LPCI General Council Meeting 21 October 2024
6:30pm Virtual format Meeting Minutes
- Welcome Remarks
? Approve agenda – motion to approve. Approved
? Approve minutes from 16 September 2024 – motion to approve. Approved - Student Council Report
? Haunted Hallway – Oct 31. Many student volunteers.
Action Item: Looking for baked goods for the bake sale for this day. Sign up will be circulated. See Chair report below for more details.
? Charity Week – Nov 18-22. Home form reps/ Council/Clubs set up different booths. This year school is supporting Daily Bread Food Bank
? Silent Auction (online): Goes live on Nov19 and runs for 2 weeks. Parents help with items for bid – i.e. Leaf tickets/ sporting evenings/jewelry/ gift certificates.
? Kick off assembly with rep from DBFB, if available.
? Booths will have activity, games or items to purchase. Payment system for booth – charity week punch cards or separately sold tickets. Extended lunch on Friday of charity week.
? Expectation is 3K-5K for the week. We will convert that figure to actually how many families will be assisted with this funding to allow students to understand the impact. - Principal’s Report
? Webinar Math program for Gr.9 Parents. Oct 29 evening session.
? Notify the broader school community regarding guest speakers coming to LPCI. School committee approves all guest speakers and then forwarded to TDSB. There is a protocol for classroom guest speakers and school wide guest speakers. Details available through admin.
? Workshop for families looking at post-secondary IEP’s and the transfer of a high school IEP to post-secondary education.
? Facilities:
? Steam to Water construction – majority of work will be done by early December.
? School Pool – replacement of pipes required. Application made to TDSB for costs and TDSB reviewing at this point.
? Student Activity Fees – $60 fee includes yearbook, student id, etc. – there is a subsidy program for any families who are unable to pay.
Question: Does this fee cover the sports team fee?
Response: No. Does not cover sports team fees.
? Holiday schedule is available on LPCI website. If a student is going to be absent on either end of holidays – a form is available in the office to submit dates.
? Follow up Question from previous meeting: Due to continuing thefts, suggested that bike racks be moved to another area outside of the school?
Response: Looking at purchasing bike rack(s) for other areas of school grounds. This will allow kids arriving from all locations to have access to bike racks.
Question: Would it be less expensive to move current racks to see if a new location deters theft?
Response: Moving current bike racks would require tdsb work order and some are bolted down. It is much less expensive and expedient to purchase.
Action Item: Still have concerns of theft and need to monitor if the new location is a deterrent.
? Question: Can you provide an update on vacant teacher positions?
Response: Vacancies have been resolved.
? Question: Update on bathroom issues. Are all bathrooms in working order?
Response: Committee to be struck by TDSB to discuss vandalism and vaping. Not aware of a committee that has been struck.
Question: Letter was sent to trustees from LP Council last year. Have we rec’d a response from the Board to the letter?
Response: No response from Shelley Laskin. Recommend a sit-down with SL and include Chairs from other school council in the district.
Question: What is the policy/school or tdsb when a student is caught vaping in bathroom?
Response : Recognize that there are concerns with staff entering bathrooms.
When a student is found vaping on school grounds, each situation handled individually to work with student and their family to find solutions. Must deal with the concern that this is an addiction on top of the issue of school rules.
Question: In the past year, how many “individual” student interventions have the admin taken? Under 10? Over a dozen?
Response: Admin is unable to discuss these incidents. But would probably say about a dozen
Question: Is the vape policy the same as alcohol policy?
Response: No. Alcohol is much more serious.
Question: Why are they treated differently? Both are addictive and both are against rules.
Response: It’s complicated. Work with each case individually to come to determine proper measures.
Question: Are we referring to nicotine vaping or other substances?
Response: Referring to all vape products.
Question: Why are we being lenient with vaping?
Response: The school follows the policy of TDSB.
Question : Do the bathrooms have smoke detectors?
Response: Ministry providing but haven’t seen them yet.
Action Item: Discussion needs to continue on the subject of vaping.
Action Item: Follow up re smoke detectors from the Ministry.
? Question: There was an incident on September 18th at the school which required medical intervention and police presence. Does the admin have plans to speak to the general student body regarding this incident to ensure all students feel safe in their school environment? And, why did the admin not inform the parent community of this incident when it happened?
Response: Need to speak in generalities to ensure confidentiality of parties involved. Always open to conversation with the community – parents/caregivers may contact anytime by telephone or email. Incident is isolated and involves a small group of individuals. No communication will resolve the rumour mill. In reality no one knows exactly what happened, except the ppl involved so it will always be rumour.
Question: Is the admin aware that a police report is circulating in the parent community which outlines the incident and the response?
Response: None
Question: Kids in all grades are talking about the incident and the safety concerns. Where do the kids go if they feel unsafe on campus?
Response: It is communicated to parents and students regularly where they should go. Can only see incidents that are in front of the admin. Feels admin has a finger on the pulse and the majority of students feel safe.
Question: Would there be an opportunity for assembly with Police (local) to come in for an info session with kids re vaping; safety; alcohol.
Response: We do not have a partnership with TPS (the same as other schools do not.) We do not have dedicated officers. Possibly TPS has educational programming but would have to define parameters of what to discuss as the list seems very wide. Do not want to create a hysteria. It is the impression of the admin that kids feel safe at LPCI and support one another to build community. Action Item: Safe and Caring School Committee to look at issues and with admin
determine what can be done. - Council Chair Update
? Introduce 2024/25 School Council
? Curriculum Night Reception
? New parent reception was a great success. Snacks, hints, tips – ½ hour reception to welcome this group to our community.
? Homecoming Harvest Bowl – 2nd annual
? Partnership between LPAC and School Council. Homecoming Football game includes bbq, band, cheerleading squad and alumni representation. Parent council requests donations from local businesses – Metro, Friendly Butcher, Loblaws, City Market and Shoppers’DrugMart. Grossed about $930 to be donated to Daily Bread Food Bank. Entry was a
non-perishable food item. LP Sr. Team won the game!
? Haunted Hallway and Bake Sale October 31
? 2nd annual. Gigantic success last year. Creepy school basement gets transformed into a haunted hallway. Students participate as actors; tons of decorations. Theme this year is Creepy Clowns and Circuses. Action Item: Council involved to help with the bake sale. Need parent bakers to donate baked goods. All money raised goes to one charity from
the list Question: Is there a sign up sheet for baked goods? Response: Sign up genius will be created to sign up. Please bake/buy 24 of one item to donate. Deliver items to the school office by 10am on October 31st.
Question: Is LPCI nut free?
Response: Does not need to be nut-free. LPCI is not a nut-free school.
? SSON November 1
? School statement of Needs. Created annually. List priorities deemed most important for your school in the event that they require a new administrator. All parents welcome to provide feedback for this document. Send an email to the council with your thoughts and the council will ensure you are represented. N.B.: This does not suggest that we are having an admin change at LPCI. The SSON is reviewed annually.
Question: Is SSON on LP website from last year?
Response: Will find out and see if posted.
? Holiday Tasting Tour November 21 3rd annual
? Community engagement event. Not a fundraiser. Local restaurants bring samples of their menus to LP and we promote community and support local businesses.
? Entry fee 10$ for everyone. No student fee this year – one fee only.
? May implement a passport system to get a stamp – one sample per person to ensure enough food for all. The intent is to SAMPLE local restaurants. Action Item: Looking for volunteers to join the HTT Committee. Reach out to Marni (Chair) directly. Need volunteers to 1)set up at school and 2)reach out to restaurants. - Treasurer’s Report
? Report available on website as separate document. - Teacher Representative Report
? Oct 29th 5:30-6:30 Math Program assistance for Gr. 9 parents
? Nov 7 Parent/Guardian-Teacher interviews. Booking system will open prior to reserve your appointments. 5 minute interview blocks. - Other Business
? Alumni
? Homecoming game was well received and thankful. This can grow the alumni involvement.
? Fundraising efforts – may soon have a link on their website to assist funding alumni scholarships
? LP Alumni Association – fairly new. Website has been launched. Old yearbooks getting scanned and put on the site. Students can volunteer to help scan and get volunteer hours.
? Looking into LPAlumniWear. More to come.
? Wellness Committee
? Having a fair – December 5th – Looking to get support from LP Council. For example, a hot chocolate event.
Question: Do we get an outside sponsor to assist with any finances needed or does council?
Response: LP Council looks at the expense and decides if we are sponsoring or they need a community sponsor. Please submit costing for review.
? Eco-Committee
? EcoFair November 3rd – annual event – info will be posted on the website.
? Toronto City Initiative – list of October events that City creates to circular economy month
? Field
Question: Scoreboard is broken – will it be fixed or waiting for a decision re the turf?
Response: Need to discuss the entire field project and will have an update at the next meeting. - Adjournment
? Motion to adjourn. Motion passed.
Next Meeting: November 11, 2024