Family Engagement Meeting #1 Tuesday 11 February 2014, 2.15pm
Welcome and introductions – welcome of new and old faces.
What to expect from the group
YOU ARE NOT EXPECTED TO TAKE ON EVERYTHING! You can pick, choose and offer as little or much as you can/want to.
YOU ARE FREE TO HELP AND SUPPORT BFPS in any way you can and any time you can.
THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS TO BE INVOLVED. There are ways you can also help/be involved from home.
WE WILL TRY TO MEET TWICE PER TERM and to rotate or find a suitable time for as many people as possible to attend.
A bit about Tanya and Michelle
Our backgrounds/experience/previous roles at Berwick Fields – where our passions are.
The focus of Community Development this year inline with the school’s strategic plan.
Sharing of ideas, passions, enthusiasm for….
What have you missed, what would you like to see, what new ideas do you have?
Fundraising – what fundraisers can be done this year, where should these funds be directed/is there a specific project in mind? Air conditioning in the library? Shelter over the grade 2 portable area? Should there be something specific or is this better left until seeing how much is raised? Do parents actually need a purpose/goal to fundraise toward?
Disco, sausage sizzles, Easter raffles and bonnet parade. EASTER RAFFLE – is very soon. Need volunteers for this ASAP if we are to do this. Also need approval from school council to run it as a fundraiser. Sue Willoughby will begin seeking approval for this, as the next school council meeting is not until March 17 – possibly too late.
COMMUNICATION- This remain a big issue and is ongoing – despite seeming to have been discussing it for a number of years. Parents would like to see each teacher using a consistent method of communication with the parents of their class – blog, email, notes home…anything acceptable but that one teacher should use that one chosen method rather than using many as parents become confused and don’t know where to find the information they are looking for if they misplace something or need to find information for any other reason.
Parents are very willing to help – how can we get messages of help being required through to the parent community in a consistent, easy to access fashion? Library, specialists, grade levels other than where these parents have children… Tanya and Michelle to trial using a blog for this.
As always well done Tanya and Michelle and also all those who managed to make it to the first meeting. The general consensus is that this was one of the most productive meetings so say no more. I personally intend to maintain this enthusiasm throughout the year and the ones ahead, After all being involved in the best school out there is in itself a pleasure not to mention the bigger picture – “Doing it for the welfare of our children and all the other children as well!”
Cheers,
Kerrigan.
Totally agree with Kerrigan. Was great to be a part of a productive meeting and looking forward to getting some things done!!! I was wondering though – if we are only having 2 meetings a term……..will this be enough to get the communication and Parent Rep side of things sorted??? Cheers Helen
Good point Helen. And with regard to the meetings if there’s diversity with regard to a preferred time slot, perhaps we should meet at two different times so everyone (or as many as) can be involved. And if 2 meetings per term are insufficient perhaps a sub-committee that meets in-between (?)
Needless to say email would be the most obvious/convenient form of communication (which can be done more regularly) not to mention this blog. Thanks again Tanya and Michelle.