F. P. WALSHE SCHOOLANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Tuesday, October 1, 2013 @ 7:00

MINUTES

ATTENDANCE: Cathie Harris, Petula Hofer, Martha Ratcliffe, Angie O’Connor, Derek O’Connor, Ellen Potvin, Kathie Nathe, Harley Brown, Bill Forster, Michelle MacMillan, Karen Woynarowsky

  1. Welcome and Introductions
  2. Cathie Harris requested introductions re in which grade(s) each parent had kids
  3. Approval of Agenda – DerekO’Connor & Harley Brown
  4. Approval of Minutes (revised) – Petula Hofer & Derrick O’Connor
  5. Highlight of changes: in principal’s report it discusses the Administrative Team, but fails to specify that Lisa Crow Shoe is an Assistant Administrator
  6. Business
  7. feedback about 1st day grade 7’s only (Jr. High)
  8. grade 7’s appreciated the soft start to have time to acclimatize
  9. grade 8 & 9’s did not object to extra day to sleep in
  10. feedback school cash on-line
  11. frustrating for parents: limited payment options, did not show choices added to cart, had to add each item for student/child separately, one parent wound up paying twice due to confusing set up of site
  12. PowerAnnounce automated outgoing messages. Hopefully working soon.
  13. PowerSchool replacing Pinnacle
  14. parents will have access as of first reporting period @ Oct. 31, 2013
  15. By-law changed/waived: terms as executive on school council
  16. Cathie Harris proposed changing or waiving of 3-year limit for one person to remain on school council i.e. Cathie is maxed out and therefore at present may not continue as Chairperson
  17. Bill Forster brought up that the handbook of school council regulations stipulates that an official change of policy requires a majority approval of all parents who have children presently attending the school
  18. Derek O’Connor made a motion to waive the F.P.Walshe School Council bylaw for election of officers (6.2d) for this school year. Karen Woynarowsky seconded the motion.  Motion unanimously carried. (Bylaw information attached)
  19. Annual Report
  20. School Council Cathie Harris (annual report is attached)
  21. Fundraising Foundation Ellen Potvin
  22. Chair/Treasurer – please see attached re Fundraising Foundation & Sports Council (Fundraising Presentation, and separate financial update for each)
  23. Discussion points…
  24. Concerns were expressed that some teams are running on a significant deficit while others have a healthy profit margin
  25. Suggestions were made that teams should be more restricted regarding their spending so that debt is not incurred
  26. Suggestions were also made that perhaps teams with a profit margin should assist in paying the debt(s) of the other teams I.e. our sports program is based on community rather than each team for itself
  27. Further discussion & decision(s) were table for next Fundraising & Sports Council meeting
  28. Sports Council – combine with Fundraising Foundation: How will the bylaws change?
  29. 5.2  number of directors of foundation
  30. 5.4  officers of foundation
  31. 5.10  consolidation of duties from each group
  32. 6.1  AGM within 60 days of beginning of school year
  33. 10.1  all cheques must be signed by two officers
  34. 10.3  no presentation of annual budget projections due to lack of information – accounting of expenses still ongoing as year progresses
  35. 12.?  seal is the responsibility of secretary but it may be kept at school if chosen
  36. 14/3  if foundation ceases to exist, gaming funds are returned to gaming commission & remaining funds are transferred to school’s general account
  37. Martha Ratcliffe motioned to accept the changes presented by Ellen Potvin. Derek seconded the motion. Motion was unanimously carried.
  38. Principal’s Report
  39. diploma results to be released next meeting
  40. budget – last year’s revenue still needs to be added to school’s account; update expect Friday, October 4, 2013  surplus is predicted
  41. personally owned devices can now be used at school by high school students throughout the division
  42. school division has a virtual school to offset the cutback to Alberta Distance Learning  packages have been offered to schools to access distance learning materials at the school level to increase flexibility in offering a wider variety of courses to senior high students
  43. ‘project’ classes at junior high are addressing cross-curricular learning with a goal of meeting curricular design changes from Alberta Education
  44. senior high Phys. Ed., CALM, Workplace Prep class are scheduled at the same time. Students choose their Phys. Ed curriculum, and complete the other courses as well to earn CEU’s and provide students with choices that are relevant to graduation requirements
  45. Walshe enrollment is approx. 344 – Crossroads enrollment is approx. 48
  46. Crossroads is now set up in Barracks building on historic site behind subway on west end of town Grand Opening will be Oct. 24, 2013
  47. Terry Fox Run  raised over $1 400.00
  48. Questions
  49. Student Council Rep for School Council? One will be assigned to attend on a regular basis
  50. Are senior high class sizes over 40? Bio 20 is close to 40 however there is no plan/ability at this time to hire a second teacher to divide the class
  1. Elections
  2. Chairperson of School Council  Cathie Harris
  3. Vice Chair  Petula Hofer
  4. Secretary  Michelle MacMillan
  5. President of Fundraising Council Ellen Potvin
  6. Vice President
  7. Secretary Angie O’Connor
  8. Treasurer Harley Brown
  9. Sports Financial Officer Karen Woynarowsky
  10. Sports Representative Kathie Nathe
  11. Athletic Director Craig Patton (school-appointed)
  12. School Council Members (not elected representatives)

 Derek O’Connor

Melanie Provost

(Pres. of fundraising is also an appointed a member of school council)

  1. Next Fundraising Sports Council Mtg. = October 8, 2013 @ 5:30 p.m.
  2. Next School Council Mtg. = November 12, 2013 @ 7:00
  3. Adjournment
  4. Martha Ratcliffe motioned to adjourn meeting @ 9:35 p.m.

F. P. Walshe School Council Bylaws concerning terms of service –

on council and as executive on council, Sept. 2010

5.4 Any School Council member may serve for as many consecutive one year terms on the School Council as desired providing they meet the criteria for Council membership.

(Amended at the Annual General Meeting of F.P. Walshe School Council, Sept 21, 2010)

6.2 Election of Officers

a) Every member of the School Council is eligible to be elected as an

officer of the School Council.

b) Elections of officers shall be held immediately following the

general meeting.

c) The term of office for all officers is one year.

d) Any School Council officer may serve a maximum of three

consecutive terms in one executive position.

(Amended at the Annual General Meeting of F.P. Walshe School Council, Sept. 30, 2008)

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F.P. Walshe School Council AGM –Oct. 1, 2013 - Report from School Council Chair

At school council meetings, we are able to receive information and give our input. During this past year, we have been able to discuss and find out about the personally-owned devices pilot project that was started in the second semester. Students could bring their own devices to use in the classroom. Overall this seems to have been positive, and will continue. Timetabling, school fees, and the yearly school calendar have also been discussed and reviewed. Satisfaction survey results, PAT and diploma results, and staffing changes at the school and at the divisional level were presented. We learned how provincial budget cuts will negatively affect our school, with changes to work experience and distance learning programs, and the cancellation of the AISI program. Cuts to Operations and Maintenance funding will mean there will be more cost to bus sports teams. We also learned that because of cuts to secondary school funding, and the closure of the Lethbridge College Fort Macleod campus, it has been necessary to get a new building for the FPWalshe Crossroads campus.

Updating and right-sizing of the Fort Macleod schools is the bricks-and-mortar priority of the school division now that Claresholm’s Willow Creek Composite High School is open. There has been no announcement yet as to when funding might be given from the province so that planning can proceed.

Our school board trustees have done a great job in letting us know of school board priorities and decisions, and of the information presented at board meetings. They are always willing to get feedback from school council.

Student council has been represented at school council meetings. We have been able to hear of student council-led activities, such as Prom, and a school-wide “Tiger Day” that built school spirit. There has been a Regional Student council formed. This past year, there was a dance held at FPWalshe for all high school students in the division, and also a regional talent show at the Empress that included students from all divisional junior and senior high schools.

Communication between school and home has been discussed. A sports calendar had been generated to help with scheduling, but due to changes to the school website could not be accessed. The automatic phone-out system to parents was used quite often to help make parents aware of things going on at school, and of parent-teacher interviews, and of days with no school for students.

Grad celebrations were discussed. There was a Grad class banquet at the end of May. The Cap and Gown ceremony was held on the last day of school. Previous to that, there was also a feather ceremony for the First Nations students who graduated. School council funds two awards for graduating students. The money awarded is the $100 that school council receives from the school division each year. School council has set the criteria for the students receiving these awards.

As a member of the Alberta School Councils Association, our school council was able to give its input on resolutions to be taken to the government. We were able to discuss these resolutions at our meetings, send our votes by proxy to the ASCA meeting with members of other Fort Macleod school councils, and have the results reported.

The Early Childhood Development Coalition gave us a presentation about their mandate. We also had a visit from the president of the Chamber of Commerce, who spoke to us about having some Junior Achievement classes taught at Walshe through them. As well, there was some discussion and clarification of the reasons for the decision made to have the grad banquet in Lethbridge rather than Fort Macleod.

We met with the fundraising foundation and sports council in October to discuss the amalgamation of those two groups. Since the fundraising foundation is a registered charity, and some of the government regulations have recently changed, this will take some work to make sure it is done correctly.

A letter was sent home in the Grade 6 report cards in June that told a little bit about school council, fundraising foundation, and sports council. Recruiting new members has not been very successful. Having more parents on council would be better so we would have a broader view of the things we discuss. We appreciate the parents who put in time and effort to help our children and our school.

Cathie Harris, Chair, F.P.Walshe School Council

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