Date: Monday, 27th January 2025
Time: 7:00 - 8:30pm
Location: Virtual
Chair: Deepshikha Swaroop
In attendance:
School Staff: Nadia Russiello, Voula Divetta, Melissa Doucas, Shauna Rezka
Parents: Deepshika Swaroop, Ashley Bebbington, Sushma Kavikondola, Mounika Sourial, Carmen Lam, Tharshini Tharmalingam, Julie Mahfouz-Rezvani, Sandra de Parra, Eilda Kian
Regrets: Shabbir Mustafa Zavery
Welcome/Introductions:
Welcome statement by Mme. Russiello/Deep, followed by YRDSB land acknowledgement.
Principal Update:
- The principal profile on the YRDSB website should be updated. Parents and council members are welcome to have a look and send any edits/modifications
- Ministry assessment occurred at BAPS
- School building repair in terms of the roof will take place over the summer months
Teacher Rep Report:
Great start back to school from the winter break - Happy New Year to all!
Thank you, School Council, for hosting an amazing Wellness Night for the kids and families at BAPS. The turnout was amazing, the kids had a good time, and the feedback has been positive. Your time and efforts are greatly appreciated.
Quick update:
In December, we revisited the Caring and Safe Schools presentations (with a focus on proper use of technology and showing kindness). The Caring and Safe Schools mid-year presentations, junior and intermediate, commenced today.
In December, the grade 8s had their Claymation workshops and they recently had their McMichael Art Gallery day trip on January 9th.
Wheelchair Basketball is taking place next week (February 3rd) - consent forms due January 30th
January 31st is a PA Day.
February is Black History Month
NCCM presentation - February 28th
Staff have been doing more learning in regards to equitable assessment, screeners, and phonics, in both English and French.
Staff will be launching into new professional development with mathematics, where we will look at the progression of each strand, examine vertical learning and building thinking classrooms, and explore ways of incorporating identity-affirmation into the mathematics program.
Extracurricular activities have continued:
Student leadership now consists of students from grades 4-8
Dance club is going strong
Junior choir
Intermediate band
Junior art club
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
GSA
Eco Club - February 5th - Winter Walk to School Day; February 6th is National Sweater Day
BAPS On Broadway rehearsals are well underway
Reach for the Top
Grad photo day - February 12th
Second lockdown drill will be in mid-February
Term 1 report cards will start to be distributed on February 18th (please check your child’s Gapps account)
SAVE THE DATE - Winter Concert will be held on February 21st during the school day
Spirit wear orders - BAPS store open all year
Yearbooks available for purchase on School Cash Online
Treasurer’s Report
- Beginning budget $23000
- Mid-year budget meeting to be scheduled soon
Fundraising / Lunch Program Updates:
- School survey for lunch programs: Survey found that we can continue the pizza and Swiss chalet program. Subway lunch options are not popular and so will be stopped soon. Pasta program was a popular idea and will be considered. Pizza lunches are still BAPS favourite.
- Tharshini is in touch with pasta vendors and Dominos Pizza has good options with reasonable prices and portion sizes are generous. The store sells the portion for $9. Tharshini will share prices. Pasta options are also great to freeze if there are left overs.
- Elida commented that lunches are very organized. Students are very helpful. Mme. Doucas is very helpful setting up the table and making the deliveries easy.
Pathways to Wellness, De-brief and Surveys:
Deep will share the survey results later
Tharshini commented that over 30 families showed up without registering.
Parents enjoyed all the activities in the big gym. Huge lineups for the Henna station.
Many parents registered but did not show up to the presentations. Next year the SC to consider having only activities without presentations for Pro-grant nights.
Perhaps have activities/presentations in the classrooms close to the gyms so that people can pass by and see the various sessions.
Parents found it hard to attend the sessions while their children were in the large gym resulting in some children being left unsupervised.
SC will also consider minimizing registration for some workshops on School Cash Online for next year.
SC also discussed the difficulty of getting the school community engaged in after school activities despite many flyers, announcements, reminders, etc. Perhaps get the students’ interests and activities incorporated into future events.
STEM NIGHT Planning:
- The initial date of February 12th 2025 is not feasible due to time constraints in organizing the event. STEM NIGHT moved to April 10th 2025.
- Sushma reached out to Code ninas, Spirit of Math, Mad scientists, O’botz, Dunlop observatory, exceed robotics etc.
- This evening has no speakers, all hands on vendors, no advertising/sign ups
- These vendors have joined our school before so they know the expectations
- All booths in the gyms are free but workshops by Mad Scientists and O’botz will be charged nominally with SC subsidizing the cost
BBQ/Fun Fair Planning:
- Sandra de Parra will take lead on planning and reaching out to parents
- Deep will share information regarding parents who want to volunteer as well
AOB:
Chinese New Year decorations are ready to be put up by students leadership.
STEM night flyers to be ready by the end of the week to begin advertisement and can be added into the weekly blast before the March break
Adjournment:
- Meeting adjourned at 8.33pm