FOSACH COMMITTEE MEETING
Friends of Streatham & Clapham High School
Sixth Form Block, Senior School, Abbotswood Road
Monday 22nd April 2013
Minutes DRAFT
Attendees:
FOSACH Committee SCHS Management Team
Pina Silvio Millan Sachania
Janine McDonald Liz Astley
Joanna Porter Ann Hooper
Jillian Harrold Richard Hinton
Nicola Walters Oliver Hogben
Jeremy Gibson
FOSACH Class representatives and parents.
Item 1 Welcome
1.1 Janine McDonald welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were sent from Nickie Gore and Emma Baldwin. The SCHS senior management team attended until the close of item 3.
Item 2 Minutes
2.1 The minutes for the FOSACH Committee meeting held on 13th January 2013 were agreed.
Item 3 Head Master’s Business
3.1 Millan Sachania provided an update on the Senior School. This included:
- There has been a successful admissions programme for September 2013. Upper Third is over subscribed and there is a waiting list. There will be 3 or 4 classes. In addition there has been retention of girls to the Sixth Form, with a lot more interest from external candidates.
- The Spring concert was enjoyed by all and had a wonderful repertoire.
- Great progress in science and engineering, including attendance at the ‘Big Bang Festival’.
- Excellent results in sport and a number of linguistic events.
- A new librarian has been appointed for both the Junior and Senior Schools.
- A number of fundraising activities
- The Parents Questionnaire has provided a 32% response rate from Senior School parents. Responses are to be analysed shortly and outcomes to be provided in due course.
3.2 Liz Astley also provided a short update on matters at the Junior School including:
- A huge thank you to parents for their support and contribution to International Day, the Valentine’s disco and Easter afternoon.
- The Parents Questionnaire has provided a 40% response rate from Junior School parents. Responses will also be analysed in due course.
- Year 3 and 4 recently performed Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes. The play was fantastic and it was one of the best seen to date!
- Admissions for the Junior School are also very good and ten new pupils joined this summer term. Nursery, Year 2 and Year 5 are now full.
3.3. Janine McDonald provided an update on the babysitting link that had recently been cascaded to parents. Following initial teething problems with the response period from the girls, FOSACH will now provide a standard contact list to parents on request. All girls on the list have confirmed they are content with this process.
3.4 Janine indicated that the process could be simplified even more if the contact list could be placed on the secure school website. Richard Hinton indicated that this could be explored. It was noted that the contact list would have to be reviewed every 12 months.
ACTION – Janine McDonald to liaise with Richard Hinton on establishing the babysitting details on the school website.
3.5 Nicola Walters raised three matters to the SCHS management team:
- Drafting of the FOSACH calendar of events for 2013/2014 and appropriate liaison with the school
- Opportunity to produce a FOSACH fundraising update to parents and the inclusion of photographs from the school
- Update from the Senior School following an initial summer fair meeting with Liz Astley and Oliver Hogben.
ACTION – Nicola Walters to liaise with both the Junior and Senior Schools on each matter.
Item 4 Committee Posts
4.1 Pina Silvio indicated that Joanna Porter, Jillian Harrold and herself will be stepping down from their current posts. Joanna and Jillian will finish at the end of the summer term and Pina will continue until the November AGM. In addition Rob Forster left the school at Easter. Nickie Gore, Janine and Nicola will continue for another year. This results in the following vacancies:
a) Junior School Co-Chair
b) Junior School Co-Chair
c) Senior School Co-Chair
d) Treasurer
4.2 Job specifications for the posts will be made available shortly and class representatives were asked to alert their classes to the vacancies. In the meantime, please contact any of the committee for further information.
ACTION – FOSACH Committee to draft job descriptions and circulate to all.
Item 5 Fundraising
5.1 A number of matters were discussed under other agenda items.
5.2 All were aware that we are supporting and fundraising for the Livity School, however it was felt by a number of attendees that there is lack of clarity on future donations to the Junior and Senior Schools. It was now apparent that the Senior School no longer wanted FOSACH to buy the seating for the drama productions. It was noted that a secondary list of requests still exist from last year and perhaps this should be explored.
5.3 All felt it was very important that the school community knew what FOSACH was fundraising for - Targets and/or tangible items motivate people far more to become involved.
ACTION – Pina Silvio to contact Millan Sachania about the school wish list for 2013/2014.
Item 6 Forthcoming Events
6.1 The Great Gatsby Extravaganza. Sandra Baber gave a comprehensive update on the forthcoming fundraising event. A huge amount of work has already gone into the organisation of this event and it is shaping up to be a wonderful night. There are some fabulous auction lots including a Twickenham corporate hospitality package for the 2013 QBE internationals, a week in the Yorkshire Dales, a day on the set of Coronation Street and a signed England shirt. There will also be a huge range of wonderful raffle prizes and the cost will be £5.00 per strip and 3 for £10.00.
6.2 Ticket sales are going well - 148 sold and a further 50 pledged. Therefore the target of 200 should be made. However, Sandra suggested that further three and half tables of eight need to be sold, to account for a 20% drop out. Therefore a request to sell more tickets was made – particularly to Years 1, 2, and 4.
6.3 Sandra made a particular request for the loan of a 10m by 3m marquee.
ACTION – Joanna Porter to provide 2010 ticket list to Sandra Baber
ACTION – Pina Silvio to discuss the SCHS table with Millan Sachania
ACTION - If anyone has a large marquee/gazebo for loan, please contact Sandra Baber.
6.4 Summer Fair 2013. Plans are well underway by Joanna and Nicola for the fair and weather permitting it will take place on the fields of the Senior School. The aim is to build on the success of last year. There will be a number of new stalls and contributors, as well as the annual favourites.
6.5 Hamptons estate agents are keen to support FOSACH and have agreed to fund and staff the beer and Pimms tent. In addition they have agreed to promote the fair on their advertising boards. Hamptons will donate £15 for each board and we are aiming for 100 boards.
6.6 Nicola indicated that there was opportunity to repeat the dog show or book an animal display. All felt it would be wonderful to have both activities. A number of other suggestions were made for new stalls and activities including human foosball, ‘vintage’ clothes swap shop and beauty stall.
6.7 Class representatives will be contacted shortly with regard to running internal stalls.
ACTION – If anyone is willing to have a Hamptons board to advertise the summer fair please contact Joanna Porter.
Item 7 Any Other Business
7.1 Sarah Karslake indicated she would continue to organise the Northbrook wrapping paper this year, unless anyone else wanted to step forward. It was agreed that the money would be donated to Crisis at Christmas.
7.2 FOSACH would like to repeat the parents quiz night in October, however would welcome a new quiz master. There was one suggestion that the winning team of the previous event should contribute.
ACTION – If anyone is willing to help organise the parents quiz please contact Janine McDonald.
7.3 It was noted that attendance was very low at the meeting. All felt that it was disappointing, as the meeting was a key tool for discussing important issues, gathering views and engaging volunteers. It was appreciated that many people have other commitments but it was hoped that attendance will increase for the next meeting in September.
7.4 Next meeting – September 2013. Date to be confirmed.
Close of meeting.
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