Minutes of Garibaldi PAC Meeting - May 2013

Garibaldi PAC Meeting - May 2013

Parents Attending: Lisa, Joel, Angela, Jocelyn, Julie
Teachers/Admin attending: Lorraine Baker, Shannon Hobson

1. Motion to adopt Minutes from April PAC meeting and April Agenda – Angela (Seconded by Joel)

2. VP Update (Lorraine Baker):

• Ready Set Learn event last month – 7 families attended; this in combination with Welcome to K is a great way to introduce kids to the school environment. Thanks to Ms. Uzelac for doing much of the work for these events
• Dental Screening – pre- check in Kindergarten; screening reports sent home if there are concerns.
• Class Photos – done last month; panorama postponed to later date; better weather
• Big One at 2:00 – Earthquake Drill; trained radio operator; communications check; various scenarios given out; Garibaldi was simply – no structural damage/ all accounted for; kids got out as fast as possible and were quiet.
• Distributed Learning Audit – Lorraine compensated for her time spent on this; 3 days of sub time was then given to the teachers providing extra prep blocks for teachers
• Pro D day is coming up on Friday
• McQuinna – Blues Berry performance going ahead in June
• Sports/fun day - June 7th
• BBQ and appreciation Tea to be held separately this year – June 13th? In the morning
• Audit moving ahead
• Opera is in preparation – Mr. Delong
• Home learning exploring having their own PAC – done previously and meshed will with regular PAC; Joel noted that there are limited resources and having two organizations is less efficient-- HL could have their own subcommittee as an alternative;Shannon – indicated that in the past it worked well to have meetings on same day.
• Staffing has taken place – Garibaldi slated for 3 teachers; One teacher to be surplused
• ESL # is up slightly
• Distribution of Ms. Baker’s time changing from 60/40 % Resource teacher/Admin to 70/30 % for next year.
• VLNE relocated to John Oliver
• Drive to expand HL program by VSB

3. Joel – Cross Boundary discussion

• In touch with various VSB contacts including Ken Clement and Scott Robinson
• VSB enforcing “old” law more stringently with regard to x-boundary registrations
• Doing this to fill up classes and reduce number of teachers to save money
• Not specific to Garibaldi although impact here is greater
• Extra teachers have been given out but mostly to inner city schools where need is greatest
• Garibaldi boundaries don’t make sense – placed on edge of Lord Nelson catchment Previously did not enforce the x-boundary rules so the catchment boundaries were not as critical
• Need to fix boundary but this would take a minimum of 6 months
• One way to approach it is to create new catchment boundaries for all annexes that are more similar to those for French Immersion (i.e. larger areas overlapping several other boundaries)
• Need to approach other Annexes that may be having similar issues.
• Politically more likely to be taken up as a case if it is not just one school
• Another issue is VSB not allowing siblings to register – odd considering French immersion and other programs guarantee kids access to same school as sibs.
• If room – on wait list – then sibs and childcare take president.
• Currently Garibaldi not allowed any x-boundary.
• Uncertain how big the wait list is.

Iraj (DPAC) – spoke to the idea that taking this issue to Shane Simpson MLA is a good idea

• As well, offered to take this issue up at a VSB trustee meeting - he can help get us on the agenda via DPAC or otherwise
• Iraj spoke to the idea that it is not Parent’s job to fundraise
• Our job is to be parents; not to raise money
• Parents constantly absorb the loses
• More closure days next year – 14 days instead of 10
• Asked for signatures to petition the Ministry of Education to invest in education for the future
• Gave Garibaldi a DPAC banner
• May 15th – DPAC BBQ to celebrate PAC accomplishment and learn what other PAC’s are doing.

4. Committees
Garden (Julie):

• Kids garden club going on Friday’s lunch.
• Garden is doing well
• Cherry tree was replaced
• Garden plots of each class are being developed

Sustainability – Bike Swap (Jocelyn)

• Went very well
• Lots of kids participating
• Would be a good event to do again next year
• Decorating and games a big hit
• Not sure how many bikes were exchanged.
• Great weather

T- Shirts (Kerry)

• Kerry spear-heading new design
• Kerry not here to provide update

Movie

• Will go again this month
• Not sure of date

Budget

• Chequing account (gaming): $1477.06
• PAC account: $4577.80
• Yet to come out of account: $150 for Blues Berries
• DPAC account and PAC account need to updated with info from Rita.
• Field trip to aquarium will take place; Possible that PAC would consider subsidizing part of the cost. Didn’t have time for a full discussion of what might be possible/necessary. The trip is currently going to be a cost to parents for each child.

Angela made a motion to adjourn the meeting; seconded by Joel

Next meeting: 2nd Wednesday of June