Action list / Date: 19/3/14
Action
No. / Key points and action / Date
Req’d / Name
1 / Apologies:
Iris Gibson
Gillian Wilson
Attendees:
Pam McVeigh
Linda Lockhart
Nancy Loftus
Cllr Alistair Watson
Billy Green
Olivia Drennan
Alison Mitchell
Graham Keith
Barry Quinn
Sharon Loder
2 / Action from last meeting
The PC noted the sad news that Cllr Iris Gibson has been taken ill and is currently in hospital. Alison will send flowers on behalf of the school. PC send their best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Area Committee: successful accepted bid for equipment for the Florida trip. Still £70 short so PC has agreed to cover the shortfall. Linda to write a cheque for this
Accelerated reader bid – this will go forward in the next financial year, committee were positive on this.
Publicising good news events. Pam asked if Graham had any feedback on this following the last meeting. Graham noted that he had spoken to Gemma Denny and she is happy to resume the role of PR Project Leader once her acting tenure in pastoral care is finished (in around a month).
Parent Council newsletter
Nancy asked that the draft newsletter changes the acronym for the PC to RAPC. She also asked that the ASN newsletter is given more prominence – currently you have to go through several pages to get to it. Discussion re suitability of the newsletter for the front page of the PC website – PC agreed to do this.
AOCB: Nancy noted that the minutes of last meeting should be amended to state that she was talking about the pro-forma rather than the Bonus Ball. The distribution of the pro-forma to go forward to the next meeting.
PC Calendar – Pam to update this and distribute to Olivia before next meeting
3 / Treasurers report
GCC - £408.64
Fundraising - £883.25
£70 to go to Florida trip
4 / Community Meeting
Commonwealth Games baton to go to Rosshall Park but as this is in July it will be difficult for the school to organise any events around this.
Howford to move to Nitshill Road in 3 years.
Friends of Rosshall Park – will be working with local housing association to reclaim a patch of waste ground for environmental projects. Olivia will get in touch with Margaret of the Friends group to discuss how Rosshall pupils could be involved in this from the outset, allowing potentially for structured placements within vocational courses
Also looking at developing further the Disc Golf area in Rosshall Park and holding another open day this year. / 14/5/14 / OD
5 / Area Partnership meeting
Next meeting is in April where the application for the accelerated reader scheme laptops will be discussed.
6 / All weather facility
The school has received confirmation that works will commence over the summer break in order to improve the pitch. The aim is to give the school a surface that can be used for the majority of the time.
Pam will arrange a meeting with Alistair Henderson to discuss an all weather facility.
. / 30/04/14 / PMV
7 / ASL (Dyslexia support)
Nancy asked why only the Dyslexia group were targeted for a meeting and not all parents interested in ASL. She has signatures from parents at the meeting who would be interested in further support and has emailed these – 4 have replied so far. Nancy is meeting with Margaret McKinley next week and will discuss how best support can be provided. / 19/5/14 / NL
8 / Head Teacher’s Report
Vacancies for August:
RME
Bus Ed
Computing
Chemistry
Spanish/French
PE
Technical
Home Economics
Interviews on 14th March for FH Performing Arts
Interview in March for Glasgow City unpromoted posts
Promotion:
Vicki Smedley – Acting FH Health at Eastbank Academy
March update
: S5/S6 Options – 360 pupils have indicated they are returning for S5/6
: S1 Roll has gone down for 2014 as a result of population decline in the local area. This will not affect permanent staff numbers this year.
: Staffing exercise has taken place
: Science hosted city moderation exercise at Rosshall today.
: HMI Literacy and English Impact review visit.
HMI spent time visiting English classes, speaking to staff and pupil focus groups, quizzing the English dept and SLT and looking at materials. HMI were highly positive about the opportunities we offer for literacies across learning and highlighted several examples including the ‘Story of the Cell’ creative writing exercise within Science. HMI were confident that staff across the school were aware of their responsibility for literacy and how to promote this. They were impressed with the wealth of opportunities offered within the English department and felt the department’s own survey of strengths and areas for improvement was spot on. Sharon Loder was praised as a highly competent leader, able to lead the department for continual improvement.
Pam asked whether there were additional training/skills needed for teachers across the subjects to deliver literacy skills. Alison replied that literacy is embedded within the Experiences and Outcomes for every subject so every teacher is prepared to teach this.
Accelerated Reader was praised again, as was the culture of reading within the school. Pam asked what would be done about this next year. School is currently looking at this – would be £5 per S1 pupil. Possibility of getting current S1 pupils out to speak to primaries to promote accelerated reader, potentially ahead of a letter to parents looking for the £5.
Study leave:
Glasgow City Council has a policy of no study leave for S4 pupils.
Rosshall’s S4 pupils felt strongly about this and have made representation to Alison and to GCC.
School will now have new arrangements for N5 pupils – N4 pupils will still be in school.
Arrangements as follows:
Pupils sitting N5 exams will have the option of taking the day before and day of their exam off
S4 pupils start new S5 on Tuesday 27th May (after holiday)
In classes, pupils should be
28/04 – 9/05 – Studying or completing unit assessments
12/05-21/5 – Period of consolidation/workshops/literacy etc
S5 – Study leave from Tues 29th April to Wed 21st May
Will start new timetable on 27th May at same time as new S5
S6 – Last day in school is Mon 28th April (if not doing Modern Studies)
April 2014
: Easter Revision School – all subjects will be offered in columns to ensure maximum opportunity
: Improvement Planning Consultation
: SQA examinations start
9 / Correspondence:
Gather Together – this is information on how to involve ethnic minority parents and may be useful for us. SPTC event is being held soon and will involve info on this – Nancy may go and will bring this back to PC if so.
Nancy is to attend a meeting of the Glasgow Parents Council Forum – this will look at safe transport around schools which should interest a number of parents. She also suggested that we might want to get info on this body and the SPTC on our website for the benefit of HMIE visiting the school. Nancy to update next meeting. / 14/05/14 / NL
10 / AOCB
Billy asked about the university trips for S3. Would these be open to all S3s and, if not, how will pupils be selected? Barry replied that the university has certain criteria that the school abide by – e.g. first in family to go to university. Pastoral Care try to be fair also – e.g. if pupils have done ILead they wouldn’t also do this. Linda asked if this was a one off opportunity and Barry replied that there are several and there are some that are focused on particular career paths e.g. medicine, vet med etc. Pupils also participate in the Strathclyde summer school – most funded.
Prize Period
Barry spoke about the prize period which was introduced to S1 at assembly on Monday. 38 pupils were awarded the first Prize Period merits on Monday. Pam asked that we now vote on getting the 6 £25 Braehead vouchers – this can be approved by emails from PC as inquorate tonight.
School Transition events – Outward Bound
Pam was in touch with Wendy Stillie regarding this, following the request for funding to last meeting. Wendy has got funding from various sources but would like to keep the costs down to pupils as much as possible so is now asking for a donation of £500 from the PC. Pam asked that we get more information about this since it is a substantial amount of money. Alison explained the structure of the trip will involve day events for each S1 House. Barry extolled the benefits of Outward Bound and its team working ethos, especially for new S1s who need to get to know their new house. PC discussed whether they can afford to give this amount. Still have the GCC money to spend as well as money in the fundraising account. Pam will check when Wendy needs the money and, if she needs it soon, PC agreed that Pam should send an email out to PC members asking for their support for the £500 funding.
School Cottage
Linda asked about the official opening of the School Cottage. Hasn’t happened yet as school has been so busy this year with new qualifications. On the back burner but still aim to do it in the near future.
P7 Parents Information Events
These take place this term in each primary school. There will be representation from Alison, Wendy, Pastoral Care and former pupils from that primary. Agreed that it would be good to have more Parent Council representation at these events. Nancy argued that it is important for parents from primaries, especially primary Parent Councils, to have a PC contact within Rosshall so they can encourage participation of new S1 parents in the PC at Rosshall. PC needs to extend its network of parent contacts and this could be a useful way of doing so. We particularly need a bigger network of people for fire visits etc. Parents who have been involved at primary will have their PVG already and will be able to help.
PC membership
Fiona is unlikely to come back to the PC.
Gowanbank campus
Alistair noted that the catchment areas of Crookston Castle and Gowanbank are changing slightly, to alleviate pressure on Crookston Castle. This will have a knock-on effect potentially on Rosshall’s school roll in about 7 years time.
Date of next meeting Wednesday 14th May, 7.30pm