Happy Halloween!

Wasn't the Halloween Howl fun? Good work Ginnie & co!!

Here's a great Halloween song to get you in the spirit... thanks Mme Dungo for the link. Have fun tonight! At our house, we've already roasted pumpkin seeds and I may try my hand at these no-bake graveyard treats this afternoon. (Wish I'd found that link in time for last week's bake sale.)

A fun meeting: providing things that Clairlea needs

October is my new favourite School Council meeting. All those pizza lunches, bake sales, gift baskets, fun fairs... they all happen for a purpose, and that purpose is to be able to buy things that Clairlea needs and can't afford. At last week's meeting, we approved our spending plan for the year - or at least for the money we have in the bank as of now.

It's worth noting that at least one (maybe more?) parents offered to research and comparison-shop so that we could get the very best prices for the items we are going to buy. Thanks, Hope!

Here's what we approved: 

• A two-afternoon Media Literacy workshop for 20 students. (If this first workshop is a success, we'd like to consider offering it to more kids, possibly with a fee to cover part of the cost, which is $20 per student.) $400
• Two in-school Mystic Drumz Assembly performances for primary and junior grades, to let the students experience live music and to introduce them to various drums from around the world. $600
• Guitar cases, picks and strings for the Guitar Club - will try to find used cases if possible. $350
• New laptop for assemblies, concerts, slideshows, dances, outdoor events and graduation. Existing laptop will be made available for student use. $3,000
• Support for Diversity Day. $100
• A projector, speakers and portable screen for classroom use, so that classes can project webcasts, videos, assignments, scientific activities and other items on a computer $1,000
• Digital cameras for shared school use $1,200
• Support for a school-wide French Day $500

...so when you sent in your baked goods and loonies today, or when you're at the Halloween Howl on Friday, now you know where your money is going! All of the items listed above were requested by teachers or staff at the school. We considered all requests and would have liked to support everything. Teachers, if your item didn't get chosen, please put in a request again next year! We would like to do everything possible to get Clairlea what it needs.

I also want to mention how much effort goes into these fundraising activities. It's an enormous undertaking to organize something like today's bake sale (right Maria?) or the Fun Fair (Irit and Mary Anne are probably still recovering) or the Halloween Howl (thanks Ginnie!).

Also from last week's Council meeting:

- The principal/VP profile was approved. Thanks to everyone who provided input.
- A school board nurse presented options for parent education, and supporting teachers and parents in ensuring students are eating healthy meals and being physically active. She passed around some documents which I said I would post on the blog and I will...just as soon as I get the links.
- Our principal, Ms. Persaud, reported on the school's budget for 2010/11, noting that the special funding from last year is no longer in place (due to great improvement in student achievement) - so the school needs to be disciplined about spending and focus on priority activities, which include literacy, the learning resource centre (library), numeracy, science, IT and other priorities too numerous to list here. The 2009-10 school budget is posted here, and I'm sure the 10-11 budget will be uploaded in due course.
- Ms. Persaud also reported that the Safe and Caring School committee is continuing its good work, focusing not just on safety but also in ensuring that Clairlea is a welcoming environment for everyone. The bus loop continues to be an area of concern and volunteers are still needed. Please contact Bev Way if you can assist... maybe just one morning or afternoon a week?
- Our vice-principal, Mr. Frenette (happily & healthfully back from a medical leave) reported that parents were asked for permission for their French Immersion students to participate in a study on a standardized test for French Immersion students. A letter has been sent home. Likely only a few Clairlea students will actually be asked to participate.
- The treasurer, Ann Silver, reported that we have about $7,500 available to allocate to school projects and requests, in addition to spending approved at the September meeting, which included grade 8 graduation, yearbook, lice squad, Student Leadership Team t-shirts, and refreshments for curriculum night and other evening events at school. (See spending report above.)

That's about all I can remember. Thanks everyone!

Bake sale on Monday & Halloween Howl on Friday

As many of you know, Clairlea is a polling station in tomorrow's municipal election. That makes it an especially great day to hold a bake sale, so do please bring in your peanut-free baked goods tomorrow between 7am and 9am. And remind your kids to bring a loonie or two to school.
Also, volunteers are needed for the Halloween Howl on Friday. Decorations and donations are also needed - see drop box in front of the office.

And don't forget to vote!!

Bake Sale reminder - Oct 25

Click to enlarge

School Council meets Wednesday - October 20

Hello all! I hope to see you at the School Council meeting on Wednesday Oct 20. The agenda is below.

This is the meeting when we get to allocate the money we've raised / will raise over the course of the year. Requests have been received from the school community and have been circulated by email and in this space, so this is our chance to discuss and vote on them. Please come if you can.

Please, no new spending ideas, however brilliant - hold onto them for next year!

We'll meet at the school from 7pm to 8:30. As always, everyone is welcome - whether or not you are a "voting" member of Council. Childcare will be provided in the gym.

Click to enlarge

Volunteers needed to direct traffic in the bus loop

The Safe and Caring Schools Committee has been working hard to ensure that Clairlea is a safe environment for all students.

The bus loop is a particular concern, and volunteers are needed to direct traffic in the bus loop both mornings and afternoons. If you are able to help, please email Bev Way at promo.way@sympatico.ca. Thank you! 

Life with Teens - a series of workshops

Birchmount Park's school council is putting on a series of workshops on life with teens. Details below.

Click to enlarge

A few updates

Hello everyone! I've been away for a week so there's a bit of backlog of items to post on the blog:

1. The October school newsletter is now online.

2. The October school calendar is also online.

3. I apologize for the hiccups in last month's pizza lunch. I guess we have a few kinks to work out in our ordering system. We'll try to do better next time. October forms will go home this week for those who have not pre-ordered.

4. School Council meets on Wednesday October 20, at 7pm at the school. Everyone is welcome. The major agenda item is to make a spending plan for 2010-11. All staff were given the opportunity to put in requests. Their list is pasted below. Please come to the October council meeting to have a voice in how our fundraising dollars are spent. If you have questions or views to share, please email them to clairleacouncil@gmail.com

• To enhance the music program at Clairlea by adding to our collection of instruments, drums are often used in drama and dance as well requesting 3 new Djembe Drums @ $654 (218 each)
• Media Literacy workshop. This is a two afternoon workshop for students that are not typically involved in sports or arts programs. 20 students @ $20 =$400
• The Library is requesting a display case to go outside the library (similar to the one when you come into the school) This is so items can be displayed upstairs. (books, artwork etc.) $900
• Mystic Drumz Assembly performances. 2 in school shows for grade primary and one for junior. This lets the students experience live music and be introduced to various drums from around the world, make connections to world music and participate in the performance. $600
• The Guitar Club (Council purchased these guitars a few years ago) has been very active the past year and is in need of cases for the guitars as well as supplies of picks and new strings. $350
• Media Events is in request of a new laptop for assemblies, concerts, grad, slideshows, dances, and all outdoor events. The current and tiring Mac Book is used everyday, all day on all things including blogs, class projects and computer class projects. $3000
• Diversity day (education week in May) is requesting money for prizes for students. $100
• School use of projector and portable screen. Media in classrooms not as accessible with tv/dvd. The projector shows things on computers, assignments, web casts, scientific activates, video clips and movies. Is also used for movie nights. Projector $710, speaker $195 portable screen $95 total= $1000
• For council use. Board games, balls, and activities for the students who use the babysitting services during council meetings. These could also be used during night events where the school uses childcare, example: EQAO night. $300
• The arts program is requesting money for cameras for students in 4 to 8 to do projects in photography that include elements of design or principle of design. Fifteen cameras, chargers, memory cards $3500
• Last year the primary French program started a French day. This year they would like to include the whole school. Money is needed for prizes, games etc. $500
• The Kindergarten students will be going on their annual trip to the zoo and are requesting funds for their bus. $250 for one bus.

5. The Toronto District School Board is holding a Parent Engagement Conference on November 13. I have heard that these conferences are very good. They are free, but sessions fill up early, so those who want to go should register as soon as they can. www.tdsb.on.ca/parents/parent_community

Halloween Howl Oct 29

Click to enlarge