Meeting Minutes 
Davidson Creek Elementary School Council
April 13, 2021 6:30pm
Zoom Video Conference Meeting
Board Members 
Melissa Presse, Chair | Sarah Anderson, Vice Chair | Karli Butler, Secretary 
|Vacant - Communications

DCE School Council Meeting MINUTES 

The Chair welcomed attendees and guests and gave a Treaty 6 Acknowledgment  
Attendance:
Exec Committee: Melissa Presse, Chair, Sarah Anderson, Vice Chair, Karli Butler, Secretary, 
Absent: Vacant - Communications

DCE Staff:  Kaye Schindeler, Principal, Murray Howell, Assistant Principal, Marlis Marler, Assistant Principal, Amy Rice, Teacher, Mrs. Clark, Teacher

Parent Representatives:  11 parents/caregivers attended the Zoom meeting.

Invited Guest: Annette Hubick, EIPS Trustee

Approval of Agenda:  
The Chair asked for changes in the Agenda no changes made.
•	Motion carried by: 	Sara G
•	Seconded by: 		Sara A.

Approval of DCE SC Meeting Minutes of March 9, and January 12, 2021 (Zoom)
January 12 Minutes - Approved
•	Motion carried by:   	Sara G.
•	Seconded by: 		Sara A.
March 9 Minutes - Approved
•	Motion carried by:   	Sara A.
•	Seconded by: 		Courtney M.

•	

Kaye Schindeler, Principle Report

Kaye S. commented the school’s education plan for 2021/2022 was under review. There is a draft of it on the school’s website for parents to look at. There were not a lot of changes over last year’s plan.

Parents are welcome to provide input or feedback on the plan to Kaye S.

Kaye also mentioned the school had a fairly successful March Madness event.

Kaye discussed the Star assessment program
-	Most kids are in a good place, academically speaking, as per the results of the assessment
-	Everyone continues to work to catch up on any setbacks created when the school year ended early in 2020.

The school has just completed various Inuit and Metis units. Some of the activities traditionally done with these studies, like the blanket ceremony, was cancelled this year due to COVID restrictions.

Davidson Creek staff will be implementing lots of theme days to help keep up the kid’s engagement. These are fun activities that aren’t too influence by pandemic restrictions. 

Math is the current academic unit throughout the school. There are a number of fun initiatives going on to help support learning – There is some information posted on the website.

Marlis M. commented there had been some very positive feedback from a few of the substitute teachers, specific to Davidson creek school. The school’s leadership team discussed how continue to perpetuate those positive remarks. There are some spirit days and pizza lunches, and talent shows planned or have already been done. We will continue with Mindful Mondays, and the Dance-o-rama.

There is a Walk or Wheel (WOW) planned for Wednesday, April, 21. 

The school will be providing some crosswalk training for the younger kids, which will take place online. It will take some coordination to get everyone through the training, but there is a plan.

Annette Hubick:  Trustee Report
Annette reviewed the sharp increase in COVID cases being report within the school division
At this point there has been no in-school transmission of COVID since before Jan 2021.
The school division is expecting a surplus in budget revenue next school year (2021-2022)
CYF.ca offers great information sessions for parents.
Discussion among meeting attendees occurred regarding the new curriculum. The premise of discussion lent itself largely to concerns and criticism. It was requested that if parents write their MLA or the Minister a letter of concern to please CC the school board trustee, as well, so they also get your feedback.

Trustee Report for DCE School Council
Annette Hubick

Report for Davidson Creek Elementary School Council
April 13, 2021
COVID Update
•	On Wednesday, April 7, there was one active case in the district.
•	The next day, 8 more cases were reported; 6 were traced to one birthday party.
•	4 more cases the next day; from 1 to 13 in two days.
•	Lowering community spread is critical to maintaining in-school learning.

2021-2022 Budget Planning Update
•	On March 31, EIPS received its funding letter and the funding manual for the 2021-22 budget. 
•	Initial review indicates that total funding to the division is the same as last year, though there are some changes to specific grants within the whole envelope.
•	No change to per student basic grant or to transportation funding. 
•	Changes to Learning Supports Funding Grants (PUF for Kindergarten restored to fall 2019 amounts, not 2018-19 amounts; per student LSF reduced.)

•	Budget discussions: ½ day budget session on March 18 and full day March 25 and most of April 8. The discussions will continue on April 15 and 19.
•	April 22 – Board will be approving fees (both division and school) and school allocations so be sure to include school budgets on your May school council meeting agendas.
•	Considerations:
•	It is anticipated that EIPS will realize a significant surplus from operations this year. 
•	Increased revenue due to Alberta Education’s announcement to “hold harmless” on any funding claw backs that would result from lower than projected enrolment. This is good news but the fall budget had included $1.9 million in deferred revenue that will now be realized. 
•	Lower than budgeted costs such as janitorial, PD (were held virtually or cancelled) and, most significantly, COVID-related illness costs—an unknown that was very difficult to budget for.
•	As per Bill 5, school boards’ operating reserves will be capped at 3.1% of operating budgets – including reserves in school generated funds. This means that the board will have to spend down reserves over the next two years. The board is working on a reserve spending plan to ensure strategic use of these funds. Sustainability will be key, i.e., a focus on one-time items as opposed to ongoing costs.
•	Covid recovery will definitely an have impact on next year’s costs, e.g., continued health protocols and addressing learning gaps.

2021-2022 School Year
•	Per cues from the Minister of Education, EIPS is planning on near normal operations w/ health protocols. This direction is based on anticipated vaccine levels and confirmation of the importance of in-school learning. 
•	Focus will be on learning loss mitigation, safety and providing a school experience as close to normal as possible. 
•	Operational decisions such as protocols, cohorting, entry dates, etc., have not been made. The division will keep parents informed.

Special Board Meeting – April 8
The board approved an amendment to its modular classroom request to Alberta Education/Infrastructure to cover the costs of moving 6 modulars (original # was 4): 4 from Campbelltown and 2 from Pine Street to address enrolment pressures at SouthPointe and Ardrossan Junior/Senior. 

The board approved the use of To Be Allocated funds to hire three temporary family liaison workers to connect with out-of-school students/families residing outside Strathcona County with whom we’ve had limited contact. The goal is to make contact and determine if supports are needed to ensure a successful 2021-22 school year. 

Technology Fee
The board has decided to postpone any further discussions around a technology fee until after administration provides is updated technology plan next year. The plan will also be shared with COSC. 

FREE Parent PD 
Keeping Them Safe While Helping Them Grow
Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary is hosting this virtual presentation and offering it free to EIPS families. Presented by Alex Russell, a nationally renowned psychologist and public speaker, the session will offer helpful tips and strategies to support children and their emotional growth during challenging times. Learn more
Event Details:
When: April 21, 2021
Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location: Join the Meeting Virtually – hosted on Microsoft Teams
Cost: Free
AHS Caregiver Education
AHS continues to offer a variety of webinars—both evening and lunch—and drop-in sessions on a wide variety of mental health related topics such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, self-harm and many more. For more information on topics, dates, times and registration: https://www.cyfcaregivereducation.ca/virtual-education

Parent Surveys
1.	EIPS Parent Survey 
•	PLEASE complete the annual survey. Your input is critical to evaluating the division’s progreass to meeting its goals and priorities.
•	New this year is a Part B that will help inform next year’s newly elected Board of Trustees in their work developing the next EIPS Four-Year Education Plan—which will be implemented for the 2022-2023 school year.

 
2.	Alberta Education Parent Assurance Survey (grades 4, 7, 10)
•	Used to be the Accountability Pillar Survey and was conducted in January.
•	Changed to reflect the province’s new Assurance Framework.
•	Deadline is April 23, 2021
•	You would have received an access code from the Government. If you need a new code, contact System Assurance Branch at EDC.SystemAssurance@gov.ab.ca with the following information: grade of student, school name, school authority name.

K-6 Draft Curriculum
•	In advance of seeing the draft curriculum, EIPS Superintendent Liguori advised that the division will not be participating in the pilot.
•	This would have been year 3 of disruption for staff and students. 
•	Focus is on addressing gaps and have as normal of a year as possible for both staff and students. Next year is especially important for grade 3 students as all the research shows that meeting literacy targets by grade 3 is critical to future success in education, and subsequently, in life.
•	Would have required significant investment of resources when the government is saying it will be making ongoing adjustments.
•	Time constraints.
•	The Board and Division are reviewing the draft K-6 curriculum and collecting input from groups of teachers to provide to the province. Feedback from parents and community members will also inform our response. The intention is to provide an over-arching summary to the public.
•	It's also developing a Division-level plan to ensure teachers are prepared for implementation in 2022-23. EIPS will also review the outcome of the classroom validation process, and the updates made because of the feedback from Albertans collected, before it implements the revised K-6 curriculum.
Ways to give feedback
First, review the Draft K-6 Curriculum. Two documents you can also read to help better understand the draft curriculum document and answer the province’s survey questions include:
•	The guiding framework for the design and development of kindergarten to grade 12 provincial curriculum
•	Alberta Education: Curriculum Overview 

There is lots of analysis and comment online—caution: check the sources.
•	Complete the province’s Draft K-6 Curriculum: Public Feedback Survey. 
•	Write Minister LaGrange and copy:
•	Premier Kenney
•	MLA Sarah Hoffman (Opposition Education Critic)
•	your local MLA 
•	EIPS Board (Me, all trustees, solely Chair Boymook … your choice) 
•	Follow ASCA as it may be spearheading parent response initiatives. 
•	Some school councils are formulating resolutions.
•	At school council meetings … I’m listening! I will share feedback gathered at SC meetings with the board.

Melissa Presse, Chair Report	
The scavenger hunt event that took place over spring break was very successful with excellent parent feedback.
ASCA AGM coming up in a week or two. Melissa is registered to attend as our parent representative and will follow through on voting as per March’s SC meeting.
Please contact Melissa Press if you wish to attend to ASCA AGM in April
The upcoming May meeting is the last meeting of the year for funding requests.

Committee Reports

Sara G. - Wellness Committee 
We had some GREAT participation in our family scavenger hunt.
K	18	
Gr 1	31	
Gr 2	18	
Gr 3	17	
Gr 4	13	
Gr 5	9	
Gr 6	2	
Total Participants was a 108
Feedback given: Most said that they would do it again, it was a fun activity, great for exercise. A few said it need to be longer and more challenging. Many groups had the whole family involved; younger kids found pride in knowing where the clues were located. One family said their older daughter, who goes to a different school, thought this event was cool and she wished her school did fun things like this. 
 
The Wellness committee is looking to find out if teachers would be interested in taking their classes out in June to complete a more challenging scavenger hunt. It would be around the school and the immediate community.
 
Next Meeting Wellness Committee Meeting: Thursday, April 29 @ 6:30 on Zoom link will be posted on Facebook and sent out via newsletter.
AST Committee 
WOW (Walk or Wheel Wednesday) will be next week on Wednesday, April 21!

New Business
Melissia reminded meeting participants to spread the word the Davidson Creek Elementary School Council AGM is in June.
Several of the executive positions on the council are slated to roll over and allow for new incumbents to come on board. The Communications officer position is currently vacant and has been for some time. All the other positions currently held are also due for a turnover. 
Nominations and voting will take place at June SC meeting. There will be support from the current executive committee members to any new members taking over.

Meeting Close

•	Meeting Adjourned 7:37pm
•	Next meeting is May 11, 2021