Minutes St. Monica Elementary School Governing Board 3 October 2017

Transcription

1 AGENDA 1. Opening Remarks 2. Adoption of Agenda Governing Board Elections 3.1. Election Chairperson 3.2. Election Treasurer 3.3. Election Secretary 3.4. Nomination Community Representatives 4. Adoption of Minutes of Last Meeting Regular Meeting May 29, Public Question Period 6. Business Arising from the Minutes 6.1. Update Senior Yard Renovation Project 6.2. Update GB Request (New Anti-Bullying Strategies May 2017) 7. Reports 7.1. PPO Report 7.2. Principal's Report 7.3. Commissioner s Report 7.4. Regional Delegate s Report 7.5. Teachers' Report 7.6. Daycare Report 8. New Business 8.1. Approval Governing Board Internal Rules 8.2. Approval Meeting Dates 8.3. Approval Phys Ed Activities (Soccer Jamboree/Cross Country) 8.4. Approval Daycare Activities 8.5. Approval School Spirit Committee 8.6. Update Governing Board Annual Report Discussion Fundraising Priorities 8.8. Discussion Local Outreach to Daycares Re: Open Houses 9. Date of Next Meeting November 7, :00 pm (Tentatively) 10. Adjournment 1

2 MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE Mark Côté, Cynthia Di Rienzo, Joanne Hall, Hayley Juhl, Joseph Lalla, Denise Maroun, Peter Papastratis, Andrew Ross, Eric Rowles, Lynn Watson, Angela Zambito Members absent: John Cloutier, Jes Corbeil, Leighton Jacobs Also present: Pierre Turcot 1. Opening Remarks Andrew Ross welcomed everyone and started the meeting at 7:00 pm. 2. Adoption of Agenda Mark Côté moved to approve the agenda as presented by Andrew Ross. Peter Papastratis seconded. Adopted unanimously (Joanne Hall absent) Governing Board Elections 3.1. Election Chairperson Peter Papastratis nominated Andrew Ross as Chairperson. Mr. Ross accepted. Mr. Ross was elected by acclamation Election Treasurer Peter Papastratis nominated Hayley Juhl as Treasurer. Ms. Juhl accepted. Ms. Juhl was elected by acclamation Election Secretary Peter Papastratis nominated Mark Côté as Secretary. Mr. Côté accepted. Mr. Côté was elected by acclamation Nomination Community Representatives Mark Côté nominated Pierre Turcot as Community Representative. Andrew Ross nominated Avice Roberts-Joseph as Community Representative. Ms. Roberts-Joseph was not present but communicated her intention to accept the nomination before the meeting to Mr. Ross. Andrew Ross moved to approve Mr. Turcot and Ms. Roberts-Joseph as Community Representatives. Peter Papastratis seconded. Adopted unanimously (Joanne Hall absent). 2

3 4. Adoption of Minutes of Last Meeting Andrew Ross presented the minutes of the regular meeting on May 29, Eric Rowles moved to adopt the minutes as presented by Mr. Ross. Peter Papastratis seconded. Adopted with 4 for, 0 against, and 4 abstentions (Joanne Hall absent). 5. Public Question Period No questions. 6. Business Arising from the Minutes 6.1. Update Senior Yard Renovation Project Denise Maroun noted that the renovations to the senior yard were not done over the summer as originally planned. Irini Margetis, St. Monica s former principal, communicated to Ms. Maroun that the contractor stated that, unlike in the original plan, the asphalt should be excavated before the field turf is installed, rather than the turf being installed on the existing asphalt. This will result in an extra cost of approximately $2 500 on top of the original $ quote. There is no time for this construction to begin before winter, and thus it will need to wait until the spring or summer of There was some discussion that the school board beautification program may be available to offset the extra cost. There was general consensus that the project should proceed, given that it will allow for more activities in the senior yard during recess, lunch, and at other times. Hayley Juhl moved to adopt a proposal requesting St. Monica administration provide a recommendation by December 2017 for the beautification of the senior yard, including a mini soccer field, and that this recommendation include a timeline and budget allocation such that the work can begin in the spring or summer of Angela Zambito seconded. Adopted unanimously (Joanne Hall absent). Ms. Maroun proposed the formation of a subcommittee to investigate the background of the proposal, specifically how the budget was originally allocated. Peter Papastratis, Eric Rowles, and Angela Zambito agreed to form the subcommittee Update GB Request (New Anti-Bullying Strategies May 2017) Due to the transition of school administration, the requested report on new anti-bullying strategies has not yet been delivered. Andrew Ross moved to table the request until the November Governing Board meeting to give Ms. Maroun more time to prepare. Peter Papastratis seconded. Adopted unanimously. 3

4 Denise Maroun stated that she was in agreement with the importance of the request and promised to take a careful look at the bullying situation and prepare a presentation for November. 7. Reports 7.1. PPO Report No update, as the PPO has not yet met Principal s Report Denise Maroun introduced herself to the Governing Board. This is Ms. Maroun s first principalship. It is her 35th year in education. Ms. Maroun has a background in learning difficulties, loves education, and has enjoyed every year of her career. Ms. Maroun is excited to be at St. Monica, noting that there is every kind of child at the school and that there are very dedicated parents. Ms. Maroun stated that she is aware of the reports of bullying and takes them very seriously. She is confident that she can turn this situation around. Ms. Maroun is familiar with several anti-bullying programs and will be creating an overall strategy for dealing with bullying at St. Monica. Enrollment at St. Monica is now at 315 students, with a surge of new enrollments over the summer. New classes were formed at the beginning of the school year: a pre-k class, a grade 2 class, a grade 3/4 split, and a grade 5/6 split. There are currently 26 teachers, 12 of whom are new due to increased enrollment and some retirements and departures last year. The number of SEEDS classes has been decreased from two to one this year, with three children being integrated into regular classes. The construction on Terrebonne is nearly complete; busses have returned to their normal location. The kitchen renovations were completed, with a new island. The corn roast on September 8 was successful. The $ in surplus funds from the school board is currently being allocated; so far $4 000 will be spent on tutoring and $2 400 on library books. Updates to St. Monica s website are in progress. Ms. Maroun wants to ensure it is kept up to date. 4

5 Andrew Ross formally welcome Ms. Maroun on behalf of the Governing Board Commissioner s Report Joseph Lalla thanked everyone present for volunteering for the Governing Board. Enrollment is up at most west-end schools. Due to St. Monica s increased enrollment, there is now an additional 50% secretary. There is a workshop for Governing Board members in the evening of November 16 at the EMSB administration building. It is open to all Governing Board members. The workshop will go over the EMSB Governing Board manual. Andrew Ross volunteered to send a link to the Manual to the Governing Board ahead of time. The EMSB continues to do well. This is the third year in a row that a large surplus is forecast. The school board plans to provide extra funds at the beginning of the year to provide more time for their allocation. There will be a total of $2 million given to EMSB schools. Academically, EMSB schools are doing very well. EMSB scores are the highest of the 80 provincial school boards. There is an ongoing class-action suit against all school boards regarding school fees. Meetings of the Council of Commissioners are open to the public; the next is on October 25th Regional Delegate s Report The Central Parents Committee has not yet met. The general assembly is on October 12 at the EMSB building. The regional committees have been disbanded after a contentious, split discussion, as noted in the previous St. Monica Governing Board meeting minutes. Andrew Ross noted that he is also on the Marymount School Governing Board. Peter Papastratis moved to vote on a vice-chairperson next meeting when more parent representatives will be present. Angela Zambito seconded. Adopted with 7 for, 0 opposed, and 2 abstentions Teachers Report There are a lot of new staff; the current focus is getting procedures in place. The new staff are fitting in well. 5

6 The corn roast and Terry Fox run occurred recently, as did a soccer jamboree at Royal Vale. Swimming has started. There is a cross-country run for cycle 3 students. Garden workshops have also started Daycare Report The first after-school programs have started: sportsball, gardening, and science. 90 students have registered in before- and after-school daycare. 100 students registered for daycare for the upcoming ped day. 8. New Business 8.1. Approval Governing Board Internal Rules Andrew Ross presented the St. Monica School Governing Board Rules of Conduct & Internal Rules of Operation. Mark Côté proposed changing point 4., Quorum, to read a majority of parents representatives instead of at least half of the parents representatives. Mr. Côté moved to adopt the Rules as proposed by Mr. Ross and amended by Mr. Côté. Lynn Watson seconded. Adopted with 8 for, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention Approval Meeting Dates Andrew Ross proposed the follow dates for Governing Board meetings: Tuesday, October 3, 2017 Tuesday, November 7, 2017 Tuesday, December 12, 2017 (Christmas Social) Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Tuesday, February 13, 2018 Tuesday, April 10, 2018 Tuesday, May 8, 2018 Tuesday, June 5, 2018 Mark Côté proposed changing the date of the December 12, 2017, meeting to December 5, Lynn Watson moved to adopt the Governing Board meeting dates as proposed by Mr. Ross and amended by Mr. Côté. Angela Zambito seconded. Adopted unanimously Approval Phys Ed Activities (Soccer Jamboree/Cross Country) On September 24, 2017, Andrew Ross proposed, via , the following upcoming events for St. Monica students: 6

7 Event #1: GMAA soccer jamboree (this is a grade 5 & 6 sporting activity) Date: September 28th at Royal Vale School. Cost: $45 per student, paid for by the school. Notes: There is no bus, as the group would walk from St Monica to Royal Vale. Event #2: GMAA event, Cross Country Running Date/Location: October 11th at Beaver Lake (Mount Royal) Cost: $30 per student, paid for by the school. There will be no cost for the 25 students. Notes: The students will be accompanied by 2 teachers. John Cloutier moved to approve the events as proposed by Mr. Ross. Jes Corbeil seconded. Adopted unanimously with 10 for, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions, and 0 absent Approval Daycare Activities Angela Zambito proposed a list of ped-day daycare activities for Due to the fact that most of the activities required fees above the standard $9/day, there was general consensus of Governing Board members that events be approved only up to the end of 2017 in order to gauge attendance and parental feedback regarding the fees. Date: October 20, 2017 Activity: Pumpkin picking at Quinn s Farm Total fee: $21 Eric Rowles moved to approve the October 20, 2017, daycare activity. Cynthia Di Rienzo seconded. Adopted unanimously. Date: November 17, 2017 Activity: Pyjama party with special activities at the school Total fee: $9 Mark Côté moved to approve the November 17, 2017, daycare activity. Lynn Watson seconded. Adopted unanimously. Date: November 23, 2017 Activity: Sports with Concordia athletes Total fee: $13 Hayley Juhl moved to approve the November 23, 2017, daycare activity. Cynthia Di 7

8 Rienzo seconded. Adopted unanimously. Date: November 24, 2017 Activity: Camping and robots with Dynamix Total fee: $23 Eric Rowles moved to approve the November 24, 2017, daycare activity. Hayley Juhl seconded. Adopted unanimously. Peter Papastratis moved to extend the meeting to 9:20 pm. Mark Côté seconded. Adopted with 7 for, 2 opposed, and 0 abstentions Approval School Spirit Committee Andrew Ross moved to table this item until the next Governing Board meeting. Cynthia Di Rienzo seconded. Adopted unanimously Update Governing Board Annual Report Andrew Ross noted that he has yet to finalize the draft of the Annual Report. Mr. Ross will present it at the next Governing Board meeting Discussion Fundraising Priorities Various ideas for fundraising priorities were proposed: A barrier on Cavendish against the traffic, which will likely increase when the extension between the south and north parts of Cavendish is built. This barrier could be a dense bush. There may be greening grants available to offset the cost. It could also be combined with a sign on the gate to provide a presence on Cavendish, since the school s signage is currently only on Terrebonne. New sound system for the gymnasium. New musical instruments. Locker maintenance (repairs/replacements, paint). Renovations to second-floor bathrooms. Required extra funds for the senior-yard renovation project. Denise Maroun stated that she will determine if the surplus budget can be used against any of these items. There was general consensus that more time was needed for discussion of the fundraising-priority ideas, and that PPO fundraising activities could commence 8

9 without a concrete target. The Governing Board will revisit the item at the next meeting. Andrew Ross moved to extend the meeting to 9:30 pm. Mark Côté seconded. Adopted with 8 for, 1 opposed, and 0 abstentions Discussion Local Outreach to Daycares Re: Open Houses There was general consensus that minor updates need to be made to the St. Monica brochure. Peter Papastratis and Mark Côté volunteered to make specific proposals for updates. 9. Date of Next Meeting The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at 7:00 pm. 10. Adjournment Mark Côté moved that the meeting be adjourned. Angela Zambito seconded. Adopted unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 pm. 9

10 ST. MONICA SCHOOL GOVERNING BOARD RULES OF CONDUCT & INTERNAL RULES OF OPERATION October 26, 2015 The St Monica Governing Board is composed of parents, teachers, school staff and community representatives. It makes decisions regarding the school and is responsible for discussing all matters related to student success, including the educational project, as well as the features and expectations of the school community. The Governing Board (GB) is a legally-established body, mandated by Section 42 of the Quebec Education Act (R.S.Q., chapter I-13.3) and is required by Section 67 to establish rules for its internal management, and by Sections to adopt a code of conduct to be followed by its members. Rules of Conduct Members of the St. Monica School Governing Board will: Attend meetings regularly; Arrive on time; Advise the chairperson in advance if unable to attend; Raise their hand when they wish to speak; Wait for the chairperson to give permission to speak; Always address the chairperson when taking part in the discussion; Avoid speaking when someone else is speaking; Stay on the subject or motion being discussed; Keep their contribution to the discussion short and to the point; Avoid numerous interventions on the same topic; Be objective; Respect the right of others to express their opinions; Listen and speak politely; React to a point of view, never the person; Read all meeting documentation in advance; Fully understand any proposal or report that is presented before voting; Once a decision is taken, support that decision; Be willing to participate in activities of the Governing Board; Respect all rules of procedure and guidelines for conduct.

11 St Monica School Governing Board Rules of Conduct & Internal Rules of Operation Conflict of Interest Every member of the Governing Board who has a direct or indirect interest in an enterprise that places the member's personal interest in conflict with the interest of the school must, on pain of forfeiture of office, disclose the interest in writing to the principal, abstain from voting on any matter concerning the enterprise and avoid influencing the decision relating to it. The member must, in addition, withdraw from a meeting while the matter is discussed or voted on. A disclosure under the first paragraph must be made at the first meeting of the governing board (1) after a person having such an interest becomes a member of the governing board; (2) after a member of the board acquires such an interest; (3) during which the matter is dealt with. Rules of Internal Operation 1. Composition (Section 42, EA) The St. Monica Governing Board is composed of: Voting Members: 6 parents who are not members of the school staff, elected by their peers at the school's annual General Assembly; 5 members of the school staff, elected by their peers; 1 daycare representative, elected by his/her peers; Non Voting Members: 2 members of the community who are not members of the school staff, appointed by the members listed above. The principal shall take part in Governing Board meetings but is not entitled to vote. 2. Term of Office The term of office of the parent representatives is two years and the term of office of the representatives of the other groups is one year. The members of the governing board shall remain in office until they are re-elected, reappointed or replaced. A parents' representative whose child no longer attends St Monica may remain a member of the Governing Board until the next annual General Assembly. A vacancy resulting from the departure of a parents' representative shall be filled, for the unexpired portion of the representative's term, by a parent designated by the other parents' representatives on the Governing Board. 3. Chair Election of Chair: The chair is elected by the Governing Board from amongst the parents' representatives who are not members of the personnel of the school board. (Section 56, EA) Term of Office: The term of office of the chair is one year. (Section 58, EA) Meetings: The chair presides at the meetings of the Governing Board (S59, EA) 2

12 St Monica School Governing Board Rules of Conduct & Internal Rules of Operation Substitute Chair: Should the chair be absent or unable to act, the Governing Board will designate a person from among the eligible members for office to chair that meeting. (Section 60, EA) Role of the Chair: o o o The Chair prepares the agenda in collaboration with the school principal and ensures that meetings unfold in accordance with the rules of procedure that are in place. The Chair maintains order and decorum at meetings. The Chair is the official spokesperson for the Governing Board. 4. Quorum - A quorum is the majority of the members in office, including at least half of the parents' representatives. 5. Vote - Decisions of the Governing Board are made by majority vote of the members present and entitled to vote. (Section 63, EA) A member's vote by telephone will be accepted, provided that the quorum has already been reached in person. If votes are equally divided, the chair has a casting vote. 6. Meetings Meetings are held on the school premises. (Section 65, EA) Regular meetings are held at least 5 times per year (or once a month) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and may be extended by resolution. The annual calendar of meetings is adopted with the plan of action and is distributed to all parents. A meeting may be adjourned to a specific date and time if it appears that important business will not be concluded within the time limit of a regular meeting. A special meeting may be called to consider a matter that cannot wait until the next regular meeting. A notice shall go out to the GB members and parents 4 days prior to the special meeting. Electronic meetings: Under exceptional circumstances (e.g. extremely short deadline or during the summer months), the Governing Board may hold a special meeting and vote electronically on a matter, with a defined discussion period prior to the vote being closed. The Governing Board Chair sends the agenda (notice of meeting) electronically, accompanied by the motion and rationale for the necessity of an electronic vote. Members must have access to the other members' addresses so as to have the opportunity for discussion and an open vote. In the event that a member does not have an address, the Secretary or the Chair will contact the member by telephone. Members must be given a minimum of 48 hours to submit their vote electronically. The initial period is for discussion purposes, after which the chairperson will close the discussion and ask for a vote. Discussion and votes must be ed to all the members. If a majority of the members have submitted their vote within the voting period, the motion is either adopted or rejected. The first member to submit his/her vote in favour of the motion will be considered the mover and the second member will be the seconder. The Chair or the Secretary will advise all the members of the outcome of the vote. 3

13 St Monica School Governing Board Rules of Conduct & Internal Rules of Operation In order to provide a welcoming atmosphere for the public, the members of the Governing Board will have name cards placed in alphabetical order. The tables will be set up in a U-shape in order so that all members are facing the public. Where procedural questions arise, Robert s Rules of Order shall be applied. 7. Closed Session Meetings - The meetings of the Governing Board are public but may move into closed session if the matter to be discussed may cause injury to a person. This is done by resolution. (Section 68, EA). 8. Public Question Period - A public question period is included on the agenda at the beginning or at the end of the meeting. The period will not exceed 10 minutes and is for questions to be addressed to the Chair of the Governing Board only. Persons interested in making a presentation must make a request to the school principal at least one week prior to the meeting. 9. Rules of Decorum - Members of the GB and of the public must: Be recognized by the Chair for the right to speak Address the chair when speaking Show respect for the points of view of others Respect the right to speak of others Refrain from speaking out of turn Refrain from using profanity Maintain a respectful tone at all times 10. Reports - Oral reports from the principal, commissioner or regional delegate will be permitted and the GB sets aside 5 (or 10, etc.) minutes for each report. 11. Agenda - The agenda is sent to the members one week prior to the meeting (by , etc.) and is posted in the school. The items are listed on the Agenda by order of priority Items can be added to the agenda at the meeting subject to approval by the members. 12. Minutes of the Governing Board The minutes of the proceedings of the GB must be sent to the members with the documents for the following meeting. The minutes of a meeting are approved at the beginning of the following meeting and will be modified if they are inaccurate. After being approved by the GB, the minutes should be signed by the chair that adopted them and countersigned by the principal or a person designated by the principal, who keeps them in the register of the minutes. The principal or a person designated by the principal is responsible for the registers and documents of the GB. 13. Modifications to the Rules of Internal Management - The Rules of Internal Management are reviewed in October of each school year and any modifications deemed necessary are proposed at that time. Proposals for changes to the rules must be approved by the members. 4