February 15 2017
Allan Drive Middle School Council Meeting Minutes
Meeting called by: / Betty Vasconcelos and Tessie Iafano, Co-Chairs
Type of meeting: / School Council
Council Chair: / Betty Vasconcelos and Tessie Iafano
Council Secretaries: / Jackie Fraser and Heather Munich
Minutes recorded by: / Jackie Fraser
Attendees: Jackie Fraser, Heather Munich, Nadia Milton, Ryoko Barnes, Mike Roberston, Tammy Aiello, Mike Wills, Elizabeth Lee, Betty Vasconcelos, Felicia Hiscock, Jayne Muise Brown
Regrets: Kim Fosbury,Tessie Iafano
  • Welcome and Introductions: Everyone was welcomed, and everyone introduced themselves.
  • Munch a Lunch/Cash online:
  • We cannot transfer money from Pay Pal/Munch a Lunch into the board bank account. The general consensus is to keep the council bank account and write cheques to the board account but the decision was deferred until the next meeting so both treasurers are present for input.
  • Treasurer report:
  • Barb was not able to make the meeting, but sent in a report (see attached). There are still some outstanding cheques to be paid out.
  • Fundscript Update
  • Fundscript raised just under $800 which was previously earmarked as a donation for the Breakfast program.
  • Principal’s update and Your Voice Counts Survey
  • Your Voice Counts Survey deferred until March
  • Breakfast club: Our breakfast club at ADMS is very unique in Peel due to being totally volunteer run. Volunteers are desperately needed, the program is shut down 1-2 days per week due to lack of manpower. Donations are down, but the numbers of kids served has doubled. The suggested donation of $0.50 per breakfast is strictly voluntary.
  • The OPP officer that works with the school is willing to do a social media night for parents on internet safety. Everyone felt this would be a worthwhile event.
  • Upcoming events: Jazz band is going to the Provincial Music Festival, Grade 8 dental screening upcoming, French Speech competition, Ski Trips (March 1-3), Rose Theatre session (March 3rd and 7th).
  • Newsletter is being done by a grade 7 class, and published every 2 months.
  • Quebec trip was a huge success. Few minor glitches with the tour company were worked out, and alternate activities were offered when something was not able to happen.
  • Cost for the Quebec trip is high, and keeps going up. It was found that the connections to the curriculum are more towards grade 7, so alternate destinations at a lower cost are being considered for future years.
  • Invoices for t-shirts for leadership teams are in and will be paid from council funds (previously approved)
  • Technology: Chrome Books (Google System), Apple TV (Deferred until we have an updated bank balance);
  • Family Transitions Programs: Gr. 8 I Am, Breakthrough for Boys, I Am Girl. These have been booked for next year, as we have missed out in the past before, due to not booking early enough. School has paid $4000 for these programs, and we will consider offsetting the school’s cost in the spring, when we know better how we stand financially. Our focus right now is to provide funding for this year’s students.
  • There will be an Eco Fair March 6 and 7, they likely will request financial support from us for this.
  • Teacher Appreciation Lunch: Any day works and is much appreciated, only constraint is it needs to be ready to be served by 12:14. Nadia, Betty and Heather will work to coordinate.
  • CPA Program
  • Betty previously presented a similar program run by Junior Achievement. This one is run by the Chartered Professional Accountants program. Program content is similar, but the Jr. Achievement program is full days, where the CPA program is 60 minute sessions. Jr Achievement seeks a donation for administering the program, and CPA does not. CPA also provides books for the library on the topics covered, as well as pamphlets for families. We opted to look more into the CPA program instead of the Jr. Achievement program, and Betty will update with more info as she gets it. Money may be requested to provide breakfast and lunch for the volunteers.
  • Open Floor and Round Table
  • The school is looking to hire supply lunch room supervisors. Please contact Mr. Wills in the office if interested.
  • There will be a Parent Involvement Committee meeting for Caledon on March 30th at Mayfield Secondary school. More info to follow.
  • Bus cancellation days. No new material is taught due to the high number of students away from school, but it is by no means a lost day. Review and consolidation of material happens.
  • Music and Art are semestered due to the way it has to be scheduled. This is because the schedule is very complex because of having a general music and band program, as well as French Immersion and Extended French.
  • Anchor marks are a different way of assessing. It is ministry mandated and more information can be found at the Peel Board’s website.
  • The amount and what homework is assigned is teacher dependant, but it always supports what has been taught in class.
  • Meeting Schedule: Next Meeting Tuesday, March 7 2017