DRUMOAK SCHOOL COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING, Tuesday 3rd Sept 2013
PRESENT: Joe McTaggart (Chairman), Shelagh Marr (Treasurer), Garry Cormack, Trish Amundrud (acting Secretary), Karen Wood, Sheena Ironside, Antoinette McNeil, Hazel Engel (Staff Rep.), Cllr Graeme Clark, Lynn Service (Headteacher), Louise Mackinnon, Keith Sim, Sue Shand, David Shand,
APOLOGIES: Helen Cross, Ali Odds (Secretary), Gwen Robertson.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING were approved.
New School update
Garry Cormack reported on the current status of the new school. The school is now delayed to April or August 2015 due to “minor technical details relating to road improvements”. This has delayed the purchase of the land and therefore the school build has not yet been put out to tender.
Cllr Graeme Clark commented on the overall positive response to the consultation exercise.
Frustration was expressed on the part of the school council at yet another delay. Joe McT will write to Maria Walker re the delay to the new school. JMcT
The school has already been contacted by Stewart Milne inquiring about school hours for scheduling deliveries and lorries to the new houses. Council members expressed dismay that the school was not being built simultaneously and that there would be two periods of disruption.
DSC Display Board
Display for School Council is still to be done – Joe is awaiting the election of a new treasurer at next week’s AGM. JMcT
Fundraising
The fundraising committee is still to meet for the start of this year. It was requested that the next school newsletter highlights that funds can be raised through easy fundraising: http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/drumoakpsc. LService
Finance
Current balance: £3366
AGM
To try to involve more parents, especially those with younger students, it was requested that the teachers put a note about the AGM in student’s homework jotters. LService
Headteacher’s Report
· School roll: 75 students
• Teachers have stayed the same. Lynn Service noted this is an enviable position compared to many Aberdeenshire schools where there is a shortage of teachers.
· PSAs: Mrs Carroll (27 hours), Mrs Cameron (14.5 hours) and Mrs McBeath (8.5 hours) are in place this year. Mrs Carroll is supervising playtime.
· Canteen: Lynn Service is supervising the canteen along with the P7 pupils who are doing this as part of the Aberdeenshire Volunteer Scheme.
· The school improvement plan is now posted on the website and focuses on
o Active literacy
o Numeracy
o Assessment and training.
· School website is now up and running. Trish Amundrud will train up Ali Odds this week so that staff can update the website themselves.
· School library is set up and awaiting a visit from the librarian.
· Skipping workshop is ongoing. Lynn Service requested £360.00 to fund this workshop from the school council (request granted).
· School houses: P7 students are preparing talks for house captain elections. The house point competition is underway,
· Maths: Tom Renwick is coming to Drumoak to give talks to the students (in the afternoon) and parents (evening)
· School assemblies and a school shared learning morning (26th Sept) are planned for this term and parents are invited.
· Parent/Teacher interviews 2nd/3rd October
· Maths in the Workplace event, 7th October. The school is looking for volunteers to come in and talk about how they use maths in the workplace.
· Term 2, 31st October, Traditional Hallowe’en Party. Lynn asked for any input into having a traditional Hallowe’en party for the children. Louise McKinnon and Karen Wood expressed interest in helping.
· Term 2 topic, Polar Lands. Lynn asked for anyone who could contribute to the topic or has links to Arctic or Antarctica to get in touch with her.
Any other Business:
Music: A question was asked about specialist music teaching this term. Lynn confirmed that Miss Lussier will still be with Drumoak students. The time may be reduced from previous years. However, specialist Drama and Art teachers are also working with the children.
Cycle Training: Cllr Clark asked if cycle training will be occurring and Lynn confirmed that the P6s will be going through the Bikeability scheme this year.
Garden Benches: Lynn was reminded that benches for the playground are awaiting pick up at Drum Garden Centre. LService
School Clean-up: Duncan Wight provided a generous amount of bark for the wooded area. Action: Shelagh Marr will write a thank you letter from the School Council. SMarr
Dates of next meetings:
all at 7.00pm in the School Hall
Tuesday 10th September 2013: AGM
Tuesday 8th October 2013
Tuesday 19th November 2013
Tuesday 14th January 2014
Tuesday 25th February 2014
Tuesday 22nd April 2014
Tuesday 3rd June 2014
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