LPCI School Council Meeting
In attendance: J. Armstrong, J. Bridgeman-Brenjen, D. Heath, G. Ljubic, M. Neag, S. Kopyto, S. Paetkau, J. Bragg, L. Gray, G. Wyett, K. Rein, D. Boughner, L. Turkish, W. Sheremata, L. Addis, P. Sweeney, L. Jovanovic, M. Gurgol, K. Mitchell E. Mackay, G. Whyte, Y. Duffy
Welcome by Co-Chairs (G. Wyett and L. Gray)
Review and approval of agenda
Motion by D. Boughner
Seconded by P. Sweeney
Motion passed
Approval of December 2, 2013 Council Meeting Minutes
Motion by K. Rein
Seconded by L. Gray
Motion passed
Student Update (Duncan and Peter)
- Planning semi-formal for Feb. 14 for gr 10, 11 and 12.
- Spirit Day coming up to encourage LPCI spirit – week of Jan 13th.
- Organizing a Matchmaker event – each student fills out a scan card identifying their interests, comes back with list of people most suited to be your match. All students will get at least one match. This will take place before Valentine’s Day.
- If students still want to order LP Wear, they can do so through the LPCI Facebook page. There will also be another sale coming in the spring.
- Student Council has received questions about the boys’ washrooms and why often only 1 is open. Mr. Gurgol indicated the washrooms have been closed due to ongoing damage and vandalism, broken doors, plugged up toilets, broken toilet paper holders etc. As soon as the washrooms are repaired and reopened, they are often vandalized again restarting the process of closure and repair. Parents expressed concern about the closures – this is a health and safety issue for kids, they should be able to access washrooms at all times. One parent suggested that an anonymous suggestion box to report students who perform the damage/vandalism. Other suggestions included cameras being installed near the washroom doors.
Teacher Updates
1) Math Presentation (M. Neag)
- The Math department is looking at semestering two of the grade 12 math courses next year. The courses affected would be – 1) advanced functions and 2) vectors and calculus.
- Most full year schools have gone through this change.
- Students taking both courses would take advanced functions first semester (Sept – Jan), then take vectors and calculus in second semester (Feb – June).
- It is easier academically for students taking both courses to have the functions course first, as opposed to taking it at the same time as the calculus course.
- The teachers feel that another advantage to this change is that it develops good work habits; the students do homework in one math course every night, and can concentrate more on one course.
- The school has received feedback from student grads, who indicated they would have liked to spend more time on calculus and less time on the vectors component of that course.
- For students not taking both maths, full year advance functions class in the normal 2-day schedule (a moth class every other day) will be offered.
- Math teachers will talk to students about this change during course selection process and in gr 11 math classes.
2) Library Request Presentation (G. Whyte and Y. Duffy)
- The teacher librarians presented the concept of library learning commons, which incorporates the use of technology to support students learning.
- The library includes physical and virtual learning spaces.
- 400-600 students use the library each day.
- Most books are English; French books are very limited and outdated.
- There are very few current books to support either the research or the interests of our students, 97% of books are out of date.
- Circulation stats are among the lowest in the board.
- There are 0.4 books/student/year (English) in circulation, even lower numbers for French resources.
- Can use online databases, but fewer databases are available due to cutbacks and very little is available in French.
- The library doesn’t have the technology to support some online resources.
- Proposal – would like School Council to contribute $10,000 to buy French resource books (400 books), and $25,000 to purchase 30 laptops and a cart.
- G. Wyett – Council needs to meet with the Foundation to see what resources are available and then meet with the school administration to determine what the other needs for additional resources are in the school and will then bring the issue back to School Council for review and consideration. It was also noted that the council/Foundation does not raise a lot money each year (only fund raising done is through a donation request and a total of approximately $9,000 had been received during the current school year, some of which had been requested by the donor to be directed to the auditorium renovation fund) and therefore the council would not be in a position to fulfil the full amount of the librarians’ request.
3) Guidance Presentation (E. Mackay and K. Mitchell)
- Course selection process will start on Jan. 20; guidance counsellors will visit classes to talk about My Blueprint, pathways and keeping options open.
- Will visit all gr 9 geography, gr 10 history, and gr 11 homeforms. A lunchtime session will be held for grade 11 students with no homeform.
- 2nd round of visits will follow for questions about specific courses.
- The pathways to university and college fair which had been planned for Jan. 16 had to be cancelled due to a lack of interest from the universities in sending representatives.
- In place of the fair, grade 11 students will have a Pathways assembly on Jan. 21 to talk about all options – university, college, gap year, apprenticeships etc.
- On Jan 24, students can register courses on My Blueprint.
- Students will also submit a hard copy, and will rank all choices. Counsellors will look at compulsory and elective courses, used if 2 courses conflict, and use rankings to decide which course to schedule.
- Students will also list alternate courses if they can’t get into elective courses.
- Gr 8 parent info night will be held on Thursday Jan 9.
- Gr 8 student visits will be held on Wed Jan 8 in the afternoon. There will be no classes for LPCI students on that afternoon while the grade 8s are visiting the school.
Principal Update (L. Jovanovic)
- In terms of timetabling, still looking at double lunches to address space issues, doesn’t get any more rooms but does provide more science rooms, access to computer lab.
- Student population is growing, staffed at 26 per class, need 48 classes to accommodate this. Next year will need 50 classes. Need assistance from board to get portables. In 4 years, the projection is that the school will need 10 portables. This will result in the loss of the small playing field outside, impacting sports and phys. Ed. classes.
- The TDSB planning department has determined that the school population will start decreasing again in 2025.
- Most of the increase in student population until 2025 are in the English stream. The Immersion and Extended streams are projected to remain at their current levels.
- More portables won’t support other needs of the school – library, cafeteria, bathrooms.
- Also looking at intake, cutting off numbers coming in to school, but no changes will be made for the 2014/2015 school year.
- There will be a jean drive for the homeless Jan 13 – Feb 16. Students are encouraged to donate gently used and unused jeans.
- Winter musicale in December was great event, thanks to all who helped make it happen.
- On Jan 14, there will be a family of schools instructional walk. Staff from other schools come to see what we do at LP, offer suggestions, share ideas.
Chair update
No update
Other Business
None
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 pm
The next meeting will be Feb 3, 2014.