Artarmon Public School

Parents and Citizens' Association

Meeting Wednesday 26 June 2019

      Time: 7pm

Venue: School Library

AGENDA

1. Attendance and apologies
2. Accept Minutes of Previous Meetings - 22 May 2019
3. Correspondence
   • No correspondence received
4. Status update on action items from prior meetings

5. Status
   • Building Update
   • Voluntary Contributions Update

The current amount received is $139,840. Another reminder will go out this week. Thank you to all the families who have supported our teachers and students in this way. In the next Newsflash we will have a report on how the money has been spent

6. New Items

7. Treasurer's Report

Main points to note

• Across the three main fundraising activities year to date (being state election, federal election and the end of Term 1 sausage sizzle), we have made a net profit of approximately $7,542
• Year to date if we include the donations and fundraising money from last year but only booked this year as well as all other P&C expenditure and revenue, there is an operating profit for the head P&C fund of $14,786. This is an increase from the profit reported at the last P&C meeting of $9,512. The main drivers of the increase in net profits are
  • Profit from the federal election BBQ
  • Reimbursement from Band of the 2019 Workers Compensation Premium into the head P&C fund
• Expected outgoings and revenue in the coming months from head P&C fund include
  • Sponsorship of the UR strong program (subsidising $10 per ticket for the first 100 tickets purchased for both the lower and upper primary sessions). Total cost approx. $2,000
  • Reimbursement for tea and coffee for the literacy and numeracy sessions
  • Income and expenses for Upcoming Movie night and Trivia Night

8. Reports from Principal, Deputy Principal and Assistant Principal

Parent Information Sessions: Response to some of the feedback

Overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents around the literacy and numeracy parent information sessions. We feel as though the hands-on aspect of the night was particularly successful and making it at 6pm from your previous feedback in the Tell Them From Me survey saw many more parents in attendance.

Will this be an annual event? These exact sessions will not be an annual event, rather we consider the context each year and program events around this e.g. there may be a greater science or creative arts focus.  

I didn’t get to attend every session. The nature of the event was not to get to every session and every activity, but to gauge an understanding of how we teach at Artarmon and how you may be able to support your children at home.  

Thank you

Thank you very much for the donation to the event to supply the tea, coffee etc and to all those who participated in the night. Thanks also to all the teaching staff who attended to support this initiative.

Plaque for school hall

As we put the plaque up to acknowledge the opening day of the hall we would also like to put up an acknowledgement of the contribution from P&C and the school. I will investigate the options.

Athletics Carnival  27 June 2019

Mr Williams and Ms Danias are doing an awesome job organising the carnival. As in previous years it will be held at ES Marks Field, Boronia St, Kensington. All children will be involved in activities during the day.

A reminder that children will need to bring their food and drink as there will be no canteen facility.

Voluntary contributions

The current amount received is $139,840. Another reminder will go out this week.

Thank you to all the families who have supported our teachers and students in this way.

In the next Newsflash we will have a report on how the money has been spent

Sydney Eisteddfod Results

We have acknowledged our successes at this years Eisteddfod. Thank you to Mr Walmsley, Mr Mansukhani and all the parents who spend their valuable time supporting this program.

Well done to all the students involved.

Thank you

A big thank you to Mr Coombes, Mrs Keevers, Mrs Blake, Mrs Singh and all the staff for their work for our students whilst I was on leave. We are very lucky to have such a committed and experienced staff.

9. Sub Committee Reports

• Social and Fundraising Committee Report - no report tabled
• Gardening Committee Report – no report tabled

Band Committee Report

Our bands have been busy preparing for the first festival on the calendar, the Sydney Eisteddfod.

Members of Junior Band, Concert Band, Senior Band and Orchestra attended the annual Music Intensive Weekend on 1 – 2 June, held at school. They rehearsed in their bands and also attended group tutorials for their section, finishing with an informal concert to show parents the results of their hard work. Jazz Band also had an extended rehearsal on 30 May. Thank you to Nicole Shinfield and Diane Sexton for organising the Music Intensive Weekend, and the many parent volunteers assisting on the day. Also to Jess Wells for helping at the Jazz Band intensive.

All students in all bands had a 2 week 'Playathon' in the first 2 weeks of June. This involved them logging their instrumental practice time and asking for sponsorship from friends and family, to encourage them to practice. Prizes will be awarded to students in each band for the most practice time and most funds raised. Many thanks to Georgie Roussac for sourcing prizes from local businesses and organising the forms.

Funds raised from the Playathon will go towards purchase of 6 acoustic shields. These shields are in use worldwide in professional, amateur and school orchestras and bands to protect players from potential hearing damage for those sitting directly in front of very loud instruments.  These were delivered earlier this month and the bands have started to use them.

All bands (except Training Band) and Orchestra have competed in the Sydney Eisteddfod during June. Results are not available at the time of writing this report.

String Committee Report

Music Intensive

The music intensive on June 1-2 was well-attended by nearly all of our students. In addition to Mr Mansukhani, there were four extra tutors on site who took the children through small group and large group tutorials. By all accounts, the students were engaged and well-behaved. The concert at the end of the weekend was fabulous, showing just how far the performances had come in such a short amount of time. Thank you to Nicole Shinfield for doing the bulk of the organisation, and to the parent volunteers who helped out on the day.

Sydney Eisteddfod

Three groups will be playing (or will have played by the time P&C meets) at the Concourse on Monday June 17 – concert strings, senior strings and orchestra. This is rather a prestigious event and Artarmon is expected to do very well. Mr Coombes has organised all students travel by train accompanied by teachers. Permission notes have been issued online. There will be a handful of parents to drive the large instruments to and from the venue.

Music camp 2021

A $1000 deposit has been paid to the Collaroy Centre to secure the weekend of Oct 22-24 2021 for music camp. Band has paid the deposit in order to keep payments in the one committee (this is how it has been done in the past), though the form was filled out under my name (Emma Nicholas).

Issues

Westpac access: Similar to the P&C members, I have had trouble in the past getting ID’d by Westpac in order to be given payment authority. I have now been successfully ID’d but, as far as I understand, the P&C is now stuck in limbo and unable to give me payment authority. Once this comes through for me and Ian, we will then have two committee members with full access to Westpac. Currently there are no sub-committee members with full access.

Cello damage:           There have been a few instances of damage to cellos hired by Year 3 students. Some children are finding it difficult transporting the instruments, especially if they go to after-school care or other activities. Because we really need to encourage the uptake of cellos, the sub-committee will discuss offering a second cello to keep at school for those who really need it.

Recent purchases:    2x double bass flight cases for Hawaii - $1411.74. We are unable to hire double basses in Hawaii so this purchase was absolutely necessary. These cases should last us many years.

Uniform Committee Report - No report tabled.

Multi-Cultural Committee Report

Starting informal drop and chat sessions beginning Term 3. Tuesday mornings in the Hall Canteen. Carly will create a note for newsflash. P & C to provide biscuits and tea/coffee. 

Volunteers confirmed for Kindergarten August Orientation.  Need a few more Mandarin speaking volunteers. Carly will organise and meet with the team in early July. 

Traffic Committee Report – no report tabled

Sustainability Committee Report – no report tabled

Website Committee Report – no report tabled

10. General Business 
    • Mr Jono Coombs to provide update on Hawaii tour.
    • Sustainability update.
    • Uniform shop update

Malvina Crastin - Secretary

Artarmon Public School Parents and Citizens' Association
Phone: (02) 9411 1950
McMillan Road, Artarmon, NSW, 2064
www.artarmon-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/p&c