West Oak Public School Council Meeting Minutes

Monday, Oct 15, 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

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Instructions to School Council: Please review and bold your name if you approve these minutes

Attendees (4 staff, 7 members, 0 guests)

Maria Solomon-Dias (Principal)

Lesley Andrews (Vice-Principal)

Lindsay Clarke (Teacher Rep)

Michelle Rol (Teacher Rep)

Vivek Kansal (Chair)

Sarah Reid (Treasurer)

Inderpreet Parmar (PIC) - not present

Kate Kuok

Bethy Brink

Viki Nikas

Jolene Burkart

Katherine Spiros 

Regrets

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Action items are highlighted in yellow below. Approved items are in red.

1. Welcome - Vivek

   • Meeting started at 6:32 PM

   • Introductions of attendees

2. Treasurer Report - Sarah 

   • Total funds in our accounts: $13,097.61

   • Panago projected to be $2K

   • BBQ about $200 project before GST rebate

   • PIC money speaker  - Linda. How much if we just do the adult one as the students/parent option was above budget - Inderpreet to confirm

     1. Maria will come up a few more names for us to explore

   • Remaining funds available in fundraising account is $1910.38

3. School Update

   • Principal’s report: 

     1. PA Day discussed literacy for the students

     2. PA Day discussed math looked at common task for each division so kids will get a common task in class and then the results will be brought back to the teachers to review results

     3. Did work around belonging. Will implement school activities to increase awareness and belonging 

     4. Aggregate EQAO results and student surveys reviewed 

• Teacher Report: 

  1. Eco club has started 5-8 on Mondays

  2. GSA - Thursdays first break 6-8

  3. STEM club 7,6,5 a lot of student participation so grades split up over time

  4. Concert band

  5. Junior Choir

  6. Senior girls volleyball

  7. Vex IQ Robotics 

  8. Booked Halton Women's Place for grade 7’s on relationships, looking at other grades

  9. Art fundraiser is being actively worked on in class

  10. West Oak hosting VEX robotics this year

  11. VEX robotics is a grade 5-8 initiative 

4. Council Discussion – Planning Ahead (Vivek)

   • Bus subsidy - approximate costs 

     1. $350/bus to south end of Milton, burlington

     2. Hamilton $571/bus

   • Grades 2 - 1 bus, Grade 1 - 3 busses

     1. School Council will start funding with $200 per class for bus and we will add as we get more money

5. New Business/Parent Questions 

   • Ski Trip - poor turnout based on previous years - 63 out of 200 or so participated.  Costs are high about $80/kid and rising. Increasingly difficult for teachers to manage. Looking at alternative such as skating. Not sure what that will be.  Jolene will send Maria information on skating in Mississauga large enough for the number of participants. Celebration Square. Something will go out in the WAG letting everyone know there will be a winter trip.

   • Overnight Trip - is it cancelled? Nothing has been planned. Very Costly $500+/per student., not as accessible for everyone, accountability increasing greatly with medication and individual student needs, significant teacher commitment/volunteer time. Parent volunteers will not work (kids don't want their parents there in addition to kids not being trained on how to handle overnight situations)

     1. Teachers will review and discuss all options with grade 8’s directly.  Explore multiple larger day trips - students will be surveyed and spoken to as a whole group to explain limitations 

   • Survey to community about fundraising feedback 

Meeting adjourned 8:15pm

NEXT MEETING:  Monday December 9, 2024  6:30-8:00pm In Person & Virtual