Viola Desmond School Council Minutes, January 2025

Date: January 15, 2025, from 19:00-20:15 hours

Location: Viola Desmond Public School library

Present: W. Thompson, S. Ricciardi, T. Seltzer, J. Goodman, J. Schaffer, J. Tanweer, Y. Tang, T. Zigomanis

Members of the public present: J. Boneng, E. Baranova, K. Phou

Regrets: P. Cytrynbaum, D. Carson, M. Yu, A. Mednikov

Meeting Objectives

Planning speakers/events/fundraising plans for the school year of 2024-2025

Mathematics: PD for teachers in the area of social emotional learning skills
Looking at: Communicating, Reasoning, and Proving in order to support our students to enhance their understanding of math concepts

School survey grades 1-8 to collect data to support our goal in the area of Equity (represented, connected through a culturally responsive lens)
PEACE - People Everywhere Actually Co-existing Equally
Matthew (presenter) will be here over 2 days presenting to our Students in grades 2-6. Next Week…His focus will be on the Well-Being and Equity initiative in our school. Focuses on using art as a means for communication, education and innovation
Athletics: Jr Volleyball coming to an end (Jan. 23/24 is the Areas); Intermediate Basketball starting up
Clubs: Spirit Squad (grades 1-8, but mostly grades 1 and 2), Board games Club 2x per week at recess, Beading Club, Robotics Club (Area Tournament for junior and intermediate team)
Annual talent show returning:
- Jan 20 – announcement
- Wk of Jan 27 - Sign-up announcements
- Jan 27-28 - Sign-up
- Feb 3-7 – Auditions
- The form for auditions that will go out to the parents will have a paragraph of acknowledgement for parents to discuss with their kids if they are disappointed and do not make the talent show
- Feb 11 - Find out who gets in
- Feb 12-Mar 6 – rehearsals
- March 7 - SHOW DAY

Caretakers have ordered “no parking” signage for bend at the top of the kiss and ride, signage may not be installed until the spring thaw
Ms. Wagner and Ms. Thompson have identified areas of the fields where a few incidents have been reported so new supervision schedule to improve supervision in these areas especially in the field
schools are not required to clear the tarmac
when wind chill is above -18 typically kids stay inside

Pillars are: Human Rights and Inclusion (HRI), Student Achievement (SA) – Math, Health and Well-Being (HWB)
low 56% in Junior Math has been consistent since the school opened
will start to engage in this work, hopefully at our March meeting Wendy will have a new student achievement goal to share

every school has to do this every year, it is not a reflection of our administration but rather what we would seek for a principal in our community
was circulated in the group
feedback to be sent to cochairs by the Council members by Friday January 24

$720.00 donated through school cash online
$2,000 just got donated by an individual and this person donated to help the primary book budget that could not be met otherwise
Wendy – asked if our next budget report can include this year’s spending (for example the score board etc.)

Wednesday June 11 proposed date
DJ and BBQ for sure and otherwise we have to stay within Board Guidelines with other items we offer
Aiming to have a different DJ this year
They will put together a committee ASAP to start planning this

Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 19:00 hours, Viola Desmond Public School library

Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 19:00 hours, Viola Desmond Public School library

TZ to send notes from all meetings to Wendy, Pamela, Jenn and Ton