February 2005 Minutes by recorded by Candace Watson This is a DRAFT copy Lord Byng Senior Secondary Parent Advisory Council General Meeting Minutes Date & Time: February 22, 2005. Convened at 7:15 PM Location: Lord Byng Senior Secondary School, Library 3939 West 16^th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. ATTENDANCE: _Jan Berney__, __Kirsten Brawn__, __Ken Cameron__, __Michele Carrington__, Flora Chang, Caroline Crowe, __Laurie Frederick__, Tane Je, Jan Johnston, Janet Karp, Elaine Knappfuller, Linda Morrison, Kathy Mukai, __Tracy Proke__, Kathie Road, __John Robertson__, Qingping Shang, Karen Stierhoff, Candace Watson, Derek Wong._ _ _ SCHOOL REPS: Darlene Braeder, (Principal), Zoe Jordan (Student Council President) 1. Agenda - Laurie Frederick asked to add some time for Grad onto the Agenda; this was added to Other Business. 2. Minutes of the January 25^th PAC meeting. / / /Jan Berney// moved to adopt the Minutes of the January 2005 meeting. //Kirsten Brawn// seconded the motion. Carried./ 2. Principal?s Report (Darlene Braeder) - Ms. Braeder remarked that she hoped that there was some time in the school year when she could sit down and catch her breath but this is not so at Lord Byng. - Mid-year exams have finished and the students did remarkably well; the teachers are evaluating the results to begin the process of considering whether the exams were valid and tested what they were supposed to be testing. The department heads went to a meeting with Tom Grant of the VSB who spoke about ways of teasing out results from exams. Thursday is a collaborative day so the department heads will work with the rest of the teachers regarding the exam results. - The CAPP conference was held on the last two days of the mid-term week; it was very high energy and the students were very engaged in the process. - Zoe and a group of students did some mentorship training at the VSB. - Interim reports went out yesterday to students who are at risk or failing; some of the reports are not quite out yet. - February 15 was the Byng Arts auditions; the first offers will go out just prior to Spring Break. - Swyng with Byng was attended by approximately 280 people and was very successful. - The symphony will hold a concert this Friday; the second in a series of three. - Gwynne Dyer is coming to speak to the students tomorrow about world affairs. He is a very engaging speaker and has spoken at the school 6 or 7 times. The kids ask questions and are very interested in what he has to say. - Angus Reid of the Esteem Team is coming to the school on Thursday to speak to the boys by grade for approximately one hour each. The team has a commitment to working with youth and he was felt to be the best fit for what was wanted. - March 11^th is the end of the second term. DB is going to New York with the band. Thirteen members of the Track team is going to the Caribbean with Byron Jacks 3. SPC Report (DB) - the second part of the February 8^th SPC meeting has been held and parents, teachers and administration have been and working on the school goal of Social Responsibility. Dr. Sheila Marshall has been conducting a survey, in which about half of the students participated, and the preliminary data was reviewed at the February 8^th meeting. - The Provincial results were looked at at the SPC meeting. - Rob Schindel presented an interim report on Theft in the school: where it?s happening, what is being taken, when it happens. - The B-link project is underway; the clubs at school are student-generated and originated. The World Music Society brought in a marimba band to entertain the students. - The relationship is on-going with Tillicum Annex, the sister school, most recently, three Grade 11 boys went to the school to do community service. - The next SPC meeting is on April 25, after the teachers have reviewed the accumulated evidence for the year. - One parent had a question about theft. DB answered that the purpose of Mr. Schindel?s study is to track and hopefully diminish school theft; each school has a similar program if there is a need. Ms. Braeder said that at Charles Tupper students handed in valuable things that were found regularly but that it is just recently that things that are found are being handed in at Byng. - The parent then asked whether Lord Byng has a theft problem. DB answered yes, but we?re working on it. Ms. Braeder said that the students are being constantly reminded that every thing has an owner and that many things are brought to school that are important or special to students; the aim of the administration is to assist in reuniting the students with their possessions. - DB said that unlike other schools there is not a lot of breaking into lockers; in other schools it?s not uncommon to find that 20 or 30 lockers have been broken into. However, Byng is a relatively open school and strangers can get in. - A parent asked what things are being done to combat theft? DB answered that the bulletin publishes a list of things that are lost and missing, signs are posted in high theft areas and the Grade 8?s have been issued new locks with keys so that only the student has access to his locker (as combinations tend to become known to too many people). Also there is mention at every assembly. - JR asked whether the school has a problem with student?s blogs (a running diary on the Internet)? DB said that there are sometimes problems with MSN and text messaging and students are often unkind when speaking to or about each other. - Ken Cameron mentioned that DB and RS had come to the last Executive meeting and discussed various issues and we appreciate the time that they are able to spend with us. 4. Zoe Jordan, Student Council President - Zoe updated the PAC on what has been going on at Byng: The Taiwanese Cultural Club hosted a two event to celebrate Chinese New Year serving Taiwanese food, with demonstrations of calligraphy, and it was very impressive. A Lion dancer also performed in the gym and the student council hired him to put on a similar performance at Tillicum. - Last week there was a ?Hot Chocolate Monday? where students came to school in pajamas and the student council served hot chocolate. - There was a pep rally held in the gym on Valentine?s Day and a dance team and the cheerleaders performed. There was also a Staff/Student basketball game. - An environmental ?Green Day? is planned for one day in March. - The student-initiated leadership program (about 20 students) did some training at the VSB in how to facilitate youth conferences and work shops. The group is planning to put on a conference for the Grade 7?s from the feeder schools. - JR asked about student blogging. Zoe said that she has heard of nothing at Byng but that a friend at UHill mentioned that someone was posting notices on the school web site and that a similar thing was happening in North Vancouver. 5. Announcements - ?Mom?s the Word?, a series of skits about motherhood is being held at Kits on March 4^th . The tickets are $10 a head and $15 at the door. - Langara College is having a series of Open Houses this week; Ken C. passed out notices about the information sessions. - Byng?s 80^th Anniversary. Ken is trying to get some coverage in the newspaper and wants to pitch a story about famous Byng grads. 6. Treasurer?s Report (Kirsten Brawn) - Kirsten posted the PAC transactions from September 2004 November 2004 in both Regular Account and the Gaming Account on the overhead. She noted that the Grocery Certificate program shows a return to date of 7.55% with a profit for January of $866.66 (7.94%). // - The Gaming Account balance is $27,027.74 and this will be reduced toi approximately $6,700 after the ?Wish List? cheques go out.// - KB invited questions after the meeting.// - /JR moved acceptance of the Treasurer?s Report; LF seconded the motion. LF asked whether the auditorium chair to commemorate Katherine Loewen had been purchased. (Yes). The motion was carried./ / / 7. Call for Nominations to the PAC Executive - KC asked the members of the PAC to consider offering their names for election to the Executive. - Laurie Frederick will head up the Nominating Committee for one more year so please contact her. - KC explains that the PAC elects people to the Executive and then the Executive decides who will play which role. 8. Byng?s 80^th Birthday Ken Cameron listed the following events for the 80^th celebrations: - The first event, Swyng with Byng was held on February 11, - There will be a symphony performance on Friday; tickets are $10 and are available at the door. - The Alumnai/Staff basketball game will be held on April 29^th and there will be a beer garden. - There will be a special gala performance of My Fair Lady on April 30 with a reception afterward, for the alumnae. - The second symphony concert will be on May 13^th - There will be a birthday Tea and Tour on May 20^th from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. - KC stated that there is a roster of events on the web site so parents can look up the events and dates. Kathy Mukai stated that she had tried to look up these events on the web site and couldn?t find them listed. KC said that he would check into this. - Kathy Mukai listed several famous Byng grads: o Richard Prince (class of 1967) a sculptor of international renown; o Norman Browning (before 1965) a national name in live theatre; o Winston Reckart, also a name in live theatre; o Sam Feldman (1966 or 1967) an impresario who recently hosted a mega party in West Vancouver to raise money for the tsunami victims. $1.8 million was raised (tickets were $5,000 each) and Robin Williams entertained. o There is a famous jazz clarinet player and a composer for CBC, o Elizabeth Ball (founded the Carousel Theatre); o The Director recently nominated for best documentary at the Academy awards for his film about his father, Mel Davis, who was a Harlem Globe-trotter. o Bruce Allan, rock and roll agent (may have gone to Byng). - Laurie F. asked whether Ms. Braeder had talked to the teachers. KC will suggest this to DB. 9. DPAC Report (John Robertson) - JR attended a meeting in January 2005 which a meeting for Chairs and Vice Chairs of PAC groups to discuss common issues and concerns. These fell into 5 categories which included: o School/Parent communications; o Fund-raising ? is this the main purpose of PAC?s? o Educational funding; o Enhanced communications between PAC?s. Each PAC now has its own e-mail address so that they can communicate more easily with each other and share information between schools. o Resolutions to take to the BCCPAC AGM this summer (for their discussions with the BC government. 10. Hanging Baskets (Karen Stierhoff) - Karen mentioned that many parents had been disappointed that the hanging baskets did not last through the summer and also wanted more variety. - the price will be the same but there will be more variety this year. - The baskets will be ready the Sunday before Mother?s Day and she will start the sale in March. 11. Graduation (Laurie F.) - LF explained that there are two grad committees: the student committee and the parent committee and they work together to plan the Grad Dinner Dance for grads and parents (which is on Friday June 3^rd ) - This year they are trying to introduce a Safe Grad or Dry Grad which will carry on for the rest of the night. - In the past the students go off to a lot of after parties where alcohol is served. This way, they can stay together for the whole night - Laurie said that volunteers are needed because the Grade 12 parents will be very busy. They have been trying to organize the event since the Parent Walk Through in September. - LF circulated a list of things which must be done on June 3^rd , such as: blowing up helium balloons; taking tickets; checking coats; decorating; a ?dash of splash? for the Safe Grad venue (probably Science World). 12. Next PAC meeting - KC announced that the next PAC meeting will be on Tuesday, March 15^th because of Spring Break. . 13. Speaker, Larry Haberlin, Social Respnsibility Counsellor at the VSB. - Jan Berney introduced Larry Haberlin who explained that his background was in school counseling (elementary schools) and teaching (in an alternative program for kids who had dropped out of school). For the past two and a half years he has been the Social Responsibility counselor at the VSB which is a huge job: there is a lot to be done and there is a lot going on. Larry said that most schools in Vancouver are working on this goal. - He asked Jan Berney, when she called to ask him to speak whether we had considered other people, like Gordon Neufeld, but he charges and LH doesn?t. However, Larry recently spent a whole morning in a workshop conducted by Gordon Neufeld. Mr. Neufeld talked about the importance of attachment and particularly attachment with adolescent youth. ?Hold onto your kids?. - GN says that in order to promote social responsibility in youth they need to have safe havens and firm, consistent adult attention. Adolescents need warm, caring, accepting, democratic and authorative parenting. - GN says that there are other factors at play that are not necessarily about the best interests of the kids such as: the sale of technology, media images, promotion of peer culture. - Youth and children are kept safe through their relationships with their parents, their primary relationships; their relationships with their peers should be secondary. - The primary relationships fill up the hole about who we are and how we should be in the world. - It is so heartening, there is still a chance in adolescence to promote that caring. - GN is against the practice that has been promoted of ?time out? giving the example of parents who have adopted children with very difficult early beginnings who used the practice of ?time in? meaning that the kids have to put up with the parent all day. The very last thing needed by these kids is to spend time away or be isolated. - LH said that he has learned most from being a parent and that?s the hardest thing ? to go home and deal with real people and deal with himself being this real person. He has learned how to be more accepting from his kids but not accepting of everything. At a certain point our kids are not going to like us. - Ideally, in schools, kids develop a sense of community connectedness, of rooting for each other. - Adults model how kids should be in the world. Talking around the dinner table is one of those traditions that help families to connect. Maybe they don?t always talk, but when they need you, that?s when you?re there. - LH said that sometimes he and his wife introduce topics, for example, asking their kids what advice they would give their young cousin (who?s just turning 13) or her parents. His daughter recalled a time when she was not allowed to do something that she?d asked to do and said that she was glad that they had said no. The son said that he would advise his cousin that she doesn?t have to be a slut to be popular. (LF commented that she really appreciated this comment of his son?s because it sums up the situation in a nutshell) - LH stressed that it is important not just to set limits but to set limits about how things are done. Kids with limits are less anxious, less aggressive and less depressed. - As parents, we have to model appropriate behavior, grit our teeth, bite our tongues, put up a brave front and then debrief with or support network, friends and partner. The kids may lose it sometimes but they need to know that?s okay, that they?re safe. - It?s tough for kids not to fall into the norms, try to be like Britney Spears. To be most popular means to go along with the group; to stand up to the group and peer pressure takes a lot of support and that?s where we come in. - Kids can make tough decisions and are able to deal with peer pressures if they have the ?voice in their head? which is usually one or other of their parents. - Kids need to have socially responsible behavior modeled for them, particularly the most vulnerable kids. We need to identify the most vulnerable kids and kids that are at risk and assign an adult to them, to develop a relationship. He asked his son who his favourite teacher is and his son replied Mr. Olson (a teacher that he doesn?t have for any subject) because he always talks to him in the halls. - Mr. Haberlin passed out a hand-out entitled /Promoting Social Responsibility in our Children and Youth. /He said that social responsibility is being stressed in most districts of Vancouver as well as throughout the province and North America. He said that the Fraser Institute measures academic achievement but that is not the only measure of success. He asked what people thought were the most important characteristics to be successful in the world.// / / - One parent answered the ability to listen. LH agreed that it was important to develop the skills underlying the ability to listen. Sometimes it?s hard to listen to people because it stirs up your own stories. His group is trying to teach these skills: active re-phrasing, reflecting feelings.// / / - Another parent answered understanding individual needs and backgrounds and that you need to travel in order to do this. LH said that you don?t need to travel because we live in a diverse world; Vancouver is very diverse. He said that it?s important to enable kids to learn from each other, that we have more similarities than differences.// / / - Another answer was communication skills. LH said that these have to be practiced and he talked about the Roots of Empathy program where moms and small babies are brought to the classroom and the kids develop more emotional empathy through developing a connection with the babies. Through this attachment with the babies the kids become more caring and communicative and aggressive behavior goes down.// / / - It was noted that in some mini schools there are class meetings and kids learn how to communicate with each other and deal with problems. It?s a proactive way of learning how to manage tough things.// / / - A sense of commitment is considered important, to set goals and follow through.// / / - Learning how to be a team member is important, learning co-operation, self-regulation. There is a Trent University study that identified the qualities in students who had successfully gone onto second year university. The most important quality was emotional intelligence. This had more to do with success than academic prowess, ie: the ability to make friends, to communicate, to manage emotions.// / / - LH thinks that it?s important that some time be spent each day in school teaching these skills. One school adopted a program called: Be Safe, Be Fair, Be Kind. Kids were being safe and fair but there was a whole campaign about kindness ? looking at characters in literature, looking at instances in history and teaching kindness in this way.// / / - LH referred to the handout page entitled: /Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and relation to academic achievement/ which states:// / / o Socio-moral behaviors (such as sharing, helping, cooperating) exhibited by students in the classroom are better predictors if academic achievement than are standardized test scores. // o Academic achievement in Grade 8 can be better predicted from knowing children?s social competence 5 years earlier than from knowing grade 3 academic achievement.// - LH also referred to a chart on page 7 ?Quick Scales: Grades 8 to 10 Social Responsibility. This chart gives a sense of how to assess students at various levels. If they have certain capabilities then they can handle things in life. The scales can be used not only by teachers but by students to assess themselves.// - / / - On the next page ?Moral Intelligence Scale? the seven key values underlying social responsibility are set out by Michele Borba. These include: o Empathy (identifying with and feeling other people?s concerns). Schools need to look at ways of promoting empathy. For example a simple approach to situations between two kids is to have them sit down and go through the whole process of what happened. Children learn that their actions have impact and to see the world from another?s point of view and they start to care. o Conscience (knowing the right and decent way to act and acting that way) For example, from time to time talking to young people about the important things in the world that they are concerned about, targeting values and expressing them. o Self Control (regulating your thoughts and actions so that you stop any pressures from within and without and act the way you know and feel is right. Often adolescents don?t have a gap between what they think and what they do. His aim is to make the gap wider. You can?t help what you think but you can make decisions about what you do about those things. This takes a lot of practice; for example, when you are cut off in traffic, a lot of things go through your mind but you don?t do them. The ability to have a thought and not take action. We need to work with kids; at times adolescents can look really mature, on hard days not so much. We can?t always expect them to be mature and if we do we?re on the wrong path. Parents need to have high expectations but also give them a lot of support. - LF commented that when she went to university she moved away and there were no parents. KC stated that there is a big shift to managing your own destiny and that it?s a huge transition from high school to university. - Larry recalled that there was a time when his family was going through a hard time and his parents actually divorced and he was getting reports from school that he wasn?t trying hard enough and got U?s in spelling and writing. No one asked him how he was doing, he just got U?s. - Now, he says to teachers that they can?t meet every individual need all of the time but they can sit down and talk to individual kids asking them how they like the class, what would make it better for them. Kids should be given the right to participate and to have a say. - One parent asked whether LH thought that school is prepared to listen to these things and change and was not sure that they would be able to make these changes. LH answered that there is such a range of schools and some are a way down that path, for example, Bayview school. He said that the teachers and administration really listen to those kids. They have a group called The Spirit Team whose mission is to make school a more enjoyable place. They take on projects outside of school (since Grade 4). You would be amazed at these ideas. They send out surveys to kids, poll them, give them a chance to have a voice. When kids see that they?re being heard then they come up with more ideas. - Jan Berney said that she could understand that this could work in elementary schools but she finds it difficult to see how it could work in high schools. LH said that hallways can be made more welcoming. For example, on the East Side they have a Spirit Team who get rid of garbage and they have a photo class who takes Before and After pictures to show the progress. LH said that he has a history of working in alternate schools and they don?t have the same structure; they have the same curriculum, they work on the same things but in different ways. - In the Gordon Neufeld workshop the participants did some barnstorming listing programs: social skills training, conflict resolution, peer mediation, abuse-prevention programs, violence-prevention programs, anti-racism, anti-homophobia, substance abuse prevention, empathy training. - There needs to be a sense in schools that everyone is welcome and safe and that people are good to each other. One of the schools that he was involved with where the hallways were unruly so a program was instituted that whenever staff were in the hallways they had to interact with the students. There were people keeping track of these things. In 6 weeks there was a huge change. It?s important not just to notice kids when they?re doing the wrong thing but to acknowledge them when they do the right things. It?s more important to acknowledge good behavior than to correct behavior. Adults need to have consistent expectations of kids. - Morning messages can be delivered on the PA, for example, ?Today our virtue is kindness? if you see someone alone invite them to play with you. - Young people don?t have a sense that they can make a difference. 400 out of 1,200 kids at Windermere school are involved in some kind of volunteer activities. It?s part of their course work, they organize sports activities, peer counseling programs. One way of recognizing positive behavior is by handing out tickets; kids can hand them out to each other. It?s one strategy, not perfect. - To sum up: kids need authoritative parenting, straightforward, direct, honest communication, warmth and intimacy. In our world, our kids need this type of attachment longer than we did. Now, his daughter finds it so great to come home and be taken care of. - It is parents? responsibility to make key decisions but they also need to consult their kids and listen to them. They need to know that they have a voice and are listened to. - Some kids don?t have a safe haven at home yet one out of ten do really well in the world. Usually these kids have at least one caring adult in their life (it may be a teacher but not necessarily). - High expectations are necessary. He believes that schools have come a long way but there is still some way to go ? it?s exciting! /Kathy Mukai moved that the meeting be adjourned, Laurie F. seconded the motion./ The meeting adjourned at 9:15.