LPS Parent Council Meeting Thursday 24th January 2013 (meeting postponed from 21st January 2013, due to adverse weather conditions)
Present:
Jill Doyle (Acting HT), Chris Rae (Principal Teacher),Lynsey Binnie, Emma Singleton, Gilly Marshall (Chair),Yvonne Dickson (Vice-chair), Lisa Watt (Treasurer),Jeanette Clark (Secretary),Andy Oag,Leigh Miller, Pauline McGrath, Ann Morrison, Jane Owens
Apologies:
Lesley Scott, Jacqueline Small, Charlotte Kirk, Karen Smith, Elaine Bannerman, Gwynith Morrison, Rachel Kemp, Julie MacBeath
Previous Minutes
Minutes from last meeting were approved.
Finance Report
Account currently sitting at £2401, which includes profit of £1547 from Blingo night.
Blingo Night
All agreed Blingo night had been hugely successful, generating a profit of £1547. Gilly advised she had received feedback from some parents indicating they would prefer it was held on a Friday night. It was agreed that a full review of the night would be undertaken before Blingo 2013, to ensure all aspects were considerate to maximise potential profit.
School Handbook Feedback
PC members provided feedback on existing handbook as minuted from last meeting. The feedback was used to update the handbook, which is now available on school website. Some suggested changes were not possible due to policy and legislative requirements. Mrs Doyle and Mr Rae advised it would be beneficial to review again, with view to consider which Mid Lothian links could be added, to ensure new handbook be available for Aug 2013 P1 intake. Agreed focus group would be created to review handbook after Easter.
Actions Arising
- Gilly to add to April meeting agenda with view to getting volunteers for focus group.
School Uniforms
Still looking for 1/2 people to take over school uniform role. Ann has created a role description which Gilly will email as priority to all PC members, looking for volunteers.
Actions Arising
- Gilly to email all PC members with job description.
Ceilidh Night
Family ceilidh night to be held on Thursday 7th February 2013, 6.30pm to 8.30pm - flyers advising parents of event have already been issued.Alcohol licence has been approved with strict conditions including; appropriate signage, only plastics glasses may be used, and children must be at least 1.5 metres from the bar area at all times.
Discussion took place regarding ticket pricing, including debate about a family ticket, however was agreed individual tickets would be simplest.
£4 per adult – ticket price includes 1 glass of wine and oatcakes and cheese.
£2 per child – ticket price includes 1 glass of Irn Bru and shortbread (water will be available as alternative).
Wine will be available to purchase on the night.
Julie MacBeath has been able to secure gift of oatcakes, although not sure of amount, Gilly will confirm. Yvonne will research prices of boxes of wine, cheese and plastic wine glasses at Costco.
Pauline advised she would make tablet for the event, and would research prices of wine in Tesco.
Discussion about band, including when Tommy Lawson and his brother should arrive, and if Jenny is required to play fiddle. All agreed Jenny would be very welcome. Jill will email Tommy re times and advise him Jenny will be available. Gilly will confirm with Jenny that she is required.
Gilly advised she had been asked by Jacqueline Small if we would like a piper for the evening. Again all agreed this would be very welcome, with suggestions that he could play at the front door to welcome everyone.
It was asked if Karen Campbell would be available to call the dances, Jill confirmed that Karen is available and booked.
Discussion took place regarding set up of halls. Main hall will have seating around the outside walls, and kitchen hatch will be used to serve children’s drinks.Small hall will have dining tables set up with cheese and biscuits on the tables. Discussion as to where to set up bar area and suggested it could be within P1 wing, to ensure that condition of children being away from the bar area is easily adhered to.
Scottish tombola will be held, with Gilly issuing email requesting donations of Scottish themed prizes. Lisa will check if tombola tickets are available.
All agreed that PC members would be required to help throughout the evening, with volunteers required to help set up from 6pm for a 6.30pm start.
Actions arising
- Jeanette to ensure all signage is sourced and displayed in line with licence conditions.
- Gilly to print tickets.
- Gilly to issue flyer confirming price and ticket purchase information.
- Gilly to issue email requesting donations of Scottish items for tombola and requesting PC members available to help from 6pm onwards.
- Lisa to take/collect tickets and monies from school.
- Mr Rae to check limit of numbers in the hall and advise Gilly.
- Gilly to email Jenny to confirm she is most welcome to play.
- Jill to confirm times with Tommy and advise Jenny will be available to play.
- Gilly to confirm with Jacqueline that piper would be very welcome.
- Lisa check availability of tombola tickets.
Chick Drive
Chick drive was detailed in last meeting as 28th March, when school is closed for Easter Holidays. Chick drive is loaded on school events calendar as Monday 18th March, which is the correct date.
Jeanette to arrange let for 18th March.
All agreed tickets should be same price as last year, and a request will be made to all parents for donations to Easter egg tombola.
Actions arising
- Jeanette to apply for let.
- Gilly to issue request for Easter egg tombola donations.
Lasswade’s Got Talent
Gilly advised that getting agreement for let for High school, either 14th/21st June, has been problematic as it is likely that there will have been a partial move to the new high school by mid-June, which means the school cannot confirmed that furniture etc., will still be available in the current school after that date. Possibility of different venue was discussed but decided against, all agreed that a better option was to bring the date forward to 31st May. Gilly to arrange let.
Jill confirmed this would be acceptable to the school, with auditions taking place, lunchtimes of wk comm 6th May, with decisions being made by 10th May to allow acts time to practice before final. Agreed 3 acts from each day would progress to final, along with 2 best of other acts, 14 in total.
Jill requested that parents would be very welcome to be judges at the auditions. Gilly to email PC members looking for volunteers. Pauline volunteered to judge on Monday audition and Jane volunteered for one of the other sessions.
Agreed last year’s winner, Christopher Dixon, would be asked to be a guest judge at the final. Compare was also discussed, with the possibility of a pupil to be considered.
Lesley was going to contact Boogie with view to getting him as judge, Gilly will check if this has happened, although Andrew advised he could take this forward as his company provides sponsorship for Boogie.
Raffle prizes will also be required to be sourced from various local businesses, although Gilly raised that many had recently been asked to donate for Blingo night and care should be taken not to ask same companies again.
Actions Arising
- Gilly to arrange let
- Pauline and Jane to judge at auditions
- Gilly to issue request to PC members looking for volunteer judges for auditions
- Andrew/Lesley to look into securing Boogie as judge at final.
- School to hold auditions week comm 6th May
Spring Fund Raiser
Various options were discussed, but all agreed as there are already 3 events planned before summer break, adding in another may be too much, therefore there will be no separate spring fund raising event this year.
Playback
Yvonne and Gilly still to meet to look at outstanding actions and look to create a playback sub committee.
In respect of database of parent/carer/wider family member skills set, Jill advised that very few had been forthcoming. Ann suggested that something could be added to the back of the uniform order form to try to gain additional information from parents.
Chris suggest some kind of survey could be undertaken via school website, Yvonne advised that a survey would be taken further down the line as part of the playback actions.
Parent consultations will be held on 6th/7th March, when parents will be asked again about any skills they may have that could contribute to the school.
Actions arising
Yvonne and Gilly to meet to review playback progress.
Dog Fouling
There has been an issue of dog fouling outside the back gate of the school, and some inside the school perimeter. Jill advised it is the janitor responsibility to clean up within school grounds, but not outwith school. Councillor Milligan is aware of the situation and has confirmed that if the school call to report a dog fouling problem, he will send a team down to clean the area outside of the school. It was suggested that it be included in the next school newletter that parents should make the school office aware of any on-going dog fouling problems, to allow school staff to contact the council.
This lead on to a discussion about parking around the school, with several suggestions of ways to try to alleviate the problem being discussed. Jill advised there is a council initiative ‘Breathing Space’ which is trying to encourage children to cycle to school, and the parking problem could make cycling unsafe. Another suggestion was trying to create a no-park zone at the back of the school using cones. Chris is meeting with the community police officer next week and will raise this with him, and will feed back at the next meeting.
Actions Arising
Jill to add dog fouling article to next school newsletter
Chris to raise no-park zone with community police and feedback
Jill to raise safety ‘Breathing Space’ cycling initiative with council regarding parking problems
AOB
Spare indoor shoes
Parent asked if it was possible for school to enforce children to change into their spare shoes before going out to play as they were currently coming home with school shoes very muddy. Jill advised that the idea of the spare shoes was to change into them when children come back into school after having been outside to play and to change into school shoes before going home. It was agreed that there was some ambiguity around the wording of the letter about spare shoes and Jill agreed to look at this.
Jill confirmed the school would reinforce the message to children about changing their shoes.
Hooks on Toilet Doors
A question was raised asking if hooks were on the inside of the toilet cubicle doors to allow children to hang up their coats when going to the toilet, as, at present, they appear to be taking coats off and lying them on the toilet floor. Jill advised that she was not aware if hooks were on the inside of the toilet doors, but that there are hanging areas at every toilet block which could be used.
Next Meeting: Monday 11th March 2013, 7pm staffroom.