St Andrews Parent Council - Minutes of 14.01.2014

Present:

Marlene Budge, Sylvia Donaldson, Andrew Drever, Kay Groundwater, Thelma Holt, Andrea Massey (minutes), Sylvia Robertson (Chair), Kirsten Scott, Ernie Skea

Apologies:

Dorothy Darbyshire, Gwen Hall, Russ Madge, Anna Ritch

  1. Catherine Johnson from Active Schools

Catherine spoke to us about Positive Coaching Scotland,a programme about creating a positive environment in youth sport. It focuses on encouraging effort and learning, improving performance and fostering competition.This helps young people to understand the importance of effort rather than winning at all costs.More information available from Catherine or at:

  1. Minutes from previous meeting:

Minutes of 30/10/2013 proposed by Kay Groundwater, seconded by Andrea Massey.

Sylvia Donaldson was welcomed as a new member of Parent Council.

  1. Parent Council Newsletter

Andrea will circulate a list of topics and will ask people to volunteer for topics and submit short articles. Andreanow has the template for the previous newsletter (thanks to Julie Tait) so will use this to produce the newsletter.It is hoped to complete this by the end of January.

  1. Disco

This will take place on Tuesday 11th February. It will be split into two age groups with the P1-3 disco from 6-7.15pm and P4-7 disco from 7.15 – 9pm. Jim will be doing the disco, and we will provide diluting juice and crisps. Ticket price still to be confirmed. A subcommittee of Sylvia D, Sylvia R, Kay, Kirsten, Marlene and Anna will organise this.

  1. Scrapstore Playpod

We are all very keen to progress this. Sylvia R. will contact Catherine Diamond and Alastair Tait to ask if they would be willing to come and speak about it atour next meeting. Thelma is also going to tell Pupil Council about the Scrapstore Playpod and is hoping to arrange for them to go and visit the one at Glaitness.

  1. Staffing update from Thelma

Fiona Reid will be our new P7 teacher, starting in February. Karen Flett is currently covering the P7 class. Natalie Rendall will be covering for Lori Dass, also starting in February.Until then Angela Hancock is covering this class with Jan Higson and Linda Bonner working extra to cover Learning Support.

Mr Wormald will only be in St Andrews on Mondays this term as he is covering at Glaitness on Fridays.

Last, but not least, Thelma has announced that she is to retire this summer. We, the Parent Council are very sad about this and know she will be hugely missed, but we wish her all the best.

  1. Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 25 February 2014 at 7pm.However this is subject to confirmation as we need to check availability of a speaker regarding the Scrapstore Playpod.

  1. AOB

Extension: Sylvia Robertson received a reply from Peter Diamond to her letter asking for an update on the extension. It explains the Council process and does indeed confirm that the earliest anything is likely to happen is 2015/16. This is disappointing news for the school.