November 24, 2003 Minutes




Lord Byng Senior Secondary

Parent Advisory Council

General Meeting Minutes

 

Date & Time:

	

November 24, 2003.  Convened at 7:15 PM

Location:

	

Lord Byng Senior Secondary School, Media Centre Foyer

 

	

3939 West 16^th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C.

 

ATTENDANCE: _Jan Berney__, __Ken Cameron__, __Rick Downie__, __Tracy
Proke__, __Kathie Road__, Candace Watson, Alejandro Azcona, Joan Savoie,
Lorene Morgan, Ron Chartier, Cynthia Cosulich, Caroline Crowe, Gail
Raines, Allison Downie, Elaine Knapp Fuller, Deborah Tildesley, Leah
Markovitch, Lois Klassen, Linda Mae Chan-Kent, Marie Ford, Susan Ames,
Sydney Hughes, Judy Warburton, Eliane Michel, Barb Small, Sharon
Treanor, Frances East, Linda Dowler, Steve Adilman, Elizabeth Adilman,
Tomoko Taleayama, Ruth Stewart, Ian Karp, Jane Murray, Theresa Jiwa,
Gwen Murray, Karen Stierhoff, Kathy Mukai, Linda Morrison, Mel Gardner,
Donna Tufano, Shirley Cromwell, Betty Montpellier, Laurel Novacek, Karin
Smith, Angela Nori, Louise Brooks, Stuart Hamilton, Kate Gomberg,
Rosanne Wozny, Steve Garrod, David Scherk._

_ _

SCHOOL REPS: (Principal) Darlene Braeder, (Vice Principal) Rob
Schindel, Shari Binder (Speaker).

 

/Joan Savoie moved to adopt the Minutes of the October 2003 meetings,
//Tracy Proke// seconded the motion, carried./

 

2. Reduction of Police Support

 - Ken Cameron drafted a petition which was circulated.  There was a
question about whether it would be available for the students to sign
and DB said that she would take the request to the Student Council
meeting this week. //

/ /

3. Christmas Teachers? Appreciation Event

/ /- Shirley Cameron has volunteered to organize this event which will
be on the last day of school (Friday December 19);

 - savouries are needed (more than sweets) a sign-up list was
circulated.  The food is to be dropped off at the Staff Room by 9:00
AM.  The snacking starts at 11:00 AM and the volunteers need time to
shop if they have a shortage.

 - helpers may be needed.

/ /

4. Principal?s Report

 

-          DB pointed out that it is almost the end of the first term
and that teachers would be sending the marks to the office this week. 
Reports will be mailed home on December 11 (the next newsletter will be
included).

-          In the month of December, because it is the Christmas
season, there is going to be a different focus to school activities. 
Tillicum Annex has 168 students from K to Grade 4.  The principal,
Barbara Bethnall, went to Byng and lives in the Byng neighbourhood.  She
requested that Byng form a partnership with Tillicum Annex to expand the
horizons in arts, cultures and experience for both student populations
as well as helping out with things that they need.  There is a very high
poverty level in the school.  Two students have already traveled to the
school to do an art project, two Drama productions are booked and the
Band and Strings orchestras are going to give a concert at the school.  

-          The things that are needed at the school include:

o        Toothbrushes for each student (new);

o        Scarves and mitts for each student (new);

o        Used toys such as playmobile, lego, duplo to help to develop
the fine motor skills of the students.

-          The PAC Executive has already volunteered its support;
notices will be sent home as well as a phone master message.

-          There was a question about whether outerwear was needed and
DB said that the school will see that these items, if donated, are sent
to the school.

 

5. Second Vice Principal.

 

 - KC drafted a letter to send to the VSB requesting a second VP
because of our population, our diverse programs, the on-going renovation
program and the loss of our SLO.

 

/JS moved and LF seconded a motion that the letter be sent from the
//PAC.///

 

 - One parent asked why we had to do this (isn?t it automatic).  DB
answered that it would be helpful to back up her request.  Byng and
Magee both have 1,200 students and there have been no reports that they
will be getting additional VP?s.  In fact 3 VP?s have been cut out.

 

/The motion was carried unanimously./

 

6. School Planning Council Report (JS)

 

-          JS reported that there have been two meetings and that there
is a lot of data to review.  There should be more meaningful reporting
in January.

 

7. Treasurer?s Report

 

 - the Treasurer was unable to attend but his report was presented on
the overhead.  For the year to date, receipts have been $47,717.33
(including $25,857.33 from grocery certificates, $21,560 which is the
gaming grant and the $300 DPAC subsidy).  Disbursements to date have
totaled $25,141.52 leaving excess funds of $22,575.81 of which $3,513.01
are in the regular account and $20,941.20 represent unallocated gaming
funds.

 

8. How and Why to Buy Grocery Certificates (RD and TP)

 

-          why: because you are going to spend the money anyway and 7%
goes straight to school programs.

-          Safeway certificates must be purchased this month (can
purchase enough for the whole year);

-          How: pick up the forms here or at the office , turn them in
at the office and pick up the certificates there

 

9. Books For Byng (LF)

 

-          LF explained that the librarian has compiled a wish list of
books and that parents can either buy a book or make a donation.

-          Books range from $12 to over $200 but average $40.

-          A sample of the book plate that can be put in the books was
shown.

-          Forms for Books for Byng as well as the book list were
available at the meeting and will be at most parent meetings.

 

10. PAC Support for the Tillicum Partner School Project

 

-          LF explained the project and how the PAC has taken
responsibility for organizing mitts and scarves for the children;

-          A volunteer to be in charge of the PAC contribution is
needed to act as a liaison.

 

11. Upcoming Parent Workshops and PAC Speakers (KR)

 

 - KR gave a brief overview of speakers for the new year including the
panels planned for January and February on University preparation and
other post-secondary options and introduced the speaker.

 - KR mentioned that possibly donations might be asked to defray the
cost of speakers however this idea was tabled for discussion by the
Executive.

 

12. Guest Speaker ? Shari Bender ? The Teenage Mind

 

-          Shari Bender is a psychologist and she prepared a
presentation based on the book ?_The Primal Teen_? by Barbara Strauch as
well as other resources that are available.

-          She noted that recent research suggests that changes taking
place in the adolescent brain are so profound that they may rival early
childhood.

 

Physiological changes:

 

-          the brain?s grey matter, its outer layer thickens and then
dramatically thins;

-          this grey matter includes neurons, (the bodies of cells);
dendrites (short tree-like branches off the neurons) and synapses
(microscopic gaps on dendrites where neurons communicate by passing
chemical transmitters back and forth.

-          The thickening happens when the dendrites bloom madly
increasing the synaptic densities.

-          This process is called overproduction or exuberance and
begins before puberty, peaking around puberty and rising in volume far
above adult levels.

-          Around age 16 there is a striking loss in grey matter as if
the brain is being pruned back to the essentials (creating a leaner and
meaner thinking machine);

-          The teenager?s brain is under construction; it is a brain
that is becoming what it will be.  Ms. Bender likened the process to
having your kitchen renovated and having to work around the disorder.

-          Brain development is driven by genes however it is strongly
influenced by experience.  Ms. Bender discussed how parents are able to
control the experiences of a small child but have much less control over
the experiences of teenagers.

-          Certain life experiences, good or bad, can have an impact on
the essential architecture of the brain ? how the brain shapes itself.

-          The teenager?s brain is vulnerable and susceptible because
it is so active and in flux.

-          The exuberance and pruning of grey matter in the brain takes
place in the key areas of the teen?s cerebral cortex, particularly in
the frontal lobes, specifically the prefrontal cortex (behind the forehead)

-          This area of the brain handles the complex, executive
functions of the brain (like the CEO) and is involved in reasoning,
motivation, judgment, including:

o        Planning;

o        Thinking about consequences;

o        Making decisions;

o        Resisting or controlling impulses.

-          the part of the brain that tells you to count to ten before
you call your mother old and stupid.

-          The overproduction of synapses may be necessary to acquire
skills like impulse control but these skills are refined through the
pruning process.

 

Implications for understanding Teenage Behavior

 

   1. /Impulsivity/ 
           The fact that the prefrontal cortex is still under
            construction may contribute to the sudden onset of
            impulsivity in kids that weren?t impulsive before; 
           Often teenagers don?t think about the consequences of their
            actions; 
           Teens want to be adults but they don?t have the prefrontal
            cortex to regulate adult behavior (they have no brakes); 
           Peter Jensen, child psychiatrist said ?sometimes parents
            need to act as though they are their teenagers? frontal
            cortex; 
           School becomes harder, relationships become more complex
            and teens want to be their own person.
   2. /Emotions/

�         Sudden mood changes are common; these are not only linked
to hormonal changes but more importantly to changes in the prefrontal
cortex;

�         Research shows that when a teenager is shown the face of a
man in fear they use a different part of their brain to figure out
what?s going on.  Adults use the frontal cortex (the primary rational
centre of the brain) but younger teenagers use the amygdale, the primary
emotional centre of the brain.

�         Not only do teenagers use the more instinctive part of
their brain to process emotions but they misread the facial expression
as anger rather than fear.

�         They see the world differently than adults; their ability
to process information is different from an adult?s.

�         Ms. Binder noted that parents have to review their
expectations because the working memory of a teen is sometimes able to
manage only one task at a time.

   3. /Sleep/

�         Teenagers will tend to stay up later and sleep later; these
sleep shifts are linked to puberty and changing brain chemistry;

�         Studies show that teens start to secrete melatonin up to 2
hours later than when they were younger (the chemical secreted by the
pineal gland which helps to make us drowsy).  Melatonin starts flowing
into the brain later (10:30 PM) and lingers later in the morning;

�         Teenagers need at least 9 hours of sleep per night;

�         They may be the most sleep-deprived sector of the
population.  This impairs the cognitive abilities.

�         There is also more stimulation available ? computers, TV
and videos.

   4. /Alcohol/

�         Studies with heavy and binge-drinking teenagers suggest
that alcohol is worse for the brains of teenagers than for adults;

�         In one study teens who drank excessively (on average 2
drinks/day over 2 years) recalled 10% less on memory tests than their
non-drinking peers ? in some cases the impact was seen years later.  The
10% loss could mean the difference between an A and an F.

�         Alcohol is much less sedating for teens than for adults.

 

-          clips from the video ?Inside the Teenage Brain? (Spin Free
Productions, 2002) were shown.  This video may be ordered through
www.magiclantern.ca <http://www.magiclantern.ca/>.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.  The next meeting will be January
27, 2004.