Pat Thorne Steven Jones Donita Hillyard Andrea Everett

Townsview School – PSSC Meeting April 13, 2016 @ 6:30pm

In Attendance → Pat Thorne → Steven Jones → Donita Hillyard → Andrea Everett → Garth McCrea → Sandra Schaeffer → Murray Lee → Melissa Harris → Carol Cormier → Lisa Dunlop → John Slipp → Karsty Gregoire → Jennifer Burpee → Andrew Garnett Absent (sent regrets) → Angie Godin → Heidi Horner

Meeting Minutes

6:30 pm Welcome/Call to Order Garth welcomed everyone and called the meeting to order at 6:30pm Opening Remarks – Chair → Garth welcomed everyone, and extended a special welcome to John Slipp Approval of Agenda → Moved by Murray Lee 2nd by Sandra Schaeffer To accept the Agenda as presented. Motion Carried Approval of Minutes – March 16, 2016 → Moved by Murray Lee 2nd by Melissa Harris To accept the March 16, 2016 Minutes as presented. Motion Carried

New Business → School Update – Pat, Steven, Donita, Andrea presented highlights:  Provincial Assessments being written in mid-May  Wellness Fair (morning) K-8  Calithumpians (presented to grades 6-8)  Meduxnekeag Show Case  UNB Math Competitions  Let’s Talk Science  Carleton North High School – Band & Choir  Transition plans for our Grade 8 students to WHS  Transition plans for our Grade 5 students to Grade 6  Starting to look at staffing for 2016-2017 school year  Planning our Pre-K days for our new Kindergarten students  We have 15 students registered for Gr. 6 LFI  Afterschool Violin lessons – Ypie Shaffer  Mad Science after school program  Woodstock Music Festival  Jump Rope for Heart Team – presenting to CCS  We have yoga & dance going on at noon hours (wellness activities)  Spring Book Fair (May 11-13)  Camp Skiktehawk & Green Hill Lake  (K-2) & (3-5) family picnic at lunch hour up at Connell Park  Volunteer Tea being planned  Planning our second Middle School PE Fair  Upcoming PD both MCS and Townsview staff will be meeting with one another  Grade 4 Classes participating in Ducks Unlimited Program

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→ PSSC Budget  Budget is $1,806.04  PSSC approved by consensus that the funds would go towards School Connects and take the balance to purchase photocopy paper to help offset the costs associated with sending home communiques to parents, such as newsletter and other notices that go home to parents to help keep them in the loop → Home & School Update – Melissa  Selling school clothing – May 2nd is the deadline  Yard Sale – April 30th  Will be helping out with April 21 middle school dance

Old Business → SIP Review & Update  Add a page for the acronyms so parents would understand what they meant  Include the ASD-W Vision, Mission and Value Statements  Lengthy conversation on assessments and the validity of the data that is returned to the school. In addition how NB does not fair in the global reporting of assessments.  We talked about the importance of the data that is collected at the school level. Admin talked about developing a level of consistency on reporting data across the grade levels and we have invited District Staff to assist us with that. Admin feels that we are in a better place as we have moved forward throughout the year and working with our teachers at the different grade levels. → Garth asked for an update on the Playground Committee Giving Tree and the location of the Giving Tree within the school  Pat spoke to the placement of the flags that represent the student population (cultural diversity) within our school and how well received it was by the students, staff and the many visitors that come through the after hour access door. Pat had also said that we have had to do signage throughout our school over this past year, and each day we recognize what we need to do to make things that much better for our school community and the community who uses our school after hours. It was not intentional to take the spot that was identified last October, 2015 for the Giving Tree.  Pat had emailed the members of the Playground Committee and requested that they provide the dimensions and any signage that would be associated with the Giving Tree. Pat also invited them back to the school to look at a location down in the after hour wing. We get a ton of foot traffic in this area. Steven indicated that there is a ton of wall space available. In the last email, Pat had asked the Committee if we could have the Giving Tree in place by the end of this school year. Pat has not heard back from the Committee → Student & Parent Handbook (Mission statement, vision, parent information, etc.)  Steven has drafted a handbook for 2016-2017 school year  It would be added in student agenda for grades 6-8 students  It would be posted to school website, and each child would be given a copy to go home  Steve indicated that he should have it done by mid-May. The PSSC members were asking if it could be sent to them prior to the June 1st meeting. Steve thought that was more than doable

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DEC Remarks – John Slipp → John began by thanking all the parent volunteers not just for this year, but for past years as well. He noted that it is extremely important for parents to play an active role in our schools. → John highlighted some of the items/issues that they have addressed and are continuing to address as the DEC  Policy 409 School Closures – this has taken a good portion of his time as the DEC worked with the communities and worked through the process. These are tough decisions and the DEC appreciated the communities representing their communities and the importance of their schools within their communities  John talked about the initiatives of having Mental Health involved in our schools. He also talked about the challenges of providing a nutrition policy and balancing that policy with our food service providers so that they can make a profit. If they cannot make a profit then they have to stop providing that food service to a particular school, which we have seen this past year.  John talked about the challenges of report cards and Power School, the admin team had echoed those same challenges, but also indicated that it is getting better as we become more familiar with both the Report Cards and Power School.  John briefly talked about the Potato Harvest Program up in Carleton North. This program is in place to provide students the opportunity to work the potato harvest while still maintaining their academic studies and not feeling over whelmed when they return to school..  John talked about the upcoming DEC elections. Currently we do not have anyone running for this sub-district. He encouraged the PSSC members to become involved. Currently there are 5 sub districts that have no one coming forward for the upcoming election. He stated that if no one offers for a sub-district, then the Minister will appoint to fill the vacancies. Wrapping up – John has enjoyed his experience and representing our area as the DEC member. John fondly remembered his days as a WCES PSSC member, and a WMS PSSC member. He was thrilled to have finally seen the addition of two new schools in the Woodstock area, a passion of his for many years. Garth took the time to thank John for his many years of volunteering and representing our schools as both a DEC and PSSC member. On behalf of the current PSSC we wish John well. Thank you.

Future Agenda Items → Next Meeting is Wednesday, June 1st at The River Restaurant – 6:00pm → Pat will take care of reservations for everyone – Pat will ask PSSC to confirm their attendance to ensure we have reservations for everyone.

8:00pm Adjournment Moved by Andrew Garnett to adjourn the April 13, 2016 meeting.