October 21 2020 Minutes

• By JO pac
• Posted in Meetings
• On November 10, 2020
• 2 Comments.

We met via Zoom.

PRESENT: Sheril Gelmon – PAC chair, Lara Spence – Communications, Brent Schieman – Principal, Wendy Sinclair – Secretary, Samantha  Anderson – Distict PAC liaison volunteer, Nancy Palejko – VSB staff/JO teacher, Sheri Wiwchar – Purdy’s fundraising, Sue Bains – Treasurer, Mara St. Onge, Rachel Woods, Normand Genier, Gurvir Sandju, Pinder Gill, Kamal Biswas, Tracey Rossignol, Taslima Akhter, Anne Lue, Harp Dhillon, Beau Mackinnon, Wendy Wong, Angela Dela Cruz, Kehinde Adesemoye, Jenelyn Edrada, Darnelle Moore

Meeting called to order at 7pm via zoom

Principal’s Report – Brent did overview.

Due to one student testing positive for COVID, extra precautions are taking place – VSB is having more cleaning. Note that there have been no outbreaks at J.O.; it is safe to come to school; VSB requests that students do not wear masks w valves.

SACY is offering to do gr 8 breakout sessions in flex time; small groups; transition into high school; what to do; what to avoid; how to connect and get the most out of school

There is a Gr 8 Teams Channel – there is a Teams Channel for all students; there is one per grade; gr 8 can use that channel to try to connect; Ms. Kinnon VP is trying to keep the JO website up to date parents should go to: www.https://www.vsb.bc.ca/schools/john-oliver

Remind your kids to listen to school announcements; they are done once in morning session and once in afternoon.

Sports have started! No games, just practices for now.  Basketball, soccer, volleyball – various grade levels. Kids can only do one sport per quarter.  Kids can sign up next quarter if they missed Q1 sign up. We may get to having games with two other schools if deemed safe.

School got $10 per student from the Federal government for outdoor education ($10800 for JO). Brent and team trying to create an outdoor classroom and applied for additional grants.  Outdoor classroom would be a safe place for many different students/classes.  Looking at potential design ideas  including covered space.  Requested PAC endorsement.

Brent said STEM is usually done when course planning is done in early spring (kids can ask STEM teachers to be considered). For Mini, Oct 26 is the Zoom info session for Mini app process. Applications to Mini School by Grade 7 students (across city) are happening now – for JO Mini, GENERAL REGISTRY will be open between November 9 – December 17, 2020 – see https://blogs.vsb.bc.ca/jo-minischool/application-2/. If you have a student in Grade 8 or higher and they want to apply to JO Mini (for any open spots; max is 28 per grade), then see the same website and look for the “late” application info. Info on the VSB Mini schools here.

Teacher Liaison Report – Nancy Palejko

Nancy encouraged all adults to read about candidates and their platforms, and vote in the upcoming provincial election.

Financial Report – Sue Bains, Treasurer

Three accounts:

1. Legacy (only legacy projects) $3,732.14
2. PAC Gaming (from previous years, must meet certain criteria, hold some for 2021 scholarships) $4,757.17
3. Consultative (can spend on whatever we want, includes scholarships) $6,358.97

Sue will be setting up online banking so we can check balances. Sue will keep an eye for the 2020/2021 gaming funds, which are about $20 per child = $17,000 for school clubs, projects, eligible funding.

DPAC representative: Samantha Anderson

You can read PAC 101 – a PowerPoint that has been posted on our website.

The VSB long range facilities plan consultation is taking place now.

PAC Funding Requests: Sue Bains/Sheril Gelmon

Funding Requests from within the school are our next topic.

Lara and Sheril shared a google spreadsheet that was created for tracking funding requests.

Until we have received the Gaming Grant Funds, we have $9300 to allocate.

Allocations of these were discussed $7050, and agreed upon.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm.

If you have questions email Sheril at sherilgelmon@gmail.com.

Next Meeting

Next meeting Wednesday, November 18, 2020 probably 7:30pm b/c of parent/teacher conferences) – meeting agenda will be sent out with the confirmed time and the Zoom invite.

Upcoming PAC meeting Dates:

• Jan 20
• Feb 17
• April 21
• May 19