January 27, 2015 SAC Meeting
Attendees: Beverly O’Brien, Georgia Kozoil, Louise Rossi-Chan, Victor Giourgas, Eileen
Bucholtz, Sara Tropea, Aron McGrath, Shawn Pinto, David Darling, Rosalie Fine, Jo Anne Could,
Keith Gould, Desiree Williams, Elena Sanjuan, Nikki Rudzik, Ellie Arscott, Laurie Barnett
PreMeeting with SAC Executive and School Administration
Ms. O’Brien:
Treasurer’s Report
(Louise)
Principal’s Report
Academic Review
Staffing
Facilities
Community Liaison
(Melissa James)
Adult Social
(Aron McGrath)
Ward Update
(David Darling)
Next meeting: February 24
PreMeeting with SAC Executive and School Administration
Ms. O’Brien:
- there will not be opportunities for a school partnership to form, trustee Sheila Cary Meagher
has sent a note and requested a meeting to discuss
- the daycare has agreed to share the small playground in the front of the school with the FDK
classes
- the City of Toronto and TDSB share the SH Gym and the pool
- Beverly is working on a deal
to formalize the agreement with them
General Meeting
Treasurer’s Report
(Louise)
- updated fundraising plan available on website and on the SAC bulletin board
- $20,570 has been raised so far this year
- $22,000 is left to disburse
- the Dance-a-thon and the Adult Social are two major remaining fundraisers
Principal’s Report
Academic Review
- report cards will be distributed February 10, interviews the evening of Feb 12 and morning of
Feb 13
- IEP’s are being updated and will come home with the report cards
- PD day on Feb 13
- there has been a great deal of ”in house” professional development for teachers, and work
with model schools coach
- other schools have been coming to Duke to see the best practices (such as literature circles)
- Grade 1 students are using LLI (literacy intervention kits for english students) to ensure all
kids are at a DRA level 16 by the end of Grade 1
- french immersion students are now receiving speaking and listening grades on their report
cards (this was formally reported as a single “oral” grade)
- we now have “tutors in the classroom” program
- full time a college/university student is
coming into the school to spend 3 hours supporting english kindegarden students
- the TDSB has a mental health strategy. In our school we have the Positive Space Room
(received a $2,000 grant to support mental health and the room)
- our school will hold a Mental Health carousel - where people could come in to the school and
help support students in healthy practices (likely in May)
- our school received a MLSE grant: 30 kids will learn to skate, 10 free pairs of skates/helmets
and jerseys
- applications for optional secondary school attendance deadline January 30 (notification of
acceptance February 27)
- open houses for High schools are posted online- we will be participating in the Early Development Indices, data on kindergarten students is
collected this information is shared with the Ministry of Education
- a letter was sent home today to all Duke families regarding the death of a student in the
Woodfield Daycare
- the Woodfield Daycare sent a letter home under direction of the Public Health, Ms. O’Brien’s
letter was sent home in response to parent questions/media attention
- Public Health has provided assurances that there is no significant danger to students at our
school
- the school staff and the SAC have reached out the family and are providing a gift card for
meals
Staffing
- Mme Souaid is on maternity leave and there is an LTO
- Sarah Curtis is moving and a LTO is being hired
- Mr. Dharkour is on an extended health leave (a teacher has been hired)
- the staffing committee will begin again right after March Break
- the SAC can have a member
who sits on the committee
Extracurricular
- Duke participated in the cardboard boat race at Swansea Pool today
- student leaders are planning activities for the Chinese New Year and Black History Month
- February 27 is the next recognition assembly
- April Reimer came in to do a cyberbullying workshop for grade 6-8 students
- Toronto Police came in to the school to do workshops with students
- students in grade 7/8 created skits to demonstrate healthy relationships and presented to all
students in the school in the healthy space room
- TPS coming in to do a presentation with grade 8 students on domestic violence, this will take
place during their health unit
- the music program will be participating in “Pan Fest” playing the steel pans
- gamers club has started up again and has expanded to grade 3 students
Facilities
- Duke’s roof is being measured for solar panels, they will let us know if we are a candidate for
this project
- there was a meeting to discuss the shared space for the Kindergarten / daycare area, there is
also a plan to make “the pit” space beside the Woodfield building a viable learning area
• next steps include getting the plan for these spaces approved - industrial dishwasher with sterilizer being installed in the cafeteria
- Ms. O’Brien will keep working on finding appropriate quotes for the sound system for the gym
- the parking lot is still a safety hazard, school administration is working with the daycare to make sure they are using their daycare parking spot on Woodfield Rd rather than using the parking lot
Community Liaison
(Melissa James)
- the most recent community even was STEM focussed on how parents can support what their
students are learning at school
- February is family fun and fitness month (3:45-5:30) on Tuesdays at Monarch Park for the
month of February
Adult Social
(Aron McGrath)
- will take place on February 28
- 15$ to pre-purchase tickets, order forms will come home shortly
Ward Update
(David Darling)
- at the last ward meeting there was discussion related to how to get more parents involved in
the SAC (some ideas included webcasting the meetings, and perhaps making some meetings
more event-like or specific speakers)
- people should read the Wilson report as it has some significant impacts for our board
- there is still the opportunity to include written feedback on the Wilson report, if you would like
your voice heard, send a note to the SAC email and David will include it in his deputation
Next meeting: February 24