Taylor Evans Public School

Choir

• 3 choirs – primary, junior, intermediate.
• Performing at Storm game Dec. 28th – parents were enlisted to help organize tickets, etc.
• Performing at the Remembrance Day assembly in the gym on Friday – all parents are welcome.

Sports/Activities

• Volleyball starting this month.
• Junior basketball clinic happening at recess.

• Intermediates are going to “Linamar for the Arts” on Nov. 9.  Program sponsored by Linamar (only cost is bus to venue).
• Intermediates will participate in sledge hockey at West End Rec Centre.

Around the School: 

Kindergarten Helpers Program

• Kindergarten helpers program in effect – grade 4s helping inside at lunch and outside at recess.

Indigenous Veterans Day

• Recognized at school on Nov 8.

Remembrance Day Assembly

• 11 am Nov. 10. Will recognize different cultures during the ceremony.

Treaty Recognition Week

• Land acknowledgment daily during announcements

Diwali

• To be celebrated in classrooms this week (as it’s on a Sunday)

Snack Program (Food & Friends program)

• Coordinated by Mrs Irvine & Mr Lindsay
• Snacks delivered to every classroom (more on this from Mr. Lindsay below)

Food Drive

• Collecting for both Guelph Food Bank & local church.
• Important as schools are centered in their respective communities – good place to distribute food bags etc. as most Guelph newspapers are no longer physically circulated.
• Food bank use is up 60% in Guelph – not just unemployed needing help anymore; people are struggling.
• TEPS food drive will run for the month of November.

Bullying Awareness Prevention Week

• Coming up this month
• Refer to it in a positive way instead: “Increase the kindness” Week
• Will discuss bullying vs teasing etc.
• Lots of wellness activities
• Focus on being kind, using the “no-go-tell” strategy

Staff Update

• Starting parent-teacher interviews early.
• Based on progress reports coming out Nov 16.

Curriculum

• Changes in math curriculum – 5 math strands will now be combined into 1 comprehensive mark. 
• Reading, writing and language marks will now be combined into 1 comprehensive mark as well.
• New science curriculum in effect
• Can check it out online – includes continuous learning strategies to try at home.

Run by John & Mrs Irvine

Per Jackie – need to plan what our fundraising will be for?  Consensus is that food insecurity at our school is a concern, and so this is something we would want to help with.

Food sources – Crown Dairy, Seed – can do bulk purchasing from them.  Buy directly from Costco too.

New fridge – 2 door sliding fridge $4,600 tax in – glass doors for kids to see through etc.

Basic fridge $900.  20 ft. – $1,100 (both pre-tax).  Larger fridge $1,300 before tax

Used fridge – NO.  Health & safety regulations.  

Fridge would go in servery.  Add to storage, not replace any existing.

Shouib – has some contacts – potential discount – send item codes and he can check prices. John & Shouib will take convo offline.

Ken – great response from donations – over 300 units of milk YAY

After Christmas – put out to community for help with donations

• Rich – Opening up extra week made a big difference – raised $918 this year.  Delivery coming Nov 21 AM (9-12)  pick up Nov 21 3-6.  Rich will recruit more ppl to help.  Jackie and Brittany offered help so far. Rich will print labels, refer to notes from last year

Chocolate bars

• launch 3rd week of Jan, looking for a sub committee (posters made, emails written up; someone there for delivery; someone there to sort into classrooms etc.)  Volunteers – Amy & Richard, Jackie, Meghan Mccoy, Lesley Burton
• Cash Online vs taking cash too?  Go strictly cashless?
• liaison for translation – could write a letter
• Going with Opt-In format this time
• Prizes this time?  Some come from World’s finest; buy some from them, or use Council funds to purchase – shelve for December meeting. 

Jackie

Action item – booking food trucks – update from Amber: unicorn scoops, pablas, beavertails (smaller tow truck).  Need one more food truck!

Movie night –  March 28th. Plan at Jan meeting.  Popcorn sold by world’s finest, we can coordinate easily.  Jackie to coordinate with Mrs Zamora, try to buy together and make better profit

Milk program implemented – Update from School: today was first day – went well, working out some kinks. Still have cooler bags from last time, could use a few more (6 to 7 bags – future wishlist or Amber might be able to sources some).  Seems successful so far.  First delivery was late.  Amber  – How many extra should be ordered for each day?  Determined she will add a few more per day; John will watch supply/demand and assess.  Amber confirmed John will be her point of contact.

Jan/Feb skating event: Action item – Amber to look into ice times. Sort by December meeting or move to next year’s ideas. What’s involved? Cost? Liability? Council would need to apply for council insurance through the board.  Guess for ice time is $500 by Ken.

Storm game – choir – Dec 28.  approx. 220 tickets sold.   Have volunteers to sort tickets (Jackie, Michelle and Khatera)

Summary of current account

• Opening balance is $5,200
• FFTF – $918

36 teachers; $100 per teacher – $3,600

~ $2,500 left to spend.

Jackie will request report and send to Rich and Amber.

Check accounts for proper balances:

• Greening $500
• Music $878
• Playground $3500
• Recess $1000
• Science $850

New spreadsheet made by Rich to track what’s requested, and what has been purchased.  

Nothing from intermediate sections, Meghan Jones will remind teachers.

Add a deadline for Dec 1; we will review and approve at next meeting!

Will add fridge to wishlist.

20-30 mins presentation centered around equity, (board, schools), council by laws, etc.

2 breakout sessions:

High school council – what does a HS council look like? GCVI, Ross, etc. Fundraising/Volunteering, others centered on parent information.  Hard to find parents who want to participate. Look at elementary councils and recruit from there.  Every month have a spotlight speaker – possible to implement here? They use Facebook groups – is this something we want to do?  Info only, not for opinions, fact and info sharing.  Event for each meeting with Google link.  Implement FB group (Jackie), she will add some admins.  Good way to break through language barrier. turning off comments etc. Michelle offered to help moderate the group.

Other session – how do we involve parents?  after school events.  How to involve everyone – include diverse food.  Food = turnout!

How to get parents INTO the school?

On the other hand, special time for parents; great for community.

How can we balance the curriculum and events without relying strictly on teachers. Can Council help/volunteer? Ken will discuss with staff.

Can we take something from each curriculum, get creative to pivot it into a performance.  HOW CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN without increasing teacher workload.

If assemblies are open for parents, can we have it broadcasted better? Not just at a classroom level.  Council can help broadcast with our new Facebook page.

Soccer tournament for Juniors – Jackie had huge shout-out for team who organized. So much fun, great communication. Ken to pass this message along.

Rich/Amber: Connect re: accounts etc.

Amber: Look into insulated bags for milk program and continue search for final food truck

Meghan Jones: Advise teacher of wish list deadline (Dec. 1)

Jackie:  Launch Facebook group

Agenda items for next meeting:

• Teacher wish list allocation (deadline for teachers will be Dec 1)
• Discussion and/or vote on prizes for chocolate bar fundraiser (i.e. yes/no?  If yes – use WF prizes; buy WF prizes, or council purchase own prizes)