Welcome & Introductions

 

Round table introductions for the group.

 

Approval of September Minutes & Tonight’s Agenda

Changes were made and the new agenda is on the table

“Teachers would like to restart having class meetings” we would like to change this

 

Motion to approve was passed by Colin

Seconded by David

 

Today’s agenda is approved and under other business we are adding the “Green Apple Grant”

Added “busses” to Other Business

OCDSB five year plan is also added to the agenda.

 

Motion to approve tonight’s agenda Tina

Seconded by Sheri

 

Principal’s Report – Megan Egerton

School Lates

Lates are becoming a problem – 30-40 lates per day

Very disruptive to the days flow that is affecting everyone at the school.

This has been presented to staff today and we need to find a creative way to support students getting to school in a timely manner.  This is a group plan that we need to come together and try and help.

This has become Excessive and we need to find a solution

Please email Megan if you have ideas to help this problem or if you have heard of ideas

Some schools use music as a motivator for the first ten minutes.

Have you looked at where and when the children are coming into the school late, is it three minutes for 30 minutes

 

Is it because kids are more anxious and reluctant to get to school.

Fundraiser and fine the parents!

What about playing the music before the 8pm bell as a motivator to come early.

What about a walking  school bus everyday? Would that be an incentive to kids to get to school.

 

Action – think of creative ideas for motivating people to arrive on time.

 

Thank You

Thank you for your comments and criticism of the choice to not have cameras on site

The students have had very positive and supportive of the change

Needs to come back to social skills and are not relaxing activities

Student council came to her and gave them their view of gameboy alley. The students are suggesting to have a club for gameboy players.

Suggestion to make first break an active break so no books, no electronics, this is an active break with structured games.

 

Action –Megan is looking for parent volunteers to host a gameboy club, make sure that they are playing appropriate games and help refine their social skills and help to lead the conversations between the gamers.

Please send Megan your thoughts on this -

 

United Way

A real success, there was a 50/50 draw within the school which was coordinated by Sandra Burton

 

Schools in the Middle

 

On a board level they look at where the schools are sitting in terms of EQUAO and funding

Our patterns have been steady

This means that we will have an instructional coach that will help our teachers and focus on initiatives that the staff would like to focus on. This is based around our school improvement plan and is a whole school approach.

Writing is going to be a focus for us in the coming year.

 

ASD Room

We have a fair number of students on this spectrum and we would like to dedicate a room for kids will need these resources.

This is not a punitive room but a place where kids who are struggling will have a scheduled time here for therapies.

This is meant to engage the children mentally and physically with a caring adult who will help them when they are having a hard time.

Not to be used as a timeout room and will be bare

bones and not meant to stimulate.

Several centers to rotate through and this will be staffed by a staff member at Churchill, Megan has asked for an EA to help with this room.

This is an exciting thing for our school and will help us look at preventative strategies for the children to use.

 

Whole School Audit

What can we do differently at the school to help the teachers and students.  They will come in and work with all staff and see how we can do differently and support students in different ways.

This school has a heavy load and we need more resources

School will have a retired principal come in to act as a vice principle and help out a few days a week with observations and suggestions for the school.

 

Help Wanted

Signs have been distributed with details for volunteer opportunities with different classes.  Teachers are able to fill out the “where’s’ and “when’s’ that they require in their classes.

This is not just for teachers, if in CASC we need something (like a berry coordinator) you should fill it out.

This board will be in the front foyer.

 

OCDSB Survey

They are conducting a survey right now and parents at Churchill are being asked to complete this survey. 

There has been some controversy surrounding this survey.

The motivation is to look at schools in need and focus resources accordingly.

This is confidential but not anonymous – the information gathered in the surveys is only given to our principal and is only for a limited time.

Be informed before you fill this out – go to the board web site and look at the FAQ on the board site.

 

Progress Reports & Report Cards

Megan has met with all the alternative school principals and Frank?? And they are not all following the same model for report cards.

This is a board directive to have the marks on the report cards.

We need to decide how we feel about this as a school and decide between the parents and the staff what we would like to do.

At the program review it was very clear that the board wanted graded report cards for alternative schools.

If this is not something that we will be able to change then we need to have the conversation with our parents and students as to how to deal with the report cards and marking in general.

The teachers would like to separate the student led conferences from the reporting period – this is very alternative to separate these two practices – this may be a week in April that is on the schedule.

We need to standardize the time that we have the student led conferences at Churchill.

 

Discussion

Megan and staff have been working on a documents that helps staff articulate what Alternative looks like and what our core values are at Churchill.

This all related to the arching umbrella of the Alternative Program in the school board.  People need to understand that this is not necessarily one size fits all but that there are different variations of what this can look like at different schools.  The school board needs to do a better job of marketing the Alternative Program – they would drive more revenue. 

This document will include photographs to show how this works everyday in our school

What are the key events and times that really showcase the Alternative Program at Churchill

ASAC is asking to find exemplars of alternative practice

The staff needs to help us understand these teachings practices and how they work in the classroom.

Look at Churchill and see where we are not achieving our goals and see where we can improve, better communication around reporting and communicating with parents.

 

Action – add this to the agenda for an upcoming ASAC meeting.

 

Food Drive

Email being sent to the community to have business match $1.00 per lb that we collect.

 

Tie Die Take Two

Misunderstanding that this had not happened in quite a few years and children would be invited to bring in an old t-shirt that they would like to have done and so that all children can have a shirt. 

 

SIP Planning

This will be held November 26^th , this is when we plan our coming year, please come in an help us if you like around the lunch hour 12-2

 

Student Council Feedback

The students feel their computer time is to short

Line up as a class before recess so that they are not missing their recess time

The students would like more clubs

They would like 5 more minutes to eat their lunch

They want more things to do in the school yard

Not happy about the installation of the trees and felt that they were not consulted

Upset about the missing rope ladder on the play structure

Want grass on the yard

They would like see days where the whole school eats lunch together outside

Shcokey boards on the side so they take up less room

Grade 1-3 would like to do something at the school of rock

Clean up gameboy alley

They wanted to extend the net so that they balls don’t go over the fence.

They would like to have a talent show

The would like to have something to play with in the winter  - the little tykes houses.

Can we plow the snow differently

 

Teacher’s Report

Lego Club – different teachers to work on different days

Becky has a friend who is into lego robotics and can come in.

 

Action – we need lego – check out Kids World to pull all lego that comes in.

 

Electives  - There are three dates – and we will get more details at the next meeting

 

School of Rock

Remembrance day is their first performance and is this week at 10 am  - Parents are invited and the Nepean High School band will be there

 

Skating – this has already started

 

Shawn Cavanaugh – he will be starting the Alumna Tomorrow

 

Class Meeting – this is a two or three item, set time meeting where the class sits together and went through the agenda.  Built community and social skills. Heather would like to bring this forward to the staff to start this again in all classrooms once a week and discuss one or two items.

 

Front Showcase – the teachers sign up to use this on a monthly basis, the teachers wanted to know if CASC would want to use this.  CASC will us this for a week in February.

 

Review of Proposed Budgets by Committees

The Committees have met and it is important for them to provide detailed budgets of what they would like to do this coming year. The elective has gone through the budgets and we have some concerns but in the end we will be able to cover these with fundraising.  The executive looked at what we have and what we are projected to fundraise this coming year and revised the budget accordingly.

Active and Safe Routes  - No one showed up from this committee

Discussion – alternate the clean air champions from year to year.

 

Green Apple Fund

This fund is established by Metro, and they offer funding to a school or class to make a healthier environment.  $1000.00 grants and the school can apply twice a year.  Jill Jensen to offer to do the application and write up the summary.  Look at something for inside the school and something for outside the school – bike racks and ELMO.

Motion to apply for bike racks and ELMO – motioned by Maria Hunter

Seconded by Donna Welden

Art Committee  - Needed to remove one of the events that only applied to 4-6 and then we were brought close to the average budge

 

Arts Committee Budget $3500.00

Motion to approve

Approved by Wendy Boland

Seconded by Sheri Zelle

 

Active & Safe Routes - $1800.00

With the proviso that we will get the $1000.00 from the Green Apple Fund and this will be returned

Motion to approve

Approved by Wendy Boland

Seconded by Sheri Zelle

 

Education Committee - $2000.00

Motion to approve

Approved by Donna Welden

Seconded by Colin Sparks

 

 

Fundraising  - $

There is a need for fundraising for the larger ticket items.  What are the needs that the school has identified,

By December, Colin wants to have a plan to deliver to CASC. 

Discussion

Megan has a table that outlines the needs of the school – she is working on a movie night, and a recipe book.

Working with the developer of the Church to make a corporate donation  - they will be member of the community.  This may be a conflict of interest as there are parents at the school that do not necessarily want the development.

We need to built out the framework that we can get it down on paper what you should do every year.  This framework need to be built so that we do not spend so much time fundraising.

Must remain non-competitive within the school

We have done a bad job in the past in applying for grants through the board.

Tiggy Winkles night – used to make some money for the school.

 

Action – the back deck needs work and we may need to replace this in the coming years. The base is rotting

Megan to ask other Principals if they have had success in applying for grants within the school board.

Maria to get in touch with Russell and will fix the snowshoes

 

Megan’s Finance Report -  $3000.00

First Aid Training is needed by staff and Megan needs release time to pay for supplies

Kelly to work with the 3-4’s on an anti-anxiety program called “Friends” - $1095.00

Non Violent Crisis Intervention – need release time for the teachers.

Media Cart – board sent over two media carts – the board has paid for one and we need to fundraise for the other.

 

Discussion – why should we have to pay for our teachers to go get First Aid Training and the Crisis Intervention. CASC feels like we should not have to pay for this as it should be the board responsibility.

CASC will give $150 per class for every classroom at Churchill Alternative

Motion to approve -  $3000.00

Approved by Dan MacKinnon

Seconded by Donna Weldon

 

Berries Fundraiser

Paula McLeod is interested in volunteering to coordinate this position

 

 

Treasurers Report – Wendy Boland

We have been trying to get our banking fees down – we process lots of check and our fees are very big.

Possibility to have a Pay Pal or Visa option

 

Action – Wendy to look around and see what other banking options that will be more competitive

Set up a survey to see how parents want to pay.

 

ASAC Chairs Report

Sharing their thoughts on the boards Strategic Plans and are bringing their thoughts forward.

ASAC wants to hear from school councils about their concerns regarding the survey

This five year plan is a good opportunity for us to have our voices heard

School councils need to tell ASAC how they feel about report cards and overall reporting

Schools are working towards defining “alternative” and we will need to do this exercise and feed it to ASAC.

Megan to finalize her “Churchill Tree” and wants to produce this so that it is in draft so that it is at least out there.

 

Discussion

There is not concrete plan for the Alternative Schools

Finding our place in the School Board is something that we will need to do on our own.

What are we working towards so that we are a part of the five year plan?

How do we prioritize as a school what we will focus on.

 

Action – Dan to ask Richard to be more transparent

We need to read “Growing Success” as this is where the board is headed

Sheri to go on Friday and let us know if we need to have a CASC meeting

 

OCASC Chairs Report

Paula Hall is the new liaison that will be coming to every meeting.

Survey was discussed and there were many concerns, the diversity educator was there and if you look at the minutes of the meeting you can see what she said about the survey.

 

Chalk it Up

Chairs get to talk for two minutes and then there is some timed discussion

Types of topics that they discuss:

Used pizza boxes – where should they go

What to do with cash cards that the teachers receive?

Before school care?

School bands into retirement homes.

 

Executive discussion topics

1.Elections for OCASC are upcoming

2.They want input on who the new School Director – well connected & communicative

3.OCASC will meet with the new trustees

4.PIC  - parent involvement committee that acts as an advisory committee to the school board

5. Strategic Plan – OCASC wants to make a lot of comments on this plan and has 6 meetings set up and will discuss what they want to say to the school board.

 

Next Meeting – December 14^th, 2010