets weaker when kids leave to MFI

• keep gifted & strengthen English. MFI could help meet immersion demand.

– Strong program important. Gifted is good. Bringing HW JK-3 is not a good idea. English choices have to be defended in the play yards. Are other ways to learn French. Add MFI as an option but could be from HW or a new program. – favour neighbourhood schools and transferring to Glashan for 7 & 8 is favourable.

 

Adjourn 9:02pm.