Shawlands Academy PTC

Minutes of meeting Monday 22 April 2013

1. Welcome and Apologies. Present were Kevin (chair), Susan L (minutes) Marjorie, Jan, Lesley, David, Tom, Kathy, Tahir, Ann Grant, Dorothy Simpson. Apologies from Susan H, Liam, Mark, Lorna, Shafique, Cherif, Cath Sinclair.

2. Minute and Matters Arising. Minutes of last meeting were accepted, to be placed on website (Susan L).

3. Correspondence- none

4. Finance- Tom reported a current balance £7875.97 in the PTC account.

£2100 had been given to the school fund- after spending on football strips and AV equipment Mr McGuire reports a balance of £683.49.

5. Shawlands Mela 2013. Tom reported a net income of around £3500 after a gross income of £4717.10 and expenditure of around £1200 (a few expense receipts still coming in).

Mela 2013: Suggestions to do better or differently.

Note special thanks to Garry Wilson senior technician, and to janitors for setting up. Gifts would be appropriate for their contribution. Good to have community represented in school. We all worked well together as a team. Keep this atmosphere of community event which promotes the school. May need to pro-actively balance culture, perhaps first approaching communities other than Asian. Pupils did great job with raffle. Have more float (£200 + £300). Numbering system for face painting worked well. PTC should do own henna stall. Good not having paper tablecloths in cafe area. Long brush and pan sets were great (now with Kevin). Check SPTC insurance few weeks before esp in relation to any new activities/equipment. Can we insure against bad weather? Get better idea of capacity of rooms (for stalls) .Start addressing entertainment programme 6 weeks before. Need to find more specific jobs for pupils. Put clothes stalls together. Don’t put all charity stalls together. Could charge more for some stalls. £50 puts people off though. Check about clash with Red Nose Day, Maths weekend. Several stall holders suggested having it later in year. Make date early, set deadline for stall payments 1 month before event. Focus even more on sponsorship next year. Need different teams to plan various aspects of Mela. Smaller committee overall. Useful to gather parent emails to contact. Plan for disabled parking.

6. PTC funding for school activities

Let’s be quicker to spend the money. Get priorities from school and clubs etc. Establish a funding group with PTC and staff members. (Kevin, Tom, Tahir, David from PTC). Look at original priority plan (some of the items have now been purchased from other funds), also give chance to PTs who did not make requests first time.

Photographs of funded items would be good for website, to update parents on what PTC has helped provide.

Area Committees are now Area Partnerships, wider groupings, Tahir knows how to relate to them and apply for funds.

7. Head Teacher’s Report

Thanks to Dorothy Simpson for taking on so well the role of acting HT.

Lizzie Pollard S4 chosen for panel to speak to International Olympic Committee

Aamir Mehmood was invited to Emirates Stadium and met Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Common Purpose arranged a visit to Shawlands Academy by Commonwealth Study Leaders- to help think of creative ways of using Scottish diaspora throughout the world.

Easter Study Classes were held both weeks of the Easter holidays, there was a mixed response. Study Leave now coming up for S4 then S5.

Improvement Plan- focussing on Taking A Closer Look at Excellence. Staff will be spending more time on this once study leave starts.

Education Liaison Officer back after sick leave- texting parents when children off has continued (system he set up) , but only he can do home visits where necessary.

Lighthouse has a display about frontages of schools including Shawlands Academy lighting.

Creative Clyde had a competition for their new logo, this was won by former Pupil Kyle Morrison.

8. AOCB

Alumni Society- Tahir thinks there is potential in more contact with former pupils who could help in raising profile, careers inspiration, links. Initial event inviting 100 alumni could be held in October.

Do After School Clubs need money to run? To help promote competitive sports we could help with buying in coaches (e.g. former pupils). Could tie in with Tahir’s idea of alumni society. Good to promote relationships with local sports clubs. Jan will send details of Pollok Sports Group to Ann.

Complaints system- David suggested there could be a double loop system. Currently complaints are fully dealt with but not re-examined later- this can be an added form of reflective practice and shows transparency. The PTC should encourage suggestions and comments.

Lost Property- this is kept in a cupboard. Mrs Grant will look into reports that items being given away before the end of year, including named items.

Date of next meeting, Monday 13 May 2012