MINUTES OF SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 @ 6:30p.m. HHS Library
Present: Jan Olsson, Alison Turnbull, Catherine Smith, Tara Smyth, Pauline Grimes, Sindy Nguyen, Nancy Samuell, Kelly Beach, Barb Hesk, Aira Chapman, Pat Clarke, Anne Costeloe.
- Welcome and Introductions
Nancy Samuell took a few minutes to welcome everyone to the meeting, and introduced Tara Smyth to the group, who will be heading up the Breakfast Program.
- Minutes of Previous Meeting
The previous minutes were reviewed. The changes were noted and will be given to Darlene Clapham for correction.
Nancy Samuell moved to adopt the minutes from the previous meeting (with corrections). The motion was seconded by Barb Hesk. Motion passed.
- Student Council Update
Sindy Nguyen gave the group an update on the Student Council as follows:
From the sale of lollipop grams and the Matchmaker quiz, in February, $1012.15 was raised for the Canadian Breast Cancer Society.
The RED Dance also raised $650.37 for CARE Canada
A bulletin board has been mounted in the 2nd floor hallway. It is already well used. However, it won’t take the place of morning announcements. Meetings and practices, events etc. will be posted on the board but cancellations and school wide messages will be announced each morning. Announcements are also available on the school web site’s home page.
The “Please Post” policy is in effect for all posters in the building, including the bulletin board – posters must be approved by the main office, stamped and posted. Without the stamp, posters are removed.
- Principal’s Report – Jan Olsson
a)Electronic Sign
An electronic sign will be situated at the corner for all community messages.
The design is such that it fits in with the community plan for Huntsville.
It will cost between 12 and 15 000, funded through Students’ Council.
It will be roughly 8’ off the ground and require shrubbery/landscaping.
b)Surveillance Cameras
The process of obtaining the cameras has reached a “glitch” at the school board level.
The Council will be kept up to date regarding any progress or set backs.
TLDSB will provide media support when the cameras are actually installed.
c)Character Ed Conference
The web site for the NCEC will be up and running April 1st.
Print material is being shipped across Canada this week.
The conference is open to anyone who wishes to register.
Nancy Samuell noted that J. Olsson is currently working on his MA in Character Education at UC San Diego.
d)Grade 8 Transition Dance
All Grade 8 students from our feeder schools will be invited to a dance at HHS on May 15th.
The dance will be coordinated by Interact and the LINK Crew. The dance will only be attended by those senior students and the Grade 8s.
e)Student Council Elections
We will be changing the way that we run student campaigns this year.
Local politicians will be working with staff and students to assist with the process.
The elections will be run by an independent body, rather than the outgoing Council.
f)Field Trips
Over 256 students are participating in field trips this spring:
Palmer Rapids (50), Cleveland Band Trip (40), Shakespeare Trip (25), Arts Festival in Toronto (50) Cirque de Soleil (100), Ottawa History Trip (40), Travel and Tourism Trip to Niagara (40).
Plus we sent 3 teams to OFSAA this year: Nordic Skiing, Boys Basketball and Girls Hockey at a cost of $12 000.
g)OSSLT
A mock test was give to all of the students eligible to write the Ontario Literacy Test. The test will help us identify the students who require further remediation.
The OSSLT will be written, Thursday, March 29th in the morning.
h)Tick Tock Watch the Clock
A campaign against lateness was launched at the beginning of Semester II.
The clocks have been set to real time, 100 new clocks were added to the building, and six more are planned for the hallways.
The bells were synchronized. Two new bells were also added so that all of the periods have the same bell pattern.
Posters, bulletin boards, buttons and Tick Tock for Timbits helped us create a cultural shift letting everyone know that being late is not acceptable.
i)Parent/Teacher Interviews
We returned to the gym format for Parent/Teacher Interviews this semester.
People were much happier, and although no formal survey was done, this format will continue.
j)New School Motto
The new school motto is in its second phase of a staggered plan. The first phase involved working with staff in the first semester. The next step is to involve the visual arts classes.
The class projects will be to create the motto as a brand. The Hoya head will remain a constant; however the current crest will be retired.
There is a committee in place with timelines surrounding advertising, assemblies, product, curriculum, rules and procedures etc.
The project should be completed by the summer.
It was suggested that perhaps we look into the creation of a new school song as well.
- Breakfast Program – Tara Smyth and Nancy Samuell
N. Samuell, J. Pepper, S. Roodvoets, A. Chapman, A. Costeloe, and K. Kitching met as a committee and N. Samuell and J. Pepper went to BMLSS to see their program.
Tara Smyth has stepped forward as the co-ordinator.
Kelly Beach has volunteered to handle all of the paperwork and financial aspects of the program.
A fridge and industrial toaster will be arriving – funded through the District of Nipissing and Parry Sound Child Nutrition Program.
Media coverage has begun in The Forester and MoreFM.
Churches will be adding it to their newsletters, asking for volunteers and the Huntsville Rotary Club will look after Tuesdays, and the Interact program will be taking an active role.
Volunteers will be required to fill out an application form and have a criminal background check done.
All volunteers will receive an orientation with Tara.
Volunteers will arrive at 8am in the office, sign-in and pick up a guest pass.
Students will arrive between 8:10 and 8:40am; 8:40-8:50am will be set aside for a very efficient clean-up.
Mr. Spiers class will prep the fruit and put in the fridge the day before, and his students will also volunteer some mornings.
Each morning the volunteer team will consist of one community member, one teacher and two students.
Staff will be encouraged to not only volunteer but come down on an informal basis and socialize with students.
The program hopes to promote positive behaviours while providing nutrition.
Roughly $2500 is available to the program. Tara’s initial estimate is $100/wk to run the program.
All students are welcome.
- Healthier Choices in the Cafeteria – Nancy Samuell
Nancy Samuell spoke with the chair of HaliburtonHigh School’s Parent Council about some of the changes that they have been able to effect in their cafeteria.
Although we can’t ignore the fact that Aramark has a profit sharing relationship with HHS, and that we need the revenue, we can examine ways to make healthier choices available to our students.
It was suggested that the next Parent Council meeting have a one item agenda to discuss this matter.
- Parent Conference – Nancy Samuell
The Parent Conference, in Lindsay, is Saturday, April 28th. The registration fee, bus and lunch are all free.
The pamphlet for the conference will be added to the school website.
There is a great web site: with a newsletter and lots of parent information.
Nancy Samuell moved to adjourn the meeting. Seconded by Catherine Smith.
Meeting adjourned @ 8:38 p.m.
Next meeting: Thursday, May 17th @ 6:30p.m.