Minutes November 1, 2021

LPCI School Council Meeting – via Zoom

Next Meeting: Monday, December 13, 2021 7pm on Zoom

Council Attendees: Liz Hanson, Pamela Wilansky, Principal Jinah Park, Jennifer Dobson, Suzanne Duras, Karen Barasch, Lori Rosenberg, John Hiddema, Andrea Fry, Anne Marie Armstrong, Elena Solokhina, Jennifer Tse

Agenda:

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Approve Minutes for Sept Meeting
  • Student Council Liaison reps – to share update on student activities
  • School Council Executive Report
  • Principal Report
  • New Business

Key Dates:

  • Week of October 4-8 – Spirit Week
  • October 4th – SickKids Covid testing (saliva tests)

Jinah Park: Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, handed over to Liz Hanson

  1. Student Council Liaison Reps Update
  • Halloween walk went wellUpcoming Events
  • Distribution of SPC (Student Price Cards) cards this week
  • Organizing charity week and LP Wear order forms
  • LP Wear forms s/b available mid-November
  • Clubs & Counsels – LPAC focusing on intramurals – soccer, softball, touch football
  • Intramurals – finished Ultimate Frisbee, running co-ed softball, soccer forthcoming, football starting early November
  1. School Council Executive Report
  • Counsel met in-person at Co-Chair Pamela Wilinsky’s home
  • Jennifer Dobson, Suzanne Duras (Parent Engagement Committee) In process of organizing a Welcome Event for new parents at LPCI; looking at different ways of doing this (ie. outside or tour of school or offsite?), possibly combine with a social/fundraiser later in the evening – announcement will be made in the next couple of weeks, maybe tie in LP Spirit Wear for parents (?) – parents on the call indicated interest in LP Wear
  • Jennifer Dobson will be Ward 8 Rep, replacing Erika Boone, first meeting with Shelly Laskin Nov. 18, helping coach LP X-Country Team with Christie Usher-Jones, 20-40 kids coming out to train, looking into a track meet to attend within TDSB, practices have been going on for a couple of weeks, thanks to Principal Park for sponsoring this initiative
  • Kids can still come out and join X-Country, 8am Wednesday (except late start days, start 9am) and Friday mornings
  • Fundraising Chair – Steph Richard Chadda – no update
  • Treasurer – John Hiddema (Ian absent), $4,700.70 in bank, around $100 in School Cash Online; very lively conversation last week at Exec meeting re: think about specific initiatives in school or community where we might fundraise – parents feel free to speak up and join in; Treasurers will do everything they can to support any fundraising initiatives
  • Communications Co-Chairs – Leigh Felesky, Lori Rosenberg – decided to combine Marketing & Communications this year; idea of “Humans of LPCI” spotlight on teachers and staff to help students and parents get to know teachers and staff, info to include name, photo, length of time at LP, courses taught, something you don’t know about them, something interesting/quirky about them; this week’s profile: Michael Anderson, facilities; Lori Rand Leigh offered to post so Jinah isn’t burdened with this additional task
  • Wellness Committee Chair – Karen Barasch – attended Wellness Committee meeting during lunch period, talked about events coming up; friends at Northern invited us to ‘Self-Care’ event tomorrow evening at 7pm; Email , with ‘Self-Care’ in the subject line to register and receive the Zoom link to attend online
  • Parent-Teacher Interviews open for booking (9-digit student # needed in order to register)
  • Equity Committee Chair – David Callaway new Chair, also new to LP – hasn’t yet met with Student Equity Counsel, but hopes to do so in the coming weeks to report back at next SC meeting
  • Safe & Caring School Rep – Andrea Fry – works with student rep, Principal, Community Member (Robin Conliffe), teacher rep and non-teacher representative, meets 4x year re: student Code of Conduct (accessible on My School Day App, under School Resources), discuss immediate concerns that have come up; recently, discussed vaping going on in school washrooms, graffiti on school property, bicycle thefts, incidents of hate speech, next meeting beginning of December; teachers brought up interest in Cell Phone Code of Conduct, 45-minutes meetings after school
  • Facilities Improvement Subcommittee Chair – Philip Roberts (absent); individuals asked to leave field when doing metal detecting, dog off-leash (not permitted on school grounds)
  1. Principal’s Report – Jinah Park
  • Shamzi – weekly Athletics updates posted on IG account, now to be posted in The Eye so parents don’t miss it
  • Softball, X-Country, Ultimate, Tennis, Martial Arts, Hockey starting (Lindsay Wong has booked ice time, fee attached, students must be double-vaxxed to participate, info forthcoming via portal); looking for volunteer staff to open weight room after school
  • Suzanne Sparrow (teacher rep) will be taking over the weight room Tues/Thurs after school
  • Athletics so important to student mental wellness; want to ensure enough activities and events at LP
  • Jinah so excited to be a part of LP; her favourite of 9 different schools she has worked at so far; school spirit is incredible!
  • NEW! Student of the Month – opportunity where students can be honoured beyond athletics and academics; spirit, citizenship, character can be recognized and celebrated, announced on the PA, photo outside of the main office, feature a student each month, starting with the month of October; nominations / staff / coach can nominate students, suggestion to use TDSB Character Trait of the month as theme (Suzanne Dumas)
  • School budget rec’d Oct.; using leftover funds from 2020/21; allotted $311,000 to operate general school day (regular day school for about ½ of the budget ie. photocopies, etc. for daily operating costs; the remainder is split by Department; Jinah to meet with Department Heads individually to determine software requirements, field trips, supply teachers, etc.) Budget deadline is Nov. 25.
  • SIP – School Improvement Plan; every school must have a SIP to focus on Equity, Wellness, Achievement (3 pillars of TDSB); every Department at every School must focus on one of these 3 areas; Jinah looked at previous year’s SIPs (none due to remote learning); new SIP being determined; working document that can change throughout the year; 3rd Wednesday of the month is dedicated to Professional Learning Communities; final SIP to be shared on the website, with parents within the next month or two
  • Positive School Tone – a standing item at staff meetings, Andrea Fry involved due to Safe & Caring role; 4 meetings mandated per year, more meetings can be added; 2 weeks ago there were 2 incidents of hate; have been dealt with exhaustively; continual education for staff and students; Thursday, Nov. 4 Holocaust Survivor and Author will be speaking (94 years old and a cancer patient), very important occasion; Grade 10 History classes will be doing a focus on Anti-Semitism and will receive a copy of the book
  • Friday afternoon there was an assault off school property but dealt with LPCI students; a letter will go out to community with respect to this which was posted on social media by students; group of boys against a single boy; police were involved and student had to go to Emergency to be checked for concussion, emotionally shaken, may result in 2 students being removed from the school; not a decision made at LP – comes from the OPP charges due to restraining order; victims are never moved to another school but the perpetrators may be moved
  • Student leaders went into each classroom last week re: hate incidents (anti-Semitism, homophobia); gentle message discussed, followed up a couple of days following with a short assembly; Jinah composed a letter and spoke to the student and staff body about frustration and dismay about the entire situation; this material was shared in The Eye
  • Twitter info complements what is currently in The Eye (Halloween photos, etc.)

Parent Question: Under SIP: is it possible to ask TDSB for extension of the school, so that there will be no need to study in the portables? It might take a lot of time to accomplish, however, why not to start the process? Received 1:1 tech devices for Grade 9 students (Chromebook from the TDSB for the full 4 years of high school); SickKids running saliva test Oct. 4 to determine active symptomatic or asymptomatic Covid cases

Answer: Capacity % shared with all administrators; of all TDSB high schools, LP is the fullest (beyond capacity) 150%!! Jinah doesn’t see our facility increasing because other schools are at low capacity percentages; TDSB is aiming for all schools to be at 90% capacity – how this will be achieved is unknown; every school must serve its community so that additions/building are not needed; 30 of TDSB high schools will close in order to achieve this 90% capacity due to current wastage of electricity, hydro and staff; facilities may be improved however space will not be increased; Jinah will inquire with our Superintendent Andrew Howard and get back to LP parent body with any updates

Parent Question: Facility Condition Index LP

Answer: Learning Opportunity Index – determines funding allocated to each school, LP #1 in this category due to affluence, one parent at home, etc. Jinah will ask Superintendent Andrew Howard for Facility Condition Index

Parent Question: Will there be a University Fair this year?

Answer: There was one last week. All virtual links are provided in The Eye.

School Counsel talking about getting someone in to help parents whose students are in the upper grades and preparing for university applications.

School-based Safety Monitors based on the size of the facility, not the number of students. LP has only 1 (a male) and knocks to go into the male washrooms to check. Found a number of students vaping, vapes confiscated, parents are contacted, parents need to pick up the vapes or can ask for them to be thrown away; detention, suspension (if multiple infractions) follow

VP and Principal check on girls’ washrooms; found 6-7 girls in one stall vaping last week.

Washrooms are all open; were closed temporarily due to the graffiti (for 2 days), TP provided when the office is notified that it is needed. Soap dispenser is constantly being kicked off the wall or thrown out the window, frustrating for staff; staff wasn’t available for a few days.

Parent Question: Coaches for basketball and ski teams this winter?

Answer: A parent is keen to coach basketball; waiver and police record check will be completed and clearance from police in order to start; Jinah has met with this parent – will coach both boys and girls’ basketball; only skills and drills can be done at this point (no games); possibly starting mid-November

Skiing: will likely be a one-day trip (like the golf trip); Phys. Ed. and athletics director of TDSB meets with all ACLS of phys ed and athletics every Monday after school; will find out if restrictions will be lifted

Pool repairs: possibly another 2 weeks before it is fixed; pools are allowed to open at TDSB; Shamzi thinking about running a swim team since we have the facility

Volleyball: yet to be advertised; Jinah will check with Shamzi; will need teacher volunteers or will reach out to parent body via Jennifer Dobson for volunteers/coaches

Postings for coaching needs will be posted in The Eye to reach more parents.

NEWS: Former LP Student drafted by NHL Dallas Stars!! Wyatt Johnston was on the LP Hockey Team

Motion to Close: John Hiddema

Seconded: Karen Barasch

MEETING ADJOURNED (8:45 pm)