Telopea Park School / Lycée Franco-Australien de Canberra Parents & Citizens Association
DRAFT Minutes – 7pm, Wednesday 12 March 2008 School Conference Room, NSW Crescent, Barton
Apologies / Attendance 2 Correspondence In/ Out 2 Business arising from previous meeting 3 Report from P&C President – Elizabeth Fredericks 3 Report from P&C Treasurer – Rauf Rahim 4 Report from Principal - Michael Maniska 4 Report from Proviseur – reported by Michael Maniska for Jean-Paul Clément 5 Report from School Board Chair - Jon Claoué-Long 5 Report from P&C Council Delegate(s) – Mary Welsh and Jan Madden 6 Status Reports from Parent Reps on School committees 6 The Act Council Of Parents And Citizens Association 6 Health Promoting And Safe School Committee 6 Parents’ Forum 6 Other Business 7
Reports
President’s Report 9 Principal’s Report 10 The Act Council of Parents and Citizens Association Report 12 The Health Promoting and Safe School Committee Report 15
Meeting opened at 7.10pm with general welcome from Elizabeth Fredericks, President. Thanked previous committee for guidance and moral support.
1 Apologies / Attendance
Apologies : Vanessa Barker, Arthur Camilleri, Tony Aitkinson Tanya Clark, Jean-Paul Clément Attendance : Lynelle Boisseau, Carol Blake, Jon Claoué-Long, Lex Clark, Renata Dyer, Nicki Epinay, Elizabeth Fredericks, Julie Glover, Maree Graham, Kathy Leigh, Greg Lowe, Peter Roberts, Rauf Rahim, Kim Ritman, Marina Thompson, Thea van Os, Mary Welsh. Staff: Kerrie Blain, Michael Maniska, Kate Sutherland,
2 Draft Minutes of meeting of AGM on 13 February 2008 • Circulated prior to the meeting
• Amendment to the minutes Addition to item 8: Proviseur’s Report - Jean-Paul Clément The school had excellent results in the Brevet and Baccalaureat, with a 97% and 90% pass rate respectively (100% for ‘Série L’ and 83% for ‘Série S’ in the Bac).
Motion to accept minutes. Proposed by Lex Clark. Seconded Elizabeth Fredericks. Motion carried
3 Correspondence In • Letter from Lawyer of Steve Baker, After School Care (ASC) Program Director. Elizabeth responded.
• Letter regarding the parking signs erected by Department of Territory and Municipal Services restricting parking opposite the kindy playground.
• Letter from Maree Graham toilet issue, Elizabeth responded
• email Jeff Bailey re Back to Forrest 50th committee regarding borrowing equipment for twilight fete Motion: That the Telopea P&C support the Back to Forrest 50th celebrations by lending the Blue Gazebos. Proposed Carol Blake Seconded Kim Ritman. Motion carried. ACTION ITEM: Elizabeth to contact Nick Kolundzija, the Janitor, to gain access to equipment housed either in girls’ changing room in hall or cadets room • Invitation to meeting and newsletter update for ACT Bilingual Education Group meeting 20 March 2008 ( agenda items needed 12 March) Christine Williams
• Documentation on French Education System (Jean-Paul Clement) for website
• Invitation to ACT P & C Council Meeting on 25 March 2008
Correspondence Out
• email to James Popple ( parent ) re meeting dates and opt in lists
• Response to Maree Graham re Toilet issue
• Response to Steve Baker’s Lawyer
4 Business arising from previous meeting • No action s from AGM minutes
• Lex Clark re register the new committee Annual return cannot be done until audited financial report. ACTION: Lex Clark to follow up with Alan Bunsell
• Marina issues with After School Care books. Current Treasurer, Julie Hicks, working hard to finalise last year financial reports. ACTION: Rauf to liaise with Alan re the GST issue and BAS statements. ACTION: Julie Hicks to submit ASC Program records as soon as possible. ACTION: Marina to offer P&C assistance if Julie can see any way to assist.
5 Report from P&C President – Elizabeth Fredericks Full report page 9 • ACTION items to be kept on minute and to be followed up.
• Nothing to report, action since last meeting mainly seeking advice.
• Position of Fete Coordinator need to find someone ASAP. Meeting discussion regarding the position as a paid position explored that the amount of work done by various other volunteers as well as the extensive time commitment of the Fete coordinator role. It has been advertised in Telopea Topics but no-one has come forward to date.
Motion : That the P&C advertise the position of Fete Coordinator as soon as possible with the offer of an ex-gratia payment of $5000 to the person able to take on the position. Proposed Elizabeth Seconded Rauf. Motion carried.
• Guidelines for the appointment: Open process and invite people to come to forward. Advertise in Telopea Topics for the position, email letter home per family. Need to identify the various positions available and outline of roles and expected timeline indicating peak work periods. April closing date for Expression of Interest.
• Elizabeth to do the advertisement
6 Report from P&C Treasurer – Rauf Rahim • Report Tabled
• Signatures need to be sorted out at National Bank.
• Allan Bunsell offered to be assistant treasurer to have consistency.
• ACTION: Marina to ask Ally to get in contact with Rauf re Common Seal for ASC Program Licencing
• Noted that Rauf cannot be official treasurer until all financial reports for 2007 are completed.
Motion: That Alan Bunsell be appointed assistant treasurer. Proposed Rauf Rahim. Seconded Elizabeth Fredericks Motion carried.
7 Report from Principal - Michael Maniska • Full Report see report page 10
o curriculum update – faculty plans
o school implementation harmonisation for K – 6 and middle years.
o K- 10 homework policy still need finalisation
o language mandate K – 10
o Secondary Enrolment policy and challenge entry
o Digital revolution – Telopea identify as one of the greatest need for ICT investment, envisage 100 new computers as part of rollout
o Part of 20/20 summit Yr 6 and Yr 10 . Student Voice sessions
o Building development and Montgomery Oval update
o 85th Celebration in September – Open Montgomery Oval by Minister
o TAMS meeting – erected no parking on NSW Crescent. Put up wrong sign. The signs should read Pick up and Set down only in line with other schools. Safety of children paramount. 40 kms signed moved on Telopea Park West to incorporate the traffic island.
o DOMA (developers of Section 27) – March 18 on section 27 development.
8 Report from Proviseur – reported by Michael Maniska for Jean- Paul Clément • Next week Francophone phone week
• Next Thursday Francophone day with Flag raising at Commonwealth Place at 11 am .
• ‘French is magic’ show courtesy of French Embassy, all year 5 and 7 to attend
• Francophone buffet.
• Monday 17h and Wednesday 18 class specific activities from various embassies (ie Egyptian, Belgian, Swiss, Canadian) with focus on integrated teaching and learning experiences.
• French Brevet Blanc held successfully and positive feedback
• Assembly March 28 Jean-Paul has organised conferring of diploma for last years’ students who received the Brevet.
9 Report from School Board Chair - Jon Claoué-Long • Board met once and gearing up for the year
• Farewell: Lyn Jones’ last meeting as staff representative
• New members: Marie Hird, Commonwealth representative, Susan Alexander, new staff representative
• Student Representatives to be announced shortly.
• Currently under review.
o First review of IBO in 2009.
o 4 domains of strategic plan which is available.
o Progress to Bi National mandate
o IBO middle year program is implemented in school.
o Kindy enrolment criteria Last year TT. Went out appended. Parents on waiting list invited to resubmit applications against new criteria.
o Verge of signing off on secondary enrolment criteria o Beginning of Second term criteria available on the web as part of the enrolment form. Families have been advised if on waiting list.
10 Report from P&C Council Delegate(s) – Mary Welsh and Jan Madden Full Report see page 12 • Election of officers to a wide range of committees
• Any issue that need to be raised at the Council should be directed to Jane Madden or Mary Welsh.
• Affiliation fee to be paid by 11 April . A capitation fee of 95c per student. Fee to be paid $1055.45 (1110 students)
• Affiliation includes the public liability insurance under which the P&C operates.
Motion: That the committee pay the affiliation of $1055.45. Proposed by Mary Welsh and Seconded by Carol Blake. Motion carried.
11 Status Reports from Parent Reps on School committees or Chairs of P&C sub-committees:
• Health Promoting and Safe Schools Committee Report tabled (full report page 15)
o 2nd term and 4th term parent forum events in School Library. 14 May - Body Image and Eating Disorders and 27 August topic to be announced.
o Safety audit proposed by Jane Goffman to proceed this year. Committee to determine parameters for audit.
o Issue: Parent drop off at pedestrian near Hall is a danger to Telopea students. To be dealt with TT. ACTION: KATE Sutherland to write, Mary to send information.
• No other Reports tabled
12 Parents’ Forum • Canteen Sub-committee
o Discussion re role of Sub-committee. Current Constitution clearly indicates a sub-committee rather than a liaison role for P&C. Stress need to adhere to contract with Fresh Express. Company employed in order to adhere to Government requirements for food preparation and standards. Need to ensure amicable relationship with contractor, with sub- committee views represented by committee member in liaison role.
o Lynelle Boisseau joining sub-committee.
o ACTION: Elizabeth to liaise with committee to have a joint meeting to clarify the roles of this sub-committee
o ACTION: Thea to find contract with fresh express
o Microwave no longer available in Canteen for student use
o School matter. Is an issue of safety and supervision
o Alan Bunsell offered to be on Raffle committee
• Challenge committee meeting parent representative needed. 3.30 – 4.30 19th March. Week 7 of each term. Rauf offered to attend.
o ACTION Kathy Leigh contacting James Popple about joining the challenge committee.
o Motion : proposed that the P&C hire Cedric Bryant to identify which trees that may need attention/removal. Cost may be up to $500 . Proposed Lex Clark Seconded Kathy Leigh. Motion Carried
• Uniform Issue raised by Carol. Investigation into a wheeled bag. May be a health and safety Issue on stairs.
• Upgrading of toilets in this financial year – total make over
13 Other Business • Kindy / New Parent integration into school community - Thea van Os
o Discussion re assisting new parents become part to Telopea community
o Suggested promote Year or class representative who may organise functions
o Staff group looking at communications, commended by Kathy Leigh and endorsed by P&C committee that school staff have initiated this.
o Issue of difficult of communication – information about some events – school notified of changes at last minute.
o Discussion of ways to improve communication. P&C parents offered to assist with website. ACTION: Michael to follow this up.
o Possibility of RSS feed on website for updating calendar events o Kathy Leigh thanked Renata for opt in list. Formally thank.
o Need to encourage parents to subscribe to newsletter
o School about to purchase electronic noticeboard $4000 parents who drive past.
o Mary proposed that New parents event before next P & C meeting start at 5.30 pm ( Mary and Thea thought a 5.30 start was better than 6 pm as discussed in meeting) . ACTION: P&C to advertise event via the school
• PD funding for IWB Training - Thea van Os
o Covered by Professional Learning Committee.
• Access to School for Parents – Elizabeth Fredericks and Thea van Os
o Michael reported this is a priority as part of $90 million for upgrade for all schools. In the contest of access one advice we can raise consistent with other government departments. Include toilet upgrade, car park upgrade, access hopefully. Formal advice to come in July.
o Marina’s request for upgrade for office for afters
• Michael committed to have this ASC Program project go ahead.
• Request from French families re Secondary School Excursions and cancellation of recent Year 10 event - Nicki Epinay
o Expressed disappointment to learn excursion cancelled. Current Year 10 cohort have not been involved in an excursion since year 7
o Discussion re obstacles
o excursions are Year coordinators’ initiative and not obligatory part of their role.
o Lack of interest may be partly due to short timeline in promoting event and request for commitment to attend.
o Issues also involved with adolescent engagement with school activities.
o Sydney Arts tour always oversubscribed.
o Dialogue continuing with year coordinators.
Next meeting: Wednesday, 9 April 2008, 7pm. Closed 9.05pm PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Welcome
I would like to welcome everyone to our March meeting of the P&C. In case you don’t know me my name is Elizabeth Fredericks and at the AGM I was elected as President of the P&C. I have 2 children at Telopea. My daughter Annalise who started at the school in grade 2 mid-2003 after we returned from a posting to Paris. She is now in Grade 7. My son Campbell is in grade 4 and he has been at the school since Kindergarten.
I would like to thank the previous committee for all their support since I have taken on this position. I would particularly like to thank Tony Atkinson, Mary Welsh and Jon Claoue-Long for answering many silly questions, their guidance and moral support.
I would like to stress the need to keep the meeting to a manageable length and to this end the meeting (where possible) should not be more than 2 hours long. If possible tonight’s meeting should be as brief as possible otherwise the parents of grade 7 students who have been up at 5am this morning organising their children for camp may in fact fall asleep.
Report This month my report will be fairly short. I have spent the month since taking on the role of President learning the ropes and seeking input and advice from previous Presidents.
We have also had a request from the Site manager of the Back to Forrest 50th for a loan of our marquees for their twilight fete to be held on Friday the 4th of April.
The main issue I would like to discuss in this report is the position of Fete Co-ordinator. We need to decide our course of action ASAP so that the person can start work on the planning of the fete for November 1. I would like to propose that we take a formal vote on whether (like last year) we offer an ex-gratia payment for a person to take on this large role. This position needs to be advertised in Telopea Topics ASAP and preferably before the April holidays.
There have been some staffing issues in the After-School care program and I have been working with the help of Tony Atkinson and the sub- committee on the best way of solving these issues.
A final reminder that items for the meeting need to be send to me and the Secretary the Friday before the meeting.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT FOR TELOPEA PARK SCHOOL P&C MEETING
Curriculum Update
• All faculties K-10 have submitted Faculty Plans for the implementation of the ACT’s new curriculum framework K-10, Every Chance to Learn. The school’s implementation process has been structured to accommodate the curriculum Harmonisation model in K-6, as well as the needs of the IBO’s MYP in 7-10. These plans were tabled and ratified at the Curriculum Committee Meeting held on March 5. They will now go to the school board for ratification.
• The school’s new K-10 Homework Policy was also tabled at the Curriculum Committee meeting, and is having some further amendments prior to going to the school board for ratification.
• The ACT DET has announced a languages mandate for all schools from 2010: 60 minutes per week in Years 3-6; and 150 minutes per week in Years 7&8. 8 Priority languages have been identified: 4 European – French, German, Italian, Spanish; and 4 Asian – Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Modern Standard Chinese.
Secondary Enrolment Policy and Challenge Entry into Year 7
• The working party has completed its deliberations. The revised policy and Challenge Application form will go to the next board for ratification.
Digital Revolution
• The School was identified by the commonwealth government as being one of the schools in greatest need of ICT investment, based on a ratio of 1 computer (less than four years old) to 8 students or worse. The school will be making a submission in the first round of funding. The DET has requested a common approach from the targeted ACT DET schools.
2020 Summits
• Year 6 & Year 10 will participate in the federal government’s 2020 summit initiative, in student voice sessions to be held later this term.
Building Development/Montgomery and Traffic Issues update • The ACT DET has been granted an Executive Crown Lease on Montgomery Oval from ACTPLA. The next stage is for the DET to make the land available for the exclusive use of the school.
• Following a meeting with TAMS and a subsequent letter dated December 17, TAMS has erected “No Parking Pick-Up and Set- Down signs on NSW Crescent opposite Young St (Primary side); and removed the 60km/hr speed limit sign on Manuka Circle, South of NSW Crescent, so that the 40km/hr speed limit applies up to the signs at the Fitzroy St intersection.
• The school executive and board chair will be meeting with DOMA on March 18 to discuss progress of the Section 27 development.
Michael Maniska
12/3/08
REPORT OF THE ACT COUNCIL OF PARENTS AND CITIZENS ASSOCIATION – 26 FEBRUARY 2008
The ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations is the collective voice of parents of children in ACT government schools with our national body, the Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) and state organisations. Delegates to P&C Council are elected by each affiliated school P&C Association.
The objectives of P&C Council are to:
• support affiliated associations in their endeavours
• provide a considered parent input to the ACT school system
• represent ACT parents in ACT and national education matters generally
• encourage educational debate within the ACT
A report is provided after Council meetings to assist delegates in reporting back to their P&C associations and to inform parents generally about the activities of P&C Council. The last meeting, held at Hughes Community Centre, was attended by 23 people, representing 20 P&C Associations.
Elections to representative positions
Council is represented on over forty committees, working parties and reference groups. The following people were elected to vacant positions:
• ACT Values Advisory Forum - Elton Ivers (delegate, Amaroo School)
• Animal Ethics Committee – Emma Ward (Executive/delegate Calwell High School)
• Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) Advisory Committee – Steve Wallace (Treasurer/delegate Alfred Deakin High School)
• English as a Second Language Reference Group – Viv Pearce (delegate, Lake Ginninderra College)
• School Transport Liaison Committee – Tina Anderson (Executive/Curtin Primary School)
• ACT Wellbeing Reference Group – Steve Wallace (Treasurer/delegate Alfred Deakin High School). • BSSS Curriculum Advisory Committee – Elizabeth Singer (Executive/Lyneham High School)
The remaining vacancies will be filled at the next Council meeting on 25 March 2008:
Member of Executive Committee
• School Transport Liaison Committee – one more position
• Values Education Networks of Engagement (VENE)
• ACT School Drug Education Co-ordinating Committee
• ACT School Drug Education Advisory Committee
Issues from P&C associations
• As usual, delegates were able to raise particular matters on behalf of their P&C associations. These included:
• Students with disabilities – the availability of special teacher assistants (STAs);
• Change to break times at a primary school and consequent impact on canteen profits;
• The implementation of the Smoke Free Workplace policy in all schools from 1 January 2008;
• A just and enforceable policy on mobile phones (personal electronic communication devices) is required;
• Lack of dedicated funding for teacher in-service to support the AUSSI (Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative);
• What stage has been reached in the implementation of the recommendations of the College Review of 2005?
Other business
The President outlined the intended scope of the proposed ACT School Standards Authority. The Minister envisages this as “an extension of the BSSS.” It is proposed to cover K-12 curriculum, teacher registration, literacy and numeracy testing, and the registration of non-government schools. Concern has been expressed that the range of responsibilities is too diverse for a single board. If all these functions were combined in one body, it may undermine the Education Act. The President encouraged P&C delegates to read the discussion paper and make their parent communities aware of this proposal. Go to www.det.act.gov.au http://www.det.act.gov.au and the paper is under “What’s new?”
The Department of Education will receive comment on the draft policy Students with a disability: meeting their educational needs until the end of Term 1, 11 April 2008. The consultation draft is attached to this email.
A motion to rescind the motion to adjourn policy conference to 25 March was carried. Policy Conference 2007 be reconvened on 27 May to discuss two remaining policy proposals: financial contributions from parents, and gifted and talented students. The papers put forward regarding the policy proposals will be re-circulated.
The Treasurer requested that delegates remind their P&C associations that affiliation fees are due by 11 April. This is calculated by multiplying the number of students enrolled on School Census Day (20 February 2008) by 95c. The affiliation form and lots of other useful information is in the P&C Handover Manual, a copy of which was delivered to every school in the second week of term. Please contact the office if your copy hasn’t arrived!
Next meeting
The next meeting of Council will be the New Delegates’ Night on Tuesday 25 March in the Hall at Hughes Community Centre.
Susan Rockliff
Executive Officer
Telephone: (02) 6241 5759
Facsimile: (02) 6241 8839
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.schoolparents.canberra.net.au
REPORT OF THE HEALTH PROMOTING AND SAFE SCHOOL COMMITTEE Term 1 2008
The Health Promoting and Safe Schools (HPSS) Committee met on Friday 29 February 2008. The proposed dates for the parent forums in Terms 2 and 4 are Wednesday 14 May and 27 August, although these dates might change depending on the availability of speakers. The possible topic for the first forum was ‘Body Image and Eating Disorders’, relevant to parents of girls and boys. The event would need to be advertised well with an RSVP request slip sent home to parents with the flyer.
Michael Maniska proposed that the safety audit, which had been suggested by the P&C Association in late 2007, be progressed by a sub-committee of the HPSS. Michele McLoughlin and Mary Welsh agreed to be involved in helping to determine the parameters of this audit. The involvement of a P&C Council Delegate would be welcome as the Council was also interested in school safety matters across ACT government schools.
Michael also reported on progress on traffic and parking issues, including the meeting with the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) on 7 December 2007 attended by the School Executive and two parent members of the HPSS. TAMS had come back with a number of proposed actions, some of which were already in effect. For example, the 60 km zone on Telopea Park West (southbound) had been replaced by an extended 40km zone incorporating the traffic island. Another traffic island would be built further north on Telopea Park West in the next financial year. New parking restrictions on NSW Crescent were designed to allow drop-off and pick-up only on the Kindgarten side of the road; these were in line with restrictions in place at other ACT schools. A recessed drop off area was still a priority for the primary school, as was an upgrade of the parking area for staff and a safe drop off for secondary students.
In relation to the upgrading of toilets (also discussed by the P&C Association at its last meeting in 2007), it was noted that this would happen with the upgrading of facilities made possible by an infrastructure grant from the Department of Education and Training.
The HPSS Committee, in conjunction with P&C representatives, was again seeking ACTION’s consideration of a school bus from Woden in the mornings as this would mean that students would not have to cross busy roads to get to school. A letter had been drafted to ACTION and the Department of Education and Training.
The two Student Representative Council representatives present noted a number of issues of concern, one of which related to passing motorists overtaking cars dropping off students right near the pedestrian crossing opposite the hall, making it unsafe for those using the crossing. More parent/driver awareness was needed of the dangers of this practice around crossings.
Mary Welsh
P&C representative
12 March 2008