Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School, Terrigal Parents and Friends Committee AGM
December 1st @ 7pm
OLSOS P&F AGM
February 2015 to
December 2015
Annual General Meeting
The document combines all relevant reports pertaining to the Annual General Meeting. This AGM brings OLSOS in line with all other AGM’s in the Diocese as recommended by the DPC
OLSOS P& F Association
AGM Agenda
Date: Tuesday 1st December Time: 7pm Venue: OLSOS Library
1. Welcome
2. Attendance & Apologies
3. Confirmation of previous AGM minutes
4. AGM Executive Reports to be read and accepted
· Principal
· President
· Treasurer
· Diocesan Parent Council Representative
· Committees
5. Acceptance of current AGM report
6. Introducing: New Parent Council
7. Current Executive positions to be declared vacant, Acceptance of new nominations for 2016
8. Election of New Council Positions
9. Close
PRAYER
Lead by Daniel Hogan
All: Lord Jesus, you are with us now.
Help us recognise your presence in each other.
May friendship flourish here.
Fill us with a deep sense of peace.
Inspire us to listen with attention and patience to each other,
to share with courage and generosity, and to welcome the
ideas of all.
May this meeting of ours strengthen our friendship, build our
community and increase our confidence in ourselves and our
school.
Amen.
PRINCIPALS REPORT
The following note was compiled for presentation by OLSOS Principal Robert Peers
2015 has been a busy but successful year at OLSOS. There have been many achievements and a huge number of events. We started the year welcoming our new Assistant Principal Todd Vane-Tempest. Todd has settled well into life here and I am very grateful for his overall leadership and support to me as Principal in this his first year here. We also welcomed teaching staff Nikki Fletcher, Kevin Coote, Shannon Devorsine, Tagen Sarafov and later Kylie Carey, all of whom have made a positive impact into our school and community.
During Term 1 we sought as a community to raise funds so that all classes and learning spaces could have air-conditioning. I was delighted to see our community embrace this initiative in recognition that unless our children and staff were comfortable on the extreme hot days, we couldn’t expect an effective learning environment. Altogether we raised over $38 000, which together with some school funds and fete money, enabled us to equip all classes and learning spaces. This was an amazing effort – and over the last few weeks we have had cause to use our new air con to great effect. I also thank our P&F who really got behind this and supported us especially on the day of the walkathon. The radio station visit on St Patrick’s Day was linked to this – and was very popular among the children especially.
2015 was the first year of our newly formed school band, and already we are delighted to see them well entrenched into the life of the school. We thank Rod Paul, our new band teacher for his efforts in already teaching the children a few hits with a number of successful performances.
On the learning front we have been working hard as a staff on initiatives in Mathematics, Literacy and specifically building our knowledge of students in assessment data gathering. Parents have shown great interest in this and we will share some of our work in the New Year. We began the year with the Best Start program for Kindergarten, and this enabled us to learn about children early – and track their progress. We also conducted ‘Parent-Sharing Interviews” in the first three weeks of school, enabling our children’s first educators, you their parents to provide invaluable perspectives on your children to their teachers – and help us to know and understand each as both a learner – and as a little person, both of which is so vital.
Our NAPLAN results seem to be moving in the right directions – and I am delighted to see us improving and reflecting the hard work that has gone into staff professional learning. We seek to continue this work in 2016. Our work and vision with iPads is well documented and we have outlined directions we seek to take for this, currently asking for parent feedback as we seek to embark on new directions to support our children. Again I thank the P&F Exec and School Board who have worked closely with me to develop this vision – and support our partnership in an engaged way with parents in outlining this. Our anti-bullying focus earlier in the year, culminating in our “Freeze & Breathe” parent forum was also most successful with lots of positive feedback – and something we hope to expand upon in 2016.
Our success as a school was captured in the external Quality Assurance Review of our school in August. The Review strongly affirmed us as a school in our work over the last few years and I thank everyone – staff, students and parents for the very significant contribution made to enabling this.
On the parent front, I have worked closely with the P&F and School Board this year with the hope of streamlining our energies – and working to divert duplication to one body. I am delighted and grateful that both groups have supported this and the concept of our new School Parent Council. I hope this new body will ensure parent voice is captured and parent perspective provided to the many aspects to leading our community as we move into 2016. I thank our outgoing Board and P&F – especially those moving on from their respective positions as we head into next year. 2
The year has also had serious sadness with the tragic loss of Kinder mum Tara Tobin earlier in the year. As to be expected in any close-knit community, this affected many of us enormously – especially our new Kinder parents. I am very grateful to them for the support offered – which also helped us as a school to demonstrate our care and compassion at such a sad time.
On the parish front we said farewell to Fr Mark – and welcomed Fr Jacek. We have enjoyed Fr Jacek’s hands on style and look forward to working closely with him in our school-parish partnership next year. Our Parish-Family Masses have also continued successfully – and I thank both the staff and parents for the work ensuring these have been successful.
A special highlight this year was last week’s Advent-Christmas Concert where I’m sure you’d agree we saw what was possible when we celebrate our community together. Seeing the children’s smiling faces said it all – and the numbers in attendance show what is possible when we focus on the children’s talents and participation. We thank Simon Hyland for his wonderful support and again I thank our P&F who fed the masses with the sausage sizzle which was on a huge scale and an enormous effort.
Added to these has been a myriad of other regular – but important events. Some included our hugely supported Grandparents’ Day, “Mothers and Muffins” and “Father’s Feed & Read”. Added to this have been overnight excursions, our first ever Year Leadership Camp, our very successful Kinder information evening and enrolment process, Athletics and Swimming Carnivals and a range of other events. Of course our Fair by the Sea was again a huge success – both in terms of fundraising and community spirit and I thank all concerned on their work to ensure this success. As I read through these, I am a little tired absorbing how much we have done – but that is exactly the very same reason why I believe our community is the dynamic and special place it is – and one where I feel privileged to lead as Principal.
As we leave 2015 we farewell our longest serving staff member, Di Lucas who is retiring. Her Mass last week was very touching and testament to the many families she has reached in her 32 years. We will also farewell Mark Dobb, at this stage for 2016 as he undertakes a professional exchange with Kevin Coote to St Pat’s East Gosford. We will acknowledge Mark’s service at our end of year Thanksgiving Mass next Tuesday, along with Brigitte Banning, who is remaining here as a Permanent teacher, but stepping back as Religious Education Coordinator. We thank both for their contribution and Brigitte for her role in this significant leadership role in our school. Next year we welcome Laura Connor as Acting REC for 2016.
Finally, I thank all our parents on the P&F and School Board – and our parents/carers in the broader OLSOS community. I have come to know many of you well – and value the diverse and dynamic contribution many of you provide to our community. That is not to say we haven’t or shouldn’t have the odd debate and disagreement. As long as this is conducted respectfully, it can only sharpen our thinking and enhance the work we achieve together for the children. Our outgoing committees have done a wonderful job – some of which at times can feel thankless – and I urge some “new blood” to fill positions into next year to keep momentum going. Please give some thought to how you might contribute next year and keep our community moving in to the future. I wish our departing families every happiness in the future, knowing you will always be welcome at our school. I wish everyone the peace and happiness of the coming Christmas and holiday season and look forward to serving our community into 2016.
God bless
Robert Peers
PRESIDENTS REPORT
The following report was compiled for presentation by OLSOS P&F Committee President for 2015 till current, Daniel Hogan
As president of the Our lady Star of the Sea (OLSOS) P&F association it is my pleasure to present to the OLSOS school and community the annual report for the 2015 school year.
The role of the P&F is to support and strengthen the partnership between family, school, parish and the wider community for the benefit of their children’s overall faith formation, learning and well-being. The P&F represents the interests of the whole parent community; it helps parents engage with the school and the education of their children. It works with the Principal to support the school’s education goals. All parents of the school community are members of the P&F.
OLSOS is very fortunate to receive a continued level of volunteer support that other schools can only wish for. With this in mind it is important to mention that the following are just some of the activities and events that are coordinated, run and supported by the P&F, through volunteer parents and carers of the school and parish. These include:
· Welcome BBQ
· Tears and Tissues
· Walkathon
· Radio Broadcast
· Sports Carnivals
· Discos
· Mother’s Day Stall
· Father’s Day Stall
· Disco
· Grade Coordinators
· Social Night
· Care Group
· Head Lice Check
· Fete support
· Second-hand uniforms
· School beautification
· End of Year BBQ
These are only some of the activities that support the function of our school and enhance the experience of our children throughout the year. A number of which will have committee updates separately in this report.
It has been a year of changes and new faces. In addition to all the wonderful new families that joined the school this year, we were also fortunate to welcome Fr Jacek to our Parish and number of new teachers to our school. Earlier in the year we were also lucky enough to be visited by Bishop Comensoli.
This year we also had a change in the P&F Executive, with the entire Executive doing a great job supporting myself and the school with the coordination of all that the P&F does. I would like to thank Chantal (Vice President) for her support and in particular covering for me on the many times I couldn’t get back from Sydney in time for meetings, or make daytime meetings. I would like to thank Lorna (Treasurer) for all her work managing the accounts of the P&F. Thank you to Dominique (DPC Rep) for attending the DPC meetings and ensuring DPC seminars and resources were available to the school. To Hayli (Secretary) thank you and good luck next year. Without Hayli we wouldn’t have the minutes, agenda or this report.
It can be a huge challenge for many of us to find time to help out, and I realise for some there many factors that make helping out not possible. So to all the parents, carers and parishioners who have attended P&F meetings or volunteered throughout the year or done anything great or small, your assistance is noticed and is appreciated.
Last but certainly not least, to all the P&F Committees that make everything listed above and more ‘just happen’ thank you.
As many of you would be aware from next year the P&F and the OLSOS School Board will merge into a single entity known as the OLSOS Parent Council. Its mission will be to support the principal’s aim of providing best possible learning environment for our children. I encourage parents and carers to consider getting involved.
Finally I would like to acknowledge the teachers who are leaving the school at the end of the year. A huge thank you for the care and support you have provided to our children in your time at OLSOS. You will be sorely missed. To the children and families leaving through the completion of year 6 or moving to another school, thank you for helping to make OLSOS the wonderful school and community it is.
Daniel Hogan
TREASURY REPORT
The following reports were compiled for presentation by OLSOS P&F Committee Treasurer of 2015 till current, Lorna De Courcy
We have had another full year at Our Lady Star of the Sea, including restructuring of the accounts and canteen. Events that have been run by the Daytime committee (Mother’s day and Father’s Day stall), the Social committee and the disco team have all made a small profit. We have continued to provide free sausage sizzles at various school events.