Elgin Academy Parent Council Meeting

Elgin Academy Parent Council Meeting

Minutes

Monday 25th January 2016

Present

David Barnett, Kyle Scott, Anne-Marie Sword, Anne Heald, Alison MacLean, Pamela Dewhurst, Georgina Anderson, Denise Brown, Andrea Robinson, Eleanor Baker, Laura Strange, Karen Henderson

Apologies: Mike Shand, Chris Tuke and Patsy Gowans (Consultation meeting re. new primary school)

Approval of minutes from previous meeting (9/11/15):

Minutes proposed by: PD Seconded by: AMc

1. Matters arising

1. Road crossing

A representative from the Council Transport Dept shall attend the next PC meeting.

1. Music tables

DB reported that left-handed table tops were not included in original spec. But there are other tables in the school that could be used if required.

1. Disabled parking

DB reported back that bollards would be too impractical on a day-to-day basis.

1. Insurance and volunteer parent-drivers

DB has been advised that if parents agree to have their child transported by another parent, then that is all that is required.

1. Ragbags

AH has correspondence regarding the placing of an outdoor metal container for clothes, etc. According to DB, FES are not keen on this idea but he will broach the subject again. KS suggested a one-day drop-off at The Bridge, for example, which might be supported by the Biology Dept. AS suggested that a pupil-lead project might be more successful.

1. Raising Attainment Document

The group spent some time discussing the section on ‘Entitlements and Expectations for Parent Councils: Reflective Toolkit: how parents are encouraged by their school to be ambitious to achieve excellence for their children’.

Some of the points raised included:

What success looks like and how it can be achieved:

-S4-6 have monthly targets to meet and parents are informed through the ‘tracking report’(AMc)

-AS asked how children, who do not tend to receive awards, can be encouraged to achieve. KS responded by explaining that success was recognized from the points/merits given. These are linked to school values and, to be earned, must be over and above what the children do normally.

-KH asked if teachers could be asked to share what the topics/themes were for each term.

-The CfE night was considered to have been very successful and AS said that the S4 information evening was very useful.

Communication with parents (attendance etc)

-DB believes that the Groupcall system is working well and keeps parents updated.

-AR asked about what to do if your child has to attend an appointment and was advised to write to the relevant register teacher in advance of the appointment (information about the protocols for absence is in the handbook).

-Good attendance does matter, for example, Guidance staff would mention this in references for University applicants (AMc). DB feels that awards for attendance are not appropriate.

Advice from school staff

-Parents are encouraged to phone the school if they have a query and the head of the relevant department or the guidance teacher would call back. (This would be the procedure if a teacher was absent on parents night (D Brown) and a parent wanted to ask about their child.)

-The school has made it easy to meet with Guidance or head of year group when required (AS); KS speaks to several parents every day as S2/S6 Head.

-The S4 Parents’Night was a success. KS apologised for the glitch which had occurred and had caused the system to default to the wrong times.

-Not enough slots for parents on first night of S3 Parents’Night (AR and AMc).

-Generally positive feedback on new booking system for parents’nights and most parents’evenings are well-attended (DB).

-The school has an open-door policy and any parent will usually be seen without an appointment, where possible. (DB)

-Head Teacher’s surgery 3.30-5pm on Wednesdays has been re-instated (no appointment required)

1. Pen Drive for PC Secretary

KH to buy a pen drive for the storage of addresses, minutes etc and to keep receipt for Treasurer, PD.

1. S3 Profiles

These are to be created and stored as Word documents. Staff training on ‘One Note’is about to begin and should provide an electronic solution to profile storage.

1. P7 information evening

DB asked AS to speak at this.

1. Study Leave

AR feels three weeks is too long, while AS believes it is a good thing. KS explained that there are practicalities which make it easier if pupils are on study leave and it also makes the prelim experience as like the final exam as possible. If a pupil wants to see a teacher for advice or wants to work in the school they must sign-in.

vii. Head Teacher’s Report

Staffing

1. Congratulations to Trish Cameron on appointment as HT at Milne’s High School

2. Current DHT Vacancy –interviews to take place as outlined earlier

3. Mrs Roy has been appointed as PT Support for Learning, and will begin her duties on the retirement of Mrs Meisner at the October break. Mrs Roy will, however, be going on maternity leave at the end of term –we currently have this post advertised

4. Mrs Roy’s History post will be replaced by a 0.5 –currently advertised.

5. Mr Sim has now been appointed as a permanent full-time member of staff in the PE department , and continues as Acting PT during Mrs MacDonald’s maternity leave. Mr Sim’s permanent part-time post (0.6) is currently advertised.

6. Mr Lestienne has returned from secondment as PT Modern Languages. We have two vacancies currently advertised in languages. At the moment, almost all classes are being covered by a language specialist (including myself)

7. Mrs Bodiam returns to the English department on Monday following her spell as Acting PT at Keith Grammar School; we have been grateful for the services of Mr Dugdale.

8. Mrs Jill Stewart has started as Teacher of Home Economics - she has joined us from Plockton High School.

9. Mrs Stephanie O’Reilly will join us on Monday 8 February from Harris Academy in Dundee as a teacher of Modern Studies and History, following Mr Abenheimer’s promotion and move to Invergordon.

10. Mrs Rachel Thompson has been appointed as the full-time replacement for Miss Davison in Maths.

Senior Phase ‘Try Out’Thematic Review

-This took place w/c Monday 30 November –a positive experience for everyone involved. I was involved directly as an Education Scotland Associate Assessor. We haven’t yet seen the draft report, although this is apparently imminent.

Parent Survey

-The deadline has just passed for return of questionnaires –we are in the process of collating this, and will use the information gleaned to help us as we identify priorities for the new school improvement plan.

MoD Funding Bid

Great news that we have been successful in gaining funding for the MoD. This is an ASG bid, and it is our primary schools who will benefit the most. We have been awarded £50,000 to pay for: £23,800.00 toward Project Support Worker; £10,000.00 for Nurture Room Facility in Seafield Primary School; £13,000.00 for Parental Support; £2,000.00 for Seasons for Growth Training Programme £1,200.00 for Seasons for Growth 8 week programme. Seasons for Growth is a loss and grief peer-group education programme to supportyoung peopleaged 6-18 years and adults who are affected by change, loss and grief.

S2 Library Talks and Holocaust Memorial Day - Next Wednesday, the 27 January, is Holocaust Memorial Day, a time for everyone to remember the millions of people who have been murdered or whose lives have been changed beyond recognition during the Holocaust and in subsequent genocides. The Library will see S2 book talks focus on The Holocaust and Nazi Persecution, through novels, several non-fiction sources and a power point. The two school Ambassadors to Auschwitz, Sophie Finlay and Sean McHugh, will contribute to these talks. They will share their impressions with the S2s, during English Library periods, of their recent visit to Poland.

Youth and Philanthropy Initiative Final - The school hosted it first final last Friday which was a fantastic and humbling event with 6 different local charities represented. The finalists and their respective charities were:Kari McLennan, Eleanor Beadle –(Charity, Moray Woman’s Aid. Issue, Domestic Violence); Imogen Spencer, Caitlyn Gallagher& Kirstie McLean (Charity, Moray Anchor Project. Issue, Mental Health); Elizabeth Dryburgh, Kate Dryburgh (Charity, Moray Mental Health.Issue, Mental Health; Rhona Sword, Katie Foreman (Charity, Moray Autism BranchScotland. Issue, Autism); Katie Fraser, Jenny Lewis & Keira McCombie (Charity, the General Anderson Trust. Issue, Care for the Elderly); Abbey Cooney, Chloe Elliott (Charity, Out of the Darkness Theatre Company. Issue, Disability). The presentations were all of a very high standard but on this occasion the deserved winners were Imogen Spencer, Caitlyn Gallagher& Kirstie McLean who won £3000 for their charity. The school would again like to thank the charities for their support, our judges for the day and Anne Sim YPI facilitator for her guidance.

Communication –To further improve communication and let everyone know what’s happening at Elgin Academy, we have opened a Twitter account - @ElginAcademyHT – where we will post information about the school.

Prelims –This year we have had study leave, and the prelims are currently ongoing, with study leave coming to an end this Friday. We have had comments from parents to say how pleased they were that we had listened and reverted to having study leave, but we have also had some comments to say the opposite. Our impression is that students have been using study leave well, and there has been a large number of young people who have come into school to study.

Viii Treasurer's report

Current balance: £2056.56

Agreement was reached to purchase 10 beanbags for the library at £23.70, plus £1.99 postage, each. Total therefore about £260. A cheque for £219.70 is to be given to the library to buy books.

KS will catch up with senior pupils, Graeme and Matthew, regarding any requests from the football team.

ix Informing parents of Parent Council meeting dates

In answer to AR's question about how parents were informed, AS assured the meeting that details are posted on the school website and in the Northern Scot. AS will look into the possibility of putting minutes on the website also.

Date of next meeting 25th April (Changed to Monday, 9th May 2016 to accommodate art show and speaker from Council Transport.)