Minutes December 2, 2019

LPCI School Council Meeting

Next Meeting:  Monday, February 3, 7pm in the library

Attendees:  Ruth Kelly, Anna Richter, Liz Hanson, Ian Aukema, Julie Sole, Kelly Green, Erika Boone, Ann Moffat, Resa Eisen, Alex Sabharwal, Karen Barasch, Greg Speirs, Marina Chernyak, Kirsten Glenister, Jen Tse, Catherine Wong, Ann McDermott, Edna Hussman, Rhonda Rossi, and others will be updated from the list.

Key Dates: 

  • NOW Grade 12s should book their grad photo session
  • Wed, Dec 4th Potential OSSTF Walkout (Winter Musicale to be rescheduled date TBD)
  • Thurs, Dec 5th Spirit Day
  • Fri, Dec 6th PA Day
  • Thurs, Dec 12th United Artists – LPCI Auditorium (tickets available on School Cash Online)
  • Wed, Dec 18th Teacher Thank You Breakfast
  1. Student Council Update – Ryan Knight, Student Council Liaison
    • Annual Charity Week raised just under $1,500 to be donated to Chai Lifeline Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting children and families affected with life-threatening and lifelong illness
    • The Annual Winter Holiday Family Initiative, supporting families in need during the holiday season, is collecting gift cards (excluding MC/VISA gift cards); sign-up forms are available now; 1 family per grade (4 families) in the area will receive support this year
  1. Principal’s Report – VP Ruth Kelly for Principal Flahat
    • On November 26th, Principal Flahat and the LP Wellness Committee students attended the Rotman School of Management’s Inaugural Conference on Mental Health: The Impact on Business & Canadians – a one-day conference on mental health awareness and it’s impact on the Canadian Economy
    • Very successful Charity Week took place in the North and South gymnasiums with events, booths and lots of school spirit
    • Grade 8 Info Night – very successful evening with a larger turnout than anticipated showcasing clubs, activities, student council, student ambassadors and a great amount of student involvement, organized by Mark Fischer in the Guidance Dept.
    • Parent-Teacher Interviews – good crowd, parents were pleased
    • The LPCI Hockey Team was scheduled to travel to Kingston on Sunday, November 30, however, due to severe weather near Kingston, travel was postponed until Monday with a 6am departure; student safety is of the utmost importance when considering team travel during severe weather events; a fatal accident did take place that night on the 401 near Kingston.
  2. Chair & Executive Report

 Approval of November 2019 Minutes

Anna Richter motioned to approve, seconded by Julie Sole

Chair Update – Liz Hanson

  • Job Action – there is the potential of an OSSTF walkout on Wednesday, December 4th, which will affect all staff; should an agreement fail to be reached by midnight on Tuesday, December 3rd, all classes will be cancelled for the day
  • See the TDSB Website and follow @twitter for updates
  • The Musicale Concert will be cancelled and rescheduled

(TBD) should job action take place

  • PA Day scheduled for Friday, December 6th – this will NOT CHANGE if there is a walkout on Wednesday
  • The Parent Thank You Breakfast will be postponed to

January due to potential job action (Happy Teachers =Happy Students”)

  • Suggestion for a dessert table in the staff room on Dec. 18 rather than breakfast, with the breakfast to take place in the new year.
  • Erika Boone is coordinating and will communicate the changes to the teachers

PIAC Update – Parent Involvement Advisory Committee

  • Liz and Kelly Green attended the PIAC Event on how to successfully operate a parent council
  • Various fundraising options were discussed – chocolates (Purdy’s, Laura Secord), Skyzone passes, FlipGive, Motion Care Massage to attend school events, Pizza Pizza)
  • What’s Up Walkin’ – runs 5 locations in Toronto – for depressed, bullied and anxious youth
  • TDSB Email Addresses to be assigned to all parents
  • School Messenger will be used by those with TDSB email addresses, is currently in use by TDSB office administrators and is connected to Trillium, the student information system and parent info site (Trillium will potentially be used by our parent council)

Welcome Committee @ Grade 8 Open House

  • LPCI Hints & Tips page handed out @ Parent Council table
  • Student Ambassadors in blue shirts, Buddies in yellow shirts
  • Photos taken of student volunteers and teachers – plan to include photos in future parent communication pieces to put faces to names

Communications Committee – Julie Sole, Marina Chernyak

  • Nothing to report; will be reporting in February at the next PC meeting

Treasurer’s Report – Ian Aukema (John Hiddema absent)

  • See attached/below report, dated Nov 28, 2019

Fundraising Update – Anne Marie Armstrong (absent @ LPCI Hockey Game)

  • Nothing to report; will be reporting in February at the next PC meeting

Wellness Committee – Kelly Green

  • 2nd Annual Wellness Fair for students took place Nov. 8 to address health, wellness and nutrition
  • The event was student-driven and the volunteers did a great job and the event was a big success
  • Teachers, social workers and nurses were present to share info
  • At the Rotman Conference on Mental Health (Nov. 26), the only students present were from LPCI; since the focus was on employers during the afternoon session, the info wasn’t as relevant to our students, however, the team bonded at the event
  • The Wellness Tea Club offers tea to anyone entering the school every Friday; tea donations are welcome or you can donate to the tea fund in the office

Equity Committee – Ann Moffet, Alex Sabharwal

  • The Equity Committee met with the Guidance Department and teachers
  • Black History Month (February) assembly is planned
  • A larger Equity event is in the works
  • Professional Development for teachers re: new Trans Accommodation Guide upcoming

Ward 8 Report – Erika Boone

  • Large Ward 8 Meeting took place with Trustee Shelley Laskin and 3

Superintendents, including Andrew Howard, our Ward 8 Superintendent

  • Shelley Laskin runs a comprehensive website – parents can sign up for her weekly updates which include any potential job action information

Community Updates – Anna Richter

  • Robberies outside of Avenue Rd. McDonald’s – 6 youth ages 14 to 16 were arrested by Police
  • Safety Tips were shared via the Eye on LPCI for parents to discuss with their kids
  • Town Hall Nov. 25 with City Councillors, including Mike Colle – current areas on concern that were discussed: congestion around Yonge & Eglington, safety around the many construction sites in the area, ongoing safety issues, traffic, intersection pedestrian safety
  • Test pilot @ Yonge & Eg in the works with construction hub coordinators – potential for additional crossing guards and intersection wardens
  • 26 Ward 8 Meeting @ Forest Hill Collegiate re: strategic planning & forecasting enrollment for LPCI revealed LPCI enrollment will be flat-lined for the next 10 years
  • Section 37 Funds have been eliminated across the province.
  • The term “Section 37” refers to the section of Ontario’s Planning Act which allows the City to ask for benefits to construct or improve facilities when a development requires a Zoning By-law amendment. Section

37 benefits differ from other revenue tools available to the City of Toronto. (Source: https://web.toronto.ca)

Safe & Caring School Committee – Resa Eisen

  • November meeting was cancelled; nothing to report

Facility Improvements Subcommittee – Greg Speirs

  • 2 major projects being considered: 1. Adding a new gymnasium, 2. Upgrades to the track/field areas
  • There are safety issues with the current north and south gyms which are substandard and too small to accommodate a regulation basketball court; a new larger gym could be added to either the north or south end of the building, which would require underground parking
  • Track/Field – resurfacing of current track, repaint lines, resurface the grass field
  • Funding for these capital improvement projects would have to be assessed via the TDSB Governance System which applies equity based on the academic criteria performance for the allocation of discretionary funds (i.e. LPCI is a leader in academic performance, therefore, it is highly unlikely funding would be allocated to LPCI)
  • Greg will ask Principal Flahat to speak with our Trustee about how to move forward
  • Potential fundraising campaign to fund track/field improvements plan
  • Consideration may be given to build a calsithenics park in one of the basketball area for community use
  • Principal Flahat is supportive of fundraising efforts and keen to start achievable fundraising efforts for improvement projects, and is particularly keen to invest in STEM-related projects which can positively impact all students (vs. athletic facilities which are geared to LPCI athletes)
  • Principal Flahat to meet with local Councillors to determine impact of Section 37 funds or lack thereof
  • Donations can be made via School Cash Online and directed to the TDSB, allocated by project
  • The general “Fundraising” button has been removed from the LPCI website and will start up again soon; students can request funds be allocation via School Cash Online
  • The annual parent social is a good source to promote fundraising efforts

Parent Engagement Subcommittee – Karen Barasch

  • TDSB reviewing how schools engage with parents
  • No date for next committee meeting
  • Karen has connected with Shelley Laskin and is keen to bring ideas and news to the table at the next meeting in February

French As A Second Language – Jen Tse

  • Jen was unable to attend Nov. 12 FSLAC meeting @ TDSB – Minutes yet to be posted on TDSB website
  • Canadian Parents for French hosting Canada’s 36th Annual French Public Speaking Contest in May 2, 2020 – info to be distributed by French teachers to students and parents – event takes place at Glendon campus of York U
  • Ongoing – French teaching staff recruitment
  • Noted that 2020 will be the last year for students to enter Extended French at Glenview

Parent Q&A

Parent Question: Would LPCI be willing to pay $250 to screen the documentary “Screenagers” (both student and parent versions of the program). For this fee, the program can be screened up to 3 times. Several other schools in the area will be doing so this year.

Answer: We don’t have $250 available, as the budget for the year has been determined and is already limited.

 Parent Question: What is going to be done to address the issue of the quality of the math program in Grade 10? Parent’s student is struggling with basic math concepts, which she believes were not provided in Grade 9. Parent has already met with current math teacher and child is still struggling, yet not attending extra help sessions being offered. Student is heavily involved with rep hockey.

Answer: Encourage student to attend extra help sessions. Other students with the same Grade 9 math teacher feel their students have acquired the basic skills. Perhaps this student will need outside help i.e. tutoring? Someone mentioned there is an Elite Athlete Program in place at LPCI which allows flexibility and accommodations for students involved in competitive sports at the Provincial level.

Parent Question: What can be done to improve the band enrolment numbers? 

Numbers are down to only 18 students!

Answer:  Perhaps a subcommittee can be formed by parents who are concerned about lack of interest in the music program?  Speak with Megan Wong, current department head.

Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 8:50pm by Liz Hanson. The next general meeting will be at 7pm on Monday, February 3rd , in the school library

Minutes submitted by: Jen Tse

Treasurer’s Report – November 28, 2019

Balance August 1, 2018:                                                                       $ 9,968.98

Revenue:     0.00

Expenses:

Website1                                                                       $1,275.66

Bank Charges                                                                        1.50

Student Success Fund disbursement                              2,513.00

Restricted Funds2                                                           1,050.00

  4,840.16

Revenue over Expenses:                                                                       (4,840.16)

Balance:                                                                                            $    5,128.823

Notes:

  1. Website costs of $1,189.87 have been submitted to TDSB for reimbursement.
  2. Credit Card required for website payments. Bank places a Hold on account for credit card.
  3. Includes $118.00 donated via TDSB Cash Online