Thursday, 16 November 2017

Bridge of Allan Primary School, FAST General MeetingMinutes

Present: Chair Gabriella Farquhar (GF), Rhona Bree (RB), Sheila Munro (SM),Helen McKay (HM), Adele Taylor (AT), Lina Horsburgh (LH), Jo Allan (JA), Suzanne Ferry (SF), Ceri Davies

ApologiesVictoria Buchanan (VB), Lynne Paterson (LP), Carol Ann Neil, Julie Russell (JR)

  1. Welcome and Intro by GF
  1. Minutes of Last Meeting accepted
  1. Events / Fundraising:
  • Good start to the year with Halloween disco raisingc£450, Rag Bag Collection c£250 and Christmas cards c£1250. Tuck shop at disco also been very successful for P7 fundraising.
  • Xmas Sparkle Night Friday 1st Dec 7.30pm. Team currently selling tickets, other organization ongoing. Will need lights from people to decorate the hall.
  • Xmas Fair Friday 8th Dec -– amended to 3.15pm start time with 5pm finish. Mince supplied by school and served with T&C in canteen. Entry price amended to £2 suggested donation. Planning meeting to be set up to discuss details.
  • Ceilidh Saturday 27th Jan - Band increased price from £200 to £320. LP to check whether hall available for following week. GF will negotiate on price and offer advertising on poster and if not check whether will reduce fee if celidih held following week when not Burns night. Agreed celidih should be held whether that week or week after given good social occasion and not necessarily purely for fundraising. SM & AT reiterated happy to organise.
  • Further Spring Events – Bingo Night and Sing along Night both being considered and will be agreed next committee meeting

Action – SF send out Dojo message re Sparkle Night

Action – RB/LP to send WhatsApp volunteer request for xmas lights.

Action- Detailed planning meeting to be set up for FAST team to discuss xmas fair.

Action – GF to negotiate price with celidih band and co-ordinate hall booking with LP.

Action: VB to investigateSing along Night and co-ordinate with Julie Howden and Lynda Gairns re Bingo Night for discussion at next meeting.

  1. Grounds Day
  • LP not in attendance but significant amount work achieved at last grounds day including leaf clearing, pruning, building raised beds and replacing flag.
  • Noted that trim trail was becoming muddy given weather and discussed whether another work volunteering day could be organised with Prudential for example.
  • JA has generously arranged to deliver bark to the school for free and is also costing wood for benches.
  • Mrs Sneddon has followed up with council re painting nursery fence and will do so again if no response.
  • Some parents concerned about children slipping on ropes and bars. There is an issue with one of the bars which is being fixed by the janitor. Some parents have suggested bark should be laid below the bars.
  • LH noted that if the weather is cold/wet and the bars are slippy, the children are not permitted to use during school hours. School will ensure poster is displayed giving advice for community use outside school hours.
  • ROSPA is coming to check equipment on Thursday 23rd Nov and will leave a list of required maintenance work in playground. Agreed to discuss any potential maintenance required after this review.

Action: LH tofollow up to arrange to a more convenient time with Council to repair fence at nursery.

Action: JA to follow up on bark/ costing wood for benches

Action: JA to check with Mrs Sneddon regarding if there has been any response from council re painting of nursery railings.

Action: LH to follow up with list of suggested equipment maintenance after ROSPA visit and arrange for poster to be displayed advising on safe use outside school hours.

  1. Health & Wellbeing Update
  • HM noted FAST would like to consider how we ensure inclusionat school events e.g. if there are families who are missing out on events such as the school fair, can FAST help? LH noted in principle she would be very supportive and any proposal which improves inclusion would be welcomed. In practice could be difficult to but would consider further.
  • Other suggestions discussed were to change Xmas Fair to a suggested donation of £2 entry. All agreed to change this year. Also suggested communicating a spending money limit on trips. LH/JA noted that in many cases this is communicated but would highlight again to teachers.
  • Walking bus has been set up and running on 2 routes but been minimal take up. HM will consider re-advertising
  • HM also reported so far been unable organise a meeting with parents who previously offered to help host growth mindset session under Health & Wellbeing project. LH suggested Rachel Metcalfe (RM) could help organise.
  • LH noted she was heartened with Parents comments on learning profiles. Many arevery positive taking on growth mindset. Also suggested the school could distribute another information leaflet to provide a reminder to parents on growth mindset
  • Discussion over how to increase parental participation in FAST generally. LH suggested another communication on this, perhaps as an interactive workshop maybe session tiedin with xmas show? All to consider suggestion of how to improve participation.
  • GF noted cycle & scooter racks to be installed over in-service days 23/24th Nov. If goes over in service days dependent on weather will need communication. LH agreed that and that school will issuecomms anyway given chance of community use on those days.
  • HM currently researching how school lines are organised within other schools/ use of school houses and will bring results before next meeting to ensure sufficient time for consideration for Aug 18.

Action: LH to consider suggestion of how FAST could improve inclusion in FAST or school events

Action: All to consider suggestions to improve parental participation in FAST

Action: HM to liaise with RM to discuss growth mindset session under H&W project

Action: LH to consider school issuing reminder Growth Mindset leaflet to parents

Action: LH to organise school comms re installation of scooter/cycle racks over I service days

Action: HMto bring research into lines & houses to discuss at next meeting.

  1. Library & Literacy Update
  • Borestone School provided a breakdown of the budget for their library project.
  • Bobby Halliday, local architect has agreed to come in to help the children withscope/ design within a budget.
  • First clear out of the bookshas been done. Further cull will be done with Carol Ann from BofA public library. A book sale is planned of culled books on Monday 27th Nov at 10p per book with honesty box in library. To be promoted via School dojo and fast update to coincide with start of Scottish book week. SM to email SF who will dojo the message.
  • SF is taking over from JA to lead project.
  • VB has obtained £1k of grant funding form New Park educational trust and is currently looking at other potential grant applications but requires certified accounts.
  • Author visit planned for 1st Dec. Competition running to write/draw a comic strip around World of Norm.
  • Closing date for funding missed from Scottish Govt was unfortunately missed. JA to investigate to see if extension can be given or another round is planned.

Action: SF/ SM to organise promotion of Book Sale andpromotions/reminders for P4-P7 Author Visit

Action: JA to investigate Scottish Govt’s Library Improvement Fund possible extension or further rounds

  1. Parent Council Training Session 26th Oct run by PSTC
  • GF noted FAST members (GF, HM, VB) attended this training session
  • Points to note are that FAST should ensure positive inclusion of all including low income and multi faith families. Meeting discussed how we help promote this inclusion. LH noted there is a Toolkit to help with Parental engagement and LH will distribute.
  • Inclusion – FAST should also consider how we ensure people to come along to FAST meetings, when is the best time to hold meetings? Is there an opportunity to voice concerns/suggestions e.g. a suggestions box? All to consider how to increase FAST participation.
  • GF also noted the PSTC provided checklists for each of the main roles of parent council will issue to relevant people
  • Internet Safety Talkorganised by Wallace High and Community Police aimed at parents and how to keep them safe online, suggested during internet safety week in Feb P4 - P7 and could be linked to session with children at school during day. GF to liaise with team suggest dates for evenings and set up.
  • Action: All consider how to improve FAST parent participation and ensure all have a voice for all.
  • Action: GF to issue PSTC checklists to FAST Committee members
  • Action: GF to arrange Internet Safety Talk potentially for week in Feb in conjunction with Internet Safety week
  1. Toilets /Hydration
  • Number of parents contacted FAST re toilet cleanliness. Noted that these are not necessarily ongoing permanent issues but have been occasional instanceswhich potentially influenced children’s perceptions. Issues with cleanliness e.g. smell, and issues with resources - no soap, no toilet paper, no paper towels. Parents are concerned that children don’t drink to avoid having to use the toilets and are dehydrated as a result.
  • JA/LH agreed have been issues but noted issues often relate to behavioral issues with children and gave many examples such as children soiling the floors, blocking the toilets and sinks with paper towels, emptying soap bottles, hiding toilet rolls behind ceiling tiles pulling toilet roll holders off walls. Janitor checks toilets first thing in morning and after lunch. If a problem, janitor will be reported and will clean it up.
  • JA/LH suggesting school discussissues with JMT to suggest how to encourage better behavior and work out plan to make it better. School could then hold a session to promote positive toilet behaviors and a session to promote hygiene session with children. Thereafter could consider communication to parents.
  • JA/LH also agreed could within a growth mindset session remind the children about importance of drinking water.

Action: JA/LH to arrange JMT session to discuss how to promote better behavior and hygiene within school toilets and consider how to run this wider session at school.

Action: JA/LH to consider with RM if hydration could be promoted as part of H&W Growth Mindset session

  1. Finance Update
  • Finance – cash balance of £14k and net available funds c£6kafter commitments including final MUGA pyt still outstanding, £2k committed for scooter/ bike racks. .
  • Accounts required for submission of grant applications. Discussion over year end date which was suggested as 30th June in line with school year or 31st Dec in line with calendar year.
  • SM will consider producing YTD accounts for y/e 30th June 2018. Will also attempt to create prior year comparatives for y/s 30th June 2017 but could be difficult.

Action: SM to attempt prepare YTD and PY accounts for grant applications with y/e date of 30thJune in order to be certified

  1. Next meeting dates
  • Management Meeting: Thursday 18th January 7pm
  • General Meeting: Thursday 8th March 7pm

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