Whitecraig Parent Council Meeting
20 NOVEMBER 17 APRIL 2013
Present:Nicola RiddelPauline Tuckey - Chair – Chair / Caitriona Kavanagh - Head Teacher
Hazel King – Treasurer / Isla Cran – Principal TeacherIsla Cran – Principal Teacher
Hazel Grigg – Vice ChairPam Bell / Tracey DoranHazel Grigg
Lea Sime Nicola Riddel / Cllr Andy ForrestTanya Morrison
Anne Graham Lynn Wilson / Rosemary Gray – WPC ClerkCllr Andy Forrest
Tanya MorrisonTracey Doran / RosemaryGray – WPC Clerk
Apologies:
John Caldwell – ELC Councillor / Pam Bell
Item / Action
1.0 / Welcome and Apologies
Nicola Pauline welcomed everyone to the meeting – the first meeting following the AGM.. Apologies were received as above.
2.0 / Minutes from theprevious meeting on 27 February 2013
The minutes from the meeting on 11 September 27 February 2013 were approved.
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3.0 / Matters Arising
Room booking – Rosemary will copy in the Janitor into booking requests to prevent any future problems.
Supply teacher – Caitriona advised that whilst there was a mix up about the interview on 18 March, it did go ahead and the teacher is now on the supply list.
Interviews – these will be held soon for auxillaries.
Free school meals cutback – came into effect from Monday 8 April and everybody should be aware now.
Golden Time – Caitriona asked for some money for art/craft resources.
Scripture Union – Caitriona will go back to Hazel Gray. Action.
Chess Club – Caitriona will get in touch with Francis O’Donnell. Action.
Funky Fun Fitness – Caitriona has attended training which was very good. She will run an afterschool club in January for P1s and P2s. There is further training in January.
Isla will get in touch with Anna Potter about organising training for some parent volunteers. Action.
AGM minutes – Lynn to look out the minutes. Action.
Parent Council members – Rosemary to update the contact list with Tanya’s new address. Action.
Parent Council newsletter – HK will prepare one in December, to include photos, class reps and how money has been spent. Action c/f
Hazel K still has to do this. Action.
Raffle – Hazel won the raffle and it made a profit of £34.
Website – Caitriona will chase up access for Rosemary. Action.
Snack money – Caitriona has spoken to certain individuals and some money has been paid. She is still looking for the rest. She confirmed that the cost will reduce to £1. Action.
Quiz Night – provisional date of 4 March. IC may do on own. it looks like being held in September now. Nicola will get a date and let Isla know. Action c/f.
Budget – Rosemary has now been reimbursed for her expenses.
Building Maintenance – concern still over the tarmac outside the Infants Door with injuries occurring. Staff are taking photos as a record. Options are still being considered and Caitriona hopes work will take place in February break. Pupils to be encouraged not to run out the door.
Pantomime - booked for Tuesday 17 December. Parent Council to contribute approx £200. HK to pass the cheque to CK. Action c/f
Whole Community Facility v Community Centre - agreed that Community Centre was valuable asset. Hope it will remain as Early Years Centre. Hazel K trying to set up Baby Group. Andy has passed contact name of person at First Step to HK.
Lets - Tracey has organised the lets for various events.
Ready Steady Read – Hazel K forwarded on the email re fundraising opportunities.
WW2 – 3 Lunch Club users keen to get involved with school re WW2. This was very successful.
Anti-social behaviour strategy – Hazel K passed out copies of draft strategy for 2013-2015 which was handed out at Community Council meeting. No feedback was received.
Parent rep on Council Committee for Education? – Rosemary responded to Laura that we were in favour.
ELAPCM meetings – Pam and Tracey attended on 1 October. Pam and Hazel G to attend on 27 November. They will confirm their attendance. Action.
Lets for meetings - Rosemary has booked the school library for meetings this session as the Community Centre is unavailable. / CK
CK
IC
RG
HK
CK
CK
HK
IC
HK
HG
NR
4.0 / Chair’s Report
Nicola and Hazel G were invited to a meeting at Musselburgh Grammar about the East Lothian Foodbank. They are looking for cash funding.
- Need a referral
- Lots of donations from Harvest Festivals
- Tesco gave £10000 worth of food last year
- Based at old library in Tranent
- On average 20 food parcels a week, but numbers increasing
- Adding soup bags to parcels costing £1.50
- MGS keen to do something in the cluster and looking for feedback
Cluster meeting
The next ELAPCM meeting is held on Thursday 18 April - PT is again unable to attend as she can’t make a Thursday. / NR/CK
5.0 / Head Teacher’s Report
Staffing
No Changes.
Finance
OK but tight.
Interviews to cover Claire’s maternity leaveParental Consultations
Tried a different approach this year and thought it went well. Feedback was positive. Parents were able to see what the pupils had done.
Email addresses
These were collected at the parent consultations. CK to check now which ones are missing. They will be used to let parents know about notes in bags. Unlikely to be in use before new term.
Darrin Nightingale visit
Visit took place on 14 November. He was showed round the whole school by the pupils. His feedback was positive – ‘warm, friendly atmosphere and pupils were great’.
Christmas Dates
Christmas Show is called Stable Manners. Rehearsals are underway.
Nursery have booked storytelling people for 18 December.
Santa – Ian Reid from local church has been asked. He needs a Santa outfit. Tanya to check out.
Christmas Gifts - agreed parent council would purchase gifts for pupils again this year.
Benmore
Dates for next year are 1-5 September 2014.
Pupil Council
Elections have been held and first meeting was today (20th). All very enthusiastic.
were held last week and there is a preferred candidate. A supply teacher will be required to cover the period until the new member of staff is in the post.
Joy has confirmed her return date as 25 June 2013. She will also have some ‘keeping in touch days’.
The total number of staff will remain unchanged, following discussions at the meeting with East Lothian Council. No decisions yet as to which teachers will take which class.
There is to be a new approach by the Government to nursery places. The number of hours is to increase and allocation will be based on dates of birth.
Fraser Fullerton is returning as a student on Monday 22 April.
Don Ledingham has resigned. No news regarding a replacement.
Budget
Carolyn Smith has retired - Caitriona will be meeting with Karen Menzies tomorrow to discuss the budget.
There was an underspend in the budget for the year to March 2013.
Benmore
Monies have been received from the Jimmy Harrison fund for last year’s Benmore trip and for this year’s as well. The dates are 23 September to 27 September 2013. There will be a meeting with parents about the trip soon.
Swimming
This year, the whole composite class will go swimming, rather than just the P4s.
P7 Transition
4 children have been identified for enhanced transition to Musselburgh Grammar which will take place in May. CK would like to look at doing something for those going to St Davids. Action.
Honest Toun Association
There may be a disco for P5s-P7s on 25 April. More information to follow, organised by Alistair Barclay, a former Honest Lad.
Playground
A quotation has been given for work to upgrade the playground but it was a lot of money. There may be funding available as part of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. It would be worth exploring. Action.
Gardening
A meeting has been held with Barbara from Roots and Fruits. She is finding that going into schools once a fortnight is not sustainable and she is putting in a bid to develop the garden to make it much more of a community garden. Hazel, Liz, Gail will meet with Barbara to discuss the role of the garden. Action. / TM
HK
CK
ALL?
HAZEL
6.0 / TTreasurer’s Report
Folder has been sorted out. Lots of the bank statements are missing. No pay in books either. Lynn has been asked for missing ones but has passed everything across she had.
In 1999 the balance was £572 and is currently £5445.
HK has prepared a report, signed by herself, Nicola and Caitriona. A copy was passed to Rosemary for her file.
In future, proper records will be kept and the accounts will be independently examined for every AGM.
Hazel K and Hazel G to go into the bank with ID to change signatories.
The profit from the Hallowe’en party was £57.
Lynn confirmed the balance was £4972.03. Pam is to be refunded for her expenses and will pass the receipts to Pauline. Action. / HK/HGPB
7.0 / AOCB
School Handbook – Nicola advised that PC membership needs to be updated. CK is working on an updated version. It will go on the school website, with a copy in the porch also.
Briarlands Farm – Tanya handed out leaflets for activity place near Blair Drummond. They cater for groups.
Dates for diary – HK shared the following:
Christmas Upcycle Craft Sessions – 3rd and 10th December – all welcome, crèche available.
Torchlight Procession meeting – 9.30am on 26 November.
Torchlight Procession – 19 December. Craft sessions on 6th and 13th December to make lanterns. Agreed that parent council would contribute something to this event.
Party – 29 November – invites have been issued.
Community Centre AGM – 4-6pm on 27 November. Live music, food, children welcome.
P7s Leaving Presents
It was suggested that scientific calculators may be more appropriate than dictionaries as a present. CK agreed to investigate. Action.
Dates for diaries
Fun day – Saturday 25 May 2013
Summer Trip – either Monday 24 June or Wednesday 26 June 2013 – date and venue to be confirmed. Blair Drummond a possibility
Storytelling Garden – official opening – Friday 21 June 2013 – to be confirmed
Nursery Sports Day – probably Wednesday 26 June 2013.
P1 transition – to commence on 8 May and every Wednesday thereafter.
School Sports Day – Friday 31 May 2013.
Meadowbank Athletics – Wednesday 29 May 2013.
Afterschool Club
There had been some confusion as to whether it was on or not.
Parent Council training
Hazel King and Hazel Griggs both thinking of attending the Social Networking training. The cost of the Food Hygiene Training can come from the parent council budget but no confirmation as to this year’s budget has been received yet. Rosemary will check re budget. Action.
Headteachers appointments
Caitriona confirmed that new headteachers have been appointed for Campie and Pinkie St Peters.
Golden Time
A cheque for £75 was given to Caitriona for Golden Time resources. / NR
CK
RG
8.0 / Dates of Next Meetings
The Wednesday next meetings will take place as follows:
Wednesday 22 January 2014
Wednesday 19 March 2014
Wednesday 14 May 201422 May 2013