Elkhorn SAC Meeting

April 7, 2014

Start: 6:40pm Finish: 8:15

Attendance

Mara Bains / Cheryl Libman (teacher)
Marcy White / Veronica Kutt
Paul DiMeo / Lisa Stonehouse
Donna Wong / Theresa Seto
Kristina Gougeon / Samira Soleymaniha
Lindsay Prionas / Laura McArthur

Welcome & Introductions

Jacob & Trossman (The boy who can)

  • Jacob has Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease. He is in a wheelchair, with limited mobility.
  • Jacob comes from another neighborhood, They followed Cheryl Libman here, and saw how well Jacob did with development in her class.
  • Was challenged in CL’s class, Jacob was originally nervous about coming here, they were very relieved when they saw how well he was receivd by all the students at Elkhorn.
  • TDSB wanted the arrangement to end once they realized it was happening here, the battle to keep him at Elkhorn was one of the hardest in their lives.
  • Marcy White wanted to say Thank You to Elkhorn and to the kids and the parents, she feels it was a wonder example of integration.
  • Letters, pictures, kids could make things that would mean something to Jake that would show the skeptics how beneficial it’s been not only to Jake but to the rest of the students.
  • Announcement in the Elkhorn Express
  • Kristina G would be happy to help put it all together
  • Jake’s next school will probably be Dublin Heights

Reference Websites:

  • Curepmd.com, theboywhocan.com,

Principal’s Message

  • Staffing Model for next year:
  • Split classes, giving flexibility around registration
  • Other model, new registrations won’t fit
  • Ms. Silva had a Baby Boy!
  • $500k to add a classroom in the library
  • Portables are in our future, they represent a need that changes are to be considered not only for space but for additional programs for kids.
  • Older kids will be going to the portables, young ones will stay close to the washrooms.
  • There most likely will be a card system given to the kids to be able to access the school as this school is a locked down facility.
  • New registration will be counted in September.
  • Marlies Day, excellent day but the Marlie’s were not organized. The event was Chaos, Lisa and Christina Chun will be providing feedback.
  • Not the same as Holly’s previous experience there.
  • Fun Fair – Teachers are on board with the craft for the Silent Auction.
  • The painting of the gym was not done on March Break which was expected.
  • Grade 5 trip? Kettlebee(ask Kristina)
  • No cap on JK/SK for the fall, each class can have up to 37 in the room.
  • Email for next year will hopefully be online in September so as not to waste so much paper on the Elkhorn express.
  • No specialized space in the building, some classes are being held in seminar rooms, class rooms are not up to code.
  • Lunch time next year will be split, it will happen in 2 shifts.
  • Spring Concert, May 29th? 6:30? Something will come out soon
  • Lindsay = Extracurricular items are being evaluated to compare to other schools. Knitting, art, sports etc. have all been initiated.
  • Hollywood PS has a ton of programs for their students.
  • Concern is that when the kids move from Elkhorn to Bayview and there are not a lot of extracurricular.
  • Bayview doesn’t have anything for the grade 6 students, Lindsay wants to know how to get the teachers engaged to do things.
  • Holly: Why not do a grade 5-6 sport or extracurricular as we should still have some ownership of the students.

Reports & Updates

  • Marlie’s game – unorganized on the Marlie’s side but was overall a good experience.
  • Kids sounded great, 3 other schools were there but our kids sounded the best.
  • Bus Loop, there has been a huge improvement, aggression and congestion has gotten better, could be weather related.
  • Lindsay: Could the grade 5 kids monitor the loop with safety vests on, concern is that someone could get hurt as there is sometimes aggressive driving. (Perhaps to put a few kids and an adult?)
  • Gardens: Parents and kids are asked to come and help to put in plants and to help keep the gardens nice.
  • Teacher Appreciation Lunch – keep it the way it’s been in the past, where parents will bring in food for the lunch. Problem with this is that the library is currently being used as a grade one room.
  • Normally done on the pizza lunch day, so we can get the volunteers needed to run it, could be held in the Gym this year and combined with the Volunteer appreciation?
  • Teacher Appreciation: Kids to decorate classroom doors? Integrate it with something else, like an appreciation wall, or a compilation of all the kids writing what they liked about each teacher.
  • Grade 4 parents do the Graduation party for the grade 5
  • June 19th is the teachers appreciation, according to the handbook
  • June 12th teacher and volunteer appreciation
  • April 29th at Lester B Terry Carson specializes on motivating kids, how to get the kids more engaged, do their homework etc., 7:30pm

Lindsay:

  • Veronica and Lindsay had gone to a Mari Rutka meeting, brought up the WiFi issue, wanting to know if they could discuss and Mari has escalated it to the trustees.
  • WiFi sends out a radiation level which could impact the the bone structure in the kids, as they aren’t fully developed.
  • If the WiFi is on all day then they would be exposed 24 hours (possibly) European countries have already banned this in their schools
  • Telecom companies here have been giving money to government,
  • Veronica would like to bring it to the school board, would like internet to be hard wired as opposed to having it broadcast, issue here isn’t the internet.
  • Police Checks – no policy at the moment, but Mari is asking for feed back from parents. Principal has suggested (AY Jackson) McKee has police checks done for regular volunteers but not for one-off kind of volunteers
  • Council members are not around kids, fun fair is also not needed
  • Going to a performance or on a trip with staff etc. may not need it
  • Once it’s done then every year for the next 5 you just sign a declaration that nothing has changed
  • Not needed for volunteers under the age of 18, New immigrants also do not apply
  • Process needs to be faster than a 6 month turnaround, how will we get volunteers into the school???!
  • Eco Initiatives, some schools have solar panels, 311 of 963 in the GTA have panels.
  • Green Bin program is not here now, we have a recycling program though
  • Ash Beetle trees, 1000 of 3000 in the GTA on TDSB property will have to be removed.
  • Market Gardens – some schools have vegetables etc., some of them have rooftop gardens.
  • Bike Racks are being installed to encourage kids to ride bikes to school
  • (See Fundraiser Event Calendar) Autism Awareness Bracelets for sale??
  • Grade 5’s have a fundraising day? Last year Grade 4’s did a bake sale, the proceeds of which went to Sick Kids.
  • Acorn Cards – some teachers handed it out and others haven’t which could mean that the teacher is handling it on their own.
  • Acorn Card Announcements? Might help with sales as the Marlie’s announcement s did.
  • FunFair – Next meeting is moved from April 21 to April 28th.

Reading, Amendment and Confirmation of Minutes

Veronica Kutt

Mandy Hung

Treasury Report

  • $3-4 thousand left to spend, that money was earmarked for the mural which will probably happen next year.
  • A lot of our money has gone to the iPad project
  • No field trip this year, all expenses will be submitted at the end of the year