Previous circle actions:
1.Food
Food preference form – Kiri, not everyone has returned their forms. Kiri will create a NOTES pigeon hole and RETURNS pigeon hole to put spare forms in, and for parents to return their forms to.
Food box – Samantha, FLO and Sprout have agreed to alternating weeks to support with a mixed fruit box. The kids were cutting up fruit and sharing it around handing out napkins as a snack the other day, they’re really enjoying having the extra food available.
Home donation box – this has been placed at the sign in desk for families with excess fruit and veg grown at home.
Fruit bowl – this is almost empty, there’s currently $16 in the donation jar. It has been placed at the sign in desk for ease of access.
- Circles
P & F Circle – discuss suitable days. Samantha spoke to Angus and he is available Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Parents at the circle have agreed that Wednesday is the most suitable, with meetings ending by 4pm, items not discussed before this time will be moved to the next meeting or posted on facebook for discussion. Circles will be held each fortnight to begin with – to be assessed as we go. A list of topics for discussion will be placed on the notice board, feel free to add to this.
Kids circles – Kiri
Circles are up and running, kids are doing really well. Circles usually involve 45 minutes of conversation, have discussed fighting games and making sure everyone is comfortable with the rules, no agreement was reached but they were very cooperative. The kids respect each other’s point of views and work together to come up with a solution.
A list of topics to be presented to kids in future so that they have notice for items to be discussed. Spur of the moment issues can be discussed in an impromptu circle with notes to be taken to explain the conversations to children who are absent, looking to have kids facilitating the meetings moving forward.
- Wildlife talks
Visit from hands on wildlife – pictures on the notice board. Ranger Dan gave a snake safety focus with very clear steps on how to handle a snake sighting. Kids have a great understanding of what to do if a snake is seen.
- Sandpit
Tractor tyres – Susan, Susan has delivered two tractor tyres, can be used for play until a sandpit is ready to be built. Kiri asked for donations on sandpit toys. Spare sand – has been collected and placed behind the building ready for use.
- Cleaning
Cleaning roster – on front whiteboard, most parents agree that cleaning is a bit much for them to contribute to as everyone is fairly time poor. Amber and Kerrie to look into prices for a cleaner, Amber to create a social media post for cleaners who might be looking for work in our community. At a minimum – toilets to be cleaned twice a week, once a week a full school is needed, look at the possibility of a package?
In the meantime, can create:
Kids checklist – day to day
Kids checklist – Friday
Parents checklist – fortnightly
Cleaning products – Susan, list on facebook and gave Kiri DIY recipes.
NQ Volunteers – Amber
$29 organisation membership + $109 for referral services, wider community ask for volunteers and mowers – blue cards and keys, child safety concerns. People expecting priority enrolment. Amber and Kerrie to look at professional cleaner/maintenance staff.
- Craft
Recycling tub – Amanda is bringing one in for families to place recycling into.
Cans for recycling – Amber, we have spoken with JCU and are able to set up our own containers for change program in the school. E-waste, wood and metal can also be collected and taken to Estate on Campus for recycling. A waste audit to be conducted with the kids to teach them about where their waste goes. Suggested to write a letter to Bunnings for donations for garden beds, compost etc. Daryl has an unused worm farm that he can bring in too.
- Volunteer register
Parents reminded that it takes approximately 4-6 weeks for blue cards to come back, if they’re wanting to volunteer at the school this is needed. Kiri to put a volunteer roster on the board with times indicated for when parents are free to come and volunteer in the school, hopefully this will minimise the disruption to the classroom while enabling parent contribution and involvement.
Post to Enkindle Parents Page – activity list from the parents to get an idea of the things they would like to help with.
- Languages
Ella discussion, most parents seem happy to trial as long as iPad’s are restricted for access to only use that specific program. Concerns raised over children’s posture while using the ipad, we are able to use the sign in ipad, however this is fixed to that one location.
Lessons around the use of technology, limited times. The kids need the opportunity to find the right space for themselves to focus on the work, second language is so important. Would be used as an extra tool in addition to the other methods previously discussed.
- Contact
Send contact details – all parents received contact email. Photos of the school day have also been posted to the facebook grou. Parents happy with how this is working.
- Uniform
Hats for kids – Kiri, a discussion was brought to the kids circle, they couldn’t consent on the type of hat or colours but eventually consented to a school hat for use on external trips. The kids have consented for the school logo to be used on the front of the hat, possibly black in colour with indigenous design. Option to leave it at school and have names embroidered on them. Hat has to cover a few basic requirements for the parents such as sun safety, the rest of the decisions to be left to the kids. An experiment could be had to see how hot white vs black is, kids to be made aware that the parent’s wont consent to the hat they have chosen unless its sunsafe.
- Individual Learning Plans – Kiri
Kiri has had a discussion with the all of the kids, they are starting to understand the difference between group learning time and individual learning time. They are also learning to be vocal if needing help, starting to develop their focus and a list for future ideas.
Kiri will photocopy sheets for parents to provide feedback, talked about having outcomes with the kids and how they will do that, what method shows their work, as well as timeframes.
Individual learning time during the school day, still developing the sense of what that time looks like.
New Items for Discussion:
1.Gardens and mowing – Kerrie, to look into the cost of someone doing this for us. Same discussion as cleaning.
- Communication – Amber
Everyone is happy with Facebook updates. Suggested could also use storypark for a more personalised update. Portfolios are being created at the moment, just waiting on printing. Daryl could create a section in the website for our online portfolios, he is going to set this up so we can look at it.
- Computer usage – Samantha
The volume is very distracting for the kids – suggest each student bring in some headphones and school to purchase a few double headphone jacks, so that students can buddy up on the computers.
Restrictions on access – waiting for IT to put this in place. Parental settings for youtube, we have locked it all down as much as we can and this can be adjusted as we go if there are sites we wish to gain access to for learning.
Set times for use – kids circle has already agreed to a roster.
Personal Electronic Devices – safety restrictions and wifi access, Kerrie and Amber to look into this as well as the option of creating user accounts down the track, for individual access.
- Birthday celebrations – Amanda
Books for birthdays, kids can bring in a book for their birthday and share it with the class then donate it to the school. One cake per month for everyone’s birthday in that month, parents have agreed on both options moving forward.
- Toys – Kerrie
What to bring in, sharing proving an issue at time. Consensus from parents to no toys to bring in. Take it back to the students as to how they will work this into their days (i.e. show and share).
- Orienteering – Alison
JCU connection Alison knows offered to provide orienteering skills. Parents happy to explore the idea.
Additional Parkour – Kiri has contacted and John will look to coming out to explore school for how to implement.
- Entertainment book – Amanda will put the app link up so that parents can purchase off this. Need to sell 10 to make profit.
- Feedback and enrolment update – Amber
Too time consuming for the staff to be putting up all of that information. One on one conversations with the teachers is preferred, weekly newsletter maybe from the kids. Parents have expressed their satisfaction with what has been happening in the school so far in terms of learning and trust us to provide the best environment for their kids.
- Smoke-free campus – Amber, all parents made aware that JCU is a smoke-free campus. A complaint has been made against our school due to a parent being spotted smoking. We cannot be sure whether it was a parent or a Uni student however all parents are now aware no smoking on campus.