Minutes April 8, 2019

LPCI School Council Meeting

Next Meeting: Monday, May 6 2019

Attendees: Erika Boone, Jordana Berger, Gillian Wyett, Dorothy Carson, Krista Glenister, Jean Choi, Beth Wilkins, Dorothy Larkin, Jill Bellenger, Bryan Seaton, Sharon Gregory, John Hiddema, Susan Shinkoda, Dawn Morris, Jean Pearson, Sabah Hassan, Jodi English, Andrew O’Malley, David Cargill, Veronica Bak, Will Barbour, Madeleine Pepper, Frances Sutherland, Scott Morson, Rindy Bradshaw,Jennifer Wilmer, Dani Morrison, Jocelyn Gomes, Anne Maenhaut, Nicole Spence, Colin Ground, Tara Benedetti, Tia Butler, Melissa Ngo, Suzanne Duras, Kelly Green, Julie Sole, Liz Hanson, Ian Aukema, Suzanne Sparrow, Joel Gorenkoff, Anna Richter

Some important dates discussed :

  • April 11, 12th – LP Play “Little Woman” – Mr. Stamp joined to share how the students are working very hard and it will be a great play. Come on out!
  • May 2nd – May Lyrics – LP Spring Music Concert!
  • May 3 – Identify if want to run for School Council Elections, Campaign May 6 to17.
  • April 7 – Wellness Fair
  • April 12 – Report Cards go out
  • April 25th – 7pm LP Library / Auditorium – Discussion on Semestering at LP for 2020. Staff has final decision, Staff are in favour. Come out to hear more!
  • April 29th – Wellness Week
  • Summatives – start in about 2 weeks.
  • Exam Schedules – Come out May long weekend.

Students’ Council Report: Will and Maddie

  • LP Wear – is in, ready for pickup
  • May 3week – School Council Nominations – Complete by Friday May 3
  • May 6 and 17 – Campaign week, voting, election in second week on May 17th
  • Originally was 1 week but some students were away for sports teams, so this way they had more time.
  • School Play – Thursday & Friday, April 9& 10 – Little Woman – All come out.
  • Youth Volunteer Committee – April 24th
  • Music – May Lyrics – May 2nd
  • Wellness Fair – tomorrow – April 9th

Executive Council Report: Anna, Julie, Ian, Kelly, Anne Marie, Liz

Approval Of Previous Meeting Minutes: Feb 4th, 2019 meeting
Motioned by: Jean Pearson seconded: Scott Morson
Ian Aukema is now Treasurer. Thanks Tina Eng for your volunteer time on LP School Council!!

Nomination Of John Hiddema As Community Member To LP School Council
John is the current Treasurer at Glenview, active on rebuild of Davisville PS, expressed interest in becoming involved in LP School Council, welcome to allow John to be active through summer months and leading into Fall 2019 which promises to be a challenging time for public education. We thank John for his early commitment to LPCI.
Motion to nominate John Hiddema as community member to LP School Council: Brian Seaton; Seconded by: Liz Hanson & Ian Aukema

Follow Up to Previous Meeting:

Calendar App: Julie Sole

  • Communication Working Subcommittee – council parents (Julie, Anna, Kelly), school admin and students to develop mechanisms to improve communications
  • Julie, Anna & Kelly attended Staff presentation for My School App on Feb 6, subsequently rolled out. Principal will speak about it later in this meeting
  • Friesens was invited to present at our meeting tonight but not available, prefers daytime meeting; parents indicated they are not interested in daytime event. Joel suggested staff/students can do for parents in the fall.

Parent Question: Is there a website with tutorials:
Answer: School Council Website will have links on it to the company that makes the app.

Charitable Status – Ian & Anna :
Proposed Meeting with board assistant comptroller and school principal scheduled for Friday April 12th to review TDSB options for collecting donations and managing the funds, accessing funds, etc.

In The Interim

Follow Up To Previous Funding Allocations: Anna Richter

  • From Dec allocations: goods obtained ( 3d printer, jerseys, panther of the week t-shirts, hot water urn) & receipts provided by school. The stage lights however, have not yet been installed; we are still waiting for an electrician, despite Anna contacting Shelley Laskin at the end of January and again after March break.
  • VERY disappointing: Students have missed the benefit of our donation for Dance Show, Kiwanis festival, Sears Drama Festival, and now School Play, this week.
  • Joel’s Comment – Someone was out to look at the job but no work done.
  • March 1 SC funding allocations posted on website, school has ordered the graphics printer, additional sport jerseys, VR goggles, and Shakespeare workshop
  • Developing needs to be discussed with the principal ASAP
  • Additional jersey costs had been requested ($2,650) and we can provide funds now that the fundraiser is done, allowing the school to apply its budget elsewhere, where we can’t eg replacement teachers.
  • SC has received one request for a workshop dealing with stress to be presented in gr 10 Careers which sounds compelling.
  • No requests yet from students’ councils and clubs
  • Also put forth the suggestion that we could fund a bit of social equity, making it easier for a senior student in need to go to the prom and participate in this milestone event, message passed on to guidance but no one has made a request.

Wellness: Kelly Green, Wellness Parent Volunteer Committee Lead

  • Pink shirt day report – Feb 27th, Opportunity for Students to discuss anti bullying, acts of kindness. Parents baked goods for the dessert table. Tons of donations from the generous parents. Thanks to the parents who baked.
  • Wellness Week – April 29th
    • Kicks off with student assembly. Kids participate through dance/ speaking/ film making. They’re finalizing guest speaker. Rep from Stella’s place who is awesome.
    • She’ll ask for donations of hot dogs.
  • Vaping presentation was hoping to have in wellness fair, but another time.
  • Wellness fair – April 9th – first annual LP Wellness Fair
    • focus on inclusiveness and kindness. Gives education to students. 11,12 – 1st and 2nd period during class time; 9 &10- come down over lunch hour.
    • Teachers participating also.
    • Passport to encourage kids to go to each vendor, 5 tables = passport stamp, and they get some Starbucks cards.

Parent Comments:

  1. Thank you from parent to Kelly and folks that help her. It’s important.
  2. Request if Vaping is part of an assembly that everyone attends.
  3. One committee member mentioned Juul = very profitable company.
  4. Cartridges Juul produces have 3% nicotine cartridges = 1 pack of cigarettes.
  5. As of today, link to be provided.

Ward 8 & Trustee News: Anna Richter

  • Anna attended April 1 mtg and encouraged all to attend.
  • WATCH FOR IT! Fundraising Policy (23) revision and parent consultation upcoming ‘Parent & Community Engagement’
    • Calling all those who have had to navigate their way through this in the past: Please step up and be heard!
    • Very important for school councils.
    • We can do the survey individually but if someone is willing to champion this, since we have a deep knowledge base, by collecting positive suggestions from among our parents, we can embed our ‘institutional’ memory in this and present a clear set of goals, perhaps through a paper. We can work collaboratively with the board, resulting in a more robust policy, if we act pro-actively. Please come forward if you are willing to lead this.
  • Current teachers’ collective agreement ends Aug 31 2019– may be some confusion for parents at the start of the next school year. School council here now can help by reaching out to gr 8 parents to get them on our mailing list so they will receive some communications and information even if the school issued communications are interrupted.
  • Provincial cuts – as per later in this meeting

School Administration Interim Meeting – Liz Hanson

  • English Public Speaking Contest will not be re-instituted- presentations are immersed in curriculum, provincial contest not as well organized
  • Semestering –
  • Online Agenda – more to come in notes. Idea to have this as the one platform for all communication with the school.
  • OSSLT – Literacy Test – was March 27th Grade 10.

Safe & Caring Schools Committee – no update meeting to follow

  • Cafeteria – not best space, only seats 250 students. Looking for ways to use the space more creatively. Uber Eats is a problem with random people coming into the school and the school wants waste free lunches.
  • Safe & Caring – Issue raised and being investigated for lighting outside the school. No other concerns raised by staff.
  • Revenues and Funding for Student events – Good split with charity and retaining to operate the program.
    • Dance Show – Raised $9000 – $1700 costs. $7000 went to external Charity (Boost?), $1000 kept for next year.
    • Dance Festival – $900 raised – $400 used for show, $500 to school play.
    • United Artists – Raised $2000 – $1500 went to charity, $300 to drama account, $200 costs
    • Play – $3500 – $1700 went to next year’s play.
    • 24 hour challenge – Raised $15,000 – $3000 to run it, pays for athletics.
  • English Public Speaking
    • Spending 3 months on the contest. Curriculum doesn’t expect English teachers to spend time on it. French more so
    • Suggestion – move to more of a Ted talk approach. Focus on presentation skills
    • One teacher (Elana?) works outside the box on global competencies, digital storytelling.
    • French does have provincial contest; English provincial contest not as well run
  • Track Improvements
    • Interest in sustainability and what happens 10 years from now. No private partnership allowed but would consider the city
  • Need more gym space – no visibility for viewing and can’t host spectators.
  • School Sporting Events
    • Hard to put on school calendar but parents encouraged and allowed to attend.
    • The Eye and Calendar page used, new app will make it easier to have dates.
  • Pro Grant – may lose the money for a speaker if none selected.

Track & Field Improvements: Anna Richter

  • Meeting held with Viability Review Committee Feb 22 2019
  • TDSB not interested in partnerships with private entities to operate or maintain facilities.
  • Interested in ‘sustainable ‘solutions, including financially sustainable.
  • LP property is part of a stormwater management improvement area which may mean that a portion of our field may be remediated by city anyway. TDSB may be interested in partnership with City. Development of proposal continues with input from parents, school admin and staff.
  • Joel’s comment – expecting to look around Easter weekend. Anna said she’s been in contact with Councillor Cole and get info on storm water management for funding coming this way.

Other Building and Facility Considerations: Anna Richter

  • cafeteria seating under review to improve. Anna did a walk around with Mr. Bibla to come up with benches along the wall.
  • repaving contract awarded last week to lowest bidder of 17 bidders for $455,000 to repair paving in north and south parking lots. It has been tendered before at $750,000 but perhaps scope has changed
  • Facility planners have determined what work goes ahead at the school eg paving repair vs Air conditioning.
  • Joel’s comments = Staff will appreciate. Needed job.

Parent Social/ Fundraiser Follow Up; Anne Marie Armstrong

Thank you to everyone that came out. 140 tickets were sold. 120 attended. Silent auction upstairs. LP Students jammed on the bottom level. Great news, positive feedback. Raised over $17,500. Up from last year ($13,500). Thanks to everyone that came out. Many bid online from home. About half bid online from home.

Request For Volunteers– Executive Transition Anna Richter

The council needs a chair or 2 co-chairs for the 2019/20 school year. It would be helpful for second co-chair to help transition through the summer. It will be a very busy and engaging period. Anna is a parent of a grade 12 student and leaving at the end of the school year. No co-chair to fill the spot next year. Please consider volunteering.

Principal’s Report: Joel Gorenkoff

  • Thank you for large turnout tonight. Thanks for those that donated to the fundraiser social
  • • Communication is essential – Please always look at the Eye.
  • • Emails come home from the board and come home from the school.
  • • My School Day = the app = Pilot phase. Full app live = September 2019.
    • they want parents and teachers to try it out. It is “free”. Instead of paying for the paper planner, they’re paying for the app. As they’re implementing it, now Doug Ford is banning cell phones in classrooms. Nothing has changed yet with the ban, as the phones can come out for curriculum reasons. More to come.
    • It’s live – so if anything needs to be added, you get a notification. The paper one gets printed in May for the following September.
    • The most powerful aspect will be the channel – so each club/class/team can have a push of things going on.
    • It is intended to be a one stop shop. Great to track homework.

Parent Question – Will teams get off facebook and just use this new app?

Answer – that’s the hope. FB not regulated.

Parent Question – Can parents download if the students don’t want to or don’t want the parents to see things.

Answer – Yes. Even if students don’t use it, parents can download and see.

Parent Question – Will it connect to google classroom?

Answer – app is capable. They’re working on figuring it out. Richview CI is fully functional, so look at their app for ideas how it works.

Student Comment – Google classroom has everything already, and can get google docs from google classroom. Google classroom does notifications. Rugby also uses google classroom.

Parent Question – why can’t they standardized on Google Classroom?

Answer – The school is trying. Google is the way going forward.

  • March Break Issue: Very disconcerting vile Instagram site set up. Police have the information. Hate Crime. School has co-operated with the police and still waiting for more action. Joel reminded that LP’s a safe place and no one should be judged. School was 84% white, now is 68% white, so the school is becoming more diverse, plus other representations LGBTQ and other groups. Sadly, there are kids who are afraid to come to school.
    • They’ve changed the look on the walls to be more equitable.
    • Thanks to parents who reached out to Joel that they agree this is not acceptable.
    • LP can take the lead against exclusion.
    • Thanks to the one Grade 10 student that emailed Joel and he got the ball rolling reaching out to the police.

Parent Comment – She commends the teachers for talking about it in class.

  • Maintaining Momentum – They may have the acceptance letter but without maintain their focus and their marks, every year kids come into guidance crying as they’ve dropped % and lost their scholarship or acceptance.
  • Report cards – Come out this Friday. Monitor lates and attendance. 1/3 of mark still ahead of them.
  • Summatives – start in about 2 weeks. They’re a big chunk of marks and need to attend, and do the first part and second part.
  • Exam Schedules – Come out May long weekend.
  • Play – “Little Women” this week. Come out and see our talented kids.
  • Timetable Review (SEMESTERING) – 2 years ago staff brought up going to semester, under former Superintendent Branko & former Trustee Arp.
    • Staff set up a committee – and voted in favour to pursue semestering.
    • Need parent help – if going ahead with semestering, it’ll be in Sept 2020.
    • Many good reasons and cons of both timetables. Across province 85% of schools are semestered. In our board, there are less and less full year schools. Many others are looking into it.
    • Reason – helps kids moving between schools if not doing well.
    • Helps with more focused work, smaller number of classes. Less stress. He’s worked in both types of schools.
    • French Review – Board is doing a French review: will FI be at LP going forward? May affect timetable change (semestering) decision.
    • School wants to present both models – And wants feedback.
    • April 25th – Parent Presentation: Staff will present the different semestering and full year models and student feedback and then enable parents to ask questions.
    • Procedure = Staff decision to bring forward. Staff want parents to look at. If everyone doesn’t support it, it won’t happen. Over the next year look at answering those questions.

Parent Question – what does language look like, how do we keep the music program?

Answer: If everyone on board – they’ll look at that

Student Comment – Recent Student Survey – no spot to say for or against

Answer: they used the survey comments to determine if for or against.

Parent comment: student survey only open for 1 week. How many responses were received?

Answer: about 170 responses

Student Comment: ‘survey’ only asked what questions students had about semestering, not whether they were for or against it.

Parent Comment – How will the answer be made?

Answer: Final decision = staff. But if parents not in support, they won’t do it.

Parent Comment = April 25th meeting = how will you get a sense

Answer: You’ll hear about mental health, and will set up online opportunity to give feedback. And subsequent meeting to provide feedback.

Student Comment – Semestering wasn’t presented as an option, and sounded like it’s happening for sure.

Parent comments – all students thought the same, that it was a done deal.

Answer: the first assembly thought that, and the message was changed for the second assembly. But all consultations are not done yet.

Parent Question – April 25th – Will the evidence vs an opinion be presented? What have studies shown with an 8 month gap in math, language, music. Would like to have evidence based discussion.

Answer: Schools like ours tend to be full year yet 85% are semestered in province. If we don’t provide something in particular.

Semestering – School Council Comments

TIME LINE AT LPCI: PROCESS
4 years ago in 2015 April meeting, semestering was considered and rejected by teachers and students
SC Meeting April 2015 Minutes note:
“Many parents in attendance expressed their opinions on semestering. There is a strong interest in understanding the purpose and process (particularly who can request, the criteria for starting a review, how the review is done) and ensuring the transparency, notice period and communications to students, teachers and parents is improved for any future consideration of semestering. Some parents raised concerns about the impact on student achievement and extracurricular activities. Most parents in attendance are in favor of the traditional timetable (no semestering).”

Next mention about semestering to parents was 4 years later at the school council & admin interim meeting about a month ago on March 9, 2019 with Liz and Anna (exec): told by principal that teachers had voted in favour of semestering and he had received ‘approval’ to consult the students and parents – March 28 for students, April 25th for parents meeting at the school to hear about it and will include Bedford Park and Glenview parents (JG noted: Only 8 or 9 full year schools in the city are left, only in affluent areas – from LP Staff; 3 of 4 schools in province are semestered – from LP staff; music considerations required.)

April 7th: (last night) From trustee Shelley Laskin, Anna found out that the application to change timetable had been submitted almost 2 years ago (2017)
“the process began almost two years ago and an application was submitted by the Principal to the Superintendent last year (i.e in 2018) as required 18 months before target date.”
The TDSB procedure requires an open dialogue at the school with the students and school council, among others, about timetable changes (inc semestering) that are under consideration PRIOR to staff and admin holding a vote to accept the change. The admin & staff vote initiates the process.

LP School Council requests that due process is followed from here forward with regard to proposed timetable changes, including the proper consultation of students and parents.

  • SC CONSIDERATIONS
  • 70% of all private schools are not semestered.
  • 7 of 10 of high performing schools are not semestered.
  • Process per TDSB operational procedure involves school committee to guide this. Expectation from council is that students and parents represent their views
  • Need to investigate models, visit other schools
  • Consider impact on special education, IEP students
  • Other staff from other schools to come to talk to students/teachers.
  • Investigating committee needs to share everything before point of recommendation.
  • Needs to hold this process as parents were not made aware of this by principal, until students were told about it.
  • Application submitted 2 years ago, and another application last year. Yet the parent council didn’t know about it. Parents were not consulted or made aware of. Moving forward the parent council would like a more transparent process and follow the guideline / policy.

Principal’s comments: once school staff have decided to change, the form gets submitted, and school driven decision to do this, yet was not shared at all. Flights to Blyth – expected to be eliminated if go with semestered school.

Parent Question – Language acquisition – if semestered would we lose immersion?

Answer – Not sure what will happen to immersion in TDSB.

Semestering – Student Comments
Very last minute, School Council invited students to speak to parents re pros and cons of semestering and full term. Could not find a student to present ‘pro‘ semestering for tonight. Hope to have one for the May meeting.

FRANCES SUTHERLAND (Student) – here to talk tonight
Pro Full Year

  • Majority of full year students go to university.
  • Improves time management: used to studying for 6-8 courses, prepares students well for university 5 course (ie reduced) load; greater chance for success
  • If semestered, students become used to only 3 or 4 courses at a time then have to increase to 5 course
  • Long gaps between learning in different subjects.
  • French immersion – sometimes hard to remember over 2 month of summer. 8 month gap would be more detrimental, especially to lower level French classes; they’d lose language skills.
  • Music – Fall winter musicale – tough to make it work, when to practice
  • Semestered schools – go through a lot of stuff faster, so if you’re away you’d lose a lot of content. Miss a day, hard to catch up.
  • Working part time– works after school, ok with non-semestered, has time to catch up, but in semestered would not have the time to catch up as wouldn’t have 2 days to complete the homework.
  • Semestered often promoted as reducing work, but not true for students; only half the subjects but twice as much work in each
  • On semestered schedule testing is accelerated: since classes are every day, testing will be more frequent because a unit of math will be covered in 1 week instead of 2. Could have same number of tests in a day, same number of evaluations as full year, each at 4 classes per day.
  • Full day better for sports teams – non – semestered – as not always missing the same day, so not missing the same classes.
  • Problem with semestered – final marks get sent to university. So if you have tough classes first semester, those marks would be sent to university and student may not get in.
  • Semestered often promoted as reducing stress – students are stressed no matter which schedule is followed. Harder to get into university than before.
  • Parents are highly educated – so adds stress to students to achieve and that stress isn’t reduced by moving to semestered. More work to manage 8 courses, but semestering is not a reduction in workload / stress.
  • (Frances did an excellent job expressing her point of view. Thank you Frances!!)

Parent Comment – Students with IEP – today kids have 3 days to find help. More opportunity to find the help you need in a non-semestered program as more days available to get help to review.

Parent Question – why is it a teacher decision?

Principal’s Answer – board policy.

Parent Question – How to help the kids transitioning in grade 11 / 12, as they’ll be affected the most.

Principal’s Answer – we can check with York Mills/ Leaside – see how they have overcome IEP, music issues.

Parent Comment – not fair to say students were consulted as they were just asked to comment how their learning would be affected

Parent Comment – If it any broke, don’t fix it.

Principal’s Answer – Full presentation on April 25th. There are problems. He wants to hear. 2/3 staff in favour.

Parent Question – Another complicated factor – increasing class sizes. Sense is that the changes will put a lot of arts elective classes at risk. If already fewer classes. Music Program – Vocal – think there will be smaller group as less than the average. If averages increase, we won’t be able to keep classes at risk. And if only 1 music class we can take, then will only have ½ music teacher.

Principal’s Answer – One teacher had 220 Student Contacts. Semester school enables teachers to deal with less students at a time.

Student Comment – if only 4 classes – you only see those students for half year; then you see another group for the next half year; harder to make and keep friends.

Principal’s Answer – If Frances could talk to him there could be a student view at the April 25th event.

Parent Comment – Sensing that Joel is in favour based on his experience.

Answer – Joel’s interested as the staff want it.

Parent Council Comment – If the April 25th event is being chaired by teachers on the pro’s and con’s, could we not have it represented by people passionate about both sides to have a more equal conversation vs from just folks that are pro-semestering.

Principal’s comment – If Frances would like to talk to him, he’ll look at having student input as part of the event.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Proposed Provincial Changes:
(Note: Thanks to those who have shared their letters to MPP Robin Martin, who was invited to our meeting tonight on short notice but has not responded)
Factual Summary :

  • Joel still waiting for the facts, as conveyed to TDSB, knows that staffing considerations are underway, seniority decisions being made
  • From Ward 8 meeting: Anna
    • reduced staffing: provincial policy 1 aspect, board agreement with teachers is another, right now max ~23.5 students/teacher locally and probably won’t change much; however, if prov government won’t supplement teaching in TDSB, TDSB will need to find about $9.5 Million to fund teachers in first year; could be a $40-50,000,000 shortfall overall due to other cuts
    • fewer elective courses
    • 4 E-learning courses – how delivered?
    • Nb: regulation 274 still in place for this year

Principal noted:

  • School has initial draft of staffing model for next year
  • 1000 surplus teachers across the TDSB.
  • Some schools have 20 surplus teachers. LPCI has half of that. LPCI is not as bad as others.
  • Still not known what will happen with Libraries, ESL, guidance .
  • Don’t know if they’ll have central staff managing curriculum distribution.
  • Teachers may teach in subject areas that are not their subject areas
  • After April 23rd, grants come to the board and will know what additional staff they’ll have.
  • Online Courses – concerns – in terms of facts, Joel doesn’t have any.

Parent Question – if average class size = 22, are we allocated based on that.

Answer: No – sliding scale for school. Many university bound programs have larger class sizes so we get less teachers. Impact on LP is less than other schools that are more tech. We have 62 teachers others may have 90 teachers based on same amount of students.

Ward Meeting – Locally 23.5 students per teacher. (Not at LP) and fewer elective courses (also not expected at LP to be affected). LP will be status quo unless they don’t allow librarians, guidance etc.

Teacher Comment: Teachers can not have more than 180 students per teacher, but collective agreement is up in August.

Parent Question – what would affect be on semester school?

Answer: Semestered System is more work for the school as it’s like running 2 school years in one. January is then an entry point, but then could be a time that we lose students too.

Parent Question – with this disruption of Ford changes, collective bargaining actions, proposing semestering for 2020 semester, and what we now know over the last few years, will it not be a lot of tremendous change and is it fair to impose all these on one group of students?.

Answer: if next year is a work-to-rule year that they can’t meet and can’t consult, then it would be crazy to implement. The seed for it was planted 2 years ago before Ford.

General Question from Exec: How active are parents to protest the school changes? – did they join the rally at Queens Park, have you sent notes to Robin Martin. Has anyone taken action?

School Council Parent Comment – came to student walk out to take photo to send to Robin Martin. Nothing to take a photo of. Students didn’t really protest, they just took the time off to Starbucks. Thinks we should encourage our students to see other schools what other schools think and care about the changes. Two parents went to rally at Queen’s Park

Parent Comment – hard to gain momentum but if there is a letter parents / students could use. Who do we write to?

School Council Answer – we will put letters and links on the school council website.

Parent Council Comment – Talked about Robin Martin “retweets” as generally retweets other peoples thoughts. High class sizes is not our issue at LP, so we need to ensure we are addressing the issues we have here. The Board average is 22, yet at our school we’re a lot higher. So those at 22 go to 28 . it could mean we go to 40 to get that average. 37 kids can go in gym class, but that amount can’t fit in pool. Issue is the board could raise the sliding scale. At risk – social science, arts, music .

Potential SC actions at LP to support our students through the proposed changes: Anna:

  • consideration of technology to support e-learning; extra-curricular support required given there will be fewer staff advisors; mental health support given there will be fewer (no?) board psychologists, etc .
  • As we hear about the details of the cuts, be sensitive to how we can help students at LP and perhaps elsewhere.
  • Eg extra curricular support, mental health support (as not psychologists), and be aware and sensitive that these changes are happening. There will be a lot we can not do. And based on collective agreements, parents can’t run the library. And how can we support our teachers.
  • Parent Comment – when teachers are happy everything runs a lot better.
  • Parent Council Parent Comment: Trustee has said that the federation warned teachers to undertake major financial commitments which could be at risk due to job action. People should be cautious.

Motion to Adjourn: – Jean Pearson Seconded – Jennifer Wilmer