Present –  Sofia Alim Co Chair, Deb Rhodes ( Secretary), Anne Belanger ( Principal), Rasmi Swarup( Vice Principal), Sandy Moriaty ( Treasurer), Julia Murray, Nancy Elliot, John Cosgrave, Barb Munro, Sharron Regan, Linda Valley, Valerie Milligan,, Yvonne Chan, Susan Dahlin, Corinna Chan, Susan Brown, Virginia Clark Weir, Kim Brandaon Uyede & Grace Mak.

 

  1. Sofia welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending.  We all introduced ourselves.
  2. School Website

The council is looking for feedback.  Please tell Sofia what we would like to see on the web site, what we would like to be deleted.  It has been suggested that we post the minutes of school council meetings and the dates of our meetings too.

  1. Fundraising Initiative

Last year the council sent home a letter requesting contributions.  The money that was raised was divided between the music department and the phys. ed. Department to buy table tennis tables.  The school board will provide receipts for $25 or more.  It was suggested that the letter be sent home through e-mail as well as hard copy and a reminder through synervoice.  The letter should be prepared prior to parent night October 14.  The council approved the initiative for this year.

  1. Guest Speakers

Sofia asked who we would like to have as guest speakers at this year’s meetings.  Suggestions – police to talk about drugs

-         police officer Carrick to talk about safe streets

-         board psychologist to talk about bullying

-         street beat officers for safety issues

-         department heads, specifically the co-op program, guidance department, English department because the literacy test is approaching, math department

 

  No student council representative this meeting

 

Principal’s Report – Anne Belanger

  1. Anne spoke about the success of the early start up.  The staff loved the first day with just the grade nines.  About 50 parents were in attendance, they had a barbecue lunch, it was a lovely day and they ate outside.  The students and the parents appreciated having Tuesday off to reflect on the day.  The grade tens came the second day and the morning went well.  The grade 11s and 12s registered in the afternoon and there were so many of them that Anne would like to do their registration differently next year.
  2. Camp Robin Hood

The grade nine orientation day is September 29.  The cost is $25 and includes transportation, activities, and lunch.  There will be grade 10, 11, and 12 mentors and the purpose of the day is leadership, team building, collegiality.  The election speeches for the grade nine position on student council will be at the end of the day, with elections being held in their homerooms the next day.

  1. Enrollment

There are 1337 students at Markville S.S. this year.  Some students had to be turned away.

  1. Commencement

The graduating class will return September 30 for their graduation ceremony at LeParc.  300 grads were invited, with their parents, there should be 1000 people in attendance.  It was suggested that commencement should be the Thurs before Thanksgiving next year because university and college students come home for Thanksgiving anyway.

  1. Safety Week

The Y.R.D.S.B’s Safety Week is the last week of September.  September 27, in period five, there will be a Code Red Drill.  Students are to sit under desks, doors locked, lights out.  Most students will be in a classroom in period five.

     10.  Social Anxiety Group

The Y.R.D.S.B. is partnered with the Mental Health Association.  Markville has received funding again for students to receive one on one mentoring with a counsellor.  The grade 9s and 10s will complete a survey and the participants will be chosen from the survey.  They are looking for the students who are feeling most anxious.

  1. Motivational Speaker

The school has already had a motivational speaker talk to all students.  The focus of his speech was getting involved in school activities.

  1. Parent Night

Parent night will be October 14, not October 7 as has been printed in some places.

  1. Terry Fox Run

The students are organizing a Terry Fox Run Sept. 22.  It will be period 3 or 4 so students don’t miss school.  Participants are asked to donate $1.

  1. Governor General’s Award

Mark Melnyk and Adrienne Chong have received the Governor-General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History.  They received money, money for the school and they will go to Ottawa to participate in a ceremony.  The story has been published in the Toronto Star, the Sun and has aired on Fairchild T.V.  This is the highest award for teaching in Canada and school council has sent cards and flowers to them.

     

Vice Principal’s Report – Rashmi Swarup

Rashmi Swarup is new to Markville S.S. and York Region. She lives in Markham, but her experience is with the T.S.B.

  1. Literacy Initiative

The grade 10 literacy test is October 27 & 28.  Passing this test is a mandatory requirement for passing high school.  If students fail in grade ten, they can repeat the test and there is a Grade 12 literacy course if they cannot pass the test.  This year 300 grade ten students will write, 50 grade 11 students and some grade 12 students.  For the first time, there will be a test in May for those student who entered the school after October.

 

  1. Attendance Policy

If a student is absent, parents are to call the school or send a note.  Upon returning the next day, if the parent has called, the student can return to classes.  With a note, the student sees Rashmi.  Without a note or a call, the student sees Alex Cory.  The school is spending ½ to 1 hour each morning on attendance.  They want to keep on top of the attendance because they felt the absenteeism rate was too high last year.

 

Other business

  1. An e-mail should be coming home by Friday regarding upcoming events and attendance.
  2. Discussion about picture day.  Parents don’t want to pre-pay for pictures they haven’t seen.  Would it be possible to pre-pay and have the students choose a digital picture they like? 
  3. Lunches

Aramark has the cafeteria contract again.  They have lowered the prices and increased the variety.  Aramark gives back a lot of money to the school.  They also give $2000 to the student council so the students won’t sell food for fund raising.

 

Next meeting is Monday October 4th.