FIRST MEETING
Monday, October 2, 2023 - In the Library
This meeting will have two parts: the election of parent members at 6:30 and the general meeting at 7:00. Elections will be held in person.
Do you want to learn more about what's happening at our school? Do you want to feel involved in our school's community? What about contributing in a meaningful way to the long and short term success of Henry Larsen? Do all that and more when you join Henry Larsen's Elementary School Council!
What is the School Council? All schools in Ontario have a school council. They are important advisory bodies to the schools and school board. The purpose of a school council is, through the active participation of parents, to improve student achievement and increase accountability of the education system to parents. As a school council member, you can help your council learn about ways to contribute to the education of students in your school. Through your involvement in the council, you are part of a team working to support a high-quality education system for the children of Ontario. Your participation can make a difference.
What are School Council meetings like? Our Council meets once a month in the evenings in the school library for about an hour. School councils are led by parents and most of our members are parents. Each year, a chair, treasurer, and secretary are elected to fulfil these roles over the course of the year. Our school's principal and vice principal attend all meetings and provide updates on what's going on at the school and school board. There are also teacher representatives who provide monthly updates from the classrooms. Staff are there to answer questions, listen to parent concerns (big or small), or hear suggestions on how we can make our school even better. At our meetings, we also discuss and plan upcoming events to ensure their success.
What does Henry Larsen's School Council do? Our parents and volunteers organize fun, educational, and inclusive events throughout the year for our kids and the community. School council organizes yearly events such as the Monster Mash, Holiday Market, Chocolate Bar Bingo, and movie nights. Our fundraising supports things like new library books for the school and special activities for the kids. We are actively fundraising to build a new play structure in the sandpit where our old kinder play yard was. Given the very (very) high costs to build this, we need new ideas to keep up momentum in our fundraising efforts.
What kind of commitment is involved? The short answer is - none! We're parents too and we understand that life gets busy. School council members do not have to attend every meeting, they come when they can. This flexibility extends to your participation as a member: bring your ideas, help with planning, volunteer your time, or just listen. There are lots of different ways to contribute and you can be as involved as you'd like!
How can I get involved? Participate as a school council member, parent volunteer, or both!
School council is a great way to meet members of your school community, to learn about and to have a say in the affairs of this fabulous school. Meetings are held in the school library in the second week of each month. Meetings generally start at 7:00 pm and generally last from 1 to 2 hours.
Any interested parent/guardian or community members are welcome at any of our meetings, however only members have voting privileges. A list of our meeting dates for this school year can be found on the Meeting page.
Contact Us
If you are interested in becoming involved in the Council, or have questions or ideas, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch at [email protected] or feel free to speak to any member of the Council. Also, if you are interested in being on our e-mail list, please send us a quick e-mail to let us know and we’ll add your name to the list.