Parent Council

Upcoming Parent Council Meetings:

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the Library

Bishop Ryan High School Parent Council Mission Statement

To work in partnership/collaboration with our School, Parish, and our Parent Community in support of the Academic Success, Spiritual Development, and Personal Growth of our children.

Vision

To be a strong voice for the parents in our school community and provide a forum for their effective engagement, communication and participation. This will be supported by our mutual values of respect, appreciation, trust, faith, pride and commitment.

2010 Objectives/Goals

1. To improve communication between the Parent and the School by providing a contact name and e-mail address for Parents to provide feedback/comment directly to council.
2. To improve the visibility of Parent Council to Parents and the School Community by providing an information Bulletin Board from Parent Council and dedicated Parent Council web-pages.
3. To develop online information resources for our Parents – including but not limited to:
4. To organize an annual parent outreach community evening – networking, information seeking
5. To act in an advisory capacity to the Principal and Senior Staff in accordance with the policies and guidelines of our Catholic School Board and Ministry of Education.

Catholic School News

The HWCDSB Trustee newsletter, Catholic School News, current and archived editions, are available HERE.

Meeting Minutes from January 27, 2010

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. D. LeDonne, Ms. T. Brajic, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs P. Ulbinas, Mr. A. D’Intino (late)

Opening Prayer - Mr. Mayers

Financial Report – Mrs. LeDonne
No change in account balance.

Guest Speaker Discussion
Ms. Brajic suggested in an email sent to council members that Mr. Rick Osborne may be a suitable guest speaker for our school. His talk focuses on gangs and drug and his personal experience with these. His cost is $500 per day plus expenses, but he will be available for the full day. His talk is directed at students, so we will not be able to use a PRO grant for this. If he is brought in to speak to students, paid for by the CSC, then it will have to be approved by the Board. Mr. DiFrancesco indicated that MADD does a presentation for the students with similar topics to Mr. Osborne’s talk.

Ms. Brajic will give Mr. Mayers information to forward to Dr. Beaudette at the Board for review.

Principal’s Report – Mr. Mayers, Mr. DiFrancesco
Ms. Carolyn Barnett, Head of the Math Department, will be retiring. A new Department Head will be appointed.
Plans for the New BR have been updated. The new school will have a 500 seat auditorium. Plans will be finalized with the architect Feb. 22.

BR raised over $3500 for Haiti.

The Breakfast for School Councils will be held next Friday, Feb. 5. Mr. Mayers and Ms. Swick will attend.

Bill 157 “Keeping Our Kids Safe at School Act” will take affect Feb 1, 2010. Staff will be inserviced Feb. 2 which is a PA Day for students. A video will be shown from the Ministry of Education which will illustrate inappropriate behaviour and how to respond. Staff members who become aware of inappropriate behavior must report it to the principal who will then investigate and report back, on paper. Personal information will not be disclosed.

Mr. Silvestro is updating the school website. It will include space for alumni organizations. The Board website has been updated to the new format.

Three new SmartBoards have been installed since Christmas.

Co-instructional activities are at the mid-season point. These include basketball, wrestling, and hockey.

The Phys Ed Department is planning a ski trip for students. Helmets will be mandatory and can be rented along with other ski equipment.
Exams are being held this week. On Wednesday, Feb 3, school will be on a half-day timetable. Students can come to school to discuss marks and exams. There will be activities for students who wish to participate in the afternoon.

There are approx. 50 students with outstanding chocolate almond accounts.

Ash Wednesday Mass will be held Feb. 17.

Minutes from Oct. 28, 2009 and Nov. 25 were approved as written.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, February 24 at 6:30 pm in the BR library.

Meeting Minutes from November 25, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. M. Silvestro, Mrs. L. White, Ms. T. Brajic, Ms. P. Swick, Mrs P. Ulbinas

Opening Prayer - Group

Minutes from Oct. 28, 2009 – Mrs. White
Approval waived, minutes will be emailed to Council for approval.

Financial Report – Mrs. LeDonne is absent
Mrs. Swick reported that there has been no change in the account since the last meeting.

Chair Report – Mrs. Swick
Suggested that members of the BR Council report to feeder school Councils.

Parent-Teacher interview Night – Many parents were taking handouts. Councillors stressed to parents that there is not much work to do on Council (eg. Fundraising) but it is a good way to get information about the school.

Mrs. Swick and the School Secretary will work to set up a phone line for Council.

Principal’s Report – Mr. Mayers, Mr. DiFrancesco, and Mr. Silvestro
There will a Remembrance Day Commemoration at the school with music, readings and prayers.

BR has two teams qualifying for OFSAA Championships– Sr. Girls Basketball and Sr. Boys Volleyball.

Site plan for the new BRHS was shown to Council members. The new school will be located at the corner of Rymal Road and Dakota. The architectural firm that prepared Bishop Tonnos HS is also working on the new BRHS. The projected opening of the school is Sept 2012, and enrolment is expected to be 1300-1400 students. The catchment area will remain the same, and buses will be provided from lower city schools to BR, with centrally located pick-up areas. The new school will have a dance studio, practice field, track, and sports field with artificial turf.

Mr. Silvestro handed out the 2-week school planner. Prom will be held Dec. 4. Final progress reports will be sent out in December.
A new website is being designed, which will have tabs with pull-down menus. Council information will be under the “PARENTS” tab. Council will suggest menu items. The website will have new features such as the “Subscribe to school updates” feature and a search feature.

Final exams will be held January 25 -29, 2010. Personalized schedules will be given out after Christmas.

Co-instructional activities: OFSAA and winter sports will be overlapping. League games will begin Dec. 1.

A Christmas assembly will be held on the last Friday before Christmas.

There will be a Christmas Food Drive in December.

Fundraising: Students who have returned their money from chocolate almond sales will be having a civvies day on Dec. 4.

H1N1 Update: BR did not reach outbreak status.

Additional Items
Council will set goals for the coming year. Suggestions included a guest speaker to speak on social networking.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30 pm in the BR library.

Meeting Minutes from October 28, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. M. Silvestro, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. D. LeDonne, Ms. T. Brajic, Ms. P. Swick, Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz, Mr. J. Savelli

The Council Chair position has been accepted by Mrs. Paula Swick.

Opening Prayer - Group

Approval of minutes from Sept. 23, 2009 – Mrs. White
Accepted by Ms. Brajic, seconded by Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros

Financial Report – Mrs. LeDonne
The Council account has $1987.85.

Principal’s Report – Mr. Mayers, Mr. DiFrancesco, and Mr. Silvestro

Grade 8 Parent’s Night will be held at BR on Dec 1. Councillors will be available to speak to parents, coordinated by Mrs. Swick.
There have been no confirmed cases on H1N1 at BR. A number of staff and students have been absent, but this is similar to other years. Supply teachers are difficult to obtain due to Board-wide issues.

BR had approximately 450 students participating in the Walk with Christ Pilgrimage. Thank you to Miss Hurley and her committee.
The Parish bulletin board has been stet up by Mr. O’Sullivan in the main hallway. There are photos of each church along with a recent church bulletin.

The Council bulletin board needs updating. Mrs. Swick and Ms. Brajic have offered to do this.

Midterm reports will be sent home Nov. 13

Parent-Teacher interviews will be held Nov. 19. Council members will be present to offer information and encourage parents to get involved. Mrs. Swick and Mrs. LeDonne will organize this.

Final progress reports will be sent home Dec. 18.

Three teachers have been hired at the school in full time positions.

Metro Grocery Store has donated $1000 to the school.

The BR Environmental Club has achieved Gold certification.

Take Your Kids to Work Day will be held Nov. 4.

Board hand-out inviting people to see Gord Paynter at Sir Allen MacNab Secondary School on Nov 17.

Board hand-out regarding inclement weather and school closures.

School website is being updated by Mr. Silvestro with photos and council minutes. Mr. Don Henderson is working on the School Board website.

Co-instructional activities: Fall activities are winding down. Winter ones are beginning.

There are two more SmartBoards to be installed in the Geography and Science Departments.

Fundraising: Chocolate almonds will be distributed to students on Nov. 13. Mr.Ferko’s accounting class will maintain records as a class project. The fundraiser from last year raised over $35000 which went to buses, teams and uniforms etc. Early Bird prizes will be given out to student and class who sell the most almonds.

Nov. 24 is Distinguished Catholic Awards Night at Cathedral.

Nov 20 will be Spirit Day, with money raised donated to the United Way.

Parent Conference – Attended by Mrs. Swick, Mrs. Szymkiewicz, Mr. Szymkiewicz
The guest speaker discussed ways that computers may affect the development of our children’s brains. There were workshops as well, covering topics such as social networking (eg. Twitter) which were useful for elementary and secondary parents.
A speaker from one of the social networking workshops may be invited to BR.

Parish Report – Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. Szymkiewicz suggested that there was a need for more representation from feeder school councils, perhaps parish reps from each school council.

St. Mark School would like a rep from BR to speak at a school meeting, on topics such as the Grade 8 to 9 transition, supports that are in place, or what to do if you fail a class.

There was also a suggestion that a Student Council Rep should attend the Parent Council meetings, as recommended in the Council Guidelines, to update parents on their activities.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, November 25 at 6:30 pm in the BR library.

Meeting Minutes from September 23, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. M. Silvestro, Mr. A. D’Intino, Mrs. P. Ulbinas, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. D. LeDonne, Ms. T. Brajic, Ms. P. Swick, Ms. K. DeStefano, Ms. K. Geloso (Brock student)

Opening Prayer- Mr. H. Mayers

Introduction of Staff – Mr. H. Mayers

Council Members
Mr. Mayers reviewed the necessary assigned positions for the Council: Staff Rep., Student Rep., Community Rep., Chair, Co-chair or Vice-chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The rules for eligibility for certain positions were also reviewed.
The duties of the Chair include setting meeting agenda with the Principal. This year the Chair position may be a shared duty between all Councillors, on a rotating basis. One name will be designated as Chair for any documentation purposes.
The Council for 2009-2010 is as follows:
Mrs. Penny Ulbinas
Mrs. Anne Kopys-Medeiros
Mrs. Paula Swick
Mrs. Diane LeDonne
Ms. Tina Brajic
Mrs. Lisa White
Ms. Karol DeStefano
Mrs. Angie Szymkiewicz
Mrs. Gina Robinson
Mr. Joe Savelli
Mrs. LeDonne will remain Treasurer, and Mrs. White will remain Secretary.

Financial Update – Mrs. LeDonne
The account activity was summarized on a handout from Mrs. LeDonne. Dr. Sturdy received $900 for speaking at a Council event. Snacks and marketing for this event were $375.14. Deposits of grant money totaled $1450.00. The closing balance as of Sept.12, 2009 was $2063.60.

There is $200 left from the grants which will be used to repair sewing machines in the school.

Review of Minutes – Mrs. White
Minutes from the meeting on June 17, 2009 were reviewed and the following changes were made:
-Change Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros to Mrs. Szymkiewicz under Action Item (purchase plant for Mrs. Toth)
-Add “recommend” to the final vote in uniform discussion.
Council voted to accept the minutes with the changes.

Principal’s Report – Mr. Mayers, Mr. DiFrancesco, and Mr. Silvestro
Mr. Silvestro was welcomed as the new Vice Principal.

Mr. Gus Hubbard is the new superintendent, replacing Mrs. Pat Amos.

The number of students at the school has increased by 30 from last year to 1256.

Teachers are to be hired in the Technology and Social Science/Religion departments.

Grade 9 orientation was held on the first day of school with a welcome assembly and other activities. Parents were allowed to visit the school in the week before school began. Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Ulbinas spoke to parents during Grade 9 Parents Night.

Mass will be said tomorrow by Father Charlie (Galea) from Incarnation Parish. As this parish is no longer directly committed to any elementary schools, Father Charlie has “adopted” BR.

The statue of the Virgin Mary in the front hall of the school has been refurbished and the broken hands have been replaced using money raised from the 50th Anniversary of BR.

Fall co-instructional activities have started. There will be a fundraising drive in November to support these activities.

A lock-down drill is scheduled for Tues. Sept. 29. Parents and students will be notified of the date through the SynerVoice system. The school is planning to have drills for summer school students, as well as updating the manual for supply teachers. A fire drill will be held tomorrow.

The Board has hired Mr. Don Henderson to update the Board website. The websites of all schools will have similar first pages. BR will be keeping our same webmaster to input information relevant to our school. Mr. Silvestro is inviting parents to help design the CSC webpage. There are plans to keep existing links, as well as to list minutes of Council meetings by date. The Biweekly calendar will remain on the website, as well as a yearly calendar which will include information for the entire year and will be updated as information comes in. Photos on the website will be updated so parental permission will be necessary. A virtual tour of the school will be produced at the Board level.

Ms. Jackie Bajus is the Board liaison for H1N1 preparations. Schools will be provided with hand sanitizer, and cleaning of key areas such as keyboards and railings will be increased. Proper and diligent hand washing is encouraged. As well, students are advised to stay at home if feeling unwell. Students are welcome to bring hand sanitizer for personal use. There is a link on the Board website for questions relating to the H1N1 virus.

Land has been purchased for the new Bishop Ryan High School. It is located at Rymal Road and Dakota Blvd (Upper Mount Albion). Construction will begin in 2010 and completion will be 2012.

This year’s Pilgrimage Walk will be held October 18, 2009. Participants will meet at Cathedral High School for an 11:00 am mass, and then they will walk up the trail as a group to St. Daniel School at the top of the escarpment.

November 4 is ‘Take Your Kids to Work Day’ for grade 9 students.

November 19 is Parent-Teacher Interview night.

During the first week of school, security guards were hired to patrol the school and surrounding area. The focus was to monitor visitors and prohibit initiations. Guards reported any incidents to the school office. Teachers monitor the school hallways during the year.

Spirit Wear is on sale in the Uniform Store. There will be Spirit Days instead of Civvies Days. Students are allowed to wear their Spirit Wear on these days instead of proper uniform shirts. Uniform pants are still required.

Mr. Silvestro will take over the HAT initiative from Mrs. Toth and will report on this regularly at CSC meetings.

Additional Items
Student tutoring is limited to a choice of one subject per student until classes are determined, and then there may be a chance to join classes for other subjects. There are other resources available to students such as the onMath website or Homework Help website (links can be found on the school website), as well as Student Success teachers with applications available at the Student Services office.

For students living on the mountain, there is a Late Bus which leaves BR at 5:45 pm and drops students at Mountain feeder schools. This is primarily for students staying for sports or clubs. The bus can be found in the front parking lot.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 28 at 7 pm in the school library.

Meeting Minutes from June 17, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mr. A. D’Intino, Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. P. Ulbinas, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz, Mr. P. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. N. Peddle, Mrs. D. LeDonne, Mr. J. Savelli

Financial Update
The grant for $1000 has been deposited in the school account and will be transferred to oour account. Mrs. LeDonne to follow up on this with school secretary. The $500 PRO grant has $200 left to spend. This will be used for parenting program. A parent newsletter will be created for September to inform parents about CSC elections etc.

Uniform Committee
A list of questions for Mr. Brian Coruzzi of Sportscor was prepared. These answers were reviewed. Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros noted that there was no mention of the return policy for defective merchandise. Mr. Coruzzi is willing to introduce new styles of clothing. Any new contract will be set to expire in Spring 2012 to coincide with the opening of the new Bishop Ryan location.

A vote was taken with Council members voting for either Sportscor or McCarthy.

Those voting for Sportscor were Mrs. LeDonne, Mrs. Peddle, Mr. Savelli and Mrs. White. Those voting for McCarthy were Mrs. Szymkiewicz, Mr. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. Ulbinas and Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros. Mrs. Robinson, as Chair, broke the tie with a vote for McCarthy. The Council has voted to recommend McCarthy as uniform supplier.

Action Item
Mrs. Szymkiewicz will purchase a gift for Mrs. Toth to be sent in September to her new office. Council approved spending $60 including delivery and tax on a plant.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 23 at 7 pm in the school library. Council elections for the 2009-2010 school year will also take place.

Meeting Minutes from May 27, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mrs. T. Toth, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. A. D’Intino,
Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. P. Ulbinas, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz,
Mr. P. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. N. Peddle, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros,
Mrs. D. LeDonne, Mr. J. Savelli

Opening Prayer read by Mr. Mayers

Approval of Minutes from April 29
Addition of “and two student reps” under Uniform Committee section.
Change date of Closing School Mass to May 27 from May 28.
Motion to accept minutes with changes made by Mrs. Szymkiewicz. Seconded by Mrs. Ulbinas. Motion accepted.

Uniform Committee
Mr. Szymkiewicz prepared comparisons of three vendors who presented to Council on April 16, 2009. These were Bombardieri, JML, and McCarthy. The table was reviewed with the Council. JML return period of 30 days was added to the table, as well as the fact that the Bombardieri website could not be accessed by Mr. Szymkiewicz.

Some points that came up during the discussion of possible vendors were:
• Sportscorp is adding new products eg. styles for tops for girls
• Feedback on Sportscorp from students is positive
• New vendor JBC may not be Board approved
• Council should determine three main criteria that we as parents are interested in, possibly quality for money, style and variety, ease of ordering
• The quality control at Bombardieri is poor ie. same size pant or shirt may not have same dimensions every time
• Bombardieri storefront and service is not well liked

Staff members Ms. Byrne and Ms. Mazza prepared a report on the uniform issues, which generally puts our current supplier Sportscorp in a very positive light. They cite the in-school store, payment options, sufficient choice, reasonable prices, promotional items, and hiring of BR students.

It was decided that we will compare only McCarthy and Sportscorp to determine our next supplier. Mr. Szymkiewicz will prepare a list of specific concerns and question for Sportscor, forward these to Mrs. Robinson who will review and forward to Mrs. Toth and Mr. Mayers.

Treasurer’s Report
There is no bank statement for this period.

PRO (Parents Reaching Out) Grant
Mrs. Robinson has used some of the money from this $500 grant for the Dr. Sturdy presentation and will submit receipts. There is approximately $300 left to spend by the September deadline. Mrs. Kopys- Medeiros suggested creating a survey for parents. The purpose would be to try to engage Grade 9 parents as it can be filled out during the Parents Orientation Meeting. A BR student could be hired to design this with criteria such as pay, guidelines, and software availability set by Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros. The timeframe for this would be mid-June in order to make announcements to students before summer break.

Council Mission and Vision Statements by Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros
A draft version of the Council Mission and Vision statements as well as the Council Objectives for 2009 was handed out and reviewed. Objective #5 will be removed as it is considered redundant.

Healthy School Designation – by Mrs. Toth
The Minister of Education gave a Healthy School Designation Certificate to Bishop Ryan High School for its many school initiatives.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz

The new Binbrook elementary school will be housed in Assumption School until the new building is complete. There will be two separate schools with two principals.

There will be a new elementary school opening in Summit Park in 2010.

The Assumption picnic will be held Sunday, August 9 at Dofasco Park with mass at 11:30 am followed by a BBQ.

The St. Vincent de Paul Annual Mass for Sick and Shut-ins will be held Saturday, May 30 at 2pm at Assumption Church. BR students are required to help usher guests from DARTS buses. This can be used toward volunteer hours.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
Mrs. Amos is the new Director of Education. Mrs. Robinson will purchase a card and have Council members sign it and forward it to Mrs. Amos. Mrs. Szymkiewicz will invite Mrs. Amos to attend a BR Council meeting in October.

The new air conditioning unit is still not working. There have been many mechanical problems.

Mr. Mayers will attend closing ceremonies for St. Helen’s and Holy Family Schools.

The Board-wide Awards Night will be held June 8, 2009 at Cardinal Newman High School. Bishop Ryan has several students receiving awards on this night.

Students are being reminded to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu. Posters have been put up stressing the importance of handwashing.
The Grade 12 Grad Mass is being held June 4 at St. Luke’s Church. Parents and guests are welcome, however they are being asked to park in the church lot only, not in the school lot.

Council members will meet for dinner on Wednesday, June 17 at 7 pm.

Meeting Minutes from April 29, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mrs. T. Toth, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. A. D’Intino, Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. P. Ulbinas, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz, Mr. P. Szymkiewicz, Cindy Graziano, Paula Swick, Nancy Peddle

Opening Prayer read by the group

Approval of Minutes
Motion to accept minutes from March 25th by Mrs. Ulbinas, seconded by Mr. Szymkiewicz. Motion accepted.

HAT (Health Action Team) – by Mrs. Toth
The previous meeting was cancelled. Mrs. Toth will update council with the new date.

School Council Bulletin Board – by Mrs. Robinson
Posters have been put up on the bulletin board. Parish bulletins will be put up as they are received.

School Website Development

A telephone extension will be set up with voicemail for parents to leave messages for the Parent Council. This number will be posted on the website. Mrs. Robinson will work with the school secretary to set this up with a password. Mrs. Szymkiewicz will monitor the messages.

Mr. Szymkiewicz wil set up and monitor a hotmail account for the Parent Council. The address will also be posted on the website.

Pro Grant – by Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson used $120 for posters for the Dr. Sturdy presentation. There is approximately $350 left to spend by the Sept. 15 deadline. The money may be used for activities related to engaging and soliciting feedback from the parents and community. Some money will also be used to purchase refreshments for the Dr. Sturdy presentation. As well, door prizes will be purchased from Dr. Sturdy (3 copies of his CD’s at $25 each) to give away at this presentation.

Uniform Committee
Several vendors were invited to the school to present information on their companies. Mrs. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs. White, Mrs. LeDonne, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Toth Mr. Szymkiewicz and two student reps were in attendance. The vendors presenting were JML, Bombardieri, and McCarthy. There is one more supplier in contact with Mr. Mayers who wishes to present. A discussion will take place at the next Council meeting on May 27, 2009. Mr. Szymkiewicz will create a summary and compare prices of the vendors. Mrs. Robinson is encouraging members to visit the various stores to help form an opinion. Bombardieri is located at 448 Barton St. East, JML is located at 95 Parkdale Ave. North, and the address for McCarthy can be found at rjmccarthy.com.

Mail Review
JEPAG meeting will be held April 22. They are accepting nominations for new council members.

OAPCE (Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education) information will be posted on the bulletin board. There will be a conference May 22-24, 2009.

Report to Catholic School Councils and Parents was received.

A letter was received regarding the retirement of Mr. Marcel Castura as Director of Education.

Treasurer’s Report
Mrs. LeDonne was not present at the meeting. The bank statement was reviewd. Money will be owed for Dr. Sturdy presentation.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Knights of Columbus are holding a Spaghetti Dinner Saturday at 6 pm.

St. Luke’s is having a garage sale on Saturday May 9.

St. John’s is having a plant sale May 8 – 9.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
1260 students are enrolled for fall. This number is up from previous years.

The new heating and air conditioning unit will be completed soon.

Announcements have been made to staff and students regarding Swine Flu. Students were advised to stay home if they were feeling ill and call their family doctor. Hand washing was stressed.

The B.R. Expression and Fusion held a concert at Carmen’s Banquet Hall for over 4000 people. This included students from many elementary schools.

Catholic Education Week is coming up. There will be a mass said at Cathedral High School on Monday at 10 am.

A mass will be said at the Cathedral for senior students (grade 12) on May 5 at 1 pm.

The play Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat is coming up.

A Fashion Show will be held May 22. Doors open at 6 pm. Show starts at 7 pm.

Closing school masses will be held on May 27 at 9:30 and 10:30 am.

Student Council elections will have a change in criteria. An 80 average (up from 70) will now be necessary for anyone running for President or Vice-President. Candidates must have 10 signatures plus a staff signature and meet all criteria. Speeches will be heard May 13 and voting will take place May 15. School Council advisors will monitor the election. Co-op students will be given time to vote.

Chair Report by Mrs. Robinson

There will a presentation by Dr. Sturdy on May 4 at 7 pm in the B.R. Auditorium. Council members are asked to arrive at 6 pm. Coffee will be supplied by the school. Cold drinks will be purchased by Mrs. Robinson. Timbits will be purchased by Mrs. Ulbinas.

BRIGHT Update by Mr. DiFrancesco
BRIGHT stands for Bishop Ryan Innovators for a Greener Hamilton Today. A handout was presented with information from the group regarding use of reusable water bottles, construction of a composting/recycling/waste collection station, and disposal of used batteries.

Next Meeting will be held Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 7 pm in the school library.

  
Minutes from March 25, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers, Mrs. T. Toth, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mr. A. D’Intino, Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. P. Ulbinas, Mrs. D. LeDonne, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz(late), Mr. P. Szymkiewicz (late)

Opening Prayer read by Mr. Mayers

Additions to Agenda

E-mail from parent about a complaint of no hand soap in the boys washroom. Mr. Mayers responded that new dispensers had been installed prior to the March Break.

Approval of Minutes
Minutes from Feb. 4th were corrected regarding the date of the HAT meeting, which took place on March 23 not March 24.

HAT (Health Action Team) – by Mrs. Toth
There was a discussion of the food served in the cafeteria. At least one healthy item will be offered. The school has no control over the price of food items. The HWCDSB will be presenting a one-day symposium called “Children with Complicated Lives” dealing with children with mental health issues and what help is available for them in the community. The date for this is May 14, 2009. Members of the HAT Committee include Ms. Lau school nurse, and Mrs. Roberto, a teacher at the school. Ms. Lau invites community agencies to speak at HAT meetings and provide information on services.

School Council Bulletin Board
Mrs. Szymkiewicz and Mrs. Swick will be responsible for posting information. The board has been prepared and is ready to be used. Information on the CLAY Conference will be posted, and it has already been announced to the students.

School Website Development
Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Szymkiewicz have started working on a framework for the parents’ section of the website. Other members of the committee will meet Saturday. Mr. Mayers will approve content of the website. There is to be no commercial products and only information relevant to parents.

The School Board has recently hired a consultant to work on a Board-wide template for websites. This will create a consistent look with consistent guidelines. The consultant has already met with certain staff members for input. The BR website committee will continue to work to make suggestions once the consultant is finished.

Dr. Colin Sturdy Presentation – update by Mrs. Robinson
Dr. Sturdy has been booked to speak at BR High School on May 4, 2009 at 7 pm. Dr. Sturdy’s presentation will include a 1 ¼ hour power point presentation with an additional 15 min. for questions and comments. A copy of the presentation will be provided in advance for review. Dr. Sturdy also provides information to hand out at the event. Dr. Sturdy recommended the presentation entitled “Hurried Adult/Hurried Child”. It is targeted to parents and how their lives impact the lives of the children, how to break the cycle and refocus. It also deals with the impact of technology on our lives.

The event will be promoted at Parent/Teacher Interview Day on April 23rd. A Council member is needed to coordinate promotion of the event. This involves notifying the Spectator, Stoney Creek News, Channel 14, CH, and e-mailing pamphlet to feeder schools. Mrs. Robinson will send the deposit cheque to Dr. Sturdy. Money will come from school funds until CSC receives the grant money to reimburse the school.

Uniform Committee
This Committee is to be established soon. Mrs. Mazza will be the staff representative. A parent rep. as well as a student rep. are also needed. A presentation from Sportscorp (current supplier) was heard at a previous CSC meeting. Other suppliers under consideration are McCarthy’s, Bombardieri, and JML. Any supplier chosen must follow School Board guidelines. This includes using no sweatshops or child labour for making uniform items. The Uniform Committee currently consists of Mrs. Paula Swick, Mrs. Szymkiewicz and Mr. Szymkiewicz. They will determine criteria to be used when making a decision. The current contract ends in November 2009. Committee members should declare any conflict of interest with respect to suppliers.

A tentative date of Thursday, April 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm at the school will be set up with suppliers to present to the entire CSC. Suppliers will be given ½ hour each to present, each in a separate room. Criteria to be used when making the decision must be determined by this date.

Treasurer’s Report by Mrs. LeDonne
The amount of money in the bank account has not changed. There has been no account activity.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
On Monday April 6 at 7:30 pm, the Chrism Mass will take place at Cathedral of Christ the King.

Assumption Parish has the following Holy Week schedule:
April 7, 7 pm, Stations of the Cross
April 9, 8 pm, Holy Thursday mass, Washing of Feet Ceremony
April 10, Good Friday, services at 11 am and 3 pm, Stations of the Cross at 7 pm
April 11, Holy Saturday, Blessing of Food Baskets at 1 pm, confessions at 3:30 pm, Easter Vigil at 8 pm
April 12, Easter Sunday, masses at 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 am

Bishop Tonnos will be celebrating the annual Mass for Shut-ins at Assumption Church on May 30 at 2 pm.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
Mr. Mayers thanked Council for the mass card after the passing of his father-in-law.

Bishop Bergie was at the school Ash Wednesday to say mass for students.

A staff retreat was held March 10 at St. Luke’s Church.

The school has purchased a digital photo frame. It will be used to show school life and school activities.

The Ministry of Education will supply 2 more SmartBoards for the school. They will be used by as many departments as possible.

There is an initiative by Mr. John Fleming to create a BR School prayer booklet. Students have been invited to participate in creating this booklet.

Fall enrollment numbers may be down. Elementary school enrollment is down by 900 students for the coming year.

Cathedral High School will host Catholic Education Week Mass at the beginning of May.

Next Meeting will be held Wednesday April 29, 2009 at 7 pm in the school library.

  
Minutes from February 24, 2009

In Attendance
Mrs. T. Toth, Mr. D. DiFrancesco, Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. P. Ulbinas,
Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros, Mrs. D. LeDonne,
Mrs. N. Peddle, Mrs. L. White, Mrs. B. Rebelo, Mr. J. Savelli,
Mrs. S. Savelli

Opening Prayer read by Mrs. Toth

Approval of Minutes from Feb. 4

Information under Parent Council Website was changed to say that Mrs. Szymkiewicz and Mrs. Swick would be taking care of the bulletin board. This paragraph was moved to be included under heading School Council Bulletin Board. The spelling of Father Piccinini’s name was corrected. Other spelling errors were corrected. Mrs. Szymkiewicz motions to accept minutes with corrections. Seconded by Mr. Savelli.

SmartBoard Purchase Update – by Mr. DiFrancesco
Mr. Paul Szymkiewicz will be used as a resource when making purchases as he is familiar with products in this field. Information was received from Mrs. Patricia Amos stating that the School Board has an agreement with SmartBoard to purchase their product. The School Board has already purchased one SmartBoard for each high school.

Staff visited a school in Simcoe using ActiveBoard technology. This is similar to SmartBoard but priced differently. Staff members were taken through a lesson to visualize how the technology would work in a classroom setting. They determined that SmartBoard has better image quality and is more advanced. Staff concluded that the extra cost of SmartBoard may be worth it. Teachers using SmartBoard in the classroom may require a computer as well.

Certain departments of the school may be able to raise their own funds or get funding through the Student Success Initiative from the Provincial Government. Avenues of funding will be researched.

HAT (Health Action Team) – by Mrs. Toth
Next meeting will be March 23 at 11:15 am in the school Conference Room. Staff is still looking for a parent volunteer to connect with A/Y, Public Health etc. and report back to council. Mrs. Szymkiewicz will be attending the next meeting.

School Council Bulletin
Mrs. Szymkiewicz and Mrs. Swick will be responsible for updating the bulletin board at the beginning of each month. This will include decorations and material for posting such as meeting dates, meeting minutes, contact information and information from feeder churches. Council will be assigned a mailbox at the school’s phone number so parents can leave messages pertaining to council issues. This information will also be posted.

Website Development
Website content should be in line with School Board and Council guidelines. The website could include links to PATHWAYS, financial assistance programs, scholarships through Student Services, or post-secondary school options. Students may be asked to provide insight into what is interesting or helpful to them or their parents. Website will include Mission Statement for the Council when it is developed.

There was a suggestion by Mrs. LeDonne and Mrs. Savelli to update the school website to include sports scores and results, as well as calendars which are now blank. Action Item A website sub-committee will be formed to determine a framework/design/structure for the website. This sub-committee will include Mrs. Szymkiewicz, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Peddle, and Mrs. Rebelo. Mrs. Szymkiewicz will organize meetings. This will hopefully improve traffic on the website.

Dr. Colin Sturdy Presentation
Mrs. Robinson has been in contact with Dr. Sturdy to determine a date for the event. A date in April or May to compliment Catholic Education Week (May 3 – 8) is preferable. B.R. Council will partner with Parent Councils from other schools such as Cardinal Newman and Cathedral to promote and advertise this event. Feeder schools will be contacted as well. Agencies such as COAST, A/Y and Public Health may be asked to attend to set up displays and tables.

Action Item A sub-committee will be formed to coordinate this event. Communication Technology students or Art students may be asked to help with posters and advertising. The availability of the auditorium will be checked. Community service hours will be given to students who volunteer that evening.

Purchasing Policy Update
No update at this time. Mr. Mayers has been asked to look into this.

Treasurer’s Report by Mrs. LeDonne
The amount of money in the bank account has not changed. There have been no new deposits or withdrawals. Grants of $950 and $500 have not yet been received. Action Item Mrs. Toth will follow up on the deposits with Mr. Mayers.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. Szymkiewicz attended the Bishop’s Ball hosted by Bishop Tonnos. Over 900 people attended the event run by the Knights of Colombus at Chandelier Place. Bishop Tonnos donates proceeds to charity. Last year’s event raised over $80 000 for CYO. The next one will be held Feb. 25, 2010.

Principal’s Report by Mrs. Toth
A staff retreat will be held March 10 at St. Luke’s Church.

Bishop Bergie will say mass at school on Ash Wednesday at 9:30 and 10:30 am.

Superintendent Patricia Amos will be visiting the school March 5. She will be meeting with V.P.’s, and discussing school council goals. Mrs. Szymkiewicz suggested having Mrs. Amos attend one of our School Council meetings.

Mr. Marcel Castura, who is our current Director of Education, will be retiring. A new Director will be hired.

Chair Report by Mrs. Robinson
Mrs. Robinson has attended Parent Support Workshops presented by the John Howard Society. The series was aimed at parents and guardians of children age 12 to 17, and included topics such as peer pressure, drugs, runaways, maintaining relationships, and constructive discussions with our children.

McMaster Student Union is holding a conference for students wishing to develop leadership skills. CLAY – Creating Leadership Amongst Youth – will be held at McMaster from May 7 to 10, 2009. Mrs. Robinson suggested to Council that they sponsor or subsidize student(s) to attend. The cost is $175 per student. Mrs. Toth will present the idea to Mr. Mayers. Mrs. Toth mentioned that the school is already involved with Smart Risk funding which provides youth training in leadership and safety. Mrs. Sue Hurley is also involved with students who show leadership skills.

Next Meeting will be held Wednesday March 25, 2009 at 7 pm in the school library.

  
Minutes from February 4, 2009

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers
Mrs. T. Toth
Mr. D. DiFrancesco
Mr. A. D’Intino
Mrs. P. Ulbinas
Mr. P. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. A. Kopys-Medeiros
Mrs. D. LeDonne
Mrs. N. Peddle
Mrs. E. Winkler-Luxton
Mrs. L. White

Opening Prayer read by Mr. Mayers

SmartBoard Presentation and Demonstration by Mr. Kevin Daly
SmartBoard is made up of a laptop computer connected to a projector which projects onto a touch-screen. Computer files from the laptop as well as Internet sites can be projected onto the SmartBoard. The Board can be drawn or written on and erased. For example, graphs can be plotted, and answers can be filled in using a non ink pen. Thus students have the ability to access these interactive educational sites in the classroom setting, as well as at home.

A CPS clicker can be given to each student to input their answer to multiple choice questions. Answers can be tabulated, and teachers can view the answers given by each student. The particular model presented has a price of approx. $4500. Other products that do the same job are also available at a lower cost. This will be investigated by staff. Staff members will be visiting a school which has a number of these types of boards available in classrooms.

Minutes from meeting on November 26, 2008 were discussed. Correction was made to the Chair Report. Information about Dr. Jean Clinton speaking at the event was removed as this was not correct. Mrs. LeDonne motions to accept minutes. Seconded by Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros.

HAT – Health Action Team - by Mrs. Toth
The team includes members such as the school nurse, teachers, guidance counselors, and community groups such as Outreach programs.

Areas of interest are:
• Nutrition - Cafeteria, Breakfast Program currently run at the school (fruit, juice, milk etc. available to students at minimal cost)
• Mental Health – helping students with anxiety or depression with the help of experts
• Drugs and Alcohol abuse

Committee is looking for parental representation, and will meet once per month at lunchtime at the school. This is so staff and students are available as well. The next HAT meeting will be March 24 at 11:15 am at the school. The Public Health Department has selected our school as part of the HAT program and has made a nurse available to our students. Please contact Mrs. Toth if you are interested.

School Council Bulletin Board
There will be space reserved for CSC issues on the bulletin board. Council members names, and references to our website will be put here. Mrs. Paula Swick and Mrs. Szymkiewicz will be taking care of the bulletin board. This involves information from our feeder school churches and from parish reps. It can also include information about any Council functions such as fundraisers. The minutes from the meetings will also be posted.

Parent Council Website
Students may be asked to help research information to create links for the school website. Money received from a Parent Involvement grant may be used to hire these students. It will first be determined if the webmaster can handle the duties. It was also suggested that students can be used to research information and write summaries of relevant information for the website. They can then provide the webmaster with links and information that can be added to the site.

CSC Breakfast
The annual CSC Breakfast will be held on February 6, 2009. It will be attended Council Member Mrs. Szymkiewicz.

Treasurer’s Report by Mrs. LeDonne
The amount of money in the bank account has not changed. There have been no new deposits or withdrawals. Money from the Parents Reaching Out program ($950) will be deposited when it is received.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
March 7 to 14 is Mission Week at Assumption Church. Father Claudio Piccinini will preach on the weekend of March 7 and 8. There will be evening masses with no homily but a discussion afterwards. Altar servers are needed for the masses.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
Students will receive their own personal timetable for exams, hopefully cutting down on the number of missed exams.
New air conditioning will be installed in the school.

New bulletin boards will be put in the school. One will be for the School Council, and one will be for parishes. Mass times as well as basic church information such as addresses will be put up.

Bishop Bergie will celebrate mass on Ash Wednesday, February 25. This year his 25th year as a priest will be commemorated.
Teacher David Tabone has been nominated by students for the Premier’s Excellence Award for Teaching.

Fundraising/Financial Climate: Staff must be sensitive to the financial situation of families in our school community. Students mental health may be affected by the situation at home, so staff should be sensitive and supportive of parental concerns. School activity fee has not been increased this year, and care must me taken with respect to expenditures by students, ie. field trips or fundraising.

Superintendent Patricia Amos will be visiting the school March 5. She will be meeting with V.P.’s, and discussing school council goals.
There will be a staff retreat in March.

Chair Report by Mrs. Ulbinas
The next JEPAG meeting will be held February 19. A link to the JEPAG site should be put on our website.

Council will be looking into having Dr. Colin Sturdy speak at our school, using money from the grant ($950). Time and date will be determined, perhaps coinciding with Catholic Education Week. The event will be open to councils and parents from other schools, and will be advertised.

John Howard Society will be presenting a series of workshops. Dates and topics will be on the B.R. website. (Webmaster note: Workshop information was taken down in March, 2009)
Follow Up Items
- website and links
- Speaker Dr. Sturdy
- communication with parents of incoming grade 8 students
- information from uniform providers for Uniform Committee. Committee will begin in the spring.

Carousel will be held Feb. 13 for students in grades 9, 10, and 11. Departments within the school will provide information to students about courses offered. Displays will be in the auditorium, and teachers will be available to answer questions. This will help students in their course selections for next year.

Civvies Days will be known as Spirit Days and students will be allowed to wear “Spirit Wear” such as gym uniforms, and clothes purchased with B.R. logo but which are not considered to be uniform clothes. Spirit Days may be used as a fundraiser.

Ideas for public speakers were suggested. Mrs. Toth suggested Lori Claxton from the group A/Y (Alternatives for Youth) who will give a presentation on drug use and its signs. Mrs. LeDonne suggested Sharon Babineau who is an inspirational speaker, loss coach and meditation guide.

Next meeting will be February 24, 2009.

Minutes from November 26, 2008

In Attendance:
Mr. H. Mayers
Mr. D. DiFrancesco
Mrs. T. Toth
Mr. A. D’Intino
Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. D. LeDonne
Mrs.G. Robinson
Mr. J. Savelli
Mrs. L. White
Mrs. P. Ulbinas
Mr. A. Kopys-Medeiros
Mrs. N. Peddle
Mr. P. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. P. Swick
Mrs. C. Gaziano

Opening Prayer read by Mr. Mayers

Sportscorp Presentation by Mr. Brian Coruzzi
Handout given to all present.
Sportscorp tries to promote Canadian made goods whenever possible. Approximately 80% of inventory is Canadian made. Imports may be necessary at times, due to price or availability, but imports must be in line with HWCDSB policy F.P.03 regarding Sweatshop Free Purchasing Policies. The current contract is set to expire Dec. 31, 2009. At this time, addition or removal of clothing items from the list can be discussed.

Sportscorp deals only with B.R. and has a store on-site, open Tues. and Thurs. They have dealt with our school for 10 years, and have sponsored our school and given donations to support the school community. They periodically have promotions such as sales or no GST. There are no surcharges for large sizes, i.e. blended prices. www.sportscorpmarketing.com

Uniform Review Committee

Mr. Mayers will find out from the Board if there is a policy on putting uniform contracts up for tender, and if there is a list of preferred suppliers. A copy of the current contract with Sportscorp is also needed.

Mrs. Szymkiewicz motioned to set up a Uniform Committee in the spring to deal with the new contract. Committee members will be Mr. And Mrs. Szymkiewicz, and Mrs. Swick.. uality and affordability are the main criteria; style is secondary.

Mr. Mayers is to find staff and student reps from grades 9 to 11 for the committee. Feeder school reps. may also be invited.

Uniform Committee heading will be added to the website.

New Business
There have been complaints about the cleanliness of the washrooms. Staff will look into this.

Minutes from meetings on September 24, 2008 and October 29, 2008 are read and the minutes are accepted. Minutes will be forwarded by Mrs. White to Mrs. Toth to put on website.

Treasurer’s Report by Mrs. LeDonne
Current balance is $1899.99
Parents Reaching Out Grant - $500 to be deposited to the account.
Ontario Parent Involvement - $500 grant. Money will be used toward website development. Possibility of hiring Grade 12 student (s). Mrs. Toth will find students.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Our Lady of Assumption Church update from Father Jim Petrie: Advent Novena at 6 am masses. On Saturday December 20, Bishop Bergie will say mass, followed by breakfast. Father Cote will be at the Christmas pageant at 5 pm mass Christmas Eve.

Announcement will be made to students that altar servers are needed.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
Chocolate sales are ongoing.

$8700 raised from pilgrimage.

Bishop Bergie will be saying mass on Dec 16 at 9:30 and 10:45 am in the school auditorium.

Handout titled ‘Transition from Secondary to Postsecondary’. This gives a timeline of the process from September to June of Grade 12. A short summary of events in grades 9 to 11 is also included.

Information has been handed out to students regarding several trips (e.g. March Break). These trips are not school sanctioned and are run by students with no staff involvement.

Grade 8 Parent Night will be Monday January 19, 2009.

Co-Instructional Activities by Mr. DiFrancesco
Midget Girls Basketball team won the championship.

Winter sports are starting.

Health and Safety
The School Board will be auditing the building.

Uniform Policy by Mrs. Toth
Uniforms are to be worn properly at all times while on school property. Clothing should be buttoned and pants pulled up. Wearing uniforms improperly will lead to progressive levels of discipline and may result in suspension. Vice-Principals keep documentation of all interactions with students and parents with regards to uniform issues. The Uniform Committee will discuss new clothing items, including fitted items for girls.

Chair Report by Mrs. Robinson
Email will be used among Council members to share information, however feedback on the information would be appreciated. The info will eventually be put on the website under Parents Corner.

Event attended by Mrs. Robinson, Mrs. Szymkiewicz and Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros. This was held at Cardinal Newman High School in November and was entitled ‘ School Councils: Working Together for our Children’. Dr. Jean Clinton was the guest speaker and topics included different parenting styles and the development of our children’s emotions.

JEPAG – Joint Educational Parent Advisory Group – Meetings are open to all parents and guardians of children in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board. Upcoming meetings for 2009 are Jan 15, Feb 19, April 16, and May 21.

The School Council Breakfast will be held from 8:30 to 9:30 am on Feb 6, 2009.

Parking Lot – Mrs. LeDonne suggested that new lines be painted in the parking lot, rear lot in particular. This will be discussed in the spring.

Next meeting will be Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 7 pm in the school library.

Minutes from October 29, 2008

In Attendance
Mr. H. Mayers
Mr. D. DiFrancesco
Mrs. T. Toth
Mr. A. D’Intino
Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. D. LeDonne
Mrs. G. Robinson
Mr. J. Savelli
Mrs. L. White
Mrs. P. Ulbinas
Mr. A. Kopys-Medeiros
Mrs. N. Peddle
Mr. P. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. P. Swick
Mrs. C. Gaziano
Mrs. D. vanVeen
Mrs. N. Olivieri
Mrs. I. Holabyk-Gris

New Councilors
Mrs. Peddle
Mrs. Swick
Mrs. Kopys-Medeiros
Mrs. Holabyk-Gris
Mrs. vanVeen
Mrs. Olivieri

Opening Prayer read by Mrs. Szymkiewicz.

Reading of minutes from meeting of Sept. 24 by Mrs. White
Motion to accept seconded and carried.

Treasurer’s Report by Mrs. LeDonne
Mrs. LeDonne has now been added as signing officer on the Council account.

Parish Report by Mrs. Szymkiewicz
Council will try to address the lack of connection between the church and the school. Because many of our students are from Assumption Church, we will try to have Father Jim Petrie more involved with our school either by attending meetings or saying mass with the school. Priests may be included in activities beside mass to help students become more comfortable with them and to help build a relationship. Music may be used as a way to interest students.

Priests from feeder school parishes have been invited to say mass at BR. Masses are usually said at the beginning of the school year, Advent, Ash Wednesday, Easter, and at the end of the school year. Mass must be said twice in order to accommodate all students. Schedule is arranged with the help of the chaplain.

Principal’s Report by Mr. Mayers
Mold was found in the building. The School Board has spent $120 000 to clean up the building. Ducts have been vacuumed and scrubbed. The air filter system has been upgraded. The type of mold found normally occurs in our environment, and its presence indoors may have been due to the roadwork on the Red Hill Expressway.

Legionella bacteria found in the cooling tower are now at acceptable levels. However, the school will be receiving a new cooling tower and upgraded air conditioning unit over the winter.

An Asbestos Study will be carried out within the school. This is done every 3 years. A website will be set up for parents to find information pertaining to this.

Lock Down was called at the school last week. A student was causing difficulties in an area of the school so a lock down was ordered by staff to prevent students from entering the area. The police were called and control was regained within minutes. The incident lasted approx. 8 min from lock down to resolution. Drills are carried out periodically where teachers monitor the behaviour of students. Teachers’ actions are monitored as well. Information of Lock Down procedures is readily available to teachers and supply teachers. A SynerVoice message was sent out regarding this incident.

Administration may determine that a student with behavioural problems is in need of extra help or assessment. There are options such as assessment by a family doctor, chaplain, and school nurse or school social worker. The School Board, not the school itself, may only expel a student. School Administrators must provide documentation. The Board must make arrangements for the student to attend a different school or School Board.

Mr. Brian Coruzzi from Sportscorp will present information on sports uniforms at the November 26 meeting. A Uniform Committee will be set up.

A Safety Audit of the school was carried out. This involved a staff member, a parent and two students.

Handout from Mrs. Luisa Conti, Chair of Our Lady of Peace and Cardinal Newman inviting all parents and caregivers to an event entitled “School Councils: Working together for our Children”. This event will take place at Cardinal Newman High School on Monday, November 17, 2008 from 7-9 pm.

Handout from Mr. Mayers ‘Destination Pathways’, listing the number of graduates following different post-secondary pathways such as university, college, apprenticeship, or workplace.

Chair Report by Mrs. Robinson
A folder containing mail received by Council will be circulated at meetings. This includes the handout from Mrs. Luisa Conti. Council members and parents are encouraged to attend.

Action Item for Mrs. Robinson – Finalize details of the Parent Reaching Out Program and the $1000 grant associated with it. The grant will be used toward a professional speaker, Dr. Colin Sturdy, who will speak about parenting, how to enhance our skills to promote self-esteem in our children, how to better support our children. Council will discuss how to promote this event, such as through churches, elementary schools, and advertising.

There will be a meeting on Nov. 10 after school to discuss fundraising, and which items require funding. One idea is to produce a ‘coupon sheet’ with local vendors. Sheets can be printed for about 50 cents each and sold for $10. We will need many vendors to make this work.

Next meeting will be held Wed. November 26 at 7 pm in the school library.

Minutes from September 24, 2008

In attendance:
Mr. H. Mayers
Mr. D. DiFrancesco
Mrs. T. Toth
Mr. A. D’Intino
Mrs. A. Szymkiewicz
Mrs. D. LeDonne
Mrs.G. Robinson
Mr. J. Savelli
Mrs. L. White
Mrs. P. Ulbinas

New Catholic School Council for 2008-2009
Chair – Mrs. G. Robinson

Treasurer – Mrs. D. Le Donne
$17 000 to be given to the School by the 50th Anniversary Committee
Money will be used for Arts, Sports, Chapel, and/or Alumni Comm.

Secretary – Mrs. L. White
Fundraising
Spirituality
Health and Safety
Safety audit of the school to take place in October, requires a parent rep. and a student rep.
Education
Communication

Community Rep – Mr. J. Savelli

Legionella: Public Health Dept. found Legionella in cooling towers of school. Clean up was carried out with the strictest standards in order to protect the safety of the BR staff and students. New samples were then taken and results should be available in 3 to 4 weeks. The heating/cooling system was not running at the time the contamination was found as it was between seasons. A SynreVoice message was sent home to parents.

Emergency Preparedness: Fire drills will be carried out during the school day. As well, there will be a Lock-down drill on Sept. 30. There are plans to possibly run a drill during the lunch hour.

Parents Reaching Out Program: $1000 grant is available through this program. Application is due by Oct.24. Chair Mrs. Robinson will take care of this.

Exam Schedule: First term schedule should be ready by mid-November. Second term schedule should be ready by mid-April.

Incident in School: A stranger had entered the school without checking in and was found entering a classroom. The stranger was escorted out by the Vice-Principals and Security as soon as they were notified. The stranger may have entered the building through an aux. door. The incident was reported to police and statements were taken. There is teacher supervision in the front foyer of the school during all periods. All doors are locked except for two doors in the main hallway of the school. Visitors are directed to the Office where they must sign in before entering the school.

Election Day: The school will be used as a polling station on Oct. 4. There will be security on site to prevent voters from walking freely throughout the school.

Year Commemorating St. Paul: Events will be planned. Memorial garden or plaques may be installed.

Next meeting will be Wed. October 29, 2008 at 7 pm in the school library.

Additional notes:
Mrs. G. Robinson – motion for School Council to support submission of a proposal for the PRO grant available through the Ministry of Education. The grant will be used to hire Dr. Sturdy for a Parenting Information Evening, which will help parents instill greater confidence and self-esteem in their children. Supported by Mr. DiFrancesco and Mrs. Toth. Speaker suggested by Mr. Mayers.

Reminder: Parent Conference at Cardinal Newman High School on Oct. 25,2008, 8:30 to 2:15 pm.