St. Nicholas Catholic School Council Meeting

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Meeting Start: 7:08pmMeeting Adjourn: 8:22pm

Co-Chairs: K. Foschia & L. D’OrazioSecretary: M. Pacek

Members Present:A. D’Agostino, Principal

G. Barnett, Vice Principal

T. Marra, Teaching Staff Rep.

K. Foschia

L. D’Orazio

L. Girimonte

M. Pacek

M. Simonetti

S. Godino

L. Castellucci

A. Garza-Garcia

L. Ienna

A. Falbo

B. Ehmann

M. Martinelli

Guests: V. Bonofiglio, J. Russo

Absent:M. Villella, L. Gallo, S. Iskierski, L. Onisto

Opening Prayer

Approval of Agenda

MOTION: To approve agenda for Thursday, October 26/17 as presented: K. Foschia

Seconded: M. Simonetti

MOTION CARRIED

Approval of Minutes

MOTION: To approve the minutes from Thursday, September 28, 2017 as presented: M. Pacek

Seconded: L. Girimonte

MOTION CARRIED

Approval of Financial Statement: September 27, 2017 to October 24, 2017

  • Opening balance $30,738.35
  • On-line order for pizza - $3880.50 as of Monday, October 23 morning – cash and cheques not reflected as they are still being totalled
  • $10,589.68 for technology came out
  • $2660.00 remaining for DJ and prizes ($500.00 deposit for DJ already paid)
  • $19,536.11 committed - $4493.06 unrestricted
  • Need to allocate money for pizza day

MOTION: To approve the financial statement dated September 24/17 to October 24/17 as presented: L. Girimonte

Seconded: L. Castellucci

MOTION CARRIED

Cost of pizza is approximately $760 per week plus the cost of cookies and milk

MOTION: To allocate $13,000.00 for pizza lunches: K. Foschia

Seconded: S. Godina

MOTION CARRIED

School Update

CSC mtg. October 26, 2017

Principal’s Report

News from the Ministry/Board

Shuttering of Classrooms-last week of June-Board’s Long Term Facilities Master Plan-to reduce costs associated with heating, lighting and maintaining surplus space-we had to close 4 classrooms as a result of this

School cash online-45% of our families have registered-looking for 100%-although it is not mandatory yet, it is the preferred method of payment- -Annual CSC report and Annual Report are due Nov. 30, 2017

Staffing Changes

Mrs. Dalton is on a leave; Mrs. Bettencourt has been hired to assume her responsibilities for the duration of her absence

•Progress Reports and Parent Student Teacher Conferences

-Process-Conference call ins-same as last year-Conference forms will go home on Nov. 10-Call ins will be the following week, Progress Reports (grades 1-8) and Initial Observations for FDK go home on Nov. 14 and interview night will be on Thurs. Nov. 16

Budget

Communication with community-financial reports should be posted on our website with the agenda and minutes of mtgs- transparency and the community needs to know where the monies are being spent-asking about a Council Corner/part of the newsletter or a separate one from CSC-CSC does a lot of wonderful things and the community should be aware and hopefully are encouraged to become involved as well

-Girls’ Night in – theme is BeaUtiful-self-esteem - being happy with you are etc.-Youth Network Peel, PHN, SW and CYW and several staff have planned the evening with the girls input-budget request-$800-dinner, book, photo booth supplies, Smoothie station, friendship bracelets

-Artists/Authors in the School-what will the allocation be-need to start planning

CSC-Board-wide events

Thursday, November 2, 2017 at 5:30 pm at St. Francis Xavier S.S.:

Each Family of Schools Chairs (or other Council members) and Administrators along with the Superintendent are invited to take part in an evening event / meeting at 6:30 pm at St. Francis Xavier S.S. (light dinner offered from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm)

Each Family of Schools will meet in a separate location on site with respective Superintendents.

At this meeting, one Elementary Parent and one Secondary Parent who are Chairpersons, and / or persons of good standing, on Catholic School Councils, are elected from each of the Family of Schools. The election is supervised by the Superintendent of each Family.

Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 8:30 am at St. Joseph S.S.:

School Council Chairs and other Members of the School Council as well as Administrators are invited to a ‘Training’ half day event to be held at St. Joseph S.S.

Parent Engagement Event inJanuary 18, 2018:

BECDM Family of Schools host a Parent Engagement Event at St. Marguerite d’Youville S.S., at 7:00 pm-have our CSC mtgthere before

School Councils within the BECDM Family will take part in the event during the same evening

Guest Speakers / Workshops utilizing PRO Grants from both Elementary and Secondary panels will be planned (more info to come)

Saturday, April 14, 2018 Market Place and In-Service Event:

DPCDSB will host a Market Place and In-Service event beginning at 8:30 am at St. Joseph S.S.

-discussion regarding parent involvement:

  • Need to be transparent with community – should have a council corner on school’s website
  • Agenda and minutes should be posted – agenda should be available even a week beforehand – parents may come if they know what we will be discussing
  • Need to recognize all the work council does – maybe have communications person to update community a couple of times a year – suggestion: could do an update after each event and let community know what the next event is
  • V. Bonofiglio and L. Castellucci to take on role

-planning a ‘Girls Night In’ – called “BeaUtiful” – about 40 girls have signed up – available for grade 7 & 8 girls only – need a budget

MOTION: To allocate a budget of $800.00 for ‘Girls Night In’: K. Foschia

Seconded: L. D’Orazio

MOTION CARRIED

Community Update

  • Library flyer circulated to members
  • Fabulously Freaky Friday on Friday 27th at Caledon Wellness Centre
  • Pumpkin fest at Downey’s Farm
  • Terra Cotta festival – October 28
  • Meet Batman and the Batmobile October 28 at Fines Ford from 1:00pm-2:30pm
  • $2 million won by a resident of Bolton – ticket purchased at Toma’s Convenience
  • Reading buddies – ages 6-10 who need help with reading on Wednesdays from 5:30pm-6:15pm
  • Check smoke alarms

Parish Update

  • Giving Tree at Holy Family – decorate a tree with ornaments made by parishioners
  • Each ornament has a request for a gift card in the amount of $10.00 from various places
  • Parishioner takes an ornament off the tree and purchases the gift card, for the place indicated, and returns it to the church.
  • All of the gift cards are given to the Exchange in Bolton who distributes them to local teens and tweens
  • From 2011 to 2015 approximately $5000.00 was collected each year
  • Last year, when St. Nicholas got involved, $7000.00 was raised
  • November 16 the tree goes up with the ornaments on it
  • November 19 the tree comes down
  • Gift cards are to be returned between November 18 and December 10
  • Goal is to create 500 ornaments
  • Last year having St. Nicholas students involved in creating ornaments created a buzz – students wanted to come to church to find their ornaments

OAPCE rep not in attendance therefore no update

Halloween

  • Pledge forms went out and are due back on Monday, October 30
  • Prizes purchased are the same as last year, except Toys’R’Us
  • Purchased gift cards at Walmart, Mastermind, movies, Vaughan Mills
  • Edwin will DJ – Mel will be going to her child’s school

Christmas Craft Night

  • On Friday, November 24/17
  • Need 8-10 students to help on craft night – will student parliament be able to help: yes – will hold a quick meeting with them to discuss
  • Craft will be an ornament
  • Families can take them home and add a note, or letter, or prayer inside as a keepsake
  • Each child will make their own
  • Last year student parliament volunteers made their own as samples – could do the same this year
  • Cost is $1.25 per ornament
  • Will have 2 shifts of families during the evening
  • Give a heads-up in the newsletter
  • Volunteers: Mara, Valerie, Joanne, Lisa, Annie
  • Discussion around doing a Christmas shoe box fundraiser
  • Could incorporate it with craft night – in past have done toys or food
  • Valerie in to look into for a time-line.

Adjourn: 8:22pm