March 15, 2021

Northrop Frye School

PSSC Committee Minutes

March 15, 2021

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Attendees: Tina Landry (Principal), Tara Glencross (Vice-Principal), Stephanie Dupuis (Northrop Frye Teacher Representative), Mark Owen, Elizabeth Blakney, Anthony Veldstra, Angela Clarke (Home & School), Stacie Reck

Guest: Aubrey Kirkpatrick – Anglophone East

Regrets: Matthew Bradshaw

Current Business

1. Call to Order by Mark Owen at 6:35pm

• Adoption of the Agenda
• Motion to adopt the proposed agenda –Mark
• Seconded by Anthony

• Approval of Minutes
• Minutes from January 12, 2021 were approved with the following amendments:
• Spelling of Elizabeth Blakney’s name
• Motion to approve – Anthony

Seconded by Stephanie

• Reports:

1. Northrop Frye Home & School Association

Representative – Angela Clarke

• There is still money in the budget despite the challenging conditions that COVID has created.
• Spirit week raised over $1200
• Home & School completed their “wish list” initiative – Erika ordered items and dealt with them as they came in.
• Executive will meet again to discuss alternatives to Family Fun Night – they will brainstorm possible ideas. This is a difficult loss given that it was the school’s biggest fundraiser.
• Meeting in April
• Masks – successful fundraiser
• Mrs. Landry thanked Home & School for a creative and encouraging staff appreciation week. It was great.
• Mrs. Glencross will send pictures from “wish list” recipients for the Home & School Facebook Page.

1. Principal’s Report – Tina Landry

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• Update on School Improvement Plan – Mindsets for Learning

Teachers are teaching the Mindsets for Learning at all grade levels.

Staff would normally keep track of this on a visual board during meetings.

However, most meetings are virtual, so this method is not possible.

Members of the school ESS team will monitor to see that all the mindsets are taught by the end of the school year.

The six mindsets are:

1. Resilience, 2) Flexibility, 3) Persistence, 4) Growth Mindset, 5) Empathy and 6) Optimism.
2. Update on School Improvement Plan – Math Improvement

There are no provincial assessments for Math.

Progress will be monitored using benchmark assessments.

ESS team will help staff decide what grade levels will have assessment done.

Can use report card data too.

Term 1 & 2 data will provide a better sense of how students are progressing in math.

ESS team has changed the service delivery model. Co-teaching is normally part of a resource teacher’s role. However, resource teachers will focus on intervention. First, K-1 and secondly, 3-5. This week, there will be assessment and then 5-weeks intervention. After the first intervention block, there will be a week of assessment and then a second block of intervention. Unfortunately, intervention is more challenging due to COVID bubbles, but they will do as much intervention as possible between now and the end of the school year.

Questions following Principal’s report:

1. Will the term “catching up” be used on the term 2 report cards?

Answer: No that was just for term 1.

5. Parking and Drop Off Issues:

a) Letter written to the DEC

b) Discussion of Issue

Problem with traffic during drop offs

Aubrey Kirkpatrick was invited to the PSSC meeting to discuss this issue.

The issue with traffic at drop off began when the school opened.

The problem shows the importance of design.

We should also recognize that COVID has changed the reality of how students are getting to school. Many are no longer taking the bus. The amount of traffic has increased as a result.

This has caused concerns regarding student safety.

Mr. Kirkpatrick has an upcoming meeting with the city traffic engineer, and he will address the issue. Perhaps there are other traffic calming action that we could use in the community.

They will also look at the property next to the school parking lot.

There are many capital expense requests but because it is an ongoing safety issue it can be brought to facilities in Fredericton.

There are many people who are choosing not to follow the rules and this is an issue at all schools. It is a reality that we are dealing with but there are no easy solutions.

Ideas:

• Parking on Ryan Rd – perhaps it would help if people could park on Ryan Rd, this would alleviate some of the congestion. There are “no parking” signs but these could be altered to allow for a brief parking time during drop off.
• Return to bus – When COVID ends, maybe some families will opt back into bus service.

There are many reasons why people are opting out of use of the bus

including COVID, work schedules, convenience etc.

• A walking point – Determine a location a short distance away from the school and have students meet there and walk as a group. This will require parent volunteers.
• Change boundaries for walkers, offer bus service for more students – particularly those in the Rural Estates.
• Anthony has an estimate on construction of a parking lot in neighbouring lot. He will forward this to Mr. Kirkpatrick.
• An education plan re: increasing walking – a buddy plan/safety.
• Using the bus loop
• Use a traffic monitor during drop off. Allow cars to use available parking spaces and control

that flow of traffic.

• Place parking lines in drop off loop to maximize the number of cars that can be parked.
• Walking day – Earth day might be a good time to promote a special walking campaign. Could be promoted as a special project.
• Change K-2 hours so that parents can use the bus loop for drop off/pickup once the buses have been dismissed.
• Concrete dividers so that the existing bus loop can be used for buses and drop off/pick up.
• Issue is most significant in the afternoon.

Mr. Kirkpatrick will take the list of suggestions and ideas as he moves forward with this problem.

Teachers were helping to monitor the drop off/ pick up situation and unfortunately, they encountered some very aggressive parents. RCMP will be at Northrop Frye on March 17^th to monitor the traffic situation.

New Business

1. Next Meeting – May 11, 2021 – 18:30-19:30

• Adjournment
• Motion to adjourn meeting –Anthony

Time 7:20pm

Minutes submitted by Stacie Reck