Parent Council

Minutes of meeting November 29, 2016

CR Marchant

Parent Council Executive

Co-Chairs: Arashia Morris &; Joy Beal

Treasurer: Luisa Bada

Secretary: Brigitte Sachse

In attendance:

Parents: Joy Beals, Fatuma Abai, Eleonor Lentini, Anita Leal, Jeanie Schlegel, Brigitte Sachse, Arisha Morris, Luisa Bada

Staff: Donna Kowalchuk, Ifeoma Jabari, Mr. Ramage, Ms. Long, Ms. Reid

Guest: Dr. Joyce Nyhof-Young, Mr. Fred Peach and L2L staff

Welcome/ introductions/ review agenda /

Teacher’s Report

Ms. Reid – Homework Club started last week with exceptional interest as 93 kids to date have joined. Mon/Wed/Fri from 3-4 pm in the library which is now filled to capacity. Student tutors consist of older Grade 8 students and former CR students now in Grade 9 at Weston CI [11 students]. CR Teachers have also signed up to help after school. The energy and enthusiasm of all involved is incredible. Of note, in previous years, CR student have gone to Weston Mem. JPS to help tutor their students too. Ms. Reid, along with Ms. Willie, started and will oversee this program. This was a great segue into the next presenter….

Mr. Fred Peach [a retired principal] from L2L [L2L.ca] presented the benefits and logistics of the program: (Ms. Willie teacher contact)

- students are trained by retired teachers and principals in a 2 to 3 hour session during school hours

- The tutor’s performance is revisited after a few months

- Tutors commit to at least a minimum of 15 sessions with one student

- Can typically support groups of 15 – 20 students

- Min. one day a week, during lunch or after school as deemed by school

- A child’s participation is only granted through parental approval [letter sent home]

- Possible earliest start date is Jan 2017

- Program is free to schools as fundraising is sourced from Foundations and individuals

- The use and training of Grade 8 CR students is a definite possibility so Mr. Peach will discuss with Ms. Willie

- Student tutors get an honorarium

Mr. Ramage would like to organize, along with several eager students, a June 2017 run / walk 5K event [Colour Your Community] to help change the Social Well Being of our students using physical activity to build relationships. The event will also help fundraise for the needs centred around the PhysEd Department. Possibility of donating some of the raised funds to a local charity/shelter so that students have a sense of “returning something back to their community”.

The SAC saw the event as a student/school bonding event and approved the idea. Mr. Ramage to provide a needs list for next SAC meeting.

Hats off to Mr. Ramage as CR Marchant was the recipient of the FITNESS CANADA Recognition Award. His goal this year to add the HEALTHY SCHOOLS award to that list of notables.;

Touched upon Health class topics which briefly brought up:

- Discussion around the sex ed curriculum- we will have an assembly in early January.

- And the possibility of having the Sexual Health Co-ordinator and Toronto Public Health assist at the assembly or with other aspects of presenting the material as required.

Allies Live Here program was presented by Dr. Nyhof – Young - is a joint effort between CR Marchant, medical students, community volunteers and faculty members at U of T. It is a student centered approach to promote diversity and breaking down stigma surrounding mental health.

- Previous workshops / presentation at CR included Aboriginal communities, bullying, resiliency

This year, they have proposed running:

o a Disabilities Awareness Day via a school wide assembly with a guest speaker from the Canadian Paralympics basketball team.

Would have information booths from local community organizations

o As several years have passed, would like to revisit issues the LGBTQ community faces by using a guest speaker from PFLAG

o Career Fair for the Grade 8s, with student representatives from different health care programs at UofT

PLEASE NOTE we are fortunate to have such active participation by the Allies Lives Here program given in part to the fact Dr. Joyce Nyhof- Young is a Weston resident and a caring community member!!!

Principal’s Report

Mrs. Kowalchuk

- reported Officer Theresa Verette from Toronto Police Services and a member of Safe & Caring Schools will be offering student wksps to teach proper / safe internet use in January.

- The school office is requesting that if parents/guardians have not received emails [latest one would be the Dec 2 PA day] OR pre- recorded voice recordings [latest one asking anyone that hasn’t received an email] to please contact the school and update their contact information. It is extremely important that the school your child attends be able to contact you in needed or in case of an emergency.

Mrs. Jabari mentioned that :-the school website should hopefully have individual active pages for all teachers to blog and post regarding their classroom activities. There was a change in the service provider which is why some teachers aren’t active yet.

Fundraising / Treasurers Report

At Oct 21/16, there was

$2,824 in the bank + Equity Shares valued at $195

Our QSP fundraiser was estimated to have raised approximately $2000, of which we should have an exact accounting of prior to next SAC meeting.

Thank you to Joy Beal who spent 2 full days assembling the fundraising kits.

Had the QSP Co-ordinator not stepped in to assist, the program would have required many more parent hours to oversee the processing and follow up of this program. We will need additional volunteers once the order is processed and distribution to students required. Given the time required to run this fundraiser, the return on our investment of time was seriously questioned.

Please note any future fundraisers should use approved TDSB vendors.

Some other suggested fundraising ideas: movie night, craft fair, concert, dances, levy, World On A Plate, Poppa Jacks etc.

Use of funds will be based on a principal/teacher wish list however computer /technology needs was discussed as an imminent need teachers would agree on. With that in mind, all agreed we should to try and support this need through fundraising.

The board only supports technology for a few years. We want the kids to have access to up to date technology- thinking Chrome books. Ms. Kowalchuk will get back to parent council as to the exact IT needs along with a targeted amount.

Mr. Ramage was hoping we could fundraise $2500 of that for Colour our Community walk /run/ dance.

New Business

399 students attend CR Marchant

Jan 31, next parent council meeting

Follow us on Twitter @crmarchanttdsb website: CR Marchant.com

e-mail or phone 416-394-2268