PARENT COUNCIL MEETING

Wednesday 3 February 2016

MINUTE

PRESENT: Angela Tierney (Chair), Peter Galloway (Staff Rep), Adrienne Gordon, Peter McGuigan, Margaret Duffy, Rose Harkness, , Frances Cran, Ann Crossar , Anne Ashton, Eddie Morrison (Head Teacher)- Ms K Byrne and Ms P Brown (Guests)

APOLOGIES: Mary Maxwell (Church Rep), Jennifer Wilkinson (Staff Rep), Val McConville, Cathleen McLachlan.

ITEM / DISCUSSION / ACTION
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/ Prayer and Welcome
AT welcomed everyone and noted the apologies.
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10 / Previous Minutes
Approved by Adrienne Gordon. Seconded by Ann Crossar
Matters Arising
SLC Budget Proposals – to be covered in tonight’s agenda.
Making Rights Real-School Charter
K Byrne and P Brown outlined the work the Rights Leaders have been doing developing the School Charter. The PC looked at the Charter and discussed the content which all agreed is very good. The process of rolling the Making Rights Real Agenda across the school was discussed. On 4 February the Rights Leaders presented their work and the Charter to the whole school in a series of Year Group Workshops which were very successful. The Rights Leaders will now work on an Audit of Rights of the Child work across the school.
SLC Budget Proposals
School Transport
Further discussion on the forthcoming withdrawal of the free transport for pupils living between 2 and 3 miles of the school
From Blantyre 93 children will no longer receive free transport and only 12 will continue to be transported by SLC. From Torhead all 33 children will no longer receive free transport.
All of the recent correspondence between AT and the elected members and Education Resources were again discussed but it would appear that the decision is irreversible. The PC again expressed their concern on a number of issues including
1.  Health and Safety
2.  FME pupil stigma
3.  Cost to individual families
4.  Traffic congestion
5.  Attendance and latecoming
6.  Threat to the denominational school
Crossing Patrollers
AT informed the meeting that Nicole Bell Engineering Officer for Traffic and Transportation had replied regarding this issue 13 October and confirmed that the proposal for a Pelican Crossing on Farm Road had been rejected as only been “one reported injury accident within the most recent 3 year period ...... and therefore the road does not have priority for road safety improvements at this time”. Further it was suggested that should we continue to have concerns regarding the behaviour of road users on these roads then the PC should contact Police Scotland.
Website and Communication
There was discussion regarding the use of the website and whether it is known how many ‘hits’ the site receives from parents and carers. It was also suggested that the use of emails rather than texts would be a better and cheaper means of communication. EM explained that this was currently in order as Mr Blake was gathering all email addresses from S1 Parents to pilot the use of this means of communication..
Discussion regarding the ST JOHS Twitter account which was opened by one of the S6 Caitlin Stuart. Not used as well and as widely as it could be. PG indicated he would discuss this issue both with Caitlin and Mr Campbell from the Computing Department.
Burns 2016- this event will take place on Thursday 25 February. Cost is £10 for adults and the performing pupils are funded by the PTA. This year the event will also incorporate a very ambitious Made In Scotland Display by students from the Art Department co-ordinated by Mrs Black from Art.
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AOB
Holocaust Memorial Week
8 of our senior students performed at the recent SLC HMD event at Hamilton Grammar. An original piece of music composed by two S6 students , Caitlin Stuart and Fraser Robisnson, following their visit to Auschwitz in October, was subsequently choreographed by 6 S5 Dancers and played by Caitlin and the Music Department. Outstanding performance which received plaudits from across the Council.
Catholic Education Week
Students and Staff represented the school at all Masses in the parishes of St Ninian’s, St Cuthbert’s, St Joseph’s and St Blane’s during Catholic Education Sunday
Staffing
Various staffing issues were discussed. EM explained that a number of staff had to be replaced for absence, retirement, resignation and maternity reasons and that the staffing situation across the Council was challenging. He will give a full report of the situation at the next meeting.
Date of Next Meeting
Wednesday 2 March 2016 / AT to write again to SLC noting all the points.
PG to speak to CStuart and MCampbell re Twitter feed

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