Draft 2014-15 calendar and 2015-16 key dates - from the school executive and VSB

We currently have the proposed 2014/2015 calendar on the main VBE website for public comment.  The calendar email address will remain available until Feb 20, 2014.

 http://www.vsb.bc.ca/draft-school-calendar-2014-15-and-key-dates-2015-16

Thanks,

 

Mark Pearmain

Director of Instruction – Field Services

Office of the Superintendent

 

 

 

 

March 8 - Garibaldi manure sale

Give you veggies and flowers an amazing boost with the legendary Hopcott Farms composted manure! 

When: Saturday March 8

Time: 10:00 am - 4pm at the Garibaldi Garden

Cost: $5 per/bag or bring your wheelbarrow and save!

We also deliver! Cash on delivery.

Please, pre-order by filling out this on-line form bellow:

******* Order Form ********

or by e-mailing:
the.manure.sale@gmail.com

We need volunteers to help with bagging and deliveries. Sign up for a 1 or 2 hour-shift and earn free manure! Special helpers will be coming around with the volunteer sign up sheet at drop off and pick up times. Alternately, you can let us know your availability by e-mailing the.manure.sale@gmail.com .

Child-minding and refreshments are provided during the whole day.
Coffee generously provided by Laughing Bean Coffee.

Proceeds go to the Garibaldi School PAC.

Manure sourced from Hopcott Farms in Pitt Meadows and is hormone and antibiotic free.

PAC Meeting Agenda, Wednesday Jan 15th

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Garibaldi Annex Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting Agenda

6 pm  - School Library (free child care available in the gym)

1. Welcome Members; Joel Ronne, PAC Co-Chair (5 min)
2. Agenda Additions/ Adopt December  2013 Minutes (5 min)
3. Update from our school VP; Lorraine Baker (15 min)
4. Committee Update; Joel Ronne (10 min)
1. Movie
• Feb Dance
2. Fundraising
3. Other
5. Financial Update and Budget; Angela Wong-Moon (15 min)
1. Fund requests
6. New Business/ PAC Activities
7. Next PAC meeting (January) What  time? (10 min)
8. Adjournment at 7:30 pm

December PAC Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Garibaldi PAC Meeting – December 12, 2013

Attendance (approx.):
Lorraine Baker
PAC Board (5)
General PAC Members (2) including 1 Home Learner Parent

Agenda

1. Welcome
2. Agenda/Adoption of Minutes
3. VP’s update – Lorraine Baker
4. Committees
5. Budget/Spending Request
6. New Business – Playground Rules
7. Next Meeting/Adjournment

The Co-Chair opened the meeting. Minutes approved. Budget will be moved to later in agenda as Angela arriving later.

3. VP Update:  Lorraine Baker

• Not much news in December to report. The Remembrance Day ceremony went very well; now preparing for holiday concerts.
• The Library was decorated with a beautiful display created by parents/the Library Committee. The Christmas tree in the lobby was a gift from Rona.
• Reports card are under construction and will be ready for Dec. 20th delivery. Lorraine reported that teachers have been providing thoughtful and sensitive feedback for students.
• Catherine Jameson from VSB Learning Services did an observation about our needs for learning support. She granted Garibaldi .5 of a person to provide additional support – possibly to the end of February – to be confirmed. Support is for the school, not for a particular child.
• Kindergarten registration –aim is to get better numbers earlier so district can forecast staffing. New changes in registration process – please register in our catchment school.
• A parent may file a protest of the VSB decision not to allow a sibling to be treated as in-catchment if they have a sibling who is in the school already.

4. Committees

Movie Night Committee:

• Well-attended events
• No movie in December due to holiday concert.
• Open to suggestions for movies

Garden Committee:

• Clean-up took place on day of bake-sale. Leaves tidied up. Garden looks much better.
• Committee brainstormed ideas of what to do in the spring.
• Signs will be staked and set up in the Spring
• Rochelle attended the Neighbourhood Small Grants wrap-up. Thanks Rochelle!
• Fruit trees are here and in Ann Marie’s yard. Will be planted in the Spring

Outdoor Committee:

• Skating – attended by a few families
• Plans to get up to the mountains. Will confirm after the break

Fundraising and Kitchen Committee:

• $427 was raised for the Philippines relief. The government will match this amount. Lorraine received a thank you from the community.
• Home Learner parents would like to help with fundraising efforts
• Mini-bake sale proposed for concert next week. Will set up in art area of library.
• The Home Learners Network is planning an ice cream raffle and soap sale. The link will be added to the website. Lisa and Joanna will exchange information to coordinate fundraising efforts.
• Lorraine looking for a volunteer to set up the sound system at 12:30 on December 19th. Julie will ask Kerry.
• Taslim mentioned that there are often social nights. Aiming for the spring – possibly beer and burger night?  
• Family Dance - Joanna confirmed that her husband can DJ and February 12 was suggested as the date.  

6. New Business

Request for clarification on playground rules:

• Request that they can be written down because they are not well understood and parents don’t know what the rules are.
• Decision: Lorraine will send out information and clarification in the next newsletter to outline rainy day protocol and playground rules.
• Question, regarding rainy days - What happens on rainy days when some kids are inside and outside? Can they use the whole playground? Lorraine: Only 2 adults supervising, so whole playground is not open.

5. Budget Update:

Angela provided the budget update in Caroline’s place, as she was not able to attend the meeting.

Current status:

• $1492 chequing, with $50.40 to be deposited from Harvest Fest.
• Savings $4970.52. Deposit of $427 from fundraiser. Cheque sent to UNICEF.

Tennis Lessons:

• A deposit needs to be sent to tennis organization for next year’s lessons.
• Suggestion by Joel to revisit for next year rather than pay deposit now, but Lorraine noted that teachers want to know what will be scheduled in advance. Joel expressed concerned that the price went up. After discussion, it was decided that funding for the tennis deposit as long as the cost up front is confirmed.
• Joel: Motion to fund $250 for tennis deposit to be released by Julie upon confirmation of costs.
• Angela 1st; Joanna 2nd. Motion passed.

Proposal to organize a float for movie nights and popcorn fundraisers:

• Angela: Motion to approve setting up funds for movie night, and appoint Kerry as Movie Night Coordinator authorized to purchase supplies. The Coordinator will agree to provide a summary of expenses twice yearly.
• Motion to also approve float for Kitchen Committee - $300 float. Appoint Lisa as Kitchen Coordinator.
• Joanna 1st; Lisa 2nd; Motions approved.

Other activities:

Lorraine noted that teachers are not interested in badminton and the Lion Dance this year because they feel it is time for a change. Angela is not sure if Badminton has been booked already, but will check with Caroline. Discussion: What should be planned instead? (Eg. First Nations drumming.) To be discussed further.

6. Next Meeting:

January 15th, 2014 at 6pm.

Other dates: Family Dance scheduled for February 12th. February PAC meeting scheduled for Feb. 26th.

Meeting Adjourned.

Dear Garibaldi Friends,

I just wanted to let you know that the Home Learner's class is doing a joint natural soap fundraiser after the Winter Concert on Thursday afternoon to help raise money for their robotics program and to help build a school for an illegally displaced community in Cambodia.  

FYI, We have been informed while just the Home Learners will do robotics this year, next year the robotics program is expanding and that it will advantageous for the whole school to already have the robotics kits bought.  Each kit cost approximately $300 and our goal is to raise over $990 so that 3 kits can be purchased so each child can participate in hands-on learning.

So, we are selling 4 packs of handmade natural soap from JustSoap.org (1 Peppermint Rosemary, 1 Cinnamon Vanilla, 1 Chamomile Calendula, and 1 Coffee & Milk Scrub bar) for $21.

The price of the soap will be equally split 3 ways.  $7 will go to pay for the cost of the ingredients and packaging.  $7 will go to paying for the robot kits for the Home Learners Program and $7 will be donated  to help build a school / community center in the relocated Borei Keila village.  Please check out the information and videos about Borei Keila below.

You can order online at http://fundraisingsoap.com (there is a local pickup option to avoid paying shipping and then pick up your soap after the concert) or you can buy soap after the Garibaldi Christmas concert, or you can share the above link with your friends or and family or tell all your social media friends buy utilizing the links below to help support the fundraiser from afar.

To post a soap fundraising update to Facebook click HERE...  sign in to your account and repost to your wall.

To send a soap tweet click HERE... sign in, and retweet.

To pin a soap fundraising blurb to Pinterest click HERE...  log in, and repin!

Keep your eye open for the Ernest's Ice Cream raffle  ($2.00 a ticket) at the concert to support the robotics program as well!"

Thank you SO MUCH for your support!

Sincerely,
Wade Pallister
Dad to Sophia and Eleanor


For more information about the difficulties the village of Borei Keila has faced and the good news about what has happened please keep reading...

Construction on the School has Already Started!

The Rock Foundation Cambodia still needs to raise $3000 to put a concrete slab on the bottom of the structure and brick in the walls to create a job skills training center.

Read about the original eviction of Borei Keila in this Phnom Penh Post newspaper article.

or watch it on video HERE.

I visited Borei Kelia for the first time in June 2012, 6 months after they had been evicted and relocated. You can watch me in Cambodia as I share my thoughts HERE.

A video of the original living conditions at the relocated site taken by my friend, Phil, can be viewed HERE...

However, the good news is that my friend Brett Medlin and his NGO, Rock Foundation Cambodia, has been working with the community, donors, and the United Nations, to provide homes, clean water, sanitation, solar lights, and jobs for the villagers as reported in the Phnom Penh Post.

I visited Borei Kelia again this summer and was amazed by the changes, the sense of hope in the community, and the progress of construction that has happened so far. Check out the good news HERE...

Life for Borei Kelia is looking much more hopeful but there is still not a school for the children to attend. Having an opportunity to receive an education is the only way that these children will escape the cycle of poverty. My friend Thyvon explains the situation HERE...

PAC MEETING - WEDNESDAY DEC.11 - 6PM - IN THE LIBRARY

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Garibaldi Annex Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting Agenda

 

 

 

 

6 pm  - School Library (free child care available in the gym)

1. Welcome Members; Julie Beer, PAC Co-Chair (5 min)
2. Agenda Additions/ Adopt November  2013 Minutes (5 min)
3. Update from our school VP; Lorraine Baker (10 min)
4. Committee Update; Joel Ronne (10 min)
1. Garden
2. Fundraising
3. Outdoor committee
4. Kitchen/Popcorn - Phillipies bake sale
5. Other
5. Financial Update and Budget; Angela Wong-Moon (15 min)
1. Tennis bill (5 min)
6. New Business/ PAC Activities
7. Next PAC meeting (January) What  time? (10 min)
8. Adjournment at 7:30 pm

 

Nov PAC Meeting Minutes

Garibaldi PAC Meeting
 November 10, 2013

Attendance:

Lorraine Baker

Joel Ronne (Chair)

Caroline La Pointe

Lisa Nessi

Andrea Lloyd

Julie Beer

Sandra Larsen

Trudy O’Neill

Kerry McCullagh

Joel called meeting to order and asked for any additions to the agenda. Two issues were put forward:

• Caroline: request to move financial updates up on the Agenda
• Discussion of playground rules – request for clarification

A motion was made to accept the agenda, to adopt the minutes for the October PAC meeting.

1) Treasury Report

Treasury update.

Total amount: $6,1073.78.

PAC account: $4627.27

Chequing: $1546.51 (minus one cheque for $50.40 that hasn’t been cashed yet).

Three cheques cashed last month:

$137.60 – Jana garden signs

$361 – Julie bulb sale

$25 – babysitter for last PAC

2) Vice Principal update – Lorraine Baker

- 1st round of photos taken for students. We now have library cards

- Teachers doing in-service this month – Music Pro-D – music, play (6 hours of instruction, with facilitators on-site).

- 2 trained one-to-one reading volunteers, specifically trained for remedial learning to address ‘top-up’ needs, as part of a pilot project

- Parents are informed if their kids are involved with the reading program.

- Baseline date being collected through a school-wide ‘write’. (Baseline to be compared with spring.)

- Tennis – program wraps up November 11th. Skill levels are developing.

- Gloria, the music resource teacher, has gone on maternity leave earlier than anticipated. In her place, Thanh Ngo, will be working 2 days/week.

3) Committees:

3a) Movie Night

Pizza night – raised $200 – a great success.
Next Wednesday November 20th is the next movie night. Movie TBC, but likely “Monster’s University”. December movie TBC – depending on whether new Music Teacher can help arrange the Winter Concert.

3b) Garden Committee:

Harvest Festival was wonderful

• kids made bird-feeders and hand-stamped cards
• homemade stone soup, raspberry jam, cocoa and apple cider enjoyed by all

Garden winter clean-up to be arranged soon. The garden signs were painted by the children at the festival and are ready to be put up. Aiming for spring to put up signs.

Received fruit trees from Parks Board through grant. Will plant in spring in NE corner of school near bike rack.

3c) Fundraising Committee

Are looking at planning for an early 2014 party, possibly a Valentine-themed party.

First Popcorn Fundraiser November 11th! For December, the plan is to have another food fundraiser. Usually during the Winter Concert, coffee and cookies are sold to the adults. If no Concert, then it’ll be a Popcorn Fundraiser again.

4) New Business/Ideas for PAC Activities:

4a) PAC needs to be proactive about registration and push VSB on the sibling and boundary issue.

NB: Lorraine cannot be an advocate for the issue, so she excused herself from the meeting.  Therefore, this item will be revisited in an Executive Meeting.

Re: VSB

Don’t think we are going through another set of closures, but instead focus on utilizing space better. VSB needs the budget down, but not through closing schools. It’s good news, and this merits more discussion.

4b) BCTF gives free presentations for parents if we request it: eg. Anti-bullying/supporting your child’s learning, etc. Lorraine suggested the multi-purpose are could be used for these presentations. Also, a free workshop from a technology business has been offered – “Accomplished Learning Centre”

5) Budget

Joel handed out copies of the budget updates.

Items:

Class Supplies and Equipment

• Gator foam balls:$300 approved
• Magnets sets for Mrs. Moino:$150 approved

-    Classroom books Mrs. Rosati class - $500: approved (some work needs to be done for reader leveling and the library system)

- $100 missing lunch fund: approved

• Minerals sample $50: approved

Fine Arts and Culture

• Performances and culture - $1200: approved, but not allocated yet

Sports

• Sports $1000 approved for all sport, but not allocated yet (includes tennis lessons - $400)

Field Trips

• Field trips – To be determined

Capital items

- Boot scraper - $100 approved

- Soccer target - $150 approved

- Laminator bought – some funds taken from the Library Fund.

6) A discussion and informal vote for the best time to hold PAC meetings was held. Decision made to go back to the evening time, after testing out the after school time for this meeting.

Next PAC meeting on December 11. at 6:00pm.

The meeting was adjourned.