District Parent Advisory Committee Minutes
Teleconference Meeting
DPAC School District No. 91, Nechako Lakes
Annual Fall Meeting
October 20, 2007
Present: Mrs. Michelle Racher DPAC Chairperson, Nechako Valley Secondary PAC
Mrs. Adele Gooding DPAC Co-chairperson, Lakes District Secondary /Grassy Plains PACs
Mrs. Nina Knocke DPAC Secretary/Treasurer, Francois Lake Elementary PAC
Ms Lynne Reed DPAC Director, Francois Lake Elementary PAC
Mrs. Mini Verduzco DPAC Director, WL McLeod PAC
Julie Daum DPAC Director, Mouse Mtn / Fraser Lake Jr Secondary School PACs
Cathy Ray Fort Fraser PAC
Trish Olin Fort Fraser PAC
Kathy Russell NVSS PAC
Cathy DeMerchant Sowchea / Fort St. James Secondary School PACs
Sylvia Byron Sinkutview PAC
Danelle Zwick Public Health, WL McLeod PAC
Tanya Lobelle Evelyn Dickson PAC
Melissa Albertson WL McLeod PAC
Dorothy Leiding WL McLeod PAC
Charlene Sequin Board of Education, SD No. 91
The meeting was called to order at Nechako Valley Secondary School library by DPAC Co-Chairperson, Adele Gooding at 1300h.
RECOGNITION OF TERRITORY
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
Julie Daum requested time to discuss funding a musical performer to come to the district schools.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the Agenda for this Meeting be approved with the amendment for Julie to discuss the musical performer.
Carried
WELCOME BY ADELE GOODING
PRESENTATION BY LORAINA STEPHENS, COMMUNITY NUTRITIONIST (NORTHERN HEALTH)
Loraina thanked DPAC for meeting with her and facilitating the opportunity to meet with many PACs in one location. This makes it more efficient to pass along her information.
She presented meeting attendees with a package containing various resources and information on the new legislation being introduced to Elementary Schools effective January 2008.
Health initiatives are being brought forth due to the increase in obesity rates in Canada. If we continue on this path, health care will take all government spending dollars in ten years. Our children are the first generation not expected to out live their parents. Huge decline in fitness levels along with poor diet is decreasing longevity and increasing diseases such as diabetes.
Children from 10 - teenage years have the most bone growth. Research found that only 9% of girls and 16% of boys meet the daily calcium intake required to grow strong bones. There is a strong concern of these effects on health for adulthood years.
Revised "207" guidelines puts emphasis on fruit and vegetables ahead of grains and cereals as well as eliminates "other foods" food group.
Emphasis is being placed on "Farm to School" programs that utilize local farmed produce and products. "Community food security exists when all citizens obtain a safe personally accepted nutritious diet through a sustainable food system that maximizes healthy choices and community reliance". Fresh fruit programs to be increased by 164 schools. There is a goal of the Health Ministry to attain "Gold Standards" for all schools with regards to healthy eating and active living.
Thirty new "Act Now" initiatives will be legislated that include healthy eating in schools affecting fundraising, vending machines and hot lunch programs.
The new health initiatives will carry on to all public buildings selling vending machine food items.
There is a huge resource of information available through various websites and Northern Health.
Charlene Sequin addressed the meeting attendees that she would be responsible for the Healthy Eating policy in our school district. She invited any PAC to contact her should they require a liaison with their principals over the new policy.
DOOR PRIZE DRAW: Won by Danelle Zwick
BREAK: Loraina provided healthy snacks and more advice on some ways to ensure our children are eating healthy and enjoying what they are eating.
PRESENTED LORAINA WITH THANK YOU GIFT
DPAC / PAC GENERAL BUSINESS
ADOPTION OF MINUTES FROM SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
MOTIONED and SECONDED
THAT the minutes be approved with amendments to include "Call Michelle if you need anything." and changing BCCPAC registration fee to read "BCCPAC membership fee".
Carried
CHAIR REPORT - MICHELLE
Michelle asks for Healthy School committee be formed. Suggests the committee run until March 1st. Would like committee to find out what other schools are doing with their hot lunch programs and fundraising. How are they funding their hot lunches, serving, and coordinating? It is important that the same information is available and given to each PAC. Charlene Sequin and Michelle are offering to participate.
Loraina volunteered to join along with,
Sylvia, Sinkutview
Tanya, Evelyn Dickson
Cathy Russell, Nechako Valley School
Dorothy Leiding, WL McLeod
Danelle, Public Health
Lynne Reed, Francois Lake Elementary
Adele Gooding, Lakes District Secondary / Grassy Plains School.
Julie Daum suggests that possibly she could contribute but was unable to commit at this point and advised that Sara Powlovich, PhD may also be interested. Both Julie and Sara representing Mouse Mountain.
Committee to have first meeting November 14th, and will plan to meet biweekly on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month thereafter. Discussed beginning with a survey to gather information.
Michelle discussed increase in BCCPAC membership for our district. Explained how this is important to ensure our district has as many votes as possible for the BCCPAC AGM in the spring. This is our districts voice to ensure resolutions are relevant to our northern area. Only five or six schools have not joined so far.
Michelle will take resolution writing workshop at the Fall Conference and will be available to any PAC to assist them in the resolution process.
Michelle advised that DPAC has brought forth an issue with EBus parents' limited ability to use their gaming grant funds. Limited capacity to fundraise makes it impossible to fund parents to attend workshops or BCCPAC meetings. DPAC, BCCPAC, and the Ministry of Education plan to move forward as a group to approach the issue of gaming grant funding limitations on Distributed Learning PACs. It is hoped that this could also benefit small schools who face the same problems with fundraising capabilities.
Classroom sizes in our District are in compliance with Bill 33. Only two classrooms have over 30 students and have been addressed and agreed to with teachers affected. There will be more information given from Ray with regards to class composition.
School boards are now called "Boards of Education" and are responsible for education from "crib to crypt" within their districts. New policies on food, head lice, allergies, healthy schools, cell phones, tobacco, and surveillance are in progress or have been already adopted.
TREASURERS REPORT - NINA KNOCKE
Per Attachment
DPAC Gaming Account Balance as of October 3rd is $2628.62
Ÿ Gaming Grant of $2500.00 arrived.
Ÿ Transferred WLM donation to the Non-Gaming account to adhere to the gaming grant guidelines.
Ÿ Bank charges includes amount for printing cheques
DPAC Non-Gaming Account Balance as of October 3rd is $74.61
Ÿ Funding from the district has not yet arrived.
Ÿ Bank charges includes amount for printing cheques
Overall Budget Update
We will be receiving the district’s funding shortly.
OLD BUSINESS
SPC package - Michelle Racher
Michelle advised that the SPC Parent Training Guide has been compiled with the collaboration of the district staff. The guide is available from DPAC and it is our goal that each SPC in the district receives one. The guide is a living document and as such will be subject to updates and changes as they are required. We feel this resource is a good starting point for SPC parent members and any suggestions on the package can be emailed to Michelle.
Conflict Resolution Process - Julie Daum
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT section 6 of the DPAC Code of Conduct read "encourages and supports parents and students with individual concerns to act on their own behalf or with a DPAC representative, and provides information on the process for taking concerns forward"
Carried
NEW BUSINESS
DPAC meeting times will be 2nd Tuesday of every month at 8 P.M. using the Teleconference. The dial in information is available on the DPAC website. Please activate your First Class accounts for those PACs who have not yet done so.
Carried
BCCPAC Membership update: We have increased our districts participation in BCCPAC by 425%. Binders from BCCPAC are not available yet as some of the info are not up to date i.e.: SPC info, inclusion of the statement regarding "every PAC choosing to be a member". Adele will burn CD tool kits (the information found in the BCCPAC binders) for the new members who have not received any form of BCCPAC binder and also any member who would be interested in the CD format of the information.
DOOR PRIZE DRAW: Won by Loraina Stephens
BCCPAC Fall Conference update - those who were chosen to attend were Michelle Racher for DPAC and NVSS, Julie Daum for DPAC and FLESS, Lynne Reed for DPAC and FLES, and Rhonda Payne for LDSS.
Rural Schools - Michelle attended Rural Schools conference. Focus on small schools, multi-grade classrooms. Our District is supportive and proactive. Teacher were able to make connections and communicate from both sides of district. Very positive teacher interactions and networking opportunity.
SPLSS Update - Mini and Adele attended the first of a two year seminar series geared toward parent education / leadership. No formal reports are to be given at this point at the request of SPLSS coordinators. Partner groups working together to reach highest educated communities possible.
Playground Grants - There are two grants you can apply for: BCCPAC pays 80% up to $20,000 on playground equipment only per PAC and will randomly draw from the PAC applications they receive. BCCPAC has been given $1 million dollars towards these grants. PACs must be BCCPAC members to apply. Government "Gaming Grant" is matched funding to a maximum of $20,000 and does not specify the criteria to read "equipment only".&nbs p; The gaming funds will be distributed $1 million dollars a year for the next three years. Only one grant will be awarded to a successful PAC applicant, so it is suggested PACs apply for both grants.
DOOR PRIZE DRAW: Won by Michelle Racher
NEXT MEETING DATE
Will take place, November 13th at 8 p.m. by teleconference.
ADJOURNMENT:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the meeting adjourn at 1630h.
Carried
____________________________________ _________________________________________
Chairperson Secretary - Treasurer
DPAC Teleconference Meeting
Tuesday Dec. 11, 2007, 8 PM
Agenda
Recognize Territory
Adoption of Nov minutes
Chair/Co-Chair Report
Treasurers Report
Board Representative Report
BCCPAC Membership Update
Healthy Schools Committee Update
Resolution Building Status
BCTF Action Plan
Funding to Secondary Schools Changes
DPAC Teleconference Meeting
Tuesday Dec. 11, 2007, 8 PM
Recognize Territory
Adoption of Agenda
Adoption of Nov minutes
Chair/Co-Chair Report
Michelle/Adele
We have continued to all try to put our bits in and keep DPAC running relatively smoothly and I thank everyone for their help while I am in hospital. I am going to keep this portion of the report very short as items should all be covered in the agenda tonight.
Our district had a very rough week last week with the loss of a teacher and four students in an accident and another student from cancer. Their passing has impacted all communities from our district. Our hearts go out to all of the families involved.
I attended the Board Meeting via teleconference last night which had been postponed from last Monday due to road conditions. One announcement relating to the board, John Stafford was elected last night as the Chair with Larry Bangs as the alternate so congratulations to the both of them. I will let John update us on the balance of the happenings as the board does not broadcast their meetings so I excused myself after the DPAC report.
Are you aware that as BCCPAC members you can access a list serve? It allows all member pacs to pose questions and responses to hot topics and is truly a wealth of information and idea sharing. I urge you all to register from the BCCPAC main page. It can be quite active so you may want to select the daily digest option.
Web site should be updated after Christmas. We had some tech difficulties after the changes the district had to make a little over a month ago. Nina has been shown the "new method" and once the holidays are over and life has settled I think she will be able to update it. All our meeting minutes and conference reports etc can be found there. Remember that we can post YOUR pac minutes on the web site!!!
Are you checking you first class email accounts? Universal use of these accounts would be greatly appreciated. Since being in hosp I have been unable to access my personal accounts lists for PAC and DPAC reps. This causes delays in information and additional work for other members to then forward out information. Please activate and USE these accounts. There has also been information sent to PACs using these accounts from the board office!
Treasurers Report
Nina
DPAC Gaming Account Balance as of November 8th is $1,709.96
Ÿ There was an NSF chargeof $35 to this account for cheque #0012 written to Michelle Racher against the wrong DPAC account.
Ÿ Nine PACs qualify for reimbursements, but have not applied for them. Three PACs have not applied for BCCPAC memberships.
DPAC Non-Gaming Account Balance as of November 30, 2007 is $11574.29
Overall Budget Update
Of the $19,525.00 total budget, we have approximately $13,284.24 remaining as of November 30, 2007.
Board Representative Report
John Stafford
Conference Reports
Julie-ask about how to incorporate Ab world view into productive meetings
Mini
Lynne
Ronda
Summer
Helen
BCCPAC Membership Update
1. Name: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ School District
2. Babine Elem-Secondary~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
3. Decker Lake Elementary~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
4. DPAC - Nechako Lakes~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
5. EBUS Academy~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
6. Evelyn Dickson Elementary~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
7. Fort Fraser Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
8. Francois Lake Elementary~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
9. Fraser Lake Elementary-Secondary~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
10. Grassy Plains School~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
11. Lakes District Secondary School 91 - Nechako Lakes
12. Mapes Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
13. Mouse Mountain Elementary~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
14. Prairiedale Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
15. Sinkutview Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
16. Sowchea Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
17. Topley Elementary~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
18. William Konkin Elementary~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
WL McLeod Elementary~~~~~~~~~~ 91 - Nechako Lakes
Missing NVSS, David Hoy, FSJSS, and Eugene Joseph- reminder emails sent to each. If you have not submitted your reimbursement form please do so. Send to Nina at----
Healthy Schools Committee Update
Refer to notes and minutes…maybe Julie will do?
Resolution Building Status
Nina
BCTF Action Plan
Talk about the website and the Action plan for teaching and learning tab. opposition to all standardized testing, accountability contracts, SPCs etc. They have a marketing plan to sell the "classroom, teacher developed only" testing to parents and their own members.
Concern re standards of individual teachers from my standpoint. -Teachers have no ongoing professional assessment and licensing reviews. -What if a teacher has a bias against an individual student? - Do we 100% trust and support EVERY teacher to teach fully to the curriculum as stated by the ministry, meeting learning outcomes in doing so for all students and to 100% self evaluate student success with full disclosure?
Funding to Secondary Schools Changes
Information requested from Ray and Sterling regarding how this impacts our schools. District sent off letter already opposing timing as enrollment figures and funding and budgets had already been previously set. Mid stream change. Many DPACs and PACs sending letters of support for their districts, do we want to take this on? Still waiting for a reply from Sterling regarding the actual funding numbers for us. Ray has stated that the district will make up shortfalls to individual school budgets for this year only.
What can DPAC do to help your school community?
We are always looking for feedback and input from our PACs. We have worked hard to get started but we need input from PACs to maintain meaningful action and interaction!!
Suggestions?
DPAC meeting
Agenda
Jan.08, 2008
Welcome, Happy New Year
Mapes fatality-Sherry Thiessen today
Agenda…additions? Adoption
Reports
Chair
Co Chair
Treasurer
Trustee
Old Business
BCCPAC Playground draws
Made on the 7th. Will be announced by the MOE…nothing yet on website
Parent Congress
Jan 28th
Who applied?
julie-not selected
Healthy Schools Update
Survey
Mtg tomorrow
Possible contest district wide
Board mtg attendance- last one by teleconference
NEW Business
Direction
Visioning exercise for Spring land meeting?
Board Meeting attendance
Web site…volunteer to update…
Levick Memorial
DPAC School District No. 91, Nechako Lakes
Regular Scheduled Meeting
January 8th, 2008
Via Teleconference
Present: Mrs. Michelle Racher Nechako Valley Secondary, DPAC Chairperson
Mrs. Nina Knocke Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Secretary/Treasurer
Mrs. Cathy Ray Fort Fraser School
Mrs. Mini Verduzco WL McLeod School, DPAC Director
Ms Lynne Reed Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Director
Mrs. Julie Daum FLESS, Mouse Mountain, DPAC Director
Ms. Maureen Bayliss Distributed Learning SD No. 91, DPAC Director
The meeting was called to order by DPAC Chairperson, Michelle Racher at 8:05 pm.
WELCOME BY MICHELLE RACHER
RECOGNITION OF TERRITORY
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Michelle motions to approve the agenda with a change to add the Levick Memorial discussion.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the Agenda for this Meeting be approved with the noted information added.
Carried
REPORTS
Chair report– Due to the holiday season, there is no report.
Treasurer Report – Nina gave the treasurer report indicating the board has been reimbursed for the hotel rooms.
DPAC Gaming Account Balance as of November 8th is $1,709.96
Ÿ Due to the holiday season, the December statement has not been received.
DPAC Non-Gaming Account Balance as of November 30, 2007 is $11574.29
Ÿ Due to the holiday season, the December statement has not been received.
Ÿ A cheque was written to the school district for $767.41to cover the cost of the hotel rooms for the four delegates that attended the BCCPAC Fall Conference.
Overall Budget Update
Of the $19,525.00 total budget, we have approximately $12,516.83 remaining as of November 30, 2007.
School District – John Stafford not able to attend
OLD BUSINESS
BCCPAC Playground draws – Draws were made on the 7th of January and will be announced by the Ministry of Education. There is nothing on the website as of yet, but we know 66 grants have been given. 20 of the grants awarded were for less than $20,000, and the rest were for the full $20,000. Fort Fraser, GPEJSS, David Hoy are believed to have put in applications for the grants.
Parent Congress – The second parent congress will take place on January 28th. The deadline to apply was December 21st, 2007. Julie Daum did apply. She reported that she has not heard if she has been a successful candidate, but that there were so many applications that names were being put on an “extra” list. We do not know if anyone else applied.
Healthy Foods Committee – Still working with the survey information. There is an open meeting tomorrow night. Possible that the committee will host a district wide cook book contest. DASH may have funding available to do this. Michelle emailed Lorraina for more information. More information will be forthcoming after meeting tomorrow night.
Board meeting attendance for January 21st - If Adele or Nina cannot attend, Julie may be available. She works in Burns Lake that night. The meeting is being held at WKE and begins at 5:00 pm.
NEW BUSINESS
Direction – Michelle suggests that DPAC plans a vision for the future. What do we want to accomplish? We would like to develop a vision statement per the visioning seminar that the delegates attended at the BCCPAC Fall Conference. Julie advised that the visioning process needs to be done face to face. Perhaps something for the DPAC Spring AGM this year.
Web site – We need a volunteer to keep the site updated. Lynne agrees to take on this task.
Levick Memorial – Julie Daum will find out about the memorial. Motion was made to donate funds from DPAC towards the memorial. Decision to take $150.00 from the miscellaneous items budget and $50 from the computer budget.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT $200.00 be donated to the memorial.
Carried
Advocacy workshops – A Saturday workshop will be held in Vanderhoof, and a Sunday workshop will be held in Burns Lake. Each day will include a morning and an afternoon workshop. Lynne suggests April 26/ 27 or May 2/3 dates. She will find out when the instructors are available.
NEXT MEETING DATE:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the next regular DPAC meeting will be Tuesday, February 12th at 8:00 pm via teleconference.
Carried
ADJOURNMENT:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the meeting adjourns at 9:24 pm.
Carried
____________________________________ _________________________________________
Chairperson Secretary - Treasurer
Agenda for DPAC Teleconference Meeting
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 8pm
Call to order (8pm)
Additions/ Adoption of minutes
Welcome
Minutes of last meeting
Reports
· Chair/Co Chair Report
· Treasurer Report
· School District Report
New Business
· Playground Grants
· BCTF’s and FSA testing
· Interactive Innovations
· BCCPAC call for Nominations
· New Parent Information Network
· Safe Online Outreach Worker
· Web Updates
Old Business
· Resolutions for the Spring BCCPAC AGM
· Advocacy Project Update
· Healthy Schools Update
· SPLSS Update
Date of next Meeting
Adjournment
DPAC School District No. 91, Nechako Lakes
Regular Scheduled Meeting
February 12, 2008
Via Teleconference
Present: Mrs. Michelle Racher Nechako Valley Secondary, DPAC Chairperson
Mrs. Adele Gooding Lakes District Secondary/Grassy Plains, DPAC Co-Chair
Mrs. Nina Knocke Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Secretary/Treasurer
Mrs. Cathy Ray Fort Fraser School
Mrs. Mini Verduzco WL McLeod School, DPAC Director
Ms Lynne Reed Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Director
Ms Melanie Fehr Decker Lake Elementary
Ms. Maureen Bayless Distributed Learning SD No. 91, DPAC Director
Regrets sent by Sylvia Byron, Daniel Zwick , and Trish Olin.
The meeting was called to order by DPAC Co-Chairperson, Adele Gooding at 8:09 pm.
WELCOME BY ADELE GOODING
RECOGNITION OF TERRITORY
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Motion was made to approve the minutes of January 8th meeting. Maureen called for her last name to be spelled correctly from Bayliss to Bayless.
MOVED and CARRIED that the minutes be approved with the correction to Maureen Bayless’s last name spelling.
Carried
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Adele calls for the addition of Julie’s follow up regarding the Levick Memorial under old business. Also under old business Maureen to be added regarding distributed parents voting for trustees. Under new business, the addition by Maureen to discuss DPAC district direction.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the Agenda for this Meeting be approved with the above noted information added.
Carried
REPORTS
Chair report– Congratulations to Michelle and her new baby. The majority of discussions already show on old business and new business.
Treasurer Report – Please refer to the attachment titled Treasurer Report for February 12th for detailed balances. Nina presented the treasurer report indicating the BCCPAC reimbursement has come in for the travel to the fall conference for two delegates. Discussion occurred regarding the flight that Michelle had that could not be used for the fall conference. The flight credit is sitting in an account in her name and she has one year to use it.
MOVED and SECONDED that if the flight cannot be used within one year than DPAC will absorb the cost. Attempts will be made to use the credit for the spring BCCPAC AGM; also, if Michelle uses the credit for her own personal use, she will reimburse DPAC.
Carried
DPAC Gaming Account Balance as of February 11, 2008 is $1,698.70
Ÿ There have been no cheques issued for the month of December for this account. There are 12 (?) school PACs that have not applied for the reimbursement of their BCCPAC membership fees if they had submitted their fees before December 15, 2007.
DPAC Non-Gaming Account Balance as of February 11, 2008 is $11,959.37
Ÿ A cheque was issued to the BV Credit Union for the Levick Memorial per the January 8th meeting.
Ÿ We have been reimbursed for the BCCPAC Fall Conference fees that we have applied for.
Overall Budget Update
Of the $19,525.00 total budget, we have approximately $13,658.07
remaining as of February 11, 2008.
School District – John Stafford was not in attendance.
NEW BUSINESS
BCCPAC Playground Grants – $2,855 was awarded by BCCPAC to Fort Fraser Elementary School. Michelle will look into the information to determine if any other PAC in our district has been awarded a grant. BCCPAC has phoned Cathy Ray to advise the grant cheque is the mail.
BCTF and FSA Testing –Should we put together some information for parents to hear another side of the standardized testing issues put forth by BCTF? There is concern that parents in this district are not receiving more information regarding the FSA tests. Prince George DPAC issued a news release for their parents on the website Premium 250. A forum would not be practical due to the travel, posting online information is too exclusionary to some families. Editorial in a news paper is not timely as the testing is being done this week. BCCPAC has distributed an email that they are in favour of standardized testing. BCCPAC is hoping that DPACs will distribute it. Maureen found the BCCPAC email and has emailed it to DPAC reps. The BCCPAC email will also be posted to the DPAC webpage by Lynne. Michelle suggests
keeping a calendar of events for next year so information can be timely and having FSA issues discussions begin in December for February 2009 when FSAs occur.
Interactive Innovations – Adele advises that we have until 11:15pm tonight to apply to BCCPAC for travel subsidies. Adele and Nina will attend for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, March 2nd, 3rd, 4th . Nina faxed the applications to BCCPAC for Adele and herself to be subsidized for travel costs. Mini may be able to attend one day. Maureen advises that she can watch the conference online and does not want to spend DPACs budgeted allotment for her to attend. Lynne may be able to go. We need to know by Friday. Adele will put out an email to all the PACs for interest. DPAC has budgeted for four attendees.
BCCPAC call for Nominations – BCCPAC is requesting nominations for the following positions: President, second vice, secretary and two directors. Due date for the nominations is February 28th.
New Parent Information Network – Is currently available online from LearnNowBC. It is an excellent parent information resource. It is recommended for all parents to look into it as it contains useful resources.
Safe Online Outreach Worker – Nina spoke with Kim Tobin from the high school regarding the outreach worker. Kim advised that Winifred is looking into having the worker come in. I asked Winifred to contact me if she was interested and needed funding. Nina has not heard from Winifred.
Web Updates – Lynne needs meetings minutes, and has added a new Healthy Schools page to the site. Michelle spoke to Lynne about the changed DPAC website password. Michelle will be set up with her own email account and DPAC will use the site to access the webpage and gather information. Michelle will advise Lynne when the DPAC email can be accessed to update the webpage. It is important for future DPAC executive users to have access to the DPAC email for webpage accesses and updates
DPAC District Direction –The role of DPAC is to approach trustees and district staff with the voices of PACs. Maureen suggests asking the district if they could declare a policy to their principals to support parent involvement. This could begin a process that asks PACs to provide information to the district on various issues. There are a number of issues and district processes that DPAC needs to ask to be included in as a representative of the PACs. We will also request that information be in a timely manner to allow us time to gather information and communicate with PACs and to bring meaningful information from our PACs. DPAC wants to be involved with the district and trustee decisions in a greater capacity. Maureen will draft a letter to the district with this request.
OLD BUSINESS
Resolutions for the Spring BCCPAC AGM – Nina faxed resolutions within the deadline to BCCPAC. They were presented as they were received from Michelle.
Levick Memorial – Nina issued and deposited a cheque at the Bulkley Valley Credit Union to the memorial per January 8th meeting.
Advocacy Project Update –Lynne had sent an email for available dates. She has confirmed April 12th and 13th for available workshop dates. Julie and Lynne spoke with the advocacy ladies at the BCCPAC fall conference about the possibility of doing workshops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, and Burns Lake. Discussion occurred regarding consideration of a half day workshop in Vanderhoof, and a half day in Fraser Lake on Saturday April 12th. There would be a full day’s workshop in Burns Lake on Sundary, April 13th. Locations need to be secured in all places. Michelle advised Lynne of some locations to consider. DPAC will need to work on advertising and promoting the workshops.
Healthy Schools Update – The last meeting had been cancelled due to not enough people in attendance. There will be a meeting tomorrow night. They will be looking for more direction. Lorainna should be there as well as Ray. Possible discussion in tomorrows meeting is to include some training for hot lunch co-coordinators. There is a lot of information for them to know. There will be suggestions to have better resources available to schools. Lynne has added a Healthy Schools page to the website with some of this information.
SPLSS Update – Supporting Parent Leadership Seminar Series (SPLSS). Mini and Adele attended a second SPLSS session January 31st to February 3rd. More information regarding the role of SPLSS was made available. Adele had the impression that SPLSS maybe taking the place of an advocacy role that BCCPAC had advised DPACs to step away from. In the first SPLSS session, education on a global scale was given to members as background information. The second session involved more district information. Another main focus in the SPLSS sessions is building relationships. Attendees feel they are still in the dark and need more direction on their roles within SPLSS. SPLSS will be starting a new session in September 2008 that will involve one cohort instead of three. Adele requested any
handouts on SPLSS that had been distributed at the BCCPAC fall conference. Lynne will provide Adele with the copy of all the information she received. The first three cohorts of SPLSS (of which include Adele and Mini) graduates in September 2008.
Distributed Parents voting for Trustees – Discussion of Distributed Learning (DL) parents not being able to vote for trustees had taken place in a previous meeting when discussion regarding BCCPAC resolutions occurred. Maureen was asked to take the question to BCCPAC. She felt that this was not a request appropriate for her to follow through with. She has asked Ray LeMoigne about DL parents voting for trustees at Michelle’s suggestion. Ray had responded to Maureen that any changes to the voting rules is a provincial matter and would need provincial involvement. Ray advised Maureen he would ask the local MLA about what would be involved in the process of including DL parents in voting rights for trustee elections. She is waiting for Ray to get back to her.
NEXT MEETING DATE:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the next regular DPAC meeting will be Tuesday, March 11th at 8:00 pm via teleconference.
Carried
ADJOURNMENT:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the meeting adjourns at 9:56 pm.
Carried
____________________________________ _________________________________________
Chairperson Secretary - Treasurer
DPAC School District No. 91, Nechako Lakes
Regular Scheduled Meeting
March 11, 2008
Via Teleconference
Present: Mrs. Michelle Racher Nechako Valley Secondary, DPAC Chairperson
Mrs. Nina Knocke Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Secretary/Treasurer
Mrs. Cathy Ray Fort Fraser School
Ms Lynne Reed Francois Lake Elementary, DPAC Director
Ms Melanie Fehr Decker Lake Elementary
Ms. Maureen Bayless Distributed Learning SD No. 91, DPAC Director
The meeting was called to order by DPAC Chairperson, Michelle Racher at 8:06 pm.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the Agenda for this Meeting be approved as is.
Carried
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Tabled for next meeting as the minutes from February’s meeting was not sent with this meetings agenda.
REPORTS
Chair report– Michelle attended the School Board Meeting in February. She learned that FNEC will be forming parent clubs for interested aboriginal parents. Concerns expressed over the funding high schools receive due to the change in funding structure implemented at the beginning of this school year. School calendar will be adopted May 31st for next school year. Parents are to receive FSA booklets for the first time since FSA testing began. March is Education month, the board plans employee recognition and goody days for its staff.
DLES chair had emailed Michelle regarding any PAC interested in signing up the Aqua-Van. Lisa Moore is putting together a schedule for next school year and can be contacted at Decker Lake Elementary School for further information.
BCCPAC is asking anyone attending their AGM in May to consider volunteering for a minutes and meeting minutes approval committee.
Treasurer Report – Please refer to the attachment titled Treasurer Report for March 11th for detailed balances. Nina presented the treasurer report indicating the Interactive Innovations accommodations were paid by DPAC but are to be reimbursed by BCCPAC. Nina Knocke and a Grassy Plains PAC parent had applied and been approved for funding by BCCPAC to attend. A third delegate from Vanderhoof also attended the Interactive Innovations funded by DPAC.
DPAC Gaming Account Balance as of March 10, 2008 is $1,698.70
Ÿ There have been no cheques issued for the month of December for this account. There are 12 (?) school PACs that have not applied for the reimbursement of their BCCPAC membership fees if they had submitted their fees before December 15, 2007.
DPAC Non-Gaming Account Balance as of March 10, 2008 is $10,964.59
Ÿ We paid fees for one delegate to attend Interactive Innovations as well as covered the accommodations for three delegates to attend. The accommodation amounts will be reimbursed by BCCPAC.
Ÿ There is an outstanding mileage claim along with three meal claims yet to be posted against this account.
Ÿ With BCCPAC covering the costs of two of our delegates to attend Interactive Innovations, we are quite a bit under budget in this area.
Overall Budget Update
Of the $19,525.00 total budget, we have approximately $12,663.29
remaining as of March 10, 2008.
School District – John Stafford was not in attendance.
School Board Meeting – The Board of Education (BOE) is requesting input for the upcoming budget process for the next school year. Along with any member of the public, PACs can put forth any wish lists, or proposals as well. SPCs are encouraged to put forth their proposals as well. It does not need to be within a formal process. The BOE would like to ensure no one is left out of the budget process. Title emails addressed to Sterling Olson (solson@sd91.bc.ca) as “Budget Process”.
Interactive Innovations –Nina presented that this three day session was directed at teachers and educators. This was an opportunity to share within the province of BC some new processes available to teachers to improve student learning. As a parent representative it was interesting to learn of the many ways teachers can improve student learning. The conference provided insight into the jobs that teachers are doing around the province as well as in other countries. It is recommended for parents from our district to consider attending next year’s conference in Prince George to further their knowledge into the innovations in teaching that are becoming available.
The two other delegates from our school district who attended were not present at this meeting to report on their experience.
Student Appeals Conference – The Ministry of Education invited two parents from each district to attend a one day conference on February 25th regarding the new student appeal process that was to take place March 3rd. There was very little notice of the invite and as a result, only Nina Knocke was able to confirm attendance.
A new branch within the Ministry of Education has been formed, called the Student Appeals Branch, to specifically address issues arising involving a parent or student who has an issue that may not have been resolved within their district. The issues are limited as what can be appealed through this process, but any decision made by a Board Employee that significantly affects the education, health and safety of a child, or any decision made by a Board of Education that falls within the specified wording of Section 11 of the School Act are open to this process.
Appeals that are determined by the Student Appeal Branch to fall within the scope of this process are given to a Superintendent of Achievement for determination of whether the appeal will be professionally mediated or adjudicated, or if it will be dropped. Once the appeal is sent to a mediator or adjudicator, their decision is deemed to be final.
The regulation wordings and further information will be posted on the DPAC website.
OLD BUSINESS
Advocacy Project Workshops – The venues have been selected and reserved for April 12th at WL MacLeod and for April 13th at LDSS. It is suggested that we do a pre-registration. Michelle will be the contact for the East end of the district; Lynne will be the contact for the West end of the district. The Advocacy Project presenters will provide posters and they should be arriving soon. Discussion regarding providing lunch or snacks. Motion was made to increase the Advocacy budget by $125 at each location to provide a light lunch.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the Advocacy Project budget be increased by $125 at each workshop site to provide lunch to those attending.
Carried
Healthy Schools – See minutes provided. There will be a session in May that will include the Northern Health Dietician. The cook book has secured $500 in funding from Northern Health. They would require another $1000 to go forward with an order for 300 copies. The committee will generate $500 in presales. Motion made to have DPAC fund the additional $500 needed.
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT DPAC gives $500 to the Healthy Schools Committee cook book project.
Carried
Call for PAC vision statements on Healthy Schools. They are looking for an ethical statement regarding healthy schools. Request PACs input for their values regarding healthy schools.
Letter to the Board – A letter has been sent to the board requesting greater inclusion to the board’s processes. DPAC agrees that a lot of learning needs to occur to be involved in a meaningful way. We are seeking greater education and input. The process still needs to be determined on how to include DPAC in a meaningful and timely fashion. Copy of the letter sent is attached.
NEW BUSINESS
Aboriginal Parent Clubs – Julie and Michelle attended a meeting that included Calvin Desmarais an Aboriginal Education Committee member. $8000 is being used to pilot parent clubs within the district for aboriginal parents. To engage aboriginal parents, it has been determined that a less formal gathering process will encourage more participation. DPAC would like to begin a process to include parent clubs and is looking into this with BCCPAC.
Spring BCCPAC AGM – Resolution packages have recently been received by BCCPAC member DPACs and PACs. DPAC will schedule April 8th meeting to address resolutions and provide PACs with information regarding the process as well as answer questions they may have. DPAC will be requesting proxy votes from the member PACs who will not be sending their own delegates to the AGM.
DPAC will be drawing two PAC names to fund their attendance to AGM.
DPAC Spring AGM – Date has been set for May 24th and the meeting will be in Burns Lake. There was not enough funds budgeted to secure a keynote speaker. DPAC plans to engage in a visioning process. All PACs are encouraged to attend.
Survey of PACs – Contact has been made with other DPACs that have conducted similar surveys and copies of those surveys are on the way. Will need to determine the focus of the survey as a group before the survey can be compiled.
NEXT MEETING DATE:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the next regular DPAC meeting will be Tuesday, April 8th at 8:00 pm via teleconference.
Carried
ADJOURNMENT:
MOVED and SECONDED
THAT the meeting adjourns at 10:14 pm.
Carried
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Chairperson Secretary - Treasurer
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