Administration Team P&C Notes Wednesday 9Th May 2012

School Board Minutes

Monday 16th March, 2015

Present: Julie Patel, Neil MacNeill, Natalie Cahill, Kelli Kilmurray, Maree Clohessy, Maureen Tamsen, , Peter Fisher (ex Officio).

Apologies: Jacinta Menner

Opened:3.08pm

Julie Patel opened the meeting and welcomed the members for the 2015 school year.

Legislated Role

1. Letter to Christopher Pyne The meeting discussed the way the NAPLAN reports are presented at present. The box and whiskers format on the student reports does not give a clear indication to parents of their child’s academic performance. It was mentioned that the Secondary College is using this method and maybe people would develop more familiarity with it. People are traditionally used to percentages and the demonstration of a student’s academic performance by percentiles against State, National and Like School scores would be more easily understood by parents. The School Board decided to write to Minister Christopher Pyne suggesting this change to the NAPLAN reporting system. Moved: Julie Patel Seconded: Natalie Cahill

2. Replacement of ancient air conditioners The air conditioners throughout the school were purchased using P&C raised funds so that students’ engagement in learning could continue during the summer months. Although these air conditioners were effective in 1998/1999 when they were purchased using the parent raised funds, they are now at the end of their operating lives and are so noisy that teachers need to turn them off while explicit teaching is taking place – an integral part of Ellenbrook IPS’s academic success. The new air conditioners installed in schools include baffles that largely remove the noise in classrooms. One of the teachers on the Board supported this stating that by the end of the week she has lost her voice due to speaking over the noise of the air conditioner. Recently the State boundary for schools to be supplied with air conditioners was extended to include Ellenbrook IPS but because the P&C over the years had used hard earned money to improve this school resource an application to replace these noisy models was refused. The School Board decided to write to the Minister for Education requesting that these air conditioners be replaced by the Department of Education as a matter of equity and for the future health of our staff and students. Moved: Natalie Cahill Seconded: Maureen Tamsen

3. Finance The members of the School Board were presented with the comparative budgets at this stage. Information from the D.G. was that school budgets should be finalised by the end of March. At this stage firmer figures will be presented, including updated information on Reserve Accounts. The School Board accepted the Finance Report. Moved: Julie Patel Seconded: Maureen Tamsen

4. Face Book The School Board decided that the Face Book site was being run privately and was not a matter for its consideration. 5. Board member replacement (Fiona Lehman) Dr MacNeill would arrange for nominations for a replacement School Board Member for the place vacated by Mrs Fiona Lehman.

Advisory Role

1. P&C wishlist Mrs Harley will canvas staff for suggestions to present to the P&C to consider for expenditure of funds.

Other Business There was no other business.

Closed: 3.28pm