Welcome & Introductions 7:02 – 7:05
- Welcome and introductions.
- Attendance sheet completed.
- Additional agenda items.
o Social media, cell phone use at school
o Vaping
o Parent input to the SAC website
Principal Report 7:05 – 7:15
Mr. Howe
- Gym 2 blinds have been taken down for painting. New blinds are going back up.
- There has been a meeting with Toronto District School Board regarding floor replacement in Gym 2. Climbing apparatus in Gym 2 is getting old so it will be removed.
- Gym 1 floor is being refinished and the lines are going to be replaced
- First term reports go home Tuesday, February 12.
- Interviews are on February 14 and 15. Interview bookings are available online at schoolinterviews.ca (code ymupy).
- Ski day to Snow Valley Ski Resort for Grades 6 -8 was postponed from today due to weather and has been rescheduled for February 25.
- There have been 3 bus cancellations since the beginning of January 2019. Parents are urged to check news stations and @TDSB twitter for all cancellations.
- On bus cancellation days, pick up and drop off of students can be a bit chaotic. Parents are urged to be cautious and have a plan for after school pick up.
- Every year teachers are involved in professional learning. This year it was done by grade groupings:
o Kindergarten teachers are working on building number sense using domino type cards, and composing and decomposing one-digit numbers.
o Grade 1-3 teachers have been looking at writing exemplars.
o Grade 4-6 teachers are looking at math problem solving strategies, in all 5 math strands.
o Grade 7-8 teachers are working on math assessments using multiple choice format. Descriptive feedback is being used to help students deconstruct the wording of multiple choice questions.
- Marc Husband, a TDSB teacher who spoke during an evening presentation at John English in 2015, was mentioned in a brief discussion about the changes in the math curriculum over the past several decades.
- Family Day is February 18. There is no school on that day.
- March 8 is the last day before March Break, returning on March 18.
- Skating program is still looking for ice time at Mimico Arena.
Mme. Smith 7:15 – 7:30
- Jump Rope for Heart campaign kick-off assembly is tomorrow. The event is on Friday, March 1.
- Week of February 25 is Read for Fun week or Lire pour Plaisir. Students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite literary character.
- Library open every lunch hour for Grades 4-8 students. It’s a quiet, cell phone free work space. Students can get a library pass from their homeroom teacher.
- Wesley King author of A World Below is ‘virtually visiting’ the school tomorrow in the library.
- Winter walk was postponed due to weather and will be rescheduled.
- Valentines Dance is on February 14 for Grades 6-8.
- Talent show is March 8. Auditions have happened. Students are currently practicing.
Ms. Overland 7:30 – 7:32
- Monday and Friday lunch programs have started. A new one has begun: Hip Hop Video.
SAC Board Business 7:32 – 7:55
Programs
- Healthy Bites – Need new members for the Healthy Bites Advisory Committee. A committee must be in place, to receive the annual grant from the Toronto Foundation for Student Success. The committee meets about 4 times per year, in the evening. Some of the roles are depositing money and researching details and quotes if there is a need to replace kitchen equipment. If interested, please contact sacinfo@johnenglish.ca.
Fundraising
- Marlies Game is on Saturday March 23 at 5pm at Coca Cola Coliseum.
- Date for Movie Night/Basket Raffle is proposed for May 10th.
- Dance-A-Thon’s tentative date is June 14.
- Tentatively we are looking into flower fundraiser for Spring 2019. A Mother’s Day plant sale, as opposed to an Easter flower sale was proposed and agreed upon.
- Indigo Flip Give fundraiser is always ongoing. If you buy at Chapters Indigo, please support JEJMS. Here’s the link: https://indigo.flipgive.com/teams/57573-reading-rocks-at-john-english?fundraiser_id=206155
Treasurer’s Report
- SAC Budget was printed and shared. SAC Budget 2018-19.
- Increasing the price of pizza lunches was proposed for next school year to increase revenue.
- Possible donation request for next year’s Ukulele Program was discussed.
Other Business 7:55 – 8:40
- On Thursday, February 21: PIAC hosting School Council Appreciation and Information Evening. We can have two parent representatives attend on our school’s behalf. If anyone would like to attend, please email sacinfo@johnenglish.ca.
- On Saturday March 30, 2019 there is a free Parents as Partners Conference, www.parentsaspartners.ca
- SAC website can be better used as a way to get more parents involved, even when they are unable to attend meetings. The SAC website link will be posted in the school’s weekly update, moving forward. Ways to better find information on the website were discussed. Better links from the website’s homepage were discussed. The homepage should be where upcoming events are posted. It was recommended that the calendar be updated. The goal in updating the website would be to increase parent participation in John English School life.
- Vaping is becoming popular with children due to increased flavor availability and marketing. This is not happening on school property. Some parents are concerned.
- Concern over cell phone use at school was raised. Social Media, Instagram and smart phone policy is that students are allowed to have phones at school, but the teacher in each classroom has authority over classroom use.
Open Positions / Nominations (all with support provided)
- Fundraising chair. If interested, please contact sacinfo@johnenglish.ca.
- Toronto Marlies Game coordinator. If interested, please contact sacinfo@johnenglish.ca.
Meeting Ends 8:40
Next Meetings: April 4, May 9
École John English SAC 