ASK SASC This is a series of letters or e-mails that SCC's or parents from around the province have made inquiries to your provincial organization. (EDITS in the interest of information or space may be made) From Sheila Jozsa February 20, 2010 Subject: notes from feb.6 mini conf. Hello, I attended the mini-conference on Feb.6 and during your presentation on SASC you had some good points on your power-point about benefits of volunteering and how parents are a pest to new teachers. I couldn't find any reference to you notes from the presentation on your SASC website, and I believe someone asked if you would be posting the notes so we could listen more instead of write. Maybe I am not looking in the right place on your website. If you could obliged me I would be very grateful. I need that info to draw in some more parents! Thank you, Sheila Jozsa Vice-chair, Connaught Community School Council, Regina REPLY Hello Sheila, That will get posted within the next week or so, but we had to post the conference poster and finalize our line up for our annual conference. My webmaster is able to put it up, it is just me finding the time to send it in the format he can use. I am glad you find useful the information that SASC tries to give parents and SCC's. I hope as well that you and your SCC try to attend the larger conference at the Travelodge in Saskatoon on April 30th/May 01 as there will be networking and really interesting speakers.We also will soon have available a membership form and the cost annually is $100 per school and I hope your SCC considers joining so that we can continue the work of the organization. Please keep checking the website over the next few weeks. Cheers Deborah Agema From Kathy Nielsen, February 2010 : Hi Deborah, As for our Melville Comprehensive SCC, I am considering not running for my seat again. I phoned the superintendent, about our SCC not being invited to our Learning Improvement Plan meeting, but being asked to approve it at our first meeting on Oct 14 09. She sighed in frustration, but I don't think she is going to do anything about it. She has done a lot for our SCC by enforcing having more than 3 meetings a year, and allowing parents to come to meetings. I think very highly of the superintendent and our director of education, but I don't understand why they let so much go with this principal, when he so blantantly defies the rules, and they are well aware of it. She did assure me that she will be at our AGM on Nov 18 09, presumably so he can't pull the stunt he did last year, which was electing teacher's spouses (without children) to the council instead of parents. The parents that I was able to get to come to meetings last year, are for the most part, unwilling to come this year. The principal's refusal to let them come to the meetings at first, and then the discussion about whether they should be allowed to speak or not, has turned parents off. Even now they have to sit in a 'gallery' seating arrangement, which means they sit apart from the SCC members at the tables, and they are only provided a row of chairs. I protested against this arrangement again at the last meeting, but they refused to change it, saying that this is what was agreed to. I said that I didn't agree to it, and there wasn't a vote, but ultimately the principal and his puppet parents have the final say, as always. I thought I had a parent new to the area on board this year. I was very excited because he was extremely knowledgable about councils and had a very strong personality, but he informed me the other day that they pulled their daughter out of MCS after the first month or so because she wasn't doing well there. They live in the Grayson area, and she now goes to school in Grenfell, so I don't think they even qualify as community members here. That's a pretty big blow to my hopes for this year. Finally, aside from the mental stress involved with all this, is the damage I fear for my children. Being cut from a sports team is one thing, but my oldest is in grade 12 this year, and I'm afraid for her marks. When I mentioned this to the superintendent, she didn't say it wasn't possible. I know it's possible because my friend, who is also on the council, but not running for a second term, has been through it with her daughter. We're talking stolen scholarship opportunities that the school division was made aware of, but nothing was done about it. For the past year the superintendent has been telling me that I have to decide for myself if all this is worth it to me, and I'm finally taking that to mean that nothing is going to change. She has alluded to that fact several times, that not much will change until there is a change in administration. That's the part I don't understand - why they can't fix this? Clearly, I can't. I am proud of the little I did accomplish in two years. We now operate with an agenda and have minutes taken at the meetings. We're having the minimum 5 meetings per year instead of their 3. Meetings are finally starting to be advertised on the website, but we still have to push to have it kept up to date. Parents are allowed to attend meetings. Overall, I hope the attitude of parental involvement has been changed for the better, but I'm not convinced it has. The changes to the constitution that the principal is going to try to have passed at the AGM in two weeks suggest the opposite. I have you, Deborah, to thank for the minimal progress we achieved. Without you, I would have been reduced to mush after the first couple of bully attacks on me. I would not have know how to proceed, much less had the knowledge to continue. You were forever optimistic and helpful, and I can't thank you enough. I can't believe I'm writing this - that I'm quitting - when I so strongly believe what I am doing is right. But there comes a point when you have to measure the gains against the damage caused, and it seems clear that I'm causing more damage to my family for pursuing this, than any benefits anybody is receiving. Our council effectively accomplishes nothing. I just thought I should let you know my latest thoughts. Always, Kathy Nielsen <klnielsen@imagewireless.ca> REPLY Dear Kathy, I sympathise with your frustrations and at this point ask you to send a letter to the Minister as you have worked your way through the administration.Also cc to your school board members. I urge you to attend our annual meeting at the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon on April 30 and May 1st 2010 titled SHOWCASING THE BEST. There you will see how SCC's can work effectively together and you will have a chance to network with other parents and SCC's. I am so impressed with how some SCC's are doing that it is a disappointment to see it failing in your community. Please keep in touch and we are here for any training that your SCC may require in becoming an effective structure. Sincerely, Deborah Agema SASC From: Tara Nelson Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:59 pm Subject: Information Re: organizations to look to for grant proceeds > Hello, > > I am writing in the hopes of obtaining sources of information on > places that our school community council can apply for grant for > our school projects. We have some specific projects underway, but > also are willing to explore other areas if funding became > available. Do you have a list of grants that would be useful for > councils to apply for, or any information that could help us in > our search? > > Thank you for any help you can provide. > > Sincerely, > > Tara Nelson > Chairperson > Kinistino School Community Council > Hello Tara We not have a specific list and now that you have asked, I am going to make that one of my goals over the next year. I know that money is really tight, but depending on what your use is, for instance there is money in all the regional sport zones that comes from lottery money that is available and for nutrition needs at your school, Breakfast for Learning gives out grants. I guess I would Google to see what might come up and it would be helpful if you had a specific purpose as I know of no money for general usage of school community councils other than your school division that is given $2000 per year from the Ministry of Learning for each SCC. Also if you need laptops for special needs students or computers, Saskatchewan Technology Renewal/Computers for Schools Saskatchewan can be applied for at your school but must also be approved by your school division. If you have a more specific inquiry Please ask away, as that is why were here, is to assist the parents of the province. Sincerely Deborah Agema Executive Director