School Council Meeting Minutes - April 2025

BLPS School Council

Meeting Agenda

April 7, 2025 6:30 – 8:00pm

Welcome 

(5 min)

• Land Acknowledgement
• Welcome/Introductions - meeting began at 6:35pm.

School Council reps: Talar, Joe 

School Reps: Nina, Nadine M.

Admin: Priscilla 

Regrets: Tammy, Tamar, Kat

Approval of Minutes

(5 min)

• Approval of previous minutes
• Agenda/Minutes posted on BLPS School Website under ‘School Council’

School Updates

(15 min)

• School updates
  • Intermediate and Junior Basketball teams
  • Character matters assembly
  • Concert Band Placed 2nd at Kiwanis Music Festival
  • Black Excellence Carousel Learning
  • Grade 7’s Swim to Survive
• Administration update

Fundraising Plan

(15 min)

YRDSB School Council Fundraising

• BLPS Fundraising Plan 2024-2025 (Draft)
• Document cameras have arrived!
• Lina and Team Realty has donated $1000 which will be used to purchase the portable outdoor bluetooth speaker

Discussion

(40 min)

School Council Sub-Committees - Sub-Committee Sign-Up Responses 

• Parent/Guardian Engagement and Learning
• Equity and Mental Health
• Safe School Zones and Active School Travel
• Fundraising and Parent/Guardian Event Planning 

Parent/Guardian Engagement and Learning

• Coffee and Chat Ambassadors was a positive parent engagement turnout for all families
• Triple P Parenting Workshop
  • approx 22 in attendance
  • possibility of hosting additional workshops
• Social Media Part 2
  • did not receive many responses
• Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grant

Safe School Zones and Active School Travel

• Safety Campaign #3 (June)
• Communications and successes
• Parking lot and drop off has been calmer after the March break

Fundraising and Family Engagement Event Planning

• Staff appreciation date - TBD. Will look at school calendar for availability, and discuss at May Council meeting.
• Fundraising Updates:
  • Fresh from the Farm $794.00
  • Purdy’s Chocolate $1,069.12
  • Gingerbread House Sales $165.85
• Grade 8 grad fundraising update
  • Possibility of School Council supporting Memory book
  • costs are higher due to smaller graduating class
  • Possibility of having more snack shack sales
  • Graduation date Monday June 23, 2025
• End of Year Carnival date and planning
  • Thursday June 12, 2025
  • School Council will plan at May Council meeting
  • Scholastic Book fair will run that week as well

Budget update (Nina):  School Council Report $2472.41  $1905.26

• Priorities from Fundraising Plan

Next Meeting

(5 min)

• Set tentative dates for upcoming Meetings meeting 

(minimum 4/year)

• May 5
• June 2 (if needed)

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.