Canadian Parents for French

February 18, 2013

Meeting Minutes

 In attendance:  Kari Eisner, Carolyn DeFreitas, Dina VonHahn, Maxine Champion, Alison Forget, Linda Wilson

Approval of Minutes: approved, seconded and carried

Principal Report: Maxine Champion, Ecole Mountainview

Ecole Mountainview held a week of Carnaval activities at the end of January and it was a huge success.  The children had a very good time and really enjoyed the grade 7’s from Skeena coming to visit.  A few grade 10 students also came up to help with the pancake breakfast this year and the children enjoyed seeing them too.  Thank you to those who helped make it such a success.  Mountainview currently has 29 kindergarten children already registered for next year.  At this point, they have 168 students for Sept. 2013.  The grade 4 students are currently completing their FSA’s.  A school-wide reading program started recently and the children are very excited about the possibility of an ice cream party and duck taping Mme. Champion to the wall.  The reading program goes until the first week of March.  Report cards come out March 11^th, therefore March 13^th and 14^th are short days.  Spring break is for 2 weeks starting March 18^th. In preparation for Concours Oratoire next week, Ecole Mountainview will be holding an assembly on Feb.28^th  in which the top 6 of each class will be presenting their speeches to the school.  PALS (Parents of Literacy Support) will also be held this week.

Presidents Report:

Two Kobo’s have been given to the Terrace Public Library along with e-gift certificates to load French titles onto them.  If anyone has any suggestions for books please pass them on to Carolyn.

In February, the Terrace CPF handed out a newsletter to FI and Francophone students in EMV, Skeena, Cal and Ecole Jack Cook.  Discussion around the dates of future meetings.  Decisions regarding this to be tabled until the next AGM.

The Terrace Chapter of CPF has created its own Facebook page and now has 29 likes.  This was created by Carolyn and Linda and includes links and upcoming events. 

Cabane A Sucre Update – There are currently areas at Onion Lake with no snow but we are hoping that it will hold until March 3.  Patrick Witwicki from AFFNO will be coming at noon with the Maple syrup.  The CPF tent will need to be picked up and brought to Cabane A Sucre.  Carolyn reported that Forestry Services may have an ETV (Emergency Terrain Vehicle) that we may be able to use for First Aid purposes.  Julie is bringing out her fire pit to use.  Rich has agreed to provide fire wood.  Posters have already been designed and are in the process of being distributed. A coloring contest will be distributed to the Kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 2’s students in each of the schools.  This picture is to be done prior to Cabane A Sucre and brought with the children to Onion Lake on March 3 (this was done as a form of advertisement).  Discussion around possible prize options for this.  Skiing may still be possible although it is looking more and more unlikely. Snowshoeing may also be possible depending on the weather.  Discussion around alternative activities if there is no snow.  Possibilities included: a scavenger hunt on Troll Trail; golfing; and Bonhomme targets.  Chantel is organizing the canteen and has parent and staff volunteers from Ecole Jack Cook ready to help.

Directors Report

Dina – Concours Oratoire plans are underway.  All students that participate will receive Participation Certificates.  Discussion around prizes for each grade and cash prizes for grade 6 -12.  This event will take place March 2, starting at 9am.  Judges and an MC are lined up.  We will be having door prizes as well. 

Flo – Teacher Appreciation Night.   It is to be held on Thursday Feb. 21 at 7 pm at Cafenara.  It will be a small group but fun. 

Book Reserve Update - The process of spending the Book Reserve at Skeena Middle School is still in progress.  The Book Reserve is in a GIC at the Credit Union, Gina is the contact person for this fund.  There was $2435.00 in the fund all of which must be spent before the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2013).  Approximately $890.45 has already been spent and there is $400.00 from the Terrace Public Library, $200 from Cal and $400 from Skeena outstanding.  We have approximately $540.00 left at this point.  The remainder of this money could be spent easily between Ecole Mountainview and Ecole Jack Cook to enhance their school library collections.    

Treasurer’s Report  – Currently there is $2308.40 in our general account.  The gaming account has $1953.65 in it.

Secretary’s Report – Volunteer hours were collected from members.  The secretary would like it noted that she will be resigning at the end of this school year.

New Business

Terrace Chapter Website on CPF BC site – discussion tabled until next meeting.    

Shredville at Shames Mtn., March 23, 2013 – We have been invited by Shames Mtn to do maple taffy, tire sur la neige, during “Shredville”. CPF Terrace will purchase the syrup and ski hill staff will serve it. Bonhomme will be on site to promote French cultural traditions in our community.  

Next Meeting – To be held at Ecole Jack Cook, date to be announced. 

Canadian Parents for French

November 27, 2012

Meeting Minutes

In attendance:  Kari Eisner, Carolyn DeFreitas, Flo Sheppard,  Julie Livgard, Dina VonHahn, Chantel Maheux, Alison Forget, Cory Killoran

Approval of Minutes: approved, seconded and carried

Principal Report: Cory Killoran, Skeena Middle School

Skeena Middle School has had a good start to the year although they do have issues around resources.  The school is addressing these issues as they arrive - Grade 7 & 8 resources are currently needed.  Mme. Begin has been helping with this (borrowing books from Ecole Mountainview).  An order worth $4000 – $5000 is also being put together.  French immersion students are now receiving double the amount of time in FI than they previously did due to the block scheduling – Math and science are now available in French.  Exploratory instructors are being very flexible and helpful in arranging the timetable to work with the FI students as well.  A couple of students from Jack Cook are taking online courses at a grade 8 level.  FI students are mixing with other students during the exploratory classes. Grade 9 FI students however, are not able to pick their electives due to the time tabling.  Grade 7 has 21 FI students, grade 8 has 14 FI students and grade 9 has 9 FI students.  Skeena Middle School has 632 students in total.    If our CPF chapter would like to have any information passed on to the students, parents or staff at Skeena we can email it to Phillip Barron and he will put it in the newsletter.  Any information we want in the Christmas newsletter needs to be sent to Phillip Barron by Dec. 5, 2012.

Flo – reported that Skeena has been an extremely positive experience for her daughter. 

Resources – Dina delivered a letter to Skeena Middle School offering $800.00 from the Terrace CPF Chapter for resources.

French Award – Our Chapter of CPF would like to offer an award for a student at Skeena Middle School (similar to the one offered at Ecole Mountainview).  Discussion ensued around the reason for the award and the possibility of giving out 2 awards – one for FI students and the other for CORE French students. 

President’s Report:

Festival de Famille – The festival will begin with a performance by Angela Roy from 1-2 pm, followed by an intermission from 2-3 pm in which we will have 6 carnival games, pictures with Bonhomme and crepes for sale and from 3-4 pm well-known local musicians will perform Traditional Quebecois, Acadian and Cajun music.  Our chapter received a $100.00 contribution from Skeena Diversity. 

Sociocultural applications – We received 5 of the 7 grants we requested.  One of the grants was denied and one is conditional.  In total we received $3162.50 in cultural grants.  They include:

·        $175.00 for Idelaire

·        $962.50 for Caban A Sucre

·        $275.00 for the summer French camp

·        $1250.00 for a Regional French Entertainer

·        $500.00 for Concours Public Speaking Competition

A reminder that the Gaming Banner needs to be brought to the Festival de Famille. 

Angela Roy has been scheduled for Jan.16 & 17, 2013.  She will do one workshop and one school assembly at EMV.  Should there be expressed interest in French entertainers at the Middle School –level, we would be pleased to see it provided.

Book Reserve Fund- there is still $800.00 left in the book reserve.  We are proposing to buy the  Terrace Public Library 2 Kobo Readers – 1 relevant for students in middle school and 1 for students in senior school.  Each Kobo will contain at least 3 French book titles.  Also discussed was a display piece for the library which directs patrons to the location of French books. Jess Dafoe has discarded many of the old French books, deciding to hold a smaller collection of more preferred titles. Still underway are the French “themed book-bags”, we have funded the purchase of materials to fill 12 such bags. Motion made to spend $400.00 for Kobo’s and $400.00 for a promotional display for French books at the Terrace Public Library.  Approved and seconded.

Director’s Reports:

Dina reported that Concours will be held on March 2, 2013. Agnes Casgrain, the Principal of Kinkalda in Kitimat informed Dina the Concours winner and chaperon, will be fully funded (airfare and hotel), to attend  provincials in Vancouver this year.  Students in grades 6-12 will be competing.  Students in grades 4 & 5 receive participation prizes. 

Caban A Sucre – will be held the following day – March 3, 2013. Our Chapter would like to promote it as a “French Weekend” for students and their families. 

Caledonia Sr. Sec. currently has 4 students from Quebec here on a student exchange.  They will be returning home on Friday.  Dina reported that they have had a wonderful time and made a lot of new friendships.  Richard Claire is the instructor at Caledonia who is responsible for all of the arrangements for this exchange trip.  4 students from our community will be going to Quebec in February for 3 months. 

Teacher Appreciation Tea – Flo has agreed to plan this event and is currently considering the third week of January to hold it.  She would like to hold it at Cafenara again.  Last year, our Chapter spent under $200.00.  She will speak to Cafenara about the details.

Movie Night – Discussion around the possibility of another movie night being held during the end of March or the beginning of April as CPF will have a list of French movies available at that time.

Treasurer Report:  In our Gaming Account we have $1667.70 and we will have $2442.00 in our General Account after we pay for Angela Roy in January. 

New Roles for CPF:

Social Media Sub Committee – Carolyn would like to create a facebook page and possibly a website but we need to form a subcommittee.  Linda has offered to be on it.  Discussed the possibility of asking Sarah Zimmerman to join as well. 

Next Meeting – Wednesday, January 16 at Caledonia Sr. Secondary, 7pm.