DPAC MEETING NOTES FOR APRIL 4TH, 2011
2011 April 4 – meeting notes as PDF
Attendees:
DPAC Executive: Don Sabo, Steve Shannon, Sarah Holland, Dennis Fudge, Chris Finke
Partner Groups: PGDTA Matt Pearce, Trustee Lyn Hall, CUPE Lorraine Prouse, PGPVPA Cindy Heightman
School Reps: École College Heights (Lara Beckett & Jacqueline Dockray), Beaverly (Colleen Smith), Pineview (Michelle Rolfis), Hart Highlands (Kim Shannon), Kelly Road (Steve Shannon), Nukko Lake (Gillian Burnett & Lori Muise), École Lac des Bois (Elena Thomas), Edgewood (Cara Vandekraats), École Heather Park (Sarah Holland), Quinson (Ryan Clarke).
Meeting Start Time: 7:06 pm
Adoption of Agenda: Motion by College Heights: 2nd by Nukko Lake
Adoption of March Minutes: Motion by Pineview/PGSS: 2nd by College Heights
(a) PAC Networking
Kelly Road – another school dance, no problems
Hart Highlands – movie night, planning for a fun fair
Quinson – Very muddy school yard
PGSS/Pineview – Performance – The Missoula Theatres – directors from the US audition kids, prepare through the week and then perform on weekend. Did Beauty and the Country Beast.
Lac des Bois – in process of having swings approved. $15,000 to install 4 swings – have raised the funds.
College Heights – David Suzukin online birthday party, 17 groups practising for Red Cedar, Quiz Me starting.
Beaverly – Organizing a carnival for beginning of June
Nukko Lake – hopeful that playground may actually be useable. Was put in backwards, turned around and should now be useable. Losing Principal, Bill McIver as he is retiring – difficult.
Heather Park – is now having soap dispensers refilled! Looking to recruit Executive members for PAC. Principal making spreadsheets for allocations of resources. Playgrounds – a closed school playground to be moved for $38,000 to be put in the bus loop.
Pinewood – Had a dance where entry was by donation and all donations were made to the SPCA. DJ company donated services because it was a fundraiser. Family Fun Night was very well attended.
Spruceland – Principal, Anjula Corbin will be leaving and the Traditional School Principal will be the Principal of the new Spruceland Traditional School.
Edgewood – nothing to report.
Q to Don – What happened to the School Closure Transition Plan? Where is School Stores.
General Discussion: Much discussion about the Modular buildings that are to be installed at Malaspina and Glenview. They are fully funded by Provincial Government for the use of kindergarten children as all-day K is implemented in September. District has applied for 5 and knows it has 2 so far. Seems ridiculous that we are adding out-buildings to schools when all the west-end schools are at or over capacity and we have an empty school (Gladstone) in the middle of all of them. ECHE suggests a letter-writing campaign to George Abbott to change the funding formula so this type of thing isn’t deemed necessary.
Stakeholders Invited in at 7:40 pm.
(b) Reports
DPAC Chair Report – Don Sabo – see attached. Discussed benefits of electronic signage at schools and encouraged it as a fundraising effort.
Treasurer’s Report – Chris Finke – see attached. Expenditures ahead – BCCPAC Spring Conference – will come out of gaming grants.
Superintendent’s Report – Brian Pepper not in attendance but speaking notes attached.
Trustee Report – Lyn Hall present in place of Lois Boone. At Board Meetings they are now going to try to highlight the many positives in the district. Really want the press to pick up on these.
(i) RCMP Academy was well attended;
(ii) ICBC Your Add Here Campaign was won by a young lady at CHSS;
(iii) missed Kathy Hughes’ presentation on FAS.
(iv) Policy and Governance – minor revisions made for separate and private schools assisting students’ transition into G8.
(v) Bylaw #1, minor revisions – discussion around revising entire thing but will be put on back burner for now.
(vi) Graduation Ceremony at Baldy Hughes – Peter Goodall runs it. Folks get Dogwood through Centre for Learning Alternatives – 26 graduates this year.
(vii) Career Tech Program – in conjunction with CNC – believes it is best in the province. Now not enough applicants – funding is stable but can’t seem to attract folks. Tim Power is retiring but wants to come up with a plan to revitalize the program or shore it up before he leaves.
Questions from the floor about Bylaw #1, the sense of installing Modulars, what to do when schools are full, discussion around new school building in new developments (will not happen now).
PGDTA Report – Matt Pearce
(i) George Abbott made an appearance at the 95th BCTF AGM – this is the first time in 12 years that a Min. of Ed. has attended. Hopefully a sign of the thawing of the relationship.
(ii) Declining enrolment has ended in BC as a whole – there were 2500 more students this year and 290 less teachers – this means class sizes are up.
(iii) Locally there is concern from rural high schools in Valemount, McKenzie and McBride. There are not enough students to cover the costs of a teacher for a course – students are doing distance education, and the specialist teachers are leaving, so there is no proper support for the distance ed. courses. Of 22 kids that signed up for a DE course, only 2 completed it – a 9% success rate. This speaks to the problems of this type of learning and indicates that their opportunities are extremely reduced.
PGPVA Report – Cindy Heightman
(i) School Organization is beginning – planning for next year and making best projections they can for Fall in April – is usually completely different in September but they try their very best with the numbers they have.
(ii) Ministry has extended the satisfaction survey to determine parent perceptions of their school for Grade 4, 7 and 10 students. Get school code from Principal.
(iii) School Planning Councils – we need parents involved – plans are changing as we move to the inquiry approach and research-based practices.
CUPE Report – Lorraine Prouse
(i) School Org is a stressful time because of layoffs. Lot less stressful this year with only one school closure (Traditional).
(ii) Bargaining has come to a complete stop.
(iii) Rural Saskatchewan has low numbers of students but these students are fully educated – perhaps BC should look to Saskatchewan for answers to the rural school shortcomings indicated by Matt.
5(d) Parent Involvement Committee – Cara needs to leave so report now.
(i) Concentrating on new PAC’s
(ii) Anti-bullying workshop – Cara purchased video on bullying – would like a forum on bullying in the Fall with all partner groups. Parents need to be involved in solution – making. Will be needing volunteers. Need dates for video and Van Bien availability. DPAC will preview.
EPPC Report – Chris Finke
(i) Three new courses proposed – soccer, outdoor ed and one other – taken to the Board.
(ii) (ii) March 15th was last meeting and update was given on apprenticeship programs and others; RCMP Youth Academy, Skills Canada, Heavy Metal Rocks, BC Ambulance Ride Along Program – can’t ride along anymore, Guided Tours of Pulp Mills, Natural Resources
(iii) (iii) Secondary School Apprenticeship program – $50,000 towards this but lacking sponsors for kids to apprentice with. (iv) Shelley Niemay gave presentation on 5 learning foci – report attached.
ESC Report – next meeting next week
Policy and Governance – nothing to report
6(a) Announcements/New Business
(i) How do we increase PAC involvement? Want to raise DPAC and PAC in the media. The Volunteer Fair at the Mall – thinking of putting up a booth here and looking at costs for advertising through other media outlets.
College Heights suggests video presentation and info. put in newsletters
(ii) Communities that Care Presentation – excellent.
(iii) Need PAC’s to fill out proxy voting forms and fax down to BCCPAC and let DPAC know. We currently have 20 PAC’s and the DPAC as members of BCCPAC. Resolutions may change but spirit of resolution must remain.
(iv) Jacqueline Dockray puts name forward to be 2nd rep at the BCCPAC Conference and AGM along with Sarah Holland from the DPAC Executive.
Motion by ECHE: The PGDPAC #57 appoints Sarah Holland and Jacqueline Dockray as their representatives attending the BCCPAC Spring Conference and AGM and that all reasonable expenditures be covered.
LDB seconds the motion.
Possible alternates are Cliff MacLachlan and Dennis Fudge.
(v) Notice of DPAC AGM to be held on May 9th at Van Bien Training Centre.
(vi) Action Item – need to look at Constitution and Bylaws to see what requirements there are around executing elections.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn by Lac des Bois at 9:40 pm. Next meeting to be held on May 9th, 2011 at 7:00 pm.
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