Meeting Format: In-Person
Attendees
In Attendance:
Parents: Stephanie Whittamore, Jennifer Reitsma, Amanda Ryan, Anna Leung, Shelby Chung, Andrea Chin, Christine Malik
Administration: Vivienne Baines (Principal), Vanessa Colabawalla (Vice Principal)
Teachers: Aldo Barovier
Regrets:
Rega Paramsothy, Lang Vu, Renee Chang
Agenda
Land Acknowledgement:
•Vanessa Colabawalla read the YRDSB Land Acknowledgement
Approval of Agenda:
•Moved by Jennifer Reitsma, seconded by Shelby Chung (after correction of prior Minutes date)
Approval of minutes of March 3, 2025, Meeting:
•Moved by Jennifer Reitsma, seconded by Amanda Ryan
School Report (Vivienne/Vanessa):
•Grade 7 trivia team participated in Reach for the Top provincials. They didn’t place but did very well.
•CLAWS – April’s theme is Accountability. The assembly also included the launch of Jump Rope for Heart.
•Kindergarten went to Green Acres Farm to learn about maple syrup production
•Grad photos have been taken
•Primary classes had Dairy Education presentations to their classes
•Track and Field practices have started for the Junior/Intermediate grades; Primary grades will be doing Run and Jump events
•Sr. Girls' Volleyball has happened
•Grade 7 Badminton has started
•Basketball tryouts for Juniors have started
•Primary choir starting this week
• The Board’s Planning department reached out to the City of Markham about traffic safety issues. It is currently under review with the City, and a site review will happen in the near future (no date set yet, but Vivienne will continue to follow up as required).
•Two very passionate teachers have worked to create a mental health and wellbeing website for families. Content was vetted by liaisons from the Board Mental Health department. It will be launched next week on a public platform to share with families, and the hope is that it will be a one-stop shop for any resources that families may need in the community, at school, or at home. It will be a dynamic site that can be updated on an ongoing basis. It will also be shared at the Wellness Fair.
Council Chair Report (Stephanie):
•Cookie kits made profits of $160 – the kits were beautiful, but the price point may have prevented more families from purchasing
•Terra Cotta cookie dough fundraiser is underway until April 22nd – price point is better and wehave already raised over $200 in the first few days. Need volunteers for May 6 to help out withorganizing delivery. Timing for that will be confirmed.
•Sub and pizza lunches going well; pizza sales are higher this round than the previous round.
•PEAC May 20, 2025 from 4:30pm to 9:30pm at Sheraton. Looking for another volunteer to attend
•Fun Fair and the Paul Davis & Wellness Fair event to be discussed later in meeting.
Treasurer’s Report (Jennifer):
•Jennifer reported that the current balance in the School Council fund is at $6,092.19. This doesnot include April-June lunch/bubble tea profits, and also does not include deduction of the 3%School Cash Online fee from January-June.
•Stephanie commented that the total expected balance available after factoring in the excludeditems noted above would be around $11,000, of which $1,000 is needed for the PaulDavis/Wellness Fair event, and $2,000 is needed as a reserve to float any upfront Fun Fairexpenses.
•As such, roughly $8,000 will be available to fund teacher requests for items ($11,000 less $1,000less $2,000).
Funding Request
•Vivienne and Vaness presented a slideshow from teachers that included their funding requests
•Junior/Intermediate requests:
o 15 fans at $60-$80 per unit
o Mini whiteboard sets at $70 each
o A cash box
oBoard games - $250
o Craft supplies (SPACE) – $200
o Recess Equipment – $300
o Field trips – various costs
o 2 laminators at $50 each
o Books for classrooms chosen with Text Selection Tool – $500 to $1,000
• Kindergarten requests:
o Outdoor learning supplies – various costs. A donation request for items from families will also be made through Wolverine Weekly.
o Sand
• Primary requests:
o Class trip experience brought to the school – Reptilia visit costs $997
o Math Manipulators – approx. $800
o 5 Abacuses at $18.15 each
o 20 Clear Number track rulers – total cost of $100
o Literacy Items
• Community Class requests:
o Climbing apparatus cost $700 and balance beam cost $230
o Manipulatives
o Field trip expenses – this request is includes the Reptilia visit cost request from the Primary team. Vivienne commented for transparency that the Board does supply $650 for field trips for the Community Class.
• Athletics/Phys Ed requests:
o Blue tooth speaker for Multipurpose Room – $125
o Ribbons for Track & Field events – $325-$575
o 2 basketballs and 2 volleyballs for tournament use (high quality) – $100 per ball
o Lightweight jerseys with new Wolverines logo – no dollar figure yet but looking for something to go toward the cost of this (current jerseys have been in use over 11 years since school opened)
• Council discussion on requests:
o Council discussed whether allocate funds line by line or at a division level. Percentage of students in each division was also considered in tandem with the type of items being requested.
o It was agreed that the cost of fans and recess equipment be considered separately since available for use by all students, and since fans are critical to the comfort of students and teachers alike.
o Stephanie made a motion that the Terra Cotta fundraising would go directly to the recess equipment costs. Amanda seconded the motion and motion was passed unanimously.
o Jersey costs – it was agreed to table this request until after the Fun Fair to see if we can use some of the money raised for jerseys, since the jerseys wouldn’t be used until starting next school year.
• Council landed on the following allocation of funds:
o Fans: $1,000
o Junior/Intermediate: $3,300
o Kindergarten: $500
o Primary: $2,000
o Community Class: $500 for balance beam and contribution to climbing apparatus
o Athletics: $500 for balls and speaker + $200 for ribbons
TOTAL: $8,000
• Stephanie made a motion that we approve the expenses as listed. Jennifer seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Paul Davis & Wellness Fair
•63 adults have responded saying they can attend, with child care requested for 32 students
•Translation kits have been requested for Mandarin, Cantonese and Tamil – Vanessa has alreadyarranged interpretation for these languages
•Stephanie will connect with Ms. Horsley to see if there are students that can help out with thechildcare
•Formal registration will be launched in the first week of May; if we have extra space it will beopened to other schools in the community
•Doors will open at 5pm for food and refreshments
•5:30-6:30pm Wellness Fair:
oMarkham Public Library is coming
oYork Hills is coming
oCMHA dropped of pamphlets to hand out
oNutritionist will be training some students and they will hand out fruit kebabs
oMr. Neate and Ms. Lawrence will manage a booth showcasing the new mental healthwebsite
oSettlement workers are coming
oPPP Parenting may come
oStill waiting to hear from the Affinity Groups to see if they want to participate
oStill waiting to hear from the Art Therapist
oLikely won’t run yoga for $120 given relatively low interest on survey responses
Fundraising:
•Subway lunches and pizza lunches have been strong
•Would like a few extra Terra Cotta Cookies orders so we don’t have to pay for shipping
Fun Fair:
•Need some help getting a few more silent auction items – Vivienne will make a request to staffto see if they have any leads for anything that can be added
•Items we have: signed jersey & other MLSE items, golf bag, gym memberships, ukelele, Reptiliaday pass tickets, Rouge Camps week of camp, and more
•We have two Food Trucks (one with halal and vegetarian food), a Food Tent and an ice creamtruck confirmed – all vendors insist they serve efficiently and won’t have long lines
•Will also sell Freezies since school has a new deep freezer courtesy of the School Snack program
•Activities will include: curling, photo booth, School of Rock, Markham Museum, TAC Sports(obstacle course), Unity Volleyball, Rouge Camps, Ms. Wickramaratne doing henna, magician,cotton candy
Yearbook:
•Available for sale – sales are going okay
•Ms. Singh is looking for more photos of events to add
Next Meeting: May 5, 2025