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Myrtle Philip parents launch challenge

Code of Conduct outlined at first PAC meeting. The Myrtle Philip Parents Advisory Council is daring school parents to take up a challenge.

Code of Conduct outlined at first PAC meeting.

The Myrtle Philip Parents Advisory Council is daring school parents to take up a challenge.

"I challenge every parent who has come to a PAC meeting to bring a parent next time who has never come to a meeting," said chairwoman Cathy Jewett at the school’s first PAC meeting of the year this week

"We have a big job ahead of us and we really need the support."

Not only is the school struggling to cope with bowstring tight budget, it is planning and preparing for the separation of the student and administrative body with the imminent opening of the new Spring Creek Elementary School.

Now twice as many parent volunteers are needed as fundraising efforts must be planned and executed at both schools.

Currently the new school is to open Nov. 5. Spring Creek students will spend their last day at Myrtle Philip on Oct. 31, then take Nov. 3 and Nov 4 off before moving into the new school.

Spring Creek PAC chair Barb Leigh said preparations are going well and the new playground will be going in Oct. 6. Storage space is needed, as are some appliances. Anyone who can help should contact the school.

Also all kids are invited to Millennium Place Oct. 2 to draw on a canvass of local artist Cary Campbell Lopes. She will work on the oil painting and present back to Spring Creek Elementary to celebrate its opening.

Fists of fundraising dollars flow in

Thanks to lots of hard work the Myrtle Philip PAC has about $40,000 in the bank to be spent on school needs.

And much needed funds are still flowing in.

When the schools split, the money will also be divided based on how many students each school has.

This week the schools also got $9,600 from the government in the form of gaming grants.

Previously the parents had access to about $10 million in lottery proceeds that was supposed to buy equipment for kids. PAC’s had to fill out complicated forms and then wait for approval to see if they got any money.

Under new rules for getting the gaming money, effective last April, every parent advisory council can receive a grant of $20 per student by filling out a simple application form. District Parent Advisory Council’s will receive $2,500.

Jennifer Patterson and Stephanie Worts-Regan also presented both schools with $2,000 each raised through the annual Father Daughter Dance.

Plans are underway to run pizza days, sushi days and a school raffle as joint ventures this year for the two elementary schools.

And a search is on for volunteers to organize a fundraiser garage sale this year too.

According to Myrtle Philip Principal Ron Albertin the school is one of only a handful, which gives money to teachers for discretionary spending.

"I can tell you we really appreciate it," Albertin told the meeting.

Code of Conduct

The PAC also heard more about Myrtle Philip and Spring Creek’s new code of conduct from Albertin.

After lengthy discussion over the last year four core values have been identified: caring, respect, responsibility and honesty.

Each of these values is a key component of the new code, which stipulates students:

• Act respectfully toward others, themselves and the environment.

• Conduct themselves in a manner that will ensure the safety of themselves and others.

• Arrive at school and to class on time.

• Have all material necessary for learning, complete in-school and homework assignments and willingly participate in class activities.

• Remain within school boundaries during school hours.

• Eat only in classrooms.

If students use physical violence, utter threats or are abusive they will be disciplined. Weapons, tobacco, alcohol and drugs are banned and involvement in illegal activities, theft or willful damage will not be tolerated.

Any action a teacher believes to be more than minor will be recorded by teachers and reported to parents. A clear process is in place to deal with these situations.

Violence is considered a bottom line behaviour and will not be tolerated at the school.

During the first month of school all students will be familiarized with the core values and work projects will revolve around understanding them and how they fit into school life.

Parents will receive the Quick Scale – a graph of social responsibility for primary and intermediary grades.

This scale will be used on report cards to indicate to parents how their kids are doing at achieving social responsibility.

Platooning and French

Plans are in place for the platooning of French, and Physical Education. Grade five and six students will now receive education in these subjects from a specialized teacher with the hope of improving student achievement in these areas.

Parent Lily Antunes also told the PAC that the finishing touches were being put on plans to offer an after school French program following the results of a survey on a second language last year at Myrtle Philip.

Classes for both primary and intermediary will be available two days a week, Monday and Thursday from 3-4 p.m. There will be three eight-week programs available for the fall, winter and spring.

Although details are still being worked out it looks like each session will cost about $80.

Search of superintendent continues

Trustee Don Brett told the PAC that the search for a replacement for Dr. Linda Rossler, who moved to another school district, is underway and the hope is that the position will be offered to someone in early November.

Brett also told parents that literacy testing was underway in the district in the hopes of identifying kids with reading and comprehension problems early enough to make a difference.

"Twenty per cent of the people in North America are functionally illiterate," said Brett adding that with early intervention that number can fall to 5 per cent.

A pilot project is also under way to evaluate teachers with the aim of helping them grow professionally. It is a voluntary program.

The next Myrtle Philip PAC meeting is Oct. 14. The planning meeting, which sets the goals and directions of the PAC, and is considered the most important meeting to attend will take place at the school Oct. 7, starting at 7 p.m.

Whistler Secondary’s first PAC meeting is Sept. 23.