James Robinson School Council Meeting

Monday April 4th, 2016

6:30 pm

Minutes

In Attendance:

Lara Chebaro- Principal Jen Tupper – Vice-Chair Deb Taylor – Treasurer

Michelle Main – Event Coord. Mary Lioulias – Secretary Elaine Bacchiochi

Jen Millard Chair Heather Haynes Thistle Petra Simmons

Jeanette Mclennan Becky Banting Heather Bramer

Mary Lue Coote Lynn Melluso Lisa Mathieu

Nora Mazloumian Laura Meffen E&I

Call to order

· The meeting started at 6:36pm.

Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes

· The March minutes approved by Deb Taylor,2nd Jen Millard

Treasurer’s Report

· Treasurer’s report was provided by Deb Taylor

· $3000 previously approved for field trips has not yet been removed from the account

· Fun Fair has a $4106 balance, will hold back $2500 for deposits and the balance will go to general and then to be moved to a subcategory $1606.16. Fall Fest – money not taken from account – to be moved to general $1000, and then balance of $1358.92 - Total cleanup of the two funds $2965.08 to be transferred to general this will split between eco and library – take $3000

· $1500 committed for playground upkeep and $1500 for the outdoor classroom future product like the learning trail – moving the money from general to these accounts

· Of remainder of pizza money we have to accommodate a Library commitment - $ from pizza money for last term, and 3% of all funds raised must be paid to cashnet.

· Cashnet is contracted by the YRDSB to basically act as the accounting system for the school. All moneys for the school flow through this so 3% expense allocation will need to be provided for. This was a pilot project for this year and JRPS was a pil

· Bring forward for next agenda to review the guidelines of how the Cashnet service charges –education needed for parents and school needed.

· $8500 – available to allocate - motion to allocate $8K to the library motion approved

· Treasurers report approved by Mary Lue Coote and 2nd Jen Millard

Fun fair Update

· Michelle and Jen have met several times to discuss and plan initiative

· Price increase may be necessary - anonymous donation given to the school so the final estimate is $2600.00 price increase will cover the cost of a full petting zoo and extra activities such as human fooz ball.

· Struggle with volunteers as parents want to spend part of event with their children, so using labour provided by Party Time to cover the cost of running the event.

· Still need volunteers –for food/sales etc see Jen Millard for sign up sheet

· Book fair for May 26th to coincide with Fun Fair

Upcoming Events

· Marlies – april 17th if you are in the band and you want to play you need a ticket for the band member and the adult chaperone required for each child. Ms Yi to reopen Cashnet to accommodate the extra purchases needed

Green Team – Earth Month in April

· Grant available for an outdoor educator to facilitate a session based on a book that encompasses the green theme and character curriculum for YRDSB

· April 22nd – Assembly including a play

· Quote for thank you signage is in

· TD grant for 5 trees and loose parts play will not be awarded till late April

· Meeting with the Mayor and a Parks Planner in addition to Mavis Ekhart a Policy planner within the City of Markham

· Update for the board required

· Storage available for loose parts play

· If anyone has a contact with any of the builders working in the area feel free to reach out directly to ask if they want to receive some more information for making a donation – if a positive response is received then the lead can be turned over to the Green committee for follow up

· $150,000 needed to fully complete the vision of the fully accessible playyard

Principal’s Report

Field Trip Update:

· Fields trips – all classes have a trip planned for last term, scientists in the classroom K to 8

· Suggestion from Council member to investigate ski trips as a field trip

Class Assignments:

· Class assignments will given in June, remember that this is all tentative based on enrollment

RIMES

· Rimes – the summer program that runs out of Robinson for Reverse Integration Multiple Exceptionality will be approved now for integration into the YRDSB Summer Institute program. For Summer 2016 the program will run out of Armadale.

Parent Symposium :

· Good turnout and good ideas about choosing for the future. Interesting dialogue on teaching in the modern classroom.

Modern Learning in our Library Commons:

· Tour of Library with discussion from Ms Truscott

· Painting and renovation are well underway at JRPS library

· Mobile furniture sized for the space are being delivered. New tables can be moved and combined in different configurations to facilitate collaboration, group work etc

· Interactive mural wall is currently designed and feedback is being sourced on componentry

· What looks like a landscape mural will actually be an interactive multi functioning wall space with different components of moveable, usable items

· Trees in the mural are actual magnets that teachers and students can remove limbs, branches etc and reuse to show math concepts and diagrams

· The green space on the mural that looks like a field will actually be composed of a green screen that students can use to video presentations and performances while being able to manipulate the scenery behind them much like how weather reporting is done on TV

· Wall space will include a lego wall – lego can be used to demonstrate and teach math concepts as well as allow students to develop structures right on the wall

· As this space is being developed the feedback is that there is little at any other school that rivals this modern learning space and scope within a library resource setting

· Current library is operational with resources available to students during transition

Grad committee

· Thank you to parents who came for Grad meeting – budget provided and elements needed to plan and purchase for were discussed. Discussion and planning for Grad continued after the regularly scheduled Parent Council Meeting

Next Council Meeting: Monday May 2nd @ 6:30pm

· Reminder: Child care is available for all meetings

Adjourn the Meeting

April meeting adjourned at 7:54 pm.