DPCDSB
Father Michael Goetz Catholic Secondary School
School Council Meeting
Tuesday April 28th, 2009
Resource Center
Start Time: 7:00 PM
(Click here for a printed copy.)
Present: Dina Madeira-Silva; Maha Broum; Rosemarie Schoutsen; Patricia Dapaah; Ashley Khan; Nancy Begin (non-teaching rep) and Samuel Macaluso (Principal).
Regrets: Norrine Burns and Dianna Harripersaud.
Absent: Raman Ragavan; Harold Reyes
Opening Prayer: (Rosemarie Shoutsen)
Rosemarie recognized May as the month of Mary the example of love, faith and dedication. Together, the Council prayed the “Hail Mary’.
Approval of March minutes: Dotun approved, then the other members who were present at March meeting approved.
Follow up to March meeting, the principal brought news that Jonathan, Goetz DECA student who won provincials is in California representing the school in DECA Nationals.
Another item followed up on was the documentary made by Dufferin Peel Community: “The Mouse” which talks about gangs and teens. The short doc might be scheduled for our next meeting.
Student Council Report: (Ashley Khan)
In April, Student Council had a number of activities such as ‘Toonie Tuesday’ where students paid a toonie to wear civvies on a Tuesday. The money went to school activities.
The last week before Easter the Council planned contests and on-stage activities to keep Catholic and community spirit going. The winners got big chocolate bunnies.
On May 27 G12s are going on retreat. The date is on both the agenda and the website.
Sam: The administration’s intention is to transfer dates from the agenda to the website where parents can see them. We are working towards putting monthly calendars with dates-to-remember links on them.
Parish Report: (Rosemarie Schoutsen)
Parishes are working on Sharelife collection in addition to special collection for the Italy Earthquake Relief.
In Sts. Peter and Paul a trip to Quebec City is scheduled in July.
At Christ the King there is now a daily mass in English. RCIA (classes for non-Catholics to turn to Catholicism) will start in October 2009, so let people interested in that come forward to register.
Non- teaching Staff Report (Nancy Begin, Child Youth Worker):
The Bereavement Group facilitated by Nancy and the Chaplin Ray Frendo is moving on. Students in the group were given a dove made of wood from Bethlehem as a symbol of peace and hope. As for some others, there is one to one counseling. Many new referrals were initiated on the parent-teacher interview night, and it is noticed that this time of the year is always very stressful on all (parents, teachers, and mostly students). Summer gets close and students want jobs; university applications are filled up around this time, etc…
Nancy mentioned that she can not do anything alone. She gets help from community resources and that is how she can help students: by knowing about available resources and using them. An example is a conference on youth addiction on May 12 she is attending at the YMCA.
Dina asked Nancy if the stress is mostly financial.
Nancy: There are all kinds of stressors: financial, social, family, and it takes its toll on learning. There are many centers that help students write resumes and find a job, such as the Y and the Employment center for Youth in Square One.
As a school we try to help financially in ways we can, mostly providing bus tickets and food vouchers for the needy.
Rosemarie: Can we help by donating uniforms of graduating students?
Sam: The uniform will change next year. However, there will be students in Gr. 10, 11 who will continue to wear the same uniform.
Nancy stressed that her advice for students is to make better decisions through better choices and to keep company of good friends.
Principal’s Report: (Mr. Sam Macaluso)
Next year Council meetings will take place on the first Monday of each month.
This year our meetings are being held on the Last Tuesday of each month which coincides with the Trustees meeting time and as a result trustees are not able to attend any of our meetings. As a result we change our time to accommodate and encourage their participation in our meetings.
Next year’s meeting dates are proposed for: (to be approved next meeting)
Monday October 5th, 2009
Monday October 2nd, 2009
Monday December 7th, 2009
Monday February 8th, 2010
Monday March 1st, 2010
Monday April 12th, 2010 (Moved because of Easter Monday)
Monday May 3rd, 2010
By Law we need to have at least 6 meetings in a school year and here we are planning 7 so we are fine with the law. This year, June meeting will be cancelled because it is a very busy time of the year (graduation, exams, prom, etc…)
These are other important dates of events for the Goetz community:
April 30th and May 1st School play (Midsummer’s Night Dream)
May 6-9 Trip to New York City
The school will consult with Peel Health Unit before leaving to NY to make sure there is no risk of the H1N1 Flu.
May 14 Art Menagerie (art show)
May 18 is Victoria Day
May 26 is our next council meeting
Mr. Macaluso brought everyone’s attention that there are 4 flags in the main foyer at this time: These are the flags of Ontario, Mississauga, Goetz and the Vatican. Students have already noticed them and were checking whether others had noticed them.
There is also a new set of photographs: A center picture of Father Michael Goetz, with a picture of Mother Teresa and another of the Pope on either side.
In addition there are pictures of previous school principals: Ed King (the first principal of Goetz), J. Maher, Diane Richards, Paul MacMorrow, and Rocco Raccioppo.
The school is also considering putting up a statue of St. Joseph to stand besides the other statues of Jesus and Mary. Peter Murphy (The Woodwork instructor at school) is building a podium for the St. Joseph statue.
The sign board outside the school will be replaced by a digital one, hopefully before summer. It has been approved.
As well, Announcements on the PA system will be run on digital terminals in the cafeteria and in the foyer to be read and seen by all students at all times.
Treasurer’s Report: (Dina Madeira-Silva)
Dina had got an update from Joanne (the head secretary at school) that so far students projected number in September is around 1859, of which $5 of their registration will go to the Council. By September, total money to be received from registration will be around $9000.
$50 for the reading club has not come out of the account yet, so the account has $ 5710.
Proposed categories for the budget and proposed percentage for each:
- Families in need of help all year round: 20%
- Student clubs/ activities/ plays, etc… 10%
- Celebrations: Christmas/Thanksgiving/ Easter 10%
- Staff/parent development/building relationships 10%
- uniforms 5%
- Support groups: Bereavement/separation 5%
- Graduation fund (Gr. 12 expenses) 5%
- Staff requests 10%
- Gift for grads (souvenirs) 5%
- School improvement 10%
- Emergency fund 10%
Next meeting the council will need to approve the proposed dates and budget items.
8:55: Adjournment.
Our next meeting will be on May 26th, 2009.