September 19, 2024 Parent Council Minutes

Present online:
Erin Hills, Sarah Roberts, Becca Birnie, Melanie Maxwell, Sabrina Scott, Lynda Peterson,
Nicole C., Nicole Bradley, Joanna Marelli, Patti Blundell, Crystal Kerr
Welcome, Land Acknowledgmenet, and introductions.
Erin Hills – Principal’s Report:

  • Discussion of this years staff and positions.
    -We are able to keep our current number of classrooms and teachers.( Great news this
    equals smaller class sizes!)
    -We currently have 3 EA’s working in the building. 1 Permanent and 2 temporary.
  • Terry Fox run will be run on September 27th. The road will be closed and we will have
    volunteer firemen at both ends of the road. We have currently raised over $2000 this year
    and there are many student rewards coming up!
    -Parents will line the road between 11:30 and 12:30 and cheer and help to keep students
    safe.
  • Meet the Staff Night BBQ will be on Sept 30th, classrooms will be open from 5-5:30 and
    BBQ will follow. There will be an indigenous activity also so please wear orange.
  • School pictures taken by Heather Douglas on October 2nd.
  • New Cell phone policy by the ministry of education, includes watches, phones and any
    other devices.
    -Students are responsible for them being kept off and away.
    -Cell phone policy also applies to staff and visitors to the building.
    Questions re:cellphone policy
    Should visitors explain why you have a phone out in front of the students if you need to use one?
  • Yes, try not to have a barrier between adults and students.
  • Turn off the volume on your phone when in front of students, if you can.
  • Be explicit with your phone use as adults in front of students.
  • No update on water testing, but pipes were replaced at the beginning of summer.
  • Ceiling tiles were replaced and led lights and baseboard heaters installed and some rooms
    were painted.
  • Office will be closed daily from 12- 12:30 pm
  • Teachers are working towards communication with parents and everyone should hear
    from the teacher by the end of the month.
  • One Kids Place will be in the school to help, might come into a specific classroom to
    support.
  • October 9th Magic Anti Bullying: 2 Presentations K-3 and 4-8 $1,909 total cost.
  • Color Blind presentation: November 4th, Junior and Intermediate presentations at school
    and a virtual presentation for the parents on Nov 14th. Will be app. $1,780 plus HST (might
    have Spruce Glen join to lower costs)
    -Monies left from the SKC program from last year will be used by sending 8 students to Austin
    Creek Equine therapy this fall for 6 sessions, and another 8 students will go in the spring.
    Council Positions explained and nominations recieved.
    New Council members for 2024/25:
    Chair: Sarah Roberts
    Co-Chairs: Sabrina Scott and Patti Blundell
    Secretary: Patti Blundell
    Fundraising lead: Joanna Marelli and Nicole C.
    Hot lunch: Dana Sinclair and Joanna Marelli
    Breakfast club: Lynda Peterson
    Treasurer: Nicole Bradley
    Treasurer report:Nicole B
    $6,300 end of 2023-2024 year
    Grad costs set aside for next year would leave app. $4700 in the school council account.
    12 grade 7s this year
    10 grade 8s this year
    Motion by Sarah
    Put $3,000 towards anti bullying and anti racism speakers
    Approved by everyone.
    Hot lunches: Joanna M.
  • Next hot lunch: October 24th, turkey soup with leftovers from Thanksgiving feast.
    New business:
  • Google drive to use for parents to sign up for volunteering. Link here:
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kYCFhDKaqdo_Lh95lxIYJmDAaJH_oFb_GLj3SFpSKg
    4/edit?pli=1
    -Irwin parent council Facebook page up and running. Thank you Dana! Please join in
    discussions there!
  • Thanksgiving lunch Thursday October 10th at the Community Center. Sign up on the
    google doc to be included on planning correspondence.
  • Dwight Winter Carnival:
    The Chamber of Commerce was looking for a group to take the lead on this community
    event. It was not run last year.
    Joanna Marelli will take the lead this year but will need alot of help and support from the
    Irwin community, so please sign up on the google doc to help plan this great event and
    potentially lucrative project for Irwin! Thank you Joanna!!!!
    -Halloween Party Saturday October 26th: Nicole C
  • This is not run by the parent council, it is run by parents in the community.
  • Dwight Lions Club sponsors it, and the community center donated its space to use.
  • Lots of treats and surprises and games.
  • Costume contest.
  • Parent volunteers needed. Please sign up on the google doc.
  • Tracy West and Nicole C. would like to have people donate old costumes at Irwin, and
    they will be hung in the Kinderland area for the parent BBQ on Sept 30th. Families can find new
    costumes for their littles there for free.
    More info coming soon.
    Fundraising Ideas:
  • We need to say what we’re fundraising for anytime we fundraise.
  • Poinsettias, we should do early if we are doing it to get ahead of the rest of the groups
    who also sell them.
  • Mabel Labels?
  • Fresh from the farm? Not alot of money raised. Will concentrate on other projects.
  • Smile Cookie fundraising? (Spring 2025) Lynda will help to hopefully set this up!
    Wish List:
  • Fanshawe college, Poppy Project, in London, On. (Melanie Maxwell)
    The Poppy Project is an innovative educational initiative that offers an interactive activity
    that students will use to engage in the act of Rememberane by creating a paper poppy
    infused with poppy seeds. The poppies are designed to be placed in gardens over the
    winter, where they will decompose and in the spring, germinate and blossom as symbols of
    hope.
    Kits make 40 poppies each and are $10 plus shipping per kit.
    Playground discussions:
    -Council has brought the idea of fundraising for a new accessible playground to the table.
    -Research has begun.
    -If total cost including HST exceeds $121,2000 the project goes to tender and public bid which
    takes extra time.
    -TLDSB will provide up to $25000 to match fundraising efforts in the year it is raised.
  • Melanie Maxwell talked to other staff, and offered some thoughts about the idea.
  • If playground is fundraised by parent council, all repairs will have to be covered by council
    in the future. Something to consider.
  • Erin Hills mentioned that planning for playground or swings will have to go to the school board
    for site planning etc.
  • Extra swings, Dump load of Sand, New picnic tables, New nine square are other wish list items
    mentioned.
    Discussion and research to be continued on the playground project.
    www.blueimp.com is a good start, as is speaking with other parent councils that have taken
    on this project recently.
    Date for next meeting:
    Thursday, October 17th at 7pm

Find it Fast

Calendar

School calendar

Safe @ School

Report form

Registration

School registration

Buses

Transportation info.

Irwin Memorial Public School

1011 Dwight Beach Road, PO Box 70, Dwight, ON P0A 1H0

Contact Us

School Schedule
Entry to school
8:40 a.m.
Block 1
8:40 – 10:40 a.m.
Nutrition break / recess
10:40 – 11:20 a.m.
Block 2
11:20 a.m. – 12:40 p.m.
Nutrition break / recess
12:40 – 1:20 p.m.
Block 3
1:20 – 3 p.m.
Dismissal
3 p.m.

School Websites