DRAFT Minutes – September 10, 2012

Brian Pepper – DPAC Sept 2012

DPAC Meeting Minutes Sept 10th, 2012

2012 Sep – Trustee Cooke Report to DPAC

Information on school wide positive behaviour support – http://www.pbis.org/school/swpbis_for_beginners/default.aspx

DPAC MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2012

7:00 p.m. Van Bien Training and Development Centre

 

Attendees:

DPAC Executive:               Sarah Holland (Chair), Gillian Burnett (Treasurer), Jacqueline Dockray and Darlene Campbell (Directors).

Partner Groups:               Brian Pepper, Superintendent; Kate Cooke, Trustee; Matt Pearce and Tina Cousins, PGDTA; Lorraine Prouse and Margaret Karlson, CUPE; Faith MacKay, PGPVPA; Gurbind Deo, DSAC.

School Reps:                      Darlene Campbell, Nusdeh Yoh; Colleen Smith, Beaverly; Jacqueline Dockray and Lara Beckett, College Heights Elementary; Chriss Finke, DP Todd; Darlene Campbell, Duchess Park; Melanie Pierce, Edgewood; Shauna Connor, Lac des Bois; Trista Spencer, Malaspina; Lotte Andersen, Nukko Lake; Wayne Beatch, Peden Hill; Sarah Holland, Heather Park; Michelle Rolfes, PGSS and Pineview; Don Sabo, Pinewood; Ryan Clarke, Quinson; Dennis Fudge, Spruceland

 

1.                  Adoption of Agenda

Unanimous consent

 

2.                  Adoption of April 2, 2012 Minutes

Unanimous consent

 

3.         Letter of resignation, Don Sabo – Don explained to membership that job action kept him in the position of chair.  Now he feels there are no major issues facing the district right now and felt it was a good time for a new chair to step in.

Motion by DP Todd:  To purchase a gift for the departing chair, Don Sabo, the amount of which is at the discretion of the Executive.

Seconded by Quinson –  Carried by more than 75%

 

  1. 4.                  Executive Board Report – see attached.

 

5.         Elections – Secretary and Vice-chair – nobody willing.  Suggestion to rotate minute-taking through membership.  Suggestion to pay a G11 or 12 student to take minutes.  No motions made or action taken on either of these suggestions although both seemed generally acceptable to membership.

 

6.         PAC Networking

  • Quinson installed a garden – ½ dozen planter boxes and chain-link fence.
  • Lac des Bois – new playground was installed over the summer.  332 kids.  Lots of new staff and 66 K kids
  • Pineview has a new principal – Mrs. Wildwood.
  • Edgewood – increased by one division – 180 kids
  • Pinewood – new principal – Rob Larson.
  • Spruceland – Secretary was requesting cash only for school fees – is this right?  Everyone agreed it should be cash or cheque.
  • Duchess Park – football has been on since mid-July and 2 games played.  Going to Vancouver to compete against Rick Hanson School.
  • Nusdeh Yoh – Gaming has been applied for.  Told to give records for 2006.  Office for PAC Executive now in place.  $50,000 received for new playground – have been in touch with Henderson, but it will probably be spring before it is in.
  • College Heights – down two divisions, lots of new staff, cross country running and choirs up and running. Power of One anti-bullying presentation coming up.
  • Nukko Lake – 5 divisions, wiener roast, great male basketball coach.
  • Beaverly – new principal.
  • Peden Hill – rotating DPAC reps. Resource teacher left.  Quite a changeover in PAC.  Will represent at DPAC as long as he needs to.  Wants to pursue a band program for the school.  How to proceed?  Suggested that they talk to Brian Pepper and Chris Finke.
  • Heather Park – French program continues to grow.  Positive  behavior support program.  3 day conference in Vancouver that principal wants to send Cupe member, Teacher and parent to.  Kiddie playground installed.

 

9(a)                     Carolyn Duerksen – Calling for new members for choir – Tapestry Singers.  She is director.  Has been a Music Educator for the past 19 years.  Please spread word to encourage new members by putting up poster and mentioning at PAC meeting.  She will attend a PAC meeting to provide more info. if wanted.

 

  1. 6.                Reports

(a)                DPAC Chair Report – see attached.

(b)               Treasurer’s Report – see attached.  Were able to move Gaming Funds into General Account.  PAC’s have 3 years to spend gaming money before it is clawed back.  DPAC’s have only one year.  We need a Budget Committee.  Previous Committee is reestablished.  Gillian will Chair, Chris, Darlene, one other preferred.

Motion by Gillian:  To hold an election for a Financial Review Committee.  Seconded by Duchess Park.  Darlene, Chris and Sarah volunteer.  Motion carried.

Motion by Gillian: To remove Don Sabo as signing authority on accounts and add Jacqueline Dockray.  Seconded by Pineview.  Motion Carried.

(c)           Superintendent Report – see attached.  Please let Mr. Pepper know if we would like him to stay after his report so he can plan for it.  A:  yes it is useful to be able to ask questions over the break period Q. about blog – he will get back to it perhaps within the next week and will put out a couple a month. Q. about school supplies – got to the teacher, vice-principal, principal and assistant superintendent in that order of not satisfied. Q. Peden Hill – is there something in place to ensure that our kids are being educated at an equivalent level to global expectations?  A:  BC sits typically between 4th and 6th place in world.  Finland considered the best, Alberta 2nd BC 3rd to 5th.  Neck and neck with other Canadian jurisdicitions. Q. Peden Hill re: band. – A: talk to principal and will seek guidance from assistant superintendent. Q: Is there a Superintendent of Reading for each district?  Government is hiring more superintendents while the resources at schools continue to be cut.  A:  These are Ministry staff – not paid for by Districts – many fewer postitions in the Ministry.  Q:  DP Todd – Will FSA’s go extinct with the new BC Education Plan? A:  Curricula being worked on – broader curriculum mandates to allow teachers to delve deeper.  Parents, teachers, administrators will be asked for input.  Curriculum will change.

(d)          Trustee Report – see attached.

(e)         PGDTA Report – 1000 members.  Go to teachers first with any concerns and call the PGDTA office with questions.  Bill 22 – removed right to strike, froze wages for 2 years, removed right to bargain classroom size and composition.  Supreme court ruled this should be allowed.  Been fighting this illegal stuff since 2002.  Bill changed School Act.  Removed all mention of classroom composition.  No limits and no requirement for reporting on IEP’s anymore.  Removed class size limits in K-12.  Removed requirement for district averages in classroom size.  Removes reporting requirement on class sizes by Superintendent.  Brought in a scheme that teachers call “cash for kids”.  Teachers to be paid extra for any more kids in class over 30.  Our teachers will not ask for that money.  Is unethical – will grieve and ask for money for prep time instead.

Where we sit globally vs. investement.  We are in 8th position.  Every western province, ON, QC, NB are ahead of us in funding per student.  Has slipped over last 10 years.  How long can we compete with jurisdictions tat do invest in education?

A parliamentary secretary has been put in place for Private Schools.  Private Schools want access to money to repair their buildings – these are public monies.  Not in favour of this.  Should repair buildings with own resources.  Concerns for us.  Tecaher’s Union spending 4.5 milliion to make sure that this type of issue is out there for the public to be aware of.

(f)          PGPVPA Report –Faith McKay – principal of College Heights Secondary – fair bit of movement of kids in and out.  Capacity issues at Duchess Park, College Heights and DP Todd.  Startup going well.  Excited because admin is able to meet with teachers again.  Schools are running as they should once more.

(g)          CUPE Report – Lorraine Prouse with Margaret Karlson who is vice-president – Lorraine planning on retiring.  Served notice to resume bargaining in near future.  Provincial and Local bargaining – dollars with province.  EA’s have reduced hours.  If work less than 17.5 hours per week, they are no longer eligible for medical/dental etc.  If work less than 20 hours per week, are below poverty line.  This will be a bargaining issue to increase all E.A.’s to 32 hours across the province.

(h)          DSAC Report – Focus on bullying and effects on students and atmosphere at school .  Much worse than would expect.  Any collaboration or ideas?  They are open to suggestions/optioins.  Pinewood asked if DSAC report could be moved before Superintendent’s report.  Will do.  Rueben was Youth of the Year this year.

 

8.      Committee Reports

(a)               Conference Committee – $25,000 budgeted conference in collaboration with BCCPAC.  4 breakout session, keynote speaker, Minister of Education we hope.  Would like to increase our budget to fund tickets to this for all our PAC’s.  BCCPAC has set ticket price at $65.  Wanted $5000 which would fund 2 members from each PAC to attend.

Motion by Nukko Lake:  To request that $2500 be added to the conference budget in order to fund 2 member from each PAC to attend the BCCPAC Northern Regional Conference.  Seconded by College Heights.  Motion Carried by over 75%.

October 19th, talk on New Graduation Requirements – Friday evening at Duchess Park.

Q:  Duchess Park – will 2 members be funded whether they are BCCPAC members or not?  Yes.

Q: Peden Hill – Can more than two approach DPAC for funding if more folks want to attend?  A:  If money available from others who don’t go, perhaps can use this left-over money.

We are looking for volunteers, and volunteers get to attend for free.

Sessions:  Geoff Hopkins – Gulf Islands Superintendent on personalized learning.  Anti-bullying, Treasurer 101, Body Smarts, Supporting Child’s Learning, Risk Assessment, School Planning Council, Care and Feeding of your Principal, BC Education Plan and others.

Max Number – 100 or so.  Half sessions are geared toward PAC Executive and half to parents in general.  Should get this posted on district website – will talk to Brian Pepper.

(b)               Education Services Committee Report –see attached.  Can now talk about this before a Board Meeting.  Kelley Road roof was repaired with Board approval, but didn’t put out to tender – an emergency.  Giscome modular replacement discussions continue.  Five year capital plan for replacing, for instance, Kelley Road.  Proposed Fortis solutions for geothermal boilers etc.  Discussions on upgrades that happen at various schools over summer.  Portable mothballed at ECHE because numbers have declined even though people were turned away from the school.

9.               Announcements/New Business

(c)                 Report on Food Safe Workshop – Was good.  Will probably require recertification in 5 years or so.  $89/person .  Can have up to 20 folks and should consider again for Fall.

(d)                BCCPAC Conference Report – Very valuable and worth attending.

 

  1. Other Business

(a)                PAC Planner – do we think it is worth spending time and money on?  Please take back to PAC’s and ask if they would use.  Report back.

(b)               Q from Sarah – should we put time limits on our partner groups?  A:  Request Partner Groups provide their reports ahead of time to attach to agenda and then provide 5 minutes maximum to underline the most important items.

 

Meeting adjourned 9:50 pm.

 

 

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