Present: Simon Parson, Tristen Cosgrove, Anna Webster, David Smail, Belinda Lavers, Trish Bray and Joy Shotter
Apologies: Ruth McLeod, Rob Richards, Rose Aitchison, Jeff Gibson.
2. Accepted Minutes of Previous Meeting (8 Oct 2013) Moved: Trish Bray, Seconded: Belinda Lavers
3. Correspondence – In/Out
In:
- Fundraising Commission earned by online purchases of the 2013 Lucky Locals Discount Card, with the school fundraising code as advertised in the Newsletter, given to David Smail for banking. Receipt signed by David.
Out:
- Response from meeting forwarded to Mel Lonie.
4. Reports
Update on Chaplaincy Program 2013: Joy Shotter
Joy provided a detailed account of her role as School Chaplain within the National School Chaplaincy and Student Welfare Support Program. The program is funded under a Commonwealth Government Grant, which enables Joy to provide chaplaincy support to the students, staff and families of our school, for 10 hours per week. Plans for 2014 were discussed. Joy supplied a hard copy of her presentation to the P&C.
Note: The P&C has given approval to the ongoing Chaplaincy/Welfare Student Support Program.
President’s Report: Tristen Cosgrove
It has been a great privilege to serve as the P&C President since May 2011 (almost 3 years when it comes up again in March 2014). We have had some great wins and some great times. I am most proud of how the P&C and the School worked to come together in a close and enjoyable way. Well done to us all. Next year, if I have the endorsement of the P&C and the School, I would like to continue with grants applications and lobbying, trying to quietly achieve some funds for the bigger projects. My work now demands more of me and I need to invest more time into that. Thank you for all of your support and congratulations to all for our continued success.
Moved: Tristen Cosgrove, Seconded: David Smail
Principal’s Report: Simon Parson
I would like to commence by acknowledging Rob Richards & Danielle Robinson (DSTA) for their vision, organisation and labour in creating the SPPS Remembrance Garden, which was unveiled earlier this week. The garden is now home to an Aleppo pine, which comes from the root stock of the original Aleppo pine in Canberra. The garden now stands to remind and encourage us to reflect on our own lives and appreciate those who have and continue to give so much.
Thank you also to the P&C volunteers involved with the 2013-14 P-K transition. The staff & I are very pleased with how the program has progressed to date and I’m sure Wednesday night will, once again, be both informative and supportive to our future families. Next week we’ll have nearly 50 pre-schoolers participating in our Orientation Program.
One activity we’ll need to commence planning is the 2014 Tea & Tissues for Kinder parents. If keen to go ahead with this event again in 2014, we’ll need to finalise a date / times.
The 2013 Parent Satisfaction Survey was distributed just prior to the October school holidays and we greatly appreciate the time and feedback given by the families who completed the survey. The school’s executive and I will read through and analyse the results, which will help us with our future planning. I will also include some of the results in the 2013 Annual School Report.
The grounds have received quite a lot of attention lately with the Remembrance Garden and covered walkway between Blocks I & J being completed. The seating below the Games Court is currently under construction and I expect we will see it completed by the end of next week. Additionally, the trees damaged in the storm have been either removed or pruned to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
The covered walkway has unknowingly become a potential hazard and I would like to invite the P&C to assist in finding a possible solution. The concern the staff and I have is that an individual may climb over the rail on level 1 of Block J and walk along the roof of the walkway. Whilst this is unlikely, it may occur and we need to take preventative active to minimise this risk. An idea is to potentially create a sculpture which looks great as well as prevents individuals climbing onto the walkway roof. Any ideas or is there someone willing to look into this matter?
I am delighted to see that a flyer is being prepared by the P&C to share some of the details of recent achievements. It has been an extremely successful few years for the P&C and I think it’s vital for the community to learn of and appreciate just how much has been achieved.
In coming weeks the staff and I will research our options for potential class structures for next year. Based on the student numbers we currently have for 2014, it is probable that we will remain a 14 class school.
At present, we are recruiting an assistant principal who will commence in 2014. The panel have completed the short-listing and plan to be undertaking interviews soon.
In closing I’d like to remind you of a number of upcoming events including:
· Intensive Swimming for selected Stage 1 & 2 students this week & next
· Kindergarten Parent Information Evening Wednesday, November 13
· Kindergarten Orientation November 18-21 & November 25-28
· Thinkfest for the OC on Wednesday, November 27
· Final scripture assembly Tuesday, November 26
· Year 5 OC Information Session Thursday November 28
· Radio visit Thursday November 28
· Year 6 Orientation at THS on Wednesday, December 4
· Twilight Bandstand on Thursday, December 5
· Year 6 Graduation on Tuesday, December 10
· Celebration Day on Thursday, December 12
· Student Reports will be sent home on Friday December 13
· Term 4 will conclude on Wednesday December 18.
I trust this assists with your organisation and I thank the P&C and the parents of Soldiers Point
Public School for your continued support for our school.
Moved: Simon Parson, Seconded: Anna Webster
Treasurer’s Report:
Bank Account Balances
Canteen: $4,640.55
Uniform: $5,729.44
P&C: $4,298.02
Healthy balances in both the P&C and Uniform accounts.
Donations
A donation to the school was paid out of the Uniform Account for $500 for PM Readers in October. As well as $2,974.80 donated towards the covered walkways from the term deposit. A further donation, of $1,000 from the Canteen account, is currently on hold pending a review of the account balance. Invoices have been received for the Remembrance Garden totalling $1,078.89 from Rob Richards. A donation to be made to the school for $1,500 from the P&C account, for the remembrance garden and the invoices will be passed to the school for payment
Canteen Account
Quarterly payments from the Canteen account to Host Plus (Superannuation) and the ATO totalled $666. The balance of the Canteen account needs further review as there are currently just over $3,000 in invoices outstanding for October and the balance stands at $4,640.55, bringing it below the historical holding balance of $3,000, although the payments have been collated early in the month. Payments will be held and paid later in the month to allow for receipts to be deposited.
Moved: David Smail, Seconded: Belinda Lavers
Canteen Committee Report: As emailed by Paula Browne
The Canteen is going well, selling out of fresh cooked food every week, which is wonderful. Our list of volunteers and the year 6's continue to do a fabulous job and I can’t thank them enough for their support. Hunter New England Health have appraised our menu right down to the recipes used in our fresh food cooking, they have promised a detailed report soon and I will make this available as soon as it comes in. I am confident we will go well. I am going away from Friday 15th November to Monday 2nd December and have arranged cover for me with several of our wonderful volunteers, the Canteen will not be open on Thursday 21st or Thursday 28th November and this has been announced in the Newsletter. I have taken care of the ordering as best I can over that period and have let David know not to pay me for those two weeks. I have given my keys to Deanne Cosgrove who has agreed to be point of contact if needed whilst I am away. I would also like to thank Simon for including the Canteen in an evacuation drill and look forward to an invacuation. Paula
Moved: Anna Webster, Seconded: Belinda
Uniform Committee Report:Belinda Lavers
Current Balance: $5729.44
Deposits today: $Nil
Payments due this month: $2341.60
Total: $3387.84
Note: Extended Credit Payments (Due January 2014) $4971.03
The Uniform Shop is currently very well stocked. We have only had twenty Kindergarten 2014 Uniform purchases so far even though the Uniform Order Form did request orders be returned by the 1st November 2013 to ensure delivery prior to February 2014. I would expect to have more sales after this week’s Kindergarten information Evening.
I recently received updated pricelists from our suppliers. I have reviewed these pricelists and there have been some price increases. However, our last price increase will still cover these changes especially if printed and embroidered items are not ordered in small quantities.
The last order of stock for this year will be made over the next two weeks. I will advise parents in the next newsletter that they need to already purchase uniforms required for next year to ensure delivery prior to the start of the school year.
Moved: Belinda Lavers, Seconded: Anna Webster
Grounds Committee Report:
No official report submitted, as Rob Richards is currently away, however it was noted to the meeting that the Remembrance Site is finished and all available receipts have been provided to David Smail.
School Improvement & Finance Committee Report:
Meeting was held on 6th November.
Formal meeting cancelled due to lack of attendees. The following is a summary of items discussed.
Asset Management
Covered walkway: work almost completed; will also need to look at a barrier to stop access from the two-storey building on to the top of the new walkway; Simon investigating possible options.
o Seating below COLA: work underway and will be finished by mid November; flag pole and bell to be relocated. This is item 1.0 from the quote obtained Soil Conservation Service, NSW Department of Trade and Investment.
o Further works: Items 2.0 and 3.0 as shown below really should be undertaken together to minimise project management costs however we don’t have fund available. 2.0 Seating (above oval) and oval upgrade; 3.0 Earth mounds, drainage and mulching area above oval
o P&C to consider funding options further.
o Ruth to follow up with Tristen regarding possible part-funding for the swale (Community Building Partnership Grants).
o Communicating work underway: good to identify works happening in the grounds via the school newsletter and link to the Creative Play Spaces program; Remembrance Garden is a great news story.
Parent Survey
o Survey closed and responses analysed.
o Overall positive results; a few areas to be considered further for possible action in 2014; main focus to be on effective communication with families of student progress.
Preparing for 2014
o Expected student numbers estimated to be 349 – 355; number of classes to remain at 14; staff working on possible combinations of year/stage groupings.
o Interviews for new Assistant Principal to be held by mid November.
o P&C to review DEC local demographics analysis and additional online school intake enquiry tools.
Next SIFC Meeting is to be combined with general P&C meeting and held on 4th December 2013.
Moved: Simon Parson, Seconded: Trish Bray
Fundraising Committee Reports:
Anna Webster:
We are in the process of putting together an information sheet regarding what the P&C has been doing over the last few years. I believe that this might answer a few questions that some parents have, such as how the monies raised from the fete and Run Around Australia competition have been spent so far. Hopefully it may also get some parents interested in becoming a part of the P&C.
Ella de la Motte has expressed an interest in selling her home made bunting, and donating some of her takings towards the P&C/school. This may open up a good opportunity to get other parents/community members involved in fundraising (possible a Christmas market?). Ruth has suggested including some home sellers (Tupperware, Lorraine Lea Linen, Intimo, Nutrimetics etc.) which I think is a good idea.
Note: The P&C supports the idea of a Christmas Market, however we need to further investigate the P&C insurance cover for such an event, noting that third party operators/stallholders may need to supply their own insurance if we cannot cover them.Perhaps we have left our timing too late for this Christmas, but it would be good to make enquiries now, so as to prepare to include this in our 2014 fundraising plan.
Belinda Lavers:
Supplied a finalised report on the DFO Homebush & IKEA Rhodes Shopping Complex Bus Trip.
We all had a wonderful day on the DFO and IKEA Bus Trip. We had sold 30 tickets and had three last minute cancellations. We had a lot of feedback from our passengers who would be interested in going again with us next year.
We decided to sell chips, muffins and water on the return trip, which helped to increase our profit. We also received a $15.00 refund from Mars Confectionery for the chocolates I purchased for the trip which were missing three bags of Maltesers. I also sold the unused shopping bags to the Uniform Shop for storage of excess stock at the cost price of $16.00.
We have not refunded any money for the three cancellations, due to the late notice and the minimum number that was required for the trip.
I have sent an email to Kylie Fogg at Port Stephens Coaches thanking her for her personal assistance in booking the coach for our trip. I also asked her to thank Steve the coach driver who was very obliging, helpful and friendly all day.
Overall, even though our numbers were low (there was another bus trip the same day) the trip was very successful and with forward planning for next year the trip may even be more of a success.
Trish Bray:
Fundraising commission earned by online purchases of the 2013 Lucky Locals Discount Card, with the school fundraising code as advertised in the Newsletter, given to David Smail and receipted. The 2014 cards will soon be available for parents to purchase through the school, via marketing flyers and the ongoing fundraiser with the school code for online purchases. New materials will be supplied shortly.
Tea Towels Fundraiser: On behalf of Ruth McLeod – querying if all are in support of the Tea Towels fundraiser being run again in Term 1. All agreed. Aim is to have the finished tea towels available for Mothers day. Ruth is happy to coordinate this fundraiser.
Moved: Trish Bray, Seconded: David Smail
Business Arising
· Tea & Tissues – to be held on Monday 3rd February 2014, which is the first day for Kindergarten children. P&C to liaise amongst each other to cover the details and enlist helpers on the day.
· Welcome BBQ should also be considered, particularly the insurance and jumping castle bookings.
· Christmas Market / Twilight Market insurance should be queried, so as to potentially include for 2014 fundraising plan. (Stallholders onsite at the school, advertised event bringing customers to purchase goods sold by stallholders – Potentially stallholders would be mostly Parents of the school selling their wares, with a portion of sales revenue going to the school as fundraiser. Q. Would the sellers need own insurances, or covered as volunteers of a P&C event? Are we covered?)
· Tea Towels fundraiser has approval and can now be planned for Term 1.
Meeting closed 10pm. Next meeting – 4 December 2013.