DIXON PAC MEETING MINUTES 

Monday November 18, 2024

Present: Jenna Newman, Simi Malhi, Nadine Eade, Bernard Soong, Charissa Anderson, Rainbow Koo, Lisa Kanavaros, May Lee, Jennifer McMillan, Pinar, Dan Wong, Aniela Daum, Lauren, Genevieve V, Silvia

Administration: Colleen Orzen, Mike Murrary

Regrets: Colleen Reid, Teg Bains, Taylor Sims

Welcome

Call to Order:

• 6:31 pm called to order 
• Colleen O. gave a Land Acknowledgement to thank the hǝn̓q̓ǝmin̓ǝm̓ speaking peoples on whose land we live (over 16 different groups that travelled along our neighbourhood); this area is important to sturgeon waters and were stewarded by the indigenous people and for this we thank them 
• Review and approval of minutes from last meeting
  • Jenna moves, Nadine seconds
• Approval of agenda
  • Jenna moves and Lisa seconds

Craft Fair Update

• • Lisa informs the group that the vendor limit is maxed out, with just one more vendor to receive payment and information from
  • There is a scam going on with people soliciting on behalf of Dixon Elementary and one vendor unfortunately paid into the scam, we worked with them and found them a spot in the craft fair
  • Only the final stages of logistics left to complete
  • Lisa is asking if there are any additional silent auction donations from parents
  • The group is working on finalizing volunteers for the event
  • Aniela mentioned that we will be setting up everything up in the gym the day before
  • The group is asking that others promote the craft fair to their friends and families to drive more traffic into the craft fair – this helps to increase numbers and have vendors want to return the following year, additionally, it helps to increase silent auction bids
  • Aniela mentions that they will be wrapping silent auction donations on Monday November 25^th, the turnout for this event was great last year
    • • Everything is organized in a spreadsheet
  • There are a few spots where volunteers are needed for craft fair night, shifts were kept short to allow parents to enjoy the event as well
  • Nadine will be giving teachers a letter to send home to get two volunteers from each division

Treasurer’s Report

• The gaming balance is over $13,000
• Only one field trip has been claimed so far
• The general operating balance is $56,000, there has been very little spending so far
• There have been a couple classroom expenses submitted through the teachers
• We have raised $2,240 in craft fair vendor fees
• The hot lunch balance is $14,000 now with $10,000 in expenses to date
• Sara in admin passed on an update from the district about our Beach Day bus booking. When confirming our booking for 2025, they realized they had both underquoted for June 2025 (re: number of buses booked) and also overcharged us for the June 2024 date (re: based on a return of 2:45, but we were back at 2:00). The result is we can apply a credit of $637.50 to our June 2025 invoice. The total quoted cost for June 2025 is $1785, leaving us with a net new expense of only $1147.50. We currently budgeted up to $2700 for buses for Beach Day, so we will have excess funds to reallocate.
• The gaming account report is due end of November, it is almost done and just missing few signatures

Admin Report

• Mike mentions that there will be a new photographer for next year, Artona will finish in spring and Edge Imaging will be working with us going forward
• Colleen O mentions the district wide code of conduct document and wanted to let all parents and students aware of it, she thanks everyone who has reviewed the document with their children and submitted it back to the school
• Bernard Soong mentions that he’s been a Dixon parent for many years and is curious as we had never had to submit something like this before, he asks if there was something that happened in particular at the school that caused this
• Mike says that this document is part of the school district and it’s included in the student agendas and hung up around the school, when administration spoke with students, only 25-30% of the students mentioned that they had read of it, there was a variety of incidents that have occurred since Mike’s arrival and we wanted to make sure that everyone in the community is aware.  Additionally, when parents and/or students were contacted, we can inform them of that document that is being referred to.
• A parent mentions that their child had been stolen from three times in the year, her lunch was taken from her backpack.  The teacher had emailed that a number of students have been spoken about items missing with these items sometimes landing in the garbage or hidden.  A suggestion is that maybe teachers can lock the classrooms when they’re empty.  The parent asks what can we do as this is continuing on from last year and they have had to put a lock on their kids backpack.
• Mike says you’re absolutely right; kids should not be worried about things they bring to school especially lunches.  They are going to try locking the doors when the teacher is out of their classroom.  They are also going to try to talk to the students and try to figure out who the person is as sometimes students let these things slip. He says a child should feel ok bringing their lunch to school without knowing it’ll be taken and to email him directly if this continues with your child.  He mentions that it seems to be happening in only one room, and they are going to act on this.
• Mike mentions that they will be training older kids to become lunch hour monitors as we are short lunch-hour monitors, and they have done this in the past
• Colleen O brings up learning update and how it is coming near.  Dixon uses a proficiency scale and not letter grades.  We just want to make sure that each student is making progress on the scale. There are four levels, emerging, developing, proficient, and exceeding.  Proficient is the goal in all the different subject areas where the child is fully understanding what has been taught.  The exceeding level is going beyond the understanding and understanding at a deeper level.  This creates a learning journey instead of telling a child that they have specific grade for a specific moment of time.
• Mike mentions that the Jingle Bell run is in a couple weeks, and we have the craft fair next week.  Young actors project and Jess Dance Afro Beats are two programs coming up soon as well. As for the winter wonderland, there is no opening in the arena to book.

Chair Report

• We are getting more parents involved and engaged
• We have 17 people in our meeting today, illustrating that online platforms seems to be favorable
• In the new year, we will try to have a classroom liaison, to help supervise children during the duration of the meeting
• In reference to the craft fair, letters were sent home to parents informing parents that we are shy of volunteers and are requesting two volunteers from each division to sign up immediately
• If anyone has any other initiatives to get more parents involved, please share them with us as some schools do parent balls/fundraisers

Fundraising Update

• Charissa brings up movie night, January 17^th will be the next one and they will play Wild Robots especially as lots of students have read the book
• Purdy’s orders are closed, and we fundraised $900, this is similar to amount sold last year.  Delivery will be taking place tomorrow and pickups will occur Friday
• Mike says that it’s ok to pick up from the school office
• There were a couple requests to order after orders were closed, it has been reopened and will be open for a few more days, these orders will come in a separate shipment, it only takes a few days as the Purdy’s office is in Vancouver
• Nadine asks if we can keep it open a little longer and into December
• Lunch days have been going well, and there’s a good parent turnout
  • If there are any issues with the lunch such as the order, contact Jenna

Questions

• Daniel Wong asks in the teams chat – how is the community fridge going, is it well used and does it need further financial support?
• Mike says that it’s been moved further down the hallway so it’s not near the main entrance and has been well used by kids, especially yogurt that leaves the fridge quickly.  Currently, it’s well stocked and there was one parent that donated Asian pears.  There is also dried goods and snacks in the staff room.  Any student that may have forgotten a snack or lunch can access this resource.  Additionally, teachers also have a container in the classroom for kids to have a snack.  Currently, the ministry and school district are providing funding for this, but donations are always welcome.  The community fridge is in good financial support right now. 
• Simi asks in the teams chat if parents are able to donate items?
• Colleen O says that parents have donated in the past and can donate.  The school prefers it to be healthy items like fruits and vegetables, we have lots of granola bars and items like that as it’s currently well stocked.
• Jenna mentions that on November 30^th there will be an online membership summit for PAC parents and any parent of a child in the Richmond school district. Members of the Ministry of Education sometimes get involved in these events as well.
  • https://bccpac.bc.ca/index.php/events/summit

Adjourned 7:24pm