School Council Meeting Minutes - October 6, 2025

                                    BLPS School Council  - Monday, October 6, 2025 6:30 – 8:00pm

Welcome 

(5 min)

• Land Acknowledgement - introduction of the land that we are on, shared the YRDSB English Land Acknowledgement
• Welcome/Introductions

School Updates

(10 min)

• School updates - Mrs. Dillon
  • Flag football in intermediate
  • Volleyball intermediate girls team
  • Dance club
  • Youth Space
  • Kindergarten PD
  • Student leadership
  • Terry Fox on Friday October 10, 2025
  • Cross Country area meet week of October 14, 2025
• Administration update
  • Inclusive schools support for improvement racial literacy
  • Strategies for self-regulation working with board consultants
• School Re-organization
  • Fall reorganization communication
  • How are school boards funded? Funded per pupil. In the spring we have projections, updates are made throughout the spring. Over the summer, as the community increases, numbers in our classroom changes
  • This fall we received additional staffing, and opened a new intermediate homeroom
  • Talar, our past chair receives the call from the school, as questions can be directed to council
• School Council  Forum
  • Monday November 3 from  5:30-8:30pm at Richmond Hill HS
    • In lieu of November council meeting, two School Council representatives and admin will attend

School Council  Overview

(10 min)

• YRDSB School Council  Videos and discussion
  • Showed board School Council  video
  • Our previous foci were be family engagement, family events and fundraising and school safety (safe school zones in the parking lot)
  • Fundraising is generated through hot lunches. Funds raised go towards technology, school resources and graduation - outlined in Fundraising plan
  • Currently our Fresh From the Farm fundraiser. This year, includes option to donate for families in need of food security
  • Combined school and council fundraising plan
  • Last year we were able to purchase document cameras, portable speaker for events through fundraising funds
• Review of Policy and Procedure #262 School Council s and the School Council Handbook
• BLPS School Council Constitution 

Nominations 

and Elections

(15 min)

School Council  Members (16)

• Review and/or completion of School Council  Candidate Nomination Form - Completed Nomination forms
• Election of School Council  Members (16) - acclimation or vote

Staff Members (4)

• Administrators - Tammy Dillon (Principal) and Priscilla Kuk (Vice-Principal)
• Staff  Members - Karen Biemiller (Teacher - regrets), Joyce Chow (Teacher), Melissa Sookra (Teacher) and Nina Douvinos (EOAA- regrets)
• Kat L. (Iggy and Phoenix), Talar K. (Alec and Haig), Sophia (child in JK), Ana (Chiara), Lucia (Skylar and Chase), Ms Chow, Ms. Sookra, John (child in JK), Antoinette (Athalia)

Executives/Officers (3-4)

• The executive shall consist of the following positions to be elected from the parent/guardian representatives:
  • A Chair or two Co-chairs; - Giovanna Blair and Kat Luty will co-chair
  • A Secretary - responsible for taking meeting minutes -Ana Shah
  • A treasurer - supported by Nina Douvinos and Lucia So will support
  • Council with less than 16 members are acclaimed, and advisory role
  • Chair/Co-Chair liaise and coordinate along with sub committees worked on events and school safety
  • Last year we also had a Triple P Parenting seminar hosted by School Council  

Discussion

(45 min)

• Discussed the process for hosting School Council  Meetings (e.g., face-to-face and/or hybrid) that best engages and meets the school community’s needs - Virtual preferred
• School Council  will still move forward with Purdy’s fundraiser - Co-Chairs to organize
• Will meet in December as a whole group
• School Council  motions - Reviewed voting process
• Consider ways to welcome and engage with the community to hear questions, comments and feedback
  • School Council  can consider organizing a morning coffee walk with families
  • Council has an email address
  • Council corner in the Community Wave, possibility of a QR code for families to ask questions
  • Yearbook query: grade 8’s receive a memory book, but a school wide yearbook would require a larger committee that we currently would not be able to support
  • Virtual meetings moving forward, use of MS Teams
• Address general questions and/or concerns
  • Ana (parent) asked if there were additional vendors with different lunch options
  • 3 days of external vendors, two days of Kids’ Kitchen
  • Is there a veggie pizza option?
  • Snack program , when needed, we could consider grants for a breakfast program
  • Food insecurity is becoming more common in our community. Families who want to donate can consider donation of grocery gift cards. How might we message this?
  • A group of teachers volunteer their time to host a food drive. School Council will support if helpful.
  • Each initiative considered does require staff champions
  • Fresh from the Farm information will be sent again. The order deadline is October 17, 2025.
  • Will send out reminders on Mondays and Wednesdays - Members feel we can send frequently
  • Spirit wear - Inquire about sample sizes have those ready for interview night.
  • Antoniette inquired about community lessons in regards to YRP
• Provide updates regarding fundraising funds - YRDSB School Council  Fundraising
• Review criteria for a Parent Reaching Out Grant (PRO Grant) and begin preparing an application
• Budget update: Nina - regrets

Next Meeting

(5 min)

• Set tentative dates for upcoming Meetings meeting 

(minimum 4/year)

• Monday, October 6
• November -School Council  Forum with Co-Chairs
• Monday, December 1 - have fundraising plan ready
• Monday, February 2 - tentatively no March meeting
• 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.