Minutes of the Hamilton-Wentworth Executive
May 31, 2007

Members: Kaywana Gargarello, Frank Torelli, Rosalind Minaji, Andrea Johnson, Myra Malley, Mary McLeod
Regrets: Debbie Edwards, Marie Patenaude, Dianne MacKenzie

Guests: Maureen Parlatore, Nancy Armstrong

The Chair called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

1. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES

The minutes of May 31, 06 were approved. The following action items were discussed:

Action Items:
" CPF memberships have been purchased for school board members & Kaywana has sent them notice cards.
" Roz has updated the CPF Ontario web site with all our volunteer hours in 2007
" A cheque for $1,469 has been cut by CPF Ontario for the Gregg LeRock concerts, but not yet received.
" Gotta Love that French multi-media presentation is still in the planning stages. Kaywana will continue to work with the performer and school boards towards a spring presentation.

2. CHAPTER UPDATES

Volunteer Hours: 43 -includes meetings, membership mailing, web site

Membership:
We have 32 new members and are now at 99 memberships. It was noted that the public school board has offered to reimburse any school which applies for a CPF associate membership (only Dalewood and Glen Echo currently belong from the public board). Therefore we should follow up in September to get all public FI schools signed up.

Action Items:
" Track school memberships and send letters and forms in the Fall to those who do not belong to CPF.

Treasurer's Report:

Opening Balance May 1, 2007 1403.19

Revenues
Norwood Park Membership Fees 325.00
Total Revenues 325.00

Expenses
Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (rental) 24.56
Keys to French (CPF Ontario) 130.00
CPF National (new membership fees) 600.00
Total Expenses 754.56

Balance as of March 26, 07 973.63

Communications:
CPF Ontario will be holding their annual conference on Friday and Saturday November 2 & 3. Two members of each Chapter are eligible to attend and registration must be received by October 5.

CPF Ontario will be copying the new children's activity book for chapters to distribute. We will apply to see if they will send us 1000 copies for future events and SK students.

Action Items:
" Roz will contact CPF Ontario to see how many copies of the Activity Book we can obtain and order them.

3. UPCOMING CHAPTER EVENTS

AGM: (June 14)
Chris Rawlings is booked and will bring his own sound system. Earl Kitchener gym will be set up theatre style. Advertising for the event needs to be stepped up. Myra will send out a membership mailing. Roz will prepare a poster for the schools and e-mail to all Executive members. Refreshments will be free -water, juice and cookies. Andrea will bring 50 servings of juice and water, Roz will bring cookies. Executive are asked to arrive by 6:30 to help set up. The CPF display will be set up. Someone will have to patrol the door to take money from non-members. Also, tickets will be handed out for door prizes.

A short AGM presentation will precede the concert to highlight our activities and accomplishments this year, to thank members for their support and also present the financial statement and executive members for 2007/2008. Roz will prepare financial statement and Roz & Kaywana will work on the presentation. Handouts will be used rather than a projector.

Executive positions for 2007/2008 are as follows (to be confirmed at AGM):
President/Chapter Contact: Rosalind Minaji
Vice-President/Recording Secretary: Kaywana Gargarello
Treasurer: Frank Torellli
Membership Secretary: Myra Malley
Communications Officer: Dianne MacKenzie

Action Items:
" Roz will prepare membership invitation and event poster
" Myra will photocopy and complete membership mailing
" Andrea will bring beverages, Roz will bring food
" Kaywana and Roz will work on AGM presentation
" Roz and Kaywana to bring door prizes.
" Roz will bring CPF display, buttons, wristbands, float for ticket sales, direction signs

Francofete: (June 24)
The event takes Sunday June 24 and is organized by the Centre Francais. CPF will subsidize the cost of a French children's performer ($300). We will also have our cotton candy stand set up. Myra will send out a membership mailing. Roz will prepare a poster for the schools and e-mail to all Executive members. Promotion of the St. Jean event and the AGM can be done in the same mailing to our membership. We still need to rent the cotton candy machine and see what further details the Centre Francais can provide. Cotton candy to sell for $1 per cone, or free to members.

Action Items:
" Kaywana will contact the Centre Francais for further details about the event and the performer we are sponsoring
" Myra will mail an invitation to the Francofete for our members which includes a free cotton candy ticket
" Frank and his son have volunteered to run the booth for part of the event -more volunteers needed
" Kaywana will book the cotton candy machine, cones and 4 boxes of sugar

SEVEC (2008)
A start-up meeting was held for parent volunteers and 6 parents have come forward to assist. The event is therefore confirmed. Volunteers will be divided into three committees to help with various logistics and bookings.
Deborah Doody has agreed to come on board and help out. She has put SEVEC head office on notice about our intentions for summer 2008. Nina -our former exchange co-ordinator will try to return and assist in 2008.

The students will leave on Sunday June 29 after school finishes, spend 5 days in Quebec on organized activities, one day with host families and then return (with the Quebec students) on the following Sunday. The group would then attend five days of organized activities in Ontario, one day with the host families and return to Quebec on Sunday July 13. The exchange will cost $500 per person and all families will be required to join CPF.

Action Items:
" Next volunteer meeting in early September
" Recruiting begins after first CPF newsletter

4. PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ISSUES

East end FI schools have formed a support group for FI staff professional development and are looking into networking activities between the three schools (AM Cunningham, Glen Brae, Glen Echo). Enrollment continues to increase and each of these schools will add another SK class in the Fall.

Westdale FI enrollment is also very healthy. The International Baccalaureate program is expected to draw increasing numbers of FI students in grades 11 and 12 over the coming years, however a large cohort of SK to Grade 4 FI students are progressing through the system to make up for this loss. A second high school site may need to be considered in future. Civics and Career Studies have been added to the Grade 10 FI options.

Parents in Ancaster are advocating for an FI site. The Board has agreed to survey Ancaster JK parents this Fall in order to gauge the level of interest. The three new school sites have the following numbers: Dundana -32 SK, Guy Brown -32 SK and Lawfield -37 SK students. In addition, 17 Grade One students have enrolled at Lawfield, and the superintendent will be recommending that a Grade 1 class be opened in the Fall.

5. SEPARATE SCHOOL BOARD ISSUES

The Parent FI Night has been organized for June 4. Kaywana will be presenting on behalf of St. Joseph's school council about increased enrollment in FI, and requesting new locations and further investment in the program.

Action Items:
" Kaywana will report back on FI Night and next steps.

6. OTHER BUSINESS

Display Materials:
Roz noted that our CPF display boards are looking pretty beaten up. Dianne volunteered to prepare 3 new boards by September, using the new coloured foam core available. It was also suggested that the CPF tootie guy logo be stenciled onto the top of our sunshade before the Francofete picnic.

Action Items:
" Roz will provide display board materials to Dianne
" Dianne will prepare 3 new display boards for September
" Kaywana will prepare a template of the CPF logo and arrange for spray painting

Meeting Adjourned: 8:45pm
Next meeting: September 18, 2007