École John English SAC

Welcome & Introductions                                                                                  7:04 – 7:05

• Welcome and introductions.
• Attendance sheet completed.
• Additional agenda items:
• Teaching students about Internet security.
• SK French dismissal door.
• French tutoring service that is new to the neighbourhood.
• Arts Express as a possible January program.

 

Principal Report                                                                                                     7:05 – 7:45

 

Mr. Howe

• Facility – painters have finished all but 8 classrooms got painted. Kindergarten bunker has been removed because it was damaged last year during a wind storm. A new bunker will arrive shortly.  The kindergarten toys are temporarily living in the courtyard, until the new bunker arrives.  The winter toys are in the existing bunker and are accessible.
• Meeting scheduled for December 7 to look at playground design.
• Progress reports went home on November 13.
• Parent teacher interviews were booked online. Discussion was had around how to encourage more parents to book online interviews.
• Curriculum Night feedback was discussed. Ways to manage meeting teachers when parents have multiple children in multiple grades was discussed.
• Weekly Friday school emails’ formatting ideas were discussed.
• French Immersion Information Night was on November 9.  Registration is still open at http://www.tdsb.on.ca/pars.  Registration closes on November 26.
• Free eye exams are available for all children ages 19 and under in Ontario under OHIP. Information is available at www.optom.on.ca
• Book Fair earned $12K in book sales. So, of the $12K approximately $6700 has been or will be used to buy books and classroom resources for the school.
• Forest of reading program starts in December.
• Bag to School program was very successful. 2 tones of clothes were donated.  Over $150 raised for the school.
• Lunch programs – Arts in Action, Chess and Mad Science have been offered this Fall. There maybe other programs through the winter.  Full discussion was had.
• School photographer for next year was discussed. Feedback from parents on quality and service was sought.
• Winter concert will be December 11. Kindergarten– Grade 5 students and Grade 8 Band will perform.  Grade 8 Strings may or may not be performing.  Lunch Ukulele Group will also perform.
• Immunizations are upcoming on November 28 for Grade 7 students.
• Last day before winter break is December 21.
• First day back to school is January 7, 2019.

Mme. Smith

• Mme. Mazelet has 35 safety patrollers.
• Teachers are thankful for their $125 given by SAC that they can spend on classroom resources.
• Robotics team is working really hard. Their competition is upcoming at Runnymede.
• Me to We Assembly is December 3 for Grades 6-8 students.

 

SAC Board Business                                                                                             7:45 – 8:10

Programs

• Scholastic Book Sale was a success. Thank you to all volunteers.

Fundraising

• Fresh from the Farm was very successful. 117 veggie bundles and 81 apple bundles were picked up for John English families, and the food bank donation included 83 veggie bundles and 42 apple bundles. $1500 was raised for the school.
• QSP can still be purchased online at www.QSP.ca using school code 3721826. To date $1600 has been raised.  We are considering whether or not to continue this fundraiser next year.
• Fundraising Contribution Letter – as of end of October just under $2000 had been donated.
• Poinsettias – orders will be due on December 3 and Poinsettias will be delivered to the school for pick-up on December 10. UPDATE POST MEETING – this fundraiser is not running this school year.
• Toronto Marlies Game will be on Saturday, March 23, 2019.
• 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

 

Open Positions / Nominations

• Fundraising Chair
• Toronto Marlies Game Coordinator

Treasurer’s Report

• Discuss/approve SAC spend for 2018/2019
• Possible future contribution from SAC to the outdoor playground improvements.
• We did not approve any additional spending in tonight’s meeting.

Other Business                                                                                                            8:10 – 8:40

 

• Families are advised of our government’s consultation happening on Ontario’s Education https://www.ontario.ca/page/for-the-parents? The consultation concludes on December 15.
• Patrick Nunziata is our new School Trustee. He is planning to attend our next meeting on January 10, 2019
• Safety for SK French dismissal options at 3:10 pm daily were discussed.
• Internet security for SK to Grade 3 students was discussed. Paul Davis has come in the past.  He has done presentations with Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-8.  He came last year.  Davis discusses social media, location tagging, permanency of photos etc.  Other options and ideas were also discussed.
• There is a French tutoring service in the area at Islington and Norseman. There is another location in High Park.  For more information visit www.maclass.co

Meeting Ends                                                                                                               8:40

Next Meetings:  January 10, February 7, April 4, May 9