SCHOOL BOARD MEETING MINUTES

Tuesday 25th August 2015

Started: 3pm

Present: Julie Patel, Dr MacNeill, Maureen Tamsen, Kelli Kilmurray, Natalie Cahill, Wayne Ringland, Peter Fisher (ex Officio).

Apologies: Maree Clohessy, Jacinta Menner.

Advisory Role

Minutes of Previous Meeting:

Discussion arising:

Mrs Patel tabled the reply letters received regarding:

Air Conditioner Replacement

Mr Collier gave little hope that P&C supplied Air conditioners would be upgraded by DET. He suggested a course of action that the school body has already explored. Dr MacNeill indicated that due to the highly successful focus the school has on maximising student learning, recognised Nationally, we would be proactive in setting up a program to replace unsatisfactory units from school funds. This would support the excellent academic progress of the school and ensure its comparability to surrounding schools.

NAPLAN Reports

Mr Pyne replied that the responsibility for the format of NAPLAN Reports to parents was a matter for AITSL. The Box and Whiskers format was agreed upon on expert advice.

Mrs Vicki Harley (Deputy Principal) was invited to attend the meeting to provide an update on individual student support discussed at the previous meeting:

Mrs Harley reported that there had been some minor improvement. The school was still funding an Education Assistant with little external funding support and had paid to fit reinforced glass in the isolation room as normal glass posed a foreseeable risk to the student and staff. There was still a detrimental effect on the learning of other students i.e. small group learning in the wet area being used interrupted with groups having to be stopped or relocated, student learning in rooms adjacent to the isolation room due to shouting and unruly behaviour.

Primary Behaviour Centre staff has become involved to complement the two days per week Family Pathways intervention. The school has had little feedback from the Family Pathways staff at this stage but has arranged a meeting for 9th September for all parties involved to provide feedback. Unfortunately there is no guarantee of support in 2016 (maybe as early as term 4on more recent information)as Mrs Harley was informed that the system is changing.

The minutes were accepted.

Moved: Mrs Tamsen

Seconded: Mr Ringland

Prime Mathematics

Mrs Patel asked what plans were in place for students who would not be ready to progress to the next level/book for the start of the 2016 school year.

Dr MacNeill told the Board that the Prime maths year level for 2016 would be included on each child’s end of year report. This would indicate to parents the book to purchase for the start of the 2016 school year.

Legislated Role

Finance

Mr Fisher presented the Finance Report.

The Registrar and Admin. are considering changes to the Reserve Accounts to get the best fit for the needs of the school, the goals of the Business Plan and support of students. Any changes will be presented to the next meeting of the Finance Committee and communicated to School Board members.

The figure for Expenditure Remaining shows an inflated amount as there a number of projects in hand or completed and awaiting payment. These include additions to fencing and school siren, maintenance and utilities.

The Finance Report was accepted.

Moved: Mrs Patel

Seconded: Mrs Cahill

Business Plan

Mr Fisher presented the 2014-2016 Business Plan to the Board. He indicated that whereas the previous Business Plan had compared the academic progress against like schools, the 2014-2016 Plan compared progress against all schools in the North Eastern Region.

NAPLAN and PAT Test results were included for the Board members to appraise and Mr Fisher indicated for them to be aware that each year’s cohort was different although comparison of year 3 to the year 5 results, 2 years later, compared the same cohort of students.

Other Business

There being no other business, the meeting was concluded.

Closed: 3.25pm