Minutes Oct 2005

Minutes of H.S.A. Meeting ? 4 and 7 October 2005

Present: Tuesday 4th: Sharon McCulloch & Gesine Carter (Turquoise reps); Jane Lewis (acting Chair), Sue Carter & Caroline Plummer (Blue reps); Isobel Pope, Sally Hobson & Mandy Dalgleish (Red reps); Simon Fraser & Virle Paterson (Purple reps); Sophie Matthew & Luz Luna (Green reps); Susan Scher & Gill Martin (Yellow reps); Penny Radford (Nursery), Adele O'Hanlon (Nursery), Jerry Whitlock (Treasurer)

Friday.10th: Jane Lewis, Simon Fraser, Gill Martin, Izzi Pope, Sophie Matthew, Luz Luna, Susan Scher, Sally Hobson, Sheila Alon & Sam Patel (Orange reps), Sharon McCulloch, Lorraine McIntosh (Red & Purple), Lori Bellings-Giachino (Red & Nursery), Clare Richmond (Nursery rep), Rebecca Hamilton (Red & Yellow), Katherine Taylor (Yellow), Andrew Wickham (Head)

1. New Chair
Clare Richardson has agreed that she will take over as Chair of the H.S.A. in the New Year.

2. New Class Reps
A list of Class reps and their contact details will be posted on the Weston Park website (www.westonpark.ik.org).
It was suggested that there would be at least one meeting per term organised by Class reps to feedback to the H.S.A.

3. Events
1. New Parents Welcome/ International Evening/Launch of Weston Park 10 year Anniversary celebrations - it was decided to incorporate all these events into one celebration on Thursday 10 November 2005.
The evening will consist of music and food and all parents will be encouraged to donate food from around the world to celebrate our school's cultural diversity. More details will follow. Enquiries will be made about a celebration cake from Dunns.

2. Ideas are welcome for the school's 10th anniversary celebrations. (Past pupil involvement?) Please speak to your class reps. or come to the next H.S.A. meeting.
Izzy & Rebecca are to co-ordinate a Weston Park calendar - each month will have a photograph of all children in the school sharing a birthday that month.

3. Halloween
Children will be allowed to dress up for the day - Monday 31 October (first day back after half-term) and after school there will be a Halloween cake sale - Proceeds will go the Earthquake appeal. Scary cakes to be donated - Prize for ghastliest cakes.

4. Cake Sales
Every class to take turn organising an after school cake sale. Proceeds go to School Trip Fund, reducing cost by approx. £5.00 per child per year.

5. A Christmas Disco for the children was suggested. Dates and DJ to be investigated.

6. Christmas Craft Fair
The Christmas Craft Fair will take place one Saturday in December. Each class chooses a craft activity, which they will organise with their class reps.

7. Spring Fair
A date has been set for this year's School Fair - 20 May 2006. There will be separate meetings to organise this annual event.

4. Christmas Shoe Boxes
For the last few years we have been involved in decorating shoeboxes and sending them to children in need. For the first 2 years some parents objected to being involved with Christian Evangelical organisations. Last year, therefore, we were involved with a Homeless project in Finsbury Park. It was felt that it was good to support a local charity and Sharon has contacted them again this year. It was noted that last year they did not send out a message of thanks to the children.

5. School Dinners
In the light of recent health scares, in particular the E-coli outbreak in Wales, parents wanted to be assured of the quality of meat supplied to our children. Jane to speak to Andrew Wickham.

6. School Trips
(i) There has been some concern over transport for children on school trips in the light of the recent bombs. Andrew Wickham has asked that the H.S.A. carry out a parent survey about public transport. This will be carried out by Class reps. At the moment, in the absence of any better information, Andrew Wickham has said no to tube travel.
(ii) There had been some feeling that this survey was a job for the School rather than the H.S.A. but it was agreed after Andrew explained that he felt there would be a much higher response via the H.S.A. as consultation works better face to face.
(iii) There was some concern that some trips were not well organised and that teachers needed to tighten up their guidelines for parents. It was also felt that the ratio of 1 adult to 6 children was not safe. Andrew pointed out that the guidelines given to the school were actually 1 adult per 10 children.
(iv) It was suggested that if there was interest, money could be raised to buy a coach, which could be shared by local schools.




7. School Uniform
Uniform is optional but some parents would like it to be compulsory and would like a survey to be carried out. Jane to raise this with Andrew Wickham. In the meantime some parents have ordered uniform and there will be items on sale at the International evening on 10 November. We are also hoping to have a 2nd hand sale - requests for unwanted items will follow.
8. Concrete Factory - school involvement
Clare Richmond explained the key issues concerning London Concrete Ltd and the huge impact locally in particular the air quality and traffic and she urged parents to attend the demonstration outside the Civic Centre on 11 October.
As we know the application was turned down and the Appeal public inquiry hearing starts on 13.12.05.

A group will be formed to organise what we, as Weston Park school, need to do to sustain resistance to this proposal. We need to make sure parents are aware of the next stage and need to assess what can be done in conjunction with Green N8, a website created to 'promote a green quality of life for London N8' and informing local residents of any local projects that threaten this - www.greenn8.org.uk

9. A.O.B

(i) Simon Fraser proposed a twinning scheme with a school in Tanzania where he has been involved. An organic cotton farming community has been set up financed by a Swiss company to regenerate an area 250 km N.W. of Dar es Salaam. The school is a Green Vision English Medium School with 60 children and the proposal is for them to communicate directly with children in our school and for us to learn about Tanzania. Simon to talk to Andrew Wickham.

(ii) A newsletter will be distributed informing parents/carers of forthcoming events.

10. Date of next meetings:-

All are welcome!

Tuesday 1 November 7.30pm Staff Room
Friday 4 November 9.10am The Hut Back to top