Category: Parent Council News

Minutes from Parent Council Meeting 17/01/2019

1. Welcome, introduction and apologies;

Present; Jo Worrall – Chair, Colin Wood – Treasurer, Deirdre Henderson – Secretary, Jackie Kelly- Head Teacher, Mr Burgess – Acting Depute Headteacher, Nicola Roxburgh – Early Years Officer at St Johns nursery, 6 parents.

Apologises: Mary Campbell and Kate Campbell

Action Points;

1. Minutes from last meeting approved.
2. Any support required from the school;

– Brick Buddies; volunteers required once a week from12.30 – 1.15 p.m.

– Lunch Time cover in playground, volunteers required.

Discussed possibility of local retired people, parents and children from the high school could help. Action – Julie will advertise in church newsletter for suitable volunteers.

3. Building Update/Playground; there are outstanding snagging issues including lights at the back of the school, lights going on and off after school hours, no outdoor cold-water tap. Action – JK has requested a meeting with the builders to discuss.
4. Events;

Movie Night taking place Friday 1^st of March 2019

Summer Fair taking place Saturday 1^st of June 2019

5. Library Update;

The covering of the books and labelling started, volunteers required to help.

Waiting on data to be installed so software for lending can be inputted. Action – Mr Burgess/JK

6. Soccer Academy Gold & Gray; staff from the academy are couching/mentoring 4 pupils one to one through football on a Thursday for 10 weeks.

No flood lights on school football pitch, they made a proposal to the PCM to meet half ways with the parent council to purchase lights. Action – JR to discuss best options with Gordon Daly.

7. Go Cart; Mr Burgess updated the committee, there is a minor issue which is in the process of getting fixed. Very positive feedback from the children for the go cart.

Mud Kitchen – PC will fund a mud kitchen for the nursery at a cost of £525. Action – Jennifer to liaise with nursery & company to start the work.

8. Brick Buddies – great success at the school, Jackie will look into possible after school work shops.
9. Parental Views – Jackie asked if there is anything parents wish to ask or want to know about; the school are happy to discuss school/ educational related topics with parents as Part of the Parental Engagement Programme & Health & Well Being programme. Action – PC to put forward from the parents any topics.
10. Treasurer’s Report & Scio – please see attached Colin’s notes.
11. School PC Funds for 2018/19 – Colin gave an update on PC funds.
12. Parking; ongoing issue at the school. Jo will write a letter for Mary Campbell to put forward to the council for them to give guidance on how best to solve or help the situation.

The school is relaunching Travel Tracker with pupils.

 

Next Parent Council Meeting takes place on the Tuesday the 12^th of March at 6.45 p.m.

St John’s Parent Council Meeting – 20th November 2018

Present: C Wood, J Morrison, S McClay, R Fitzgerald, J Skene, K Orton-Johnson, M Burgess, J Kelly, J Woral

1. Support/Playtime:

* Playground is tight and there is a lack of equipment

* Pupil feedback gathered at assembly: more trim trail, wigwam issues

* Park should be opening this month, extra bodies would be helpful for facilitating the use of this.

* Issue with no gate/visual barrier at exit from park

* Dog-free? This is on the minutes from a public meeting

2. Lighting

* external lighting request is with the council

3. Christmas Fair

* Sunday 2nd December 2-4pm

* There will be santa’s grotto, choir on stairs, fairtrade stall, various activities, Friends of Figgy Park stall, Donations for Foodbank, KidsloveClothes

* Kidsloveclothes really need donations of vest, pants, socks and pyjamas

4. Library

* Software Abracadaba £995

* Book and magazine donations welcomed

* Potential subscriptions: National Geographic, Beano, Pheonix, Dekko Comics

* £250 Scholastic + 25% – feedback on what type of books to be gathered so that order can be made in December. Teacher and pupil requests

* Book Covers – £300

* Target is 4500 book: 12 books per child

* To be mainly by P4-7 pupils

5. Edinburgh Youth Theatre

* lunchtime club

* Trial £400 for a 10 week session for 16 children (£2.50 pcps)

* Confidence focus P3-5

* APPROVED for Jan – March

* Long term funding to be looked into – Arts and Drama Funding, trial will help with this.

6. Gardening Club

* Very successful will continue to fund

* £2800 per year

* Look into grants for materials and gardening ‘stuff’

7. Mud Kitchen

* Website £439 + VAT from cozy-direct

* Parents can donate accessories

* Mud Kitchen out in the front playground also

* Look into joiner and sourcing a mud kitchen asap

8. Brick Buddies/Go Kart

* Go Kart project has started 8 x P6/7

* Will be a learning blog produced

* Still looking for brick buddies for a lego club

9. Treasurer

* Dynamic Earth extended £1 per pupil for first visit, free thereafter

10. Parking

* No update

* Contact council about road markings to make driveways etc clearer

* Junior Road officers – banner

* Travel Tracker survey

11. AOB

* Christmas Jumper/Book Day Costume ‘Swap-Shop’ Stall being successful so far

* WW1 grant for activities to be looked into

* NSPCC will be coming in on the 13th to speak to pupils

* Brighton Setts report circulated

 

Minutes from AGM Meeting 25^th October 2018

1. Welcome, introduction and apologies

Present; Jacqueline Kelly – Head teacher, Mark Burgess – acting deputy head, Jo Worrall – Chair, Colin Wood – Treasurer, Sharon McLeay – Fundraising, Funding – Blathnaid Quinn, Secretary -Deirdre Henderson, Laura Birdsell – P2 Teacher, Mary Campbell – Local Councillor, 9 parents

Apologises: Mary Campbell, Kate Lemon, Donna Cochrane, Lindsay Murray, Laura McIntyre

Action Points;

1. Minutes from last meeting approved
2. AGM the following are the parent council positions nominated/volunteered and agreed:

Chair – Jo Worrall , Second chair – Jennifer

Treasurer – Colin Wood

Fundraising – Sharon McLeay and to help her Kate Lennon & Nicola (until Christmas)

Funding – Blathnaid Quinn

Secretary – Deirdre Henderson

3. New Year New Dynamics; discussed what parent support is needed. There are 3 PVG’s in process and 3 more are required, volunteers are required to help at break times.

From November the Park is available for school usage, this will require help to manage the children, Jackie

Dogs in the new park – to be confirmed if the park will be a dog free one, Mary to follow up with council

Signage required for no dogs at school entrance – Jackie

4. The Cost of the School Day – Jackie distributed handouts with this information, any feedback or comments from parents to e-mail Jo to give to Jackie

Support for learning week – discussed it will be a character dress up, parents offered to give old Halloween costumes to the school or a charity such as pre-Loved Clothes or Kids Love Clothes

Children in Need – this year will be more about the awareness of the charity rather than asking for money from families. Dress up in spots Day will still go ahead.

5. Building Update/ Playground – discussed a few issues including changing room toilet locks are getting changed, concern with nursery automatic door not closing quick enough, heavy doors into school hall. Jackie

 

6. Fundraising Update from Sharon. Events for the remaining year:

Halloween Disco – tickets sold out, great response from parent volunteering to help which is very much appreciated. Some negative feedback from some parents with regards the on-line sale off the tickets charging a fee to purchase the tickets. Thankfully the school for future on line ticket sales, can sell tickets independently on the website to avoid any fee charges.

Christmas Family Event – carol singing, hot chocolate, kids crafts, want people to bring donations for the food bank rathe than paying at the door, Sharon & Nicola

Next year; discussed new idea such as night or an afternoon at Jump In. Christmas Calendar 2019 – get sponsorship from businesses to buy a month or a year sponsorship on the calendar, similar to Tower Bank School’s one, could be a good source of income for the council.

The Summer Fair and Movie Night will take place again in 2019.

7. Funding – Colin gave an update including the Income and Expenditure Account for the financial and academic year 2017-2018, if anyone has any questions to contact Colin.

Gardening Project – Tana had given a detailed proposal for the project for the academic year, it was discussed and agreed the council would pay for the project to go ahead but we will request funding for some of the proposed works.

8. Parking – Hamilton Drive continue to have issues with cars dropping off and picking up. Signage is required along with railings outside the nursery and at the entrance of the teacher’s car park, Jackie

Mary informed the council the police are in rotation at each school but should have a presence once a week at the school.

Parking tickets designed and distributed by the kids – Jackie

Travel Tracker chart in the school, proposed to get this started again with the pupils Mark

Concern was raised for busy traffic including motorist, school children and adults at the junction for Mountcastle Drive and Duddingston Road. Concern is the length of time for the green man is not long enough. Perhaps another Lolly pop person is required, Mary

9. School Library – Sharon’s update included the valuable information and knowledge passed onto the PC from Duddingston Primary School including the application process and the software used for the library.

Pupil Council will get the opportunity to spend £1000 on books in Waterson’s. They will be purchasing books based on their research from pupil and parents feedback on preferred authors and types of literature.

Software required for the library will be funded by the council.

Volunteers will be required for labelling books, etc for the new library.

10. Projects – discussed the gardening project as above under funding.

Go Cart – currently in the process of ordering it, Mark will keep the council updated

11. AOB

Bullying – school wishes to tackle this in a new way, Jackie spoke about a company called ….they do assembles with children, work shop activities with kids and parents,  they tailor kids needs. Jackie

Proposal from the nursery for funding for a mud kitchen, the information provided to be reviewed and approved.

An Edinburgh based author called Coo Clayton author for children’s book Maggie’s Mittens can spend a day with the children for £250, approved request for funding from the council, Jo

Lego Club – proposed for lunch times for children who may be interested but run by parents/volunteers will be required, Mark is happy to support the club

Christmas Cards – Caroline handed over this project to Laura McIntyre.

 

 

Agenda & AGM Thursday 25 October 2018 6.45pm

Venue – New school Staff Room

1. Welcome – Introductions/apologies Chair Person

2. Approval of last meetings minutes Chair Person

3. AGM –

4. New Year NewDynamics what parent support is needed Chair / Jackie

5. Building Update/ Playground Jackie

6. Fundraising Update including proposed events for year Sharon Mcleay

7. Treasurer’s Report Colin Wood

8. School PC Funds for 2018/19 Colin Wood

9. Parking Police/Jackie/Jo

10. School Library Blathnaid/Sharon

11. Projects gardeding/go cart etc Jo/Sharon

12. AOB – Question from parent regarding parents evening timings