East Chilliwack Elementary PAC meeting minutes -- Sept 21, 2009

East Chilliwack Elementary
Parent Advisory Council
Mon, Sept 21, 2009

Present: Anne Russell, Broni Wiebe, Ruth Neufeld, Verna Hoogeveen, Tara Field, Alyson King, Jen Hansen, Lauren Haggerty, Donna Stiles, Cheya Grant, Tia LeTexier, Bonnie Kind, Nicole Johnston, Tara Ames

APPROVAL of AGENDA

Moved by Bonnie; seconded by Nicole
Approved

APPROVAL of MINUTES from June and August (verbal report)

Moved by Verna; seconded by Anne
Approved


TREASURER’S REPORT
(See Bonnie Kind’s report for full details.)

We are starting the year with almost $5,800 in our general account and only $1.65 in our gaming account. This is intentional, as all gaming grant money must be spent each fiscal year.

We will be paying out of the general account for expenses associated with the Teapot Hill hike and the welcome back family barbecue.

We will be depositing cash fromthe first sales from the meat raffle tickets to the gaming account to help pay for the cost of ticket printing and meat.

We made $266 profit from the Sept 17 barbecue and $3,300 from hot lunch sales in 08/09.


PRINCIPAL’ S REPORT
(See Mrs. Ruth Neufeld’s report for full details.)

Enrollment is up to 220 students, although the full time equivalency comes in at under 200, as the kindergarten students only count as half a student each.

Once we get over 200 FTE, we receive more funding for library, learning assistance, etc, so it can be a good threshold to cross.

We were lucky to have all classroom placements settled by Wed. Some schools still didn’t know by Mon. (Ed note: days after this PAC meeting, ECE was given an additional teacher, which meant shuffling of classroom placement in the primary grades.)

Our classes are generally very full and we’re turning families away. There is some room in Grade 4 and 5 only (and one spot in kindergarten).

(PAC members noted that we sold 40 more burgers than last year at the welcome back barbecue; we will be ordering an additional 50 for next year.)

The Teapot hike went very well. The students seem to do it faster every year. Might need to have more people at the relatively few turning points so nobody goes the wrong way. Some kids missed the corn but the fruit and treats were a hit, and they all love playing capture the flag.

The school goal remains: to develop more powerful thinkers, listeners, speakers, readers, and writers. We will be continuing with Smart Learning strategies and Literacy Place. At the k/1 level we will continue oral language initiatives like Talking Tables.

Intermediate teachers are taking part in a district initiative to develop ‘assessment for learning’ practices at our school. Rick Letkeman will attend training sessions throughout the year and help coach our staff through this process. (Our primary kids do very well when assessed, but by the time they reach grade 7, things have slipped, so the kids need a boost at the intermediate level.) ‘Collaborative teachers’ will visit our school to relieve the intermediate teachers so they can learn more about this, and also to share information on the ‘assessment for learning’ practices.

Healthy Buddies program, which saw older kids teaching younger kids about healthy exercise and nutrition, will continue, but will expand to include social responsibility and anti-bullying components.

The Running program continues. This is ECE’s solution to the provincial directive to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise a day into the curriculum, as well as a generally healthy and good idea. Teachers can choose to take the students outside at either 11:15 or 11:30 for 15 minutes to half an hour’s worth of running.

The Fruit and Vegetable program will continue to run. Volunteers needed to help. A coordinator for ECE is in place.

Extracurricular soccer and intramural house teams have started up.

The school has been hit with a budget cut. Since ECE finished the year with a six percent surplus, that amount has been clawed back from this year’s budget. Staff are brainstorming on ways to cut costs.

The school district has printed a pandemic plan in light of the H1N1 virus concern. Copies are available to download online. We are emphasizing strongly to students to practise good hand hygiene and avoid spreading germs.

New business

Hot Lunch
We will be getting monthly reports about cash flow from hot lunch sales. We want to ensure that this is a moneymaker for the school. We are moving from Jim’s Pizza to Little Caesars for pizza. A parent requested vegetarian options and the PAC agreed to look into these.

Fundraising
Everyone was congratulated on achieving the goal of the new playground. Our new priority for fundraising is electronic equipment for our gym, to enhance assemblies and concerts.

The first fundraising project is a meat raffle, complete with a new freezer, thanks to donors Johnston’s Meats and Wagner Appliances, plus sponsors 89.5 The Hawk radio and the Chilliwack Bruins.

All families are encouraged to sell tickets. $3 each or two for $5. If we sell 2,000 tickets, we’ll make a $5,000 profit. Kids can bring a book of tickets home to sell. We’ll also need help selling at Bruins’ games.

We have already ordered a new screen for the gym. May also buy microphones, Ipod docking station, lighting, and a camera, all to enhance assemblies and performances at our school.

Destination Imagination
This has been a very popular activity at our school since in was reintroduced in 2005. We have sent teams to regional, provincial, and global championships. Destination Imagination is a creativity competition in which teams of children take on a creative challenge and compete against teams from other schools. East Chilliwack also offers a lunch time “for fun” DI program in the fall on Mondays. Feel free to drop in and find out what it’s all about. All kids grades 1 to 6 can take part in the activities. Students in grades 3 to 6 can join competitive teams. We need more parent volunteers for DI this year.

Movie night
Our school movie night for the fall will be Wed, Oct 21 (the next two days are non-instructional days so the kids can stay up late on Wed). We will be showing Monsters vs. Aliens in the gym. Bring your blankets, or lawn chairs, wear your jammies (if you like) and get comfy. Free admission. Doors open at 6:15. Pizza by the slice will be sold, and popcorn will be free. Bring your own water.

Next PAC meeting
We are going to continue with Monday evening meetings.
Next meeting: Mon, Oct 19, at 7 pm. Free babysitting in the gym available.