Tuesday, 1 March 2016

February 2016 Council Minutes


Twelve Mile Coulee School Council & Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday February 3rd, 2016
Twelve Mile Coulee School-65 Tuscany Hills Road NW
MINUTES
TWELVE MILE COULEE SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING


Meeting Facilitator: Marions Enns, Co Chair, tmccouncil@gmail.com
CALL TO ORDER-7:01pm
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING-motioned by Santana C, seconded by Nkechi O-S, all in favour, motion passed
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS OF PARENT COUNCIL
SPECIAL GUEST - Jana MacDonald, Principal of Bowness High School
1.  How many students are currently at Bowness High School?
There are about 700 students registered at Bowness High School

2.  How many of those students come from Twelve Mile Coulee?
About 45% are students from TMC, 56% are students who live in Tuscany

3.  How do the students get from Tuscany to the high school?
There are two dedicated Calgary Transit busses that transport students from Tuscany

4.  How are things like IPPs handled at the high school level?
There is a Resource Room specifically for IPP work, it’s a collaborative process with a team of teachers and resource teachers working together for the students needs

5. At TMC, we have a vibrant athletics program, a new drama presentation is happening this year.  We have had socks stuffed for the DIC and we have numerous clubs that involve many types of students. What enrichment programs does BHS offer?
Operates all the same programs and services that larger high schools offer
Advanced Placement classes
Seems to not be as much competition because the school is smaller, many sports teams are no-cut teams
Drama/Musical Theater/Band/Choir/Art Program/Dance/Yearbook/Robotics/Leadership Group/Photography
Many students have graduated and gone on to ACAD and Emily Carr School
Senior citizens come into the school to learn computer skills
Life skills building
32 hampers of food, clothing and toys were donated to families in need at Christmas


6.  I have heard about the new addition. How will this change the learning opportunities at the school?
Adding 40% state of the art space to the school
Culinary Arts (largest in the CBE aside from Central HS)/Cosmetology/Fitness Centre/Art Studio/PreEngineering Robotics Lab/Dance Studio/Construction Shop/Mechanics Shop/New classroom space
Small class sizes, around 30-mid 30 for academic classes, less for AP classes

7.  I am very excited about the new pre-Engineering program starting. Can you please explain a bit about this?
Piloting a preengineering program with classes in 10, 11 and 12
Full morning block for classes (2 classes)
Students earn a bundle of credits towards post secondary
Grade level math & physics classes in the scope of preengineering
Two teachers heading the program are engineers
Summer internship at an engineering firm
No cap for program

8.  TMC is an inquiry based school and I know that Bowness offers both inquiry based as well as more traditional teaching methods. You also use the semester system. What advice can you give the parents to help our students prepare for the change in learning and pace?
Homework load is heavier than grade 9
Building routines and study schedules
Balance homework with extracurricular activities
Show them how to study & review daily what they did
The school sits final exams/mimic diploma exams so they know what to expect
Semesters run Sept-Jan and Feb-June, 4 classes per semester, 2 core subjects and 2 options

9. TMC has a great school spirit. Whether orange and black are your favourite colours or not, you see them everywhere in these halls. What is the sense of school spirit at Bowness?
School colors are green and gold, Bowness Trojans
Motto is “Once a Trojan, Always a Trojan”
Strong staff
Community focused
Multi-graded homerooms

The grade 9’s took a tour of the school last week. Kids who are involved and plugged in have better academic success. Encourage your kids to be involved.

TMC ADMIN REPORT
-Grade 9 students went on a tour of Bowness High School last week, starting to work on transitioning to high school.
-Grade 9 basketball team went to watch the “Trojan Classic”.
-Bowness Parent Band Society paid to have clinicians work with grade 9 band students.
-Grade 7, 8 and 9 Glee Club performed in the Learning Commons
-Grade 4, 5 and 6 Glee Club started this week


Peter Pan Production
-April 27th matinee, will be a short 3 act play, students will have a dress rehearsal
-Every child who tried out will have a role
-Organized by Ms. Croswell and Ms. Lowe
-Will be looking to borrow items, a list will be coming out shortly with needed materials
-May look at purchasing some items if production is a success ie. Lighting
-May need volunteers to build and paint sets
-Will have props, tech, sound, just like a real production
-Possible band performance

TMC ACTIVITIES/INITIATIVES
Titan Lunch
-Next Titan Lunch is February 18th, need more volunteers.

Fundraising-Stacey Merkle
-Look at having a goal to fundraise towards.

NEW BUSINESS
-Spirit Club will be making sandwiches & cookies and delivering them to the Alek Youth Health Center on February 10th .

Traffic Issues
-Tuscany Community Coalition has been talking about this issue a lot.
-Principals are working together around how to be safe on the roads, how to make things safer for kids, alternate ways to get to school.

Report Card Feedback
-Need to be more than twice a year.
-Parents are frustrated with the grading, too basic, seems like a low grade even though it is considered at grade level.
-Talking with teachers about different ways to assess students.
-3’s & 4’s are showing the students are connecting their learning to the bigger picture
-Transcripts when printed are showing a 4 being 100%, Ms. Reading is going to print one to have a look and see what the marks are being recorded as.

Surveys went out to grade 4, 7 and 10 students. Please fill it out ASAP. For number #28 if you don’t know the answer please leave it blank as it affects our results negatively.

Outdoor Fitness Centre
-Some items are broken and need to be fixed
-There have been some reoccurring issues since the outdoor fitness centre first opened, those need to be corrected.


ADJOURNMENT-8:43pm
Members in Attendance: Colleen G, Stefan M, Stacey M, Linda S, Diane B, Amanda F, Shan R, Nkechi O-S, Santana C, Tess T, Grant T, Nicole B, Patty F, Tanya D, Sarah-Jane S, Mary-Lynn C, Lisa M, Deb C, Lillian W, Raymond Y, Shelagh R, Tiffany C

MINUTES
TWELVE MILE COULEE PARENT ASSOCIATION MEETING
CALL TO ORDER-8:43pm
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM LAST MEETING- motioned by Santana C, seconded by Nkechi O-S, all in favour , motion passed
TREASURER REPORT
NEW BUSINESS
ADJOURNMENT-8:46pm
NEXT SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING IS ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 2 @ 7PM
Members in Attendance: Colleen G, Stefan M, Stacey M, Linda S, Diane B, Amanda F, Shan R, Nkechi O-S, Santana C, Tess T, Grant T, Nicole B, Patty F, Tanya D, Sarah-Jane S, Lisa M, Deb C, Lillian W, Raymond Y


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