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Attending: P. Evennett, K. Cormack, H. Thornton, K. MacKenzie, L. Ross, G. Kerr, N. Greenwood, S. Rea, S. Kruse, S. Blyth, A. MacLean, D. Morgan, C. MacKenzie

 

Minutes of the meeting on 14 November 2011 were accepted.

 

 

It won't be until the February weekend that anything involving the playing fields will happen.

 

It is hoped that the Giving Machine has been used over the Christmas period and it was suggested that the office staff use it when making school purchases.

 

There are now three extra members in the parent council who joined after the S1 and S2 poster competition to get more people involved.

There were two winners, Kiera Brennan and Daniel Mackay; and Rachel Urquhart and James Ross were commended.

 

On the 13rd December there was a Fair Trade meeting attended by 12 pupils & 2 members of staff when the owner of Allspice spoke about the abuse and trafficking of children in the growing and harvesting of cocoa beans to make chocolate. In Ghana a cooperative of cocoa farmers follow fair trade practices and market their products under the Divine Chocolate label. There was enthusiasm among the pupils for the academy to work towards fair trade status.

P. Evennett suggested that the PC take it further and sell rice at the fashion show with the Greenhouse on February 28.

S. Kruse also suggested that we get in contact with Highland One World in order to get someone from Ghana to come over and speak to the pupils about Fair Trade.

P. Evennett also suggested that as well as selling rice, the Parent Council expand the range and sell coconut milk and pickles.

 

 

K. Cormack reported that e-mailing parents has been successful.

 

Senior prelims are running smoothly and will continue until the 3rd of February

 

There is to be a different system used for report cards and the S2 templates for these has not yet arrived which has resulted in the date being pushed back as well as the Parents Evening.

 

A litter officer has come in to speak to the pupils about the dropping of litter and the effect it is having on our environment. Stewart Davidson is to do follow up sessions with S3 pupils and allow for them to contact him should they have any queries. The school plans to improving litter dropping as their New Year resolution.

 

A fashion show is to be held with the Greenhouse in the last week in February which has been organised by senior pupils.

 

Healthy eating and wellbeing is to be launched with staff then followed up with Health Week the following week. Plans are to offer lower school pupils a healthy breakfast of cereal and a smoothie as well as having various health promoting activities in the school throughout the week.

 

The socials all went well but it was suggested that pupils are not to attend school the next day unless they are in uniform.

 

An overwhelming number of sixth year pupils donated blood which gives the school a very good reputation. It was suggested that the school get in contact with the NHS and discuss changing the times of donating blood from 2-4 to 1-3 which will allow more pupils to donate.

 

The opening of the school at 9.15 during bad weather has been well received and helps avoid disruption.

 

​​School Buses

The school buses have recently been taken over by D&E coaches who have provided pupils with nicer, safer buses. However, Maryburgh pupils still have to pay for transport and although there are enough seats for everyone, it can often be quite a squeeze. The service is not yet reliable with some buses not turning up but it is improving.

 

 

Bank account balances:

Cheque account 16/01/12 £189.35

Savings account 9/01/12 £2076.41

Payments were made for Fair Trade goods & leaflets; printer ink & paper; donation in lieu of speaker’s fee.

There is a discrepancy between the balance in the treasurer’s record and that in the bank, with £38.26 more in the bank than expected! PE and LR have looked at this but are not sure why this has happened.

 

 

The council discussed what ways they could fund activities for the pupils.

Suggestions were to subsidise Fair-trade cooking as part of Home Economics, the school’s gardening club, disabled riders or the health week’s breakfast of cereal and a smoothie.

 

An acknowledgement of the letter about the gritting in the school has been received but nothing more has been heard.

A. MacLean also raised concern about the roads, maintenance and priorities, and informed the council of a work shop which involved 15 councillors meeting in order to discuss the matter. The issue will be looked into in the next few months.

 

Monday 19 March at 7pm