DPAC Meeting Minutes Dec 3, 2012
DRAFT – DPAC MINUTES FOR December 3, 2012
7:00 p.m. Van Bien Training and Development Centre
Attendees:
DPAC Executive: Sarah Holland (Chair), Chris Finke (Vice Chair & A/Secretary), Gillian Burnett (Treasurer), Jacqueline Dockray (Director), Darlene Campbell (District Associate) & Steve Shannon (Director).
Partner Groups: Brian Pepper, Superintendent; Kate Cooke, Trustee; Tina Cousins, PGDTA; Lori Dennill, PGPVPA;
School Reps: Darlene Campbell, Nusdeh Yoh & Duchess Park; Inge Culhane, Edgewood Elementary; Jacqueline Dockray, College Heights Elementary; Chris Finke, DP Todd Secondary; Elena Thomas, Ecole Lac des Bois; Lotte Andersen, Nukko Lake Elementary; Sarah Holland, Heather Park Elementary; Michelle Rolfes, Pineview Elementary; Shannon Baird, PGSS; Don Sabo, Pinewood Elementary; Ryan Clarke, Quinson Elementary; Dennis Fudge, Spruceland Traditional; Steve Shannon, Kelly Road Secondary &Hart Highland Elementary; Barb Oke, Vanway Elementary; Maureen Schulting, Buckhorn Elementary.
1. Call to Order
(a) Secretary for December 3rd DPAC meeting – Chris Finke
2. Adoption of Agenda
(a) Additions (amendments) to Agenda
i. Secretary for January DPAC meeting.
ii. PAC funds (including Gaming) paid to schools.
iii. Point of Order (Don Sabo) – nature or method of determining speaking points brought before School Board meetings.
(b) Agenda adopted as amended.
3. Adoption of November 5th, 2012 Minutes
Minutes adopted as presented.
4. PAC Networking
? Heather Park – doing raffle again this year – looking at options. Did Canucks raffle last year.
? Ecole Lac des Bois suggestion – “dime & cash” style raffle.
? Hart Highlands & Kelly Road – organized hockey game with Duchess Park. Winter carnival.
? Pinewood – fund raising – Purdy’s chocolates & teachers raised $200 for food.
? Edgewood – hot lunches and fund raising (Purdy’s chocolates).
? Nukko Lake – silent auction fundraiser.
? Pineview – cake auction – getting $100 for some cakes.
? Spruceland – bingo night with prizes. Dennis Fudge voted down “Nutritional Break” name change.
? Duchess Park – presenting “Miracle on 34th” from December 10th to 14th.
? Lac des Bois – trying to get rink up and running. Are looking for ideas to get kindergarten parents involved.
? College Heights – not fundraising. Want to raise issue of social networking Internet – Had RCMP presentation. Presentation ended with cyber-bullying and “sexting” – 3:1 ratio of “sexting” to cyber bullying. Morning & afternoon presentations – cost $2500. PAC paid $600 for parent presentation.
? Looking to partner with PGDTA in the new year (January) and offer evening for parents.
? DP Todd – Leadership event – Grade 8’s going to “The Hobbit” on December 21st. PAC paying for bus.
? Buckhorn – Christmas raffle – people provide donations.
5. ERASE presentation – Susan Johnson – new assistant District Superintendent, Cindy Heitman & Tabatha Grigg (Principal, Spruceland) – see Handout.
Christy Clark announced program June 1st.
5-year action plan.
SD 91 and SD 51 attended presentation.
4 types of bullying:
1. Physical.
2. Verbal.
3. Social & Emotional.
4. Cyber.
Lori Dennill (Principal, Giscome & Blackburn) gave a presentation.
Dovetailed with ERASE – PBS (Positive Behaviour Support) training – reflects on school code of conduct.
Tabatha’s Grigg – presentation – PBS “STARS” program at Spruceland.
15 to 20 person team meets monthly.
Members have had ERASE training.
PBS is systemic framework that works with “Virtue” program.
Learning intentions: STAR expectations & behavior.
S = Safety
T = Teamwork
A = Acceptance
R = Respect/Responsibility
Virtues are “infused” monthly – December’s virtue is “honesty.”
Kindergarten skill – range from “1 to 5.”
Showed a 2 minute video (germs – how to wash hands, sneezing/coughing, superstar quiz).
Students address monthly issues – make movies around school.
Cindy Heitman – safer schools working committee formed.
ERASE bullying information added.
SD 57 web page – “LiveBinders” site
Went through safer schools document and showed what was in the various tabs.
E.g., online pages for reporting bullying.
Links to ERASE bullying.
“No name calling” week.
6. Partner Group Presentations
(a) DSAC Report – DSAC worked on summary of opinion on various BC education structures to put on the BC Education website. Requested copy of December 3rd DPAC meeting minutes.
(b) CUPE Report – CUPE representative is in Vancouver, but wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
(c) PGPVPA Report – “Merry Christmas” from Lori Dennill
(d) PGDTA Report – see attached
Tina Cousins attended.
She mentioned 1 acronym – PGDTA which stands for Prince George District Teachers Association.
?“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas”? – tune put up on classroom bulletin board.
Arts & crafts – are fine motor-based or arts-based activities. Kids learn about different cultures & celebrations around the world.
November – PGDTA focused on student poverty in classrooms.
Teachers participated in “Casserole Style” march. They collected a truckload of donations that were given to the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Hats & blankets made for the “Chili Blanket” event.
Various school events designed to combat child poverty.
Have daily breakfast, and monthly hot breakfast and lunch programs.
Food & toy drives to raise awareness of local food bank.
Extra food and gloves/mitts for kids in need.
Purchase school supplies.
Collect coats, snow pants, boots, mitts & hats.
Money for Kenya & Christmas food drive.
Donations for St Vincent’s & SPCA “dog bone” tree.
$35 collected – turkey and a toy – collected $1400 last year.
Betty Bekkering attended child poverty symposium – important to make community connections.
(e) Professional Employees Association – Thanked DPAC for invitation to DPAC meeting. PEA representative is unable to attend. Hope to attend January meeting. Will confirm closer to meeting date.
(f) Superintendent Report – see attached.
(g) Trustee Report – see attached.
7. Officer and Committee Reports
(a) DPAC Chair Report – see attached.
(b) Treasurer’s Report – see attached.
(c) Budget Committee Report (Gillian Burnett).
Grants offered to different school PACs.
Need to set up application form on website.
Darlene sought clarification around amount of grant monies available yearly for school PACs.
? $3000 a year over 4 years.
Vanway asked if $200 was enough for anti-bullying workshop. Example – $600 for a larger workshop with more PACs.
Question if it was 1st come 1st served.
Determine selection criteria – PACs that have not hosted event versus 1st come 1st served.
Gillian suggested having each PAC apply for 1 grant.
Nukko Lake suggested having “family” of schools’ PACs do something in bigger group and request larger grant monies.
Spruceland suggested???
College Heights commented the criteria needs to be determined so everyone’s needs are satisfied.
Darlene Campbell recommended taking criteria discussion back to budget committee and fine tune it.
Action – take back to committee and bring selection criteria back to DPAC.
(d) EPPC Committee Report – see attached.
(e) Education Services Committee Report – see attached.
Good news is there are more elementary kids than high school kids in school district.
Hixon Elementary is finding more ways to use school as a “Neighbourhood Learning Centre.”
Kelly Road has had their roof rebuilt.
Question from Pinewood regarding partnership input. Steve responded there has always been partnership input while he’s been on ESC.
(f) PAC Café Committee – see attached.
PAC survey results re: interest in PAC networking lunch event.
Van Bien with self-serve buffet vs Ramada with catered lunch.
College Heights – goal of session clearly spelled out – session would be about outreach & getting PACs together.
Send back to committee to book a venue for PAC Café and networking lunch.
8. Announcements/New Business
(a) Food Safe course – scheduled for January 19th at Heather Park.
$17 – lunch, booklet & exam included.
20 spaces available.
1st come 1st served – PACs to pay for their own people to attend or reimburse them.
Will be up on website by end of week.
Will offer future course.
(b) PAC survey results – asked how involved in DPAC/PAC.
Interest in:
? Receiving PAC planner.
? DPAC offering grants to PACs.
? PAC networking lunch.
How can DPAC help PACs.
How PACs have used their $200 Staples gift cards – DPAC will report back to Staples thanking for the gift cards.
Suggestion to add DPAC website at top of the Agenda.
(c) PAC Planner – motion from College Heights
Found out some prices – 40 coil bound between 30 and 50 pages – quoted $320.00.
Motion – form PAC planner committee to create PAC Planner and to have copies printed up. Cost/budget not to exceed $600.
2nd by Pinewood. Motion carried.
PAC Planner Committee Volunteers – Darlene Campbell, Jacqui Dockray and Shannon Baird.
(d) District Calendar committee asked to have 2 DPAC members attend.
Members/volunteers – Maureen Schulting (Buckhorn) and Darlene Campbell (Nusdeh Yoh & Duchess Park).
(e) Management & Finance committee of the whole – Sarah Holland and Gillian Burnett.
Each year district develops budget – determines where funding is going? With new School Board trustees have opened up to DPAC and partner groups for input.
(f) Northern BC Children and Families Hearing Society – request for DPAC member to sit on Board.
Gillian has expressed interest to sit on Board.
Gillian appointed DPAC representative to Northern BC Children and Families Hearing Society.
9. Other Business
(a) Secretary at January DPAC meeting – will take back to DPAC Executive and select “sacrificial lamb.”
(b) PACs – concern over whether school provides receipt.
If PAC gives cheque to school – PAC should be given receipt from school.
For Gaming funds – additional form if gaming funds used – there is Gaming summary that is required.
District completes receipt – PAC remains compliance Gaming.
Info will be on DPAC website.
(c) Point of Order – Don Sabo.
Issue is whether or not DPAC Chair should consult with DPAC executive regarding speaking points prior to school board meetings.
Sarah provided brief explanation and ruling of the Chair on this question. Let general membership decide if they want more discussion.
Point of Order is brought before DPAC Chair who then rules on the Point of Order.
General membership conducts business at 10 meetings a year.
DPAC Executive represents the general membership and is empowered to conduct the business of DPAC in between general meetings and prior to school board meetings.
Executive decisions made by majority vote of Executive. Executive communication includes use of email.
Spokesperson is Chair who speaks to decisions and policies of an organization – no “power” to make decision.
Decision/ruling of Chair – both general membership and Executive has authority to require spokesperson to consult or seek approval of speaking points before school board meetings.
Chair and Executive determine what talking points are discussed prior to school board meeting.
Executive members have duty to society to ensure the spokesperson acts within scope of his or her authority.
Executive does not have power to override decisions of the general membership.
Decision is based on our current governing documents, i.e., bylaws, policies, rules of order.
Recommend adding time (i.e., 5 minutes to monthly DPAC agenda to discuss speaking points with DPAC general membership for input at school board meeting.
Members may want to develop policy for “spokespeople” or amend Bylaws to establish parameters around Executive decisions between general meetings.
(d) ERASE bullying – Spruceland requested a follow up presentation in January or February 2013.
(e) Spruceland – request for report out on year round “balanced” school calendar from Ecole Lac des Bois at next meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 pm.
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