ST. CLEMENT
CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL
MINUTES
Meeting held on April 19, 2016
6:30 pm ** Special Update – Building Addition **
7:00pm – 9:04 pm in the school library
IN ATTENDANCE
Jacquie Radley-Zubac, Liz Murphy, Valerie DaSilva, Elisabeth Grassby Stefan, MariaCinat, Eva Ottey, Angela Slokar, Julianne Ross, Carolyn Varady, Christine Fong, Jenn Casuccio, Daniela Bottoni, Kalina Rachwal, Lisa Lippa, Marci Ropret, Lina Evans, Christine Krubnik, Linda Somera, Meghan Marcil, Inés Colucci, DidyPerugini, Charles Rocha, Stephanie Hawkin, Sabrina Serino, Gail Appiah-St. John, Edward Siddeley, Carolyn Cardoza, Sandra Moreira, Katie Piccininni.
SPECIAL MEETING – 6:36pm
Attending Guests: Doug Yack (Superintendent of Education), Shirley Sederavicius (TCDSB, Capital Development) and AvinashGarde (Architect for TCDSB)
Building Addition Update (AviGarde)
St. Clement will be receiving a significant building addition within the coming year (large-sized plans were displayed at the meeting). Right now, there are 11 classrooms. With the addition, we will have 17 classrooms and one additional kindergarten classroom. The existing kindergarten classrooms will become regular classrooms.
On the main floor, there will be a new three-room childcare with its own play areaat the front of the school. The childcare will have enough spots for 24 preschoolers, 15 toddlers and 10 infants. It will take the place of our current library, one changeroom and Mrs. Pasquariello’s current room. On the main floor of the new addition, there will be the new three-room kindergarten wing as well as one additional classroom.’
The addition will give us a new 3/4-size gym (3500 square feet) which will be able to hold the entire school of students. We will also be retaining the existing gym – which will be used as a “multi-space”. The new gym will have a divider curtain, which is important for dividing the space for use by two classes. It will have lines for basketball, volleyball and badminton. It will also have a full stage.
The second floor of the addition will have a new library that is slightly larger than the one we currently have. The French office will be made slightly larger as well and a new set of washrooms will also be added.
Parking
As for parking, the parking lot will extend all the way back beside the track. There are currently 29 legal parking spots. Post-addition, we will have 36 spots – 7 extra legal spots for our staff (not including the 10 additional spots for the childcare staff).
Q: Parking for drop-off at the daycare is a real issue. We have no room in our lot for parents dropping off immediately before school begins.
A: Staggered timing tends to work and therefore drop-off parking should not be an issue. Unfortunately we are unable to make any changes to the curbs on Bloor St. to allow for additional parking.
A: (Waters-Cotter): We will need to be clear with parents that they cannot use the parking lot at the times when staff need it.
Q: Was there any consideration for a drop-off and pickup zone for the day care? There is no room for car flow in the current parking lot.
A: (TCDSB) The city will not allow for this. We do not have enough space to create carflow for pick up and drop off. We looked at many options, but unfortunately no options were feasible.
Washrooms
The new washrooms will not be big – 2 stalls per gender.
Q: Will there be any updates to the current bathrooms in the main building, such as updating the sink (it is currently outdated with low water pressure)?
A: (TCDSB) There are no plans to update the current bathrooms in the school.
Q: Please clarify the number of new bathrooms with the addition?
A: (TCDSB) A girls and boys bathroom will be added in the upper level of the new addition. There will be a limited number of stalls (2) per gender on the second floor.
A: (Casuccio) Please keep in mind that there will be 90 kindergarteners that will no longer be using the main bathrooms as they will have their own bathrooms within the classrooms.
Q: Could the building be extended any further to make room for more bathrooms?
A: (TCDSB) We cannot extend the building any further, as this would impact the integrity of the track.
Q: Is there an option to add more bathrooms instead of increasing the size of the French office on the second floor?
A: (TCDSB) We cannot add more bathrooms, however there is a possibility that additional storage could be added there instead.
New Gym
Q: Will there be change rooms off the gym?
A: Yes, there will be change rooms (no bathrooms), a stage area and storage.
Q: (Ross) If there is space to make the gym bigger, can we make a double gym?
A: (TCDSB) No. Unfortunately we are tight on space and this would also require additional funds that were not approved. It is important to keep in mind that TCDSB funds only for person/classroom space.
Windows, Air Conditioning, Other
Q: Will there be a retrofit of the windows in the current building?
A: (TCDSB) There will be a retrofit of the windows in the current library. They will be enlarged.No other existing windows in the building will be updated.
Q: Is there a concern about asbestos during the construction?
A: (TCDSB) There is minimal concern regarding asbestos. Currently, there is no concern as the anticipated impact should be minimal.Comparably speaking, St. Clement does not have a large amount of asbestos.Further, unless it is friable (broken up and released into the air), asbestos is not dangerous. There is a consultant that did an initial review of the building and the consultant will be involved in the building construction. Asbestos removal does follow a certain procedure.
Q: Will there be a gate in the parking lot that will open into the yard during big events, as we currently have?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, there is a gate that will provide access to the track.
Q: Will there be extra hours allocated to caretakers, given the additional space within the school?
A: (Yack) This is a question that cannot be addressed at this time and by these representatives, However, caretaker allocations is indeed impacted by an increase in the square footage of the school.
Q: There is a portion of the building that lips out in the drawing, is this correct?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, the building will lip out slightly on the upper level only. This will be in the library – it is an architectural feature that overlooks the yard.
Q: Will the “serving room”have plumbing?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, currently there are plans to have plumbing in the serving room. However please note that the Ministry provides funds strictly for the addition (i.e. for the childcare, kindergarten classes and the new gym). We have to be very cautious with the expenditures. Currently there is no issue with the funds, but sometimes the budget may come in higher than the original bid depending on how the construction goes. We do not foresee the need to cut this, however if we are over budget, then adjustments may need to be made regarding any “extra” enhancements. There is a priority order with respect to other features. The Ministry no longer allows the TCDSB to use Proceeds of Disposition for this purpose, which is a big change.
Q: If we come in over budget, is there something Yvan Baker (MP) can help us with to ensure no cuts?
A: (TCDSB) No, the funding comes from the Ministry of Education. Currently there is no issue with the funds,so there is no reason to act on funding issues at the moment.
Q: Will airconditioning be added to the school?
A: (TCDSB) No. In brand new schools, there areonly cooling centers in the library and the multicenter room. Currently the plan is to include a cooling center in the current library (which will be the child care center) that will be open over the summer. There are no other plans to include air conditioning in the building.
Q: Are any approvals required by the home owners beside the school given the parking lot extension?
A: (TCDSB) This is not necessary as we are building within the school boundaries. But we will be holding a meeting with the larger community as the project progresses.
Q: Was the daycare required for funding?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, the Province announced which schools would receive funding and which would be opening daycares.
Timeline
Q: Has the plan that has been presented today been fully approved?
A: (TCDSB) Everything that was presented today has been approved. We are submitting the site plan to the City again next week. The budget has been confirmed and the next steps include cost-consulting for the project. If the costing is above budget, then it would be re-submitted with addendums.
Q: What is the updated timeline for this project?
A: (TCDSB) We anticipate that the City’s Site PlanApproval will come in over the next 3 months, followed by tendering in August. The TCDSB meeting will occur either in September or October, as there are no meetings in the summer. We would then award the contract, and possibly break ground in October 2016 to set the foundation in November or December. The portables will be moved over the summer to minimize any disruption to the students once school commences in September. The portables will be facing each other and they will be out of the way. So the best-case scenario would be that the whole school would be ready in September 2017.
Q: Is this a phased project?
A: (TCDSB)) The contract will be continuous,but construction will occur in sections. The hope is that by next summer, the addition will be finished so that the retrofitting of the current building (i.e. connecting the two buildings) could occur while students are not in school. The plan is to have the internal renovation occurring during the summer. Students will then return and will be able to use the new addition.
Q: Will thelaneway to Conifer still be accessible?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, the laneway will still be accessible.
Q: Was there any discussion of re-locating students off-site during the construction?
A: (TCDSB) For construction this size, it is not necessary to move the students as the current school building is not being impacted. This is the typical approach for such projects.
Q: Are there plans to keep the play structure?
A: (TCDSB) Yes, however the play structure will move and will be relocated past the Kiss n’ Ride.
Q: How will the construction noise be managed during classroom time?
A: (TCDSB) Heavy work is scheduled around school hours. There will be some noisy times,but these will be limited. Planning for these days will be managed by ongoing communications with the Principal. Scheduled meetings will occur every 2 weeks so that there is ongoing dialogue and transparency with respect to the construction and school schedules.
Casuccio: Thank you to the Board for coming and giving us an update. The plans look great and we are all very excited to receive this addition.
Yack: Thanks to the parents for all of the great work and the perseverance over the last 10 years in successfully lobbying for the school addition.
REGULAR MEETING – 7:15pm
OPENING PRAYER (Mrs. Waters-Cotter)
Recitation of the Prayer –A Prayer for Volunteers
ADDITION OF OTHER BUSINESS & APPROVAL OF THIS MONTH’S AGENDA
Approval of April’s Agenda – Julianne Ross and KalinaRachwal
Addition of Other Business: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING
March minutes approved by Julianne Ross; Carolyn Cardoza
FIRE AT ST. CLEMENT (Doug Yack)
A meeting occurred with CSPC Co-ChairsKatie Piccininni and Jenn Casuccio, Trustee AnnAnderchuk, Mrs. Waters-Cotter and Mr. Yack a week ago to talk about the fire that occurred on February 4th and the communications that followed.
Mr. Yack attended this meeting tonight to ensure that any outstandingparent questions are addressed.
On the day of the fire, Vice Principal Ida Mandarino contacted Mr. Yack who was able to arrive within 15 minutes of being notified. There was a huge response from the fire department with 7-8 trucks present, as well as ambulance support. Communication was very succinct with theCommunication Director, the Transportation Department, and the Trustee, all of whomwere notified immediately of the fire.
The day was fairly cold despite the fact that there was no snow on the ground. There was consideration to move the students to the church, but since the students were not wearing their outdoor winter clothing, a decision was made to use the portablesas a safe location for the students. Mr. Yack spoke with the Fire Department and Chief Supervisor and it was determined that the fire occurred in the storage room next to the elevator. The PLASP craft cart had caught on fire. At the time of the event, it was determined that the cause of the fire wasinconclusive.
Matches were found on-site the day of the fire and it was believed that students were playing with matches in the yard. Further investigations occurred the following two days, whereby the Principal, and two teachers spoke with any students who may have had information regarding the incident. A total of 14 students were questioned regarding thefire. This is not to say that all 14 students were suspected to be involved, but rather they were thought to have information about the matches and possibly the incident. Mr. Yack noted that kids generally would confess if they were involved in such an incident based on past experience. However in this case, no student came forth to admit any involvement. Given this, the staff, Principal and VP did not find out who did it.
There were continued discussions with the Fire and Police Departments.However the Police eventually indicatedthat they were closing the case. Mrs. Waters-Cotter let the police know that matches were found. Police advised that they would not be able to speak with any children directly without their parents being present. They also advised that the likelihood of the child admitting to setting the cart on fire was quite low. Officer Rich confirmed that the file was closed.An assessment of “undetermined cause” was made.
Based on all of this, a decision was made to move forward by using this as a learning opportunity for students. Both the Police and Fire Departments came in to speak to the students. The Fire Department spoke to the Grade 7 & 8 students in March. The message was very blunt. They were very direct as they addressed topics such as burns and arson. The Police spoke to the students as well, reviewing the criminal code and the repercussions associated with criminal activity. They did not shy away from speaking about arson.
It was also important to control rumors. In this case, the rumors were quite extensive – there were a lot of stories that were not true that were circulating among the community of students and parents. It is important to remember that communication of such an incident is a team approach and the Principal needs to work with Legal Counsel and the Communication groupbefore releasing any communication to the community. There are indeed many considerations and limitations to consider based on the law with respect to confidentiality before finalizing and distributing communications.
When a serious incident like this occurs, student safety is always top priority. Parents need to feel that their children are attending a safe environment. Parents should be assured that the evacuation process was very well executed. This is a result of the 6 practice fire drills and 2 hold and secure (lock down) drills that occur in a school year.
Although we could not pinpoint the student(s) responsible for the fire, it is important that parents and staff alike use this as a teaching opportunity to discuss the severity of such events.
Q: Were there any learnings as a result of the debrief regarding the evacuation, given that it occurred around the time of dismissal?
A: There were no additional learnings as a result of the evacuation. The staff were extremely responsive and kept the safety of the students as a priority. The Fire Department commended the staff for their seamless execution and immediate response. This could have been a very serious incident and thankfully no one was injured.A special thanks to the staff who executed the school evacuation process and managed the children very well.
Q: Is there any air quality testing that occurs after a fire before the school is re-opened?
A: We are not sure of the exact testing process that is completed by the Fire Department, however they did give the okay to return to school. They were also in the next day to outline the repairs that needed to be done.
Q: Was it only the Grade 7 and 8 students that were addressed by the Police andFire Departments?
A: Yes, the Fire Department and Police only spoke to the Grade 7 & 8 students directly. However all teachers were asked to discuss the incident with their students the next day to answer any questions. There was a communication sent to parents theday of the incident with a follow-up letter sent later in the month. It is the hope that parents also discussed the issue with their children at home.