1

ÉcoleSt-ThomasSchool Community Council

Monthly Meeting Minutes

October 20, 2008

  1. Call to Order:

-Welcome: Vince Orieux

-Prayer: Yvonne Lucas (Yvonne volunteered to prepare prayer for future meetings).

-Introductions

-SCC Executive Members in attendance: Vince Orieux,Jess Lastiwka, Nadine Benning, Cheryl Sikora,Carmel Florizone, Yvonne Lucas, Lisa Marie Kreese,Claudette Fidler, Wendy Othen,Louise Chevrier, Tracey Matthews.

-Others in attendance: Lisette Brochu, Carmen Nahirney, Karmen Dell, Dawn Wever, Lucy Rondon-Prodgers

2.Item: Overview Role of SCC and Action plan review – last year

Last year’s action plans: Learning Action Plan – focus on Gr. K- 2 Oral Speaking

Well Being Action Plan – Snow shoes

Faith Action Plan – Light up the world and Earth Month

School Goals were read and clarified by Claudette Fidler and Lisa Marie Kreese

St. Thomas School Goals: A few goals were not included previously - here are the complete goals. For more info visit CIF document

READING - English Language Arts:

  • 100% of students will read at or above grade level at the end of grade 3 in English Language Arts.

READING - French Language Arts:

  • By June of 2009 90% of students in grade 1 and 2 will be reading at grade level based on the Spring Reading Assessment.
  • By June of 2009 80% of students in grade 3 and 4 will be reading at grade level based on the Comprehension Reading Test ( TLEF)
  • By June of 2009 students in grades 5-7 will be reading at grade levelbased on a school created common assessment

WRITING - English Language Arts:

  • 80% of students in grade 6 will be writing at or above a level 3 on the Constructive Writing Response (CAT 3)

WRITING - French Language Arts:

  • By June of 2009 all student in Gr. 1-2 will achieve 85% or higher on grade level spelling assessments based on the Liste D’orthographe d’Usage from the French Language Curriculum Guide.
  • There is an existing grade 3-4 FLA writing goal that will be added here.
  • By June of 2009 80% students in Gr. 5-7 will be writing at grade level based on a school created common assessment.

MATH

  • 90% of students from Gr. 1-2 will be at Stanine 4 or above in the area of Mathematics on the CAT3
  • 85 % of students from each of the gr. 3 to 7 will be at Stanine 4 or above in the area of Mathematics on the CAT3

ASSESSEMENT - St. Thomas School Goal: 80% Students will indicate a “green light” response to having learning targets provided throughout the year (LCSD Action Plan p. 17)

Outcome: SCC goal brainstorming. SCC goals are to support established school goals. All goals must be SMART goals meaning Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Reasonable, and Time-bound

Learning Action plan ideas:

  • Teacher support committee: Michelle Smith, Laurie Hancock, Diane Bilodeau-Deck, Jody Gilby, Stacy Nordell, Monique Smiley, Nadine Benning, Tracy Matthews, Brad Matthews (handyman and odd job support), John Florizone (handyman and odd job support)
  • CPF has a teacher support committee including Laurie Wourms and Nadine Benning. They are discussing the potential for peer-to-peer tutoring program.
  • Teachers are doing non-instructional things during instructional class timesuch as hot lunch program, milk program, soup program, beautification committee, recycling, school clothing organization and ordering, non-profit organization solicitation, etc. The teacher support committee will look into ways to reduce the time spend on and/or remove these non-instructional items from the long list of teacher responsibilities.
  • Expanding use of concours –K-3 poems last year were successful and well used.
  • Homework program – supplement the existing efforts of school staff. School already offers homework club twice per week for a specific group of students that require intensive support. In addition, the homeroom teachers will offer extra help at recesses and lunches. EAs offer support as well

-Other SCC groups are running homework programs with paid tutors and via email

Wellbeing Action Plan ideas:

  • Wellbeing committee: Diane Bilodeau-Deck, Carmel Florizone
  • Playground committee: Bryan Harvey, Dawn Wever, Denis Georget, Wendy Othen, Lisa Marie Kreese
  • Assisting with the implementation of the nutrition guidelines
  • Replenishing the activity buckets
  • New playground (long term goal) either for the new school or supplementing the existing equipment at the current school.
  • Providing nutritional snacks (fruit basket housed on Sue’s desk) for staff and students
  • Taller fence in school area
  • Student safety on the playground (volunteers to monitor playground, etc.)
  • Anti-bullying program

Faith Action Plan ideas:

  • Faith committee: Jess Lastiwka, Carmen Nahirney, Carmel Florizone, Claudette Fidler, Cora-Lee McKeen, Yvonne Lucas, Laurie Wourms, Claudette Harris
  • Service activity supporting Chalice programs
  • Bringing in Michael Mangan (faith performer). There is an existing effort by other groups within the division.
  • Supporting French monitor in building a school (Northern Africa)
  • Sacramental gift support

SCC priorities Action Plan ideas (additional action plans):

  • Facilitate a French connection – organize and host a social evening for staff to network with others in the French speaking community –– see teacher support committee

Committees will start working on their action plans and present to SCC. This will be the focus of the next meeting.

3. Item: Budget for 2008-2009 year.

To Do: To establish budget to support the goals; begin a list of needs from the school (Nadine)

Outcome: See budget spreadsheet (circulated with minutes via email)

Motion to accept budget spreadsheet as discussed: Nadine Benning

Seconded by Wendy Othen

  • Expense form has been eliminated. Instead, there is a purchase order request form provided by Sue. Nadine has it and will distribute it as required and will assist in the completion of the form.
  • Procedure: Send one form to Nadine and one to Sue (email works best).
  • The form will also be put on school website.
  • Please note that Superstore, Tim Horton’s and a couple other suppliers do no accept purchase orders. In these cases, reimbursements will occur once receipts are submitted.
  • Motion to use Nadine’s new system: Jess Lastiwka

Seconded by Carmel Florizone

4. Item:School Based Activities

To Do: 1.What to do with the information re: fundraising requests from outside agencies?

2. Do we want a parent page on our school website?

Outcome: 1. Fundraising requests from outside agencies will be delegated to the teacher support committee and will be incorporated into the action plans where applicable and/or desirable.

2. Yes, there will be a parent page as part of the school website. Laura Thibault has volunteered to take care of this with direction from the SCC. At the end of each meeting, it will be decided what needs to be made public.

5. Item:Committee Membership and updates - Tabled to November

Considerations for Nov meeting – come prepared to discuss – look into constitution for mandates

a)Fundraising Committee – Wendy Othen, Carol Selby, Carmel Florizone, Louise Chevrier, see volunteer database for additional members

6. New Business: Contact list was circulated by email and will be updated by Carmel Florizone

Carmel Florizone submitted fundraising report.

The faith committee report will be forthcoming.

7. Future Meeting Topics:Develop the action plans and confirm committees

9. Adjournment:Motion to adjourn meeting at 10:08: Vince Orieux

Seconded by Carmel Florizone

Next Meeting: November 17, 2008 at 8:00 (CPF at 6:45)