SWC Parent Council (Virtual) Meeting Minutes
January 13, 2022
Staff:
Wanda Mills-Boone
Regrets : Louise Cesario
2021/2022 Voting members: Olga Blais, Michelle Jardine, Allison Peacocke, Karen Roberts, Danielle Rodier, Margaret Sambol, Jay Shurgold, Jill Sibbitt, Rachel Talbot, Crystal Try
Regrets: Naomi Elias,
Non-voting attendees: Tracy Cole, Jamie Lau, Amanda Lancaster, Elise Merrill
Meeting called to order (Jay) 6:33
Minutes from December 2021
Motion to approve minutes from December 2021 meeting. Moved by Margaret, seconded by Karen. PASSED.
Principal’s Report (Wanda):
I would normally start with wishing everyone a Happy New Year! I am hoping this has been the case for you and your family. We know the news of school closures impacted how we felt about the beginning of 2022. However, we hope that you can join us in our determination to make this the best year of learning we can with the parameters that are placed in our path moving forward.
We are excited that our students will be returning on Monday. We recognize and appreciate that each family will have to plan and implement the best course of action for their family. Many of our students will return to school while others may choose to continue using the LMS (Learning Management System) for a few days longer. For some extenuating circumstances some families may need to request a placement in OCV. It is important to note that each circumstance is reviewed on a case by case basis as there are very limited spaces available.
As much as I would love to have a meeting without COVID I am sure you are wondering about a few things. SWC does have a hepa filter in each of the classrooms and common areas such as the makerspace, staffroom & office. We received cloth masks for students and N95 for staff today. We are still awaiting the rapid antigen test & distribution guidelines. We do not anticipate having these ready to go home on Monday. There are many areas where our Board & SWC has had tight guidelines to follow. For instance our cohorting of classes and grades during lunch & recess. These will continue to be in place. The news alluded to the combining of cohorts when staff shortages may happen. This is not a practice that we have done and it is the expectation that it will not be going forward unless in the extreme circumstances where supervision may be required in an emergency situation. Reporting of COVID cases will be different when we return. The details of how this will happen are still being worked out. There will be a system where both staff & student absences are recorded.
It is important to note that staff absences will happen. Prior to the break Ms Cesario was teaching each day and Ms Crosbie and other support teachers had also filled in when we were unable to find a teacher. We do this with very heavy hearts as we know it impacts the support that our students need. We anticipate that there may be times when we have to move a class online or close a class for a day or two. This will only happen after we have exhausted our list of strategies. Should you receive an email to state your child’s class is online/closed please know that that decision will not have been made lightly and we have no other alternative.
We have been very fortunate to have families support our efforts at SWC to keep one another safe. We will need to continue this steadfast support of each other. It will be crucial that each family completes the screener every morning and follows the instructions provided for each and every symptom including a stuffy/runny nose. We do know that keeping your child(ren) home is a very difficult decision for many reasons and in some cases very difficult to make happen. We have proven that a day or two for individual students helps save a full class being home for 5-10 days. Please help us keep everyone at school.
The Board will continue sending out messages through communications. When necessary I will fill in the gaps with a synervoice. With kindergarten registrations and other important events occurring communications wll separate information into two emails to limit confusion.
Looking ahead:
Jan 21st is a PD day where there will be no school for students.
It is also time for kinder registration for Sept 2022. We will be doing an information session on Feb 3rd @ 5:30.
It is hard to believe that report cards are just around the corner. They will be out to parents on Feb 14th - Happy Valentine’s Day.
Looking forward to having children at SWC next week!
Teachers report (Wanda)
Staff are doing well and students are doing well.
Treasurer’s Report (Allison)
So far we have raised $1120 in direct donations. We are still awaiting the parent involvement grant. Some expenditures have gone through: 1% challenge, books for junior classes and a variety of requests.
Fundraising activities 2021/22 (Crystal)
Report back from fundraising meeting:
· Plan to organize a ‘Family Fun Night’ at the end of each month. Crystal to work with Toppers to put together some combos for this ‘event’ that families can call and order.
· Discussed refining some strategies around requesting direct donations. Including doing a better job at documenting and reporting to parents on how donations to council are spent.
· A raffle or 50/50 draw was also proposed, but it needs to be determined if this is acceptable. Note: a lottery licence may be required.
· Other ideas that were proposed: 1. Outdoor food truck and ice cream truck event in the spring, 2. SWC apparel: historically a staff lead initiative, but council may be able to help; 3. Indigo fundraiser may be rescheduled into the spring; 4. School photos – see if company will provide kick back if families order a certain product (e.g. mug, key chain, etc.).
· Always looking for new ideas and looking for Council members to promote the events.
Comments:
· Books ordered by council are ready to go out as soon as kids are back in school! Suggest adding pictures of books to Family Fun Night email.
· Mention what council would normally raise through fundraising in a non-Covid year in correspondence so parents are aware.
Updates on ongoing funr=draisers:
FlipGive: Just under $500
Toppers Pizza: $120 raised so far
Labels from Mabel’s Labels, Oliver’s Labels and Loveable Labels:. Mabel’s labels is closest to the payout for $100…. At ~$67..
Direct donations:. $1120 raised year to date
Foodbank fundraiser raised $2400 in December! It would be great if we could communicate this back to the school community in an email.
Donations for kinder classes: Wanda will ask teachers for their lists of wants and send to Michelle to create requests.
ACTION: Add discussion of remaining funds to agenda for next month.
Meeting Adjourned: 7:53 pm