MINUTES OF LORETTO RC PARENT COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday8 October 2008
PRESENT / APOLOGIESSimon Broadhurst Chairperson / Mark Roberts
Hazel Gilhooley Vice-Chairperson / Susan Broadhurst Treasurer
Julie Roberts Secretary / Sarah Callaghan
Stephanie Gilhooly / Angie Townsend
Anne Burke / Andy Forrest
Claire Graham / Lorna Doyle
Libby Howie / Julie Thomson
Susan Dalglish / Fr McMullan
Lorraine Cusack / Audrey Peter
Anne Shaw
John Caldwell
Janette Gaunt
1. Welcome
Simon welcomed everyone to the meeting and also extended a warm welcome to Councillor John Caldwell, thanking him for taking the time to attend our meeting. Simon also welcomed Janette Gaunt, member of staff from the nursery, and thanked her for attending to give the PC an overview of the school website.
2.Minutes & Actions arising/carried forward from last meeting
- Healthy Tuckshop
Claire confirmed that the fruit order had been placed and the tuck shop would reopen after the October break.
- Maths Challenge
Libby to confirm her availability with Claire to work with P7. Maths challenges have already resumed for P6 with Mrs McGowan and Mrs Johnstone.
Action: Libby to arrange visits with Claire.
- Sub-Committees
Due to Georgina’s resignation another Parent Council Member is required to join the Eco Committee. Mrs Dalglish handed over a letter from the Eco-Committee requesting Parents to become involved. Anne Shaw volunteered to be the PC representative and will attend their next meeting. Julie also advised that some parents had returned their questionnaires indicating they would like to help so she willpass their names to Anne S to contact.
Action: Julie R to give names to Anne S.
- Playground
Julie R contacted Judith Wood at ELC Health & Safety Dept to try to ‘clarify’ responsibility for the children before 8.50am and after 3pm. Awaiting a response.
Action: Julie to update at next meeting
- Review of Class Reps
3 responses were received from the recently issued PC Report & Update volunteering to join the Parent Council. After switching some reps around the following were proposed and agreed:
P1p Maria Siggins
P1f Lorraine Cusack
P2/3 Sandra Gray
P4 Veronica Macnaughton
No volunteers were received from the nursery so Mrs Gaunt advised she would issue another note to nursery parents about this.
Action: Julie to advise new Reps.
- Dates for forthcoming Events and Meetings
Christmas Fayre – See separate Agenda point.
Book Fayre –Anne B confirmed that she had managed to book a book company for wk beginning 10 November 2008. Julie advised that she would be looking for PC Members to help ‘man’ the book fayre to allow classes to view and purchase books. It was also hoped to hold sessions for parents before/after school and also on the parents evenings. Claire advised she would draw up a timetable of when the Gym Hall would be available, as it is used on a Wednesday by the PE specialist. Once this is available Julie will Email PC members to request volunteers. Simon confirmed that he would organise the £2 vouchers for the pupils.
Action: Claire to provide timetable. Julie to organise volunteers. Simon to organise vouchers.
- Logo & Slogan for Parent Council
Mrs Dalglish handed over designs and slogans from the Pupil Council. It was agreed that a decision would be made by Wed 29 October 2008 and a £5 book token would be the winning prize.
Anne B also advised that Mrs Dalglish would now be responsible for the Pupil Council and expressed her thanks to Mrs Dalglish for taking this on in her own time.
Julie R asked Mrs Dalglish if she could ask the pupil council for some feedback on last year’s Christmas Fayre as parents had had an opportunity to do this but not the pupils.
Action: Simon & other PC Members to agree a winner. Susan D to get feedback from Pupil Council.
- School Camp
Anne B confirmed that the School Camp had now been booked for March 2009 for Lagganlea. She also confirmed that the class will be attending with the other St David’s feeder primaries.
3. School Website
Jannette Gaunt attended the meeting and gave the PC an overview of the school website. Janette and Stephanie have worked hard to get the website up and running and it is now looking really good. David Gilmour from ELC had been down to the school to give the teachers plus Julie and Simon some basic training. This is being followed up by notes prepared by Janette. All teachers will look after the individual class pages and the PC will maintain the rest including authorising any blogs. Some of the children have already been involved in updating their class pages. Anne B and Simon both thanked Janette and Stephanie for all their hard work and encouraged all the teachers to make best use of it with their pupils.
4.Christmas Fayre/Calendars
The Fundraising sub-group met last week to discuss the Christmas Fayre. Julie advised that the format would be the same as last year using the same stalls that had been most successful and continuing with the children’s events. Santa’s grotto didn’t prove too popular last year so there will be no Santa this year. It is also hoped that the Church Hall can be booked to accommodate teas/coffees. Mrs Dalglish also confirmed that P7 would require the same number of tables as they had last year to do their own fundraising for the school camp. They will also be doing their own Christmas cards again this year. Julie confirmed that Susan B would give Mrs Capaldi a list of the stalls the PC are having to try to avoid duplication.
Calendars – Audrey and Sarah have volunteered to take this on this year if someone could assist them and show them the ropes. Anne S kindly volunteered to assist them. It is looking like printing costs for this year may be high so a number of quotes are being requested. Anne S advised that she would try to get a quote from the printers at Wallyford Industrial Estate who had previously been used for one of the P7 yearbooks. All feedback on last year’s calendar has been considered and the design this year will take those comments into account.
Action: Susan B to contact Mrs Capaldi. Anne S/Sarah/Audrey to get printing quotes.
5. Curriculum for Excellence
The Parent Council had been sent an information DVD on CFE and took this opportunity to view it at the meeting. Anne B then gave a short overview on what this meant for the school, teachers and pupils. She also confirmed that she hoped to organise an Awareness Session for all parents to attend.
6. School Bus
A lengthy discussion took place about the ongoing problems with the school bus. Anne B again confirmed that the drivers were not reporting the incidents at the depot so there was very little she could do. She has also found difficulty in making contact with the Depot Manager. John Caldwell advised that it would be a good idea to get in touch with Michael Grieve at the Dalkeith depot as he had overall responsibility. It was agreed that the parent council would contact First Bus and ask them for a copy of their school bus policy/contract. Anne B confirmed that ELC had a ‘Home to School’ transport policy and she can provide a copy of this for the PC.
Action: Simon/Julie to write to First Bus.
7. Parking
Anne B advised that she had been in contact with Allan Kelly at ELC about the recent problems of parking in the red grid infront of the school. She is still awaiting a decision from them but it is likely that the solution will be that there is no parking at all for any vehicles apart from the school bus. Simon suggested that he would contact the Community Policeman to get some advice on how this could be resolved and ask him to visit the school if necessary. Anne B also suggested that the Community Policeman speak to Allan Kelly at ELC.
Action: Simon to contact Community Policeman
8. Bike Shelter/Damage to Wall
Anne B confirmed that the Bike Shelter was now complete and miraculously had not been damaged by the recent car accident! She advised that the ‘bringing bikes to school’ policy had now been relaxed and was not restricted to only those children who had completed their cycling proficiency. Children can come to school on their bikes under parental supervision. Anne B suggested that this may be something that the Travel Plan Group could discuss with Colin Baird at their next meeting.
9. Advertising Parent Council
To try to increase awareness of the Parent Council and give all parents some idea who the Parent Reps are it was agreed that a photo notice board be put up in the school entrance. Rather than involve a photographer, Stephanie agreed that she would take photos of all the PC Members. These will then be put on the noticeboard and posted on the website.
10. Protective clothing for painting
Anne S asked if there were any overalls for the kids to wear while painting as a number of children had got paint on their clothes which did not come out when washed or blasted with stain removers! Claire confirmed that there were no overalls in the school but all children were encouraged to bring in an old shirt from home that they could wear while painting. A reminder will be put in the next newsletter.
Action: Reminder to be included in the next newsletter
11. AOB
Anne B confirmed that the staff had drawn up a timetable of additional activities for pupils to be run over the remainder of the school session. She will arrange for Mrs Capaldi to Email a copy to Julie for distribution to all PC members.
Action: Anne B to have timetable emailed to Julie
Close– Simon thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Monday 3rd November 20086.30PM School Dining Hall
Agenda points to be sent to: or via the school addressed to Julie Roberts c/o Niamh Roberts P5, by Friday 31st October 2008.