Minutes September 27, 2021

LPCI School Council Meeting

Next Meeting:  Monday, November 1st 7pm on Zoom

Attendees: Liz Hanson (Chair), Jinah Park (Principal), Gillian Evans (VP), Karen Barasch, Ian Aukema Lori Rosenberg, John Hiddema, Andrea Fry, Pamela Wilansky, Anne Marie Armstrong, Lucy McSweeny, Erika Boone, Elena Solokhina, Jennifer Tse (81 participants)

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 Update – Adam Barbour, Simeon Xiao
    • Adam and Simeon shared a video introducing this year’s Student Council (difficulties with sound, video will be reposted to School Council website for viewing with sound)
    • Student Council Slide Deck played for participants:
  • Spirit Week – week of Oct. 4 – 8 with themes each day
  • LP Wear – ordering will open late Oct/early Nov – stay tuned for specific dates; LP Wear website will have current catalogue, attached to LPCI Panthers IG page (@lpcipanthers)
  • Student Price Card (SPC) for discounts and deals for LPCI students, sales of cards open Oct. 8
  • Future 2021-22 events: Costume Ball, Charity week, and much more
  1. Chair & Executive Reports
  • Liz Hanson, Chair introduction, Welcome Committee meeting kick-off – Suzanne Duras, Jen Dobson, Elena Solokhina
  • June Meeting minutes approval (Jen approved, Suzanne seconded)
  • Council introduction
  • NEW Co-Chair – Pamela Wilansky
  • Fundraising Chair – Anne Marie Armstrong – stepping down from Fundraising Chair (position is open)
  • Secretary – Jennifer Tse – 3rd year on Council (began as FSLAC Rep)
  • Treasurers – John Hiddema, Ian Aukema – Co-Treasurer (stepping down after this year)
  • Communications Co-Chairs – Leigh Felesky, Lori Rosenberg (2nd year on Council) – Teacher/Staff bios – current project underway
  • Parent Engagement & Welcome Committee Co-Chairs – Suzanne Duras, Jen Dobson, Elena Solokhina
  • Wellness Committee Chair – Karen Barasch – works with the Wellness Committee students – Terry Fox’s brother will be on a Meet & Greet this Wednesday
  • Equity Committee Chair – position available
  • Ward 8 Rep – Erika Boone outgoing Rep, Shelly Laskin Ward 8 Councillor runs monthly meetings online
  • New Ward Rep – Jen Dobson
  • Community Member – Robin Conliffe (2nd year on Council)
  • Safe & Caring School Rep – Andrea Fry (2nd year on Council)
  • Facilities Improvement Subcomitte Chair – open position – new field/track project in the pipeline
  • French As A Second Language Rep (FSLAC) – Lucy McSweeny
  • Parents wishing to get involved: David Calloway (Equity), Philip Roberts (Facilities Improvement), Steph Richard Chadda (Fundraising)
    • Motion to Approve new volunteers: Erika Boone; Seconded by John Hiddema; Motion is passed
    • Thank you to all volunteers!
    • LPCI Alumni Association has been formed and is currently active – more info to come…
    • School Council Updates will be found most editions of The Eye which is distributed by email every Friday
    • Register for School Council updates via the Council website; we may be transitioning to TDSB website for our landing page
  • Welcome Committee – Liz Hanson, Pamela Wilansky
  • Communications – Leigh Felesky
  • Treasurer’s Report – Ian Aukema, John Hiddema – looking for initiatives to fund in the school (from a Department or a teacher i.e. a telescope was funded recently)
  • Wellness Committee – Karen Barasch
  • Equity Committee – David Calloway    
  • Ward 8 Rep – Jen Dobson
  • Community Updates – Robin Conliffe
  • Safe & Caring School Committee – Andrea Fry
  • Facility Improvements Subcommittee – Philip Roberts
  • Parent Engagement Subcommittee – Suzanne Duras, Elena Solokhiva, Jen Dobson
  • French as a Second Language – Lucy McSweeny
  1. Principal’s Report – Jinah Park
  • LPCI is Ms. Park’s 3rd school acting as Principal – previously at W.A. Porter, Cedarbrae
  • Gillian Evans, new VP
    • Prior VP at Don Mills Collegiate
    • VP for last names A-K
  • Victoria Johnson-Lee (has been at LP for one semester already in the 2020-21 year) – L-Z last names
  • Roland Straatsma – 2nd year at LPCI, great to be back in the building and to see the kids in person; school is over-capacity this year; aim in Guidance is to get students the courses they have requested, engaging students and parents where necessary; 70 new registrations outside of current student body; roughly 340 students in each grade from 9-12; Sept. 22 deadline for course selections has come and gone; 2nd semester course selections will be reviewed prior to start of that semester; e-learning now closed; Night School courses open to Oct. 1 (limited course offerings); focus on assisting Grade 12s transitioning; assembly Wed, Sept. 29th @ 3:45pm for Gr. 12 students on what to expect with Q&A following; scholarship info being presented next week; Nov/Dec application process with Gr. 12; all university/college visits will be virtual only this year; lots of info online and often more than one online event per school; See ‘The Eye’, My School Day App for details; dedicated Grade 12 postings via an app; introduce guidance counsellors to incoming grade 9 students
  • Suzanne Sparrow – Grade 9 Geography teacher, teacher rep on School Council, 18 years at LPCI
  • OSSLT: Ontario Literacy Test: Students graduating in the 2021-22 school year are exempted from the literacy graduation requirement.
  • The literacy graduation requirement will be restored for students graduating in the 2022-23 school year. Students in Grades 10 and 11 and non-graduating students, including those who are learning remotely, are required to work towards the literacy graduation requirement, through participating in the OSSLT, adjudication, or the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC).
  1. School’s Report – Principal Jinah Park
  • Space – we were allocated 64 teachers, not including ½ time teachers; currently 1356 students; 67 over projected enrollment; more staff requested and 2 granted, resulting in limited space; some classes were taking place in the library, cafeteria, and drama studio class spaces; additional portable will be up and running in max 2 months from now for additional space
  • 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
  • Clubs Update: Allowed for extracurricular activities to happen safely – meeting with Athletics Dept.; currently virtual clubs and teams are running provided there is a teacher advisor to run and advise the students
  • Councils vs. Clubs – Councils are more far-reaching than Clubs (school-wide, involves the whole school, overseeing multiple clubs focused on a particular niche)
  • Every 3rd/4th Wednesday of the month will be LATE START (10am start)
  • Last Wednesday of the month is dedicated to Staff Meetings
  • https://sites.google.com/student.tdsb.on.ca/lpclubscouncils/home
  • Several bikes (3) have been stolen from school property; TPS have been made aware; video surveillance has been recorded – make sure locks cannot be cut by bolt-cutters
  • Theft in the locker room today. Locks will be installed between and change room and gym (due to fact that lockers cannot be used at this time, valuables are being left in the changerooms); caretaking and facilities have been notified and will be doing the installation
  • Discussion surrounding extra-curricular sports – TDSB guidance drives permissions on sports regarding Covid protocols; parents can advocate for students by reaching out to Toronto Public Health
  • Grade 10 student integration – what is available for buddies, or ways to get to know students in their grade cohort? – – encourage students to join virtual clubs, buddies – reach out to Ms. Sachs teacher advisor for buddies

Parent questions:

Q. Bike Theft – What are the rules / protocols about releasing the camera image to parents?

A: We cannot release camera images to the public/parents

Q. Where do students who do not have gym this Semester go to collect their new gym shirt?

A. Gym Shirts – Mr. Reid (boys), Ms. Ladak (girls)

Q. Can we start with just having practice squad until the board figures out schedules/etc. Practice squad for sports?

A. There are more practices than games, we must adhere to TDSB rules. re: intermural sports – should start up very soon! meeting this week to figure out the logistics

Q. Any help to integrate Grade 10 students would be a greatly appreciated!

A. The buddies are looking at ways of engaging the grade 10s!

Q. How are last years’ grads receiving their yearbooks?

A. Grades 10-12 student’s yearbooks were handed out on photo day. Please send your teen to the office if they did not get one on that day. For those who have graduated out, they will need to come in and pick them up once we give the green light – still working on logistics of 100s of kids coming to the office. Info coming soon in The EYE!

Motion to Close: John Hiddema

Seconded: Ian Aukema

MEETING ADJOURNED (8:33pm)