Mutchmor School Council

Minutes

Monday, April 18, 2011, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Mutchmor School Council Meeting

Computer Lab

Present: Barb Massey, Sherri Bonneville, Cindy Kirk, Elizabeth Todd Doyle (minutes), Margaret Back, Judith Haney, Andrée Marchessault, Anna Curtner,

Regrets: Connie Bruce, Hetty Mannethu, Larry Stonebridge

Late: David Baar, Margo Williams

1. Approval of Agenda. Passed: Cindy/Judith
2. Approval of Minutes & Business Arising from them; minutes from last meeting’s minutes were also up for approval. Passed: Cindy/Barb

REPORTS

3. Principal’s Report – Q & A: Sherri

Staffing:

• Staffing submitted on April 15th
  JK (3), JK/SK (1), Reg. gr. 1, Reg. gr. 1/ 2 (with possibility of it becoming a straight 2 in September), Reg. gr. 2/3 ( with possibility of it becoming a straight 3), Reg. 3 / 4, Reg. 4 / 5 and Reg. gr. 6.  Gifted classes – 1/ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• Hiring: 0.25 CF, 0.25 Learning Resource Teacher, 0.50 Ministry Prep and gr. 6 gifted as Mme Z. is leaving to teach in Singapore for a year.  She will have right of return to the board, but not to Mutchmor.  The first vacancy list will be posted on April 29th.  Principals are not to start interviewing until noon on May 2nd. Only teachers currently under contract with the board can apply to this first list.
• I have received one Student Transfer Appeal.  It was denied by the Supt.  It will now go to Appeal to the Board of Trustees.

Stuff for Kids:

• On April 12th, the students and staff were entertained by Masabo – African Drumming.  Today, Charlotte’s Web by the Upper Canada Playhouse was performed this afternoon.
• Girls’ basketball game tonight against Elmdale School.  Both Boys’ and Girls’ Tournaments are coming up before the end of this month.  They will both be held in the gym at Confederation H. S.
• Mutchmor Drama Club still hard at work on the production.  Ticket orders will go home tomorrow if they have not already gone.  Adults $8 and Students $5.00. Tickets sales will cover the cost of putting on the production, and to be put toward the cost of spot lights for this and future productions.  The cast and crew will also be able to purchase a T-shirt with the name and date of the production.  Production dates remain Wed. May 18th in school dress rehearsal and Thursday, May 19th in the evening for parents.
• Scrabble Club meets weekly in preparation for the Board’s Scrabble Tournament to be held the first week of May.  Only one team of four per school is allowed to participate.  Mutchmor is the defending champion.
• Several classes are training in preparation for the kids’ race on Race Weekend at the end of May.  Training happens in gym classes. If your child’s class is involved they will be bringing home shortly a letter explaining the details.
• Scholastic Book Fair to be held on Wednesday, April 20th and Thursday, April 21st.

Operational:

• OCDSB Student Survey began this week.  Student Survey packages for our students in JK to 6 will be going home tomorrow.  Some may have gone out today.  Participation in the Student Survey is voluntary.  Parents have the option to complete the hard copy which was sent home and return it to the school in the sealed enveloped provided in the package or parents can also complete the Student Survey online.
• On April 12th, Deputy Minister of Education, Kevin Costante, Director of Education, Barrie Hammond, Chair of the board, Jennifer Mac Kenzie and Denis Chartrand, Director General of the Eastern Ontario Regional Office of the Ministry of Education, visited Mutchmor.  They were to spend the afternoon in the junior gifted classes, but did not arrive at the school until 2:00 p.m.  They were given a quick tour and then they retired to the Literacy Room.  I was asked a few questions regarding the gifted program then was asked to leave.  After recess, they spent 10 mins. in Mrs. Hodges’s class and 10 mins. in Mr. Firestone’s class then left.  There has been no follow up from the board.
• We will be holding a Kindergarten Information Night on Thursday, May 5th,  for all the parents of our incoming JKs and for the parents of our current JKs moving to SK for next year.  We will begin working on JK and SK classlists shortly.  Parents should be able to find out if their child will be in the morning or afternoon program on May 5th. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in Rm 15.

Facilities:

• Home Depot Volunteer painters only do the painting in the summer months. These are Home Depot Employees who put in volunteer hours in the community.  Do not do stripping of wood only paint. Nothing has been finalized due to renovation schedule for the summer not being finalized.
• Windows:  one room only – Rm 7.  I have been in contact with Supt. Carson about this.  He is reviewing the situation.
• Bike racks will be installed this coming Wednesday, April 20th.

Other:

• Reminder to all parent volunteers and volunteers that we are holding a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on Wednesday, April 27th from 8:15 to 9:15 in the large gym.  Supervision for children will be provided on the primary yard or indoors if weather is bad.  Please RSVP with Jean by April 19th, but will take RSVPs up to Friday, April 22nd.

Questions: Barb: Are there special requirements for a gifted teacher? Sherri: No special qualifications, but one that fits in with the school and shows passion. Barb: Are other teachers staying the same. Sherri: not able to comment at this time.

4. Treasurer’s Report:

FUNDRAISING
Non –food service fundraising has gained us $3,357 to date and is projected to net us $6,800 by year-end.  This forecast has been revised downwards since last month’s meeting when we were hoping for roughly $9,200 by year-end. However, the ticket sales for the Game & Auction Night have prompted us to cut anticipated receipts for the that event from $3k to $1.5k.
With regard to food service fundraising, pizza has brought in approx. $7,900 to date; milk $5,800; and Snax, five dollars. By year-end, we should expect to have $8,300 from food-service related fundraising. In 2010, we earned $8,065.
Projected total from ALL fundraising efforts is $15.3K.
SOCIAL EVENTS
Projected to spend $150 on the barbecue and $150 on the teacher luncheon.  This last amount is not yet approved by Council
STUDENT / TEACHER / SCHOOL ENRICHMENT
As approved at last month’s council meeting, I have disbursed $3,000 for the library and literacy room.  Authorized expenses not yet disbursed are the $500 for archiving and $700 for tables.
No future disbursements anticipated from School Council’s regular Scotia account.
However, $200 for the Heritage Garden will come out of the school maintained Jump-A-Thon account and the arts & teacher allotments (also in a school-run account) are also waiting to be spent.  I have left a message with Mrs. Neidy regarding the balances of these accounts.
SCHOOL YARD / BUILDING
No future disbursements anticipated from School Council’s regular Scotia account.
Once the bike racks and watering contracts are funded, the OCDSB REN account should have $800 or so.  Other yard improvement funds are in the Jump-A-Thon account.  Total in the REN & Jump-A-Thon accounts after expenses should be $7,655.
COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE
The only future disbursement for community assistance is accounted for in the fundraising efforts at the top of the spreadsheet. Ten percent of income from the Great Glebe Garage sale will be donated to the Ottawa Food Bank.
ADMINISTRATION & OTHER
Minor administrative expenses anticipated between now and year-end.
CASH Current cash balance is approx. $15,400. If spending & fundraising go as anticipated, we will have a year-end balance of $8,300.

Additional discussion: No questions.

5. OCASC Report: Hetty not here; Cindy did not attend.
6. SEAC Report: David: the meeting is next week. Has emailed Rossana Dimito regarding an SE policy update. Could invite her to the May Council meeting.
7. Accommodation Issues: Barb/Cindy. Barb, Sherri, David & Cindy were at initial working group on Accommodation Issues (Accommodation Review Committee) last Thursday. At the meeting, Barb was selected co-chair, together with a Glashan parent. The Board will present “discussion scenarios” at the April 26th meeting. A questionnaire was circulated; David, Cindy and Barb filled it out. GCA committee rep – David. Discussion about the possible scenarios: additional school in Old Ottawa South; use of McNabb; Wilton Crescent safety issues & crossing guards. Sub-committee mtg first week of May.
8. Environment and Greening Update: Anna: has tracked down Jeff Castor. Maintenance contract is up mid-July, so not a rush to renew, but need to start the process now. Tree supports need to be maintained; Jeff will do a site visit to assess the quality of the current service. Sherri: Does the mulch get renewed? Anna/Cindy: Yes, it’s in the contract. Judith: Pathways and rocks? Anna: We will defer and get back to Judith.
9. Fundraising Committee: Margo – Thursday, April 28 “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” event. Auction going well, as is the game program itself. Teachers have been supportive. Ticket sales are slow. Judith: will volunteer to be in the yard to sell tickets in the yard; should ask parents that frequent the yard to talk it up.

10. Heritage Update: June 4th Doors Open Glebe Heritage Committee; Station monitors to explain the areas. $300 has been allocated. Archiving: Cindy and Connie met with Karen Raymond, archivist: inventory would take about 7-8 hours (plus report writing), with triage and preservation notes – would write up in a report. Could do this in May. Total: $400. Volunteers can do the actual work pending the report results. The current location is unsafe for the materials. Sherri and Mr. Gobeo will identify a place. Five hundred dollars has been allocated for this project. Cindy will tell Karen to go ahead and contact Sherri.
11. Great Glebe Garage Sale. Hetty by proxy. Volunteers needed especially at the beginning and the end of the event. Event date: May 28th. Contact Hetty.
12. End of Year BBQ. Margo: The Works and Life of Pie will be there! Friday, June 10th – Margo needs volunteers.
13. Council Meeting Agendas. Consideration of changing date for May meeting and adding a June Meeting. Proposal for Monday May 16 and Monday June 20. Agreed unanimously.
14. Meeting Adjourned. At 8:54. Next meeting May 16, 2011 at 7:00

Questions

Margaret asked about rating of schools – who does it? Sherri: based on EQAO results, but it is not Board-administered. Discussion ensued.

Note Cards: Margo has 150 cards on order for thank you notes which will be sold at events and to interested parents and staff. Cindy asked if something similar could be done with the 1940s Mutchmor photo – certainly. Discussion ensued with regards to a gift for a heritage architect who volunteered with the school.