Inter-A News

Attending: JM, DH, RG, LZ, PV, AC, EK, UD, KF, LL

Regrets: CR, BB, JF

Welcome

Agenda Additions & Approval

• Addition 9.1: RG and Face of the World project. Motion to approve agenda: EK. Second: LZ. Carried.

Approval of Minutes

• Motion to approve minutes of March 11, 2008:UD.  Second: LL. Carried.

Treasurer’s Report

• Financial statement presented by LL. No vote required. 

Student Executive Report

• Asian festival is all day April 16^th with seminars in the morning and Karaoke in the afternoon,
• A number of students will be participating in the Walk for MS on April 27^th at Bear Creek Park.
• Bangladesh festival may be on April 24 or 25.

Teacher’s Report

• District Planning Allocation: Despite the fact that we have 150 students confirmed for September plus 7 applicants waiting for acceptance and more anticipated in the next month, the District has allocated 5.5 teaching staff for Inter-A this September based on their projection of 130 students. This is frustrating because the additional positions will not be posted until September.
• Europe Trip: one student still hasn’t received her Visa due to government red tape, but it should be here any day. Students are learning and doing projects on the areas they will be visiting.
• Report cards hopefully tomorrow.
• Inter-A Grad dinner is June 6.
• KR likely beginning maternity leave now. VV and PE are hopefully to cover as TOC’s but not until May.

Kwantlen Park PAC

• Provincial exam results: KP is below district and provincial averages because all students are being required to take the exams whether or not they need to. (Grade 12 provincials are optional).
• Administration is looking for people interested in the school planning committee.
• Dry Grad fundraising not so great but more to come.

Fundraising

• Flower baskets forms distributed with report cards this week; flower pickup on April 29^th, will need help after school.
• Big Brothers pickup this Friday April 11^th

New Business

• 9.1 Face of the World Project: RG from KP Physics department related his intention to use the project to fund raise for KP scholarships. It seems that the Inter-A Students Society is the only body at KP with a charitable tax number and able to issue tax receipts for donations. RG requested that the Society consider the possibility of holding and administering the funds raised and issuing tax receipts on behalf of the project. The Society agreed to explore its capabilities within the Society Act and requested a written proposal from RG before making a decision.

Adjourned at 8:50 pm Next meeting: May 13th at 7:00 PM

Attending:            UD, JF, KF, PV, AC, CR, LL, CW, EK

Welcome 

Agenda Additions & Approval

No additions. Motion to approve: JF. Second: UD. All in favour; carried.

Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve minutes of February 12, 2008: EK. Second: LL. All in favour; carried.

Treasurer’s Report

Motion to approve financial statement dated March 10, 2008: CR. Second: JF. All in favour; carried.

Student Executive Report

• Doug C. is heading up Inter-A section of physics balloon being constructed in the den. He needs lots of help and black & white photos or drawings.
• Balding for Dollars event started by Inter-A students raised over $11,000 for the oncology ward at Children’s Hospital
• Anti-Bullying day at KP – Most Inter-A students wore pink.
• Snow Day was wet but very successful.
• Mardi Gras had to be cancelled as everyone is too busy to coordinate.
• Asian Festival still on track. Taiko Drummers not available.
• Bangladesh festival committee needs to choose a date.
• Classroom tidiness has improved somewhat.

Teacher’s Report

• A possible wrist injury on snow day (student being x-rayed).
• The play was a great success with sales of about $1600. RB thanked everyone who helped.
• RB is planning a Quebec exchange again for next year. He will need a cheque for $50 made out to SEVEC to register.
• Destination Imagination teams did well at regional tournament on the weekend, with two 1^st place and one 2^nd place finishes. Provincials are April 12^th in West Vancouver. CW would like to host the regional tournament at KP next year.
• Ultimate league play starts March 29^th. Possible 1-day tournament in Burlington April 19^th.
• Grade 7’s and 8’s did well at District Science Fair with one silver and two gold awards. One of our teams will represent the district at the Regional Science Fair.
• Request for permission install Inter-A storage container or portable was denied at District Advisory Committee meeting due to graffiti and overcrowded property concerns.
• KP was built for 1200 students and anticipates 1500 in September 2008. There is some discussion of moving Inter-A to another location TBA.
• Inter-A registration needs to be at 169 in order to have staffing at 7 FTE.
• District funding and program funds will be used for program equipment and supplies before year end as they cannot be carried over.
• Motion to cover RB honorarium to lead student field trip to Europe in May 2008: LL. Second: JF. All in favour, carried.

Kwantlen Park PAC

• AC gave an update on Inter-A activities at the PAC meeting.
• Definite concern about overcrowding. In-catchment students are being placed on wait lists and having to go to other schools.
• Dry Grad fundraisers ongoing.

Fundraising

• Bowling night Feb 23rd had 60 people attending.
• Big Brothers pickup April 11th
• Plant Sale – Forms out April 7^th; hand back by 14^th and pickup on 28^th?

New Business

Food Safety Guidelines: AC has done some research and apparently we can do food prep for a “closed group,” i.e. Inter-A and would not require a permit. We are only required to have a person with foodsafe certificate if we are cooking or heating up food on site. We would need a permit if we were to do a concession for DI tournament ( apply 2 weeks in advance). Anna submitted Fraser Health contact information, regulations, and steps to follow as well as a nutrition resource for schools.

Adjourned 9:15 pm

Next meeting: April 8^th 7:00 PM

Agenda Additions & Approval

No additions. Motion to approve: CR. Second: JM. All in favour; carried.

Approval of Minutes

Motion to approve January 8, 2008 minutes: EK. Second: UD All in favour; carried.

Treasurer’s Report

General discussion to continue fund raising to replace monies spent. Motion to approve Treasurer’s Report dated February 12, 2008: LL. Second: BB. All in favour; carried.

Student Executive Report:

KF reported from the leader’s meeting:

• Students are organizing an Asian Festival for April 16th. (AC will check into including Taiko drummers as part of event).
• Students may do a Bangladesh new year’s celebration, possibly during the first two weeks of May while some students are in Europe
• Mardi Gras event moved to February 26^th and 27^th.
• School custodians have not been happy with Inter-A as the rooms are so messy. Students and teaching team are working on ways to resolve issue, i.e. close B112 at lunchtime, etc.
• KP physics department has asked Inter-A to contribute to making a 50 foot solar balloon by constructing one of the balloon panels (at no cost).

Teacher’s Report

• AM visited Monday. He is impressed with Inter-A and brought Future Shop reps who wish to donate equipment to schools. Inter-A is one of the programs they are considering for the donation. AM will meet with Inter-A alumni soon re: program review.
• Due to KP report card software not recognizing linear courses, upcoming official KP report cards will display ‘F’ instead of ‘Incomplete’ for year-long courses.

Teaching Team wish list:

• Storage container (will check for permission to park on school property);
• Replace filing cabinets;
• Sept 2009 trip to Ashland, OR: Shakespeare Festival for senior students
• CD and DVD players;
• Video cameras and equipment;
• Video editing software;
• $300 for DI supplies

Kwantlen Park PAC

No meeting in February. Hope to be on agenda for March. Three Ministry audits underway for KP.

Fundraising

• Bowling night Feb 23rd – forms due Feb 14th.
• Big Brothers pickup April 11th
• AC will organize play concession for Mar 6 & 7. UD, CR, JM, AO, EK to help.

New Business: None

Adjourned 9:00 pm                        

Next meeting: March 11^th 7:00 PM

Attending:            AC, CR, UD, EK, JF, JM, CW, LL, AO 

Agenda Additions & Approval

No additions, agenda approved.

Approval of Minutes

• EK moved to approve November 13, 2007 minutes. Seconded by UD. All in favour. Carried
• EK moved to approve minutes of December 11, 2007. Seconded by UD. Approved with following correction: 3. Teacher’s report, second & third bullets amended to: “Touring of elementary schools will take place between January 17 and February 7.” Carried.

Treasurer’s Report

LL presented the financial statement dated January 7 and moved to accept. Seconded by EK. All in favour. Carried.

Student Executive Report: None

Teacher’s Report

• Inter-a Play: Will be two one-act plays, taking place March 4-7. RB submitted a request to advance funds for props. LL motioned to advance $750 of Society funds for props for the play. Seconded by UD. All in favour. Carried.
• Europe Trip: May 1^st to 12^th. A TOC will need to be hired as three teachers will be away. Is the Society able to cover some of the cost, i.e. $500? Discussion: Directors agreed in principle but are not sure how it would be handled – pay to the school or to teacher directly? CW will ask PV to find out how we should proceed.
• Destination Imagination: Request to society to cover cost of three teams’ registration. JM motioned that Society cover the cost of three DI teams’ registration at $100 per team. Seconded by JF. All In favour. Carried.
• Directors asked CW to discuss any larger equipment needs with teaching team as there are Society funds available.
• News: Work experience went well. Semester end coming up, finals and provincial exams January 28 – Feb 4. I-Day January 29.
• Students are organizing an Asian Festival for February 13^th and Mardi Gras for March 26^th.
• Alisdair MacKinnon visited the program in December to observe and will visit twice more next week.
• The new Inter-A brochure has been completed and distributed to schools. Directors requested copies when possible to have.

Kwantlen Park PAC

We will not be doing an Inter-A update until February as the PAC agenda is very full this month.

Fundraising

• UD will check into booking a bowling night at Xcalibur for either Feb. 16, 23, or Mar. 29^th
• UD will call Big Brothers to see if it would be worthwhile to do a pickup just before Spring Break, and will also check into a plant sale.
• CW will check with RB about doing a concession on play days – will students be doing one or would they like the Society to do it.

New Business

Discussed setting up a separate fund to assist Inter-A families. Decision: Prefer to address situations as they come up without creating a separate fund.

Adjourned 8:45 pm                        

Next meeting: February 12^th 7:00 PM

Attending:            AC, JF, EK, CR, DH, LZ, LL, AS, AM, PV

Interview with Parent Focus Group

Special meeting with AM to conduct interview with Inter-A parent focus group as part of choice program review. Items discussed:

• History of Inter-A;
• Structure of Inter-A, i.e. the Society and connections between students, parents, teachers;
• Inter-A component;
• Non-traditional methods/philosophies: are these present in other secondary schools and could Inter-a methods work in larger school system;
• Can Inter-A be sustained as a separate program;
• How can we bring newer technologies into program to bring the program into the future; how are students prepared for the future;
• How does it feel to have a student in Inter-A: what are the unique differences appreciated by parents, i.e. the good things about the program;
• What kind of program issues come up at Society meetings;
• Is Inter-A an academic program;
• Why is there so much parent involvement that is not seen in ‘mainstream’;
• Promotion of Inter-A.

Overall feeling was that Inter-A is a successful program and AM seemed pleased with the answers provided by parent group. Next steps in review were to meet with students and alumni and observe the program in action. AM and AS left after this portion of the meeting.

PAC Report

CR reported that the last PAC meeting included a presentation for funds to improve theatre lighting and sound system. Approved; KP administration would put funds into the improvements. There was also a discussion concerning absenteeism and the new system for reporting late arrivals that would be in place early in the new year.

Teacher’s Report

Here are some upcoming dates.

• Craft Day December 19th, still looking for parents to help with options
• January 14th – touring of elementary schools
• January 17th & Feb 7th – Inter-A information nights
• March 6th – Interviews for potential students

Treasurer’s Report

LL presented the financial statement for December and moved it be accepted. Seconded by LZ. Carried.

Adjourned 9:30 pm.

Next meeting: January 8^th 7:00 PM