School Council

Mission Statement

Our School Council is committed to enriching our children’s educational community and maintaining their enthusiasm as life-long learners. 

Our School Council

An active school council meets every second month (the last Thursday of the month at 6:45 pm) to discuss school programs, school policy, current educational issues and ways to enhance the educational endeavors of the school.  ALL parents are members of the School Council and are encouraged to be part of this advisory board.

2024/2025 School Council Executive

Chairperson - Gary Rice

Vice-Chair -  Krystal Prins

Treasurer - Pam Dedora

Fundraising - Renee Spelt

Secretary - Melissa Rogers

École James S. McCormick School Council Agenda

October 29, 2024

6:45 - 7:45 pm 

Wellness Room - C120

Present:

1. Call to order  - 6:45pm 
2. Introductions: Gary Rice; Renee Spelt; Pam Dedora; Jaime Morrow; Melissa Rogers; Kacey Oehlerking; Tonja; Maya 
3. Acceptance of the Agenda: Gary Rice - 6:50pm
4. Acceptance of the Minutes: Gary Rice - 6:52pm
5.  Old Business
   1. Indigenous Education week (Jan.27-30) - looking into paying $1200 for this event
6. New Business
   1. Freezer for storing fundraising items (chest freezer - approximately $400 for 7 cubic to help store hot dog days - extra cookies - or fun in the sun freezies) Renee moved to vote on purchasing the freezer for school council for $400 +tax; Pam seconded the motion; Gary - all in favour.
   2. Choose a date for Rebels hockey night:  Jan. 25: 7pm start (1st choice)

7. Reports

Trustee - (No trustee present)

Staff Report - 2 new EA’s & 2 teachers being hired for 

Treasurer - E-transfers have been taken out/ hot lunches are coming in & out/ cabane à sucre- Gary looking into booking dates/ other events? Trickster theatre; Flying Bob; Admin will reach out to the staff to find out what they’d be interested in bringing in.

Fundraising - (Krystal absent)

1. 1. 1. Cookie orders are due Nov. 5th
      2. Read-a-thon due October 30th
      3. Vegetable fundraiser has been cancelled due to it being a 10 week fundraiser
      4. Ice Melts? - Looking to do a fundraiser that is done when families aren’t tired of fundraising.
      5. White Elephant Sale in December
      6. Looking into the Nursery for gift cards as a fundraiser

Discussion around running 2 fundraisers at the same time- trying to spread them out over the year and not at the same time.

Hot Lunch - served 2 hot lunches; booster $115; Subway $75. Two hot lunches coming up in November.

• Upcoming events
• Remembrance Day Service: Nov.6 @ 9:30am
• November 25 - 27: Portfolio Walks
• White Elephant Sale (December 2-6/ Set up: Dec.2/ Tear down: Dec. 5&6)
• White Elephant sale donations start accepting them Nov. 1. Renee will set up sign-up genius for cookie hand out and white elephant sale volunteers - share with Leibel - need to collect wrapping paper, gift bags & tape. Teacher get gift tag labels done early
• Cookie order pick up in A-den (breakfast room and empty class) - Wednesday, Nov. 27th; 3:30-5:30pm (Set up prior)
• Christmas Concerts (December 16-19) - question was raised if they can be livestreamed - but they can’t due to FOIP.

9. Adjournment: 7:50pm - Gary Motion to adjourn - Renee 2nd the motion.
10. Next Meeting Date(s): 

(Nov. 19 - postponed)

Next meeting: January 14

February 25

March 19 (Joint council at LCHS/ topic: tba)

May 6

École James S. McCormick School Council Agenda
September 24, 2024
6:45 - 7:45 pm 
Wellness Room - C120

Present:

1. Call to order  - 6:45pm (Gary)

2. Introductions (Gary Rice; Robin Webster; Pam Dedora; Anna Marie- Hewitt; Jaime Morrow; Melissa Rogers; Kacey Oehlerking; Hiroshi Kubota; Tonja Sigurdson; Renee Spelt; Sarah Kornelius; Krystal Prins)

3. Acceptance of the Agenda : Pam accepted the minutes

4. Acceptance of the Minutes: (May 2: Renee Spelt read the minutes) Renee moved to accept the minutes; Tonja seconded the minutes.

5. Old Business
a. Shows during lunch
b. Webinar that Renee, Krystal & Pam attended (April). The roles amongst the school council - the school role versus the school council role.  Every parent is a part of the school council even if they are not attending in person meetings. The point of the school council is to support the needs of the students. 

6. New Business
a. How to get more parents involved either through attendance or feedback outside of meetings. Council is thinking of creating a google form to gather data on what parents/guardians want to see from the school council. Looking into having a parent/guardian email list to share council information.  
b. Coffee with the council once a month. Early morning coffee hand-out from council.
c. Plan for the year of parent council: 
i. Fundraising ideas: host a read-a-thon with funds going towards the library to refresh and replenish (Fall timeline) or Popcorn sales
ii. Cookies- November as a fundraiser towards the new playground
iii. White Elephant sale- need lots of parent volunteers
iv. January- Bear Tracks ice melt  
v. Vegetables- either keep proceeds or donate to the foodbank (February)
vi. Perogies- March
Robin is reaching out to a Greenhouse in Penhold regarding a flower fundraiser.
d. Fundraising divisions between playground and school council

7. Reports
a. Trustee - not in attendance
b. Staff Report - 24 Certified Staff/ 25 Support Staff/ 450 students (down 50)
c. Treasurer - Pam shared the Budget from the 23/24 school year 
(3 outstanding payments from the previous hot lunch school year)
d. Fundraising - Looking at doing a BBQ, BAMSS gave a $1000 donation to the school. Free luncheon for the students in the fall? 
e. Hot Lunch - Krystal has hot lunch organized for the year; all the dates and sign-up for parent volunteers. Wendy Smith has grade 3 helpers organized to help deliver the hot lunch. The lunch box didn’t work out because they want 3 or more hot lunches a month. 3000 stickers were delivered to Antoinelle.
f. Ways they give back to school: Cabane Sucre, White Elephant Sale, Teacher appreciation, swimming, year- end BBQ/ Indigenous Education week
g. Indigenous Dance Troupe from Red Deer- games, dancing, drumming Melissa asked council to consider this again for this school year (approx. $1200)

8. Upcoming events 
     
-Parent/Guardian teacher conferences (Oct 1-3) (Meals for Teachers)
-$1500; $500/ parent/portfolio meetings/ which also includes paying for the homemade meal ingredient.
-Book Fair in the Library (Oct 1-3)
-October 24, 2024 - JS Family Glow Dance 

 9. Adjournment: Renee motioned to adjourn. 7:47pm

10. Next Meeting Date(s): October 29/ November 19/ January 28/ February 25
March? (joint council at LCHS)/ May 6