Shawlands Academy PTC
Minutes of meeting Monday 13 January 2014
1. Welcome and Apologies
Present: Kevin Kane (Chair), Tom Prentice (Minutes), Jan Ziervogel (Treasurer), Ann Downie, Kath Dransart, Susan Haynes, Cherif Merrouche, Lesley Turan, David Wylie, Jan Ziervogel, Mrs Grant, Mrs Simpson.
Apologies: John Donnelly, Liam Meehan, Muhammad Shafique
2. Minute and Matters Arising
Minutes of 9 December 2013 were approved and asked to be placed on the school website (Tom).
3. Correspondence
None
4. Finance
Jan was welcomed to her role as Treasurer. Tom handed over account information and chequebook at the meeting. As outgoing Treasurer, Tom reported a current balance £5078.30 in the PTC account. At the meeting a further £1,000 was transferred to the PTC Achievement Fund maintained by the school.
ACTION: Mrs Grant to obtain balances for the PTC Purchase and Achievement Funds for the next meeting. Mrs Grant to encourage school departments to highlight areas which may benefit from PTC funding in 2014.
5. Careers Evening update
Susan and Lesley reported good progress on arrangements for the Careers Evening. About 60 representatives had been signed up and reminders sent out. Tea & coffee would be available, paid for by the PTC. PTC would also pay for bottled water - Cherif to organise. Various PTC members volunteered to assist.
6. Shawlands Mela 2013
The Mela will be on Saturday 29 March. It was felt a planning meeting was needed soon. David was progressing with arrangements for stage events and optimising the opportunity to showcase talented school performers. It was agreed to divide stalls into categories and book an outdoor bouncy castle. ACTION: Kevin and Cherif to contact Tahir in advance of a planning meeting.
7. Head Teacher’s Report
Highlights of the Head Teacher’s report included:
· Junior girls won Europa League Football trophy at the end of December
· PE Department had led a very successful ski trip
· PE Department had run a trip to a Newcastle v Man City football match
· Supported study classes were continuing
· S4 reports being completed (planned issue 24 January 2014)
· S2 reports being completed (planned issue 31 January 2014)
· S5/6 prelims would take place 20-28 January 2014
· S4 Parents’ Night 30 January 2104
· Curriculum Planning Night 15 January 2014
· S2 parents’ night 6 February
· Mid-term holiday 10 & 11 February and an In-service day 12 February 2014
· The post of Biology Teacher had been advertised; 18 applications received.
· Principal Teacher of Health & Food Technology post to be advertised soon
· A Starchild Dinner/evening event had been organised for early March to
raise money for a Ugandan education project. Further details to follow
8. AOCB
A number of discussions were raised further to the Head Teacher’s Report.
Curriculum for Excellence: Glasgow City Council is allowing schools to make their own decisions over Higher exams in the new Curriculum for Excellence. Mrs Grant stated that Shawlands would have a mixture of new and old Highers, depending on subject and subject content. ACTION: Detailed discussions were on-going in the school and the subject could be discussed in more detail at the next PTC meeting.
S3 Interim Reports: Parents feel that the S3 Interim Report in December was of little help for parents trying to gauge their child’s progress and that by the time the detailed report arrived in March it was much too late. Mrs Grant recognised this was a problem and explained that moves were underway to try to get more information to parents earlier in the year.
Cyber bullying: The problem of pupil bullying via social media ‘cyberbullying’ had been in the news recently. There wasn’t a problem at Shawlands but it was something of which the school was aware. However, it was noted that it is difficult for the school to address activities that pupils may do outside of school time. The PTC and the school should work together to bring the issue to parents’ attention and offer any support needed. Were there any support resources the PTC could direct parents towards?
Pupils interaction with to the PTC: It was suggested some input might be made by pupils to the PTC. This had been tried in the past. It was suggested that perhaps the School Leadership Team could make an annual presentation to the PTC? ACTION: Mrs Grant to come to next PTC meeting with a proposal for PTC Senior pupil interaction.
School discos: A long discussion was had regarding the lack of a school disco. While the social aspects of school discos etc. was recognised and welcomed by everyone, the reality was that despite numerous attempts, alcohol had been a problem. Accordingly, senior staff are unwilling to agree to such an event.
Date of next meeting, Monday 17 February 2014