Telopea P&C Ordinary Meeting 14June2017
Subject Matter: / P&C Association Meeting
Purpose: / Ordinary Meeting / Date:Wed, 14 June2017
Time:7.10pm – 8.55pm
Location: Secondary Staff Room, NSW Crescent, Barton
Kerrie Blain
Sophie Beauvais
Colombe Bories
Justin Brown
Catriona Dove
Ann Evans
Chris Farmer / Anita Gardner
ManonGosselin
Daniel Kennedy
Vanessa Lynch
Scott Lockey
Paul Maisey
Audrey Michiels
Sarah Milligan / David Pullen
Peter Roberts
Sharon Tiede
Nancy Waites
Helen Xai
Apologies: / Pauline Cullen
Chris Farmer
Gemma Jackson / Philippe Moncuquet
Lisa Wallace
Discussion / Action
Apologies & Attendance / Apologies were received from:
  • Chris Farmer
  • David Pullen
  • Sharon Tiede
  • Lisa Wallace

Acceptance of minutes / Moved by Colobme Boris; Seconded by Sarah Millligan
Actions Arising / Considered under agenda items
Report –P&C President / Telopea School Fete
  • No one has volunteered to be the fete coordinator. There are several volunteers willing to help run the fete but no one with the capacity to be the contact point between now and the fete in November.
  • Another ad will be placed in Telopea Topics calling for a volunteer fete coordinator. If no one comes forward, then the fete will need to be cancelled. The cut off date for cancelling the fete is the second week of Term 3.
  • The fundraising committee has been considering the fete’s return on investment, which is roughly $20 per family. There are more effective ways to conduct fundraising. While the fete also has a community building role, it is a costly exercise (outlay of $25 000) and demands much time and energy from parents.
There was discussion about the overall purpose of the fete. It is a school institution, which has a longstanding tradition and significantly contributes to school spirit. However, the size, scale, timing of the fete could be reconsidered. The fundraising committee will continue to consider alternative approaches and report back to the P&C.
Telopea School Kindergarten 2018
Colombe spoke with a journalist covering the story about the rumoured reduction in kindergarten intake for 2018. The journalist has spoken with the Education Directorate in researching the story. Apparently, the government has been considering several options: reducing kindergarten intake, reconsidering the catchment area, installing demountables etc. No clear path forward has been determined.
The school has received around 130 applications for kindergarten 2018. If there are only 3 classes (63 places), then fewer than half of these applicants will be able to be offered a place. A new building is required as a medium term solution to truly addressing the problem, however, there do not appear to be plans for this given government budget constraints.
French School Supplies
Currently the primary obstacle to having the P&C ordering the French primary supplies directlyfrom France is the question of how would payment be organised.It is also possible that the school would not be able to have GST reimbursed as is currently the case at present. However, the price advantagefrom buying directly from France is so significant that this would overcome the GST not being reimbursed.
Action
Colombe and Justin will discuss possible approaches to payment. They are also seeking P&C volunteers to work out a process for ordering and payment.
Action contre le faim/Run Against Hunger
Action contre le faim is asking for payment in Euro. The cut off for donations is the end of June. Emmanuel Texier confirmed that the school can effect the transaction in Euro.
School Board Representative
Sophie Beauvais introduced herself as a member of the school board and offered to be a point of communication between the school board and the P&C. The Principal clarified that the parent representatives have historically provided a report back to the P&C from board meetings given they are the P&C representatives on the board. Sophie indicated that she would be happy to play that role.
Action
Introduce a standing agenda item for a report back from one of the school board P&C representatives.
Report –Principal / The principal highlighted the following points from her written report:
  • End of semester reports will be issued soon.
  • Emmanuel Texier and Julian Dugas areleaving at the end of July and will be greatly missed. Four other teachers will also be leaving soon and will need to be replaced.
  • The Future of Education initative is a key project being driven by the Minister. Parents are encouraged to input into this consultation. From the perspective of Telopea School, the focus will be on bilingual education being a key component of the education of the future.
  • Parent’s financial contribution for the French stream continues to languish at 28%. Consideration is being given to the school charging this as a compulsory payment. The Principal will examine the Education Act to clarify that this can be effected within the legislation and then will take to the board the proposal for complusary payment of the French Stream payment.
  • Band camp is travelling to England, Belgium and France later this year. Itinerary has been altered to further increase safety.
  • Australian Business Week next week is a valuable program for explaining to students how business works and the role it plays in the Australian economy.
  • It’s been a good semester with plenty of impressive academic outcomes including winning a debating competition and placing well in a chess championship.
A question was asked about the ratio of psychologists to students in the school. Currently the school has only 0.6 of a psychologist for students despite significant demand. The Directorate has been having difficulty recruiting school psychologists. At the same time, unfortunately, a number of general mental health programs that the school used to offer have been cut by the federal government. The school will continue to work with the Education Directorate to increase the amount of mental health support available to students.
Report –Proviseur /
  • Binational review is currently underway and is taking place at the same time as French government accreditation of the school. The inspectors will be visitng the school next week.
  • The result of the accreditation will be released in May next year based on the inspection next week and further information submitted by the school before and after the inspection.
  • Baccalaureat examinations take place in Sydney next week, with the final components of the Brevet examinations to take place at the Alliance Franciase shortly after.
  • Baccalaureat and Brevet results will be celebrated in week 1 of Term 3. The French Embassy will inviateBaccalaureatstudents and their families to the medal award ceremony. This will be with the new ambassador who arrives on the 23rd of June.
  • Yet to decide whether to celebrate the Brevet in the school hall or at the Alliance Francaise.
  • School exchanges with New Caledonia will take place in term 3. The relationship with these two schools continues to flourish.

Report - Treasurer /
  • The P&C acknowledged the significant efforts of Peter Roberts in reconciling the credit card payments for the raffle, which had brought in around $10 000 in income.
Treasurer report highlights
  • The P&C is in good financial shape to meet its commitments with approximately $118 000 in the bank to cover $114 000 in commitments.
  • Paid expenses: the auditors, ACT P&C Council membership
  • Revenue: second hand uniform sales have made $300 for the P&C
  • The ACNC has changed its requirements so that the submission to the ACT Office of Regulatory Services will no longer required from next year.
  • Justin completed and submittd the ACT P&C Association insurance renewal questionnaire
  • Constitution workshop by the ACT P&C Council was helpful and suggested that P&Cs use the template produced by the Council as a starting point. Were the Telopea P&C to consider drafting a new constitution in this way, this would be anopportunity for reconsidering the current arrangements between the P&C and the Before and After School care. Justin has previously sought the advice of the ACT P&C Council on this matter, which originally advised against splitting the two apart.
Action
Justin will again approach the ACT P&C Council to seek more in-detail advice regarding the arrangements between the P&C and Before and After School Care. Colobme and Kerry will also approach Forrest School to ask about their arrangements between the two entities.
Report – Playground Committee /
  • Playground Committee has been meeting with Mary Ryan to discuss re-asphalting the primary playground and they are also seeking more trees be planted in this area to provide shade for the primary students.
  • The Playground Committee is awaiting feedback from the school on the senior quadrangle. The principal advised that the school is looking into replacing the original trees in the proposed quadrangle design with shade sails, which would take up less space. The school is awaiting advice from the architects who designed the plan.
  • A new Nature Play area is currently being constructed in Telopea Park and will be finished by the end of June. Cressida has been in contact with the contract manager to have Telopea Park students involved in planting. Both the contract manager and the school are very willing to make this work. Cressida will continue to pursue this possibility.

Report – Before and After School Care /
  • Thuy-van Mellor has kindly offered to take over as the new treasurer from Corinne Haughton, whom the P&C thanked for her enormous efforts in the role.
  • Aa new contact for the administrator is currently being drafted.
  • Booking forms have gone out for the holiday program and the extra curriculum activities for term 3.
  • A first draft of an enrolment process is underway to avoid some of the problems encountered last year.

Report – P&C Communications Officer /
  • Still working on refining email distribution lists and the P&C Facebook page. Anita reminded the P&C that the Telopea Tennis Courts Facebook page is still active and has around 260 followers, so this could be a good starting point. Anita and Audrey will work together on repurposing the Tennis Courts Facebook page to be used as the P&C Facebook page.

Report – Traffic Committee /
  • Concerns were raised that the proposed location for the pedestrian crossing would not being safe because there isn’t sufficient room for a car turning right at speed from NSW Crescent into Telopea Park West to stop before entering the pedestrian crossing area if they suddenty saw a pedestrian. This could result in a pedestrian being hit.
  • The main objective of installing the pedestrian crossing is to ensure student safety and the crossing in the proposed location may actually threaten that. The P&C therefore suggests the crossing be installed just a few metres northwards further along the road from the proposed location with barriers put in place to prevent children crossing at the current pedestrian island location.
Action
Nancy to convey the P&C’s feedback to Transport Canberra.
AOB / Flight Centre Manuka
  • This offer is currently advertised in Telopea Topics but should be made more widely known.
Future of Education P&C Submission
  • P&C to submit ideas to Colombe who will write them up into a submission.
Lost Property Sales
  • Any volunteers could help this valuable recycling project by hanging up the jackets and taking home the lunch boxes to rinse them and return.

Meeting closed / 8.55pm
Prepared By: / NW / 14 June 2017
Approved By: / P&C Exec / Not yet approved

Minutes of General Meeting 3 May 2017Page 1/6