J.W. Gerth Public School – Council Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 6:30-7:30pm – Virtual

1. Welcome & Introduction
○ Trish shared a photo of Turtle Island from land acknowledgement shared in school

2. Previous meeting action items

3. Decision/Voting Items
○ None

4. Updates
○ Book Fair – deferred to February
○ Yearbook – deferred to February

○ Fun Fair – deferred to February
○ Nutrition for Learning
■ $1,880 budget per period
■ September-December – spent $1,550
■ Exploring to see if we should raise funds for JWG specifically
■ Only able to feed about 10% of school with budget we have
■ Trish will look into confirming that we can donate to Nutrition for Learning
■ Letter home to families to explain Nutrition for Learning, how we use it and what it goes towards
■ Idea to fundraise with the end of year event to have some of the funds go to Nutrition for Learning and another area

5. Principal’s Report
○ -20 degrees (with or without wind chill) and principals can modify time outside.  Bell has been ringing early before school due to cold weather.
■ Council parents thanked Trish for taking this action to keep the kids warm during the extreme cold weather

○ November highlights
■ Wednesday November 27 – Museum Trip for Grade 1 students
■ Thursday November 28 – Museum Trip for Grade 2 students
■ Friday November 29 – Decades Day Spirit Day!
■ Friday November 29 – Crawford Lake trip for Grade 3 students
○ December highlights
■ Tuesday December 3 – Thursday December 5 – Book Fair at JW Gerth
■ Wednesday December 4 – Dairy Education Presentations
■ Wednesday December 11 – Kindergarten Winter Family Celebration 2:30-3:30pm
■ Wednesday December 18 – Grade 4 trip to Homer Watson Gallery

■ Thursday December 19 – Winter Celebration Assembly
■ Friday December 20 – Spirit Day – Flannel Friday
○ January highlights
■ Tuesday January 7 – SK Vision Screening
■ Tuesday January 21 – Roland Bibeau French Concert (Grade 1-6)
○ Upcoming dates:
■ Monday January 27 – JK, SK and Grade 2 Dental Screening
■ Tuesday January 28 – Class 3/4B to Blair Outdoor Education Centre
■ Friday January 31 – 5A to Laurel Creek
■ Friday January 31 – Spirit Day – Celebration Day!
● Wear clothing that represents an important day to you or your family. It could be a favorite holiday, cultural/religious/family heritage clothing, something that reflects a celebration important to you.

■ Friday January 31 – Popcorn Day!
■ Monday February 10 – Term 1 Report Cards and Kindergarten Communications of Learning go home
■ Monday February 17 – Family Day (no school for staff or students)

6. News
○ Teacher Updates
■ Kirstan shared a thank you to all teachers for their dedication to report cards and the personalization
■ Classroom “fun money” survey was put out to see what teachers would like. Most teachers would like an ‘other’ – which includes things like classroom games, art canvases, classroom materials, hot chocolate and
treats, replacing classroom materials.

a. Trish and Holly will provide a report and share back to the council.
b. Council will review, vote and Kirstan will report back to Trish to purchase items

■ Grade 6 program on February 14 – attending Hidden Acres (winter school programs) – $27.25 per student + $10 per student for the bus

a. Board is no longer doing overnight trips – this is the same place they used to go to but is a day-trip
b. Request: Would council contribute $5 per child to attend. (70 grade 6 students) – $350 total request
c. School funds will also be used to lower cost too. Goal is to get the trip down to $30 per student
d. Hope to have this separate from the school bus money from the council.
e. Response ASAP – would want to make sure we could continue this funding year over year

○ School leadership committee reports

■ Do not want individual bins for classrooms, but like the idea of replenishing as things need to be replaced
■ Ideas:

a. “Line painting” – four-square and different activities/games painted onto ground
b.  Jumping pit for track and field – asphalt path leading up to sand pit

7. New Business
○ none
8. Discussion, Q&A
○ none
9. Parking Lot & Agenda Items for next meeting
○ January action items:
■ Trish will confirm if council can donate fundraising money to Nutrition for Learning
■ Majlinda to draft a letter to send home to parents explaining Nutrition for Learning program, how they can help and how the program helps
■ Trish and Holly to report back to council with what “other” items teachers would like prior to the February meeting for the council to review.
■ Kirstan to prepare a proposal for Grade 6 trip financing request, have Council members review and vote. Kirstan to follow up with Trish.

○ February Agenda Items:
■ Vote: Council approval of classroom fun money items
■ Discussion: Change Fun Fair to end-of-year event – funds raised go towards school buses, Nutrition for Learning and other activities in following year

○ February 19th meeting will be held virtually

Parent Involvement Committee

The Parent Involvement Committee supports, encourages and enhances the engagement of parents/guardians of the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) in their children’s education, to improve student achievement and well-being. Learn more about the Parent Involvement Committee.

Waterloo Region Assembly of Public School Councils (WRAPSC)

The Waterloo Region Assembly of Public School Councils assists all School Councils of the WRDSB to further their support of student achievement through parent and caregiver engagement. Learn more about the Waterloo Region Assembly of Public School Councils.