Nutrition Presentation (Fatim Ajwani)

ELKHORN SCHOOL COUNCIL

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON

SEPTEMBER 22, 2014

Start Time: 6:40 pm End Time: 8:00 pm

Welcome and Introductions (Lindsay Prionas and Lisa Stonehouse, Incumbent Co-Chairs)

Elections (Lindsay Prionas and Lisa Stonehouse)

The following individuals were elected to the Elkhorn School Council for the 2014/2015 school year:

Lindsay Prionas and Lisa Stonehouse (Co-Chairs)

Steve Mogdan (Treasurer), who expressed an interest to transition out of this role next year.

Veronica Kutt (Assistant Treasurer)

Donna Wong (Secretary)

In addition, the School council requires ten (10) members at large. Attendees were asked to sign up if interested in participating.

Chairs’ Update (Lindsay Prionas and Lisa Stonehouse)

School Superintendent

- Elkhorn’s superintendent is Mari Rutka. Please go to marirutka.com for updates on school issues.

Getting Involved

- Lindsay discussed the different ways parents can get involved in Elkhorn school activities/events:

• Pizza Lunch – need 18 volunteers for 18 classes in addition to a prime coordinator; there will be 2 pizza lunches in October
• Chocolate Fundraiser –raised $6,000 to $7,000 in previous years compared to $1,000 for cookie dough sales and $3,000 in donations (via cheques) received last year; $60 for 30 bars, will need a class rep to assist in preparing boxes for pickup by students
• Nine Days of Giving – Litsa Tsavaros has offered to mentor and run this program
• Fun Fair – typically raised over $8,000; last year over 400 kids attended due to increased kindergarten enrolment

- School council will re-visit the fundraising events in April/May to determine the programs we will run for next school year (2015/2016)

- School volunteers require a background check; there is currently a six (6) month backlog. Holly will follow up on whether this backlog issue has been resolved.

- Proposal for parent reps in each class will be discussed at next Council meeting

Treasurer’s Report (Lindsay Prionas)

- Ending cash balance at July 31, 2014 is approximately $14,000

- Costs for painting the gym will be carried over from last year to the current school year budget

- School is planning on painting a mural this year

Principal’s Message (Holly Richards)

Communications

- Communications from the school will be via the Weekly Express newsletter (hard copy); newsletter provides links to both the school and council websites

- Updating the e-mail distribution list and sending an electronic newsletter is not a priority at the moment, as there have been too many changes since the start of school. The TDSB will generate the e-mail list through the Trillium database. 1.5 staff will be required to input the

- newsletter, electronic only.

- Holly has set up a Twitter account to provide updates on school events and clarification regarding TDSB/Ministry of Education legislation

- Holly will talk to the staff about appointing parent class reps

Fundraising

- Elkhorn is the school for the Adopt-a-School program at Chapters; last year school received $2,000 from this program

- Choir has been asked to perform at Chapters

Upcoming Events/Activities

- Upcoming extra-curricular activities include: cross-country, girls’ softball, Terry fox run and Halloween dance-a-thon. Additional extra-curricular activities will be discussed at the next council meeting.

- In lieu of Curriculum night, a Meet and Greet barbecue will be held on Oct 7, once the class sizes have been finalized

- Elkhorn will be subject to a school audit under the Safe and Caring program this year; Holly will share the results when available

- Holly would like to participate in the Holland for Bloorview Change for Kids fundraising program again this year; last year the school received $1,500 from ToysRUs due to its second place placement

- EQAO will be discussed at next Council meeting

- The TDSB will conduct a district process review in April 2015; Holly will share the results when available

- Mrs. Tanguay, Ms. Osiel and Mrs. Rawlins are heading the “Me to We” community-based initiative with students

Upcoming Classroom Changes

- Enrolment has increased dramatically this year. The projected increase in enrollment at the end of last year was 40, with total enrolment projected to be 406 for next year. In fact, at the opening of the current school year, enrolment totaled 436.

- School had 4 new portables installed over the summer.

- Class sizes will need to be re-balanced to accommodate the increase in student population

- The two (2) Gr. 5 classes have 33 students each; one Gr. 4 has 37 students (14 new). We will need to have a Gr. 4/5 split.

- There is currently no cap for kindergarten classes; average class size is 29 to 31 students with 1 ECE assisting the teacher (we have 4 kindergarten classes).

- Grades 1 to 3 have a 20 student cap. We currently have three (3) Gr. 1 classes, a Gr. 1/2 split, two (2) Gr. 2 classes, a Gr. 2/3 split. The Gr. 2/3 split will be collapsed with a Gr. 3 class since we have been allowed 1 Jr. teacher

- Holly is currently looking to hire a Gr. 4/5 teacher

School/Building Improvements

- New carpets have been installed in the kindergarten rooms

- New blinds have been installed throughout the classrooms

- Holly would like a full school renovation to accommodate the growing enrolment; she would like the school to obtain Eco status and has asked that Elkhorn be a pilot school for this

- 30 ipads purchased last year are being utilized in the library, Holly is hoping that the entire school will be wireless by the end of the summer

- Holly is investigating implementing a house league program; challenge is limited indoor space – she is considering outdoor activities

School Safety

- The number of teachers on yard duty have been increased due to portable blind spots

- Board will spray to rid the school of bee infestation soon

- YMCA daycare has installed a camera entry system; Holly has asked for 3 cameras in the parking lot and 4 in the back because of the portables (to prevent vandalism)

- Students in portables have a buddy and walkie talkies when going to the bathroom; Holly is investigating a key card entry system (estimated cost is $30,000)

- Lunches are no longer eaten in the classrooms; there are now two (2) lunch shifts in the gym: 11:45 to 12:05 for Grades 1 to 2 and 12:05 to 12:30 for Grades 3 to 5. Kindergarten classes eat on their own. There are 4 lunchroom supervisors (2 indoors, 2 outdoors)

Labour Contract Update

- TDSB teachers are currently working without a contract; contract expired in August

- There has been no status update to-date

Approval of June 16, 2014 Minutes

- Motion put forward by Lisa Stonehouse. Seconded by Theresa Seto.