parents & friends’ association general meeting - … · general meeting - minutes meeting:...

PARENTS & FRIENDS’ ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING - MINUTES

Meeting: Monday April 20, 2020, 4pm Attendance: Donna Wallace DW(President), Sally Emerson SE, (Treasurer), Julie Soutter JS, (Principal) Lisa Maxwell LM, (Deputy Principal) Barbara Blake BB, Sandra Bullen SB, Kylie Murphy KM, Nicole Melvin NM, Melissa McIntyre MM Apologies: Candice Neumann CN, Kristine Burgess CB, Carolyn Meacham CM, Vanessa Bourke VB

Meeting Opened: DW 4pm Actions

Minutes from Previous Meeting

Accepted: SE Seconded: KM

Principal’s Report: JS Report attached

Julie asked for feedback on how remote learning is working for families. Different members are managing in different ways and appreciate ability to be flexible. Julie interested in the amount of time parents are spending with children and how independent children can be with the work. See report for other items.

Treasurer’s Report: SE Transaction Report attached

Balance As of end of March: $ 17,824.43 Report Accepted: DW Seconded: BB

Action: SE check SES donation has been processed

School Council Report: BB

School Council Meeting was the AGM. Tamara Sullivan is now President, Jarrod Byham Vice President, Claire Dean Minutes Secretary. Annual Report is to be presented to the School Community by April 30. Julie added this will be shared on the website rather than inviting school community to meeting as would usually be the case.


PFA seeking wishlist from teachers was discussed.

Correspondence: DW/SE

Email sent to Daniel Duell thanking him for his donated work on the oval. Email received from Daniel Duell grateful for the acknowledgment.

Business: Bunning Stall: DW Term 2 Isolation Activity: DW

Term 3 Activity or Fundraiser: DW

Library Shelving Update: SE

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle in June has been cancelled. Bunnings have indicated they may offer a donation in lieu of the stall. Suggestion we could do something to help keep spirits up while in isolation, for example putting positive messages on the Facebook Page. Discussed what type of activity we might like to do when school returns. General consensus that it would be inappropriate to try to fundraise in term 3 or possibly even this year and focus would be better put to moral and community building. Lisa from Raeco came out to view the library and prepare a quote at the end of term. Quote has been received to fit out the whole library for new shelving for around $27000. Mel Hunter, Julie and Lisa have indicated that investigating completing the Picture Story section of the library could be a good use of PFA funds.

Action: All: Email any ideas through to DW Action: All: Think of what type of activities might be good to run on our return to school. What would you like to be involved in? Email DW or bring to next meeting Action: SE to lias with Melanie Hunter to investigate second quote, discuss with Julie and Lisa and report back to PFA via email


Cadbury Fundraising: SW

Mothers’ Day Stall:SW Scholastic Book Club: SW

A second quote will need to be sought. Julie is keen to get work like this done while the children are not at school, good opportunity to minimise disruptions. Currently the money raised from the Easter Egg Fundraiser stands at $4755.70. Remaining eggs were used by the Easter Bunny to give to students at then end of term. Around $600 remains outstanding. Replacement gifts discussed last meeting arrived but many were also damaged so supplier has given a refund. All gifts will now be held in storage for 2021 Mothers’ Day Stall as the stall will not take place this year due to Covid-19 Decided there was no viable alternatie to have the stall this year while school is not running on site. SW will cancel Scholastic Book Club for this term. Our next planned time for book club is in Term 4

Action: SW to cancel Scholastic Book Club for this term


March Actions Report: Coles Card: SE Letter to Daniel Duell: SE Playground repurposing: JS

Outdoor Pots for classrooms: NM School Council Canteen Commitment:BB

Multiple cards are in the school. One is available at the office for PFA use. Sent – see correspondence Julie continues to follow up with builders but not really seen as a priority by builders. Trying to speed things up, hoping playground equipment of some form will be in place when the children return to school. Some online research conducted but difficult to do until we can physically look at the space so on hold

Progress in canteen to be updated next School Council Meeting

Held over

Feedback for the Principal

Question was raised by a parent: What support is the school able offer to parents during this time? Julie discussed:

Allanah our Wellbeing councillor is available to be contacted. She is then able to refer people on to outside agencies if needed

If issues relate to learning then child’s teacher is the first port of call to discuss adjustments and options.

Reiterated that it is ok if not all the work gets done, literacy and numeracy are key but the important thing is for all to remain

Action: JS will put information on support in the newsletter again.


emotionally and mentally healthy.

Suggested support information could also go on PFA Facebook

Meeting Closed: DW Minutes: SE

5:05pm Next Meeting: No meeting in May. Next meeting to be advised


Principal’s Report PFA

Monday, 20th April 2020

Coronavirus Updates

The majority of our students are engaged in remote learning, with 30-40 students on-site

each day. We appreciate your commitment to supporting that 'all students who can learn

from home must learn from home.' We will wait for the next set of directions in a few weeks.

There are daily updates sent from DET to principals for communicating to school

communities as needed. When these apply to our school, I will send to parents via the

newsletter or by email if more urgent.

School Review and areas of focus for 2020 that are relevant to Home/Remote Learning

Interestingly these were the findings in our school review and the work we were to focus on in 2020.

All of these elements will be enhanced by students learning remotely and being responsible for their

learning if parents are encouraging them to increase their learning stamina.

Students proactively using resources, self-regulation and agency to sustain and improve their learning.

Continued focus on building vocabulary through Oral Language to improve the quality of writing. (Talk about words and encourage an extensive vocabulary)

Students self- regulating and taking responsibility for regular reading and achieving their reading goals.

Students building organisational skills through the use of their diaries. A focus on our value of ‘Resilience’ including educating families to support this. Students building persistence and resilience in their learning to increase their stamina to

sustain 30 -40 minutes of writing or deep learning. Home/School Partnership – Homework and Communication.

Home/School Partnership:

One of the positives that will come out of remote learning is a much stronger home/school

partnership where parents will see first- hand their children’s capabilities as a learner – the effort

they put in, and the areas where they have challenges and successes. Any positives may not seem

possible at the moment with the frustration and anxiety being experienced by many people

struggling to do two jobs at once. As quipped by one parent, "Maybe the kids don't need so much

supervision at school, but it seems at home they need to check the answer for everything and have

no capacity to check for themselves." In many cases, your child will be learning in the same way as

they do at school where the teacher needs to continually build their capacity to be independent. In

others, your usually very independent school learner will be enjoying getting your attention as much

as possible. As Wendy Tuohy comments in The Age this week, 'We must resist the impulse to

helicopter school-parent in the COVID-19 storm'……Several education professors that she

interviewed all said 'a few weeks of bumpy learning would not be the unmaking of kids' education.'

However, this new learning regime may well build their resilience and self-regulation as well as a

home learning partnership that has positive benefits for the remaining years of their education. It is


okay to put your needs first some of the time and let children know that you also have requirements.

They will grow to be more caring, considerate human beings.

PFA work during Term 2

It is difficult to imagine the work of the PFA in the current environment. Fundraisers and events will

not be part of our program this term. However, if you think you will have time to contribute, you

could consider being part of one of our subcommittees, most of which will continue. Of course, it will

be a particularly busy time for families with the extra responsibility of supervising their children's

remote learning, so I understand that parents will have less time to contribute to school activities

and committees.

Sub-Committees

All parents are welcome to join the School Council sub-committees.

1. Education & Policy sub-committee This committee looks at our policies and procedures.

2. Facilities/Grants/Hire of Facilities This committee oversees our Capital Works project, Brantome St, grounds and

Out of School Hours Care hire of facilities

3. Canteen and Grants Sub-Committee

Grants: We could have a committee that manages the applications for grants. Eg The Victorian

Schools Garden Program’s grants and awards are now open,

Grants - encourage schools to start new gardens or repair existing gardens by providing funding for

the school's garden projects. Grants open on 2nd March and close on Friday 1st May at 5.00 pm

$40,000 worth of nursery vouchers or products to be won. 13 different categories to apply for.

Simply answer five questions to be in the running. For more information on our programs, please

visit our website vsgp.or.au or don’t hesitate to call with any questions. Find out more, visit the

VSGP website.

Julie Soutter.

Principal.

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DATE DESCRIPTION REVENUE EXPENDITURE BALANCE

1/3/20 Opening Balance $ 20,754.62

Cadbury Easter Egg Fundraiser 8,004.80$

Cadbury Easter Egg Fundraiser $ 9,999.00

Amazing Race Try Booking tickets $ 1,082.25

Amazing Race Sponsorship - Willow $ 500.00

Amazing Race BBQ/food and cash tickets 560.10$

Amazing Race Expenses $ 41.24

Mothers Day Stall Gifts $ 3,037.10

31/3/20 Closing Balance $ 10,147.15 $ 13,077.34 $ 17,824.43

$ 14,336.53

$ -

$ 14,336.53 Closing Balance*

*Note: Approximately $1600 is committed to items yet to appear

REPORT PREPARED BY: Sally Emerson

P.F.APROGRAM TRANSACTION REPORT

Mar-20

Funds Carried over from 2019

Opening Balance

Amount spent (details above) –

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