BLPS School Council Meeting Minutes - December 1, 2025

Welcome 

(5 min)

• Land Acknowledgement
• Welcome/Introductions

School Updates

(10 min)

• School updates - Priscilla
  • Updates on recent school events
  • Robotics, Intermediate Volleyball teams, Scholastic Book Fair, Grade 3 Gifted screening completed, continued work for School Improvement plan focusing on racial literacy and math achievement
• School Principal Profile - Tammy
  • Annual updates and Tammy submits to our Superintendent
  • Shared the January 2025 Principal Profile with the School Council
  • Invited additions and revisions. Several minor changes were made. Ready to submit to the Superintendent.
• School Council Forum Sharing/Feedback: Giovanna and Kat
  • Large group session on AI, and how it applies to the education system. The presenter shared how AI could be useful for students and educators. AI will be a part of daily life, but it is the responsibility of both families and teachers to use AI ethically, to use to support learning but not use to complete the work.
  • Small group session topics included Vaping and Technology use. Social workers go to the schools to present topics that are relevant to the school needs.
  • LAMPS board seminars/podcasts that parents can access also. Include in the Wave and school council section on the school website
  • Another small session was math. Math presented in  different ways, collaborative approach. In Literacy, all encompassing, literacy is everywhere, a part of our lives. The model of literacy has changed to include voices of all backgrounds, to have inclusion for all of our students.

Discussion

(45 min)

• BLPS Fundraising Plan - one of our larger fundraisers is our hot lunch program. A large portion of our school generated funds comes through the hot lunch programs (3 hot lunches/week)
  • We received 3 document cameras that were ordered with proceeds from Fresh from the Farm. Document cameras allow teachers to annotate student and/or teacher work when projected
  • Cost-Sharing based on the size of the school, how much board support we would receive to replenish technology
  • The board provides 50% of the costs, last year we were able to purchase 23 chromebooks.
  • For the last 3 years we have worked toward replacing older Smartboards with Airtame similar to Chromecast.
  • We are in need of 4, but hoping to purchase at least 2.
  • Classrooms in need of new classroom mats that replace carpets
  • Pizza funds have supported graduation celebrations to offset for families. We are hoping to contribute $4000 and hopefully use the remaining funds to meet the remainder of the fundraising goals
  • Grade 8 field trip is subsidized by the board as it was at Lake St. George. The same opportunity may not be available next year. Moving forward we will be gathering data from next year’s graduating class to consider costs.
  • Donations to the school, we can include in the Wave again to include fundraising goals
  • Perhaps include on a regular basis the donation opportunity, we’ve had a few. It's on the school website, so we can repost and include in the wave
  • We also have a realtor in the community that has donated in the past. We will reach out again to continue the partnership
• Purdy’s Fundraiser made a profit of $52. Distribution will be sent to Kat’s house, and would then distribute at the school. Kat will be present to distribute, Kat and Giovanna will help with the distribution. Kat to confirm the date for distribution
• Fresh From the Farm - a smaller profit this year as well, but still well received.
• Budget update: Nina
• New Items?
  • Scope of the year, what fundraising, events and/or community engagement events
  • Triple P came out of the feedback from teachers during parent-teacher interviews. The recurring theme is boundary setting. We are getting a lot of requests to do boundary setting for them, on the parents behalf. Parents feeling disempowered.
  • Giovanna will look into finding a speaker
  • Intentional activities that have structured built in, an example would be a series of events such as family skate night, while the structure is built in, encouraging families to spend time together. Do we structure our events differently?
  • Giovanna suggested Aussie X, approximately $4000 a while ago.
  • Perhaps have age-based/parent-child activities rather than school wide activities.
  • For example Family movie night, snuggle up and read with an instructional purpose, primary pizza and puzzle project. Possibly a series of events, that are low cost, or others that are more community based
  • Coffee connect, small group where parents connect, same age group, parents can connect. Perhaps do some gathering of parent data, for conversation focus
  • Last year we did one coffee morning for our new families
  • It is noted that a larger portion of our primary students attend after school care
  • Possibly an option of morning, virtual and evening options for parent engagement. Offer in January? Possibly on Thursdays. Coffee Conversation and Community - come out and meet other parents possibly in the staff room. Possibly have a parent facilitate these conversations
  • Possible book study for parents? Tammy and/or Priscilla to ask school board for possible book options
  • Possibly pair with the libraries that is a structured event that could invite families to the public library, possibly reach out to public libraries to partner with the school
  • Council members can look into the ideas and try new ideas, more localized.
  • Consider other structured events - primary snowshoe night, family hike evening, with a sign up requirement. If the goal is to engage with one another in the community,
  • Karen will look at Primary movie night
  • Dunlop observatory has stargazing night in the community
  • Tammy and Priscilla will create the form/spreadsheet to have the ideas gathering to look at ideas at the February council meeting. 

Next Meeting

(5 min)

Upcoming Meetings meeting 

(minimum 4/year)

• Monday, February 2
• Monday, April 13
• Monday, May 4

Effective School Councils are those that:

• Focus on student learning and the best interests of all students
• Are actively involved in setting school priorities for improving student achievement
• Promote meaningful parental and community involvement and actively seek the views of their school communities
• Have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities
• Include members who represent the diverse views of their school communities
• Have clear and consistent processes for decision making
• Keep well informed about school and board policies and procedures
• Communicate with the community about their activities
• Maintain high ethical standards
• Have members who have developed mutual trust and respect for one another

The purpose of the School Council is to support improved student learning and to build an increased sense of shared accountability for public education.